About Christianity

About Christianity Free Online Research Papers All Christian religions strive for the same goals to live their lives for God or the Holy Spirit. Over the years, members of religions have interrupted the texts differently from other members. This has caused many members to start or find new religions where the religion believes the same ways as they do. Some feel if people are true to their hearts and love all humankind, as God wants them to then it does not matter what religion they belong. Others feel God judges people by their actions not what religion they are. Christianity is the largest religion in the world. People look to God for answers, help, and to find meaning in his, or her life. Christianity is the largest religion of the world, and has followers from all over the world. Christianity started in Israel. Christianity has survived for 1800 years and today translated into many different languages (Parker T., 1996). On the Believe Jesus is the son of God, and he will forgive humankind of their sins. Jesus is the savor of all humankind and died for the sins of others to please God. In Christianity, there is only one God, and he will return to take his followers to his kingdom of heaven. Sunday is a day of resurrection, confession, and prayer. Followers of Christianity live his, or her lives by the teachings of Jesus through the New Testament, Old Testament, and the Trinity. There are many different religions associated with Christianity such as Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. Each branch of Christianity has different rules and laws, and members engorged to follow. Christianity is made of many different religions combined into one for the same believes an d goals. Through the years of Christianity, the meaning is different in parts of the world and practiced differently by the followers. The name Christianity is the only thing that is the same. The interpretation of the words God spoke is different in every set of eyes of his followers. Of all the religions and members around the world, 33 percent are Christians (adherents, 2007). Christians believe there is one God, and he created Earth, all humankind, and wilderness. Even though Christianity is the largest religion, many people argue that the faith is full of myths and no facts to back them up. One of the biggest myths is Jesus was born by a virgin by a miracle of the Holy Spirit. Another myth is he went into the desert and fasted for 40 days with no water or food. Many believe there is no way even with the help of God anyone could survive this long. Another myth is that Jesus walked on top of water. To other religions, the Christian faith is nothing but lies and false hope. To Christians believing and hope is what will get one to heaven. While researching Christianity a local pastor took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about Christianity. There were 10 questions asked to the pastor. What does Christianity mean to him personally? Answer= Christianity has given him a believe system, an organized life with meaning. God made him, and loves him for who he has become. Christianity has given him the feeling usefulness with his life, and has helped change rationality with others believes. Is Christianity more than a religion in his eyes? How or why? Answer= yes, what religion means to him: humankind’s attempt to connect with God. Please God and become one with the lord. What distinguishes Christianity from other religions? Answer= Jesus paid for the penalties and sins of others, to please God. Christians accept and forgive others of their sins. They believe within his, or herself without God their life has no structure. How and why would someone want to join this religion? Answer= anyone wanti ng a live change, and deciding to give themselves to God. People join the Christian faith for purpose and structure in their lives. To join all they need to be being true to themselves and live for God and the rules he has set forth. Is there a particular time of the day that members pray? How do they pray? Answer= members can pray anytime they feel the need. There is no certain time of the day that Christians must pray. Christians are suggested to pray anytime members are making a life changing decision or any major decision. When members decide to change jobs many pray to God to see them through this time. What are some of the rules that members have to follow? Answer= In the Christian religion there are no mandatory rules members must follow. Members have to believe in God with all their heart. Mathew 22: 36-39 (love the lord their God and others) sums it up the best for all Christians. Can anyone join the Christianity religion? Answer= Yes, anyone can join the Christian religio n no matter the color of skin or ethnic group he, or she belongs. People who believe in God and are willing to accept him into their hearts and souls are welcome to join. Since becoming a Christian has he been treated differently by members or friends of another religion? Answer= at first with friends that where nonreligious, and members of other religions. His parents where Roman Catholic and told him he was going to hell for joining a different religion. This made no sense to him after going to ministry school and finding out that Roman Catholics are a division of Christianity. People who are uneducated on religions treated him deferent. Is there a particular way that he would try to convince someone his religion and believes is the right way to god? Answer= Yes, sins puts them in hell, and breaks the faith between God, and themselves. Joining the Christian faith allows them a chance for forgiveness from God. Describe to people the changes that have taken place in his live since h e has given himself to God completely. Do members of his religion have the freedom to figure out what is true, and what is not? How does his religion handle question about Christianity believe? Answer= Yes, all members have the right to figure out what is right and wrong. At his church, they have discussion groups once a week to discuss Sunday’s services and he is always open to answer questions of members who are confused about the scripts and service. In this, church members are encouraged to discuss with one another what passage means to them personally. To him understanding what the passage means and putting it into an actual life experience from the past or today is one way members will truly understand the passage. Having open discussion is another way he sees if the way he is preaching is right for the members or if he needs to change his way of preaching or teaching the word of God. The Christian religion and Islam religion differ in many ways. Islam is the second largest religion in the world with 1.5 billion members, which is about 21 percent (adherents.com). Muslims believe as do Christian Jesus is the son of Mary, but Muslims do not believe Jesus is God. Jesus is one of Gods prophets just as Mohammed. Christians believe Jesus is a Trinity, three people in one (Legenhausen M. Dr. 2007). Muslims must pray five times a day, in Christianity there is no set number of times a day to pray. Muslims govern themselves by the laws and believes of Allah; the 10 Commandments govern Christians. Both religions agree on some believes such as the importance of family, fair treatment for all and living their lives for the King (God or Allah). One of the biggest differences between Christians and Muslims is the education of the two religions among the members. Christians state that Jesus is the son of God, while others call Jesus God. Muslims state that if Jesus is the son of God then he is a prophet just like Mohammed not God. This is one reason Muslims believe Christians are living the life of lies and false hope. Christians believe Jesus is the only way to salvation, as Muslims believe Mohammed is the only way to salvation. The one thing both religions can agree on is that in order to get salvation members must follow the laws and believes of the Holy Spirit or the all mighty one God or Allah. Both agree that the prophets are the true messengers of God and the only way to get into heaven is to follow the laws and believes set forth to them by these prophets. Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion still practiced today. Hinduism believes in more than one God. In the Hindu faith, believe in continuing cycles of birth, life, death, and rebirth. The souls and spirit of every person is eternal in the eyes of Hindu followers. Kama, artha, Dharma, and Moksha are the main goals of life in Hinduism. Hinduism is different from Christianity by not being slotted into any central believe system (Das S., 2008). Hinduism is a way of life not believes of one individual. Members of the Hindu faith believe in truth, honesty, non-violence, and prayer. With the question of Christianity true or false and Mohammed being the last prophet, Hinduism could become the largest faith in the world. Hinduism strives from many different religions and faiths. Believes of Hinduism are the same as many other religions. Christians believe in being true to oneself, and Hindu followers believe that the actions of one will get them to heaven or the afterlife. Both faiths are different in so many ways but the same in other ways. In any religion there is going to be disagreements between them. The laws and rules one must follow will be different. The biggest thing all religions can agree upon is that their members live for the creator of land, water, humankind, and heaven. No matter what the religion one is born, lives life for the exceptional one, asks forgiveness of sins, and prepares for resurrection. Education will play a big part in the future to understanding religions of the world. When members become educated to the laws and believe of another religion, he, or she will see that most religions are very similar in origin. God wants his followers to be true to one ’s self and follow his, or her heart, treat others with respect. Many religions disobey this rule by telling members that other religions are not as superior as their religion. Believe and hope for a better life after death is the main goal of most religions. Older believes and practices changed in Christianity and so will the future. On ly time will tell if Christianity can survive the same believes and practices of the future followers. Research Papers on About ChristianityComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionGenetic EngineeringAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementQuebec and CanadaThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseMind TravelThe Hockey GameThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy

Perkins Loan Forgiveness How Does it Work

Perkins Loan Forgiveness How Does it Work SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you take out a loan, the expectation is that you'll pay back all the money you've borrowed (plus interest, of course). It usually takes pretty catastrophic circumstances for a federal student loan to be canceled, like your school shutting down before you can get your degree. The Perkins loan program is different, in a good way - it offers loan forgiveness/cancellation in a wide variety of other, happier circumstances. In an effort to encourage graduates to pursue certain public service careers, the loan program offers loan forgiveness, or cancellation, to borrowers in certain professions. If you have a Perkins loan and enter one of the fields I outline below, you could have up to 100% of your loan canceled. Read on to learn more about cancellation eligibility the loan cancellation process! How Does Perkins Loan Cancellation Work? If you decide you'd like to work in public service after you graduate from college, you can apply to get your Perkins loans canceled at a specific rate on an annual basis. The exact public service jobs eligible for cancellation will be discussed in the next section. If you work at a particular job for a long enough period, you could get up to 100% of your loans canceled. The chart below outlines the annual rates of loan cancellation for almost all eligible borrowers; you'll notice that 5 years of working = 100% loan cancellation. You'll note in the next section, however, that not all professions qualify borrowers for 5 full years of loan cancellation rates. Annual cancellation rates for VISTA/Peace Corps volunteers are slightly different: 15% for the first and second years, and 20% for the third and fourth years, for a total of 70% maximum cancellation. Year Worked % of Loan Canceled First Year 15 Second Year 15 Third Year 20 Fourth Year 20 Fifth Year 30 If you're working at a job that would qualify you for loan forgiveness, your school should defer your loans. This means that interest won't accrue and you won't have to make monthly payments before your loan undergoes cancellation. Then, if you apply for loan cancellation and are approved, your loans will be forgiven at the rates described above. All in all, it's pretty simple! Eligibility: When Do You Qualify for Forgiveness? There are many different professions and career paths that qualify for Perkins loan cancellation. Although you may not know exactly what you want to do when you graduate, you might have an idea of what jobs might (or might not) be congruent with your professional goals and interests. Hopefully, the following information will help you decide whether it's right for you to pursue a cancellation-eligible path. The following chart outlines all post-graduation jobs you could take in order to qualify for loan cancellation. Most are eligible for 100% cancellation, if you work at that job long enough (refer to the chart I posted in the previous section for annual rates of cancellation). The best thing to do if you have any questions about this chart would be to contact your school's loan office or loan servicer. Cancellation Condition Amount Forgiven Borrower’s total and permanent disability or death 100% Bankruptcy (rare; bankruptcy court would have to rule that repayment is an undue hardship) 100% Closed school (before student could complete program of study) 100% Service in the US armed forces in a hostile fire or imminent danger pay area Up to 50% if service ended before 8/14/2008 Up to 100% if service began on or after 8/14/2008 Full-time firefighter* Up to 100% Full-time law enforcement or corrections officer Up to 100% Full-time nurse or medical technician Up to 100% VISTA or Peace Corps Volunteer Up to 70% Librarian with a master’s degree working in a Title-I eligible elementary or secondary school or in a public library setting serving Title-I eligible schools* Up to 100% Full-time attorney employed in a federal public or community defender organization* Up to 100% Full-time employee of a public or nonprofit child- or family-services agency providing services to high-risk children and their families from low-income communities Up to 100% Full-time staff member in the education component of a Head Start program Up to 100% Full-time staff member in a pre-k or child care program that is licensed or regulated by a state* Up to 100% Full-time qualified professional provider of early intervention services for the disabled Up to 100% Full-time speech pathologist with a master’s degree working in a Title-I eligible elementary school or secondary school* Up to 100% Full-time special education teacher of children with disabilities in a public or other nonprofit elementary or secondary school Up to 100% Full-time teacher of math, science, foreign languages, bilingual education, or other fields designated as teacher shortage areas Up to 100% Full-time special education teacher of children with disabilities in an educational service agency* Up to 100% Full-time teacher in a designated educational service agency serving students from low-income families* Up to 100% Full-time faculty member at a tribal college or university* Up to 100% *For service that includes 8/14/2008, or began on or after that date. How Do You Apply for Perkins Loan Forgiveness? Have you gone through the above chart, and come to the conclusion that you may be eligible for Perkins loan cancellation at some point? That's great news! The process through which you actually apply for loan cancellation is pretty simple, but it requires you maintain a good channel of communication with your school. Perkins loans may be government-backed, but your Perkins loan lender will actually be your school, not the federal government. If you want to get your loan forgiven, and you think you're eligible based on the eligibility circumstances described above, you have to apply for cancellation with your school. You should get annual forms for loan cancellation from the school where your Perkins loan was received; check in with your school's student loan or financial aid office about when and how to get these forms. After you graduate, you should contact your school at the beginning and end of each year to notify them about where, and in what subject area, you are working. This is important because you don't want to end up with any unpleasant surprises; if you thought you were working a job that you believed would qualify you for loan forgiveness, but didn't check in to confirm with your lender, you might find that you don't actually qualify. If you take away one piece of advice from this section, it's that you should actively communicate with your school about how and when you can arrange Perkins loan cancellation. As with most things in life, open communication with your school is the best policy when it comes to arranging for loan cancellation. How to Make the Most of Your Perkins Loans Perkins loans come with a lot of built-in perks, which obviously include options for cancellation. Even if you're not sure whether you'll pursue a cancellation-eligible career in public service, you can still take steps to make the most of your Perkins loans. They don't accrue interest while you're in school, and the 5% interest rate is competitive (especially when compared to many private loans, with interest rates closer to 10%). In order to take advantage of the Perkins loan program, you just need to think ahead! Here are some tips and strategies to help you do just that. By your senior year, ask yourself whether it's likely that you'll end up working a cancellation-eligible job. If you think you'll hold any of the positions described in the big chart above within the next 8-10 years, consider how long you'd be willing to work in that position to get part or all of your loans canceled. Estimate how much Perkins loan debt you'll actually graduate with. If you'll graduate with a larger amount of Perkins loan debt, it might be a financially savvy option to seek out a cancellation-eligible position, even if you only cancel 15-30%. If your Perkins loan debt is relatively small, and you're not interested in a public service job or career, it might not be worth it to you to work a cancellation-eligible job post-graduation. Are you already on track to become a teacher, librarian, health care professional, or attorney? Even if your long-term career goals don’t involve working in a non-profit or public agency, starting off in a loan cancellation-eligible position could save you a lot of money in the long run (depending on your debt and, of course, professional interests and aspirations). Don't consolidate your Perkins loans. If you think you might qualify someday for loan cancellation, don't consolidate your Perkins loans - you'll lose loan cancellation options. If you're fairly certain you won't ever qualify for cancellation, and you can consolidate at a better interest rate, it might be a good financial move. Is working in public service a good fit for your long-term goals, both professional and financial? It's important to weight the pros and cons. What's Next? Perkins loan cancellation sounds pretty great, right? Learn more about Perkins loans and how to get one here. Even if you don't qualify for a Perkins loan, there are other federal student aid programs that could help you pay for school. Check out our guides on Pell Grants, Direct Unsubsidized loans, and Direct Subsidized loans. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Public health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public health - Essay Example It is also meant to educate the public about the many diseases prevalent in our society. The website is also credible because it is truthful. The information which can be seen in the website comes from verified reports. Such information does not make it to the website without a thorough review process and analysis of the data. This makes the data posted highly credible and reliable. The truthfulness of the website also takes into consideration the moral and the perceptual implications of the website and of the information it seeks to put across. I can trust this website because it has proven throughout the years that it is a trustworthy and reliable source of information. Information is filtered into the website through the peer-review and expert process of research. Therefore, I can be sure that the information I read in the website has been evaluated by their research team and has been judged as reliable information. This website has been used throughout its history as a source of information by other researchers, practitioners, government officials, and private companies. I can trust this website because it is also responsive to the concerns of the public and it responds to the public’s needs through its panel of experts and through its credible research process. And more importantly, it has proven throughout the years that it is concerned with promoting and protecting health. The website Medical News Today is not a reliable source because it is not trustworthy nor is it credible source of information. The information it releases comes from other sources or databases. This information from other databases may indeed be peer-reviewed resources, however they are still second-hand information. The peer-review is not conducted by the members of the website’s research team, but they are conducted by other researchers and other databases. The intention of the website is also not clear, hence, it is difficult to

Business Environment and Organisational Purpose - Scuba diving market Essay

Business Environment and Organisational Purpose - Scuba diving market in UK - Essay Example mployees driven by organizational mission of creativity, quality and sustainability, the manufacturer is now recognized as one of the leading manufacturers in scuba diving equipment. Evidently, some of its products that are now widely used in diving spot include diving masks, snorkels, B.C.Ds and Fins. These products have been purposely designed to meet diverse needs of diving sports. The purpose of the Mares manufacturers in anchored in their strategic marketing strategy, it strives to meet the dynamic market of the diving sport and recreational needs. It envisions the growing nature of global sport coupled with the dynamism in customers taste and preference; the company believe that its purpose in the market is to meet such diverse customers needs. Scuba Pro is another leader in manufacturing of diving equipment in today global market. For over fifty years, the company has continue to be ranked as one of the companies with high quality and affordable diving equipment. In addition, their products, branding in the marketing has been incredible in giving them an edge in the competitive market. Driving by their mission of becoming an innovative hub in diving equipment, the manufacturer has produced regulators, dive computers, wetsuits and much more equipment to meet the dynamic diving market. The employees contribution to the overall success throughout its existence has been incredible. It will go down in diving sports history that Scubapro was the first creative producer of a computer radio transmitter that measures the tank pressure through wireless technology. In addition, the equipment allows for measurement of heart parameters. The manufacturer stabilizing jacket monitors buoyancy. In line with the purpose of this company, creativity and innovation in diving equipment has been an important marketing platform. The company purpose is to introduce innovation and creativity into the diving equipment designs in order to enhance the equipment efficiency in

Individual Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Project - Assignment Example Many states in the US adopt different minimum wage laws and as such some may be lower or higher than that prescribed by the Federal minimum wages. The law states that â€Å"when an employee is under both the state and federal minimum wage law, the employee is entitled to receive the higher of the two minimum wages. In this case, Maxim is following the correct guideline of paying the minimum wage of $8.50 per hour. 2. The term exempt employees are categorized under the Fair Labor Standards Act as those receiving salary of not less than $455 per week. Exempt employees according to job titles, are the executives, administrative, professional, computer and outside sales employees who receive compensation of $455 a week or $100,000 a year(Chamberlain, Kaufman & Jones, n.d.) Under the guidelines of the FLSA, the sales associates of Maxim are classified under the non-exempt category because they are inside sales employees, and they still receive $340 a week only ($8.50 x 40 hrs.). Maximâ⠂¬â„¢s Department Supervisors can be classified as exempt employees because they perform supervision over the sales staff and their wage rate amounts to $14.25 per hour, equivalent to$570 a week. The FLSA said that a Supervisor is someone who is doing high level work. It is assumed here, that the Department Supervisors of Maxim may perform either one of the following duties prescribed in the FLSA: interviewing, selecting, and training employees; setting rates of pay and hours of work; maintaining production or sales records (beyond the merely clerical); appraising productivity; handling employee grievances or complaints, or disciplining employees; determining work techniques; planning the work; apportioning work among employees; determining the types of equipment to be used in performing work, or materials needed; planning budgets for work; monitoring work for legal or regulatory compliance; providing for safety and security of the workplace. 3. According to the SSS online, the late st cost of living salary adjustment that becomes effective on December 2011 is 3.6 percent for Social Security benefits and SSI payments. Investopedia defines Costs of Living Adjustment (COLA)† as an adjustment made to social security and supplemental income in order to adjust benefits to counteract inflation†. COLA is usually based on the consumer price index for urban wager earners and wage earners. The average consumer price index as of December 2011 is 3.6 percent (SSS On line) The WEST CPI is 3.4 percent as of October 2011(Bureau of Labor Statistics) Based on this information, computation of the CPI is shown as follows Average consumer price index 3.6 percent West CPI 3.4 percent Difference 0.2 percent Adjustments in COLA took effect in 1975 and do not remain the same for each year. For 2012, SSS online, calculates the maximum monthly Federal amounts for an eligible individual $698, for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse $ 1,048 and for an essential pers on $3350 In this context, the Average Consumer price index as computed by the SSI should be followed. 4. The index of job classes in Portland does not provide an exact job title for Sales Associate and Department Supervisor. (Listing of job classes, 2011) However, similar level of jobs exist in in

Financial and Non-Financial Motivation: An Overview

Financial and Non-Financial Motivation: An Overview In modern society, business markets are getting more competitive. As a consequence, firms in the markets try to use more effective ways to achieve their goals, which include earning more profit and expanding market share. Motivation, which is a way that encourages employees to make an effort to work, is a feasible method to help firms to reach their targets. According to Tutor2U (n. d. a), if workers are motivated well, the business will get better productivity as well as improved product quality, and earn good reputation. Hence, a business ought to spend considerable time in thinking the best way to motivate employees, and there are a significant number of different opinions about it, including financial motivation and non-financial motivation. These two methods of motivation focus on different kinds of employees and satisfy different needs of workers. In addition, both of the two measures have their advantages as well as disadvantages. Therefore, the business should use these two m ethods together to encourage employees to work harder or worse, and make productivity good or bad. Different people have different needs to work, so according to specific conditions, a business should use different methods to motivate its workers. Hall et al. (2008) state that Maslow concluded a theory that there are five levels of human needs which employees need to have fulfilled at work, and they are physical, safety, social, esteem and self actualization. An employee would be motivated by the higher need, only once a lower level of need has been fully satisfied (Tutor2U, n. d. b). For example, a person, who has no money and is dying of hunger and thirst, may think about basic wage at first instead of job security and respect from others. A business ought to offer different sets of incentives from worker to worker, because workers are not all motivated in the same way. According to Hall et al. (2008), McGregor also suggested two theories to explain why people have the will to work. Theory X assumes some workers are motivated by money, while theory Y assumes other workers are mo tivated by many other factors. For instance, due to the little amount of wage, lower paid workers, who include blue collar workers, tend to be willing to work overtime to earn higher pay. However, as for the better paid employees, including white collar workers, salary is not the only important factor for them. They may pay more attention to other aspects of work, such as colleagues, recognition and promotion. Consequently, a business should take different measures aiming at different kinds of employees in order to meet all of their needs and make profits. Financial motivation, which is related to a fair days pay for a fair days work, has both its strengths and weaknesses. Money is necessary for everybody, especially for the poor who have a strong desire to earn more money so as to make a living. Hence, the specific approach that motivates employees using money could be a good way to improve performance of workers as well as productivity. On the other hand, financial motivation may also cause some problems too, such as quality and operating problems. Hall et al. (2008) list some possible methods of financial motivation, including piece rates, fringe benefits, performance related pay and profit sharing. Each method has different benefits and drawbacks to motivate workers. An example is piece-rate pay, which is recommended by Taylor, it is the wage that is paid to workers by the number of products they make in a certain period of time (Hoddersamplepages, n. d.). Workers would work harder to earn more, because the ones who produce more co uld get higher pay. It might be good for increasing the speed of work therefore productivity. Nevertheless, piece rates tend to make employees rush work, so lead to some quality problems, and further influence the reputation of the business. Another measure is fringe benefit, and it is the extra money that employees receive in addition to their normal wage or salary, such as a company car, free use of a house as well as private health insurance (Tutor2U, n. d. c). It can help satisfy the social needs of employees and make them loyal to the firm. At Google for example, it provides free meals for employees to motivate them to be more loyal and make profits for the company (Hall et al., 2008). However, Tutor2U (n. d. c) also points out that fringe benefits could be difficult for the firm to operate because of increasing costs that are used by individuals. Therefore, there are some obvious advantages and disadvantages of financial motivated methods. Owing to the problems of financial incentives, firms should also use non-financial incentives to encourage workers. The similar to financial motivation, non-financial motivation has not only many significant benefits but also some drawbacks too. According to Tutor2U (n. d., b), Mayo reported that the human relations approach is the process for retaining and developing people in organizations but not using ways that involve money. A case in point is Tejas Securities Group. The Chairmans Cup is a silver chalice, which is awarded by the firm each month. It is the award to the workers who contribute to the success of the whole firm, so it inspires employees to work harder toward achievement (Searchwarp, n. d.). Non-financial incentives include job enrichment, empowerment and team working (Hall et al., 2008). Job enrichment means giving workers new sets of interesting and challenging tasks, which is supported by Herzberg (Hr-scorecard-metrics, 2010). It provides employees more chances to develop their capabilities and make them gain a strong sense of achievement. On the other hand, Tutor2U (n. d. d) reports that job enrichment might make some expensive mistakes if the work is too complex for workers or they do not possess the correct skill level. As for empowerment, it gives official authority to workers to make decisions and control their own activities (Hall et al., 2008). For example, employees can arrange how to use their time and how to achieve the tasks by themselves. The advantages of empowerment are significant, one of which is making employees feel free to make the most suitable choices for themselves. The disadvantages are obvious as well. Hall et al. (2008) point out employees might be given more work with the same pay, so they may be not willing to do it. Furthermore, empowerment may increase the costs that relate to the business, such as the costs of changing the workplace and training the workers (Hall, et al., 2008). If the employees make wrong decisi ons, it tends to have bad effects on the whole business. As a result, both the strengths and weaknesses of non-financial incentives exist. To sum up, according to Maslows hierarchy of needs as well as McGregors theory X and theory Y, different workers may have different needs to be met through motivation. On the one hand, either financial motivation or non-financial motivation is useful to encourage employees. On the other hand, both of the methods have their drawbacks as well. As far as I am concerned, these two methods are both beneficial for a business to motivate its employees, improve productivity, then earn more profits and achieve the business objectives. Thus, a business ought to combine these two methods, and use them together reasonably. The business should also take advantage of both financial as well as non-financial motivation, and try to avoid some unnecessary problems depending on specific needs of employees and real conditions of work.

Bowens Family Systems :: Psychology

The purpose of this paper is to explain using Bowen's family systems framework, how an individual's level of differentiation and anxiety influence family relationships and strengths. Bowen's family systems theory addresses how patterns of interaction in the family of origin influence a couple's interaction in the next generation with their children. Bowen describes the differences in family functioning, by the degree of anxiety or the degree of differentiation within the family. Bowen's definition of differentiation of self as a persons ability to differentiate intellectual functioning ( thinking ), from feelings. The level of differentiation of self is determined in the family of origin. When an individual has an increased level of differentiation, he has a clear sense of his own identity. A person's intellectual functioning helps behavior to be rational, less impulsive, more independent and autonomous. These individuals have good problem solving techniques, and are less influenced by others. As differentiation of self increases, levels of anxiety decrease. As anxiety goes up, differentiation goes down. A child's differentiation of self develops around an emotional system. With a high level of anxiety, functioning is impulsive, rather than rational. Individuals with a low level of differentiation, develop dependent and emotionally fused relationships. These individuals are more dependent on others. Their sense of self is clouded, and they don't develop a clear identity. Their feelings and thoughts are fused, and they express a pseudoself rather than their true opinions. Families whose members have increased levels of differentiation and decreased levels of anxiety, they will be rational and cognitive in their ways of relating to other family members, and more effective with problem solving skills. They will try to clearly communicate their views or beliefs. They will have healthier relationships. An individual with an increased level of differentiated self , will allow their child to be their own person, and express himself openly. This leads to a well adjusted independent adolescent, with flexible problem solving skills, and an increased level of goal orientation. Families with decreased levels of differentiation and increased anxiety with in the

Basic Computer Fundamentals

Introduction A  computer  is an electronic machine, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory, that can accept data, manipulate the data according to specified rules, produce results, and store the results for future use. Computers process data to create information. Data  is a collection of raw unprocessed facts, figures, and symbols. Information  is data that is organized, meaningful, and useful. To process data into information, a computer uses hardware and software. Hardware  is the electric, electronic, and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer.Software  is the series of instructions that tells the hardware how to perform tasks. Characteristics of Computers 1> Automatic: Requires human intervention to start any task, solve problem but once initiated, it continues the job until its completed. 2> Speed: in terms of microseconds (10 power -6), nanoseconds(10 power -9), and even picoseconds (10 power -12). A powerful computer is capable of performing several billions simple arithmetic operations per second. Limited by hardware and software resources. 3> Accuracy: garbage-in-garbage-out (GIGO).E. g. Human input error, programmer logic error. 4> Diligence: Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of concentration. 5> Versatility: Can perform multiple tasks at same time. Limited by hardware and software resources. 6> Power of Remembering: As long as user desires, it can store any amount and type of information. Limited by hardware and software resources. No IQ: Cannot make decisions until instructed. Cannot learn on its own. No Feelings: No emotions, no taste, no knowledge. Instructions are required. 1. Evolution of Computers Necessity is the mother of invention then who is the father? – Curiosity, Vision, Idea 1642: Pascal invented first mechanical adding machine 1671: Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz first calculator for multiplication 1880: Keyboards & Herman Hollerith u sed punch cards as input devices 19th century: Charles Babbage, father of modern digital computer, Differential Engine, Analytical Engine 1. The Mark I Computer (1937-44) 2. The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (1939-42) 3. The ENIAC (1943-46) 4. The EDVAC (1946-52 5. The EDSAC (1947-49) . The UNIVAC I (1951) 1. 3 Computer Generations Overview of the major developments and technologies during the five generations of computers which include both hardware and software that together make up a computer system. 1. 3. 1 First Generation (1942-1955): – Used vacuum tubes(glass), performed calculations in milliseconds -Memory electromagnetic relays, Data & Instructions using Punch Card, Assembly Language Programming Characteristics: Bulky in size, thousands of vacuum tubes, constant maintenance, costly, all circuits were man-made. . g. ENIAC, EDVAC, EDSAC, UNIVAC 1, and IBM 701 1. 3. 2 Second Generation (1955-1964): – Used transistor, Germanium semiconductor, magnetic disks and tapes, magnetic core memory – faster, small in size, low cost, consume less power – High level programming language like FORTRAN, COBOL, ALGOL, SNOBOL 1. 3. 3 Third Generation (1964-1975): -Integrated Circuits(IC) consists of transistors, resistors, capacitors, SSI(Small Scale Integration), MSI – more fast, performed one million instructions per second -low space, more reliable, less power consumption e. . Mini computers & Mainframe computers 1. 3. 4 Fourth Generation (1975-1989): – personal computer, IC- LSI, VLSI – one million electronic components on a single chip. Semiconductor memories – less power, more fast, small in size – Magnetic tapes, floppy disks, LAN, WAN, GUI, MS-DOS, Windows, Macintosh 1. 3. 5 Fifth Generation (1989-Present): – VLSI & ULSI(Ultra Large Scale Integration) – Microprocessor chips: 10 millions electronic components Small, much faster, less power, portable, internet, www, email 1. 4 Block Diagram of C omputer 1. 4. 1 Input Unit: – Accept data & Instructions – Convert into digital form so that computer can accept and further processing can be done e. g. Mouse, Keyboard, Light Pen, Joystick, Scanner, Touch Screen 1. 4. 2 Storage Unit: The storage unit performs the following major functions: †¢ All data and instructions are stored here before and after processing. †¢ Intermediate results of processing are also stored here. > Primary Storage(Main Memory): – This memory is generally used to hold the program being currently executed in the computer, the data being received from the input unit, the intermediate and final results of the program. -Temporary in nature, i. e. volatile memory -fast and cost is high than secondary storage -e. g. Random Access Memory(RAM) 2> Secondary Storage/External Memory(Secondary Memory): – Long term/ permanent storage of data. -slow and cost is low than primary memory -e. g.Floppy Disk(FDD),Hard disk drive(HDD), Comp act Disk(CD), Digital Versatile/Video Disk, USB Drive, SDD 1. 4. 3 Memory size: -Digital Computer uses the Binary System i. e. 0's and 1's – Each character or a number is represented by an 8 bit code. -1 bit = either 0 or 1 – 4 bits= 1 nibble & 8 bits= 1 byte 1. 4. 4 Output Unit: – Any peripheral devices that converts the stored binary coded data into convenient external forms as texts, pictures, sound – e. g. Monitor, CD, Printer, Speaker, Head phones, plotter, projector 1. 4. 5 Arithmetic Logical Unit: All calculations(arithmetical +-x/ ), comparison(,=) and decisions – Whenever calculations are required, the control unit transfers the data from storage unit to ALU once the computations are done, the results are transferred to the storage unit by the control unit and then it is send to the output unit for displaying results. 1. 4. 6 Control Unit: -It controls all other units in the computer -The control unit instructs the input unit, where to sto re the data after receiving it from the user and how to output. It controls the flow of data and instructions:(fetching of instructions from main memory and subsequent execution of these instructions) 1. 4. 7 Central Processing Unit: The ALU and the CU of a computer system are jointly known as the central processing unit. You may call CPU as the brain of any computer system. – A PC may have CPU-IC such as Intel 8085, 8086, 8088, 80286, 80386, 80486, Celeron, Pentium, Pentium Pro, Pentium II, Pentium III, Pentium IV, Dual Core, Core 2 Duo, Quad Core and AMD etc. 1. 5 Summary:

5 Key Events in Affirmative Action History

5 Key Events in Affirmative Action History Affirmative action, also know as equal opportunity, is a federal agenda designed to counteract historic discrimination faced by ethnic minorities, women and other underrepresented groups. To foster diversity and compensate for the ways such groups have historically been excluded, institutions with affirmative action programs prioritize the inclusion of minority groups in the employment, education and government sectors, among others. Although the policy  aims to right wrongs, it is among the most controversial issues of our time. But affirmative action is not new. Its origins date back to the 1860s, when initiatives to make workplaces, educational institutions and other arenas more inclusive to women, people of color and individuals with disabilities were set into motion.  Ã‚   1. The 14th Amendment Is Passed More so than any other amendment of its time, the 14th Amendment paved the way for affirmative action. Approved by Congress in 1866, the amendment forbade states from creating laws that infringed upon the rights of U.S. citizens or  denied citizens equal protection under the law. Following in the steps of the  13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery, the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause would prove key in shaping affirmative action policy. 2. Affirmative Action Suffers Major Setback in Supreme Court Sixty-five years before the term â€Å"affirmative action† would come into popular use, the  Supreme Court  made a ruling that could’ve prevented the practice from ever launching. In 1896, the high court decided in landmark case  Plessy v. Ferguson  that the 14th Amendment did not prohibit a separate but equal society. In other words, blacks could be segregated from whites as long as the services they received were equal to those of whites. The Plessy v. Ferguson case stemmed from an incident in 1892 when Louisiana authorities arrested Homer Plessy, who was one-eighth black, for refusing to leave a whites-only railcar. When the Supreme Court ruled that separate but equal accommodations didn’t violate the constitution, it paved the way for states to establish a series of segregationist policies. Decades later, affirmative action would seek to readdress these policies, also known as Jim Crow. 3. Roosevelt and Truman Fight Employment Discrimination For years, state-sanctioned discrimination would thrive in the United States. But two world wars marked the beginning of the end of such discrimination. In 1941- the year the Japanese attacked  Pearl Harbor-   President Franklin Roosevelt  signed Executive Order 8802. The order prohibited defense companies with federal contracts from using discriminatory practices in hiring and training. It marked the first time federal law promoted equal opportunity, thus paving the way for affirmative action. Two black leaders- A. Philip Randolph, a union activist, and Bayard Rustin, a civil rights activist, played critical roles in influencing Roosevelt to sign the groundbreaking order.  President Harry Truman  would play a crucial role in strengthening the legislation  Roosevelt  enacted. In 1948, Truman signed Executive Order 9981. It prohibited the Armed Forces from using segregationist policies and mandated that the military provide equal opportunities and treatment to all without regard to race or similar factors. Five years later, Truman further strengthened Roosevelt’s efforts when his Committee on Government Contract Compliance directed the Bureau of Employment Security to act affirmatively to end discrimination. 4. Brown v. Board of Education Spells End of Jim Crow When the Supreme Court ruled in 1896 case Plessy v. Ferguson that a separate but equal America was constitutional, it dealt a major blow to civil rights advocates. In 1954, such advocates had an entirely different experience when the high court overturned Plessy via  Brown v. Board of Education. In that decision, which involved a Kansas schoolgirl who sought entry into a white public school, the court ruled that discrimination is a key aspect of racial segregation, and  it therefore  violates the 14th Amendment. The decision marked the end of Jim Crow and the beginning of the country’s initiatives to promote diversity in schools, the  workplace  and other sectors. 5. The Term â€Å"Affirmative Action† Enters American Lexicon President John Kennedy  issued Executive Order 10925 in 1961. The order made the first reference to â€Å"affirmative action† and strove to end discrimination with the practice. Three years later the Civil Rights Act of 1964 came about. It functions to eliminate employment discrimination as well as discrimination in public accommodations. The following year,  President Lyndon Johnson  issued Executive Order 11246, which mandated that federal contractors practice affirmative action to develop diversity in the workplace and end race-based discrimination, among other sorts. The Future of Affirmative Action   Today, affirmative action is widely practiced. But as tremendous strides are made in civil rights, the need for affirmative action is constantly called into question. Some states have even banned the practice. What’s to  come of  the practice? Will affirmative action exist 25 years from now? Members of the Supreme Court have said they hope the need for affirmative action is unnecessary by then. The nation remains highly racially stratified, making it doubtful that the practice will no longer be relevant.

Sports Writing as a Form of Creative Nonfiction

Sports Writing as a Form of Creative Nonfiction Sports writing is a form of journalism or creative nonfiction  in which a sporting event, individual athlete, or sports-related issue serves as the dominant subject. A journalist who reports on sports is a sportswriter (or sports writer). In his foreword to  The Best American Sports Writing 2015, series editor Glenn Stout says that a really good sports story provides an experience that approaches the book experience- it takes you from one place youve never been before and by the end leaves you in another place, changed. Examples and Observations: The best sports stories are based not on interviews but on conversations- conversations with people who are sometimes reluctant, sometimes in the orneriest mood, often not the most glib or polished conversationalists.(Michael Wilbon, Introduction to The Best American Sports Writing 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012)W.C. Heinz on Bummy DavisIts a funny thing about people. People will hate a guy all his life for what he is, but the minute he dies for it they make him out a hero and they go around saying that maybe he wasnt such a bad guy after all because he sure was willing to go the distance for whatever he believed or whatever he was.Thats the way it was with Bummy Davis. The night Bummy fought Fritzie Zivic in the Garden and Zivic started giving him the business and Bummy hit Zivic low maybe 30 times and kicked the referee, they wanted to hang him for it. The night those four guys came into Dudys bar and tried the same thing, only with rods, Bummy went nuts again. He flattened the first one and then they shot him, and when everybody read about it, and how Bummy fought guns with only his left hook and died lying in the rain in front of the place, they all said he was really something and you sure had to give him credit at that. ...(W.C. Heinz, Brownsville Bum. True, 1951. Rpt. in What A Time It Was: The Best of W.C. Heinz on Sports. Da Capo Press, 2001) Gary Smith on Muhammad AliAround Muhammad Ali, all was decay. Mildewed tongues of insulation poked through gaps in the ceiling; flaking cankers pocked the painted walls. On the floor lay rotting scraps of carpet.He was cloaked in black. Black street shoes, black socks, black pants, black short-sleeved shirt. He threw a punch, and in the small towns abandoned boxing gym, the rusting chain between the heavy bag and the ceiling rocked and creaked.Slowly, at first, his feet began to dance around the bag. His left hand flicked a pair of jabs, and then a right cross and a left hook, too, recalled the ritual of butterfly and bee. The dance quickened. Black sunglasses flew from his pocket as he gathered speed, black shirttail flapped free, black heavy bag rocked and creaked. Black street shoes scuffed faster and faster across black moldering tiles: Yeah, Lawd, champ can still float, champ can still sting! He whirled, jabbed, feinted, let his feet fly into a shuffle. Hows that for a sick man? he shouted. ...(Gary Smith, Ali and His Entourage. Sports Illustrated, April 25, 1988) Roger Angell on the Business of CaringI am not enough of a social geographer to know if the faith of the Red Sox fan is deeper or hardier than that of a Reds rooter (although I secretly believe that it may be, because of his longer and more bitter disappointments down the years). What I do know is that this belonging and caring is what our games are all about; this is what we come for. It is foolish and childish, on the face of it, to affiliate ourselves with anything so insignificant and patently contrived and commercially exploitative as a professional sports team, and the amused superiority and icy scorn that the non-fan directs at the sports nut (I know this look- I know it by heart) is understandable and almost unanswerable. Almost. What is left out of this calculation, it seems to me, is the business of caring- caring deeply and passionately, really caring- which is a capacity or an emotion that has almost gone out of our lives. And so it seems possible that we have come to a t ime when it no longer matters so much what the caring is about, how frail or foolish is the object of that concern, as long as the feeling itself can be saved. Naà ¯vetà ©- the infantile and ignoble joy that sends a grown man or woman to dancing and shouting with joy in the middle of the night over the haphazardous flight of a distant ball- seems a small price to pay for such a gift.(Roger Angell, Agincourt and After. Five Seasons: A Baseball Companion. Fireside, 1988) Rick Reilly on the Pace of Play in BaseballThings that nobody reads in America today:The online legal mumbo jumbo before you check the little I Agree box.Kate Uptons resume.Major League Baseballs Pace of Play Procedures.Not that baseball games dont have a pace. They do: Snails escaping a freezer.Its clear no MLB player or umpire has ever read the procedures or else how do you explain what I witnessed Sunday, when I sat down to do something really stupid- watch an entire televised MLB game without the aid of a DVR?Cincinnati at San Francisco was a three-hour-and-14-minute can-somebody-please-stick-two-forks-in-my-eyes snore-a-palooza. Like a Swedish movie, it might have been decent if somebody had cut 90 minutes out of it. Id rather have watched eyebrows grow. And I should have known better.Consider: There were 280 pitches thrown and, after 170 of them, the hitter got out of the batters box and did ... absolutely nothing.Mostly, hitters delayed the proceedings to kick imaginary dirt o ff their cleats, meditate, and un-Velcro and re-Velcro their batting gloves, despite the fact that most of the time, they hadnt even swung. ...(Rick Reilly, Play Ball! Really, Play Ball! ESPN.com, July 11, 2012) Research and Sports WritingAthletes will tell you that games are won or lost in practice. Sports writers will tell you the same thing about stories- the key work is doing research before a game. The reporter tries to find out all she can about the teams, the coaches, and the issues hell be covering. Sports writer Steve Sipple comments, Background is the one time I dont have to worry about asking the right questions. Its the one time when Im able to relax and have fun while I familiarize myself with an athlete or issue.(Kathryn T. Stofer, James R. Schaffer, and Brian A. Rosenthal, Sports Journalism: An Introduction to Reporting and Writing. Rowman Littlefield, 2010)

Savings Bond in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Savings Bond in America - Essay Example It can also be redeemed as early as one year after its purchase, making it a short-term investment. The bond holdings require no additional fees and "bond purchaser is not required to have a bank account to buy, hold, or redeem a bond and therefore is not subjected to the burdensome ChexSystem review" (Lopez-Fernandini). There are two types of bonds with which small savers can choose: the Series I U.S. Savings Bond which was introduced in 1998 or the newer Series EE bond introduced in 1980. The two bond options are available at the Treasury Department, at financial institutions, internet banking system, through the payroll savings plan while and through select employers with valid social security number (Lopez-Fernandini). Currently, the Treasury Department issues 8 denominations for the paper EE bonds - $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 denominations. There is also an introduction of the electronic EE bonds which can "be bought in increments of one penny for $25 or more" (Treasury Direct). A purchase limit of $5000 worth of EE Bonds for each calendar year was set by the government (Treasury Direct). "Savings bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government" (Vohwinkle). This makes U.S. Savings Bonds the safest investment. "The return on Series I bonds (5.64% in early 2009) is currently outpacing Treasury Bills, affirming bonds as a competitive and safe investment.

U.S. Demographics to the Year 2050 and the Outlook for Social Security Essay

U.S. Demographics to the Year 2050 and the Outlook for Social Security - Essay Example Using predictions that assume a low birth rate, at one time, its expenditure will have been outrun by the income generated. Consequently, in the absence of a suitable alternative source of income, the system will fail (Bergmann 2). It is, therefore, quite essential to make correct and accurate predictions, especially the ones that assume the worst-case scenarios. This prepares the system managers for the worst, and the necessary arrangements made to avoid the situation. Assuming the worst does not happen would give a moral boost for the system but will leave it unprepared for any drastic future changes (Boskin 2). The two segments that most influence the social security system are the people that fall between ages 18 and 64, and 65 years and above, representing the working class and the retired respectively. For clear analysis of the effect of the number of people in these two groups, it is essential to find the ratio of the numbers in both groups. One advantage of using this measure of comparing groups in a population is that it gives a general overview of the situation by elimination method. Consequently, the next merit of this technique i.e. simplicity is seen. It enables one to analyze complex ideas albeit with some simplicity. The major weaknesses of this method arise from the assumptions it makes. Though the official age to start working is 18 years, there are people as young as 15 and 16 who are working and thus contribute to the social secur ity kitty. On the other hand, others reach the age of 65 and continue working, and they too contribute to the social security system. This reality compromises accuracy of this estimation method. It also ignores the contribution made by these two groups in the population (U.S. Population Projections 2020-2050 1). In cases where fertility and immigration remain low, the dependency ratio of the working class reduces against the retired citizens. This means that the number of retired people per every employed person increases. This scenario would mean disaster for the social security system as less and less people would be funding it while the number of dependents would increase exponentially (See table 1). This is the least favorable alternative to the social security system; it would mean less money would be available to fund the increased expenditure (Lee, Anderson and Tuljapurka 4). Current trends aggravate the situation as improved medical care, and higher standards of living have resulted in increased life expectancy. This, however, does not mean that the paper advocates for low life expectancy. Within the 50-year forecast, the workforce population to age ratio changes depending on the availability of new labor force to replace the retiring one (See figure 1). Based on the measure that predicts an increase in the dependency ratio caused by low population growth due to low fertility, reduced immigration and increased life expectancy, the rate of employment does not match that of retirement. This exerts undue pressure on the working population, and the balance has to be reestablished somehow, either by reducing benefits (expenditure), or by increasing income. The most likely scenario is whereby the population will increase but at a rate that would not keep up with the increasing retirees. The dependency ratio is expected to change from 4.88 in 2000 and will reach nearly 2.7 by 2050. This means that each dependent will be taken care of by taxes