Mangment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Mangment - Essay Example ng a project is usually desirable when the project timeline is inaccurate, and the project implementation process lags behind the set schedule, or project completion date is raised up (Pinto 298). In these situations, it is difficult to complete a project within the stipulated period as set in the original schedule. Therefore, it is recommendable to crash the project or activities to establish new completion dates. Additionally, crashing is sometimes desirable when penalties or late fees are incurred. In some cases, it is advisable to crash activities than pay the extra activities (Pinto 299). The critical path is usually the longest path within the network. Crashing project or activities is performed on the critical path to reduce the overall project duration period (Pinto 302). This is because crashing projects or activities outside the critical path increase overall cost. It also only reduces the time for the completion of a single activity, but not the overall time of the project completion. Therefore, it is advisable to crash activities that lie, on the critical path to reduce the time for project completion and extra

Proscenium and Concert Essay Example for Free

Proscenium and Concert Essay Thesis statement: A concert would not be possible without considering the importance of an organized and well-equipped facility. Successful concerts are what performers and organizer and audiences all hope for. This not only means the thoughtful programming of quality music, but also a smoothly run performance and production. Therefore, a lot of planning and making sure that everything is in order is the key to a successful all-out concert (Hudson, 2012). According to Vertudez, one of our interviewees, â€Å"Planning ahead of time [is the most important thing in organizing an event]. There could be some difficulties in setting up the facilities if you would not plan ahead of time.† Concerts became increasingly important to consider the many facets involved in presenting a concert. Concert events have been part of many cultures. Thus, it should require a lot of attention when organizing such events since a lot of participants are expecting a sure blast from it, taking into concern that 18 out of 40 concert attendees consider the facilities before attending concerts. For a start, it is necessary to determine what is wanted to attain out of the concert. Our interviewees mentioned the purposes of the concert they organized and to whom these concerts are for. This means that the organizers should need to identify the target audience of the concert and write a list of everything that is needed to be done. Preparing for logistics must be at the top of the list. Logistics are all the details that make the event happen. They range from ordering of the foods, if there is, to making sure that clean-up happens after the meal; from finding the right location to making sure that the needed props are ready. In short, logistics are all the little and big aspects that make for an event. The whole procedure of conceptualizing starts with setting up regular meet-ups with the concert committee to organize the aim of the plan (Matthews, 2008). The general principle behind a facility is to provide an area in which  audience can enjoy the concert event in a safe comfortable atmosphere. The facilities and structures are crucial for the whole event. Facilities are the aspect that ensures the smooth run of the concert. Facilities are composed of almost everything that is needed to make an event look perfect. The facility starts with the whole venue itself, the size, the capacity to accommodate people and the structure of the place, basically everything about the whole site. The sitting capacity, entrance and exit are also parts of the concerns of the facilities. Furthermore, the main concern of facilities in the concert is the equipment and sound system for the whole performance of the concert which is basically the highlight of the whole program. A concert is not be possible without considering the importance of an organized and well-equipped facility. It is always important to plan ahead of time when organizing events like concert. According to Quay (2012), the scope of the event may differ depending on the venue, some principles and practices to reduce uncertainties associated with planning. The venue should be settled first for existing facility available for the event. This is one of the essential factors when researching the feasibility of the project. The decision whether to hold the even indoor or outdoor is important. According to the results of the survey we conducted, 14 out 40 respondents prefer indoor events than outdoors because of the facilities used. Indoor concerts are held in appropriately sized venues for the anticipated crowd with public safety being the primary concern. However, campus facilities and resources should primarily support the event. In outdoor events, the facility should be maintained starting from walkways, sidewalks and entryways. These things are to be considered when deciding whether to hold an indoor or outdoor concert. The booking of the venue should be done ahead of time to assure the usage of facilities (Stamp, 2011). The decision of choosing a venue lies in the hands of the organizer—taking into consideration the equipment needed—for the audience to appreciate the sound systems used. All the needed sound equipment must be in good conditions before a performance as a sound engineer prefers. The organizer is also the one responsible in discussing venue matters with the owner of  the venue (Gross, 2005). Most of the facilities used in events are actually placed on the stage—the most obvious or center part of the concert. Staging in special events is essential and is actually adopted from theatre specials. Three types of stages are used according to the kind of special events namely thrust, proscenium and aerna stages. Thrust stage does not have backstage area so it requires fewer facilities and the audience area is just in front of the stage. Proscenium stage is often found in modern theatres where large backdrops are required. Arena stage requires the most facility because there are lots of entrances and it is constructed for really special events but audio, lighting and sight-line can cause problems (Matthews, 2008). Facilities depend on the venue. According to Pendon, one of our interviewees, â€Å"the lights and sounds system requires a certain electric current for the system to sustain its power. Plus the accommodation should be near the venue for the attendees to have convenience and less-hassle in their part.† Another example, for the past thirty years, concerts have been held in our country and there has been quite a number of known venues that hosted local and foreign artists. Currently, the Philippines has only two main concert venues that can occupy 10, 000 people—specifically, the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the SM Mall of Asia Arena. In 2014, the Philippine Arena is expected to be opened in Bulacan. Even if it is being built by a religious congregation, the said venue can still be available for other big events for it has 50, 000 sitting capacity. These venues have comfortable seats and strict policies which make them best concert venues in the city. They have more available facilities than open concert grounds because of sufficient air-conditioning systems and well-maintained toilets. All of these are considered to put up concert facilities (Concepcion, 2011). In order for a concert to be possible, it is necessary to need a committee. It is an important factor to consider having to appoint a management team to ensure that the facilities in the concert are in good condition. Furthermore, the team responsible in organizing the facilities should also be divided into specific sections. For instance in the checking  of acoustics, taking care of the number of seats as well as the arrangement of it, decorating the whole venue and also the people who will be responsible for cleaning the venue after the event. To greatly ensure and to be able to control the whole production, setting up meetings regularly would absolutely help. Weeks or even months before the actual event, everything should all be planned and set-upped. Considering a checklist should be put in concern. In addition, it is necessary to find out as much information, concerning the whole production, as possible ahead of time. The committee should always take time to look at every aspect of the event during the whole progress, as well as, set up meetings with the organizing committee regularly from the start of the process until the day of the concert (Hudson, 2012). Occasions will essentially need a lot of workers to be assigned on specific areas and tasks which are definitely crucial for the event (Health and Safety Executive, 1999). Events may rely on enthusiastic helpers. The crucial aspect is good coordination by the event management team, and close supervision and monitoring of helpers. The organizing group should be able to provide many services and great help in putting up the event. Management of workers and helpers requires clear job functions and responsibilities to be identified. Everyone working or providing services at the event should be clear about what they are required to do, how to do it and when it needs to be done. This can be achieved by preparing a schedule. Moreover, it is crucial for an event to assure the safety of everyone. An important occasion will absolutely be a success if it will be completely secured by the right and enough service of security (Smith, n.d.). All event organizers must be clearly aware of their responsibilities for the audience and other participants in the event, including the performers. Not only will the number of people attending be significant for the event management, but the activity itself will also influence the safety requirements. The essential components needed in the concert are the equipments, particularly the electronic devices such as the band instruments and the machines for stage effects. All the important audio equipment used in  special events is placed onstage. These includes all the equipment used by the performers such as vocal and instrument microphones, mixers and CD/DVD players as they are the ones to control them (Matthews, 2008). Stage setup is crucial to an effective and streamlined concert. Stage setup will vary in terms of how many artists are involved. Each piece of instrument should have its designated place. It is critical to set up the stage correctly in order for the performers and audience to enjoy best sound quality as possible. It would be best to plan ahead the setting up of instruments for it to be easily placed on stage. In setting up the amplifiers, it should be placed up on stage orderly. For the speakers on the stage, the main speakers should be placed toward the front of the stage in both sides and facing at an angle to the audience for optimal sound. Furthermore, the stage monitors should allow the performers to monitor the total sound output as heard by the audience. Lastly, in setting up the microphones, the number of performers and instruments that will need it should be considered. The microphones should also be placed in front of the amplifiers. The other form of equipment, which includes the smoke machines, the lights and others, will be needed to make the show look more spectacular. The lighting plan should have a list of each light, its location and what part of the stage it will light. In any stage events like play or concerts, it is important to attend rehearsals in order to familiarize with the changes of mood and positions of performers onstage. With this, one will know what he or she is lighting and if it fits (Cummings, 2011). Moreover, the special effects such as the smoke machines should be place in where the design of the stage will not be ruined and the performers should not be bothered. Furthermore, everything should have security plans in order to be ready if some unfortunate dilemmas occur with the electronic devices on the stage. The most common reason of special events’ power problems is grounding. It can cause potential shock to the person manipulating the power system and a buzzing sound in the audio system. A good practice on grounding can be done on outdoor shows. However, it is essential to be familiar with power systems  even if one is not an electrician. Just bear in mind to be careful around power systems to avoid accidents (Moody, 2010). Producers must be concerned with the risks involved in the operation of equipment and with safety of their own contracted personnel and participants Risk and safety should be considered in hosting special events like concerts. Too many event producers and event managers are not aware of facts about accidents that may occur such as standards for allowable stage load. Worse that can happen is for the people to be injured. Other problems that may occur will be on the venue, committee and equipment—all related and concerned with the facility. Moreover, problems occur in setting up concert venues because most are not set-up until the exact date of the event is a few days away. It is hard to predict how the location will look like especially if the place is not really similar. In addition to this, some popular event venues are fully booked that may require errands in setting up and removing equipments and decorations. Because of this, more works are predictably going to arise once the exact schedule of the concert approaches this can cause a domino effect when unfinished preparations of the venue pile up (Quay, 2012). Although the occurrence of problems is on the venue, it is inevitable for them to occur on the committee assigned to the facility. There are many tasks that should be undertaken and services that should be provided during an event. According to Stamp (2011), the event organizer has the responsibility to manage structure for an event which may differ between planning and technical operations. Another problem may occur when a member of the staff will not be able to attend the event. Once the performers or students are allowed to bring their set of equipment, no one will be able to cater to them when there is a need for trouble-shooting or repairing their equipments. Moreover, lack of crews will more likely cause problems in handling facilities of the concert. In fact, it expands the duties of the other available crews making them even busier. Additionally, usual problems may also occur in equipment. Normally, artists bring with them their own equipments. This usually include microphones,  instruments, effect machines, monitor units and recording devices. Due to the number of brought equipment, there will not be enough time for a crew or organizer to perfectly familiarize with their personal equipment before the performance. However, it is important to at least go through it to be able to manipulate it properly during the performance (Gross, 2005). Likewise, it is important to assume that a minor incident can have a potential to develop into a major incident if not properly planned for and managed. Thus, all incidents cause crowd disturbances. According to Quay (2012), accidents and problems are unavoidable especially during the actually concert, but if the organizers planned everything smoothly, it will be easier to handle all the facilities. It is essential to remember providing the audience with guides to the place and markings in the venue, such as arrows or printed labels of places, in order for people to not be lost and find the place that they are looking for, immediately. It is also necessary to ensure that on the day of the event, the person in-charge of opening the site will be able to open it on time (Youth Employment Summit, 2001).It will be up to the kind of event to determine the amount and sort of maintenance and other crucial logistics needed for facilities of the event. However, the design of the venue should consider the figures, such as the numbers, that has been finalized (Health Safety Executive, 1999). From the interviews conducted from student concert organizers, accidents are usually resolved as soon as they occur. Pendon also say that â€Å"Due to preparedness of whatever accident of malfunction that might happen, there is always an alternative or replacement for every facility needed.† Moreover, venue access is a function of the design of access roads. Such facilities have to be able to cope with the demand. In addition, the design and location of entrances should depend on the numbers of entrances required, where they are placed and the capacity to be handled at each entrance. Furthermore, concerning the stage decoration, it is important to check if it will create a good atmosphere on the stage and it should not get  too carried away by the decoration. Simple, elegant and inexpensive decorations should be used. Be creative, but avoid complicated arrangements so that everyone can participate in making the decorations. Make sure to have a good visible banner and that everything fits well with the stage. With the committee that was appointed, the team must compose of individuals who are reliable. It does not have to be a big team. The most important thing is that the team members share same enthusiasm for the cause; because after all, they are not being paid. Be sure to be surrounded only with people who are constantly positive and encouraging. Most important is that the team can be count on to be supportive throughout the planning and organizing the concert. In addition, as much as possible, all the details on what equipment would be needed in the concert should be enlisted in order to know what else needs to be provided (Gardner, 2011). The place on stage where the instruments and special effects machines will be placed should be finalized. The position of the machines and instruments should be assured to not bother or interfere with the performance of the artists, the stage decoration and also the view of the audience. Lastly, it is crucial to double-check if the security that has been assigned will be efficient. The concert security guards should possess an array of skills to keep a venue and its patrons free from violence. They must be observant and alert, as well as, capable of monitoring many people at once. They also need the strength and endurance to spend hours at a time on their feet. All in all, the role of security guards at a concert is to keep both musicians and audience safe. To successfully hold a concert, practices are not enough. It is important to have a dry-run of the concert for sound check, lights and stage plans, security of the place and cleaning of the venue and facilities. The dry-run of the concert will help a lot in improving the actual concert itself and to foresee a good event. In other words, dry-runs are usually held to identify possible problems that may occur. It is indeed crucial to perform a sound check in an important event in order to avoid technical difficulties, notably of those with huge number of audience and complex acoustic and other instrumental facilities. In addition, in order to pull it off, an adequate amount of time for checking should be taken into consideration by the creators of the event. In all circumstances, wrong equipment and connections or insufficiently covered circuits may cause electric shock and overloading which can lead to sound failure and result in a fire. With this possibility of accident to happen, a qualified sound engineer should properly check on generators during the dry-run of the concert to keep the facilities maintained in a good working condition (Matthews, 2008). Most concert attendees notice problems on the facilities especially on the sets of equipment used. Specifically, out of 40 respondents, 25% say that they always notice problems occurring on microphones; 53% oftentimes notice problems with the speakers and sound systems; 50% says sometimes problems occur in the stage lightings; 43% also experiences problems with the seats. Out of 40 concert attendees, 90% of them, or 36, prefer venues with comfort rooms—this means that it should always be considered by the organizers as an important factor in facilities. Since having performance areas in different spaces is uncontrollable, expected stage design dilemma must be thought of, firstly, in the planned concept. Consequently, planning in advance and thinking of solutions for probably staging problems that may come along the way should be considered due to time problems that may also arouse (Moody, 2010). The dry-run can help in pre-planning as to change some equipment locations on the stage. For instance, it can also bring out more ideas in proper transition of lightings. Basically, the mock concert will help a lot in fixing the lights and stage plans. According to Quay (2012), the dry-run should also be checking on the security of facilities. There should be an appointed chief steward to take responsibility for all the security matters of the event facilities in case  something unexpected happens—taking into consideration more security stewards required to take account at entrances and exits, unauthorized areas, front of stage areas, securing structures or equipment whereas more facilities are located. They are also needed for general tasks such as providing information and managing the flow of the crowd. Thus, the dry-run can impede the safe operation of extra security checks to reduce problems during the actual concert. After the concert, it is natural for everyone involved to be completely worn out and will immediately want to head home to rest since it is undeniably tiring to put up a concert. In spite of that, it is absolutely necessary to ensure that the venue will be let cleaned and as orderly as before the concert started (Gardner, 2011). To make this task easier, the organizers must have planned and divided its crew members to clean different facilities assigned to them. not all venues are free so there may be next event to be held at the same place so it must be cleaned right after the concert. After the research, including the interview and survey conducted, it is safe to conclude that a concert is not possible to be successful if the importance of an organized and well-equipped facility is not considered. There is no such event without any facility. The facility should make the event easier to organize rather than cause problems during the event. The facilities in a concert are important to lessen the effect of too much noise. These facilities include the stage, speakers, sound system and sound power levels which should all be fixed to minimize negative noise impact (Quay, 2012). Basically, facilities of a concert are mainly concerned with the sound systems as one of the core equipment to keep the quality of the event. Failure and accidents with the sound system is the last thing that organizers will likely expect. As the results of the survey show, audiences are also very aware of the facilities used in the concert and the whole concert has high dependence on it. Sometimes organization is needed for a concert to succeed. Aside from  the common concerns such as performers and selling tickets, it is important to consider the security, food, venue, equipment and advertising the event. It is also acceptable to estimate time and cost to be more important than they are (Hudson, 2012). There are also number of policies that govern the use of facilities depending on the venue. If the organizers show disregard for facilities and equipment or fails to abide by such given guidelines, it is possible for them to be denied further use of facilities. It is important to keep the place safe for all the concert attendees and crew members. The whole research on concert facilities implies that it is very important to preserve not only the crowd’s mood but also the artists’ lively mood and eagerness to perform. Keep in mind to push through schedules because time is really needed the most. Therefore, the facilities should help establish a connection between the audience and the performers and not disturb the ambiance surrounding them since 24 out of 40 concert attendees often think that a concert production depends on its facilities. References: Concepcion, P. (2011, March 1). A close look at the MoA Arena. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://entertainment.inquirer.net/43183/a-close-look-at-the-moa-arena Concepcion, P. (2011, January 3). A candid look at the metro’s top concert venues. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20110103-312321/A-candid-look-at-the-metros-top-concert-venues Concepcion, P. (2012, July 22). Big deal for big dome. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://entertainment.inquirer.net/43183/a-close-look-at-the-moa-arena Cummings, T. (2011, October 15). How to Set Up Stage Lights | eHow.com. eHow | How to Videos, Articles More Discover the expert in you. | eHow.com. Retrieved September 25, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/how_4853476_set-up-stage-lights.html Event management handbook: event planning. (2011). University of Maryland. The Adele H. Stamp Student Union. Event planning handbook: how to organize an event. (pp. 30-34). (2002). Logistics. YES. YES Workbook. Gardner, A. (2011, May 19). NewMusicBox  » Concert Organization Checklist. NewMusicBox . Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/concert-organization-checklist/ Gross, L. J. (n.d.). A basic introduction to concert sound engineering. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://www.tiem.utk.edu/~gross/ Guidelines for event organizers. (pp. 4-28). (2012). Advance planning, pre-event planning, managing the risk, management structure, preparing for the unexpected. Dublin Council: Wood Quay Books. Hudson, A. (n.d.). How to Set Up a Rock Concert | eHow.com. eHow | How to Videos, Articles More Discover the expert in you. | eHow.com. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/how_7652963_set-up-rock-concert.html Matthews, D. (2008). Special event production the resources. Amsterdam: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Moody, J. L. (1989). Concert lighting: techniques, art, and business (3rd ed.). Boston: Focal Press. The event safety guide: a guide to health, safety and welfare at music and similar events. (2nd ed., pp. 15-20). (1999). Venue and Site Design. Norwich: HSE Books.

The First Amendment and the Fight Against God Essay -- Argumentative

The First Amendment and the Fight Against God On September 11, 2001, our nation experiences a terrible tragedy when four terrorist-controlled airplanes flew into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. Over 3,000 people were killed, and thousands more were affected. In an effort to promote patriotism and unite the nation, citizens began displaying American flags, holding memorial services, and attending church. County High School also made an effort to bring together its students and faculty. A number of candlelight vigils were held, and students made posters and signs to display their patriotic feelings. One of these sings was a large banner hung right inside the front door. Red, white, and blue lettering displayed the phrase, ‘In God We Trust.’ This sign was met with mixed feelings. While many students were comforted by this display of patriotism, others took a very opposite stand. Less than 24 hours after the banner was raised, there were students rallying for it to be taken down, complaining to the principal, and arguing against it in class and at lunch. The upset students claimed it was offensive to atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Buddhists, and anyone else not North American Christian. Ironically, the majority of the students who complained weren’t actually members of any of these religions and the students who were generally took no offense to it. Personally, I found the students’ attempts to remove the sign offensive, not the sign itself. The sign was not displayed to recruit and convert students to Christianity, nor was it intended to preach to non-believers. It was a patriotic symbol; a reminder of our founding fathers’ ideals and hop... ...a misguided retreat from the First Amendment we are allowing those views to stifle our emotions, restrict legitimate expressions of faith, and disrupt our unity. Works Cited Amendments to the Constitution. U.S. House of Representatives. 22 September 2003 . Facts Sheets: Currency & Coins. History of ‘In God We Trust’. United States Department of the Treasury. 23 September 2003 . Renstrom, Peter G. Constitutional Rights Sourcebook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 1999. The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription. The National Archives Experience. 23 September 2003 . The New American Bible. Washington D.C.: World Bible Publishers, Inc. 1970.

Mercantilist Relationship Between the American Colonies and the British Government Essay

Mercantilism is an economic policy and theory where the government has complete control of trade, both foreign and inside boundaries. This policy was dominant during the 16th, 17th, and late 18th centuries, it demanded a positive balance of trade between the countries it was involved with. There were many policies that were within the theory based upon mercantilism including, building a network of overseas colonies and forbidding them to trade with other nations, forbidding trade to be carried in foreign ships, export as a trade barrier using domestic goods and services competitive against imports, and restricting domestic consumption with non-tariff barriers to trade. The British government established a mercantilist relationship with the American colonies that was to its benefit until 1763 and then the relationship no longer was of economic benefit to the British crown. Prior to 1763 the colonists had no choice but to go along with Parliament’s right to take actions on their behalf and the predominance of Britain’s economic benefits over their personal ones. Seven Years’ War was the war that altered the parliaments actions, had been intended to regulate trade and nothing else, Parliament’s arrangements began to conflict with the colonists’ interests. This caused the colonies to grow and thrive, by the time the British realized this Americans had already established lucrative trade with other countries. Britain became more aware of this growing â€Å"problem† and began to keep a close eye on the colonies and implemented regulatory policies, the British instituted a series of laws of trade and navigation known as the Navigation Acts. The purposes of these acts were to limit colonial trade to the British only. For this to be accomplished all trading to be done involving the colonists was to be on either English vessels or colonial-built vessels, therefore, if colonists planned to trade with other nations all of their goods had to first be shipped to England. This gave the British the chance to get a hand on the items being traded and to collect revenue from taxation before the products were traded. Another limitation that was set on the colonies was that in order to trade products such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton it had to be done with the British only. When the British would notice the colonies beginning to make profit they would add the product that was causing the increase in revenue to the list of products only to be traded with them. Although there were many restrictions placed upon the colonies, they did not cause as much damage as Britain may have hoped. Benjamin Franklin answered when asked, â€Å"I have never heard any objection to the right of laying duties to regulate commerce; but a right to lay internal taxes was never supposed to be in Parliament, as we are not represented there†. There were even some benefits even to having these regulations, such as a built in market for raw products that they had and the British did not rigidly enforce the trading regulations that were set. Following Great Britain’s achievement of French territory in North America after the end of the French and Indian War allotted the Proclamation of 1763 in October of 1763. The purpose of the proclamation was to establish Britain’s new North American Empire and to stabilize associations with Native North Americans through regulation of settlement, trade, and land purchases. The proclamation kept certain lands for the Indians and prevented the colonies from settling inland. The colonies wished to expand their territory inlands but with the Proclamation of 1763 they were unable to do so, causing massive amounts of interest conflicts. The British seemed to be enforcing this proclamation more so than any other laws placed on the colonies before. Troops were stationed along the frontier to give the colonists’ no control over attempting to expand their population inland. The colonies feared for overpopulation and crowded cities along the coastline. It appeared that the break down of this mercantilist relationship between the United States colonies and Britain along with the split of America from the British Empire was unavoidable. Before the French and Indian war, Britain was having a hard time keeping up with and maintaining regulations that they had placed upon the colonies. The trade laws were inadequately implemented and the colonies were able to go about their own political and economic systems independently. But, with the close of the war Parliament concluded the time of this neglect of enforcement and became more dominate with the colonies in order to reestablish complete control over their trade. Pervious laws that were established to benefit Britain were enforced harshly and new laws were also applied to further benefit the British. This led to animosity between Britain and the colonies because the colonies experienced economic independence for too long a period causing the colonists to have no desire to return to how things used to be. The aggressive application of the Navigation Act to the colonists subdued their manufacturing operations and increased resentment against the British Parliamentary. The severe enforcement of these laws led to inflation and alienation in the colonies, neither of which benefited the British Empire. During this time of strict enforcement there were many more laws and acts placed upon the colonies to restrict their trade and growth. Parliament passed the Sugar and Molasses Act trying to bring the colonies in line with regard to payment of taxes. The Sugar Act reduced the rate of tax on molasses and listed more foreign goods to be taxed including coffee, wines, sugar, and various other goods. The tax on caused the instantaneous deterioration in the rum industry in the colonies. This interrupted the economy in the colonies because it reduced the markets to which the colonies could sell and the amount of currency available to them for the purchase of British manufactured goods. This act, and the Currency Act, set the stage for the revolt at the imposition of the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act of 1765 was a direct tax on documents and articles, this act directly affected all colonists. The law required a stamp to be placed on all printed materials, including legal documents, almanacs, pamphlets, and newspapers. Although this affected all colonists, lawyers, clergymen, and printers felt the wrath of this act the most. Benjamin Franklin stated â€Å"There is not gold and silver enough in the colonies to pay the stamp duty for one year†. The before and after of this act set in stone the perceived idea that the mercantilist benefits of the relationship between the colonies and Britain may have run its course. After debate about the collection of taxes due to the Stamp Act was the Quartering Act of 1765. The Quartering Act was part of the intolerable acts; the purpose of this act was only to take back hold of the colonies. The act violated the Bill of Rights, which forbids taxation without representation and the raising or keeping of a standing army without the consent of Parliament; colonies disputed the legality of this Act. In his first speeches in Parliament, Camden said, â€Å"taxation and representation are inseparable; this position is founded on the laws of nature; it is more, it is itself an eternal law of nature; for whatever is a man’s own, is absolutely his own; no man has a right to take it from him without his consent, either expressed by himself or representative; whoever attempts to do it, attempts an injury; whoever does it, commits a robbery; he throws down and destroys the distinction between liberty and slavery. Taxation and representation are coeval with and essential to the constitution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  If the soldiers outnumbered the housing available the colonies were expected to pay the cost of housing and feeding the troop, after the arrival of the troops New York refused to pay for supplies causing the troops to have to stay aboard their ships. Even after attempts to revise the Stamp Act, New York still resisted which led to the repeal of this act and the Stamp Act. With no doubt it seemed that violent hostility would prevail even with any effort to change the Acts making it almost impossible for Britain to establish any hope for a beneficial relationship with the colonies. The steady resistance to the Stamp Act led to it being repealed, which cost the British, â€Å"Suppose a military force sent into America; they will find nobody in arms; what are they then to do? They cannot force a man to take stamps who chooses to do without them. They will not find a rebellion; they may indeed make one. † This repeal showed the colonists that their resisting the act worked and would put fire to their future revolts considering this worked for them. The British were losing money now and the colonies did not seem to be hurt as badly as would have been hoped by the British. To down play the win that the colonies had just accomplished Parliament set out another act, the Declaratory Act, to serve as a punishment. The Declaratory Act asserted that Parliament â€Å"had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America †¦ in all cases whatsoever†. In the context and the word choice in which this was written shows that the act was intentionally clear-cut and to the point. Parliament had the upper hand and the absolute power to make laws and changes to the colonial government, â€Å"in all cases whatsoever†. Caught up in attempting to strip the colonies of their freedoms in order to prevent them from creating a profit, the British were losing money and quite frankly, running out of it. In one final attempt to gain back control of the colonies and make their relationship work Parliament passed the Townshend Act. A colonist identified as Brutus argued against that assumption, stating, â€Å"Nothing can be more flagrantly wrong than the Assertion of some of our mercantile Dons. John Hancock adds, â€Å"Taxes equally detrimental to the commercial interests of the Parent country and the colonies are imposed upon the People, without their consent; Taxes designed for the Support of the Civil Government in the Colonies, in a Manner clearly unconstitutional, and contrary to that, in which ’till of late, Government has been supported, by the free Gift of the People in the American Assemblies or Parliaments; as also for the Maintenance of a large Standing Army; not for the Defiance of the newly acquired Territories, but for the old Colonies, and in a Time of Peace. This testimony written in a letter was tremendously effective in the efforts to abolish this act placed upon the colonies; there were also the Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, which had its influence on the topic as well. There were twelve letters that were widely read and reprinted throughout the thirteen colonies, and were a major factor in attempting to unit the colonists against the Townshend Acts. Dickenson, the farmer, acknowledged the great power that the Parliament had in concern for the whole British Empire but argued that the taxes that were given to the colonies were for purpose of their own personal gain in revenue rather then what was stated in the books of the acts being for purpose of trade only. Dickinson foresees the possibility of future conflict between the colonies and Great Britain, but urges against the use of violence, â€Å"If at length it becomes undoubted that an inveterate resolution is formed to annihilate the liberties of the governed, the English history affords frequent examples of resistance by force. What particular circumstances will in any future case justify such resistance can never be ascertained till they happen. Perhaps it may be allowable to say generally, that it never can be justifiable until the people are fully convinced that any further submission will be destructive to their happiness. † The colonies boycotted this idea, their boycott, although it failed, gave them the strength to continue to not follow the acts that the Parliament required of them. The British had no way to enforce the collection of taxes so Britain had no choice but to repeal the Townshend Act. Britain was completely unstable and given this, the mercantilist relationship was coming to an end between the United States colonies and the British; the Tea Act would create the breaking point for this relationship. â€Å"An act to allow a drawback of the duties of customs on the exportation of tea to any of his Majesty’s colonies or plantations in America; to increase the deposit on bohea tea to be sold at the India Company’s sales; and to empower the commissioners of the treasury to grant licenses to the East India Company to export tea duty-free. The Tea Act of 1773 caused in turn the Boston Tea Party, which aggravated the British so greatly that they delivered a punishment act. The punishment acts were called the Coercive Acts and also, along with other acts, became part of the intolerable acts the British had placed upon the colonies. The Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, The Quartering Act, and the Quebec Act were all placed in order for Britain to again attempt to take control over the colonies. The restrictions placed on the colonies by these acts included the closing of the port of Boston, limited the meetings to one meeting per year, allowed the governor to move trails, and attempted to house the British solders. This out lash of over bearing authority over the colonies became known as the main reason that the mercantilist relationship could not continue. Britain’s attempts of harsh leadership and the lack of economic opportunities became great enough to continuously push the colonies away and gave them reason to revolt and not comply. As years passed the interests of the colonies and British began to not be similar in any ways, causing conflicts. The colonists educated themselves in ways that the British had not expected, giving the colonies the upper hand in knowing what they deserved and what was being taken from them. There were no longer any benefits to having a relationship with Britain and the colonists were well educated on this fact and showed their feelings on this aspect in many ways. The mercantilist relationship was no longer making a profit for the British Crown or bringing benefits to anyone; it was causing them to lose money. This loss was apparent after the downfall of both the economic systems after the French and Indian War in 1763.

American Dream or American Nightmare Essay

Be The American Dream is something that can be easily defined for some people, and for others it can be very difficult to put into words. The American Dream is a combination of a few things. I firmly believe that Americans should have equal access to this ideal of an American Dream in order for it not to be considered just mere notion. My idea of the American Dream is also built on freedom. Our fore fathers who built this great nation were on the right track when they wrote our nations Constitution and amendments. To motivate the people the men who fathered these documents wrote grand statements that promised all men life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the right to bear arms, and my favorite statement is that all men are created equal. With these ideal in mind our great nation was forged. Look just a little bit closer at the Constitution and amendments and discover that the Constitution and amendments that this country was built upon was produced and approved by a panel of all White men. At the time there was not one person of color nor a woman’s signature of approval or voice involved in its creation. In other words it was not written to protect women or people of color. In those days women had no voice and African American slaves were considered to be property and only partial human. Therefore, was the American Dream ever meant to be used by me? My American Dream can be best summed up by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his I Have a Dream Speech, King (1963) stated: In a sense we have come to our Nation’s Capital to cash a check. When the architects of our great republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed to the inalienable rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. (King, 1963) Racism still exists today in our great nation. The American Dream is centered on the foundation of equality, without equality the American Dream quickly turns to an American Nightmare giving hopelessness to unfortunate people born the wrong color. Imagine going to a good college where you excelled in academics and graduated at the top of your class only to be passed over for a job that you applied for. To add insult to injury the Caucasian that got the job instead of you had no college education at all nor was he more qualified than you. That is the world that we live in where it is not what you know but what color you are. My experience pursuing the American dream has been quite an amazing journey. As a child my mother promoted how important it is for my siblings and me to become doctors and lawyers. I often wondered why she insisted that her children pursue such demanding and powerful careers. I no longer wonder why she did so my mother simply wanted her kids to be doctors and lawyers because we could be. In my mother’s time there was this little word called segregation that made equality almost impossible. My mother grew up in Alabama in the 1950s where separate but equal was the norm. Separate but equal was far from equal, my mother had no choice but to attend the poorest schools for the absolute cheapest education that was available. Since my mother was at a great disadvantage during her pursuit of the American dream she figured we had a better chance of being successful in equaling the playing field by becoming doctors or lawyers. Sadie Woodfin’s American dream was for my siblings and me to have an equal chance in America. She was not insisting that we all become doctors and lawyers or she was not going to be proud of us. She wanted us to realize that we could shoot for the stars, to take full advantage of the freedom that was not allotted to her generation. Since my mother had no formal education or degrees she, was forced to work in industrial steel mills where she developed black lung. Her American dream was believed to be all but lost until it was reborn in us. My vision of the American dream consists of not only equal opportunities in education but also income equality. Even in 2013 women of all color African Americans and Latin Americans are paid significantly less for the same job as their White male counterparts. According to, the National Partnership for Women and Families full-time working women alone are paid an average of 10,622 less than men. With their income inequality gaps in excess of over 10,000 just for a difference in gender. Kind of makes the American dream seem like an American nightmare. This practice in America of unequally compensating anyone solely based on their age, race, religion or sex is not only wrong it is total unfair practice. Is the American dream more so suited for a man than a woman? Does the American dream favor a white man over a black man? If income inequality affects one of us it should affect all of us. I am almost certain that no one wants to go to the same schools, go through the same struggles, make the same sacrifices and ultimately have the same qualifications only to be paid far less. This ideal is not even remotely appealing to the lowest of idiots. Statistically speaking being a minority or a woman the odds are already stacked against you in the pursuit of the American dream and income equality. The American dream is still alive and well in this country today. It just needs to be tweaked a little. For starters women should be equally compensated as men for the same job. Second, Latin Americans and African Americans must have access to the same schools, neighborhoods, and programs that their Caucasian peers have access to. If collectively we as a society want this American dream to be fair and applied to all Americans we have to even the playing field. Our very own government even recognizes that there is a problem so they had to implement strategies and programs geared toward equality, such as affirmative action. If the American dream was already achievable for all citizens we would have no need for such programs. If we take time to analyze the American dream and ask simple questions such as, when and who set the original guidelines for the American dream it would not surprise you regarding why things are the way they are. The American dream was born from this nation fore fathers who were successful, powerful and influential white men. At the time the Constitution was written there were no women, African Americans, or Latin American signatures nowhere to be found on any documents or amendments pertaining to the direction our great country were headed. I think it is safe to say that our voices and opinions were not heard when this nation was being forged. Neither women nor African Americans were allowed to vote while the foundational stones of the American dream were being laid in place. Latin Americans were not even considered during this pivotal time the dream was being processed. Women, African Americans and Latin Americans were not considered at all we merely adopted the idea of this American dream in hopes that we could someday partake in the notion that all men are really created equal. The fact still remains we are not all created equal, some of us are born women, black or brown. Because of our unfortunate birth your color or sex may make achieving the American dream not impossible in 2013 it just makes it a little more difficult. As a child my version of the American dream was not my own it was my mother’s vision to be equal to all my peers. As a father my American dream is just as my mother’s, I want my three daughters to attend the best schools in hopes that they will pursue careers that they will not only enjoy but also be treated, respected and compensated the same as any American citizen should expect. If we as a country openly advertise that we adopt all religions sexes, and races as equals under the veil of the United States and its Constitution then all of us must have an equal opportunity at the pursuit of the American dream. Until barriers such as color, sex, and religious preference are broken women, Blacks and Browns still have an unfair disadvantage in obtaining the so called American dream.

Chaco Canyon, the Architectural Heart of the Anasazi

Chaco Canyon, the Architectural Heart of the Anasazi Chaco Canyon is a famous archaeological area in the American Southwest. It is located in the region known as the Four Corners, where the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico meet. This region was historically occupied by Ancestral Puebloan people (better known as Anasazi) and is now part of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Some of the most famous sites of Chaco Canyon are Pueblo Bonito, Peà ±asco Blanco, Pueblo del Arroyo, Pueblo Alto, Una Vida, and Chetro Kelt. Because of its well-preserved masonry architecture, Chaco Canyon was well known by later Native Americans (Navajo groups have been living at Chaco since at least 1500s), Spanish accounts, Mexican officers and early American travelers. Archaeological Investigations of Chaco Canyon Archaeological explorations at Chaco Canyon began at the end of the 19th century, when Richard Wetherill, a Colorado rancher, and George H. Pepper, an archaeology student from Harvard, began to dig at Pueblo Bonito. Since then, interest in the  area has grown exponentially and several archaeological projects have surveyed and excavated small and large sites in the region. National organizations like the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History and the National Geographic Society have all sponsored excavations in the Chaco region. Among many prominent southwestern archaeologists who have worked at Chaco are Neil Judd, Jim W. Judge, Stephen Lekson, R. Gwinn Vivian, and Thomas Windes. Chaco Canyon Environment Chaco Canyon is a deep and dry canyon that runs in the San Juan Basin of northwestern New Mexico. Vegetation and wood resources are scarce. Water is scarce too, but after the rains, the Chaco river receives runoff water coming from the top of the surrounding cliffs. This is clearly a difficult area for agricultural production. However, between AD 800 and 1200, ancestral Puebloan groups, the Chacoans, managed to create a complex regional system of small villages and large centers, with irrigation systems and inter-connecting roads. After AD 400, farming was well established in the Chaco region, especially after the cultivation of maize, beans and squash (the three sisters) became integrated with wild resources. The ancient inhabitants of Chaco Canyon adopted and developed a sophisticated method of irrigation collecting and managing runoff water from the cliffs into dams, canals, and terraces. This practice- especially after AD 900- allowed for the expansion of small villages and the creation of larger architectural complexes called great house sites. Small House and Great House Sites at Chaco Canyon Archaeologists working at Chaco Canyon call these small villages small house sites, and they call the large centers great house sites. Small house sites usually have less than 20 rooms and were single-story. They lack big kivas and enclosed plazas are rare. There are hundreds of small sites in Chaco Canyon and they began to be constructed earlier than great sites. Great House sites are large multi-storied constructions composed of adjoining ​rooms and enclosed plazas with one or more great kivas. The construction of the main great house sites like Pueblo Bonito, Peà ±asco Blanco, and Chetro Ketl occurred between AD 850 and 1150 (Pueblo periods II and III). Chaco Canyon has numerous kivas, below-ground ceremonial structures still used by modern Puebloan people today. Chaco Canyons kivas are rounded, but in other Puebloan sites, they can be squared. The better-known kivas (called Great Kivas, and associated with Great House sites) were constructed between AD 1000 and 1100, during the Classic Bonito phase. Read more about Kivas Chaco Road System Chaco Canyon is also famous for a system of roads connecting some of the great houses with some of the small sites as well as with areas beyond the canyon limits. This network, called by the archaeologists the Chaco Road System seems to have had a functional as well as a religious purpose. The construction, maintenance and use of the Chaco road system was a way to integrate people living over a large territory and giving them a sense of community as well as facilitating communication and seasonal gathering. Evidence from archaeology and dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) indicates that a cycle of major droughts between 1130 and 1180 coincided with the decline of the Chacoan regional system. Lack of new construction, abandonment of some sites, and a sharp decrease in resources by AD 1200 prove that this system was no longer functioning as a central node. But the symbolism, architecture, and roads of the Chacoan culture continued for a few more centuries becoming, eventually, only a memory of a great past for later Puebloan societies. Sources Cordell, Linda 1997. Archaeology of the Southwest. Second Edition. Academic Press Pauketat, Timothy R. and Diana Di Paolo Loren 2005. North American Archaeology. Blackwell Publishing Vivian, R. Gwinn and Bruce Hilpert 2002. The Chaco Handbook, An Encyclopedic Guide. The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City

4 Reasons to Major in a Foreign Language (and 3 Not To)

4 Reasons to Major in a Foreign Language (and 3 Not To) SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Gaikokugo ga suki desu ka?That’s Japanese for â€Å"Do you like foreign languages?† If your answer is a resounding yes, then a foreign language major might be for you. In 2013, I graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in Japanese. Though I sometimes doubted whether I should major in Japanese, I ultimately knew it was the right choice because being able to understand and use Japanese was a skill I wanted to have for the rest of my life. Moreover, I didn't just enjoy learning Japanese but also loved getting to know Japanese culture. These are the reasons I chose to major in Japanese. That said,a language major isn’t for everyone. So should you major in a foreign language? What are the reasons you should? And what are the reasons you shouldn't? In this guide, I give you four reasons to major in a foreign language and three reasons not to. I also go over what questions to ask yourself before deciding whether to pursue a language major. But first, what exactly is a foreign language major? What Is a Foreign Language Major? Before I go into the reasons you should and should not major in a foreign language, let me explain what I mean by majoring in a foreign language. Many US colleges offer undergraduatemajors that focus on a specific language and the main region/culture it's spoken in. In other words, you’re not simply majoring in a language but rather a language and where it’s most commonly used. So if your major is French, you’ll likely learn about France. Similarly, If you’re studying Mandarin Chinese, you’ll likely learn about Chinese culture. Colleges offering foreign language majors typically house them inhumanities departments or at colleges of letters, arts, and sciences (or something equivalent). Although most foreign language majors combine language and cultural studies, many are named after the language only. For example, if you’re studying Spanish (in addition to Latin American or Spanish culture), your major is most likely called Spanish instead of something like Spanish culture or Spanish language and culture. However, some schools use slightly broader names for their foreign language majors.My alma mater, USC, for example, offers an East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) major, which lets you study Japanese, Chinese, or Korean (as well as the language's respective area). As a result, students mainly studying Japanese might say they’re majoring in Japanese when in actuality they’re majoring in EALC with an emphasis in Japanese (as in my case). Some schools also offer foreign language majors that let youstudy more than one language at a time.One example is the University of Michigan's Romance Languages and Literatures major. For this program, students can study two Romance languages (out of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and French) at the same time. Finally, some majors have college language requirements but are not specifically focused on the language (or area) itself.Examples include comparative literature majors and linguistics majors. For the former, you must typically learn at least one foreign language so that you can compare texts in their original languages. For the latter, you must know a foreign language so that you can effectively analyze its linguistic properties. Though these two majors clearly involve language study, they're not the same as language majors in that they don't focus on area/cultural studiesas well. Overall, it’s arguably more accurate to call language majors "foreign culture majors" or "foreign language and culture majors," since these majors almost always combine the study of language and culture. Learning culture is just as important as learning language. My Story: I Majored in Japanese Now that you understand what a foreign language major is, let’s get down to business: who am I, and why am I writing this article? As I briefly mentioned at the beginning, I majored in a foreign language (and in English- what can I say? I love languages!). My language of choice was Japanese. Why did I choose this language? Well, I’d been studying it since junior high school, absolutely loved learning it (even though it was really, really hard at times- and still is), and envisioned myself eventually using Japanese in my career. Because I knew I wanted to major in Japanese before I even started college, I looked specifically for colleges that offered a major in Japanese. Eventually, I enrolled at USC where I declared a major in East Asian Languages and Cultures with an emphasis in Japanese. For this major, I had to take mostly Japanese-language classes as well as classes on topics relating to Japanese and East Asian studies, such as literature, art, and history. Since graduating from USC, I’ve worked as an English teacher for the JET Program (a government-sponsored program that pays you to teach English in Japan) and am now enrolled in a Japanese Studies Master of Arts program at the University of Michigan. Here are the primary reasons you can trust my advice in this article: I have firsthand experience with learning and majoring in a language:I know what kinds of classes you’ll likely need to take and understand how tough it can be to keep up your language skills (especially over those long summer breaks!). I have worked in a job that uses my target language: Obviously, what kinds of job options you'll have after majoring in a foreign language will depend on several factors, but know that I, too, have gone through the process and will try my best to lend you a (relevant) hand. I majored in what I loved: Ultimately, I chose to major in Japanese because it was something I found interesting, useful for my career goals, and downright fun. Now that we've covered all the basics, let’s take a look at the main reasons you should (and should not) major in a foreign language. 4 Reasons to Major in a Foreign Language We’ll start with the positive points. What are the benefits of majoring in a foreign language, and what are the main reasons you should consider doing it? #1: You’re Passionate About the Language and Want to Use It in Your Career This is rule #1 in my book. You should only be majoring in a foreign language if you’re absolutely passionate about it. The reason passion is so important is that learning a foreign language is really hard work and takes years of practice to become fluent. Majoring in a language is also a smart idea if you plan to use the language in your career.If you want to be a translator/interpreter, for instance, majoring in the language you want to translate is a 100% practical decision and will give you the background necessary for doing well in your job. But a foreign language major won't make you a lot of money, right? Not necessarily. Although liberal arts degrees have a reportedly harder time landing well-paying jobs, recent reports show that many liberal arts majors earn about as much as, if not more than, STEM majors do. #2: You’ll Learn a Practical and Lifelong Skill Although many people don’t think a foreign language major is practical, knowing another language is an excellent lifelong skill to have and can come in handy in a variety of situations, particularly if you want to travel abroad or work in a global industry. You've probably heard thatthere are tons of mental benefits of being bilingual, such as improved memory and better multi-tasking skills. But there are also broader benefitsof knowing a foreign language that apply to your career and lifestyle. Here's whatan article posted on Trinity Washington University’s websitehas to say about knowing multiple languages: "The ability to communicate in multiple languages is becoming more and more important in the increasingly integrated global business community.*Communicating directly with new clients and companies in their native language is one of the first steps to founding a lasting, stable international business relationship." *Emphasis mine Clearly, majoring in a foreign language not only teaches you how to speak a language but also how to communicate effectively with people (and potentially business partners!) from different cultures and language backgrounds. This is an excellent attribute to have in the workplace and might even result in higher pay in the long run. It’s also a great skill to have when applying for jobs since your ability to speak another language will help you stand out from other applicants. An article on Penn State's websiteagrees, claiming that multilingualism increases your desirability in the job market: "In our globalized world, it has become even more essential in the job market to know another language. Companies and businesses have a natural desire to expand their existing networks. Having fluency in another language gives an edge on any resume by showing employers potential to converse with an entirely different group of people."* *Emphasis mine As you can see, there are some great occupational benefits to majoring in a foreign language and being familiar with another culture! #3: You Want to Work in a Foreign Country If one of your goals is to work and live in another country- in particular, an area where your target language is spoken- a major in that language is a logical choice. Such a major proves that you are familiar with both the language and culture. For some jobs based in your target country, knowing the local language might be expected. Even if it’s not required, though, your knowing the local language couldgive a boost to your resume,as it implies you’ll require less help adjusting to your new environment. #4: You Like the Idea of Double Majoring Majoring in a foreign language can be useful for your career goals if you plan to double major. This way, you’ll have a different skill or field you can apply your language knowledge to. You’ll be most appealing as a job candidate if you pair a foreign language major with a major in an entirely different field,such as business, international relations, political science, economics, STEM, or education. This kind of double major will give you a vast range of skills you can apply to a variety of careers and fields, from business to PR to teaching. Hoping to earn a lot of money? Then pair your language major with a STEM major. According to a report by The Conversation, this combination offers the biggest potential for high earnings. (Note, however, that a dual STEM degree typically brings in the most cash.) There are even programs that encourage students to double major in STEM and a foreign language. If you’re like me and can’t get enough of the humanities, it's OK to double major in a language and another liberal arts major. Just know thatyour potential for high wages will be lower than if you combined your language major with a major in a technical- or business-oriented field. This doesn’t mean that you will for sure earn a small salary- just that your job options might be more limited. 3 Reasons Not to Major in a Foreign Language Now that we’ve gone over the good side, it's time to head on over to the dark side. What are some reasons you shouldn’t major in a foreign language? I introduce my top three below. #1: You’re Not Passionate About the Language You’re Learning This is a pretty obvious reason, but if you're not passionate about the language you’re learning and don’t intend to use it after college, don’t major in it. Learning a language is tough- sometimes it feels impossible. So if you’re majoring in one, you need to have the patience and diligence to study it for the long term. A language major means you'll be learning the language the rest of your life. This is what you must doto keep up your communicative skills and be able to use the language consistently in both your career and social life.If you’re not ready for this lifelong process or aren’t sure whether this is something you can commit to, don’t major in a foreign language. Don't know what you want? Take a class or two in your desired language of study and then decide whether this is something you can see yourself studying (and enjoying!) for a long, long time. If you enjoy learning a foreign language but are more interested in other fields, consider minoring in the language. This way, you’ll still be able to use the language fairly effectively but more so as a supplementary skill- meaning that it won’t be the main skill set you graduate with but will still be an important one. #2: You're Expecting to Be Fluent by the Time You Graduate Unfortunately, even if you study a foreign language for four years straight in college, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll graduate with full fluency in it. The reality is that many foreign language majors won't actually attain fluency by the end of college. It’s not that these students are bad at the language or that their schools are bad at teaching it- it’s simply that students typically need more time and language practice than what college offers. So if you're not ready to dedicate your personal life as well as your academic life to this language, it's probably not in your best interest to major in it. While it's possible to attainsome level of fluency by the time you graduate, what skill level you're at will ultimately depend on many factors, including how well you did in your language classes, whether you studied abroad (trust me, it helps!), and how often you used (and continue to use) the language outside of class. Part of fluency also depends on the language you're studying and what your native tongue is.Data released by the Foreign Service Institute of the US Department of Stateshows thatit takes native English speakersfar less time to reach proficiency in Spanish, French, or Italian than it does to reach proficiency in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, or Arabic. In my case, I spent the equivalent of four years studying Japanese in college. I even studied abroad in Tokyo for a semester. But would I say I was fluent by the time I graduated? Far from it. Though I loved the Japanese language and certainly felt I was at an advanced level, I still struggled to speak and understand it. Some of this was due to laziness- I didn’t make much of an effort to integrate Japanese into my daily life, which I strongly regret- and some of this was due to a lack of confidence in my abilities (I always got shy whenever I tried to speak Japanese with people). However, once I moved to Japan after college and began living in a small town where virtually no one spoke English, my Japanese rapidly improved. Basically, what I’m trying to get at is that you shouldn’t expect to be a totally fluent speaker in a language simply because you majored in it. In reality, you’re likely going to need to spend time outside of and after school practicing the language and really making it part of your life until you can honestly say you've reached a comfortable level of fluency. In short, a foreign language major takes a lot of additional effort to make it worth it. #3: There’s a Higher Chance of Unemployment and Low Pay I’ve already touched on this a little above, but it can be difficult for language majors to find a well-paying job (especially if you majored inonly a language and didn't double major). Let’s start by looking at unemployment rates.According to Forbes, non-technical majors have higher unemployment rates than STEM, business, and health care majors do. Moreover, recent graduates with liberal arts degreesface an unemployment rate of 9.2%. But what about salary?A 2015 study conducted by Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that the median salary for those who majored in a foreign language was about $52,000. While this salary might not sound too bad to you, by comparing it with the median salaries of other common majors, you'll see that salaries for foreign language majors don't rank that high: General engineering: $81,000 Economics: $76,000 Architecture: $67,000 Nursing: $66,000 Public policy: $65,000 Biology: $56,000 Journalism: $56,000 History: $54,000 Foreign languages: $52,000 Commercial art and graphic design: $51,000 Psychology: $49,000 Secondary teacher education: $48,000 Overall, majoring in a foreign language is a somewhat risky business. Not only might you have more trouble finding a job, but you’re also likely to have a lower starting salary. Should You Major in a Foreign Language? 3 Questions to Ask Yourself So far we’ve looked at some of the reasons you should and should not major in a foreign language. In the end, though, should you do it? Here are three questions to ask yourself before making your final decision. #1: What Kind of Career Do You Want (or Think You Want)? Although you don’t technically have to use your major in your career, it’s a good idea to try to find a way to apply the skills you acquired in college (in this case, mastery of a foreign language) to your professional life. But what kinds of jobs will a language major prepare you for? Two of the most popular fields for language majors aretranslation and interpretation. However, there's both good and bad with this. The bad news is that these two jobs typically don't pay a ton. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for translators and interpreters in May 2016 was $46,120. Wages can vary a lot, though.While the lowest 10% of translators made less than $25,370 in 2016, the highest 10% made more than $83,010. That’s a difference of almost $58,000! This variation in pay depends on a number of factors, including whether you’re a self-employed or in-house worker, where you live, and what languages you know. So what’s the good news? Translation/interpretation jobs are on the rise. According to the BLS, the projected growth rate for interpreters and translators from 2016 to 2026 is 18%- that’s % faster than the growth rate for all jobs in the US! But what if you’re not interested in becoming a translator or interpreter? That’s fine! Not everyone who studies a language wants to sit around all day translating business manuals or interpreting at conferences. Here are some examplesof other jobs can you do with a foreign language major: International relations specialist Teacher/professor Consultant Advertiser Foreign service officer Attorney Public relations For more examples of jobs for language majors, check out these excellent lists by Southeastern Louisiana University and Georgetown University. #2: How Fluent Do You Want to Become? If you’re expecting absolute fluency in your target language by the end of undergrad, know that this might not happen.(Again, this really depends on multiple factors, including what language you're learning, whether you study a lot on your own time, etc.) Although you can learn a lot with four years of college-level language instruction, it’s generally not enough to make you truly fluent in a language. This is why I suggestlooking at your bachelor’s degree as a starting point. I know, this probably sounds horrible- you spend four years learning a language and I'm calling that a starting point. But the reality is that language learning is a lifelong process. And if you expect to use your language in your future career, you’ll need to spend time after college studying and practicing it as well. Here are six ways you can further improve your language skills after college (note that you can do most of these tips during college, too!). Tip 1: Visit and/or Live in a Country That Uses Your Target Language Although easier said than done, immersion is one of the best ways to get a language down fast. If you're in college, study abroad. Already graduated? Try to apply for jobs in your target country. One "easy" way to gain access to a country is to teach English.If you’re studying Japanese as I did, you could apply for the JET Program. If you’re studying Korean or Spanish, you could apply for the EPIK program in Koreaor the Auxiliar de Conversacià ³n Program in Spain. Tip 2: Study on Your Own Time This tip is crucial (and really hard to do when you’re no longer in school!). Finding time to study on your own is what will ultimately help you keep up your language skills and stay sharp. I suggest buying some textbooks and keeping the ones you used in college so you can review what you've learned. Your goal here is to continuously work on improving your vocabulary and grammar knowledge. Flashcards are an excellent way to jog your memory. If you're like me and hate making flashcards, try using Anki or Memriseto make and download digital flashcards instead. Tip 3: Join a Local Language Group When I felt that my spoken Japanese was getting worse, I decided to look for a language group in my area using the website Meetup. Through the Japanese-language group I found, I was able to converse in Japanese with both native Japanese speakers and other language learners. The group wasn’t just great for practice but was also extremely fun! I recommend using Meetup if you ever want to look for (or make) a language group. Tip 4: Hire a Tutor or Online Language Partner If you want to practice speaking and listening but can’t find anyone to do this with in person, try looking for a language partner or tutor online. Tons of companies offer language lessons over Skype and other video chat programs. Some of the best includeVerbal Planet, italki, and Live Lingua. Tip 5: Attend a Language School If you're hoping to improve your language skills and prefer doing so in an academic environment, consider applying to a language school. While tuition can be high, the experience and vast set of skills you acquire often make it worth the price. For example, many people I know attended aMiddlebury Language School over the summer- and all of them loved it! Tip 6: Go to Graduate School If you not only want to become fluent in a language but also want to be able to use it effectively in both professional and academic settings, grad school might be a good option for you. However, as you probably know, graduate programs (particularly master's programs) in the US can get pretty expensive, soI recommend applying for as many fellowships as possible. One of the best-funded scholarships for language learners is theForeign Languages and Area Studies (FLAS) program, which typically covers full tuition and offers a yearly stipend of $15,000 for grad students ($5,000 for undergrads). #3: What Language Are You Interested In? It’s important to understand that if you plan to use your foreign language major in a career, then your job/salary prospective will depend, in part, on which language you choose to study. For those of you thinking about becoming translators/interpreters, here’s what theBLS has to say about the types of languages that will be most in demand: "Demand will likely remain strong for translators of frequently translated languages, such as French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.Demand also should be strong for translators of Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages;for the principal Asian languages including Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, and Korean;and for the indigenous languages from Mexico and Central America such as Mixtec, Zapotec, and Mayan languages."* *All bold emphasis mine If you want to work for the US government, your best bet will be to major in a critical language. But what is a critical language exactly? According to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), critical languages are languages that are "less commonly taught in US schools, but are essential to America’s positive engagement with the world." At present, there are 14 critical languages: Arabic Azerbaijani Bangla Chinese Hindi Indonesian Japanese Korean Persian Punjabi Russian Swahili Turkish Urdu Note that thisdoesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a job if you studied a language not on this list, such as Spanish, French, or Portuguese. Rather, all this indicates is that if you’re planning to work for the US government in particular, you might have a slightly harder time getting a job, as there is a smaller need for your language than there is for the ones listed above. Conclusion: When to Pursue a Foreign Language Major Overall, there are both advantages and disadvantages to majoring in a foreign language. I chose to major in Japanese because I knew it was the right path for me- and one I really,really wanted to take, despite the challenges I'd inevitably face. If you're thinking of pursuing a language major, make sure you're doing so for the right reasons. Once again, here are the four best reasons to major in a foreign language: You’re head over heels in love with the languageand want to make a career out of it You’ll learn skills you can apply to a variety of careers and situations You’ll be more likely to secure a job abroad should you want to work outside the US You’re interested in double majoring, which will give a professional boost to your foreign language major by equipping you with more skills you can use in the future That said, majoring in a foreign language isn't for everyone. Here are the top reasons you should not major in a foreign language: You’re not passionate about the language you’re studying You're expecting to be totally fluent by the time you graduate (while not impossible, this usually requires you to spend a lot of extra time studying and practicing your language) You’ll face a higher risk of unemployment and a lower starting salary If you're still on the fence about pursuing a language major, ask yourself the following questions to help you determine whether this major is the right decision for you: What kind of career do you want? How fluent do you want to become? What language do you want to study? In the end, whether you decide to major in a foreign language is your choice and yours alone. Just make sure you have a good reason to do so and have considered all possible pros and cons before committing to a language major! What’s Next? Not sure what to major in? Get expert advice in our guide to choosing a college major, and learn the five main factors to consider before you declare a major. Foreign language majors can be lots of fun- but they're not typically the most lucrative. Our guide tells you which college majors are likely to bring in the most cash, and offers tips on whether you should pursue one. What are the worst majors for college students? If, after graduation, you want to have an easier time finding a job with ahigh salary, consider avoiding these 26 majors. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Ann Pudeator (Victim of the Salem Witch Trials)

Ann Pudeator (Victim of the Salem Witch Trials) We don’t know Ann Pudeator’s birth name or date, but she was probably born in the 1620s, still in England. She had lived in Falmouth, Maine. Her first husband was Thomas Greenslade. They had five children; he died in 1674. She married Jacob Pudeator in 1676, the year after his wife died. She had originally been hired as a nurse to his wife; her  trouble with alcohol refers to her as an â€Å"alcoholic†, but this is anachronistic. Jacob Pudeator died in 1682. He was relatively wealthy, leaving her somewhat comfortable. She lived in Salem Town. Ann Pudeator and the Salem Witch Trials She was accused mostly by Mary Warren, but also by Anne Putnam Jr., John Best Sr., John Best Jr. and Samuel Pickworth. Her son had testified as an accuser against George Burrough’s trial May 9 and 10, and Ann was arrested on May 12, the same day as Alice Parker was also arrested. She was examined on May 12. She was held until her second examination on July 2. She petitioned the court saying that the evidence against her in court â€Å"were all of them altogether false untrue†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Among the charges were the usual one of forcing Mary Warren to sign the Devil’s book, possession of witchcraft objects which she claimed were grease for soap-making, and using witchcraft to cause the death of her second husband’s wife, whom she had been nursing, and then the death of her second husband himself. She was indicted on September 7 and on September 9, she was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang, as were Mary Bradbury,  Martha Corey,  Mary Easty, Dorcas Hoar and Alice Parker. On September 22, Ann Pudeator, Martha Corey  (whose husband had been pressed to death on September 19), Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Mary Parker, Wilmott Redd, Margaret Scott and Samuel Wardwell were hanged for witchcraft; the Rev. Nicholas Noyes called them â€Å"eight firebrands of hell.†Ã‚   It was the last executions in the Salem witch craze of 1692. Ann Pudeator After the Trials In 1711, when the province’s legislature restored all rights to those who had been accused in the trials, including a number of those executed (thus re-establishing property rights for their heirs), Ann Pudeator was not among those named. In 1957, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts legally exonerated the remaining accused in the trials; Ann Pudeator was named explicitly.  Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Wilmott Redd and Margaret Scott were included implicitly. Motives Her occupation as a nurse and midwife may have been a motivation for others to charge her with witchcraft. She was also a well-off widow, and there may have been property issues involved, though that is not documented explicitly. It’s interesting that, though she had descendants, no family members participated in the suit leading to the 1710/11 reversal of convictions of others who had been executed. Ann Pudeator in  Fiction Ann Pudeator does not appear as a named character in either The Crucible (Arthur Miller’s play) or the 2014 television series, Salem.

Discuss China in terms of being the Middle Kingdom, population growth Essay

Discuss China in terms of being the Middle Kingdom, population growth issues, and industrialization - Essay Example This gets portrayed in their continuous exponential growth, increasing military strength and the continued antagonism towards their neighbors Taiwan. The Chinese population best justifies the reference to China as the Middle Kingdom. This is because China is a highly populated country with near alarming demographics. Recent population figures put China’s population at more than 1.3billion people, making it the most populous country in the world. China alone accounts for a fifth of the world’s population. The Middle Kingdom’s population grows by between 12 and 13 million people each year, a figure that beats the population of countries such as Greece, Ecuador or Belgium (Lamson, 2007). With this huge demographic, almost all social problems get magnified. For instance if 10% of the Chinese population gets unemployed, the figure of people out of work equals half the United States population. The monstrous population in China has led to an increase in competition for all the available resources. However, the Chinese economy is a booming partly because a majority of the population, over 70%, is in the working bracket. Analysts say that this will drastically change due to the graying of the population. The advent of the one child policy in the 1970s requiring each couple to give birth to one child has led to the shrinking of the working age population. Though the margin of Chinese population increase has reduced, the effect of reduced working age population has not been felt yet. China’s economy keeps growing presently due to the large existing working population (Goldman, 2006). China did not experience early industrialization. The Middle Kingdom belief focused on relationships that made the family unit way influential than individuals. This could explain why industrialization did not occur in China until the Mao Zedong era between1949-1960. During this period, China’s economy got reorganized and experienced a significant

Career management in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Career management in business - Essay Example These consequently affect the performance of an organization. These contracts are in a moment of transition. In this way, organizational relationships are turning into transactional contracts. In transitional contract, security of assets is ensured by creating safe returns from uncertain returns. There are examples of these contracts which include intermediaries offer insurance to their customers. Others include commercial paper markets working together with intermediaries likened to money market mutual funds. These changes in relationships have interfered with labour market within organization. Understanding intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships in organizations affects the means through which career management can be understood. It will influence individual career management and organizational career management (Kase and Zupan, 2007, 16-17; Gorton and Pennachi, 1988, 1-3). According to Adekola (2011, p100), a career is a lifelong process that constitute of a pattern of unde rtakings and related perspectives or conducts that happen in the life of a person as long as they are working. It is also perceived as a sequence of experiences during work, such as work related decisions; job positions, duties, and work related events as interpreted subjectively by individuals, for example, values, aspirations, things hope for, needs and feelings work that prevail within the time an individual is working. The plan and execution of organizational processes that facilitate the careers to be intended and controlled in a way that satisfies completely both the what a person prefers as per their capabilities and they are also designed to meet requirement of an organization (Yahya, Othman and Meruda 2004, p75). With the changing nature of work, it has become important for individuals and organisations to manage their careers. This is because every individual is expected to produce results that are meeting the needs of the organization. The realisation that effective usage of skills and knowledge can cause a great improvement in performance has caused many people and organisations to device ways to manage human capital. Career management is a continuous process that involves preparation, development, implementation, and tracking career plans and means to achieve career goals. Career management can be done by an individual or by an organisation. Individual Career Management (ICM) is done personally and it involves data collection about how to solve emerging challenges of the work and plans to develop their career. In this kind of career management, a person is responsible for decision making affecting their career development (Dargham, 2011, p4). Organizational Career Management implies effort an organisation put to improve the quality of life of an individual who is an employee. It involves policies, activities and programmes that are put in place to ensure that an organisation or employers facilitate the development strategies and designs of their e mployees’ careers (Adekola, 2011, p102). Career management requires analysis of the changing trends of jobs and careers in the present time. Both the organization and individual should carry out an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses they have so that they can focus on development (GMP, Not dated, p1-3). In the past, organizations could ensure job security even with changing environment. In the current days because of the competitive nature of the external market,

Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Argument - Essay Example nting of nuclear bombs, religious discrimination, and gender discrimination is unscrupulous, its consequences and what is to be done to correct the same? The discrimination against African Americans in America is a burning issue. One cannot neglect the seriousness of discrimination based on racism against blacks in a multiracial, multilingual and multicultural society. The Civil War was an innovative movement which aimed to eradicate racism or discrimination in America. But still discrimination against blacks based on racial feeling prevails. The Colfax massacre in 1873 and Coushatta massacre in 1874, in which thousands of African Americans were brutally murdered prove that the American society still show discrimination against blacks. Assimilating a race into the society and showing discrimination is not fair for a developed society like America. When America is discriminating the blacks, their contribution/service provided at the time of World War I and World War II is ignored. The discrimination against backs is unethical and immoral. Discrimination based on caste, color or creed is a serious violation of human rights because it is against human dignity. But it can be corrected by reconsidering the age old prejudice against blacks. Besides, it will badly affect the reputation of the American society as a multiracial society which is capable to assimilate different types of races into the mainstream. The nuclear weapon policy of the United States attracts much criticism from other nations because it seems to hinder global peace and security. From one side, the United States is trying to sustain its nuclear bombs/weapons. On the other side, it is trying to blame other nations for keeping nuclear weapons. A nation, protecting a number of nuclear weapons and blaming other nations on keeping the same makes the whole world to reconsider their nuclear policies. Schwartz (1998), in the work -‘Atomic audit: the costs and consequences of U.S. nuclear weapons since

Causes of Obesity in the USA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Causes of Obesity in the USA - Research Paper Example Obesity is a health state typically caused by a mixture of unwarranted food energy ingestion, absence of physical activity, and genetic vulnerability. In certain situations, obesity is as a consequence of genes, endocrine turmoil, prescriptions or psychiatric ailments. There is also evidence to sustain this supposition that certain obese individuals ingest little. Nonetheless, they gain weight as a consequence of slow metabolism. Typically obese individuals have significant energy expenditure than skinny individuals as a result of energy needed to sustain a heightened body mass. Obesity also defines the condition of having at least over thirty percent of the idyllic body mass for an individual’s height. It describes the condition of having disproportionate amount of fat relative to one’s lean muscle in the body (Haslam and James 31). Obesity is a principal, avoidable cause of demise globally, with heightened frequency in adults and kids. Numerous authorities internation ally suppose that obesity is the most severe public health quandary. It is a condition extremely stigmatized in the contemporary world. In addition, obesity is usually perceived as a sign of affluence and fertility in certain regions of the globe. The causes and repercussions of obesity have brought about varied health calamities in this century. The most significant causes of this health condition are escalated blood sugar, consumption of wrong foods and limited exercise. These impacts usually result in increased medical expenses, unwarranted family costs, devastated lives and unhealthy kids. It also results in elevated rates of diabetes. The figures of individuals with diabetes in America are overwhelming. Obesity costs the nation a lot of cash as a consequence of heightened medical costs. America hosts the most obese individuals in the globe. This implies that two thirds of the American populace is overweight. There are varied components of contemporary life that have added to th e causes of this health condition and its detrimental impacts to people’s lives. However, there are interior mechanisms that have a significant impact including an individual’s appetite, metabolism as well as satiety from foodstuff. Varied individuals suppose that obesity is as a consequence of behavioral matters. Nonetheless, obesity could also result from hormonal as well as genetic quandaries, which develop insufficiencies in internal body operations causing obesity (Barness and Optiz 10). Causes of Obesity The foodstuffs individuals consume daily contribute to their well-being. These foods supplies with the crucial nutrients they require for vigorous bodies and the calories essential for energy. However, overconsumption of calories results in obesity. An individual gains weight when he or she consumes more calories than the body utilizes. The body, consequently, transforms these excess calories into fat. At the outset, fat cells augment in size. However, when these cannot expand anymore, their number escalates. This health state, nonetheless, has innumerable causes. This implies that age, sexual category, genes, ecological elements as well as psychological makeup might cause this medical condition. With regard to genes, obesity is an ailment that runs in family units. This is usually as a consequence of genes as well as mutual diet and lifestyle behavior. Another significant cause of obesity is emotions. Certain individuals overeat as a