Nervous System Adaptation Essays (196 words) - Muscular System

Nervous System Adaptation Nervous System Adaptation plays a significant role in exercise development as seen by mental imagery, cross education, and coactivation. The body must establish and modify it's own neural network before it can strengthen. A weight lifter can improve his workouts by understanding the fundamentals of NSA. The nervous system plays a large role in how a muscle develops. For example Scientists have found that people who visualize their workouts can stimulate a significant amount of muscle growth. Although scientists would not advise solely visualized workouts they do stress the importance of good mental preparation to help physiological adaptation. Another example of how the nervous system effects muscle development is in cross education. When one injures a muscle often times the doctor will tell them to work the opposite uninjured muscle. This action will indirectly stimulate the injured muscle. When a novice weight lifter flexes a muscle, the opposing muscle restricts movement. After working out for a period of time, this misfiring of the neurons will dissipate. This phenomenon is known as coactivation. Also, in synchronization a novice weight lifter's movements will be shaky until his or her neural network has adjusted itself. Science Essays

Sep 11th essays

Sep 11th essays September 11th, 2001 a day Americans will never forget, a day of mourning and sorrow. The time was approximately 9:10am on Tuesday morning. I was awaiting the arrival of my friend Michael at the Nassau Community fountain. We had the next 3 hours off and figured we would go get a bite to eat. Next to me there were two people talking, I couldnt help to overhear one of the boys say The world trade center was just blown up, come here you can see some of the smoke. Well obviously not knowing this boy, and avoiding making a fool of my self I stayed put, and didnt follow him. I just stood there wondering if this kid was for real. My friend arrived and we headed to his car to begin our long off period. When we got into the car I said Mike, I heard the world trade center was blown up. He had the same initial response that I had; he said bull shit, no way. I then recommended we tune into 660, they are always on top of the news. We were greeted with the first and scariest statement, the world trade center has just collapsed, and this is absolute mayhem... Previous to our off period we planned to stop at Best Buy, so I could purchase a DVD. When we arrived there we headed straight over to the television area. One or two customers had been hovered over the set to see what had happened. Within a few minutes many customers and concerned civilians gathered around the television set to find out exactly what had happened. We stood there with about 50 people staring at the TV, in shock and confusion. You could tell by the look on some of the peoples face they were wondering, who would do such a terrible thing, and if their friends and family were alright. Many of them already had proceeded to making cell phone calls. I remember the cell phone service being very boggled down, making it difficult to make calls, due to the large call value at that time. After about 30 minutes or so at Bes...

A Critique of Tess Onwueme’s Tell It to Women Essay Example for Free

A Critique of Tess Onwueme’s Tell It to Women Essay ? To Women, we travel back to a Nigerian village in postcolonial Africa. The story enlightens the audience about the dichotomy of traditionalism versus modernism and the ways in which different cultures interact. It ends by revealing the true meaning of culture; the real quality in a society that arises from a passion for what is excellent in arts, manners, and customs. Overall, the play discusses the role of women within this Nigerian village and largely examines the conflict of whether it is better to advance with the rest of the world, or to hold on to the traditions that truly make a society independent and beautiful. The play begins with Yemoja, the most important woman in the village, in a house with Daisy and Ruth, two feminist western-educated scholars. They are the primary antagonists in the play. At this early stage, we see that Daisy and Ruth are not fond of Yemoja. Daisy and Ruth are leaders of the â€Å"Better Life for Rural Women† campaign, which inspires women to believe that they are not only equal to men in many ways, but are even superior in others. The two of them select Yemoja as the mediator between the village and the western world that they are so desperate to force upon the women. The movement causes a great disturbance in the village between the men and women, and especially with Yemoja’s husband and father. Back in Daisy’s home, she has been getting into many disagreements with her family. Her husband Okei, disagrees with her passion about the feminist movement and they frequently fight about it. Her mother-in-law, Sherifat, still encourages Yemoja to participate in the village’s traditional tribal rituals. Sherifat expresses that it would a terrible fate if Yemoja attempts to assimilate to the modern culture and loses her roots. As the story goes on, Daisy becomes estranged from her daughter Bose, as Bose is beginning to understand more and more the culture of the village and becomes closer to Yemoja and Sherifat. Towards the end of the play, the villagers organize a march, for which Daisy gives Yemoja steps to teach to the rest of the women. It becomes clear to Yemoja at that point that western culture is not for them. Daisy and Ruth’s superior arrives to enlighten the women about her ideas of feminism. She is the one that will decide whether or not the movement has succeeded or not. When it is time for Yemoja to perform the dance, however, she and Sherifat perform one of the Idu rituals instead. Bose even joins in the dancing. Ruth falls and becomes extremely injured while Daisy is thrust into the middle of the action. The play ends here in a beautifully tragic scene as Ruth chokes to death while the rest of the villagers celebrate having revitalized their culture. Tess Onwueme’s play was delightfully written and captivating to any audience. The story was intriguing and definitely matched it’s title. Now I see that, Tell It To Women, is a statement on how the women of the village are always being told to do or be something. Whether it is by Daisy and Ruth or by their husbands, the women never really find their own voice until the very end. We see in the first movement, Sherifat telling the chorus of women that being a wife is â€Å"meaning that a wife deserves to be treated like a daughter and not something that you possess. † Yet, throughout much of the story, we see the women being treated like servants and as subhuman to Daisy and Ruth, the village men, and western civilization as a whole. However, I believe that even as a woman, the author was at times, very objective in her portrayal of feminism. She was able to write a play that showed both the positives and negatives of modernism, while advancing the ideals of traditionalism. She does all this without losing sight of what is most important to women of a small village like that. At one part she even has Ruth say â€Å"these rural women are very gullible, you know. All you need to do is make them feel they are important†¦ we need them anyway, maybe even more than they need us. † The author is commenting here on the passive-aggressive attempts of Daisy and Ruth but also shows that the village women do not actually need to be modernized. Perhaps here, the author is a little biased because she is making Daisy and Ruth out to be selfish and slightly cruel. To a western reader, the play was not very easy to read. The names of the villagers were at times tongue tying and I found myself changing opinions about a character because I in fact, thought they were another. Onwueme also does not really explain the native African dialect and proverbial expressions that are used, which was slightly confusing as well. Many play-writes include footnotes at the bottom of the page to explain vernacular that is not known to the reader and that would have been very helpful here. That being said, the true meaning of the play was present the entire time. The clash of cultures and the lingering pains of colonialism in Africa come through wonderfully in the author’s interpretation. In one eloquent line we see that colonialism left its mark of the villagers. Sherifat says to Daisy that â€Å"it’s easier for those who inflict the pain on others to forget. † Tell It To Women, while at times was hard to follow, beautifully captured the struggle of traditionalism versus modernism and is a true mark of feminism. Overall, I thought that the play was well written and captivating. Even as a man, when sometimes it is hard to understand the desires of women, let alone women of another culture, I was able to grasp the true value of this play. It enlightened me about African culture and the roles of men and women in society. I believe Onwueme did a tremendous job in exposing the struggles of postcolonial Africa in an artful representation. A Critique of Tess Onwueme’s Tell It to Women. (2018, Nov 12).

Criminal justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal justice - Essay Example These topics have been chosen as a function of their interconnected nature as well as the fact that it is this authors belief that each of these situations works to exponentially complicate and compound the primary issue that the US criminal justice system faces; namely overcrowding in its penitentiary system. The first issue that this analysis will consider relates to the issue that has evolved from what this author will deem â€Å"incarceration for profit†. Although few individuals in the United States are aware of this practice, the fact of the matter is that it has grown from an isolated incidence to a multi-million dollar a year industry. The central issue can be explained as a system whereby overburdened municipalities cannot immediately afford the massive expense that is called for in order to build a new penitentiary system. As a way to bridge this gap while making a substantial profit, private firms enter into the equation and offer the municipality a joint venture wh ich is oftentimes hard to resist. These firms offer to front the necessary capital to build the facility as well as staff it with private contracting security firms. The catch then comes as the municipality agrees to an extended lease of the facility. Although at face value this may seem an ingenious way for a private firm to work to alleviate the strains that a municipality may have with relation to prison overcrowding, it is however slightly more sinister than one would at first presume. Due to the fact that a private firm now has stake in the criminal justice system, a system that arguably the state and the state alone should have prevue over, the interests of rehabilitation and reform are placed as secondary to overall profit. Such a situation is counter to the very foundations of what the criminal justice system is supposed to provide to society. In this way, incarceration has become the primary focus of policy makers and local leaders whereas the needs of those incarcerated as well as the secondary objectives of rehabilitation and reform are all but forgotten in a drive to provide more â€Å"bed space† for existing and incoming offenders. This issue has been compounded by a host of policy decisions; some of these are beyond the scope of this individual analysis. However, two of the complicating factors will be discussed at greater length within this analysis. Likewise, the second challenge which faces the current criminal justice system is the result of the failed War on Drugs. The â€Å"war on drugs† began in 1971 as a mandate from President Richard M. Nixon. Rather than engage in a thesis length discussion as to the nature of drug usage and whether it is a victimless crime in society, this paper will focus on the obscenely high costs that are associated with the unsuccessful prosecution of this war on drugs. In 2010 alone, the United States federal government expended in excess of 15 billion USD to combat the drug problem in the United St ates.1 This figure expands when one considers the fact that taken on aggregate, state and local governments expended a further 25 billion dollars during the very same period. The expenditure alone however is only a portion of the problem. Drug related arrests account for in excess of 13% of all arrests that are made; more than any other crime with respect to

Population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Population - Essay Example In spite of this transition the total population of the country in stage IV is found to be much higher. It will be interesting to understand each stages of growth i.e. stage I through stage IV for understanding how the population eventually stabilizes (World Population: Growth & Trends). This is the stage when birth rates and death rates are high and even then there is no population growth. High birth rate is due to high fertility rate or no use of contraceptives. Similarly, high death rate during the stage is attributable to the deaths occurring from the deadly diseases such as plague, cholera, typhoid as medical science was not developed enough to provide required protection. This is a preindustrial stage when living conditions are not favorable. Infant mortality goes down due to improved health conditions that in turn, bring down the death rate; however, the birth rates still remains high keeping the population growth rate at high levels. This is also known as the transitional stage and most of the developing world is found in this stage. The country develops economically and the people start using contraceptives that controls the birth rates significantly. Population growth rate in this stage falls down significantly. Most of the developed world and a few developing countries can be found here. From the equation above, it is amply clear that if the death rate equals birth rate, there will be no growth in population of the country. In other words, if the death rate declines, the birth rate must decline by the same rate for the population to achieve stabilization. With the advances in medical sciences; better nutrition, enhanced sanitation and clean water, the death rates have declined substantially in last several decades; however, the birth rates have not kept pace with the death rates resulting into positive population

Environmental Speech Essay Example for Free

Environmental Speech Essay My speech will be about Global warming, this is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. In 2011 the emission of carbon dioxide and was the highest it had ever been before and it had also taken a similar jump in 2012. Over all, emissions of carbon dioxide had jumped 3 percent in 2011 and in 2012 it was estimated that it had jumped another 2. 6% in 2012. Scientists are 90% sure that Humans are the cause global warming from producing greenhouse gases produced by human activity like using a car which is burning fossil fuels and also is caused deforestation. Since the early 20th century the Earth’s average temperature has increased by 0. 8 degrees centigrade. The effect of an increased temperature will result in the rise of sea levels. Global warming is strongest in the arctic and causes a more frequent occurrence of extreme weather events such as heat waves, heavy rainfall, droughts and species extinction. How do we stop Global Warming? Turning the thermostat down a few degrees can make a big difference in decreasing our carbon dioxide emissions. Replacing a regular light bulb with compact florescent lights will save you ? 15 over the life of the bulb and reduce global warming. Driving less and using public transport more often will reduce the carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels which are burnt every day from transportation vehicles. Decorating your house with plants and trees will help as they take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.

Singaporean Mentality Exposed :: I Not Stupid Education System Essays

Singaporean Mentality Exposed Film critics and audiences have dubbed I Not Stupid an excellent commentary on the education system and government paternalism. The movie stars three school children who have been channelled into the undesirable EM3 stream, and shows the trials and tribulation of these children and their parents. I Not Stupid has been described as a "coming of age movie"1 for its rare ability to criticise the government and its policies and bring pertinent issues to light, so much so that many are surprised that it managed to get past the not-too-kind local board of censors. This presents us with an interesting question - with its explicit references to the government and its blatant criticisms of government policies, how did this political satire get past the censorship board? Was it a case of the censors deciding that this sort of criticism was acceptable once in a while? Or perhaps the censors just saw the movie differently. At first mention, the latter might sound very unlikely. However, if we ask ourselves what the real butt of the satire is, we might begin to realise that there is a possibility that this movie is not intended to be a political satire at all. In fact, it is my contention that the butt of the satire in this movie is the Singaporean mentality, and not the government. However, before we can begin to examine the real target of the movie's satire, it is first necessary to have an understanding of the movie and its characters. The movie stars three students, Terry Khoo, Liu Kok Pin and Ang Boon Hock who are in the EM3 stream. Terry Khoo, who is also the narrator in the movie, is portrayed as a chubby and clumsy spoilt brat, whose mother is overly paternalistic. Mrs. Khoo, who is decked in white for most of the movie to no doubt show a similarity between her and the PAP government who also have a white uniform, makes all the decisions for her children, and believes that they should be lucky to have such a responsible mother. While Terry is happy to accept this situation, his elder sister Selena is more rebellious and repeatedly demands her freedom. Liu Kok Pin is a student whose ability in English and Maths is weak. His mother, Mrs. Liu takes it upon herself to discipline Kok Pin to ensure that he scores well in his tests in school, while brushing asi de his natural talent in art.

Clique Mobile Coffee Essay

Background and Rationale ‘Studying the fundamental reasons why the proponents aim to establish a business coffee shop’. A coffee shop or cafeteria businesses are already popular worldwide, too many names, establishment and products. Almost every coffee shop businesses stay long because of satisfying income. How about innovation to this business that have a risk but can probably maximize profit. Mobile coffee shops that acquired equipments that almost within a vehicle that travels to different places is definitely unique and new that’s why it is feasible. The proponents are aiming to study the reasons this business should be implemented and figured out a solution to all the problems that may encounter to the research. These are some reasons and problems: 1. An innovation should have a perfect research before implementing and it is bit difficult to introduce to the mass market. 2. Risky is involved because it can easily bump by other cars that it may  destroy the vehicle full of machineries and high value assets and equipment that can probably explode. 3. Implementing is one of the hardest part because it has a lot of process and there were only few high-ways to trip, also it has limited places to go like traveling at the urban areas and primary highways. 4. Supply of coffee beans can be also limited, Benguet, the province itself produce supply of resources wherein the harvest is by season. 5. The weather of course can cause the profit loss especially here in Benguet where rainy season is mostly half-year. I. Project Summary I.1 Name of the Business â€Å" Clique Mobile Cafà © Clique is the proposed name of the business because it’s a converted vehicle that in just one click it is transformed into a business mobile and it has Wi-Fi. In addition, ‘mobile’, as the word itself, it can travel to one place to another while the mobile itself is the kitchen. I.2 Business Logo I.3 Location Burnham Park Baguio City, Benguet I.4 Descriptive Definition of the Project Clique Cafà © is a coffee shop that serves not only beverages but includes food, bread and pastry products. It has small kitchen, machineries in making coffee and pastry products and a small portable comfort room. The dining is an open area just outside around the vehicle wherein all the tables and chairs are portable including the tabernacles and tent that covers the place. It has a dimension of 21ft x 9ft x 9ft. It’s a food and beverage business which the main product is coffee. It travels to different places  where people usually hang-out. Clique Cafà © serves some beverages such as herbal tea, hot and cold Chocà ³ coffee. I.5 Vision and Mission Vision: We aim to travel nationwide to provide the best quality coffee and bread for breakfast in every Filipino household that can purchase our most affordable product. We intend to promote tourism and make our own trademark name of coffee product that positions ourselves as premier coffee shop nationwide. Mission: To provide the best quality and most satisfying offer product with high standard services. To continuously promote teamwork and excellence in our establishment and provide a good environmental relationship between our employees and customers. I.6 Objective There are two main products we aim to provide to our market. Our cafà © will establish the commonly used style of coffee which is serving coffee and bread. But we want to make name for our own product. We aim in making our very own unique taste for our products that our market would want to have. We strongly believe that this would be possible by the aid of using indigenous raw product we have in Baguio. Being a city located in the Benguet Province, the province mainly produces harvest of coffee beans that have quality which can compete with its own flavor. This flavor is what we want to introduce in the mass market. The Province also is the main provider of fresh vegetables and fruits that our cafà © can make use of in producing breads. We will able to make recipes from these indigenous products. These are the product that Clique Mobile Cafà © would be proud of and carry under its brand. Clique Mobile Cafe goal is to satisfy our customer by the unique products with the very best of goods and services that we can offer. And we want our business and product will known all over the world. I.7 History Coffee History The history of coffee goes at least as far back as the thirteenth century with a number of myths surrounding its first use. The original native population of coffee is thought to have come from East Africa specifically to Ethiopia, and it was first cultivated by Arabs from the 14th century. The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen. By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East, Persia, Turkey and northern Africa. Coffee then spread to the Balkans, Italy and to the rest of Europe, to Indonesia and then to the Americas. Coffee shop History Coffeehouse and coffee shop are related terms for an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee and other hot beverages. Cafà © or cafe or caff may refer to a coffeehouse, bar, tea room, small and cheap restaurant, transport cafe, or other casual eating and drinking place, depending on the culture. A coffeehouse may share some of the same characteristics of a bar or restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on providing coffee and tea as well as light snacks. Many coffee houses in the Middle East, and in West Asian immigrant districts in the Western world, offer shisha (nargile in Turkish and Greek), flavored tobacco smoked through a hookah. Espresso barsare a type of coffeehouse that specializes in serving espresso and espresso-based drinks. II. Management Aspect Business organization A business organization is an individual or group of people that collaborate to achieve certain commercial goals. Some business organizations are formed to earn income for owners. Other business organizations, called nonprofits, are formed for public purposes. These businesses often raise money and  utilize other resources to provide or support public programs. 2.1 Partnership Partnership is a business organization in which two or more individuals manage and operate the business. Both owners are equally and personally liable for the debts from the business. Therefore the proponents will adopt the Partnership form of business. The proponents chose partnership because it’s not big and broad as a corporation and the capital is lesser than a larger business. The proposed project is easily managed by two or more people or the owners itself. Rules and Guidelines of Partnership One of the potential drawbacks of a partnership is that the other partners are bound to contracts signed by each other on behalf of the partnership. Choosing partners you can trust, and who are savvy, is critical. Making Money Making money is the first rule because it is the biggest impetus for any deal. The deals that actually get done are the ones that can prove their worth. Companies often have a minimum monetary threshold, but if you can prove that a lucrative alliance can be made, then you should be in discussion about working together. Naming Business Naming business partnership is actually a very important step in creating partnership agreement because it formally establishes the business entity for legal purposes. All documents referring to the partnership should use the partnership’s name, once you and your business partners register it. Contribution to Partnership A partnership agreement must include the capital or property each of the partners is investing in the company. The agreement should also include what roles each partner will be performing when the business is operational, including managerial capacities and who controls the day-to-day operation of the business.The partners dedicate resources such as financial, technical, staff and reputational toward achieving agreed objectives over time. They  also establish a new organization with shared governance and a management unit to deliver these activities. Partners don’t draw a salary and share profits and losses equally. Partners have a duty of loyalty to the other partners and must not enrich themselves at the expense of the partnership, and also have a duty to provide financial accounting to the other partners. Allocating Profits and Losses Allocating profits and losses is a key element of company’s partnership agreement. This section of agreement determines how much money each partner stands to make, including what percentage of profit each member may receive, as well as what percentage of business losses each partner must absorb. It’s usually illegal to create a partnership agreement that assigns a higher percentage liability to a partner than the partner originally invested in the company. Keeping responsibility for losses commensurate with each partner’s percentage investment should preserve the legal integrity of the document. Determining Partnership Authority Without specific language detailing each partner’s authority in the business, any partner can force the entire company into a binding legal agreement without the consent of your other partners. Clearly defining each partner’s power within the company to enter into binding agreements keeps the partnership from spreading itself too thin and making bad business decisions. This rule can also put a system in place for the partnership to make business decisions, including rules on voting and obtaining partner consent. The other rules would be found in a written partnership agreement. Such an agreement could outline procedures for making major business decisions, how profits and losses will be split, and how much control each partner maintains. 2.2 Owner of the Business Clique mobile cafà © is owned by Mr. John Ericson P. Amistad and Ahldrin L. Abellera. 2.3 Organizational Chart

Advertising and Imagery: Big Mac Attack! Essay

The health dangers represented by excessive consumption of fast food such as that marketed by McDonald’s, though gaining increased recognition today, remain largely unknown or unacknowledged by a great many sectors of the American pubic. This is the premise which motivated the image pictured in Adbusters and subjected to discussion here. Entitled â€Å"Big Mac Attack,† the advertisement parody featured here uses dark humor rather than dry statistical information in order to drive home the point to fast food lovers and the general public that fast food leads to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease. The ad’s subject is a surgery room, which does not in any direct way seem to address the images associated with fast food. With an EKG monitor occupying the left hand foreground, the right-bound background shows a doctor and an assistant poring over an unseen heart patient. From the perspective of the viewer, the patient’s feet are visible, poking morbidly from the blanket covering the otherwise obscured body. The sharp right angle of the EKG monitor cuts in diagonally from off-screen, with the whole of the machine not totally visible. The bottom horizontal line forming the right angle serves to underline the lone print featured on the screen. The phrase ‘Big Mac Attack! ’ is featured here, as though a part of the EKG display. On the lower register of the vertical line in the right angle, a perpindicular line indicates the front edge of the thin bed frame. With almost perfect symmetry, the patient’s visible feet are angled outward and centered in this portion of the image. The two surgeons flanking him complete this symmetrical impression. Other shapes maintain the rigid consistency of the image, such as the chart dangling from the bed and the operating lamp hanging just above the patient. The lone point of distinction from this rigid angular orientation is in the distinguishing statement of value. This is the image of the so-called â€Å"Golden Arches,† which have been superimposed into the heart monitor read-out shown on the EGK machine. Here, the familiarity of the McDonald’s logo serves against the company’s image-management. Without depicting any of the themes such as fun, family and deliciousness that help it to sell its brand name, the ad invokes McDonald’s by using its household logo. This is sufficient to help clarify the purpose of the set of displayed images. Additionally, the farcical tone of the work becomes more apparent here. The faded and morose quality of the imagery here is interrupted only by the swooping image and its attendant colors. Indeed, the chromatic contrast here intended also plays a significant part in devising the impression to be drawn from the work. Specifically, the bleak blue, white and gray which haze over the patient and his physicians, sharply supplemented by the midnight blue and black hues of the EKG monitor, drive home a sense of impending doom. In the midst of this, the red and yellow elements of the ‘Golden Arches’ allow this part of the image to draw the focus of attention. This underscores the value of the work, which is driven by both its criticism of the product in question and its exploitation of the success which McDonald’s has enjoyed as a tremendously marketed brand icon. The composition is thusly conveyed, presenting the rather explicit statement that fast food can be deadly. Moreover, we are lead by the medium and approach to suggest that the authors of the ad parody also believe that McDonald’s advertising supremacy has been a direct contributing factor to the public health hazard represented by the public. This is, if nothing else, a small attempt recontextualize the brand image to meet public health rather than retail aims.

The eNotes Blog The Big Read Get Talking AboutBooks

The Big Read Get Talking AboutBooks One of the things I miss most about graduate school is the time to luxuriate in conversation with intelligent, engaged people about literature.   Inevitably, someone had a different take on some element of the book that made me re-evaluate my own position or, conversely, helped me feel more confident about an interpretation. In a recent interview on NPRs  Morning Edition,  Oprah Winfrey told interviewer Lynn Neary that her reason for starting the original book club (that catapulted so many authors to fame and fortune) was for the exact same reasons as my own: wanting to talk to other people books. Of course, there are probably hundreds of book clubs in every city and intimate gatherings are great. But if your life and relationships are anything like mine, trying to get friends to commit, show up at the same time, and actually have  read  your selection by a specific date can about as successful as herding cats. Thats why I think that this year, for the first time, I am going to attempt to participate in a number of   Big Reads.   The Big Read  is a project sponsored by the National Endowment of the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. Here is a brief description of how  The Big Read  works (learn more by clicking the link): Through The Big Read, selected communities come together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 34* selections from U.S. and world literature. In addition, The Big Read provides comprehensive information about the authors and their works in the  Our Books  section of The Big Read website. Click  here to enter your city, state, or zip code to find out what your community is reading, find a real life book club or online discussions. Curious what titles up for discussion? Here are just a few of the selections, ranging from new works to classics: In the Time of the Butterflies  by Julia Alvarez Bless Me, Ultima  by Rudolfo Anaya Fahrenheit 451  by Ray Bradbury My Antonia  by Willa Cather The Poetry of Emily Dickinson

Synthesis paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Synthesis - Term Paper Example Taking this course has enabled me to fully appreciate the various facets of leadership and to realize that leadership is an art in itself. The 9100 class required me to participate in a leadership simulation program online. I assumed two main roles: a state representative in economic development to head of funds distribution. Being in the economic development board, I was exposed to the myriad of challenges one faces when he or she has been granted the power and authority to make decisions. Before taking the course, I, like many other people, used to avoid discussing power since each one has a different opinion about it. However by this course, I came to understand that it is the trait which distinguishes leaders from followers and using it the right way is a very challenging task. This course has equipped me with the necessary qualities needed to be a good leader by making me work my way through problem-based experiences. In this paper, I will reflect upon how the leadership simulat ion course has helped me develop leadership traits and how the concepts of leadership apply to my experiences and learning. Being a member of the economic development board in the leadership simulation program allowed me to develop and hone my leadership skills. The program was a platform for me to come across the experiences that senior leaders face in their respective disciplines. By assuming a placement position in the economic department, I was exposed to the brunt of real responsibilities. The various skills that the simulation experience honed included better communication ability, making decisions in the spur of the moment as well as putting them to the test of thoughts and brainstorming, solving conflicts that may arise in the course of activities and performing other responsibilities of a board member. Being a simulated board member also opened the opportunity to interact with my peers and to work as a team. I realized the importance of team work and the importance of each and every member in interprofessional teams. This not only helped me to direct the decisions taken towards the optimal performance of the board but also to develop value-generating strategies which served to improve the efficiency of the processes. In the program, I came to identify my leadership style and to create a leadership plan2. The leadership program helped me to make my way through the problem-based scenarios in an organized and structured way. I was given different situations. In one such situation, being a member of the economic development board, I was required to evaluate the feasibility of a funding proposal. A lump sum of $1 million was proposed to be given to an economic development group, over a course of three years. My job was to investigate and decide whether the investment was worth it and if it contributed towards the betterment of the community as a whole. $1 million is a lot of money and in order to make such a decision, I had to evaluate the aims of the econ omic development group in detail. The situation allowed me to further upon my accounting skills and to weigh the profits against the possible losses. Discussing the situation with other board members allowed to me to diversify my communication and negotiation skills and to use the collective opinion in making a decision which is for the greater good of the community. Moreover, since I had a senior role and the amount of money being invested was large, my responsibility of keeping an

Critical Review of Strategic Thinking Paradigms Assignment

Critical Review of Strategic Thinking Paradigms - Assignment Example Basically SM is a profound concept that involves organizational planning and competitive integration of a system. It is a peculiar concept that requires detailed and comprehensive understanding. This paper is bringing insight on two of the most important texts in strategic management. It may include the review of the Kaufman, Greiner and Cummings works regarding strategic management themes and perspectives. The paper presents the contrasting and differentiating views of the literature, in order to find novel practices of strategic management. In the 21st century world, a precise change has been experienced by organizations. This change involves vulnerability, risk and competitiveness due to the large number of market players present. Technology has a crucial role in settling this impulsive change, which has made the environment of business competitive and risk-oriented. In this vulnerable environment, a new type of strategic planning is needed as proposed by Greiner and Cummings in their text. The authors deliberately propose novel strategic planning, which is different from the so-called conventional strategic frameworks. This new strategic framework is a proactive one, definitely not the idle one as the old ones used to be but highly receptive and responsive to the changing business environment. It is a dynamic strategic planning system, which authors propose as an alternative to the conventional strategic system. As organizations are dynamic today so the need is to incorporate this dynamic strategic system (Greiner & Cummings, 2009). Kaufman in contrast to Cummings and Greiner proposes a pragmatic strategic model. This model collaborates the new and the old conventional frameworks of strategic planning. The author thinks that old models are useful, as they set the baseline to form the new models of strategic planning. The need is to join the old techniques