Free Essays on Career & Management Development

Introduction The following essay is divided in two parts. In the first part we are going to examine the changing context of careers in today’s ongoing transforming world of employment and the impact that this change has on the career and management development of organisations. In the second part a more personal current situation of my state of career is going to be described. Part a) Some definitions of a career†¦ Everyone has their own perception about what the term â€Å"career† connotes. Most of us have in mind a â€Å"ladder† that leads to occupational success. A literature review will be helpful to be aware of some important definitions. According to Hall (1976) a career is the individually perceived chain of attitudes and behaviours associated with work-related experiences and actions over the span of the individual’s life. A very similar definition is that â€Å"a career is the evolving sequence of a person’s work experience over time.† (Arthur et al, 1989) A definition that is not solely work focused is the following: â€Å"career is viewed broadly to stress life roles and life styles, occupation being considered only one part of career.† (Hansen and Gysbers, 1975) Career theory involves concentration on two aspects. The first is the individually focused or subjective career which is based on an individual’s perception of working life and the second is the organizationally focused or objective career, which is based on the career ladder. (Wees and Jansen, 1994) Career and management development: its meaning We can easily understand that career development is referred to the way that careers are managed in organisations. According to the CIPD (2004), career development is â€Å"the design and implementation of organisational processes that enable the careers of individual employees to be managed in a way that encompasses organisational and individual career perspectives†. (www.cipd.co.uk) ï ¿ ½... Free Essays on Career & Management Development Free Essays on Career & Management Development Introduction The following essay is divided in two parts. In the first part we are going to examine the changing context of careers in today’s ongoing transforming world of employment and the impact that this change has on the career and management development of organisations. In the second part a more personal current situation of my state of career is going to be described. Part a) Some definitions of a career†¦ Everyone has their own perception about what the term â€Å"career† connotes. Most of us have in mind a â€Å"ladder† that leads to occupational success. A literature review will be helpful to be aware of some important definitions. According to Hall (1976) a career is the individually perceived chain of attitudes and behaviours associated with work-related experiences and actions over the span of the individual’s life. A very similar definition is that â€Å"a career is the evolving sequence of a person’s work experience over time.† (Arthur et al, 1989) A definition that is not solely work focused is the following: â€Å"career is viewed broadly to stress life roles and life styles, occupation being considered only one part of career.† (Hansen and Gysbers, 1975) Career theory involves concentration on two aspects. The first is the individually focused or subjective career which is based on an individual’s perception of working life and the second is the organizationally focused or objective career, which is based on the career ladder. (Wees and Jansen, 1994) Career and management development: its meaning We can easily understand that career development is referred to the way that careers are managed in organisations. According to the CIPD (2004), career development is â€Å"the design and implementation of organisational processes that enable the careers of individual employees to be managed in a way that encompasses organisational and individual career perspectives†. (www.cipd.co.uk) ï ¿ ½...

The Pros and Cons of Online High School Programs

The Pros and Cons of Online High School Programs Should you consider earning your high school diploma online? Moving from a traditional high school to an online high school can be a big transition for any student, whether they are a teenager or a returning adult. Take a look at a few of the pros and cons before making your decision. The Benefits of Earning a High School Diploma Online Work at your own pace: With online high school courses, you can work at your own pace. You can take extra time when you need it to understand the material or speed through courses that are easy.Flexible schedule: You have greater flexibility in your schedule and can arrange your classes around work and other responsibilities. If you work part-time or full-time or have child care responsibilities, you can arrange your coursework accordingly.Avoiding social distractions: It’s easier to avoid the distractions (peers, parties, cliques) of regular school and focus on getting work done. If youve had trouble focusing on your studies instead of the social life at school, this is a benefit of taking courses online.Be yourself: Many students see taking courses online as a way to develop their own identity, apart from the social pressures of traditional schools.Avoid a negative environment: You won’t have to put up with the â€Å"bad influences,† cliques, gangs, or bullies found at a traditional high school. Specialization: You may be able to specialize in learning subjects that are interesting to you. The different options available online may be wider than those offered at your local high school.Get a diploma faster: Some students are able to earn their diploma early (a few even finish twice as fast as traditional students). The Disadvantages of Earning a High School Diploma Online Lack of social events: Most online programs don’t have the fun elements of traditional high schools such as prom, senior day, graduation, weird hair day, etc.No immediate teacher access: Some subjects (such as writing and math) may be hard to master without a teacher present. A student doesnt have immediate access to the instructor to get additional help and clarification of principles. It becomes easier to fall behind.Less motivation to complete work: Many people find it challenging to focus on completing work when there isn’t an actual teacher there to encourage them on a daily basis. They need human interaction to overcome procrastination.Social isolation: Some students become isolated or anti-social. While you may prefer to work solo online, you are missing out on the important lessons of learning to work with others. In a traditional school, they would have to step out of their comfort zone and learn how to interact with others.Non-accredited schools: If your onlin e school is not accredited, your transcripts probably won’t be accepted by businesses and universities. Cost: Unless you find an accredited charter school or use a free online program, you can expect to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars on tuition, the curriculum, and computer equipment.

Financial Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Financial Statement - Essay Example They are found in the Asset part of the balance sheet. These equipment purchases are regarded as long-term and are documented for many years (Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield, 2014). The financing activities on the other hand refer to the cash flow that is affected by the decreases or increases to equity. It simply means the quantity of cash flow affected by securing a loan or by paying down debt from a lending institution or an owner. Such activities are in the Equity and liability section of the balance sheet. Here, decreases and increases can be a bit deceiving if viewed at a bad or good perspective. This is the most important activity of the cash flow as it keeps the business going and informs the executive on what should be done on avoided for the continuity of the business. Disclosures to financial statements are vital as lenders use a variety of them from a private initiative statement when they need to determine whether the entity ought to get a loan; distinctive financial statements basing on the new overall accepted Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises (ASPE) may possibly meet those requirements. However, as financial statements are prepared for private enterprises, they must be in a way that they maintain the confidence and trust of lenders, thus additional disclosures may be advantageous in getting financing (Benjamin & Stanga,

Critical diference between java and C# Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical diference between java and C# - Essay Example loper the earlier sentence could be explained as ‘a short description of the Java language and platform’ instead the words C# and the .NET platform were replaced with words Java and the Java platform ( Obasanjo, 2007). C# is developed by Microsoft as part of the .NET initiative and later got consented as a standard by European Computers Manufacturing Association (ECMA) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The development of the C# language was led by Anders Hejlsberg and has a procedural, object-oriented syntax based on C++ and comprises features of several other programming languages with a special attention on simplification. C# is supposed to be a simple, modern, general-purpose, object-oriented programming language (Wikipedia, 2008). Java is another programming language basically developed by Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a most important element of Suns Java platform. This programming language receives most of its syntax from C and C++ and has a pure object model and fewer low-level facilities. Java usages are normally compiled to byte code which can run on any Java virtual machine (JVM) regardless of computer architecture. The basic and reference implementation Java compilers, and class libraries were progressed by Sun from 1995. In acquiescence with the specifications of the Java Community Process, Sun presented most of their Java technologies as free software under the GNU General Public License in May, 2007. Others too advanced alternative implementations of these Sun technologies, such as the GNU Compiler for Java and GNU Class path (Wikipedia, 2008). Java and C# are not the same.   There are some areas somewhere they are considerably dissimilar, and the execution of properties is one of those areas.   Hence, so as to be capable in both languages, one needs to know the dissimilarities in the way that properties are implemented in each of the two languages. For this purpose, there is a need to understand the

Business Intelligence in a Corporate Environment Essay Example for Free

Business Intelligence in a Corporate Environment Essay The purpose of this literature review is to provide an overall perspective to the workings of business intelligence in a corporate environment. With the onset of massive technological gains in the past decade the implementation of business intelligence has grown accordingly. In the workplace the demand for business process improvement, responsive reporting, cutting edge forecasting, and internal business customer relations has triggered a need for a unit that understands the business needs as well as the impact on company technology. This review will focus on the various areas that business intelligence impacts in the workplace. There will also be an emphasis on understanding the longevity of these types of units. With these units in the workplace questions concerning departmental automation goals and the impact on the maturity stages that are involved with the creation of business intelligence units. Finally, with the growth of data collection and ease of use, the security and management of company information is intertwined with the operation of business intelligence. The Age of Information The Role of Shifting Technology Throughout history technology has influenced the very fabric of business operations. The role of business intelligence in this shift is the implementation and continuous improvement of that technology. This role is ever changing because technology continues to improve. While to some the role of business intelligence seems new and upcoming the usage and practice goes back to the earliest days of industry. An example of this history would be in the automation industry. In years past large amounts of labor was done by hand. The role of the business analyst would be to collect and analyze the entire business process from start to finish. Once this was done the analyst would narrow their focus to the individual in an attempt to provide management with data to increase speed and efficiency. That role is now used  to analyze the systems and machines that are responsible for making the products. While the example above is simple the connection between the shift in technology and the role of business intelligence is clear. With any business the desire for information is strong. To be competitive a company needs to be aware of the business environment in which they operate. Business intelligence serves to meet the information and improvement goals that drive the company to greater success. For this literature review there is an article written by Elliot King that exemplifies the shift of technology and the role of business intelligence on it. King focuses on the large amount of company resources that are spent on the implementation, development, and management of business intelligence technology in the workplace. This attention has been driven by the increasing demand for such software products and personnel to manage them. Understanding this current shift King focuses on the role business intelligence has and will continue to have on the business that use data en mass. The article provides a brief look at the history of data storage and misconceptions about employee interest in accessing the data. This interest has largely been pushed down due to the complex nature of interacting with the information present within the data warehouse. With the explosion of the internet and user assimilation to it these technical barriers are slowing beginning to fall (King, 1998). With the ease of use and understanding increasing employees are beginning to grasp the value of data. This is where the role of business intelligence has thrived. Business intelligence has been implemented to bridge the gap between the employee and the business data stored in the warehouse. This is done through a variety methods that have made data more and more useful to the companies that have and utilize their data. King summarizes his article with the theory that as the internet was opened  far and wide to all this should concept should be applied to the data warehousing. While King understands that the two pieces of technology are different he affirms that they are similar enough in nature that the same approach can be applied. Overall, the article provide a good look at how the shift of technology in business can affect the demand for systems and the personnel that maintain and operate them (King, 1998). The impact of Business growth With the growth of business the world has begun to shrink. No longer are companies that employ a hundred or even a thousand considered to be impressive. In 2014 Bank of America was reported to have employed two hundred and eighty four thousand people to run its operations around the globe (Bank of America, 2014). The implications of companies of this size are astounding and have significantly impacted the demand for business intelligence. To truly understand why a company would spend millions of dollars on business intelligence operations a simple example can be provided. For Bank of America each employee is assigned a unique number or code that distinguishes him or her from the rest of the employees within the organization. On the other side of the table each customer that has interacted with the bank is also assigned a unique identifier. If these are added together the quantity of unique entities starts to become astounding. The example above shows why a business like Bank of America would be heavily interested in utilizing business intelligence assets to manage the data associated with its business units. While the example provided only touches on areas concerning employees and customers the amount of data associated with those people can be mind boggling. For employees this data could be anything from human resource forms to vacation day requests. For customers the data could be products purchased, recorded marketing calls, website interaction as well as a host of other areas. In 2000 Deborah Rowe an article that centered on business trends pushing database management systems to greater growth. Rowe focuses on the data  warehousing concept that has proved to meet a large majority of business needs in terms of information management. The focus of the article is to explain how progress is pushing for better and better systems for managing data. The article talks about how increasing competition has created a lean environment for data management. Companies that are complacent with their data are either failing or catching on to the need for better interaction and usage of their data. Rowe delves into the process of choosing these systems from a corporate perspective. The challenges presented by this type of implementation are rather glaring. These challenges include upfront cost, long term cost, and mismanagement of data. If a company chooses to implement a product that its employees don’t understand correctly the effects can be devastating on the business. Hiring knowledgeable employees to manage and implement the product is essential to long term success. With all of these hurdles of implementing a DBMS system the task can be daunting. Rowe discusses how the task of purchasing and implanting a DBMS needs to be done with great caution and a clear focus. If a business isn’t able to look further down the road and consider how the DBMS can be used in the future it will fail completely. Having a perspective that encompasses as much of the companies goals and visions is critical. This is why companies are constantly looking for individuals that are able to focus on a detailed system but be able to at the same time look at the broader scope of the company’s needs (Rowe , 2000). In summation the article leaves the reader with an interesting perspective on the increasing demand for these systems. Rowe concludes that the ERP industry will grow and tremendous pace in the future. With that growth the need for knowledgeable employees that understand the systems use and can translate the data to affect business needs will continuing to increase. The increasing corporate demand. At its very core business is driven by two simple concepts. These are the laws of revenue and expenses. In business these two laws drive companies on a daily basis. Popular opinion about these  concepts can sometimes sway in either direction. Proponents may put all of their support into revenue generation while others will focus on creating the perfect lean business model. Whatever the theory or opinion is the law of revenues and expenses will remain the same. As discussed in this review the expenses of implementing DBMS systems and employing highly skilled individuals can be massive. To a company that purely focuses on the expense side of the equation these systems may seem like a waste of precious assets. To others who understand the future and current impact of these systems the decision to utilize them is an easy one. Like the concepts of revenues and expenses the goals of a company can dictate the perspective of business intelligence units. The reason demand has begun to steadily increase over the past decade is the potential to affect both the expense and revenue side of the business structure. Business intelligence units are designed to support departments in ways that can amplify their current revenue production and decrease their expense habits. An article written by Ken Rudin explains how corporate demand for business intelligence in their companies is steadily increasing. Rudin talks about how business intelligence has become a very high priority for business executives who understand the values they can derive from business improvement. This demand has grown to the point where corporate leaders are focusing on moving past the traditional business intelligence processes (Rudin , 2007) . Rudin explains the implications of this progressive thought process by paralleling the impact of software applications that software products have had on industry to business intelligence services. The discussion is focused on how executives are looking into custom company specific solution provided on an instant. This type business process software is highly intuitive and seeks to provide all of the necessary tools needed to make an informed business decision. Examples of these on-demand solutions are software’s likes SQL Server Reporting Services by Microsoft. This software allows for not only the display of information but the real time interaction with the data that the web services are pulling their content from. Rudin discusses how these types of solutions are not only catching fire they are exploding all over the business world. This explosion of demand is driven by the complexity of the data being pulled as well as the cost associated with the data being collected and stored. This cost and complexity equation is what Rudin believes is the key piece to business intelligence demand. Like the example of revenues and expenses the idea surrounding on-demand solutions is the same. The question asked is, â€Å"What can these solutions do that allow a normal employee to do their job at a higher level which in turns into a higher rate of return for their employer?† Concluding Rudin’s article he discusses that a key factor associated with on demand business intelligence solutions is the usability of the product. Having solutions created that users do not understand or lose trust in can be a major drain on process improvement. Rudin emphasizes that the development of these processes needs to be done in such a way that they take into account the users that are interacting with them. This is essential to developing a trust relationship between the users and the product (Rudin , 2007). Business Intelligence Tools The Role of Reporting Reporting is one the most essential pieces of and type of business process. If a company sells laundry detergent it needs to know how much product it has, how much product it has sold, and how much it should produce. These three simple questions speak to the ramifications of good reporting data within a business. There is so much information that is gathered by companies with the singular intent of providing reports for business decisions. This gathering is done in a way that the information collected in stored in some type of server  which houses a virtual warehouse. Like a physical warehouse it is critical to understand how and where something is stored so that it can be retrieved for future use. When it comes to reporting the challenge presented to businesses is the quantity and placement of their data. If a business is unable to utilize their data efficiently they are sacrificing business opportunities every second the data is left idle. This quandary has been analyzed and the solution has been to purchase and employee people and products to provide this data in a useful format for business use. In a business intelligence unit a data analyst will focus on first understanding the overall goal of a report request. This is important because the impact of creating something purely based on the request can lead to disastrous results. These can range from customers not understanding the terminology used within the reporting system to not grasping the capability or usage of the system being used to provide the report. To make sure these requests are understand correctly a business intelligence unit is commonly found implemented within a specific area of the business. This cultivates a cross knowledge between the highly technical nature of the reporting systems to the broad scope goals of a particular business department. This type of side by side interaction can be a major benefit to not only getting more precise and accurate reporting it also serves as educating tool to the department through exposure. An article written in 2005 by Harry Debes explains this process in detail. The author of the article begins the discussion by emphasizing the importance of timely and accurate data. These two pieces are the bread and butter of business intelligence. The reason for this is that both factors are highly dependent on each other. Debes explains this concept by focusing on the energy market and the application of business reports in this area of industry. He shows that there various daily functions that are conducted that are in need of  constant monitoring to allow for efficient operation. Some of the examples include repair requests, credit collections, meter usage, demand fluctuations, and most important customers (Debes , 2005). All of the examples cited by Debes are common sense in nature but they require an entire business process to effectively report on. Using the example of meter usage by having daily reports energy companies can identify issues based on real time data and not be forced to swallow a catastrophe because of something as simple as mechanical fault. The problem could easily be identified by a simple reporting tool that was programmed to expect a specific range of usage. If the range was violated the system would send an alert with a level of priority based on the disparity of the ranges. The article written by Debes is a good example of how business intelligence reporting can be implemented in ways that benefit the company at levels of the corporate ladder. From interactive financial data and forecasting to specific customer energy consumption and history reliable and accurate reporting in the energy industry is a very powerful tool that has been used and is being continuously improved upon for future endeavors (Debes , 2005). Impact of data driven Forecasting Forecasting is an important an element of any business. At its most basic level it is simply looking to the future and making guesses to a specific result based on past and present data. This is where the role of business intelligence arrives. Data analysts like their namesake are paid to look at data and decipher how that data works and relates to the business. Once a data analyst is able to firmly grasp company data they can provide constructive advice based on the knowledge of that data. In addition to providing advice the data analyst can create reports that take past data and make estimations programmatically based on definable trends. These reports can be provided through an assortment of software’s and displayed in formats that best fit the target audience. Having a system in place that looks to past data and provides useful  forecasts can not only give a company an idea of where they are going they can also give an idea where their competition is going as well. This ability to compare company performance to the market and project where the company is headed is critical. With timely and reliable forecasting a company can discern opportunities and threats within the marketplace before they even occur. With market competition becoming more and more intense the role of forecasting has been prioritized highly by most companies that operate on a large scale. This is clearly supported by an article written by Susana Schwartz about the greater need for more robust forecasting technologies. The concept of the article focuses on the next level of forecasting that business intelligence units are seeking to achieve. The author talks about how the next set of tools utilized by business intelligence units will be integrated into the business processes that have already been laid down. The key factors that are emphasized are the broad categories that these tools can influence. Examples of these are products such as SSRS by Microsoft, ARGOS by Ellucian, and APEX by Oracle. Each of these tools provide granular interaction with business process data while still being able to be applied to other categories. These tools are used to be the developing platforms that take the business process driven data and formulates it into reportable information used for forecasting. In the article these are the types of tools that Schwartz describes when talking about integrated and real time driven tools (Schwartz, 2007). Concluding the article by Schwartz she emphasizes the value of report generation. She talks about how even if the emphasis might be redundant the need to focus on this factor is critical to accurate forecasting. This is because all of the past data collected is contained within the reports. Schwartz’s realizes that for business units to understand any of the forecast data they need to be familiar with the data that has been collected and displayed within the provided reports (Schwartz , 2007). Data analysis and Improvement The core of what business intelligence does is data analysis and improvement. Both of these factors contribute to each other in a never ending spiral of push and pull. When data is analyzed it is used to improve a process which in turn is analyzed. With this concept firmly in place understanding the role of business intelligence becomes clearer. As the facilitator of analysis and improvement business intelligence units are responsible for the flow between the two actions. When a department senses a need for analysis or improvement the business intelligence unit is used to facilitate that action. This responsibility to facilitate these actions is what drives the demand by corporate leadership. As expressed earlier in this review having units that are constantly looking at moving the expense line down and the revenue line up is very beneficial a corporate entity. An article that was created in response to a seminar on business data analysis describes how this process is essential to the strategy development and future readiness of company’s based on data analysis. The article provide insight into a couple areas within the sphere of data analysis. One of these is building the foundations and structure of the culture within the company to respect the data and make decisions off of it (Computer software .., 2012). This whole concept of creating a decision based culture is driven by the need for action in the market. If a company fails to take action on its corporate strategy it will fall behind its competition fairly quickly. The article discusses how through data analysis an attitude of decision making individuals can be created to promote action. The key of this data driven culture is the analysis that goes into making the data credible. Without credible data the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively is crippled. If employees can’t trust the data they are working with they will begin to question the entire infrastructure based on a single data set. In addition to data analysis the article talks about  improving recruitment through data analysis tools. Being able to create a clear picture of who a person is before the expense of bringing them in for an interview can be a great time and money saver. This is done through internal and external data analysis (Computer software .., 2012) . Once research is done on an individual the business intelligence units can categorize potential recruits and provide reports based on recruiters specifications. If an office manager needs someone with three years of experience and a knowledge of a specific software system a tool can be created to provide that data in real time to the inquiring party. When it comes to data analysis and improvement making sure that they are used in conjunction is essential for seamless implementation and continued success. An example of poor usage is providing a complicated and detailed report within a system that can’t handle the data correctly. Even though the data itself is good the system used for improvement is poor. This can create animosity towards certain products and mistrust in data (Computer software .., 2012). Data management The term data management is something that has been thrown around industry the past few years. When this happens the real meaning of the terminology begins to take on a life of its own based on the perception of those trying to comprehend its true meaning. A clear way to explain what the definition of data management is to show the similarities between an industries accepted practice. Like employee management data management requires a certain style to correctly guide the direction of the data. In a department setting a manager may spend time developing a plan that their employees will play specific roles in. The same is true with data management. Depending on the setting and usage data is set aside in specific formats to meet highly granular needs. A good example is list of information that is associated with a company’s employees. The data will stay the same but it requires a level of management to break into specific formats to meet different needs. The human recourse depar tment might need the list as a reference sheet to pull information about quickly and efficiently. That same information could also be used by the employee development department to conduct surveys and  gauge employee satisfaction. These examples are very simply but they do provide a good idea of how managing data in a succinct and efficient way can broaden its usage and usability immensely. There is an article written in the Journal of Digital Asset Management that describes the role of business intelligence on data management. This article provide a brief look into how the emergence of big data has pushed an emphasis on utilizing business intelligence units to provide levels of data management. The article talks about how business intelligence is beginning to play critical role in the storage, maintenance, and usability of the data. These three factors are critical in guaranteeing the reliability of information collected and scrubbed for company use. The first of these factors briefly mentioned is the storage factor. Arguably the most important of the three storage is the bucket where all unstructured and structured data is stored (Jordan Ellen , 2009) . Within the context of the article the authors describe how storage is the first step that business intelligence units have to consider when managing data. The tasks associated with this piece range from creating feeds to port information from various databases to creating tables and views within specific schemas. Within these tasks the question that is constantly asked is the question of available space. This question permeates each of the three factors but is most prevalent at the initial of data management. The second piece is the maintenance portion. This factor is most prevalent once data has been stored and refined into a usable manner. The article shows how this responsibility is what keeps business intelligence units in a critical role to companies data management needs. The tasks that occur with data maintenance can range from eliminating old data, archiving, inputting new systems, and creating methods to encourage more efficient data retrieval and reporting. The final factor addressed in the article is the factor of usability. This concept is what non-IT personnel will focus most of their attention on when looking at data resources. Business intelligence plays critical role in getting the data into an understandable and usable format at the customer level. This is the defining piece of business intelligence focus. Employers look specifically for individuals who are able to translate the technical data from a database perspective and be able to make that information as clear as possible for non-information technology users (Jordan Ellen , 2009). Internal communications When considering things that business intelligence employees should do well is internal communications. In many companies business intelligence units will be the ambassador between the data and the customer. These individuals are responsible for understating the customers’ needs from an IT perspective. Once the needs have been determined the customer needs to be made aware of how close or far away from their original needs are to the ones seen by the business intelligence personnel. Being able to discern what a customer needs is extremely important. The emphasis placed on cultivating effective communications between all parties is absolutely critical to getting the information needed to create or improve business processes. There are so many adverse situations that occur within corporate setting that could have been avoided by simply establishing channels of communications with involved parties. A good way to do this is to provide updates on the progress of the project. This c an done by collaboration software, email, phone calls, and face to face interaction. By establishing a working and efficient internal communication structure customers are more at ease with the progress and process being developed. This is essentially a status gauge that shows that all parties are involved and have a say in what is happening. An article released by press wire gives a good example of how companies are understanding the importance of internal communications and the role of business intelligence in it. Based on the trends within industry the article shows how the shift of technology has affected the way internal communications are done between IT and the various corporate departments. What has occurred in recent years is the need for new strategy development with business intelligence as key factors in these strategies (Business intelligence..,2001). From a corporate standpoint these new strategies have ushered in a different perspective of IT individuals in the workplace. No longer are individuals that work with databases left out of conference calls a nd meetings that determine company direction. The article clearly explains that the need for individuals with technical and corporate goal understanding need to have an opinion in new processes and strategies. These individuals are becoming more and more important because of their perspective on how technology is being used in the marketplace. The final portion of the article by press wire addresses an important decision the  transitioning companies have to make. The authors emphasize that decisions makers need to reshape their perspective of units like business intelligence and truly value the opinions that are being shared. If this perception of the average IT worker from the 1970’s continues to permeate a company’s upper level management the likelihood of less opportunities and more threats to occur is much more likely than competitors who are understand the shift (Business intelligence..,2001). Business Intelligence Outlook From a sustainable field outlook the question has been raised is whether business intelligence as a field is here to stay. In any profession this question has been and will be asked as the world changes. No profession is one hundred percent guaranteed that the field will continue to be useful to the society in which operates. This simple truth puts into perspective the fragility of any profession. In regards to business intelligence determining whether the field is going to progress for years to come is difficult. Currently, the demand for business intelligence employees and or software is currently high. With many top competitors in various industries searching for ways to cut cost and improve efficiency the current market outlook is good. On the flip side of this equation the risk for business intelligence to improve itself out of a job is a definite possibility. With new software’s being created the technical barrier created by big data is beginning to slowly fall. The threat to the field is that companies will purchase a customer based software that provides cookie cutter reports that can be used by non-IT users to make business decisions. An article by the journal of Journal of International Technology and Information Management touches on this topic and describes how measuring the effectiveness of business intelligence on a company can determine its future market outlook. The authors take a detailed look at how in some situations a business intelligence department has been effective for some companies while for others the effectiveness has been limited (Vinekar,Teng, Chennamaneni , 2009). The important factors that the authors cite for effectiveness center on corporate understanding of the role of business intelligence, implementation, defined goals, and perceived value opinion. Each of these factors are cited because of they are all touched at the inception of the business intelligence unit within the company. Without these factors being addressed correctly the ability for a business intelligence unit to operate effectively is severely hampered. The first of these factor is the identity of the department. Just like meeting a person for the first time the impression created on the meeting is what defines the perception of the relationship. The article talks about how it is the responsibility of those implementing the unit to clearly lay out the benefit that the department will bring to the company as a whole. These individuals include directors and manager. This push stage is the first step in gauging whether business intelligence will be effective within a company. If corporate leaders understand the benefit of the unit and put their support behind it the initial reaction is more likely to be positive than negative. The caution that is applied to this phase is that if there isn’t top down approval the unit will not succeed. The authors strongly emphasize the need for an executive push at the inception of the business intelligence unit (Vinekar,Teng, Chennamaneni , 2009). The second factor discussed by the authors is the implementation phase of a business intelligence unit. This is the first step to making a concerted effort for a business intelligence impact on a company. The authors talk about how this phase needs to be handled in a way that allows for immediate impact. The rational for this approach is that if the business intelligence unit can prove its value at inception the perceived value of the unit will be cemented in its early success. With this approach the authors also caution at the risks involved. If the unit is not prepared the likelihood of error is high. Just like the  perceived value of the unit based on a positive rollout the same can occur for a negative one. The authors are adamant in their idea that to make a good impact the unit needs to be prepared and aware of the tentative situation in which the unit is placed on the onset. The third factor is defined goals. The unit needs be able to clearly express their goals for improving the company’s internal and external business processes. The article describes how the focus of the department needs to be grounded in the goals and direction set at the onset. This allows for an immediate understanding of what the unit hopes to achieve. The authors caution that without clear goals for the department the unit will not be able to work succinctly. The final and most important factor discussed in the article is the perceived value opinion of the business intelligence unit from the rest of the company. This perceived value is critical for unit to be able to provide opinions and trusted data. The reason cited by the authors why this value opinion is most important is because the opinion can be had by every employee within the company. The simple truth is that with more eyes watching the unit there is a higher level of critique applied to the actions done by the business intelligence unit (Vinekar,Teng, Chennamaneni , 2009). Departmental Goal Impact In most businesses the unit structure is broken out into various departments that meet company specific needs. Examples of these include accounting, budgeting, marketing, human resources, RD, and many more. These departments all do things that are subject specific but require a certain level of overlap with the rest of the company. For example the budgeting and accounting departments are joined at various stages of the financials that the company uses. Having an understanding of these departments is very important from the perspective of the business intelligence unit. The reason business intelligence units need to grasp the subject impact as well as overall impact of departments is because the processes built usually touch more than one specific department. What this means is that a data analyst needs to be able to determine what is best for not just one department but for all parties involved. With a macro perspective of the company the business intelligence units are able to impact broad groupings of departments. This in itself is a big benefit to the company as a whole. The reason for this is because the improved processes help promote better interaction between departments. This is like connecting various standalone silos to each other with an agreed on process. An article that addresses this departmental impact comes straight from the Business Intelligence Journal. The whole premise of the article is the authors argue that by assimilating business intelligence units into departments these units can change the departments core business practices. This can be done by embedding individuals from the business intelligence department into other departments through the company (Elbashir Williams , 2007). The authors lay out a plan for making sure the company gets the best benefit when the embed business intelligence personnel in a different department. The authors talk about how it is important to make sure an understanding of the units function is clearly laid down before the unit is implemented. The importance of this is that the departments understand the business intelligence units are not directly under the units they are embedded in. The article makes it clear that to make the relationship work between the BI unit and the department the BI unit cannot be under the department they are servicing. The rational for this is that if the BI unit is under their own department they will be less inclined to favor a department when building a business process for multiple departments. This is important because it allows the business intelligence employees to say no to things that might be requested out of ignorance or selfishness. The second step for success when embedding a BI unit is to establish the  relationship. The authors describe how important it is to set up the way communication is supposed to occur. In most situations it is important to have the directors of the department as the individuals responsible for setting up the proper channels. The benefit of this is that it forces employees to acknowledge the support of the department’s directors. This means the BI unit will be able to get the information they need from department employees to formulate effective business process improvements (Elbashir Williams , 2007). The final piece that the article discusses is how much leeway the BI unit has to make departmental decisions. In some cases the BI unit make most improvement decisions based on technology understanding and departmental trust. In others the unit has little leeway and requires approvals from the department to enact improvements. Whichever way the process is set up it is important to have that clearly explained and understood by all parties involved to avoid confusion (Elbashir Williams , 2007). Tiers of maturity. In the business intelligence community there are various levels of maturity associated based on the length of time the unit has been in service to the company. Each of these levels are determined based on the progress the unit has made. These level begin at inception and end at forecasting. It is important to recognize these levels to determine the progress the department is making in the company that it is being utilized in. These levels are broken out into three specific categories. These are the inception phase, the break even stage, and the forecasting stage. Each of these stages is unique and presents its own set of challenges to the business intelligence unit. The most critical phase is the inception phase. Since this phase is what spawns the impact that the BI unit makes it is critical that it goes well. During the inception phase of the unit the challenges presented center on assimilation to the company. The unit must be able to find their place within the work environment if they are going to effective in the company. By analyzing company needs prior to actually meeting and planning with departments the unit can have a head start on how to make an immediate  impact on their departmental customers. The second tier is thoroughly described in an article by a group of authors writing for Information Technology and Management. This group of authors describes how the second phase of maturity is centered on getting to a point of break even. This term refers to the business intelligence unit being able to complete/automate enough critical tasks that they are able to look begin forecasting (Zeng Duan, 2012). During this second phase the authors stress the importance of consistency and performance. These two ideas are what the authors believe drive the unit towards a proactive mindset and away from a reactive mindset. This transition of thought processes is what make this phase important. Once a unit can break though to a state of mind that is forward looking they can begin to develop ideas that will prevent problems before they happen and predict future opportunities before they occur (Zeng Duan, 2012). The final phase is briefly addressed in the article and deals with the forecasting and future opportunities phase. This is tier of maturity that each business intelligence unit strives to get to at some point in its existence. With this phase the unit is able to think more creatively and follow leads and trails into data that could provide beneficial to the company (Zeng Duan, 2012). The conclusion makes a final point in regards to the level of maturity. The point made is that these levels once attained are not concrete. With the ever changing needs of the company as well as the creation of new technologies the department can easily waver between different tiers. The authors suggest that having a proactive approach is the best way to stay at the highest level of maturity for the longest periods of time (Zeng Duan, 2012). Marketplace perspective The final point of this literature review centers on the industries perception of business intelligence as a whole. This perception is what drives the demand for business intelligence within the workforce. If  industry believe the benefit of a business intelligence department is greater than the cost then demand for these units will be high. If the value garnered is perceived as minimal then the field will falter. The real question that the marketplace has been asking falls on longevity. There has been speculation the technology will eventually push this field out into the cold. This would be done by platforms that mimic the various functions and responsibilities that are currently being held by business intelligence employees. If this happens the need for large quantities of analysts would no longer be needed. An article written by Chen talks about the perspective of business intelligence by outside entities. He looks at how a business intelligence unit can provide a competitive a dvantage to a company based on the agility it affords. He argues that by having units that can provide data quickly the competitive advantage created is enough to sway popular opinion into the positive (Chen, 2012). Chen talks about the need for business intelligence units and his belief that the agility of these units will continue to drive demand. His entire argument is based on the unit’s ability to adapt to new technology and processes quickly enough to afford decision makers consistent windows of opportunity. Chen’s belief is that no matter how advanced technology gets the need for individuals to understand and communicate it to decision makers will always be needed. Chen concludes by describing how business intelligence units need to maintain a high level of flexibility. He addresses the issue of complacency and warns that if laziness creeps into the department then shifting technology will engulf the department. The real value is the ability to quickly analyze and develop a well thought out process that improves the current one using the existing resources at their disposal (Chen, 2012). Conclusion Business intelligence at its very core is business process improvement. This can be done through many different ways but the concept never changes. An individual working in a business intelligence department always ask the question, â€Å"How can I make this process better?† This simple phrase is the core of what business intelligence is and what it will always be. There are many companies that understand the importance of business intelligence. These companies have realized how important it is to strive for a lean work  environment. This is achieved by isolating areas of work that can be automated or improved through the efforts of business intelligence units. The impact that can be made by tasking a unit to think through a process from every perspective and redesign it to meet current needs can be a massive benefit. In conclusion, there are many areas in which business intelligence can be utilized to benefit a company. From data management to data security business intelligence departments are meeting the needs of companies as today’s technology moves faster and faster into the future. It remains to be seen whether these units will become a staple of the workplace but their current impact has been instrumental to the information technology industry as a whole. Reference Bank of america company statistics. (2014, March 3). Retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/bank-of-america-company-statistics/ BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: Internal communication excellence is critical to business success. (2001, Jun 29). M2 PresswireRetrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/444695082?accountid=12085 Chen, X. (2012). Impact of business intelligence and IT infrastructure flexibility on competitive advantage: An organizational agility perspective. (Order No. 3522073, The University of Nebraska Lincoln). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 124. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1035336826?accountid=12085. (1035336826). Computer software; business data analysis provides key to delivering successful workforce planning strategies. (2012).Marketing Weekly News, , 286. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/926791455?accountid=12085 Debes, H. (2005). Business intelligence for the bottom line. Energy Markets, 10(4), 36-38. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/228760265?accountid=12085 Elbashir, M., Williams, S. (2007, Fourth). BI impact: The assimilation of business intelligence into core business processes.Business Intelligence Journal, 12, 45-54. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/222617043?accountid=12085 Jordan, J., Ellen, C. (2009). Business need, data and business intelligence. Journal of Digital Asset Management, 5(1), 10-20. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/dam.2008.53 King, E. (1998, October). The business intelligence technology shift. Enterprise Systems Journal, 13(10), 17+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA21260167v=2.1u=vic_libertyit=rp=CDBsw=wasid=6f3bfaa58245586c92ea5fb6ad499092 Rowe, D. (2000). Business intelligence trend leads DBMS growth. Technology in Government, 7(4), 17. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/206108771?accountid=12085 Rudin, K. (2007). On-demand business intelligence. DM Review, 17(8), 26. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/214676633?accountid=12085 Schwartz, S. (2007). BI 2.0 the next generation of business intelligence tools will be integrated within business processes themselves, enabling improved forecasting and real-time data analysis. Insurance Technology, 32(4), 41-44. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/229300747?accountid=12085 Vinekar, V., Teng, J. T. C., Chennamaneni, A. (2009). The interaction of business intelligence and knowledge management in organizational decision-making. Journal of International Technology and Information Management, 18(2), 143-159. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/205859311?accountid=12085 Zeng, L., Li, L., Duan, L. (2012). Business intelligence in enterprise computing environment. Information Technology and Management, 13(4), 297-310. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10799-012-0123-z

Male Body Image Essay -- Media Self Image

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Body image is what you believe about your physical appearance. Images of beautiful men and women are displayed everywhere from billboards to television advertisements. Fortunately, everyone does not look the same. Looking at models and movie stars often can create a negative self image of oneself in relation to these images. Approximately 46 percent of men of normal weight think about how they look constantly or frequently (Cloud, 46). The emergence of men’s new obsession with body image is connected to pressures from the media, plastic surgeons, and peers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The media plays a primary role in the mushrooming fascination between men and their body image. An article in the New York Times said, â€Å"G.I. Joes have morphed over the last three decades into muscle-bound hunks that can harm the self-esteem of boys...† (Santelmo). Kids are more likely to develop a hero from someone close to them or someone they know about. Why not look up to the 26.8 inch biceps of the G.I. Joe Extreme? There have also been an increasing number of sleek male magazines. Included are photos of male models wearing only boxers or briefs which have 6-pack abs and a broad chest. Similar to the latest G.I. Joe, extreme bodybuilders are also a popular commodity of the magazines, flexing and grinning with barbarian-sized muscles. The common male might say, â€Å"I want to look like that.† The concept of these images is not entertainment, but is influence towards a ridiculous ultimatum, like â€Å"I have to be in s... Male Body Image Essay -- Media Self Image   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Body image is what you believe about your physical appearance. Images of beautiful men and women are displayed everywhere from billboards to television advertisements. Fortunately, everyone does not look the same. Looking at models and movie stars often can create a negative self image of oneself in relation to these images. Approximately 46 percent of men of normal weight think about how they look constantly or frequently (Cloud, 46). The emergence of men’s new obsession with body image is connected to pressures from the media, plastic surgeons, and peers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The media plays a primary role in the mushrooming fascination between men and their body image. An article in the New York Times said, â€Å"G.I. Joes have morphed over the last three decades into muscle-bound hunks that can harm the self-esteem of boys...† (Santelmo). Kids are more likely to develop a hero from someone close to them or someone they know about. Why not look up to the 26.8 inch biceps of the G.I. Joe Extreme? There have also been an increasing number of sleek male magazines. Included are photos of male models wearing only boxers or briefs which have 6-pack abs and a broad chest. Similar to the latest G.I. Joe, extreme bodybuilders are also a popular commodity of the magazines, flexing and grinning with barbarian-sized muscles. The common male might say, â€Å"I want to look like that.† The concept of these images is not entertainment, but is influence towards a ridiculous ultimatum, like â€Å"I have to be in s...

My Lobotomy Essay

There wasn’t many answers to the medical society and anything that seemed to be working, was probably the greatest invention ever back then. I believe once they noticed that people started to change to behaviors, they thought they might have found a cure. With that hope, thats why they probably continued with the procedure. There were a lot of people with medical conditions that were being force to living in terriable conditions, so with this precedure, they probably thought this can help with that problem and hopefully get them to normal behavior so they may go back home. Do you think that Howard Dully may have had a childhood onset disorder such as ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or Conduct Disorder, or some combination of these disorders? Support your conclusions about this with examples from the memoir. Also discuss why the narrative and its various angles make it difficult to determine, retrospectively, whether or not he had any type of diagnosis. Howard Dully might of had Oppositional Defiant Disorder as a child and the stepmother might of not understand what was happening to his stepson. O. D. D is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures. According to his step mother, the behavior seems to be a personal issue towards the step mom. When one’s mother dies at a young age, a new stepmother may cause the child to dislike them thus cause inapproiate behavior towards the new mother. Howard seemed like many 12 years boys out there but the stepmother just instantly disliked the child. Howard was just put in a bad situation and this was the â€Å"cure† for any disorder at the time and of course the mother was all for it because it would alter his personality. I believe that if Howard was just raised from a different mother, he was of been a normal teenager. Why do you think Freeman fabricated the diagnosis of schizophrenia for Dully? Do you think this was merely justification to perform the lobotomy or do you think this actually reflects misconceptions about schizophrenia during the time Dully was growing up? I believe Freeman probably did it for both reasons. Freeman, during the time, was probably wanting the fame of the lobotomy, by performing the lobotomy on a twelve year old, and trying to show the world that lobotomy precedures can even be performed on young ages. Dully’s mom didn’t help either. Explaining symptoms that could be perceived as schizophrenia, even though they really didn’t seem like they were behaviors of schizophrenia, could be enough reason for a man that wants to prove his precedure works. What are the effects on Dully of accessing records from before his lobotomy, including notes on dialogue between Dr. Freeman and his stepmother? Also, do you think he gains any peace of mind by questioning his father about his role in the â€Å"treatment† despite the fact that his father shows no remorse and accepts no blame whatsoever for the lobotomy or the effects it has on his son’s life? Dully is offended on how terrible his step mother is. He noticed that he was told to get a lobotomy on his birthday and his mother didn’t hestistate. He couldn’t believe that she was lieing to Dr. Freeman and actually continue trying to get Dr. Freeman to understand that he should get a lobotomy due to some behaviors. When he read about his brother getting attacked from him, he basically was in shock because in his heart, he knows he would never hurt his brother. I think he does gave some peace questioning his father because, even though it took both spouses approval to do the opearation, he know that his step mother was deciever and a liar. If his father can say such things about her, I believe he has a better understanding of what type of person she is and that his life could have been different if it wasn’t for her. I believe in the text, he states that even though his father is not taking blame, it was still the happinest he has been. Explain why good families and parents (i. e. think about Lizzie Simon and her statement about her family versus the harsh world), unlike the cold, unloving parents of Howard Dully, would have allowed Freeman to perform lobotomies on truly mentally ill family members? Base your answer on the PBS excerpt from American Experience: The Lobotomist. Also, describe a real life situation where extreme measures of treatment might be (or actually have been) sought by the family or caretakers of a person with a severe disorder. I believe most families were just looking for answers to their problems. There were families that watched their mother, sister, brother, father, grandmas, or even grandfathers go through changes for the worst and they were just looking for a way out. With all the hype of a possible cure, who wouldn’t blame those family members that were really trying to help their families out. When they made the trans-orbital precedure, it also seemed like a cheaper, quicker fix so many people probably jump on the wagon because of being that way. There are plenty of situations in which family might need to step in and do what is necessary for their family members to be healthy. One example is when a child is going through Anorexia and has the mind set that she will not eat anything because she believes she is overweight. If this child rejects and refuses to listen to their parents, school therapist, and even friends, the parents need to step in. They might need to force their child into a clinic to help them with their problems. They would get professional help and thus, hopefully getting rid of that thought of looking extremely thin is ok.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 8

â€Å"Succubus.† Dante's laconic voice was the last thing I'd expected to hear when my phone rang the next day. I'd forgotten that I'd left him my number. My surprise quickly gave way to eagerness. Maybe he'd found something for me. No energy loss had occurred after the auction, but then, I hadn't taken a victim either. It wasn't much to go on, but that small pattern Dante had pointed out was still a place to start, and I hoped he'd have more to offer now. â€Å"Hey! What's up?† I sat down on the couch. I'd been getting ready to go out with Seth later, applying makeup the old-fashioned way in order to conserve shape-shifting energy. I'd need to cash in on my auction date sooner rather than later to get some power back. There was a pause from the other end of the line before Dante spoke again. â€Å"I've been thinking†¦I've been thinking we're going about all of this the wrong way.† Very unexpected. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Yeah. I wasn't taking it seriously, so I understand why you were getting pissed off.† Hearing him admit how he'd been blowing my problems off wasn't exactly cheering, but I appreciated his honesty. â€Å"Well†¦it's okay. I'm just glad we can maybe figure something out now. I'm getting anxious.† â€Å"Me too.† More silence, then I heard him take a deep breath. â€Å"So, have you ever been to El Gaucho?† The reference to one of Seattle's downtown steakhouses was such a non sequitur that I couldn't respond for several seconds. When I did speak, it wasn't very articulate. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It's a restaurant. Down on First – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah. I know what it is. What's it have to do with the dreams?† â€Å"Dreams? What are you talking about?† â€Å"What are you – oh, Jesus Christ. Are you asking me out?† â€Å"Of course I am. What the fuck would El Gaucho have to do with those dreams?† I groaned. â€Å"I can't believe this. I actually thought you had something useful for me.† â€Å"I'm trying to be nice here! Look, the dreams are a lost cause, but we aren't. You were right when you said I was being sleazy and treating you like you were cheap. So give me a break! I'm trying to have sex with you the right way.† I found this even freakier than when Dante had suggested the place with the happy hour beer. â€Å"I don't want to have sex with you, okay? I want your help with my problems. And how many times do I have to tell you that I have a boyfriend?† â€Å"As many times as you want. I just don't buy that that's a real relationship. Particularly after you sold yourself for seventeen-hundred dollars last night.† â€Å"How do you know about that?† â€Å"It was in the paper.† â€Å"That date doesn't count.† â€Å"Can a date with me not count?† â€Å"No! For the last time, I have a boyfriend. I'm going out with him tonight.† â€Å"To El Gaucho?† I hung up. I was working my hair over with a curling iron later on when I heard knocking at my front door. Walking toward the living room, I felt immortal signatures on the other side. Fortunately, there was nothing musky or slimy here. These were familiar and welcome. Of course, they weren't exactly welcome tonight. â€Å"What are you guys doing here?† I asked, opening the door to admit Peter, Cody, and Hugh. My three stooges. The dwarves to my Snow White. â€Å"And why do you always show up when I'm about to go out?† Like always, they made themselves comfortable in my living room without any further invitation. Cody handed me a slip that had been stuck to the door from my building's office manager, saying I had a package. I made a mental note to pick it up the next time the office was open. â€Å"We're going over to that place that makes the unholy margaritas,† he said. â€Å"Thought we'd stop by and see if you wanted to go.† â€Å"And here you are, ungrateful and mean,† said Peter. He glanced around the living room. â€Å"I don't see a Christmas tree here.† Hugh was eyeing my red-silk robe. â€Å"You going out in that?† â€Å"Of course not. I'm just getting ready, that's all.† The three of them exchanged looks. â€Å"Is it business or Seth?† asked Hugh. â€Å"Seth.† â€Å"Damn it,† swore Peter. He pulled some crumpled money out of his pocket and handed it to Hugh. â€Å"You guys bet on my love life?† â€Å"Yeah,† said Hugh. â€Å"All the time. You should see the stakes we've got riding on when you and Seth are finally going to sleep together.† â€Å"Well, keep 'em riding, cowboy. It's not going to happen.† I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall near my TV. â€Å"Of course, Niphon's trying pretty hard to make it happen. Is he in on the bet?† â€Å"Not yet. What's he doing?† asked Cody. I told them about the offer Niphon had made for Seth's soul. To my surprise, they didn't share my shock and outrage. â€Å"I don't know,† said Hugh slowly. â€Å"I've kind of thought about that before.† I gaped. â€Å"Thought about what before? Buying Seth's soul?† â€Å"Sure. It's what I do, and hey, if it'd help you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh dear lord.† â€Å"But if you decide to do it,† said Hugh warningly, â€Å"come to me first. I can beat any offer Niphon makes.† â€Å"If you broker the deal, you're disqualified for the bet,† warned Peter. â€Å"Hey!† cried Hugh. â€Å"That's not right.† â€Å"Sure it is. You'd have an unfair advantage – â€Å" â€Å"Christ. Be quiet, all of you. I can't believe you guys are seriously talking about buying my boyfriend's – â€Å" A new signature swept through to us. A scent liked candied apples. Warm honey on the skin. â€Å"Tawny,† we all said in unison. I opened the door, and Tawny threw herself into my arms, bawling. I yelped and tried not to fall over. â€Å"Oh, Georgina,† she sobbed, mascara running in black rivers down her cheeks. â€Å"I'm never going to do it. Never ever ever.† I tried to pull out of her Amazonian embrace. â€Å"There, there,† I said weakly. â€Å"I'm sure you will.† Sniffling, she stepped away and ran a hand over her eyes, making the mascara situation even worse. â€Å"No, I can't. I've tried and tried†¦nothing works.† I glanced over at the guys. They were all looking at me expectantly, like I should be able to explain how one succubus couldn't get laid. I doubted anyone could, though. â€Å"Okay,† I said at last. â€Å"Calm down, and we'll get to the bottom of it. But first, pull yourself together. You're a mess.† â€Å"I can't,† she wailed. â€Å"You're thinking like a human,† I chastised. â€Å"You can shape-shift that makeup mess away.† â€Å"No,† she said more adamantly. â€Å"You don't understand. I can't.† I stared at her, puzzled, then I understood. It was nearly impossible to see, but a faint shimmer was fading in and out around her body. She was having trouble holding this form. Her energy was so low that she was losing her shape-shifting power. â€Å"Whoa,† I said. I'd never seen a succubus that bad. I'd been that low once, but it had been after engaging in a major battle of shape-shifting. Tears started welling up in her eyes again. â€Å"What's going to happen? What if I run out and – † On and on she went. I sighed. There is a moment in every girl's life when she must choose between the lesser of evils. When you're a succubus, those moments come quite often. And right now, I had to choose. I could risk Niphon never leaving town or I could kiss Tawny. Lesser of evils. Standing on my tiptoes, I pressed my lips to hers and cut off her babbling. Her lips tasted like bubble gum, probably from the lip gloss. It wasn't a big kiss or anything – barely any tongue – but it was enough. A surge of power poured out of me and into her. Breaking the kiss, I stepped away and looked at her. Her form had stabilized. Meanwhile, I was now down even more in my own energy, but nowhere near the low she'd just experienced. Her blue eyes widened to an impossible size. â€Å"How†¦what was that?† â€Å"A kiss,† I said dryly. â€Å"Something you've apparently got to learn about too.† Seeing her still-stunned look, I shook my head. â€Å"We're vessels for power and life, Tawny. Usually, it passes into our bodies, but sometimes it can be transferred out to other creatures. Succubi and incubi can share it with each other. What I just gave you should keep you going a little longer.† â€Å"I don't know,† said Cody suddenly. â€Å"I think you should give her some more, just to be safe.† Tawny touched her lips, like she could still feel my kiss. â€Å"Wow.† Her form shifted, and the mascara mess vanished. Her normal, eerily perfect face reappeared. I sat down on the arm of the couch, near Peter. â€Å"Okay. Now let's figure out how in the world this is even possible. What happened to Nick the auctioneer? You guys seemed pretty close last night.† â€Å"Well,† she mumbled, staring down at her feet. â€Å"That kind of fell apart.† â€Å"How could it fall apart? He was drooling all over you!† â€Å"Yeah, but he had to stay and close up there, so we couldn't go out last night. I left without him. Today, I called to set up a date, and he said he didn't want to. That he was cool just giving the money to charity and not to bother with anything else.† â€Å"He said that?† I asked incredulously. I eyed her suspiciously. â€Å"What did you say to him beforehand?† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Did you just call and ask him out right away?† â€Å"Well, no†¦we made small talk. Not that it did much good. He seemed kind of bored by the end.† Surprise, surprise. Tawny didn't strike me as the world's greatest conversationalist. I could only imagine what she must have babbled about to scare him off. â€Å"Okay,† I said, disappointed. Nick had seemed like a sure thing. â€Å"Maybe you shouldn't, like, talk to them. What about the strip club job? Did you follow up on that?† She jerked her head up and looked like she might cry again. â€Å"I tried! They said I wasn't qualified.† Even the guys couldn't stay out of this now. â€Å"How can you not qualify for a job as a stripper?† asked Cody. â€Å"Yeah, don't you just have to take off your clothes?† asked Hugh. â€Å"They said I couldn't dance,† she explained. We all stared. â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wondered if maybe I should have read the mentor's handbook after all. â€Å"Let's see it.† â€Å"See what?† â€Å"You. Dancing.† Tawny looked around the room in terror. â€Å"Here?† she squeaked. â€Å"In front of all of you?† â€Å"If you can't take your clothes off in front of your friends,† said Peter, â€Å"who can you take them off in front of?† I elbowed him. â€Å"I can't,† she whispered. â€Å"Tawny,† I barked. My voice held the authority of a drill sergeant. She jumped. â€Å"I am not making out with you until the end of time. You want to do this, then you've got to work for it. Now, take off your clothes.† â€Å"Oh,† said Hugh. â€Å"I've waited ten years to hear you say that to another woman.† I found my stereo remote and turned it on. â€Å"Tainted Love† started playing. â€Å"I can't strip to the eighties!† â€Å"Tawny!† With a terrified look in my direction, she moved to the center of the living room. At first, she just kind of stood there, and then, slowly, she tried to step in time to the music. I say tried because she was so off the beat, it was astonishing. I don't think I could have been that out of sync if I'd tried. Finally, she gave up moving her feet at all and simply focused on her upper body, swaying her arms and torso slightly. It was the most awkward, uncomfortable spectacle I'd ever seen. At last, she decided she'd â€Å"danced† enough and began removing her clothing. She apparently couldn't multitask, however, and gave up all pretenses of moving to the music. Instead, she stood still and started unbuttoning her zebra-print blouse. Her fingers fumbled on the third button down, and it took her almost thirty seconds to unfasten it. â€Å"Stop, please stop,† I said, turning off the music. â€Å"Your goal is to take years off people's lives, but not like this.† â€Å"Was I bad?† she asked. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"You were terrible.† She stuck her lower lip out in a pout. â€Å"Oh, come on,† said Cody, ever the kindly one in our group. â€Å"That's kind of mean.† â€Å"Hey, I'm supposed to be a teacher, not a friend.† â€Å"The School of Georgina is a harsh one,† intoned Peter solemnly. â€Å"It's not that easy,† Tawny said, looking at me accusingly. â€Å"If you really are my teacher, then show me how to do it.† Four faces watched me expectantly. I started to protest, then remembered that helping Tawny meant Niphon would leave Seattle that much faster. Getting up off the couch arm, I took her place in the center of the room. â€Å"Okay, first off, you're missing two things. One, listen to the music and move with it. There's a beat. Find it. Move your feet and your body – your whole body – to it. Become part of it.† Tawny's blank look told me I was getting too esoteric for her. â€Å"Then, when it comes time to take off your clothes, remember that you're not doing it to be practical. You're doing it for someone else. Make it dramatic. Make it artful.† I turned the stereo on and clicked to the next track on my mix CD. It was â€Å"Iron Man.† â€Å"Hey!† Tawny said. â€Å"How come you get metal?† â€Å"Not even you can strip to Ozzy,† scoffed Hugh. I gave him a sidelong glance. â€Å"I can strip to anything, baby.† I started moving. For me, there was no thought required at all. I'd been a dancer since my mortal days. I loved it. There was no music. There was no me. We were the same being. My body flowed to its melody and rhythm, every one of my movements graceful and sensual. I didn't even pay attention to my friends. I just let myself get lost in the dance. I didn't have much on to begin with. I had panties and a bra underneath the robe, but I intended to leave them on. I was close to my friends but not that close. But, I made the most out of taking off the robe, letting my hands slide over my silk-covered body. I slowly untied the sash, drawing the experience out, and finally let it slip to the floor. I took my heels off with equal deliberateness. Literally never missing a beat, I told Tawny, â€Å"When you've got this down, we'll move onto lap dances.† I moved over to where Hugh sat on the loveseat and positioned my legs so that I straddled him while barely touching him. A stripper's art. I ran my fingers through my hair, my body still rippling like a ribbon. â€Å"Hey, big spender,† I said. He looked appreciative but more amused than anything else. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a one dollar bill. â€Å"Hugh,† I said. â€Å"Don't insult me.† With a sigh, he produced a five and tucked it underneath my bra strap. â€Å"Hey, Seth,† Cody suddenly said. I looked up and saw Seth standing in the doorway. When Tawny had come barreling through, I'd left the door ajar. A look of comic bemusement was on his face. â€Å"Hey,† he said, studying me. â€Å"So†¦you're paying for dinner?† I crawled off Hugh's lap and pulled the five out of my strap. â€Å"Only if you want to go to Taco Bell.† Cody handed me a twenty. â€Å"Make it a Red Lobster.† My friends got up and moved toward the door, and I assured a distraught Tawny that I'd think of something to help her. Giving up any more attempts at manually getting ready, I shape-shifted into jeans, low boots, and another cashmere sweater. A three-quarter-length gray wool coat covered it all. I grinned at Seth, who was shaking his head ruefully. Compared to the other things he knew I did, an impromptu striptease was pretty low-key. â€Å"And you thought I didn't earn my keep.† â€Å"No comment,† he said, taking hold of my hand.

Oxygen essays

Oxygen essays Oxygen is the most important element in the periodic table, its symbol is O . Oxygen is colorless and odorless, it was found in 1774 by a man named Joseph Priestly, the origin of the name oxygen comes from the Greek words oxus (acid) and gennan (Generate). Oxygen has a very important role in the world its purpose is to support life. Oxygen bars and oxygen clinics have been popping up since the late 1980s from Tokyo to Toronto. The only down side to oxygen therapy is that it can be very pricey at the OXYGEN ZONE for 20 minutes it will cost you $20 dollars. However according to the National Headache Foundation there is some scientific evidence to support the use of oxygen therapy for cluster headaches. The newest thing that is going to hit the market soon is a new superoxygenated bottled water will soon come to the market, the company that produces it says it did a study showing that drinking the water shaved an average of 31 seconds off a runners 5- kilometer time. ...

Mars Curiosity Rover is Uncovering Martian History

Mars Curiosity Rover is Uncovering Martian History Every day a robotic rover about the size of a small car wakes up and makes its next move across the surface of Mars. Its called the Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory rover, exploring around Mount Sharp at the center of Gale Crater (an ancient impact site)  on the Red Planet. Its one of two working rovers on the Red Planet. The other is the Opportunity rover, perched on the west rim of Endeavour Crater. The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit stopped working and is now silent after several years of exploration on its own. Each year, Curiositys science team celebrates another full Martian year of exploration. A Mars year is longer than an Earth year, roughly 687 Earth days, and Curiosity has been doing its job since August 6, 2012. It has been a momentous time, revealing dazzling new information about Earths neighbor in the solar system. Planetary scientists and future Mars mission planners are  interested in conditions on the planet, particularly its ability to support life. The Search for Martian Water One of the most important questions the Curiosity (and other) missions wants to answer is: what is the history of water on Mars? Curiositys instruments and cameras were designed to help answer that. It was fitting then, that one of Curiositys first discoveries was an ancient riverbed running underneath the rovers landing site. Not far away, at an area known as Yellowknife Bay, the rover dug into two slabs of mudstone (rock formed from mud)  and studied samples. The idea was to look for habitable zones for simple life forms. The study gave a definite yes, this could have been a place hospitable to life answer. Analysis of the mudstone samples showed that they were once at the bottom of a lake filled with water rich in nutrients. Thats the kind of place where life could have formed and flourished on the early Earth. If Mars had living organisms, this would have been a good home for them, as well.   Where Did the Water Go? One question that keeps coming up is, If Mars had a lot of water in the past, where did it all go? The answers suggest a range of places, from frozen underground reservoirs to the ice caps. Studies by the MAVEN spacecraft orbiting the planet strongly support the idea that some episode of water loss to space  occurred. This changed the planets climate.  Curiosity has measured various gases in the Martian atmosphere  and has helped Mars scientists figure out that much of the early atmosphere (which was probably wetter than now) escaped to space. More recent studies have revealed underground ice on Mars, and possibly salty meltwater just beneath the surface in some areas.   Rocks tell a fascinating story of Mars water. Curiosity  has determined of the ages of Martian rocks, and how long a rock has been exposed to harmful radiation. Rocks in direct contact with water in the past tell scientists more details about waters role on Mars. The big question: when did water flow freely across Mars is still unanswered, but Curiosity is providing data to help answer it soon. Curiosity  has also returned important information about radiation levels on the Martian surface, which would be important for assuring the safety of future Mars colonists. Future trips range from  one-way missions  to long-term missions that send and return multiple crews to and from the Red Planet. Curiositys Future Curiosity  is still running strong, despite some damage to one its wheels. That has led team members and spacecraft controllers to devise new study routes to accommodate the problem.The mission is one more step to the eventual human exploration of Mars. As with our exploration of Earth over the past centuries - using advance scouts  - this mission and others, like the MAVENmission and Indias Mars Orbiter Mission are sending back valuable word about the territory ahead, and what our first explorers will find.

Gettysburg (1993), directed by Ron Maxwell Movie Review

Gettysburg (1993), directed by Ron Maxwell - Movie Review Example Raiding each other was also a major contributor to the fighting. None of the troops were willing to surrender hence the retaliation to any form of attack was to fight back. Some of the reasons that they fight about are as simple as shoe supplies. It is witnessed in the movie that Brigadier General John Burford’s cavalry engages with Henry Heth’s troop that had organized a move into Gettysburg to restock their depleted shoe supply (Maxwel, 1993). The other reason for the fighting was to ensure that the union never took any part of Gettysburg; every effort had to be made to ensure that advances of enemy troops towards Gettysburg were seen from a far and dealt with accordingly. The fighting was further for the purpose of taking or conquering new areas such as the â€Å"Devil’s Den†. The army had to fight to ensure they took control of the key grounds that would work to their advantage when it came to war, therefore, fighting was paramount in ensuring all the important area were under the army. Each head of a cavalry had their own role to play. The roles ultimately comprehended one another so that the entire army could be firmly held together under the same strong pillars. Major General JEB Stuart’s cavalry was recognized as the eyes of the army and when it decides to go on a raid without informing the rest of the army, it leaves the entire operation in danger of failing (Maxwel, 1993). Conflict sometimes develops between the confederate generals and the confederate soldiers due to the difference in opinion concerning the way forward during the war. The generals feel that they cannot accommodate whatever the soldiers try to offer are they are driven by the assumption that the soldiers are only meant to listen to orders and execute them rather than having a role to play in the formation of war tactics. There is also struggle between the generals and the soldiers as some of them refuse to take part in their duties,

THEARTER the play The Zoo Story by Edward Albee Thesis

THEARTER the play The Zoo Story by Edward Albee - Thesis Example Jerry is an fairly attractive, repressed homosexual male in his late thirties whose demeanor suggests a man who has known better days. It is difficult to determine Jerry's exact socio-economic status because, although he has clearly fallen on hard times, living in a single room in a boarding house along with an assortment of society's rejects, Jerry is very intelligent and it is clear from his few, reported possessions, that he is probably a writer, or at the very least, a struggling writer. Jerry comes from a lower class background than Peter and has never known life on the upper east side of Manhattan. Jerry initiates the action at the beginning of the play in a direct, aggressive manner telling Peter, a total stranger, "I said, I've been to the zoo. MISTER, I'VE BEEN TO THE ZOO!" He is clearly the one with a mission and that mission is to make a connection with another human being. His desire is so strong that it is the driving force of the play. Once Jerry connects with Peter by eliciting his attention with the promise of "what happened at the zoo", he is able to unburden himself with his life story that culminates in "THE STORY OF JERRY AND THE DOG".