A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Client’s xx May A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor A disconnected family of obnoxious and ungrateful adults with their wild and uncontrollable children on their way to Florida for a vacation is depicted in Flannery O’Connor’s short fiction â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find. † On their route they encounter an accident and met a dangerous felon who eventually brings them to their death. As they forced to face their own mortality, the grandmother tries to find some goodness in the murderer in an attempt to postpone her own death and consequent Judgment. In the story, the aptly named character of â€Å"The Misfit† serves as a symbol both of evil as well as a symbol of the villain’s inability to fit into society. The family also represents a bunch of misfits as demonstrated through their ungratefulness and disregard for other’s emotions. The mother ignores her children except for her baby; the children have no qualms about littering and talking back to adults. The family is living without really being aware of the fact that life is precious. We will write a custom essay sample on A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The vacation that the family is taking also has symbolic significance as a journey away from their familiar surroundings. The fact that the family is going further South might be indicative of the direction they are heading in the afterlife. Even their stop along the way at Red Sam’s resembles a place of purgatory. The grandmother revisits moments of her life as the family drives along on their way to Florida and is the only family member who seems to learn anything on the road of life. When it comes to the historical background of the story, Flannery O’Connor takes special care in presenting the differences between the old generation of Southern gentility and the current (1950’s) generation, which is more abrasive and fast-paced. Stephen Bandy in his review of O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find indicates that a personal history is explored as the grandmother reflects on plantation homes, unpaved roads and formal clothing while riding with her son and his young family on a highway to the trendy vacation spot of Florida (110). This is true as the grandmother appears to be struggling with the changes occurring throughout the time period. These changes are reflected in her children and grandchildren. In the 1950s, the population was growing and expansion of cities and suburbs was occurring across the country while farmland began to decrease. The advent of rock n’ roll music fed the desire of the nation’s young people to rebel against their parents’ traditional values.

Presentational Devices in Shrek Essay - 1203 Words

Presentational Devices in Shrek In this essay I am going to show the different techniques the director uses and analyse the characters of Shrek and Lord Farquaad to show how the makers of the film reverse tradition and create an original and amusing fairytale. The film opens with peaceful, traditional romantic non-diegetic music playing and the voice of Shrek as a narrator as he reads part of a fairytale book. By using this music and Shrek as a narrator, the director manages to lead the viewers to believe it is going to be a traditional fairytale and so the director manages to create a false mood. Then, in an instant, the audience’s thoughts are changed as a large chubby green hand rips a†¦show more content†¦The painting is a ‘beware of the ogre’ sign. This differs from a traditional fairytale, and, along with everything else, portrays Shrek as a more cultured ogre than average. The director uses colour and body language to suggest that Shrek is a kind ogre. For example the way he puts his hands on his hips and smiles as he looks at his swamp when he comes out of the toilet, and Shrek’s bright green colour. After Shrek has planted the sign in the ground it shows the villagers going to try and hunt Shrek. Shrek sees them coming and instead of running at them and roaring savagely as a traditional ogre would, he creeps up behind them and follows them. This shows that Shrek has some degree of intelligence unlike the ogres in traditional fairytales. Shrek then catches up with the villagers and interrupts them to tell them how bad ogres are. One of the villagers threatens Shrek with a torch but Shrek just licks his fingers and puts the torch light out. Shrek then roars savagely at them and they scream and finally freeze on the spot. Shrek then whispers at them telling them that it is the part where they run away and they all run away. This part in the film shows that Shrek has the potential to be a traditional ogre. In this scene the director uses sound, lighting and camera angles to make it more effective. The light from this scene isShow MoreRelatedHow the Makers of Shrek Subvert the Usual Conventions of a Fairytale Using Presentational Devices1354 Words   |  6 PagesHow the Makers of Shrek Subvert the Usual Conventions of a Fairytale Using Presentational Devices In this essay I am going to discuss how the makers of Shrek overturned the expected characteristics of a fairytale. They do this by using presentational devices such as lighting, music, camera angles and visual effect. In my opinion if the film did not use these presentational devices the way they did, it would not be as successful and people would see it in a totally differentRead MoreThe Reversal of Traditions in Shrek Essay example506 Words   |  3 PagesThe Reversal of Traditions in Shrek In traditional fairy tales ogres are man-eating beast. The prince usually rescues the princess; they marry and live happily ever after. 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The prince usually rescues the princess; they marry and live happily ever after. How do the makers of Shrek use presentational devices to reverse this tradition, to reveal the ogre as good, and the prince as evil? In this essay, I am going to analyse the characters of Shrek and Lord Farquaad, and write about how filmmakers use different presentational devices to create anRead MoreCreative Devices in Shrek - Comparing Lord Farquaad and Shrek1616 Words   |  7 PagesThe film entitled â€Å"Shrek† is not like traditional fairy tales. In fact, it is the complete opposite of traditional writing methods. Unlike some traditional fairy tales like Cinderella, were the handsome prince finds his fair maiden and they live supposedly happily ever after, the writers and creators of the movie Shrek, have used not a pretty princess or a pompous prince as the main character, but instead... an Ogre. This is the complete reverse as surely a hero cannot be a man eating, ugly, putridRead MoreAn Unconventional Fairy Tale Essay892 Words   |  4 PagesThe film entitled â€Å"Shrek† is unlike traditional fairy tales and is a complete reversal of traditional writing methods. Unlike traditional fairy tales such as â€Å"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs†, where the handsome prince rescues the princess and they both live â€Å"happ ily ever after†, the creators of Shrek have used an Ogre (usually known as vicious man eating monsters) to be the hero. This has been used to help create comedy and an interesting, if unconventional, story line. 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This essay will be looking at the characters and the different presentational devises used to show how fairytale traditionsRead MoreEssay on Shrek: The Kindness of the Ogre Revealed1267 Words   |  6 PagesShrek: The Kindness of the Ogre Revealed Lord farquaad and Shrek use the correlation between them to distort the traditional fairy tale. Shrek barges in just before the happily ever after and changes the story for the better? To explain how filmmakers use presentational devices to change the traditional fairy tale to something more exciting and adventurous, I am going to analyze the characters of Shrek and lord farquaad. A traditional fairy tale that contains an

Fear and loathing in las vegas Essay Example For Students

Fear and loathing in las vegas Essay Category:Book ReportsPaper Title:fear and loathing in las vegasText:Finding the American Dream in Sin City:What I got out of Fear and LoathingWhere do I start ? This book left me with so many questions and so manythingsto think about. Was this journey real? Was Hunter S. Thompson drawing offreal lifeexperinces to create this strange and insightful journey? If this was striclya fictional storythis is obivoiusly written by a man who had alot of experince with drugs andthere effects. I don not want to focus on the drugs because I think there is more to thisbook and if youjust focus and the outlandish number of drugs ingested by Raoul Duke and hisattorneyyou will miss it. The book bills itself as A savage journey to theheart of the AmericanDream. That is exactly what it is. We see america through a man whoseems to haveseen what America could have been only to see it come crashing down to theharshrealties of what it is. He was not alone in this feeling he makes it clearwhen he remarksthat Nixons term marked the popularuty of downers. The whole country was in adownmood it seemed that everything had failed and the people that were left afterthe smoke ofthe sixties cleared felt dislousined and out of place like Raoul Duke. Theonly feeling hehad left to cling on from this time was the drugs and even the highs didntseem the same. Take for example when he was describing being in San Francisco during theAcid Wavehow carefree and innoceent his high nights seemed compare this with theconstantparnonia that plagued him throughout his five day romp through Vegas. Hishighs alongwith america had lost a sense of innocence All that was left was a feeling offear andloathing. I also belive that the choice of Las Vegas as the hunting ground for theAmercianDream was extremely important. I think that for many Vegas especially circa1971embobied all that was right and very wrong with American Culture. The tackyglitz of thestrip, out of work entertainers pefroming for middle americans in thetwilight of their lifegambling away penisons and savings and two bit gamblers hoping that they tocouldstrike it rich and become geniune rags to riches story. Vegas with its lureof the instantHoratio Alger story seems to me to repersent the Amercian Dream over lasthalf centuryand I think Hunter S. Thompson saw this too. Then there was the Mint 400 andthe drugconfrence both I think were used as vehicles to see American culture fromoppositespectrums. There was the racers and fans for the Mint 400 a rough and tumblebunchsome would call them rednecks, bikers or rebels. These were the people whoseemed tobe living the American Dream on their own terms. On the opposite there waspeop leattending the drug convention a cross section of middle american lawenforcementpeople. To these people a free trip to vegas was the vaction they and themisses had beenwaiting for. They seemed so out of place in the glitzy lights and fancycasinos but in asense I feel they fit right in. They were the target market for vegas. Richpeople and hipyoung Americans dont travel hundreds of miles to see Tom Jones do medleysand eat badbuffet food. To me the convention attendees, Mint 400 fans, casino vistorsand RaoulDuke all resprsented diffrent aspects of one idea, The American Dream. Rauoland hisattorney had at one time found there American Dream and had lost it alongwiththousands of others who thought the sixties really would mean a change forthe better. .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 , .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .postImageUrl , .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 , .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9:hover , .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9:visited , .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9:active { border:0!important; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9:active , .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9 .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u99852526febb4dc3f13012c05a5c81f9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Domestic Violence EssayThe Mint folks had found theirs and as mindless and backwoodish as it mightseem tomany it fit them and I dont think they gave a damn what anyone thought. Theconventionpeople they represented the masses grinding it out everyday 9 to 5 living theso calledHonest American Way oblivous to the way thing were beyond their own front lawns. Book Reports

The Risk Management Of Asset And Liabilities By Developing Countries E

The Risk Management Of Asset And Liabilities By Developing Countries The risk management of assets and liabilities by developing countries. Greater access to the international financial markets has bestowed many benefits on developing countries, but it has also exposed them to the vicissitudes of these markets. In addition to the macroeconomic challenges posed by large, potentially volatile flows, the sizable external foreign currency debt of many developing countries makes them vulnerable to swings in international exchange rates and interest rates and, often, they are tempted to speculative currency attacks. Indeed, prudent macroeconomic policies have at times been compromised by the fiscal consequences of losses associated with these exposures. Most recent of such policies is the one embarked upon by Russia.Russia had defaulted on domestic debt, devalued the rubble and frozen payments on some previous Soviet-era commercial debt. The U.S and a few European banks, which lost some $10 billion to the debt default alone, vowed never to go near Russia again. Yet, it is striking to learn through Business Week magazine that due to a change in macro-economic policies, Russia has been able to have some their defaulted debts forgiven. Now many of the same banks that vowed not to do business in Russia are hailing the administration of this country's first step toward a return to international bond markets in the form of a massive issue of restructured commercial debt. These financial pundits are hoping for an unprecedented economic rebound. The main economic and financial initiative that has encour aged investors is that Russia has the best performing fixed income market in the world for this year as well as last year. J.P. Morgan's Emerging Markets Benchmark Index reported this performance. Other areas of policy changes involved the devaluation of the rubble at a time when oil prices have surged. Russia has also recently restructured $32 billion in soviet- era commercial debt. Banks wrote off $10.6 billion and Russia issued two new trenches i.e. an $18.2 billion30-year issue and a $2.8 billion10-year issue for the balance. As other defaulted nations looked on, they find themselves in not so fortunate a position, and as the struggle for finding economic policies that will woo their creditors continues, they find themselves in unfortunate uncompromising positions. According to Newsweek, exposure of developing countries to currency risk can be broadly gauged by the amount of external public debt they have incurred. In 1996, the outstanding stock of sovereign debt issued or guaranteed by developing countries amounted to $1.5 trillion, or 25 percent of their total GNP and to 300 percent of their foreign currency reserves. Roughly one-half of their external debt was exposed to foreign interest rate risk: one-fifth of this was short term (maturities of less than one year), and two-fifths of the remaining long-term debt was at variable rates. During the past two decades, a number of emerging markets specifically from the developing countries have been hurt by adverse movements in exchange rates and international interest rates. In the early 1980s, the debt-servicing burdens of some countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America were severely affected by the dollar's appreciation, a worldwide increase in interest rates, and a decline in commodity prices. Several Asian countries saw significant increases in their debt burdens in the early 1990s because of their large, unhedged exposures to Japanese yen. A third of the increase in the dollar value of Indonesia's external debt between 1993 and 1995, for example, was attributable to cross-currency movements, particularly the steep appreciation of the yen. At the time, 37 percent of Indonesia's external debt was denominated in yen, while about 90 percent of its export revenues were denominated in dollars. (The depreciation of the yen in 1996 offset some of the losses in curred by these countries.) A report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development claimed that maturity profile of public debt contributes as much as the total volume of the debt to a country's vulnerability to external shocks, such as that experienced by Mexico. Mexico's public debt was relatively low by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) standards, -51 percent of GDP, compared with an average of 71 percent for the OECD countries. The Mexican crisis underscored the difficulty and cost of refinancing a

The Promotion of Justice

10 Tips for Turning Your Contract Job into a Permanent One

10 Tips for Turning Your Contract Job into a Permanent One Contract, temp, and freelance work have all become more popular in the past few years, as people look for creative ways to build their careers, and companies seek ways to reshape their workforce. According to a recent McKinsey Global Institute jobs survey, about 58% of employers expect to hire more part-time, temporary or contract workers in the near future. Contract and temp jobs can be a way to develop talent before investing in it fully. But what if you’re one of these hourly workers, and want something more permanent? If you’re working as a contractor but are looking to convert that into your stable, full-time gig, we have 10 strategies for you to use to start framing yourself as the ideal permanent employee.1. Be clear about what you want.Your boss isn’t psychic. If you were hired as a temp or a contract employee, he or she might not realize you’re interested in putting a ring on it and joining the team full-time. When you come on board, make sure you r boss knows how happy you are to be working here, and that you’d be open to making this a longer-term- but be cool about it.Instead of harping on your availability for a permanent position, or a reminder that you want to extend this, make it more about the job. I’m excited to be here, and would be interested in any full-time opportunities with your team. You can also bring it up with your boss as you get closer to the end of your contracted time: Now that we have just a couple of weeks left, I just wanted to check in with you, and let you know that I’m interested in continuing my work with this team.2. Make yourself indispensable.Easier said than done, right? If we all knew the secret of becoming necessary employees, everyone would have the totally stable job of his or her dreams. What you can do is make sure you’re going above and beyond. For example, if you’re working on a report due by end-of-day, get it in your boss’s hands by 2 p.m., w ith extra information.Think about process, and how things are done. If you see ways or processes to do your job more efficiently, talk them over with your boss. Show them that you’re on the lookout for ways to take on more responsibility, or improve your work. Make the company envision you as someone who won’t just take a to-do list, but build upon it and find ways to be useful beyond the immediate job description. That suggests that you have growth potential.3. Make a connection with your manager.If your boss could barely pick you out of a lineup, or keeps calling you â€Å"Jim† (and your name is Jamie), that doesn’t bode well for your long-term chances at this company. Make sure you’re communicating clearly with your boss, setting regular check-ins,` or sending daily email updates to show how you’re making progress on the task you were brought in to do.4. Work diligently.Now is not the time to coast, if you want to be brought on permanentl y. Your skills and know-how are on the line here. You want them to see an employee who’s always engaged and hard at work.Even when you’re not working so hard after all (there’s a lull in your project, or you’re taking a quick mental break after working on something for a few hours), at least put up the illusion that you’re busy. That means not openly checking your Facebook or fantasy football scores. It also means being at your desk if you’re expected to be at your desk. If you can discreetly do those things, then okay- but don’t get caught by your boss looking up that Amazon purchase when she thinks you’re working on those reports.5. Be responsive.If you get an email, respond right away (even if it’s just a quick note to say you’re working on whatever the request is). Thanks, Jodie! I’m taking a look at this now, and should have an update for you shortly. It lets the sender know you’re already putti ng thought and effort into the task, even if you don’t have an answer right away. It also shows that you’re a good team member, hint hint.6. Be available.Those two hours of overtime may seem annoying now, but putting in that extra time could give you an extra bump in your boss’s eyes. It demonstrates your commitment to the job, even one that’s temporary in nature. That’s an immensely valuable quality to a future employer. You don’t have to be on call around the clock (that’s a bit too eager), but if you’re clear that you are willing to put in the time and effort to get the job done, people will notice.7. Don’t get cocky.It can be easy to get complacent in your job, even if it’s temporary, when you’re the one handling the day-to-day tasks of the position. Don’t forget that unless and until there’s a job offer made, the company is not obligated to keep you on beyond your current contract. If you act like you already have the job, that can be a turn-off for the hiring manager.You also don’t want to risk sounding like a know-it-all, and alienating people with whom you’d be working. You may well be killing it in your contracted job, but that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get the opportunity to stay. Make sure you’re always mindful that this is a contract position, and while you may be able to leverage it into a longer term role, that is far from a guarantee at this point.8. Make friends.Ingratiating yourself with your coworkers is a key strategic move to make, if you want to make the jump to full-time team member. If there’s a full-time opportunity and your name is on the shortlist for the permanent position, you’re going to want support. One of your colleagues could be the one to put in a good word for you, or say to your boss, â€Å"You know, I really like Jamie. He knows his stuff, and fits in really well here.† W hat you don’t want anyone to say: a) â€Å"Who was that, again?† or b) â€Å"I never really talked to him. He just sat at his desk, head down all the time.† Companies are looking for people who will fit well with the rest of their team, so it’s smart to get to know the people around, you even if it’s small talk late on a Friday or as you both wait for the coffee machine.And even if you don’t manage to extend this particular contract job into a permanent role, you still get to add people to your professional network. You never know when another opportunity (maybe Suzy knows someone at a similar company who’s hiring) will come up through your network.9. Do your homework.Make sure you learn what you can about the company. When I was in grad school, I worked as an administrative temp in a variety of different places. One of them was a financial services company, which was totally outside of my wheelhouse. I didn’t come away from th e experience with a professional-level understanding of how a hedge fund works, but I got a sense of how a company like that was structured, and what the needs were. Once you know what the needs are, you can start sharpening (or showing off) the skills that are valuable to that particular industry or company. Become familiar with the company’s mission statement, and think about how it applies to the job you’re doing now.10. Think of it like a REALLY long job interview.If all else fails, or you have trouble keeping your focus, remember that this is basically an extended job interview. Not all contract positions will turn into full-time gigs (especially as companies look for creative ways to get work done with ever-smaller budgets), but you have nothing to lose by treating this as the one that might make the conversion. Your work is a living, breathing case for why it’s in the company’s best interest to keep you on.Being a contractor has challenges, but als o offers the freedom to try different things until you find the path that’s right for you. When you’ve found that path, don’t just put your fate into someone else’s hands- take control, and start turning yourself into the employee they won’t be able to survive without.

Assignment #2 Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment #2 - Statistics Project Example It depicts the representation of distinct graphical illustration of the underlying positive kurtosis. The dataset is mainly linked to the left of the mean of satisfaction depicting a general level of democracy among the populace (Goodwin, 189-239). The ordinal scales are constantly discrete in nature and is applicable to existing model of corresponding data analysis. Nominal variable are number of employees and corresponding level of democracy. The stage of democracies of the population is adversely skewed as compared to the underlying interval variable. This scatter plot offers a platform for representation of the underlying set of dataset and commonly derived prior to analysis of the linear correlation coefficient of the prevailing variants data (Goodwin, 189-239). The level of democracy is inversely proportionate to the prevailing number of the underlying workers in the company. The relationship is adversely related concerning extends of democracy. The 95% confidence level around the mean for the interval variable is 5.466553063. The upper limit of 5.466553063+ 0.095678992 whilst the lower limit is 5.466553063- 0.095678992 thus all the existing 95% contains the mean Bar chary helps in summarization of the prevailing categorical data in the exploratory data assessment of data examination to exhibit fundamental distribution of the data convenient format. This mainly represents the underlying ordinal and corresponding nominal data. Confidence 95percentage level encompasses the underlying the existing populace. The standard deviation of democracy is 206.5344828. The skewness and kurtosis of the dataset is -0.608361087 and 1.131668626

Royal Air Force Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Royal Air Force - Essay Example Metamorphic success has its inveterate roots in the past history which makes people accept and adapt to the environment of Leaning process, training and ability. All these aspects play a vital role in the Royal Air Force to facilitate its members in the longer run in terms of training and learning to operate new apparatus and equipment. Change in the Royal Air Force has both positive and negative side to the picture. Both the facets of change should be considered to supplement information about the Royal Air Force. Different projects manifest the darker and denser version of reality in relation to change in the Royal Air Force. As Sir Michael Howard puts it"[The military] is like a sailor navigating by dead reckoning. You have left the terra firma of the last war and are extrapolating from the experiences of that war. The greater the distance from the last war, the greater become the chances of error in this extrapolation. Occasionally there is a break in the clouds: a small-scale conflict occurs somewhere and gives you a "fix" by showing whether certain weapons and techniques are effective or not but it is always a doubtful mix. . . . For the most part you have to sail on in a fog of peace until at the last moment. Then, probably when it is too late, the clouds lift and there is land immediately ahead; breakers, probably, and rocks. Then you find out rather late in the day whether your calculations have been right or not". ROBERTSON, 1998, Air Power Journal; Successful change and clear vision lay the foundation of handling affairs such as --. Managing Resources, Engaging Communication and Empowering. Future research is the essence of findings leadership Competencies; Leader Activities; Leading Change; Royal Air Force Leadership; Change Context; Change Management; Change Success Wren, John; Duelist, Vic(2005)(title review) Aspects of managing change in the Royal Air Force: The system of the Royal Air force can be managed by setting up goals. Through management of objectives, goals can be achieved for any organizational unit such as the Royal Air Force. George S. Odiorne, in his book Management By Objectives throws light on this concept of managerial change "A system of management whereby the superior and subordinate jointly identify objectives, define individual major areas of responsibility in terms of results expected, and use these objectives and expected results as guides for operating the unit and assessing the contribution of each of its members."2. Krahenbuhl, 1975 Facets of managerial concern with in the Royal Air Force: Organization Objective setting; this facet requires the manager of the Royal Air Fore to review the purpose for which an organization comes into power. For example mission statement and discussion about its progressive maneuvering is of great significance to the Royal management. Periodic review assiduously stresses the need for the emergence of an organization fully managed and controlled. This should be the starting point for the supervisor and the staff to set organizational objective in relation to the unit's concentrative areas, thus adapted during the approaching objective setting period. Goals upheld by staff members are as follows; to assist and guide the entire organization, to guide subordinate managers to formulate their own objectives. Consequently, by setting up

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Market Entry Strategy for SMEs Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Market Entry Strategy for SMEs - Essay Example The risks associated with entry into a new and unfamiliar market can be reduced by applying pertinent market entry strategies. Under this strategy, exporting can be divided into two parts such as indirect exporting as well as direct exporting. Indirect exporting is referred as decreasing the producer’s risk by selling the manufacturer’s product in the foreign market with the help of others. On the other hand, direct exporting signifies that a company controls the export activities as well as sells the manufactured products directly to the foreign market. Therefore, in the direct exporting strategy producers have more control on the activities of a foreign market (Tielmann, 2010). In this paper, the benefits and the disadvantages of a foreign market entry approach about exporting of small and medium enterprises (SME’s) as well as multinational enterprise (MNE’s) are discussed. Evaluating the advantages as well as the disadvantages of market entry strategy is most important in order to develop SME’s exporting. Entry strategy of exporting for SME’s can be defined as sale of goods produced by the SME’s in the foreign market with the help of agents and distributors (Bendt & Skropska, 2011). The selection of optimal entry mode strategy is imperative for SMEs in the international marketing context in order to make their presence felt in the competitive foreign markets where there are a number of existing competitors present. SMEs have been observed to possess quite simple objectives as well as organisational structures. SMEs’ key aim is to make growth as well as development, which can be ensured by maximising the anticipated profit level. However, SME’s face resource and information constraints (Decker & Zhao, 2004).

Health Care Program Evaluation Plan Health And Social Care Essay

Health Care Program Evaluation Plan Health And Social Care Essay The question of how to treat people who are mentally ill is highly controversial. In the not-so-distant past, people with mental illness were confined in insane asylums, where they lived in conditions of degradation, physical abuse and squalor. Mental health professionals now agree that such treatment was barbaric and that patients should receive supportive care. Opinions differ sharply, however, on what kind of treatment best serves this population of people interests. How mental illness is treated varies in every civilization, culture, century, and religion. Some religions encourage its members to do well even towards mentally ill people. The treatments carried out go from dancing to chants to tortures and exorcisms, and some treatments do more damage to the patient than good. As time passes by, the term mental illness carries with a stigma that affects not only the patient, but also his/her family. With the increasing prominence of the health promotion theory, there exists a shift towards emphasizing wellness, empowerment, and empirically supported treatment. Mentally ill people are treated more humanely at present than when compared to the only several decades ago. Adjustments are being strategized in order to address the increasing demand of mental health education and ensure the implementation of new programs in order to maintain common ground among stakeholders. Drastic changes and the need for mental health reform based on recurrences of violence within communities have played a vital role in stakeholders rethinking mental health issues, particularly what treatments are appropriate. Historically, practices of health promotion can be incorporated into evidence based with the treatment being used in programs that have been implemented for those co-morbid health conditions with mental health problems. Background of the Problem Mental health programs require a set of skills that are accessible and different from traditional programs that have been set in place but have failed the system. Through the use of monograph, a method of research or literature written about a single, specific subject, it can be deduced that the pathways to effective care are often unclear and extremely difficult to negotiate, especially for young people and their families, and for people from backgrounds that are not part of the dominant mainstream culture (National Health Strategy, 2000, p.7). In other words, there exists a disparity between social classes in the effective distribution of health care, that regarding mental health notwithstanding. This socio-economic disparity is no longer a new issue. Even in other instances, especially in the realm of healthcare, care services are not equally distributed among those who need it. It is usual that patients from low socio-economic classes are the less privileged, subjected to public humiliation and unconventional treatment; while those with a secure financial capacity are more likely to receive immediate and humane treatment. Intervention approaches into mental health vary depending on the disorder and severity of symptoms. Integrating programs and new policies in the decision-making intervention is in the forefront objective of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). According to the NHS (2000, p.89), the main actors in the delivery of health care should have a pervasive awareness of the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the people, as differences in culture and language, among others, can be a hurdle in the design and implementation of a health care program. This is not to say that efforts were not carried out to create programs to address mental health problems. However, some programs are either lacking in content or is not applicable to a particular group of people. Therefore, a program may produce significant results for adult patients, but may fail when applied to younger patients with the same mental illness. As such, the need for holistic and specific programs for mental health is high. Several measures should be taken into consideration first before a particular mental health program is to be designed and implemented. The severity of the illness and its symptoms, as well as the patients capacity to maintain treatment, among others, should be well taken into consideration. Literature Review This literature review has been prepared for evaluation of Mental Health programs, which will focus on the following topics: definition of mental health; mental health issues; treatments and therapy; global mental health policies, and legislation; and the process of evaluating a health care program, particularly that of mental health. Available literature on mental health focuses on programs that are in place and the implementation of new programs through integrating health promotion where a review of literature illustrate how the field of health promotion can be mainstreamed into all aspects of community mental health care, in policies, principles, and practices. It contains an array of clinical cases, historical analyses, assessment models, evidence-based interventions and evaluation tools, and strategies for policy reform. Definition of mental health The World Health Organization (2013) defines mental health as the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease. Furthermore, it is defined as a state of well-being where an individual can realize his potential as a person, adopt measures in coping with lifes stressors, work productively while staying emotionally well, and contribute to the development of the community with which he belongs to. Mental health issues Mental health treatments Mental illnesses are developed due to various and sometimes interrelated factors, making it difficult to clearly predict the progress of a mentally ill person (SANE, 2010). Sometimes, the symptoms are so confusing that the patient himself is not aware that they are already experiencing a mental disorder. Initial assessment is done to identify whether the patient is suffering from a mental disorder. The diagnosis will be derived from a particular pattern of symptoms that the doctor will have to observe in the patient. Symptoms include (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012): 1) feeling down for a long period of time; 2) insomnia or inability to sleep; and 3) easily distracted and inability to concentrate. From there, the doctor will decide how to best treat the symptoms and then further observe the patient for any other more specific symptoms. In the field of mental health, diagnoses can change several times as the symptoms change, progress, or disappear. Likewise, it can change as more information surfaces from the patient himself through their sessions together. The doctor then should be able to critically delineate the differences between symptoms and suggest a treatment that would best help the patient. In other words, there is no fixed treatment or medication for a single individual with a mental disorder until all the needed criteria appears in the patients behaviors (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012). There are, however, several ways in treating mental health disorders and helping patients cope and recover from mental illness. There are two main types of treatments: psychological treatments and medication. Psychological treatments are carried out on patients with anxiety disorders or depression as it helps reduce stress levels brought about or has resulted to the symptoms experienced by the patient. These treatments, or therapies, are based on how an individual react to, think about, and perceive things (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012). Therapies are also called talking cure (Discovery Health, 2013) because emotional and physical pain is alleviated by talking about it. Medications are provided to patients who have a more serious form of the disorder. There is a specific type of medication for a specific type of disorder, and they are usually highly prescriptive. Sometimes, it is given with a combination of other prescriptive drugs or with psychological therapies. It includes (Better Health, 2012): 1) antidepressants, which is given to patients with depression primarily and, with psychotherapy, to those with phobias, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia); 2) antipsychotic medications, which is used to treat illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolarism; and 3) mood stabilizing medications, which regulates the occurrence of major depression and high episodes in patients with manic disorder. Care should be extended, however, when using medications for mental health disorders. Although the benefits are high, there are still some harmful side effects that might affect the patient especially when used for a long term at variable doses (SANE, 2010). If available, newer generations of medications are to be given to the patient, as this has lesser side-effects (Better Health, 2012). Apart from these two major types of treatment, the concept of community support as a way to help patients cope and recover from mental illness is fast becoming a choice for professionals and patients alike. Community support efforts include information, accommodation, help with finding suitable work, training and education, psychosocial rehabilitation and mutual support groups (SANE, 2010; and Better Health, 2012). Global mental health policies Kiresuk and Sherman (1968) have identified the rather contrasting two-fold identity of the goals of the mental health enterprise: a) highly philosophical in that theories are formulated in distinct relationships; or b) highly objective and focuses mainly on patient-therapy goals. These goals may be used to calibrate a mental health program to better cater to a wider group of concerned people. Furthermore, understanding the elements interacting between the patient and therapist in various stages of their relationship can aid in designing programs for community mental health. Mental health policies are rules and regulations written by the Government or its corresponding Health Ministry or Department. It includes the goals, priorities, and the main direction stakeholders have to take in order to effectively implement the services enclosed therein. Some of the components of a mental health policy include (WHO, 2005): advocacy, which is the individual and social action on raising public awareness and policy support; promotion, enabling patients to take control of and improve their mental well-being; prevention or the immediate application of measures to promote individual and community well-being and educational and informational campaigns; treatment and the carrying out of relevant care, whether clinical or non-clinical, to reduce the negative impacts of mental illness and improve patients quality of life; and rehabilitation where knowledge and skills learning are provided to mentally ill patients to help them achieve a higher and better quality of life despite of their disorder. Mental health policies are the main guiding framework in the design of mental health programs. Each of the components specified above can have its own health program that will help achieve its goals. In fact, mental health programs is to take into consideration both general and specific plans of action required by all stakeholders to undertake in order for the policy to take effect (WHO, 2005). It identifies what actions are to be done, who must do it, what specific timeframe should be followed, what resources are needed, and where can it be found. According to the WHO (2005), 90.9 percent of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean have national mental health programs in place. More than three quarters, or 76.5 percent, of North and South Americas have such mental health programs while only 52.9 percent of Europe does. Community care is the most basic unit to perform and provide healthcare services to citizens. Therefore, their presence is vital in supporting patients with mental disorders at the community level. About 75 percent of North and South American countries have existing community care facilities (WHO, 2005). On a global scale, however, a wider disparity is discovered. Only half of low-income countries have established community centers while 90-97 percent of high-income countries have such community centers. Some examples of these community centers are daycare centers, therapeutic and residential services, crisis residential services, sheltered homes, clubhouses, community mental health services which cater to all age groups (children, adolescents, elderly), and agricultural psychiatric rehabilitation villages, among others (WHO, 2005). Global mental health legislation Mental health legislation should not be confused with health policies. These are legal provisions for the protection of the basic human and civil rights of people with mental disorders (WHO, 2005). Mental health legislation deals not only with how dangerous mentally ill patients are to be restrained and protected, but also with the maintenance of treatment facilities and personnel, training of professionals, and the whole structure of providing mental health services. It also dictates and regulates the procedures in compulsory admissions, discharge procedures, and appeals, among others. Laws on mental health are present in 75 percent of North and South American Countries. This is still low in contrast to 91.8 percent of European countries. Eastern Mediterranean countries have the smallest coverage at only 57.1 percent. Knowing the coverage of mental health laws is vital in understanding how mental health is prioritized on a global scale. The timeliness of the laws needs to be considered as well. More recently existing laws may be more encompassing than older laws in the sense that evaluation processes have already been applied to it. Older laws may not be able on track with the fast changing pace of culture, society, and technology. As such, laws enacted earlier than 1990 may be ineffective because evidence-based treatment methods are not yet available during that time (WHO, 2005). More than half of existing legislation across the globe is enacted between 1990 and 2004. North and South American countries with mental health laws have enacted 58.4 percent their most recent legislatures within this time frame. There still lies the fact, however, that half of the existing legislations were designed and enacted all the way back to the 60s (WHO, 2005). One of the major facets of mental health legislations is the provision of disability benefits for mentally ill patients and their families. In some cases, the disability benefit is incorporated in mental health laws. In others, particularly in countries without specific mental health legislation, the disability benefit is part of a wider scale of health legislation. Half of low-income countries have disability benefit provisions, while a hundred percent of all high-income countries are covered (WHO, 2005). There are, however, less researches delving into the degree of implementation and the spread of coverage of mental health legislations and its accompanying provisions. Moreover, there is a need to identify what services or benefits do particular countries provided for individuals with mental health disorders. As such, these areas need to be researched into more to better accommodate to the needs of individuals and families who need it. Evaluating mental health programs Atkisson, et al (2010) has a conceptual model laying out the three components involved in evaluating a community mental health program. These three components are: a) levels of evaluative activity; b) functional roles of the evaluator; c) and the capability of the program information. This working model may be used in the assessment of the evaluation capability of mental health problems. Proper use of the model could generate a better evaluation strategy. Although outdated, Hagedon, et al. (1976) has written a reliable manual on determining appropriate evaluation strategies and in planning evaluations. Evaluations, as the authors have suggested, should be done in cycles. Monitoring and evaluation should be schedule annually or bi-annually. This allows the program to be constantly updated, making it easily be adopted into a community. Changing cultural and technological elements could pose threats or opportunities to the conduct of the program. Hargreaves, et al. (1977) states that addressing issues in a programs information system and adequately assessing outcome studies eventually act on the programs processes and integrity, as well as the stakeholders welfare. An effective mental health program should have a similarly effective system of collating and analyzing feedback, which may be used to further improve the program. The evaluation plan describes in detail how a program will be monitored and evaluated. The intention of using the results for program development and decision-making should also be made clear (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). A program evaluation must be carried out with a clear purpose in mind. In fact, in designing a plan for program evaluation, the expectations to be derived from the conduct of the evaluation should be already considered. However, the evaluation design and the actual implementation should not be carried out by just anybody. The evaluation should be done by someone knowledgeable of the processes of evaluation and must also have an understanding of the program being evaluated. Otherwise, the evaluation process might not be able to achieve its objectives. The evaluation design should be able to identify the specific group or group of people for which the program is intended for and would have access to. The methods to be used should be able to capture the needs of the stakeholders while maintaining excellence in the delivery of health care. The Minnesota Department of Health (2010), identified six reasons on why there is a need to monitor and evaluate the processes of a program: 1) to determine whether the objectives of the program is being achieved in the short-term; 2) to improve how the program is being implemented; 3) to provide a degree of liability to the funding agencies and the community with which the program is intended for; 4) to increase the stakeholders awareness of the program and encourage support; 5) to contribution to the current pool of knowledge and practices in the scientific undertaking of public health interventions; and lastly, 5) to inform and influence the decisions of the higher policy-making body, e.g., the government. A scientifically-sound evaluation has similarly scientifically-sound program objectives. According to Wilburn and Wilburn (n.d.), program objectives should be S-M-A-R-T: specific, measureable, achievable, realistic, and time-specific. It is ideal that an evaluation design is all-encompassing; however, as was said in the introduction, that it has to be specific to be able to fit the needs of the stakeholders better. Measureable concepts should be incorporated into each objective to aid in the attainment of quantifiable variables. It should also be realistic, not idealistic, and should follow a practical timeframe. The right questions should be able to answer the questions what, how, and why it matters (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). The evaluation design should be able to: 1) state the need for the implementation of the program and its relation to the intended effects (clarify the purpose and anticipated outcomes); 2) lay down the processes in the program implementation and identify whether it works well with the overall evaluation design; 3) clarify with short-term information if changes need to be done in the existing processes of the program; and 4) provide a rationale about the programs importance and impact to the field of mental health. The evaluation must apply not only to the program per se, but also to how the application of changes will affect the programs intended outcomes. There are other variables to be considered for evaluation. One is the nature of the stakeholders. Is the program able to capture the stakeholders and address their needs? Are they the right ones with whom to apply the program? Identifying the right stakeholders for the implementation of the program is vital in ensuring that the message is carried across. As such, the location where the program was implemented should also be evaluated. Cultural, social, and political issues must be considered as these could have an effect in the distribution of the program. Likewise, time should also be evaluated. This pertains not only to the timeframe or schedule of implementation of the program activities, but also on the timeliness of the program implementation. The last thing that should be subjected to evaluation is the output. Is it what the program intends to achieve? What went wrong? All the information from the monitoring and evaluation will be collated and considered as vital feedback. Feedback needs to be gathered to be used in the further development and improvement of the programs design. After the step-by-step process of evaluation is completed, the results will be integrated into the original mental health program. Recommendations for future researchers will be produced, such as the conduct of a second evaluation on the same program after it had been subjected to changes as a result of the initial evaluation. The design and methodological processes to be followed in the evaluation of a mental health program will be discussed in detail in the succeeding paragraphs. Goals and Objectives This research study primarily aims to identify a method that will be used to effectively evaluate mental health programs. Specifically, this research aims to: Identify the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and families using the mental health program; Identify their information needs; Determine their attitudes and perception towards the mental health program; and Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the program through a professionals perspective. Theoretical Framework The main reason for conducting a program evaluation is to determine the efficiency of a program, particularly in terms of whether physical and financial resources are being used wisely, the programs performance and objectives are working with the design, and is following the processes set for it (Lindeman, 2010). Based on the literature review gathered for this research, mental health program evaluations mostly focus on how the program could better adapt to certain situations. Certain social conditions call for a more customized program, given that the current specifications of a program may not be suitable for another individual or group of individuals. Therefore, interventions must be carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of a mental health program. By using a program theory, the evaluation of the program may be guided accordingly. The program theory is only recently integrated into the field of public health, as it is mainly used in social science research. The program theory, by definition, is a conceptual plan, with some details about what the program is and how it is expected to work (Issel, 2009). The program theory has two main components: 1) process theory; and 2) effect theory. Process theory is concerned with the program per se, while the effect theory is concerned with the use of interventions. Similar programs, like in the realm of public health and its programs against obesity, consider evaluation as a very important process. It follows the same way of formulation of objectives and the creation of sound evaluation plan. Evaluation Model Design This research will follow a multi-design evaluation. It will make use of the responsive evaluation, followed by the participatory/collaborative form of evaluation, and then the utilization-focused evaluation. The use of a multi-design evaluation allows the researcher to better make use of the information that will be gathered for evaluation. The first design is the Responsive Evaluation type of evaluation model and approach, which is concerned with identifying how the program would look like to different people. This design must take into consideration what stakeholders need to satisfy their thirst for information. In relation to responsive evaluation design, the participatory/collaborative form of evaluation may be used to further identify how the stakeholders view the program and what they could suggest be done to improve it. Their information needs will then be enumerated and considered. Once the information needs are identified, this will undergo utilization-focused evaluation. This allows stakeholders to take part in the evaluation process, which will be used ultimately in the decision-making phase of the evaluation. The information will also be integrated into the program itself so as to better calibrate it to fit the specific needs of the stakeholders. The model below shows how these evaluation designs will be utilized to be able to evaluate a mental health program better. INPUT OUTPUT PROCESS STAKEHOLDERS How does the program look like to different people? PARTICIPATORY/COLLABORATIVE What are the information needs of those closest to the program? CONSUMERS EXPERT INFORMATION NEEDS What are the information needs of stakeholders, and how will they use the findings? Figure 1. The Multi-Design Evaluation Model The study aims to create a viable evaluation model to use in evaluating mental health programs. For this research, both primary and secondary research will be utilized. The primary research will be conducted with the use of a survey questionnaire and interview for research instrument to gather both quantitative and qualitative information. Respondents will be identified and the questionnaire will be distributed to them. Interviews will be scheduled accordingly. Quantitative methods will be employed as this is a flexible and iterative approach in researching information. Consecutively, the research will also make use of qualitative information which will be used to locate and develop theories that would explicate the relationship of one variable with another. As such, behavior, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs on the subject matter at hand will be identified and quantified easier. Secondary research will also be carried out as well. Statistics and results from previous studies will be incorporated into this research and then compared with the results of this study. Evaluation Methods Respondents of the Study Following the evaluation designs stated above, this research will identify stakeholders to help in evaluating the program. Consumers and professionals will be asked to assess the program and their attitudes and perceptions toward it will be gauged. It is vital to determine and identify the respondents to be used for this study. The consumers may be the direct beneficiaries of the program to their close relatives who have personally observed how the program was implemented. Their personal experience on the program implementation would paint a picture of the applicability and fit of the program to various demographic. On the other hand, the professionals will be third-party experts who are knowledgeable in the field. These may be psychiatrists, psychologists, or program implementers. Their expertise on the field would contribute to the identification of whats lacking or missing in the program. Sampling Method The researcher will use two sampling strategies: random and purposive. The purposive type of sampling allows for a more flexible way of choosing respondents, given that the classifications needed are not entirely that applicable to a general group of people. Likewise, this is easier to carry out by the researcher without compromising the results of the study. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and program implementers will be purposively identified based on their availability on the subject matter at hand. On the other hand, the program consumers will be identified randomly. A list of the program beneficiaries will be retrieved from authorities. Then, random sampling will be used to identify who among the beneficiaries will be interviewed. If ever the patient beneficiary will be unavailable for interview, their immediate family members will be contacted in their place. Research Instrument To gather pertinent information from the respondents, the researcher will create a questionnaire, one set for each of the respondents. The instrument will include socio-demographic characteristics, identification of attitudes and perceptions towards the program, suggestions for improvement, among others. The major objective of using a survey questionnaire is to gather both quantitative and qualitative information from the respondents. The research instrument will use a combination of open and closed questions. Closed questions will be used at the most, especially in identifying the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Through the use of closed questions, the choices will be limited within the scope of the study; thus, allowing the researcher to easily encode the answers. Moreover, using closed-ended questions would help keep the results in line with the researchs problem statement and objectives. As such, open-ended questions will nonetheless be used. Using this type of questions will allow the researcher to gather qualitative data. For example, their experiences on how the mental health program was implemented on them are better off detailed than limited to a set of questions. Themes are captured as they emerge from the respondents accounts. The attitudes of the respondents toward the mental health program will be gauged with the use of a five-point Likert scale. The Likert scale is a rating scale that allows the respondents to indicate his/her level of agreement or disagreement towards a particular event, situation, or part of the program. The equivalent weights that would correspond to the degree of agreement or disagreement are as follows: RANGE INTERPRETATION 4.50 5.00 Strongly agree 3.50 4.49 Agree 2.50 3.49 Uncertain 1.50 2.49 Disagree 1.00 1.49 Strongly disagree To test its reliability, the one-shot research administered survey instrument will be pre-tested to a group of individuals. The instrument will then be revised as per the comments and suggestions derived from the pre-testing. The survey questionnaire is chosen as a research instrument since they are easy to construct. Likewise, questionnaires may be easily reproduced and can be delivered to the respondents by mail or by hand. Data Collection For this research, data will be gathered; information will be collated from previously published studies from local and international universities. The researcher will then summarize the secondary information, make a conclusion and a generalization, if applicable, and then provide recommendations which may be useful for this research. The researc

Thrre Things Wrong with the World :: social issues

Thrre Things Wrong with the World The first thing I would have to say that is wrong with the world is definitely the drug problem. I mean, it seems that most of the war, famine, & disease that are running rampant through our lives are initially from drugs. For instance, you get a hit of crank from a friend who used the needle on herself & then WHAM, you've got AIDS & never even knew it could happen. Another example would be the wars. In Cuba, there are drug wars going on now that inadvertently have caused many people to die, be left homeless, or even without food or water. So, that would definitely be my first & foremost idea on what's wrong with the world today. The next thing on my list would have to be AIDS itself. Mostly, this is a big problem because there is no cure & many people get this disease every day. Granted, it isn’t always contracted by a needle, but other ways, such as intercourse without protection, are effective in contracting this disease as well. The only real way to prevent this disease would have to be never to share a needle (if you’re doing something stupid enough as doing drugs in the first place), & never have sex. That would have to be the only 100% way not to get this disease, besides knowing your partner is not HIV positive. That is why this disease is affecting so many people. It’s because they don’t realize that they can get it just by doing one of the above mentioned activities, as well as some others I can’t think of. That, & many other reasons, is why AIDS is my number two in my list of three things. My final thing I believe that is wrong with the world would have to be our government. Yes, I said it, OUR GOVERNMENT. It is not as if I am Anti-American, I love my country, but there has to be some sort of line between helping other nations & trying to control other nations. I believe we have not only crossed that line, but have gone so far as to cross several more after it. Take the war on Iraq, for example. Initially, I was all for getting rid of Saddam Hussein & helping the Iraqi people become free & independent. But, now as I think about it more & more, I wonder why we're are still over there fighting & killing those people if they say that we have ridded ourselves of that nuisance already?

Balancing of Rotating Machines

BALANCING OF ROTATING MACHINES The first thing to be explored to control vibrations is to try to alter the source so that it produces less vibration. This method may not always be feasible. Some examples of the sources of vibration that cannot be altered are earthquake excitation, atmospheric turbulence, road roughness, and engine combustion instability. On the other hand, certain sources such as unbalance in rotating or reciprocating machines can be altered to reduce the vibrations.This can be achieved, usually, by using either internal balancing or an increase in the precision of machine elements. The use of close tolerances and better surface finish for machine parts (which have relative motion with respect to one another) make the machine less susceptible to vibration. Of course, there may be economic and manufacturing constraints on the degree of balancing that can be achieved or the precision with which the machine parts can be made. The presence of an eccentric or unbalanced m ass in a rotating disc causes vibration, which may be acceptable up to a certain level.If the vibration caused by an unbalanced mass is not acceptable, it can be eliminated either by removing the eccentric mass or by adding an equal mass in such a position that it cancels the effect of the unbalance. In order to use this procedure, we need to determine the amount and location of the eccentric mass experimentally. The unbalance in practical machines can be attributed to such irregularities as machining errors and variations in sizes of bolts, nuts, rivets, and welds. In this section, we shall consider two types of balancing: The static unbalance can be corrected by removing (drilling) metal at the chalk mark or by adding a weight at 180 ° from the chalk mark. Since the magnitude of unbalance is not known, the amount of material to be removed or added must be determined by trial and error. This procedure is called single-plane balancing, since all the mass lies practically in a sing le plane. †¢The single-plane balancing procedure can be used for balancing in one plane that is, for rotors of the rigid disc type.If the rotor is an elongated rigid body, the unbalance can be anywhere along the length of the rotor. In this case, the rotor can be balanced by adding balancing weights in any two planes. For convenience, the two planes are usually chosen as the end planes of the rotor. However, in many practical applications, such as turbines, compressors, electric motors, and pumps, a heavy rotor is mounted on a lightweight, flexible shaft that is supported in bearings. There will be unbalance in all rotors due to manufacturing errors.These unbalances as well as other effects, such as the stiffness and damping of the shaft, gyroscopic effects, and fluid friction in bearings, will cause a shaft to bend in a complicated manner at certain rotational speeds, known as the whirling, whipping, or critical speeds. Whirling is defined as the rotation of the plane made by the line of centers of the bearings and the bent shaft. Reference link: http://classof1. com/homework-help/engineering-homework-help

Buddhist Baptism Essays

Buddhist Baptism Essays Buddhist Baptism Essay Buddhist Baptism Essay Baptism For Roman Catholics, a baptism is basically a holy introduction into the church; a welcoming. Baptism is very significant to Christians as they believe that being baptised is essential to being forgiven for sinning and eventually being saved (getting into heaven), and in Roman Catholicism babies who are not baptised (and have died at birth) may go into a place called Limbo, at the edge of Hell. This belief is related to Jesus saying amen I say to thee, unless a man is born of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter the kingdom of God John 3:5. To most Christians, baptism is a demonstration of their commitment to the church and to god. This is a sacrament (a physical ceremony that causes an irreversible spiritual change) for most denominations except for the Salvation Army. Baptism should preferably take place on a Sunday. If the child is over 7, s/he must take special baptism classes. The parents and godparents must be member of the parish church, which generally means consistent attendance two months prior to the event. In the service the Godparents and parents present their child to be baptised. The clergyman leading he service asks the parents What do you ask Gods church for [childs name]? To which the parents reply Baptism, faith, the grace of God or something along those lines. The priest or clergyman then says, youVe asked for your child to be baptised, in doing so, youre accepting responsibility for training him in the practise of faith. It will be your duty to bring them up by Gods commandments as Christ has taught us, by loving God and our neighbour, do you clearly accept what youre undertaking?. Here the priest is stating that undertaking baptism is a commitment to live by God and it is he parents responsibility to raise their child in the manner of God. Psalms and hymns are then sung, such as Psalm 84: 7,8,9ab. The priest welcomes the into the church saying The Christian community welcomes you with great Joy The priest then draws the cross on the forehead of the child with holy water and further hymns are sung. Baptists believe that baptism must be done at a mature age where the candidate can make a personal decision of faith. This is by full immersion, where the candidate is completely submerged in holy water, reflects Jesus baptism in the river Jordan. Some people also celebrate naming days, this is when a child who has the same name as a saint also celebrates the saints birthday as a naming day-almost equivalent to another birthday. Small gifts are often given including money. There is a saints birthday for almost every day of the calendar In Buddhism, although they do not go through a specific baptism ceremony, they do go through a similar form of worship for new member of the Buddhist faith. The person undertaking the ceremony is kneeled in front of an altar, where he pays homage to the Buddha and is teachings. The clergyman then places his hand on the forehead of the individual and makes him aware of his responsibility not to commit one of the five sins: Dont steal, dont rob, dont commit illegal sex, dont take intoxicating substances (those that cloud the mind) and dont commit untruths. young to understand their vows. Confirmation normally takes place in the teens in most Christian churches. For more liberal churches, it is only a physical entry into the church, rather than a sacrament. Buddhist Baptism By samalexanderl 999

How to Actually Use Your ACT Math Formulas

How to Actually Use Your ACT Math Formulas SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips About 33% of the ACT math section requires you to know and use at least one math formula. This means that remembering your formulas and understanding how to utilize them is of paramount importance. We’ve put together all the ACT formulas you’ll need to know (prioritized in the order from greatest to least that you’ll see them on the test) as well as how to best use them for test-day. What Formulas Will You Need on the ACT? You will NOT be given any formulas on the ACT, so all of your formula knowledge will have to come from your own head. You will need to know and use a wide range of formulas, including algebraic, geometric, and trigonometric formulas, all of which are laid out in our guide to the 31 formulas you MUST know for the ACT. You’ll notice that we have prioritized them according to â€Å"need to know† and â€Å"good to know.† This is due to the fact that many ACT questions can be solved long-hand or via more common formulas, rather than forcing you to memorize the more obscure formulas. For instance, you can solve your sequence questions by either using the formula or by calculating your values long-hand. Though solving the question long-hand will take longer, it is still entirely possible to solve each and every ACT sequence question without the use of a formula. Thus we have classified sequence formulas as â€Å"good to know,† not â€Å"necessary to know.† If you feel rusty on any formula or math topic on the list, check out one of our individual math topic guides to see how the formula works (and even why it works), as well as how to recognize when to use it. We’ll also show you the alternatives to using formulas for many questions, including distance questions, sequence questions, and many more. There are many different "right" paths to solve questions in the ACT math section. How to Use Your Formulas Effectively So now that you know what your formulas are, how do you best go about using them? Let’s take a look. 1. Prioritize memorizing your most crucial formulas You will have to memorize every formula you’ll use on the ACT, but it’s best to go about this in a systematic and logical way. Spend most of your time and energy memorizing and practicing the most important (common) formulas and less time on the ones that show up rarely, if at all. Some formulas come up over and over again, while others show up sparingly at best. If you are pressed for time, nervous about memorizing so many formulas, or simply trying to map out your plan of attack, memorize your formulas in the order that they appear most often on the test. Of your â€Å"necessary† formulas, they appear on the test from greatest prevalence to least in roughly this order: Law: the sum of the interior degrees of a triangle is 180 Area of a triangle Law: the sum of the degrees of a straight line is 180 Area of a rectangle (or other quadrilateral) Pythagorean Theorem Finding slope of a given line (rise/run) Finding slope of line connecting two points Finding percentages Law: the number of degrees of arc in a circle is 360 Area of a circle Circumference of a circle Finding averages Sine, cosine, tangent (SOH, CAH, TOA) Area of a circle’s arc Circumference of a circle’s arc Finding probabilities Finding combinations Finding the midpoint of a line Volume of rectangular solid Volume of cylinder Area of a trapezoid Equation of a circle Rearranging logarithms Cosecant, Secant, Cotangent Of the â€Å"good to know† or â€Å"shortcut† formulas, you will need them roughly in this order: Special right triangle properties, 30-60-90 Special right triangle properties, 45-45-90 Arithmetic sequences Geometric sequences Distance formula $sin^2ÃŽËœ + cos^2ÃŽËœ = 1$ ${sinÃŽËœ}/{cosÃŽËœ} = tanÃŽËœ$ 2. Choose NOW which (if any) of your â€Å"good to know† formulas you want to memorize Remembering a formula incorrectly is worse than not remembering the formula at all, so make sure you know your limits when it comes to memorization. For some people, memorizing and using formulas is the easiest way to go. For others, the fewer formulas the better (even if it means taking another step or two to solve a math problem). There is no right answer in terms of how many formulas you memorize, only what is most comfortable for you personally. And when it comes to memorizing your formulas, different people do better with different memory techniques. If you're a visual learner, make yourself a set of formula flash cards. If you're a kinesthetic (movement) learner, practice drawing and/or writing them out on a separate piece of paper. And if you're an auditory learner, get a parent or a friend to help you drill your formulas aloud. Once you feel you've got your formulas down, practice using them on actual problems to help you both remember them and learn how to use a particular formula for a particular problem. (We'll give you the opportunity to practice using your formulas on real ACT math questions in the next section.) 3. Practice ACT math questions at home without looking up your formulas The only way you’re going to be able to remember your formulas for crunch time (and know which formulas to actually use for the individual problem) is to practice on real ACT math questions without the safety net. Once you feel that you’ve got your formulas nailed down tight, practice solving ACT math problems without looking up your formulas. We have a list of all the free ACT math practice you can find online (coming soon!) and you will be able to use any and all of these problems to not only test your formula knowledge, but also your math topic knowledge. Once you’ve gone through your practice problems without the benefit of being able to look up your formulas, you will be able to pinpoint your formula strengths and weaknesses. Did you repeatedly forget the Pythagorean Theorem? How about your trigonometry formulas? It’s better to understand where to shift your focus now than being blindsided on the day of the test. Divide your time between rote memorization and practice problems without the use of formulas, and you’ll be able to solidify the knowledge in your head most effectively. 4. When you reach the math section, immediately write down your formulas If you’re anxious about forgetting your formulas halfway through the test, or if you simply like the idea of a fallback option, it’s always a good idea to write down your formulas at the very beginning of your math test. Once you have them written down, you can concentrate on solving your problems without fear of remembering your formulas wrong or forgetting them entirely. So once you open up your math section, write down all your memorized math formulas and take a deep breath. Now you can move on and use them as a reference for the rest of your math section. 5. Don’t freak out if you forget a formula Most of all, don’t panic if you forget a formula (or three)! Most every ACT problem can be solved in a multitude of ways, including by means of plugging in answersor plugging in your own numbers. And if worst comes to worse, and you cannot solve a problem without a formula, you will still likely be able to eliminate at least one or two answer options. Rememberyou are not penalized for guessing on the ACT, so always take your chances. And if you can narrow down your options, even better! Let's look at an example of how to narrow down your answer choices if you forget a formula. For a question like this, you do not have to understand how trapezoids work or remember any triangle formulas in order to eliminate at least three answer choices. We are being asked to find the distance between our two parallel sides, so draw a straight, perpendicular line between them. This makes a right triangle. Again, without knowing your formulas, you can just take a stab in the dark and estimate how long the side is. Rememberall figures on the ACT are to scale unless noted otherwise, and this line looks about the same length (maybe more, maybe less) as 5 foot leg we are given. Without knowing any more information, we can eliminate answer choices D and E. Now maybe you stop here and pick between answer choices A, B, and C. This would give you a 33% chance of guessing the right answer, which isn't too bad at all. But if we go further, you may remember that the side opposite the right angle is the longest side of the triangle, which means that the distance between our parallel lines must be less than 5. We can therefore eliminate answer choice C as well. So we had a 1 in 3 chance of getting the right answer without any formula knowledge at all and now we have a 1 in 2 chance just by knowing a little bit about how right triangles work. And even now, we can make an educated (rather than a random) guess between our two remaining answer choices. Again, all figures on the ACT are to scale unless noted otherwise and, at a glance, the distance between our parallel bases looks to be longer than the third leg of the triangle. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but we have a 50% chance and answer choice B looks to be the best bet between the two. Without using formulas, we can reach a conclusion that the answer is probably B. [Note: just so you know, B is totally the right answer. Go you!] Now it's time to put your formula knowledge to work! ACT Math Practice Using Formulas Now that you’ve seen how to best use your ACT formulas, let’s look at a few real ACT math questions that are formula-necessary. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Answers: D, F, J, J, B Answer Explanations: 1. Because the dog can run on the leash 9 feet in any direction, this means that 9 feet is the radius of the circle in which the dog can run. Now we are asked to find the area of this circle. If we remember our circle formulas, we know that we find the area by using the formula: $a =Ï€r^2$ $a =Ï€9^2$ $a = 81Ï€$ $Ï€$ is approximately 3.14 (which we are given), so: $81(3.14)$ $254.34$ The closest answer to this value is answer D, 254. Our final answer is D, 254. 2. If we remember our trig formulas, we know our mnemonic SOH, CAH, TOA. The tangent of an angle is thus the opposite/adjacent. In this case, we are looking for the tangent of angle B. The adjacent side is the side that touches the angle that is NOT the hypotenuse. In this case, the adjacent side for angle B is 2, which means it is our denominator. This means we can eliminate answer choices H, J, and K. If we use the Pythagorean Theorem, we can find our missing side measure. $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$ $a^2 + 2^2 = 5^2$ $a^2 + 4 = 25$ $a^2 = 21$ $a =√21$ Our opposite side will be $√21$ and we have already established that our adjacent side is 2. Our final answer is F, $√21/2$ 3. We can solve this problem in one of two waysby using the more common triangle formulas, or by using a more obscure one. If we use the common triangle formulas, we know that the interior angles of a triangle will always add up to 180 degrees. This means we can find the missing angle measure by subtracting all of our known angles from 180. $180 - 72 - 57 = 51$ Now, we also know that every straight line is 180 degrees as well. We can therefore find the exterior angles by subtracting each of our given angles from 180. $y = 180 - 72$ $y = 108$ $x = 180 - 57$ $x = 123$ $z = 180 - 51$ $z = 129$ Now we can find the sum of $y$, $x,$ and $z$. $108 + 123 + 129 = 360$ Our final answer is J, 360. Alternatively, we can use our more obscure triangle, which is that every exterior angle is the sum of the two opposite interior angles. For instance, $z = 72 + 57$ $z = 129$ From here, we can solve the problem the same way we did above. $x = 72 + 51$ $x = 123$ $y = 51 + 57$ $y = 108$ $x + y + z = 129 + 123 + 108$ $= 360$ Either way, our final answer is J, 360. 4. If we remember our slope formulas, we know that the equation of a line is: $y = mx + b$ $m$ represents the slope of the line, and the bigger the $m$, the larger the slope. In our first given equation, $a$ stands in place of our $m$ and our slope. In our second equation, $c$ stands in place of $m$ and our slope. So if the slope of our first equation is larger than the slope of our second equation, then $a$ must be larger than $c$. Our final answer is J, $a c$. 5. Now our shape in the middle is a square, which means all of the sides are equal. The two sides of the square that make up part of the perimeter are $8 + 8 = 16$. Now we just need to find the part of the perimeter made up by the two half circles. If we put them together, we can one full circle circumference. We know that the circumference of a circle is: $c = Ï€d$ The dimeter of our circle is 8, so our full circumference will be $8Ï€$ Now let's put our two values together: $16 + 8Ï€$ Our final answer is B, $16 + 8 Ï€$ Whoo! You did it! Image: Sean MacEntee/Flickr The Take-Aways Knowing (and knowing how to utilize) your formulas is one of the foundational elements of doing well on the ACT math section, but it is still only one part. Though formulas are used in some capacity or another on approximately 33% of ACT math test, that still leaves 66% of your questions that do NOT require formulas at all. So do take care to understand (and memorize!) your most important formulas, but don’t think that's all you need to do to succeed on the ACT math section. You still must understand the ins and outs of all of the ACT math topicsthat you will see on the ACT, so don't neglect the rest of your ACT math study. A balanced study plan, a knowledge of your formulas, and a more-than-passing familiarity with all your ACT math topics will help get your math score to where you want it to be. What’s Next? Want to brush up on a particular ACT math topic? Check out our individual math topic guides for all your ACT math needs. Running out of time on the ACT math section? We'll show you how to beat the clock and maximize your score before time runs out. Been procrastinating on your ACT math study? Our guide will help you balance out your study time and beat back the urge to procrastinate. Aiming for a perfect score? Check out our guide to getting a 36 on the ACT math section, written by a perfect-scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Business law - Essay Example This encourages investors and this factor has also contributed to the growth of business sector throughout the world for large scale productions and distribution (Cartwright, 2008). As far as business standing in Ireland is concern, a sole proprietor is not strong financially comparing to a private limited company. Investors even seek such corporate bodies to lend money because they have published financial statements. If we compare Private Company with Sole Proprietor, we have more member than that of the Sole Proprietor; this means that we have better credit standing as well as better funding of the capital. It also enhances the stability in business. Directors of the company are accountable to the owners and the administration of the company with regards to the company and statutory books and management as it is stated in the articles of association. This enhances the formality in the role of the director. Control and management over a limited company are exercised by the board of directors, who in turn delegate many of their functions to other managers. Directors are selected by the members of the company and are also removable on valid grounds. Irish companies enjoys the lowest corporate taxes i.e. a universal rate of 12.5% on trading profits while some companies which meet certain requirements are taxed at 0%. This is one of the major advantages enjoyed by the companies situated in Ireland (Company Formations in Ireland). In addition to this, Irish companies also enjoy an extensive network of double taxation treaties. It means the imposition of the tax on the same income in two different countries. It can be evaded due to such treaties. The formation of a company involves very complex procedures. The setting up cost is also very high i.e. â‚ ¬300-â‚ ¬500 as compared to sole proprietor and partnership businesses. While the other types of businesses such as Partnership and Sole Proprietor can be brought into existence without reference to

VIRTUALIZATION AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VIRTUALIZATION ,CLOUD Assignment

VIRTUALIZATION AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VIRTUALIZATION ,CLOUD COMPUTING AND GREEN IT - Assignment Example Introduction Virtualization could be very supportive to the organizations to take benefit of two or more virtual computing frameworks, having diverse operating systems, tools and software on one of hardware logically and inexpensively. In addition, virtualization can help the organizations minimize the distance among software applications, end users, and operating systems from the specific hardware characteristics of the systems they utilize to perform computational activities. Moreover, this technology makes certain to harmonize within a totally innovative signal of hardware and software renewal and also provides simplifying system updates and in various scenarios may get rid of the requirement for such updates (Golden & Scheffy, 2008). This report will offer a detailed overview of this modern technology. This report will discuss several advantages offered by this technology. At the end we will discuss how this technology is connected with other modern technologies such as cloud com puting and green computing. Virtualization We can define virtualization as a logical view of computer based hardware environment through software. Additionally, the thinking behind the design of virtualization technologies is to provide concurrent access on single computer by using multiple operating systems. However, the software of virtualization runs among the operating systems that we normally use for instance, Mac OS, Windows, Linux and other computer supportive hardware, that take input on the operating system and transfer it to the suitable addresses that connect it with hardware. In addition, the virtualization software also performs functionality to reverse, in this way it catches the productive output that we avail from hardware resources as well as redirects it to the various locations of operating system that are suitable for it. In this scenario, one major thing about the os is that it doesn't identify or else any type of concern if it runs on a virtual system or on phy sical hardware. Moreover, the method of virtualization facilitates us to run various Windows of our choice on various operating systems such as Linux based environment, Mac, or PC with our preferred choice. Furthermore, various researches have outline that the virtualization technology is considered as an ideal solution for the usage of those applications that are used for medium or small level (Rankin 2011, Asosheh 2008, Huber, et al. 2010). We know that virtualization technology is considered as a useful technique of maximizing or enhancing physical resources. Additionally, the virtualization technology has a close connection with partitioning. However, it means that partitioning is useful for dividing a distinct physical server into several logical servers. In this scenario, once physical server is patronized, it accommodates logical servers in such a way that all logical servers are free in decision to run or execute a various applications and operating systems of our choice sep arately or independently. It is a true fact that in the mid 1990s, the virtualization technology was principally used to reconstruct those environments that are considered to be end user on a one portion of PC hardware. In some conditions if an IT manager wants to revolve out innovative software, although he wants to analyze its effective functioning on various environments

Brainstorming Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Brainstorming - Assignment Example l events such as essays, debates in their various forms and norms had somehow lost their sheen and it was time for interesting and innovative activities to enter Elite. I guess we had overdone it with the traditional ones. The willful participation and the pure desire to achieve something for the greater good of the student community was exhilarating! Well! In the two hours session that we had, all the boys and girls shared an enthusiastic vibe and the hall echoed with charming and smart ideas pulled out form many corners. The diverse experiences we had in our life and the many backgrounds that we hail from – all started giving results. A fun list was arrived at that included ‘Rhyming Couplets’, Mismatch Story’, ‘Air Crash’, ‘Wake up as a Celebrity, ‘I am stranded on an unknown island’, ‘Translate yourself’ etc. If literary events were meant to strengthen one’s speaking, listening, understanding and analyz ing abilities in a language, why not have some decent fun along? Not only was the effort worth its pain, it in fact gave a certain confidence to the participating members, which reflected in their expressions glowing with satisfaction, when the Convener approved

Product Review for Nike Fuel Band Essay Example for Free

Product Review for Nike Fuel Band Essay Im a number junkie, I love knowing exactly how many calories Im taking in, my macronutrient ratios and Id always wanted to know how many calories I burn on a daily basis. To feed my number addiction I typically weigh my food and prepare an entire days food in one sitting. With that said, being able to track my energy expenditure was very appealing to me. I came across an energy tracking product called Nike Fuel Band. Being able to get a rough idea of how many calories I burn throughout the day was exactly what a fitness nerd like me wanted to know. After using this product for three weeks, I am blown away by the total package of services this product offers. The Nike Fuel band is a wrist band that looks similar to a Live Strong bracelet that keeps track of all your daily activity. It has a built in screen that is comprised of a number of LEDs that can tell you how much Nike Fuel youve earned, how many calories youve burned, how many steps youve taken and the current time. The device also syncs with your phone, computer and Nike Plus account to keep track of your day to day activity. The packaging was very appealing; everything was nicely arranged so things didnt get deshuffled during shipping. I had almost no problems getting my Fuel band synced up to my computer or my iPhone. My band fit perfectly without having to add the supplied extra link and was able to start burning fuel right away. Once I got it going there is a single button on the device that if clicked will scroll through four different options; fuel, calories, steps and time. The time is also really convenient if you would rather where the band than a watch. The product itself is slightly larger than your standard silicone wrist band that people still seem to be wearing. Nike fuel is Nikes proprietary measurement of energy expenditure which is supposed to be a universal measurement. For me personally Ive noticed that three Nike Fuel points equates to about one calorie. After using my Nike Fuel Band for about three weeks I found I pay attention to both the fuel as well as the calories. It is definitely useful for comparing activity with friends, as if you have different height and weight your caloric expenditure will be way off. There are two things about the Fuel Band that I wish were a little different. While the device is able to be worn in the shower, it is not recommended to take the product swimming. I go swimming a lot so it was a bit of an inconvenience for me not to have this on to rate my performance. I would have also liked to see the Fuel Band have the ability to monitor heart rate. The Band fits very snug to my wrist, so I would think that tracking my pulse wouldnt have added too many extra dollars in electronics. By tracking heart rate Nike would have had another variable to more accurately track activity levels. This would have improved their ability to measure fuel in activities that are more static like Yoga or Weight Lifting. After using my Nike Fuel band for three weeks, I absolutely love it. While it may not be flawless in terms of calculating caloric expenditure, it does a better job than anything else out there when you compare the convenience factor of having a small bracelet attached to your wrist. This product has definitely changed my life, if Im a few hundred fuel points away from my daily goals, I go walk around the block to make sure I hit the goals Ive set forth for myself. In contrast, if Ive had a busy day and burned enough fuel through chores, I dont have to waste my time going to the gym. The Fuelband takes the guessing game out of the equation and I love it.