Preparing for Success Essay

Education is the basis of creating a life full of wealth and contentment. Obtaining a high school education can help one succeed in his or her future and give one the opportunities to pursue his or her aspirations. Unfortunately many students lack the education, resources and knowledge to enter adulthood after graduating high school. They are not sufficiently prepared to enter into the work force, succeed at a university, or have any understanding on how to be an ethical citizen. Students should be given the chance to develop a strong work ethic, be given the opportunity to explore different careers and college options, acquire skills that will help them in college and obtain an understanding of how their government works before graduating high school. A strong work ethic is obtained by developing a sense of independence and becoming dependable. Every year, if students’ reliance on teachers was decreased, they would be forced to rely on themselves to remember when coursework i s due. During my senior year at the high school I attended, El Molino High School in Forestville California, students in my English class were given a syllabus with an outline of the course and dates when homework was due. The teacher did not remind us when assignments were due, and we had to remember when work was due. In college, a student has to rely on himself or herself to take notes, remember when homework is due, and study on his or her own for exams. Therefore academic skills learned in high school should be similar to the skills required in a college classroom and those that people can use in their adult lives. Students graduating from high school should†¦be able to read with understanding classic literature and write well-organized and grammatically sound essays; they should know the basic outlines of American and European history, have a good beginner’s grasp of at least two natural sciences as well as pre-calculus mathematics (Gutting). Having these basic skills and learning to become self-sufficient would make the transition from high school to career less stressful for those who decide not to attend college. Being independent and learning to rely on oneself will help one become more  dependable, and in turn, a better employee. To strengthen a student’s work ethic, high schools should require students to rely more on themselves, which would help students become more independent. Students will not know what career they want to pursue once they graduate high school if they are never given the opportunity to investigate and experience different occupations. For students who have decided not to attend college, high school should be the institution where different careers can be explored. High schools should have the responsibility of helping students find internships or job shadowing opportunities specific to careers students are interested in. At El Molino High School a career based project, during our senior year, was given so students had the opportunity to research the occupation they are interested in. They were then required to find an internship or a volunteer opportunity related to the career topic they had selected. Students could then find out what they liked and didn’t like about the career through first-hand experience and have more insight into whether or not they wanted to pursue that career after graduation. For my project, I chose to volunteer at a convalescent center to gain experience in the nursing field. After the project was over, I knew nursing was the right career for me, and decided to pursue a degree in the health care industry. But if a career based learning project is not required, counselors should help students find internships, attend job fairs, and find classes that would be beneficial to the career a student wants to pursue. High school should be a place where students are given adequate preparation for the work world, whether they are attending college or not. In high school, many students have no idea which college they should attend. Counselors should take the time to discuss with each student his or her plans for after graduation. The counselor and the student should then construct a list of universities that have programs corresponding with the degree the student wants to pursue. At the end of my junior year at El Molino High School, I met with my counselor and we created a list of ten colleges that had respectable nursing programs. Making the list helped me to narrow down my search and choose a college, but many students at my high school did not take advantage of the opportunity to meet with their counselor because the information about meeting was not broadcasted well.  Meeting with a counselor when going through the college process is incredibly helpful. If more students made the effort to receive help from high school counselors and counselors made a better effort to reach out to all students when exploring college options, they would have an easier time choosing a university. High school should thoroughly prepare students who are planning to seek a higher education after graduation. Academic skills learned in high school should be similar to the skills required in a college classroom. Developing adequate study habits is key to success in college. Studying for a couple hours every day, whether or not there is homework, should be second nature to a student when he enters college. Attaining proper note taking skills in high school and figuring out a format that best helps one study is a critical aspect to receiving good test grades. Some students do not have a chance to learn how to take usable notes. At Analy High School, which is a high school near El Molino, students were never taught how to take usable notes which made it more difficult for them to study for tests due to poor organization of the notes they did take. I taught one my friends from Analy the note taking styles I had learned. After he mastered the different styles and started taking organized and usable notes his grades improved. A specific section in freshman English should teach students the different note taking styles. In my sophomore English class we were introduced to different not taking styles including the Cornell method, which I found was a very useful way to study for tests. Another element that should be incorporated into high school curriculum is different essay and paper formats. Many high schools only teach the MLA paper format, and do not cover APA, which is the format many college students are required to use for their papers. If core classes taught techniques that students could utilize in college, the transition between institutions would be less difficult. After graduating high school, students should have a general understanding of how their government works in order to become competent citizens. According to Theodore Sizer â€Å"knowledge of the government to the extent the child will be equipped to make informed choices among persons and issues that affect his own governance† (119), is one of the general elements of an efficient education system. To make decisions when voting that will benefit oneself, he or she needs to be informed on all the candidates and propositions. When I was in Advanced Placement  Government, my class spent a significant amount of the first semester researching candidates and understanding the propositions for the 2012 election. Though few people were eighteen and had the ability to vote, reviewing the information in the voting packet helped us understand how the voting process works, and how to read the propositions thoroughly so we when we did vote, we could understand exactly what we would be voting for. All high schools should offer a course that helps students understand the voting process and sufficient information about the American government should be provided to all students before they have the capability to vote. High schools should be able to sufficiently prepare students for their lives after graduation by giving them tools to develop a strong work ethic, explore colleges and careers, and understand how the government works. If students were given these opportunities for improvement in high school, the transition into an adult life would be easier. Works Cited Gutting, Gary. â€Å"What Is College For? (Part 2).† The New York Times: The Opinion Pages. 11 Jan. 2012. 17 Nov. 2013. Sizer, Theodore. â€Å"What High School Is.† Reading Culture. White Plains, NY: Longman, 2011. 119.

Management and Organizational Behavior Essay

This is a reaction paper on the book ‘Leadership and Self Deception: Getting out of the Box’, by the Arbinger Institute. This will therefore discuss how I felt about the topic in the book and the reasons why. The book is about self deception which is described in dialogue between Tom Callum, a new employee for senior management position Zagrum Company, with Bud Jefferson, the executive vice president of the same company. An excerpt of the dialogue is quoted below with Bud Jefferson talking to Tom Callum saying the following words: â€Å"The bigger problem was that I couldn’t see that I had a problem. † Bud paused for a moment, and then, leaning forward toward me, he said in a lower, even more earnest tone, â€Å"There is no solution to the problem of lack of commitment, for example, without a solution to the bigger problem—the problem that I can’t see that I’m not committed. † Bud also added: â€Å"Tom, there’s a technical name for the insistent blindness I exhibited in San Francisco. Philosophers call it ‘self-deception. ’ At Zagrum we have a less technical name for it—we call it ‘being in the box. ’ In our way of talking, when we’re self-deceived, we’re ‘in the box. ’ From the above the word self deception is defined. We will use the meaning in the following paragraphs. If self deception is incapacity to see the reality of the problem, the next question is: Could it happen to everyone? Dr. Peck said â€Å"Life is series of problem. † If there is truth in what Dr. has said then self-deception could happen to everyone because every body will really have a problem. Hence the issue should be to become aware of the problem so that solutions could be made accordingly. Hence Dr. Peck suggested that discipline is the basic tool we require to solve life’s problems. He argued that without discipline we can solve nothing and that with only some discipline we can solve only some problem and with total discipline we can solve all problems. Given that problem solving is a reality, failure therefore to see that there is a problem could be a dangerous or pathetic situation. To illustrate, I had a friend who just did not know that he is sick and that he is dying of cancer which he failed to detect earlier. Before he realized to do some prevention he was already dead. In the case of every living thing, failure to recognize the problem is the most damaging because that would mean wrong use of freedom and intelligence bestowed to us. This applies to business organization since they also have life to sustain. They must continue to serve their customers otherwise these organizations are sick or in danger of dying. What could be the consequences of self deception? Not knowing what the problem is, one cannot solve the problem. Not being able to solve the problem will cause the problem to create more pressure and the greater the pressure the less are the available choices. In psychology we have the so called neurosis and character disorders which are the result of the result not balancing responsibility. When one assumes too much responsibility he is neurotic, while the one with character disorder assumes little. That could be also the consequence for people who will assume too much problem and those who simply cannot see that there is a problem. In the book that we are reacting upon, character disorder as a consequence would be the closest thing to happen. The consequence for failing to heal the disorder is delay in emotional maturity. If we apply that to Zagrum, that would be restricting the normal growth of the company that could amount to killing the company slowly. How then to solve self –deception? Discipline through openness and transparency is the best solution. People must be ready to accept accusation especially if they are true since that is the only way where one would not have him self-deceived. We need the eyes of other to reflect what is hidden in us. Socrates said that we should know ourselves and that could be found in disclosing about ourselves to other so that they get reflected to others who will help us see the truth in us. This is one of the lessons of the book on Self-deception as dreamed by Bud for the Zagrum Company. Bud was quoted saying to Tom: â€Å"At Zagrum, Tom, our top strategic initiative is to minimize individual and organizational self-deception. † Bud did have good experience about self deception which he wanted to impart to Tom. He realized that problem would be most damaging. Self deception may not be easily recognized by some or they may get hidden because of stubbornness, pride and simply ignorance. Although an open person is vulnerable, there are more advantage to self-disclosure than self-deception, the consequences of which are simply damaging. To conclude, it may be stated that a problem that half well define it half solved. Wrongly defined problem is not solving the problem. Avoiding the problem will cause problem to run after you. A health organization accepts the reality of problems because of objectives set. Objectives-attainment involves series of problems that must be anticipated and solved. A problem in life is bound to arise and the reality is that life is difficult. Indeed life is a series of problem to be solved, hence by not acknowledging the problem, there is an attempt to escape what is reality and to escape reality would be more painful in the long run. Work Cited: Peck, S. The Road Less Traveled, Simon and Schuster, 1978 Arbinger Institute , Excerpts of Leadership and Self Deception. Getting out of the Box’, {www document} URL, http://www. arbinger. com/C2/ArbingerHome/default. aspx? Page=Home, Accessed October 30,2006

The Best Gift Ever

I examined the fine metallic textures of it once again as it captivated me. It kept me pondering endlessly, and its uniqueness seemed to grow every time I glanced at it. It shone like an angel’s light as I fiddled with it about the sunlight that had already appeared before. What could be more valuable about it? I wondered again. Just moments before, I had found this on my desk. It was a gift from my mother. But as attractive as it was, it seemed that the thought behind it was the source of its beauty. The day was passing by almost too quickly as I was enjoying the warm summer outdoors. But it was not just another day today, it was my birthday. Even though I sometimes do not think much about this day, a simple gift makes this day simply different from any other. I have always preferred something simple, whether giving or receiving a gift, simple always does it. I knew that I will be receiving something from my mother. Even if it wasn’t a new car topped with the world’s most expensive rims or James Bond’s Seiko watch, I would be fine with it. I don’t ask for much, I can appreciate whatever I get. When I came home in the afternoon, lying on my desk was a white box no more than three inches in length and width decorated with a very light emboss of abstract design. I opened it carefully and discovered a beautiful metal keychain positioned almost perfectly among the padding that prevented it from damage. The four corners that were slightly etched across in a curvy manner revealed to be the most reflective part that ran throughout the other side. My fingers traced across the finest engraving of Edwardian-script that spelt my name. I took the keychain into my own hands and studied it while it reflected the alluring sunlight that found its way through the windows. Thinking about this gift that my mother had given me invited a warm and heartfelt feeling that seemed to radiate throughout my entire body. The simple but extravagant design of this gift had more to offer than just itself, and the fact that the gift was meant for me stood out like a spotlight in a crowd, belonging to the rightful person. Me. It was as if my mother put her entire heart in the gift to ensure that the world knew it was mine. It could not mean any more than that. A gift just for me. I thanked her afterwards. It is the thought of the gift that counts. I never knew how a simple key chain could mean so much. It was not the beautiful glint, the soft but solid edges or the charming way it called my name that made it seem appealing alone, but rather that with the given meaning, it seemed to complement each other like the bright stars against the dark sky. The physical features of the gift could not solely match the thought of the gift itself, but could only praise it. The shiny metal keychain had satisfied my definition of a simple but meaningful gift.

PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY ANALYSIS - Essay Example California should seek corporation from the national government and other counties in developing laws on global warming, consider possible unemployment due to the law, and incorporate health professionals in refining the bill. The legislature, as an arm of the government, makes laws that govern a jurisdiction and that may be specific to a sector, such as the health sector, or may affect multiple sectors. An understanding of contents, possible intended and unintended effects, stakeholders, and divergent views over a proposed law is important to life of a bill or a law. Below is a discussion of California Assembly Bill 21, based on these aspects. The bill associates global warming with public health concerns. It recognizes direct effects of global warming such as poor quality of air, reduced quality, and quantity of supplied water, and rise in sea level and these have caused health problems such as infectious and respiratory diseases. Consequences of global warming, such as damaged marine system and threat to biodiversity, also contribute to incidence of infectious and respiratory infections (California AB. 21, 2014). About 881500 children and more than two million adults in California suffers from asthma per year and ragweed that affects 9 counties and high smog levels that affect 31 counties are factors. Ninety percent of the state’s population also lives under polluted air. Air pollution due to wildfires, a factor to the respiratory condition, is also significant and is expected to rise by more than 50 percent. Incidences of Dengue Fever (35 between the year 1995 and the year 2005), West Nile virus (2982 cases betw een the years 1999 and 2010), and Lyme disease (2370 cases between the years 1990 and 2008) have been reported in the state. There is high risk of water shortage in 83 percent of California and dry condition has increased chances of wildfire. High sea level that have led to sewer

Strategic human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Strategic human resource management - Essay Example Strategic human resource management ensures that human resource management aligns human resource goals with overall business objectives. The force behind strategic human resource management is the growing need for firms to align their human resource strategies with the general business structure of overall goals In the contemporary market characterised with intense competition, most organisations have diverted from conventional perception of human resource as passive resource that can be manipulated to get things done. Organisations now understand the importance of human resource in the competition-plagued market and treat their workforce as crucial source of competitive advantage. Many firms have realized that there is likely to be no organisation in absence of employees. Human resource practices are thus perceived to be geared towards supporting overall objectives of the firm. This paper explores strategic human resource management of Burger King in Vietnam. Company Background Burg er King, often referred to as BK, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Florida, United States. Burger King’s roots can be traced back to Insta-Burger King, a restaurant chain in Florida founded in 1953. When Insta-Burger King was riddled with financial problems in 1954, David Edgerton and James McLamore, Miami-based franchisees, purchased the restaurant and gave it the now popular name, Burger King. The company has changed ownership severally since then with present owners focusing on restructuring to restore the company’s glory. By 2012, the company had approximately 12,700 outlets located in 73 nations. Burger King has basically relied on franchise business approach to grow globally and seek presence in many parts of the world. Burger King’s licensing of franchises differs from one location to another and depends on regions. Some franchises are categorised as master franchises and are mandated to sell the company’s sub-licenses. The companyâ €™s rapport with its franchises has never been smooth, leading to occasional legal challenges (Phi, 2012). Burger King became interested in Vietnam market in 2011 when the company collaborated with IPP/Blue Kite Vietnam. The company proceeded to establish its initial restaurant in Vietnam in 2012. Vietnam is perceived to be one of the most crucial markets for the company in Asia-Pacific (Phi, 2012). Through franchising, Burger King engaged with IPP group/BKV to ensure faster growth of the company in Vietnam (Phi, 2012). BKV in the strategic partnership was seen as a potential contributor in many crucial areas of the company. BKV was anticipated to provide employee training and development, finding strategic locations, and marketing of Burger King Brand among other roles. On the other hand, Burger king would ensure organisational as well as structural advancement while at the same time providing proficiency and assistance on its global operating system (Phi, 2012). Strategic Huma n Resource Management of Burger King in Vietnam The contemporary market is increasingly becoming competitive and consumer behaviour is also becoming very sophisticated. As such, firms which operate internationally are faced with the challenge competing on global scale. International human resource managers are tasked with the daunting role of developing workforce teams that can work in diverse business environments (Armstrong & Baron, 2002). In order to counter the growing global challenges in international business arena, strategic international human resource management is inevitable. Strategic international human resource management (SIHRM) can be referred to as the process whereby an international firm strategise on how to create and implement business policies and traditions for effectively managing its workforce on global scale(Armstrong, 2008). Strategic intern

Midterm Business and Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Midterm Business and Philosophy - Essay Example s precept is considered to be the main basis of most business ethics in regards to the various interactions that may occur with the customers, stakeholders, members of the community, minority shareholders or the employees (Dani, 74). The label â€Å"golden† was first applied to the rule by the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.). Various other similar formulations of this maxims are to be found at the centre of Taoism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and some of the rest of the world’s major religions. As the American philosopher Marcus G. Singer, correctly deduced; the Golden Rule happens to be a principle of rather great antiquity. It is seen to have played a key role in establishing moral teachings in nearly all religions and cultures and presently continues to play a significant role in our moral education. More importantly is the point that has been put forth by Augustine and some of the other philosophers that the Golden Rule is not only key in the setting of limitations for our actions, but also it help in encouraging us to promote the interests of other people above those of ourselves (Dani, 74). Although it is considerably one of the oldest and best maxims to practice, the Golden Rule in some cases might not necessarily be the best standard in the management of people in business. It has been found that what one employee might find valuable and highly appreciate, another employee might absolutely despise. According to Zimbardo and Weber, This can be attributed to the fact that preferences in life are highly individualized and learned. These variances include how individuals prefer to be treated by their supervisors. The incorrect tendency for people to assume that other persons happen to share the same behaviour, feelings and opinions as they do is referred to by social psychologists as false consensus effect. This tendency is considered to be a fundamental bias that affects how people happen to think as concerning others (McLean

Class student dicussions answers week 2 Assignment

Class student dicussions answers week 2 - Assignment Example The concept of group thinking is not reflected on how the student argues that the government is not fully addressing the fire arm possession issue. It is important to understand a statement or question before responding to it in order to accurately answer it without diverging to issues out of topic. In explaining how the â€Å"you attitude† and the company’s credibility would be used in communicating the change from animal testing, Fedline hits the nail on the head by acknowledging that the company values concerns by its customers. This shows that the company has employed the â€Å"you attitude† in putting first the customers as most valuable stakeholders in the company. The communication is very efficient since it is concluded by an encouragement to the customers to continue airing their views and providing feedback to the company. The second response to this concern by customers is also on point. The student makes it appear as if the company itself had similar plans. The student goes ahead to say that he would highlight on the new methods that the company would use without compromising on the quality of its products. This leads to an increased customer confidence in products. Communication via letters is also personal and direct. It is an effective way of responding to customer opinions since they are more likely to feel valued by the company. Joelena identifies a jargon in the article titled "Obama to Congress: 'We Are Not a Deadbeat Nation' ". The word â€Å"Deadbeat† is popularly used in North America and describes a person who is not in a position to pay a debt or meet his/her financial obligations. The word is effectively used if the target audience are Americans but ineffective to international reader who may not understand the word. Joelena has however not provided examples of an epithet nor a euphemism as required. The student proceeds to answer to the second question by showing how respect calls for a change in dialect as she talks to her spouse, children, friends and even strangers. The examples provided are effective and meaningful. Saraswathi begins answering the question by describing the meaning of an epithet, a euphemism and jargons before providing short but accurate examples of each. This answers the first part of the question in few words which are quite appropriate. The student however does not describe any situation which necessitates code switching in his daily encounters. Before deploying Windows 7 in an enterprise network environment, Anna believes that compatibility of existing software application and ability of employees in the organization to use the new system are important factors which must be considered. If this are not carefully considered, an enterprise might need to forego use of certain application which may be crucial in operation of day to day activities of an organization. Incompatible applications should be upgraded or changed in preparation to deploying Windows 7 in an enterprise network environment. Staff should be trained on how to use the new system. If they are not, productivity is set to drastically reduce. In response to the statement requiring a step which one would take on a reference computer and another on a technician computer when creating a custom image, Anna and Michael use technical terms to comprehensively address the issue at hand. The two

Optimum compromise in current UK intellectual property law Essay

Optimum compromise in current UK intellectual property law - Essay Example Many complex questions are posed about intellectual property rights (IPRs) as the laws develop to take on EU directives. Against this backdrop is the central paradox of intellectual property law needing to control access to IPRs but simultaneously permitting non-owners access to those same rights. It is said achieving an optimum compromise here has always proven controversial. Definition and categories. Intellectual Property is the name given to new ideas or concepts with practical application that the law recognises as having value by providing legal protection.4 IPRs are legal property rights that have an owner who can choose to sell or licence the IP to a third party or prevent their copying or using the idea without the owners' permission.5 IP are generally categorized as - Copyright is an automatic and unregistered right protecting all manner of written works, drawings, artwork, photographs, films, websites, software and music.8 It protects the author's original expression as contained in the work but not the ideas.9 It lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years, giving exclusive rights to the author to prevent others from copying his work.10 The idea is that writers and artists should get some reward not only in their lifetime but for the benefit of their descendents as well.11 The first statute in Britain to refer to the rights of the author was the Statute of Anne in 1709, 12 but there was no real belief in the "rights of the author." 13 The efforts to protect copyright of British authors who publish abroad eventually led to the Berne Convention on Copyright of 1886.14 Later, the Treaty of Rome in 1928 gave more teeth to moral rights of authors in a higher profile of an international treaty. Next came the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act that made explicit connection between the economic rights and moral rights of the author.15 Obtaining now is the 2003 Copyright and Related Rights Regulations aimed to bring legal protection up to date with the digital environment. 16 Copyright generally covers the economic and moral rights of the author. The right to copy in copyright is alienable, i.e. it can be sold, licensed or given to a second party. However, the rights to alter a work, and to be represented as the

To raise or lower tuition at a University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

To raise or lower tuition at a University - Essay Example The definition of revenue is actually total amount of money that a firm, in this case the university receives, from the goods and services it offers for sale. Average Revenue= TR/Q- This the total amount of fees paid by each individual student in the university. It’s the fee per student. Plot of these values on a graph will give us the demand curve of the university. If the students behave like rational consumers they will evaluate the effect of the rise in tuition fees on their gain in the institution. As we can observe from the above curves, we can say that an increase in price will lead to a decrease in the goods consumed. This is the case with normal economic expectation from the students who we categorically say that they are normal and rational consumers of the good which is education. It is true to say that an increase in fees may lead to decline in the number of students because some may drop out of school due to lack of funds to further or complete their studies. This is a decrease in Total revenue TR for the University from TR1 to TR2. This is actually because the price which is the tuition fees has increased from P1 to P2. This scenario the state university might loss revenues so if the students will behave like normal consumers they should reconsider that decision. An increase in tuition will also increase in revenue if the students do not withdraw their membership. Another scenario where the revenue may even escalate is when new students flood in to register as students of the university while the old ones retain their membership; this is because they associate the increase in tuition with an increase in services in the university. In this case the University will register high revenue and thus if the situation is good and the students behave like that, they should increase tuition for them to earn more revenue. The revenue will remain the same if

Quality Management Plan for BookTek Media Inc Essay

Quality Management Plan for BookTek Media Inc - Essay Example 5). BookTek Media Inc can use the profile of its customers to come with an online system that conforms to the needs of the customers. This means the system should allow for key word searches in multiple word combinations. This will go a long way in taking care for unexpected key word searches that the customer may use while looking for a book. Apart from being active on a 24-hour basis, the company should ensure that the system is most accessible during the period when the customers are most active (Ludwig-Becker, 2008, p.10). Since BookTek has been having an almost perfect interaction with its customers, the online system must ensure this level of interaction is maintained. Thus, the ordering system will have an option where the customer can leave a message and that message will be responded to within a specified period depending on the agency of the message. BookTek should also consider using effective and informed purchasing decision-making through subject-specific acquisition pro files, digitized preview information and list of recommendations tailored to the requirements of the customer (Phillips, 2011, p. 11). The ordering system should allow the customers to have a look at the content pages of the material that they want to order. BookTek will also require an ordering system that seamlessly integrates and displays updated bibliographic metadata in real-time mode directly on the company’s website. Quality management in an online environment can be challenging especially where the company offering the services does not know the kind of customers that are going to require its products. The ordering system that BookTek is going to implement should thus allow for a multilingual catalogue search in specialist titles that must be finely differentiated using the sub-categories in subjects (Fox, 2009, p. 5). Therefore, to ensure quality of service delivery, the system that BookTek Media is going to implement must provide filters that distinguish the type of work available, media type, language, and the subject category. The ordering system for BookTek will need to provide mechanisms through which the company can communicate with the customer and vice versa (Scott, 2010, p. 24). Thus, BookTek Media must employ alerting services such as RSS feeds. Consequently, BookTek Media will use the customer feedback information as a yardstick in evaluating the success of its products to the customers and identify ways of improving the system. In order to remain competitive in the online book market, BookTek will require to integrate web interfaces in its ordering system that assist the customer service team to organize the selection of important criteria with a view of creating a personalized list of books and materials that are available in the store. For instance, the system may consider using web-based services like Web2Print expo facility that allows for a direct combination of books a specific bookseller or buyer (Mould, 2006, p. 3). The faci lity also should allow for automated delivery of information to the customer after subscription so that such customers remain informed about the new arrivals (Phillips, 2011, p. 14). Case Study 2 Demand for cash (D = $ 17,000 per day = $ 5,185,000 per year â€Å"305 working day†). Interest rate currently charged (CC = 9% â€Å"0.09†). Charges a loan origination fee (CO = $ 1200 Plus P1= 2.25%â€Å"0.0225†) If she take $500,000 or more the Bank will lower the loan origination fee from 2.25% to / P2=2% â€Å"0.02†). Loan takes (L= 15 day). Economic order quantity (EOQ): Q =  =  Q=$371,842.26 Loan amount per lone. No. of loans per year: Number of loans =  =  = 13.94 (14 Loans per year).

Two Career Versus Single Career Families Essay Example for Free

Two Career Versus Single Career Families Essay Families with two working parents are more common today than in years past.   The percentage of stay at home parents has been dwindling since WWII when women started entering the job force at a rapid rate.   While there are plenty of working families, many families still have a stay at home parent, especially with very young children in the home.   The differences between two career and single career families can be noticed in their economical situation, in their involvement with their children, and in their recreational activities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The financial situations of families with two working parents and families with one working parent vary.   Two career households typically bring in more revenue.   They also spend less on utilities on average because there are less household members in the family during the day.   Two career families often have daycare expenses, however, but these dwindle as children age and attend school. Depending on the career of the breadwinner, single career families typically make less money on average than families with two working parents.   Utilities and food costs could run a bit higher because more people are in the home more often than families where both parents work.   A bonus to having a stay at home parent is that there are relatively little or no costs associated with day care expenses. Overall, a family with two working parents will have a better financial situation than a single career family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another difference between a two career family and a one career family is the amount of and degree of involvement with the children.   Two career families often have a difficult time finding opportunities to volunteer in schools or take their children special places during the week due to their work schedules.   They are restricted by their employers on the amount of time that they can take off of work as well, so they may have to rely on babysitters or family members to do things such as take the children to scheduled appointments such as the doctor or dentist. Single career families, on the other hand, rarely have these issues.   A stay at home parent has more time and opportunity to do things like volunteer in the community or join groups where they have interaction with other parents and children.   If school age children are in the home, a stay at home parent can volunteer in the school, get the children from school if necessary and even do nice things like take them out to lunch once in awhile.   A stay at home parent also does not need to find alternate care for doctor and dentist appointments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another noticeable difference between two career families and single career families is the type of recreation that they engage in.   Often, when both parents work during the day, they fill their evenings catching up on their children’s activities and lives in between cooking dinner and catching up on household chores.   They often restrict their children’s’ extracurricular activities because there simply is not enough time to do everything.   Two career families can save up for family vacations when both parents can take time off. Single career families seem to have more children involved in more activities.   These families don’t restrict activities as much because there is someone at home during the day taking care of the chores; there is no catch up in the evening, so it is easier for everyone to do more things.   Single career families often do not take vacation because they cannot afford it and their schedules are full already with all of the extracurricular activities that the children are involved in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are advantages to both two career and single career families.   Two career families generally have more revenue and can save up for vacation time, but miss out on other valuable time with their children.   Single career homes have someone at home taking care of all of the necessary chores, so the family can enjoy more activities, but on average, they have less revenue to do things like take long vacations.   Either way, a family is a family, and the most important thing they can share is love.

Taliban vs Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Essay Example for Free

Taliban vs Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Essay Afghanistan is a mountainous land-locked country, which is one of the central Asian countries. In addition, it is an Islamic country that Islam religion has played a significant role in governing it. In Afghanistan Many governments had been changed in past several decades. For instance, the Kingdom of Amanullah Khan, the Kingdom of Mohammad Nadir Shah, Mohammad Zahir Shah, The Communist Regimes, the Islamic State of Afghanistan, Taliban Regime, Interim Government, Transitional Government, and the Islamic Republic Governments. As most of us agree that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan changed very much in contrast to passed governments, especially Taliban Regime. This piece of writing concentrates on similarities and differences of Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The similarities are fewer among the mentioned governments; however, the differences between them are several. First the similarities will be discussed; secondly the differences will be pointed. The first similarity between these two governments is that in Taliban Regime laws and regulations of Islam was implemented and maintained in according with Sharia’s laws. It always tried to carry on the Islamic laws on people and disputes. There were three types of courts such as, Primary Court, Appealing Court, and Supreme Court. In a similar way, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is also trying to implement Islamic rules and regulations. It is also seeking to help people by solving the disputes by carrying on the rules of Islam. For solving the cases and disputes, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is structured three types of courts, for instance, Primary Court, Appealing Court, and Supreme Court. Another likeness between Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is the centrality of government in Kabul. From the first invasion that Taliban did, they had the plan take the control over Kabul, after capturing the Kabul City, Taliban decided to establish their central government in Kabul City. For all of their time in government, their central government was located in Kabul. Similarly, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, from the beginning of its government, the central government organizations are located in Kabul City. The third similarity between those two mentioned governments is the patronage of some foreign countries of both governments, Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. When Taliban came to the power, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and reportedly United States of America were the strongest supporters of Taliban Regime. The first country that supported them was Pakistan. Pakistan always announced their support of Taliban Regime. Furthermore, it also provided the Taliban Regime an enormous amount of money and military equipments. Likewise, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is also supported by some countries, such as, USA, some European Countries, Japan, India, Turkey, and many others. They all give any kinds of support for the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The most obvious difference among these two governments is in education. For example, in Taliban Regime, there were no education facilities for females. Females were not allowed to attend schools and universities. They were all far from education. Taliban’s thought was that if a girls or a woman go to school, they would learn not Islamic principles. In contrast, in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, females are allowed to join schools, universities and other education centers to have education. Moreover, the government is also trying to provide opportunities for both males and females to get educated and even to complete their educations outside Afghanistan. The next very important difference between these two governments is entertainment. In Taliban Regime there was not any kind of entertainment for pleasure and enjoyments. There was just one TV and one radio station by the name Islamic State TV and Radio Station that showed and played just all the fundamental issues of Islam. There were no music, movies, cinemas, and parties. Even in wedding and other parties if someone played music, he or she would be punished and sent prison. On the other hand, In the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, there are more than twenty TV channels and almost eighty radio stations that bring enjoyments and pleasure in people’s lives. People can have music in their weddings and parties. They can play music, watch TVs, and listen to radios. Another distinction between these two mentioned governments was the governing system of each. For example, in Taliban Regime, the government was just over several provinces. They did not have control all over Afghanistan although they had a central government in Kabul. Their government was always in risk that one day it would be collapse. Some of the important offices were not run properly. There was not good management in ministries. Corruption was in most ministries, especially in courts. Instead, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan contains a good and proper governing system. It is trying to offer chances of development for its employees and offices. It has got line by line authority of command. It is a selective government. There is National Assembly of Afghanistan. Furthermore, members for National Assembly of Afghanistan are selected by people. There are appropriate procedures of doing something in government offices. The other difference between Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is that in Taliban Regime women were not allowed to get out of their houses lonely. And they were not allowed to walk lonely in the markets and streets. If a woman found alone in anywhere in the city, one of her family member would be punished. Conversely, there is no one that people would afraid of them in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan women are free to go anywhere like restaurants and markets. The economical perspective is another difference among Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. In most of the provinces of Afghanistan during the Taliban period were wars happening. Therefore, people lift their homes and went to other countries. There were no farmers, no engineers, no doctors, overall no professionals that could help Afghanistan’s economy to develop. The government income was very less but the prices for goods were so high. No one invested in Afghanistan because being insure about the future of government. In contrast, in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, countries are hardly trying to invest in Afghanistan’s infrastructures. The government by itself is seeking to provide job opportunities for Afghan people. Professionals who lifted Afghanistan in Taliban Regime are coming back to their country to bring new ideas of development. In conclusion, it is now clear to most of us that Afghanistan had a very old history. Furthermore, the above facts show and indicate that Afghanistan passed a very difficult situation. The hardest situation that Afghanistan crossed through is the Taliban Regime. Although, some people are in support of Taliban Regime in past, but now some people are against them because of some difficulties in compare to this government, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Although there are some similarities between these two governments, but there are several differences between them.

Agile Development And Variation In SCRUM Sprint Information Technology Essay

Agile Development And Variation In SCRUM Sprint Information Technology Essay In Agile development SCRUM is highly acceptable approach. And main body of SCRUM is driven by the sprint. Activities in the SCRUM sprint are sprint meeting, sprint review, sprint backlog, development, acceptance testing, scrum meeting, sprint retrospective, and final shippable work product. it is observed that there are still missing activities that can be accommodated to improve the sprint. The research suggests some more activities that can be accommodated from other agile methodologies such XP, DSDM, and RUP/EUP. The new approach will enhance the sprint capability. KEYWORDS: Agile development, SCRUM, Extreme Programming, Rational Unified Process, Dynamic Systems Development Method INTRODUCTION Agile development is a group of methodologies where requirements and solutions develop through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional, cohesive teams. The main focus is on creating working software that could be handed over to the customer quickly rather than spending a lot of time writing specifications up front. Agile focuses on rapid iteration, with continuous customer input throughout the development lifecycle. In this paper we introduce a development process, in this process we have identified the missing activities in the SCRUM and collaborated the activities that are available in other Agile methodologies such as XP, DSM and RUP RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The methodology selected for this research is based on the qualitative analysis of the agile frameworks available in the industry. AGILE Agile has evolved as a light weight software development methodology against the legendary heavy weight software development methodologies such as waterfall, spiral, rapid prototyping, incremental. Agile methodology is based on iterative and incremental development that break tasks into small increments with nominal planning called iteration. Iterations are short time frames that typically last from one to four weeks. Each iteration involves a team working through a full software development cycle. AGILE ALLIANCE In spring of 2001, 17 software developers met at UTAH to see whether there was anything in common between the various light methodologies such asAdaptive Software Development, XP, Scrum, Crystal, Feature driven Development, Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM). AGILE MANIFESTO We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan [Martin C. Robert , Agile Principles, Patterns, and Practices in C#, Martin Micah, 2006] SCRUM Scrum is an incremental iterative process. In Scrum, product development is done in iterative cycles called Sprints. Sprints are typically 1-4 weeks in length, and the time box is not extendable, i.e. the backlog items that could not be completed in one sprint are catered in the next sprint. Once a sprint date is committed it is never extended. At the start of a Sprint, there is a sprint meeting in which priority items of product backlog are selected and team calculates the efforts and commits to complete them in the Sprint. Every day there is a daily standup meeting in which team reports the progress to each other and update simple visual representations of work remaining in sprint burn down chart. [The Scrum Papers: Nuts, Bolts, and Origins of an Agile Process Jeff Sutherland, Ph.D. Ken Schwaber Co-Creators of Scrum, 2007] [Deemer.P and Benefield.G, SCRUM PRIMER, 2006] EXTREME PROGRAMMING Extreme Programming is an agile development methodology that focuses on the critical activities required to build software. Like other agile methodologies it also supports the development in little iterations after a work product is available to be released. Unlike traditional SDLC, extreme programming does not support different phases of requirement gathering , analysis, design and development rather it advocates a environment where the client is the part of the team and all the phases of SDLC are executed simultaneously in iterative incremental order. DSDM Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is a software development method originally based on the methodology for rapid application development. DSDM is an incremental and iterative methodology that focuses on continuous user collaboration. Its goal is to deliver software systems on schedule and according to the financial plans while adjusting for requirement changes along with the development process. Among all agile methodologies DSDM is a fundamental methodology of Agile Alliance. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSDM ] RUP The Rational Unified Process (RUP) is an iterative software development process framework created by the Rational Software Corporation, a division of IBM since 2003[http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Desktops-and-Notebooks/IBM-Acquires-Rational/]. The RUP is a four-phase (inception, elaboration, construction, transition), prescriptive process whose scope is software development. The EUP extends the RUP to make it a full-fledged IT process. The EUP adds two phases, production and retirement. Not only do you need to develop systems, you also need to run them in production and potentially even remove them from production at some point. [The Object Primer, Third Edition,Scott W. Ambler 2004] COMPARISON Although there are many other agile methodologies such as Feature Driven Development, ICONIX, PRINCE2, Lean Software Development and Crysatal but for the comparison of the activities we have selected four most used agile methodologies which include Extreme Programming, SCRUM, DSDM and RUP. eXtreme Programming is a revolutionary methodology which focuses on the cross functional software development process and addressing the core software engineering practices such as analysis, development and testing. It makes XP a substantial difference to the quality of the end product. SCRUM is also an agile framework, which focuses mainly on how to manage tasks within a cross functional team environment. Before AGILE there was a light weight methodology called DSDM. When Agile was devised many of the DSDM principles were integrated in the agile development methodology [http://www.agile-software-development.com/2007/02/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-agile.html] Planning And Requirement Gathering In extreme programming, in order to plan a project, we must know something about the requirements, but we dont need to know very much. For planning purposes, we need to know only enough about a requirement to estimate it. In SCRUM same is being handled by Product Owner And Team mutually agreeing on the development of the planning of the items based on the product backlog. In DSDM there is a separate Elaboration phase to gather the requirement and plan the phases accordingly. RUP has an Inception Phase, Business process re-engineering is a very complex endeavor, and the RUP only provides techniques for business modeling, not for the supporting process. If, however, the business process is simple or well understood, its possible that work on it may be undertaken in the inception phase. If this is the case, a more complex inception phase will be required. [www.scribd.com/doc/41162/Planning-a-project-with-RUP] Specification Artifacts The test cases and code evolve together in extreme programming, with the test cases leading the code by a very small fraction as a result; a very complete body of test cases grows along with the code. These tests allow the programmers to check whether the program works. Major artifacts in SCRUM are Sprint backlog, Product Backlog, Sprint Burn down Charts. Product backlog contains [Deemer.P and Benefield.G, SCRUM PRIMER, 2006] features (enable all users to place book in shopping cart), development requirements (rework the transaction processing module to make it scalable), exploratory work (investigate solutions for speeding up credit card validation), and known bugs (diagnose and fix the order processing script errors). DSDM has a number of artifacts that are created and evolves with the project. These artifacts include Feasibility Reports, Non-Functional Requirements, Business requirements, Review meeting records, Systems Architecture Definition, Development Plan, Functional Model, Implementation Plan, Test records, User documentation, Project Review Document. In RUP Use case model, Supplementary requirements, Use case (Describes a service provided by the system), User interface prototype (Simulates the user interface, as defined and testable by users) Functional test (Tests the functionality needed to meet a particular requirement), Development environment (Sets up the development environment and manages changes to this environment) Progress To measure the team progress in extreme programming there is a steering team, record progress chart is used. SCRUM meeting, burn down chart in SCRUM, Big visible charts in DSDM and in RUP defined sources for project indicators. Defined thresholds for the project indicators. coding In extreme programming Code is written by pairs of programmers working together at the same workstation. One member of each pair drives the keyboard and types the code. The roles change frequently. In SCRUM same is done according to the willingness And Commitment Of Team. In DSDM initially a Design Prototype is created which is tested by the customer after the validation of Design the tested System is handed over to the next phase. In RUP Coding is done on the bases of the available use cases, lengthy use cases may be divided in to several iterations [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSDM#Stage_3:_Design_and_Build_Iteration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RUP] Testing As discussed earlier in extreme programming All production code is written in order to make a failing unit test pass. Write the code that makes that test pass. For SCRUM Acceptance testing is done at the end of each SPRINT. In DSDM, throughout project life-cycle Testing is done regressively. And same goes for RUP. Review The details about the user stories are captured in the form of acceptance tests specified by the customer. The acceptance tests for a story are written immediately preceding, or even concurrently with, the implementation of that story. The review meeting in SCRUM is called Sprint Retrospectives. In DSDM test records are developed according to the user documentation and checks the correctness of the designed system. For review purpose testing and reviewing are the main techniques used. Reviews are not available in RUP Iterations In XP iteration is usually 2 weeks in length and represents a minor delivery that may or may not be put into production. The iteration plan is a collection of user stories selected by the customer according to a budget established by the developers. In Scrum it is called Sprint Cycle which is usually of the length of 4-6 weeks and does not vary. In DSDM there is only one iteration in which complete build is developed. In RUP iterations are not time oriented rather there are use cases that help in determining the timeframes of iteration. Release Management XP teams often create a release plan that maps out the next six or so iterations. That plan is known as a release plan. A release is usually three months worth of work. In SCRUM 2 -3 sprints and as decided by product owner. In DSDM there is a single release concept that is sent to the customer in the entire project as it is adept in SDLC. DSDM is also unique in that it categorizes time boxes depending on their function: Investigate, Refine, Consolidate. The activities of RUP include Release handover, training the end users and to facilitate in User acceptance testing of the system. Customer Collaboration In XP customer is the part of the team. Customer is virtually present in the vicinity and he is always present to facilitate or elicitation of the requirements. [Kent Beck, Extreme Programming Explained, First Edition September 29, 1999 ]. In SCRUM product Owner can be Customer, in DSDM Executive Sponsor is called the Project Champion. It is a vital position from the user organization since it has the responsibility to facilitate all the requirements in the requirements elicitation. In RUP Customer collaboration is done throughout the project phase Project Management In XP Project management is done through Inter team coordination, A pair has the right to check out any module and improve it. No programmers are individually responsible for any one particular module or technology. Everybody works on the graphical user interface. In SCRUM Product Owner and Scrum Master are the facilitators. In DSDM there is a project Manager who can be a in-house IT Staff or a client. In RUP the Project manager plans the phases of the entire project along with the iteration plan which describe the iterations. Deployment: In RUP the purpose of deployment is successful delivery of the working software to its end users. It includes packaging, distributing and producing external releases of the software,. Support In RUP: Software release installations and technical support to the client or end user Architecture DSDM makes an architecture phase compulsory. In Business Study RUP make it able to agree on development priorities and a SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DEFINITION are developed ACTIVITIES BENCHMARK Following is the benchmark of all the above discussed agile development project lifecycle activities PRACTICES XP SCRUM DSDM RUP PLANNING/REQUIREMENTS User stories product owner Product Backlog Elaboration Phase and feasibility studies Inception Phase and Business modelling ARTIFACTS Test case Archives Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, burndown charts Feasibility Report, Outline Plan, Business Area Definition Use case model, User interface prototype, Functional test PROGRESS steering team, record progress scrum meeting, burn down chart Big visible charts Defined thresholds for the project indicators. CODING Pair Programming commitment of team Prototype designing and evolution commitment of team TESTING write the code that makes that test pass. Acceptance Testing Throughout the project life-cycle. Testing occurs throughout the project REVIEW acceptance tests for a User story sprint restrospective correctness of the designed system by review and testing Not Available ITERATION 2 weeks in length 4 -6 Weeks in length Single Iteration Iterations are not time based RELEASE Release consists of 6 Iterations 2 -3 sprints and as decided by product owner Single release Single release CUSTOMER COLLABORATION Part of the team Product Owner can be a customer Executive sponsor; This role has an ultimate power to make decisions collaboration throughout the project phase PROJECT MANAGEMENT Project manager is Big Boss Product Owner Could be client or any one from the staff Phase plan by the team DEPLOYMENT Not Available Not Available Not Available Software Packaging and Distribution SUPPORT Not Available Not Available Not Available Software release installations and technical support to the client or end user ARCHITECTURE Not Available Not Available Architecture phase compulsory In Business Study architecture is defined ACTIVITIES COVERED IN SPRINT Sprint is a complete cycle of activities. This activity is time boxed, which means that the time allocated for a sprint cannot be varied and team has to provide a tested and working work product at the end of the sprint. The sprint backlog items that could not be completed in the sprint are catered in the next sprint. The activities in SPRINT are as follows Sprint burn down chart Design Development Testing Daily stand up meeting WHAT COULD BE ACCOMODATED IN SPRINT Things that could be added in sprint could be more customer collaboration, focus on the system architecture

The Effects of Computers on Everyday Life :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Effects of Computers on Everyday Life Computers have changed the way that the world works in many different ways. Some of these changes are positive and some of these changes have had negative effects on our lives. From an industrial standpoint most of these changes have been helpful to businesses and the economy. In the medical field computers have had an impact in many different areas, ranging from the way appointments are made to the carrying out of everyday tasks. The biggest and easiest seen change that computers have had on today’s society can be seen in the workplace. Before computers became an office tool and were made available to the average employee, paperwork and sharing information in an office setting was done by many different individuals constantly filing and looking up figures. Now a computer can store large amounts of information that is readily available to virtually anyone with the click of a mouse button. One person can complete a job that in a time before computers would take many. Computers have made file cabinets and libraries almost obsolete. Businesses can share information nation or even world wide in a matter of seconds. For example, a word document file can be sent from an office in New York to an office in Los Angeles in under a minute, in the past this same information would have taken a week to be sent through the mail. Computers have changed the way that factories are run too. On an assembly line, be fore computers every job, no matter how easy or difficult, had to be done by an employee. Now, however, computers run machines and do most of these tasks. Another big change that computers have made in our everyday lives is that with the internet we can now access information about just about anything, at any time, and we can do this from the comfort of our own home. Credit cards can be used to do on-line shopping at virtually any store. E-mail has changed the way that people communicate, it is usually free of charge and mail is sent and received in minutes. Devices such as video phones and web-cams make video conferencing possible. This allows people to see who they are talking to in â€Å"real-time† even if they are on opposite ends of the map. The Effects of Computers on Everyday Life :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers The Effects of Computers on Everyday Life Computers have changed the way that the world works in many different ways. Some of these changes are positive and some of these changes have had negative effects on our lives. From an industrial standpoint most of these changes have been helpful to businesses and the economy. In the medical field computers have had an impact in many different areas, ranging from the way appointments are made to the carrying out of everyday tasks. The biggest and easiest seen change that computers have had on today’s society can be seen in the workplace. Before computers became an office tool and were made available to the average employee, paperwork and sharing information in an office setting was done by many different individuals constantly filing and looking up figures. Now a computer can store large amounts of information that is readily available to virtually anyone with the click of a mouse button. One person can complete a job that in a time before computers would take many. Computers have made file cabinets and libraries almost obsolete. Businesses can share information nation or even world wide in a matter of seconds. For example, a word document file can be sent from an office in New York to an office in Los Angeles in under a minute, in the past this same information would have taken a week to be sent through the mail. Computers have changed the way that factories are run too. On an assembly line, be fore computers every job, no matter how easy or difficult, had to be done by an employee. Now, however, computers run machines and do most of these tasks. Another big change that computers have made in our everyday lives is that with the internet we can now access information about just about anything, at any time, and we can do this from the comfort of our own home. Credit cards can be used to do on-line shopping at virtually any store. E-mail has changed the way that people communicate, it is usually free of charge and mail is sent and received in minutes. Devices such as video phones and web-cams make video conferencing possible. This allows people to see who they are talking to in â€Å"real-time† even if they are on opposite ends of the map.

Walt Disney Essay example -- essays research papers fc

Disney Productions is one of the leading entertainment businesses, bringing tremendous profits not to mention the joy it brings many people. It has not always been this easy for Disney however. It took the mind of one man to bring it to what it is today, and that’s mans name is Walt Disney. Walt Disney’s life was devoted to the arts and entertainment almost from birth. However, Walt’s fortunes and fame didn’t take form until his creation of Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901 and was the fourth child of Elias and Flora Disney. He was an extremely talented child, exhibiting tremendous creativity at such a young age. Walt began drawing pictures in the 1st grade and continued until the day he died. Another of his exceptional talents was acting. Walt relished each opportunity to perform on stage or in class. While in elementary school "on Lincoln’s Birthday every year until he graduated, Walt was hauled from class to class by the principal to give the Gettysburg Address." (Fisher, 18) Walt got bored with school however and dropped out at the age of 16. He immediately got a job as a waiter on a train line and kept this job until the U.S. entered the war. Walt had a great desire to join the army, but was rejected because he was to young. Since he still desired to have some role in the war he became a volunteer with the Red Cross. Within a week he was sent to the front and didn’t return for one to two years. When Walt returned from he war he told his father that he wanted to become an animator, but his father did not approve. Walt ignored his father’s advice and enrolled in art school. Walt attended art school for several months in both Missouri and Kansas City and then later found a job at an advertising firm in Kansas. There he met a talented artist named Ubbe Iwerks. Ubbe was a great animator and he and Walt became good friends. Walt and Ubbe worked all day for the advertising company, but at night they studied the art of animation and experimented with ways to make animation smoother by using light and a camera. Walt soon quit his job at the advertising firm because he was not satisfied with the work he was doing. He found a job in Kansas City at a Film Ad Company. Walt was quickly fired from this job and having nowhere else to go, he returned home. Walt and his brother Roy decided to form their own business available jobs did... ...found 200-acre lot in Anaheim, California and purchased it immediately. Construction was completed and the park opened in 1955 and by that time Disney Productions was a financial success. People were so anxious to be the first ones in Disneyland that when only 15,000 tickets were sold for opening day 33,000 people showed up, half of them had counterfeit tickets. Certainly, Walt Disney was a man of vision. A man who had the creativity to develop ideas and then have the patience and perseverance to carry them out. Walt Disney showed courage and the desire you need to build a successful life. Even when all odds were against him, he still was able to find a way to conquer his dreams. He taught us many things and I hope we remember this man not only for his cartoons, but also for his work ethics and the contributions he made to society. Bibliography Fanning, Jim. Walt Disney. New York, NY: Chelsea House Publishers, 1994. Fisher, Maxine P. Walt Disney. New York, NY: A First Book, 1988. Greene, Katherine, and Greene, Richard. The Man Behind The Magic. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1991 Schroeder, Russell. Ed. Walt Disney, His Life In Pictures. New York, NY: Disney Press, 1996.

Rate of Reaction :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

Rate of Reaction Coursework Aim: To investigate how temperature affects rate of reaction. Introduction: I am going to investigate how temperature affects the rate of reaction of hydrochloric acid with calcium carbonate. This is the reaction that will take place: Hydrochloric acid + Calcium Carbonate à ¨ Calcium Carbonate + Water + Carbon Dioxide The rate of reaction can be measured in various different ways: * Using a balance you can check the mass before the reaction and then after the reaction has taken place. Then check the change in mass. * You can also use the method of obscuring a cross with sodium thiosulphate and time which cross becomes invisible first. I am going to use a syringe to measure the amount of carbon dioxide given of at regular intervals. This is because it is accurate as the smallest division on it is 1ml. The important variables are: * Temperature – if it is increased the reaction as the particles will have more energy. * Number of calcium carbonate chips – if there are a lot of chips more carbon dioxide will be formed. * Amount of acid – if there is more acid the rate of reaction will be faster. * Surface area – if the chips have a larger surface area then the rate of reaction will be faster. Prediction: I have chosen to investigate the affect of hydrochloric acid on calcium carbonate chips. I predict that as the temperature of the acid increases so will the rate of reaction. This is because for two substances to react they have to have a successful collision which means the have to collide with a minimum amount of energy which is called the activation energy. This diagram shows how the particles will react with each other with the minimum amount of energy (activation energy): The higher the temperature of the acid the faster the acid particles will be moving around as they’ll have more energy and there will more collisions. This energy will also allow there to be more successful collisions and so more carbon dioxide will be formed in smaller amount of time. Therefore the rate of reaction will be faster. This diagram shows the reaction of particles with more energy from the heat: I can also predict that the shape of my final graph of rate of reaction and temperature will look like this: From this graph I can predict that as I increase the temperature by 10 °C the rate of reaction will double. Apparatus: 1 Bunsen burner Calcium Carbonate chips Hydrochloric acid 1 Syringe 1 50ml measuring cylinder 1Heatproof mat 1 Wire gauze 1 Conical flask 1 Beaker filled with ice 1 Thermometer 1 Clamp I chose to use the syringe as it has small divisions to help me make Rate of Reaction :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation Rate of Reaction Coursework Aim: To investigate how temperature affects rate of reaction. Introduction: I am going to investigate how temperature affects the rate of reaction of hydrochloric acid with calcium carbonate. This is the reaction that will take place: Hydrochloric acid + Calcium Carbonate à ¨ Calcium Carbonate + Water + Carbon Dioxide The rate of reaction can be measured in various different ways: * Using a balance you can check the mass before the reaction and then after the reaction has taken place. Then check the change in mass. * You can also use the method of obscuring a cross with sodium thiosulphate and time which cross becomes invisible first. I am going to use a syringe to measure the amount of carbon dioxide given of at regular intervals. This is because it is accurate as the smallest division on it is 1ml. The important variables are: * Temperature – if it is increased the reaction as the particles will have more energy. * Number of calcium carbonate chips – if there are a lot of chips more carbon dioxide will be formed. * Amount of acid – if there is more acid the rate of reaction will be faster. * Surface area – if the chips have a larger surface area then the rate of reaction will be faster. Prediction: I have chosen to investigate the affect of hydrochloric acid on calcium carbonate chips. I predict that as the temperature of the acid increases so will the rate of reaction. This is because for two substances to react they have to have a successful collision which means the have to collide with a minimum amount of energy which is called the activation energy. This diagram shows how the particles will react with each other with the minimum amount of energy (activation energy): The higher the temperature of the acid the faster the acid particles will be moving around as they’ll have more energy and there will more collisions. This energy will also allow there to be more successful collisions and so more carbon dioxide will be formed in smaller amount of time. Therefore the rate of reaction will be faster. This diagram shows the reaction of particles with more energy from the heat: I can also predict that the shape of my final graph of rate of reaction and temperature will look like this: From this graph I can predict that as I increase the temperature by 10 °C the rate of reaction will double. Apparatus: 1 Bunsen burner Calcium Carbonate chips Hydrochloric acid 1 Syringe 1 50ml measuring cylinder 1Heatproof mat 1 Wire gauze 1 Conical flask 1 Beaker filled with ice 1 Thermometer 1 Clamp I chose to use the syringe as it has small divisions to help me make

Migration Stories Essay Family Story Essay

This paper will take a key interest in the migration story of my parents Barbara Heinemann and Kirby Clark and their story in relation to identify the factors that shaped the migration and resettlement of migrants in the 1980’s and the Australian government’s policies and desires. How the processes of alienation and assimilation affected migrants who came from a western culture and how acceptance and ‘mateship’ was difficult to find in Australians. I will do this while comparing the similarities that other migrants in Australia and around the globe faced and different migration trends in the 1980’s. The paper will also discuss migration and what set voluntary migrants apart from other people and particularly the predisposition for migrant children to become migrants themselves. During the early 1980’s like much of the world Canada was experiencing a recession. Many people were in fear of losing their jobs in the current environment. â€Å"I was very nervous about cut backs at PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers). From what I knew at the time, Australia wasn’t affected nearly as much as Canada was so I decided I’d try my luck in Australia on a 2 year working/holiday. † (). Many such companies were being encouraged by the Australian government to bring immigrants with â€Å"particular Professional skills, business experience† (). Many of the people that decided to take up the opportunity provided by organisations like PricewaterhouseCoopers never intended on staying in Australia. â€Å" When I first arrived I thought I’d always be going home, like most of the people I worked with were expats they all thought they were going to go home after their visa was up†(). By the mid 1980’s Canada had pulled out of the wor st of the recession. â€Å" By the time I left Canada the recessions was pretty much over. I was in a rut, I wanted something new and a 2 year working/holiday in Australia was my way out, but when I arrived I saw that the recession wasn’t over in Australia† (). Australia’s ‘clever country’ policies made it easy for skilled migrants to obtain permanent residence. â€Å"Almost all of the people we worked with at PwC, who where expats decided to stay, we were practically handed permanent residency† ().In the 1980’s the government’s desire to develop the financial sectors and technological sectors saw an increase in demand for workers and an increase in income to those who worked in them. â€Å"migration policies refocused on highly skilled workers, whether  permanent or temporary† (). Skilled workers were in high demand all over the world and Australia being so isolated could only have decreased the desire for people to move there but the Austr alian government may have had one of the best immigrant ‘recruitment’ policies due to the huge percentage of skilled workers that it took in comparison to some other countries. Australia became home to any new migrant families in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, many of the temporary workers applied and received permanent residency. â€Å"Almost all of the expats at PwC stayed in Australia, and most of them married each other or an Australian.† (). Australia has become one of the world’s most diverse countries if not number one or two. 24 percent of Australia’s population was born overseas and another 26 percent have one or bother parents born overseas. This number will only increase with children from the migrants that arrived in the 1980’s and 1990’s becoming old enough to be part of the statistics. At most schools it seems to be a higher percentage than 26 that have parents from overseas and around the same as 24 that were born overseas. In the 1980’s migrants decided to stay in Australia and to make it their home as no one was from the same place their lives together were in Australia â€Å" Me being Canadian and my wife being English we didn’t have a shared home other than Australia. We both love it here why would we think of moving to either of the others?† (nkob). â€Å" I’m from Toronto in Canada and Barbara is from Vancouver, we didn’t have a shared history in Canada, we came to Australia at different times but we’d made ourselves a home here, we’d gotten married in 1988, bought a house in 1989 and had a son in 1991† (). After about 5-10 years many migrants who arrived in the 1980’s realised that they probably wouldn’t be going back home to live. For many it would have been an hard concept to deal with. â€Å"I know that after about 3 years I thought I probably wouldn’t be going back to Canada but it didn’t really hit me till I was here for the 7th year† (). â€Å"I always thought I’d be going home until my son was about 5, I decided that this is our home now. I’ll probably go home more when my parents get older and are unable to take care of themselves† (). Many of the skilled temporary workers thought they’d be going back to their homeland but most didn’t, about 75 percent of the staff at PricewaterhouseCoopers that came from overseas went home after their 2 years. â€Å"I only remember about four people going back to  their home countries.† () All migrants face some Alienation when they arrive in a new country. Even people who come from ‘western’ countries feel some sort of alienation. It may not have been culturally that they had problems. Socially the migrants that were seen as temporary were not accepted their Australian co-workers didn’t see the point of getting to know them if they were here temporarily. â€Å"The expats stayed together most of the time. The Australians weren’t rude but they just didn’t care it took years to get to know an Australian from work, I was only temporary in their eyes. The Australians were also into buying a house and setting up their families. Most of the expats were here to party, it was called a working/holiday for a reason, we’d go out together most nights of the week† (). The new migrants didn’t know where to go or what to do in Australia. â€Å"I’m sure I would of figured life out by myself but all newcomers were taken und er an others wing shown where to go and which places were the cheapest and the best† (). Some of the migrants are still feel alienated today. They’re not from a different ethnic background from many Australians. The difference is there isn’t a Canadian or an Irish or an English community. â€Å"In some ways it may have been easier to come here from a country where many of people have come earlier. I have been living in Australia for 23 years and I still get asked how long I’m visiting for, or where in the states I’m from† (). They may not be discriminated against but as soon as they open their mouths many of the migrants get labelled as temporary. Assimilation was also something that these migrants had to overcome, most Australians at the time that were the same age as most skilled migrants were starting to settle down, buy houses and starting families. â€Å"we didn’t really have much contact with Australians our age they were either younger or older at either ends of their professional carriers.† (). Many kept part of the culture from their homeland with them or their previous routine. â€Å"In Canada I played Ice hockey at a high level and for the first 6 or 7 years I was in Australia I continued to play, becoming all Australian a few times. I remember Paul played rugby at a high level in Ireland and continued that here as well.† Being considered Australian is a hard thing for a lot of migrants to deal with psychologically â€Å"I don’t have a home country, I’m more of a global citizen, I’m a Canadian citizen, a  permanent resident in Australia but I wouldn’t call either my home. I’m a Canadian in Australia and an Australian in Canada.† ()Assimilation in Australia is hard to define with there being so much diversity it maybe not be a big issue with people having to assimilate with Australian culture if they already come from a ‘western’ cultured country. During the 1980’s migrants were migrating in the search for jobs and to escape from prosecution. Canada, America and Australia had a huge influx of Asian people predominantly from Hong Kong and Taiwan ,â€Å"about 50 percent of peopled the immigrated to Australia in the 1980’s were from Asia†(). In the 1980’s and 1990’s a large number of immigrants that arrived in Australia came from Asian, Middle Eastern countries and India. â€Å"When I first arrived I didn’t see that many migrants that were from Asia, particularly Indian people in comparison to the number in Canada but over the next 6 or so years I saw a huge increase of Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern people around the city† (). Australia was being ‘Asianised’ not as in a invasion but that instead of most migrants being from Europe many more where coming from Asia and the government was being more accepting to non Anglophone people. â€Å"When I first arrived Australia wasn’t a multicultural country in comparison to what id experienced in Canada, but as time went on it became very diverse very quickly. It became the Australia they had been promoting.† In the financial sector most of the immigrants were from Europe or North America but in the Information technology sectors the Asian and Indian people were the majority. â€Å"Most of the people that came to PwC where I was working were from the UK/Ireland, Germany or North America but in the Tech department I don’t think there was a person that wasn’t Chinese or Indian† (). The reason why countries were looking for skilled migrants, migrants with capital and entrepreneurial migrants was that these migrants usually such migrants would find a niche for themselves, perhaps as initiators of the new industries (). Migrants are people willing to change their lives in an instant. Someone who’s willing to leave their homeland and go out into the world, move half way around the world and try their hand at something is someone to be admired. Migrant families also tend to not stay in one spot for long or usually someone in the family makes a similar decision as one of their forefathers to try something else. â€Å"migrants are different from everyone else I think, they’re willing to take a chance, to risk everything, they are looking for an adventure. Although my grandparents moved to Canada from England, I never knew them but from a young age I had a desire to see the world, may have been from the stories from Bob our next door neighbour, none of my brothers or sisters moved away from home.† () Is being a migrant hereditary? It seems that people whose parents have migrated or family members have migrated before are predisposed to do so themselves. â€Å" Do I think it’s genetically inherited no I think it’s a frame of mind and previous experiences. My parents moved from Germany to Canada after World War II, the fact that they were migrants didn’t persuade me to go in anyway but the face that I’d travelled a lot when I was younger did have an effect on me I always entertained the thought that I might not be a Canadian forever.† () It may also be the fact that people that are 1st generation citizens of their country don’t actually identify themselves with that country. â€Å"I was born in Canada but because both my parents are German, I considered myself more German then Canadian which makes it much more confusing for me now living in Australia whether I am Australian, Canadian or German.† () â€Å"Both my parents are Canadian when I talk about home I talk about Canada despite the fact that I never lived there and I was born in Australia, at school I was always considered Canadian. I don’t think I’ll be in Australia much longer, there’s so much more out there to experience!†() This essay has explored what factors shaped the migration and resettlement of my family and skilled migrants in the 1980’s. It also discussed the processes of alienation and assimilation that skilled migrants faced in the 1980’s placing particular emphasis on temporary workers. Whilst comparing both of these with other migrants in Australia and worldwide and other migration trends. Finally I will explore how migrants differ and what influences people to migrate and the effect it has on the next generation and their beliefs and the disposition they have into becoming migrants themselves. Reference List http://science.jrank.org/pages/10225/Migration-in-World-History-Global-versus- Nationalist-Perspectives.html

Is Social Security going Bankrupt? Essay

Background of Research When the US Social Security retirement system was instituted in 1937, one major objective was to provide incentives for older workers to retire so that more jobs would be available for younger workers. At that time, life expectancies were considerably lower, and there were far more working-age adults than elderly. Now, however, continuation of current benefit levels has been presented as a major funding problem. 2 In order to increase the ratio of workers who pay Social Security and Medicare taxes to the number of people receiving Social Security retirement income and Medicare benefits, or at least to reduce the rate of decline, public policy is turning toward encouraging people to delay retirement. Similar changes in attitude are apparent throughout the economy. In decades past, workers in the US were required by many employers to retire at a certain age, usually 65, and seldom later than 70. Today mandatory retirement ages are rare. How does the Social Security retirement system in the US work? All workers in the US are required to participate in the Social Security retirement program, regardless of citizenship. Currently, 6. 2 percent of a worker’s pay is withheld, up to a maximum that is adjusted annually. An additional 1. 45 percent (with no maximum) is withheld to support Medicare, making a total of 7. 65 percent of earnings for most workers. The employer contributes the same amount. Self-employed workers must pay not only their own but also the employer’s portion, a total of 15. 3 percent up to the Social Security maximum for the year and then only the Medicare tax on any excess. To receive benefits upon retirement, one must have received credit for working at least 40 quarters. Full benefits have long been available at age 65; reduced benefits are available at 62 years of age, with increased benefits for those who continue to work up to age 70. In order to help maintain the solvency of the system, the full retirement age (FRA) is gradually being increased to 67 years of age for those born in 1960 and later. 4 Reduced benefits are still available at 62 years of age but will be reduced proportionately more since they will eventually be available up to five years earlier than the FRA. The maximum age for earning increased benefits for delaying retirement will still be age 70. Most Americans know that Social Security is headed toward bankruptcy. Nothing makes the point better than the poll taken a couple of years ago in which young people said they had a better chance of spotting a UFO than receiving Social Security benefits. But many may not know why the system is threatened. In order to develop a solution – one that meets my goal of saving Social Security for today’s retirees and those near retirement, the baby boomers and their children – we need to understand the serious difficulties facing Social Security. However, little research has been conducted on those who continue to work beyond the traditional retirement age, sometimes for many years. Since this group is gaining in size we need to better understand the factors associated with the decisions these workers make about maintaining their attachment to the labor force (or, in some cases, beginning employment). Increased healthcare costs for the elderly, in particular the costs of prescription drugs not currently covered by Medicare, have undoubtedly been a factor for many who have decided to continue working for pay. Employer-provided health insurance generally pays for most prescription drugs, minus a modest co-payment. Recent erosion of the retirement savings of many Americans after a precipitous decrease in the US stock market during the first half of 2000 has also contributed to the reversal of the trend towards earlier retirement that reached a low in 1993. By 2003, the overall labor force participation rates for those 65 years of age and over had increased to 18. 6 percent and 10. 8 percent of men and women, respectively, from lows of 15. 6 and 8. 2 percent. One important question that has yet to be answered satisfactorily is what impact having to work longer will have on the well-being of the oldest old. American policy-makers seem to assume that there will be little negative impact because the elderly are, in general, healthier, and are living longer. In recent years there has been much alarmist talk of the impending bankruptcy of Social Security, but it is in the private sector that real dangers of default now loom. Social Security is safe through 2041 or longer, but the pension fund crisis is already squeezing corporate budgets, with disastrous consequences for jobs. If nothing is done, this pension-and-jobs crunch will intensify over the next two years. While many CEOs sold at the top of the market, the pension funds and holders of 401(k)s were left with depreciating paper. Swooning stock markets have caused the major pension funds to lose 40 percent or more of their value since March 2000. Even the well-stuffed 401(k) has become a 201(k). Pension funding has become so central to today’s capitalism that these developments menace the financial good health of corporate giants as well as individual retirees. Most reports on the crisis have, understandably, focused on the plight of the 42 million Americans who have 401(k)s or the equivalent. But the impact on corporate pension schemes, on which a similar number of people depend, has been just as bad. Many businesses must now forgo investment or face bankruptcy because they cannot meet their pension obligations. (Achenbaum, 1986) In a â€Å"defined benefit† scheme (DB) the employer guarantees a pension calculated as a proportion of salary; this can be an onerous obligation for a company with many former employees. In a â€Å"defined contribution† scheme (DC), like the 401(k), only the contributions are defined, so benefits rise and fall with the market. Public-sector DB schemes are generally well and cheaply run, and are anyway guaranteed by state or federal authorities. But balanced-budget rules often force those authorities to meet pension underfunding by cutting other programs. Most large private schemes are now badly underfunded, their asset values depleted by stock declines and too many past-contribution holidays. We know this courtesy of recent reports from analysts at Merrill Lynch and UBS Warburg. Adrian Redlich of Merrill has undertaken massive research into the 348 companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 with a DB scheme. He warned in November that these schemes would end the year with a pension shortfall of $300 billion, and this is still the best estimate. If underfunded nonpension benefits are included, an even scarier deficit looms. (Hudson, 1999) The pension crunch is not simply a result of CEO misbehavior; it’s also rooted in a flawed structure that aggravates the boom-and-bust cycle. During a boom, the pension fund soars and no contributions are needed to maintain fund solvency. But when times are bad and the employer faces cash ebb, the actuaries insist there must be more dough on the table. Companies hide the unpleasant truth by fancy accounting. When they can no longer do this, they cut investment programs. This financing regime is dangerously pro-cyclical–that is, it encourages booms and aggravates recessions. New laws could enhance the rights of those in pension plans, but last year’s House and Senate approaches to reform of DC schemes offered the wounded patient a Band-Aid, when what is needed is a blood transfusion. (Achenbaum, 1986) The House bill was quite gentle on corporations. It reduced the time employees have to wait before their pension holdings are vested, but it allowed employers to continue contributing to 401(k)s with matching company stock. Ted Kennedy’s Senate proposal limited the amount of their own stock employers can contribute and gives employees more say in how their retirement fund is invested. But Kennedy didn’t propose obliging employers to offer a contribution. More robust proposals are not yet in sight. In addition to reliable regulatory structures, more resources are needed. The pension-jobs squeeze has only just begun. For individuals its reality has been softened thus far by house price inflation and earnings that continue to rise slowly. But while many investors prefer not to know about it, the goosing of the DB pension numbers by unreal assumptions could well prove as dangerous to economic health as the Japanese banks’ huge inventory of nonperforming loans. Will the Bush Administration stand by and do nothing as this time bomb ticks away? If the Administration simply wished to help the corporations out of a tight spot, they could be legally released from their obligations to retirees. This would allow them to resume investing. But it would be grossly unfair and provocative. Another solution might be to pump money into the PBGC. But to use taxpayers’ money to bail out pension funds in the current deflationary situation would be a dangerous exercise. And the PBGC arrives on the scene too late anyway: It only kicks in once Chapter 11 is staring a company in the face. The DB funds might be rescued by imposing on employees compulsory additional contributions. But this would weaken demand and could spark a firestorm of resentment. The most likely outcome is one that would allow employers to convert DB schemes to a DC logic, using â€Å"cash balance† or some kindred formula, but shortchanging employees in this way would create legal as well as political difficulties. A determined plan could address the pension crisis before it gets any worse. Corporations should be obliged to make up for their past and present derelictions by replenishing their employees’ retirement funds. However, simply forcing employers to contribute cash to every worker’s pot or company scheme is not the answer. Opponents would rightly warn that this would raise labor costs, drain cash flow, undercut investment and reduce demand. Applied anytime soon, it would mug an ailing economy and send unemployment skyrocketing. It would aggravate, not solve, the pension crisis. There is one approach that would shore up depleted savings without threatening a shaky economy: The funding gaps could be plugged by obliging all corporations to issue new stock or bonds each year equivalent to, say, 10 percent of their profits. This share levy, or stakeholder premium, would be calculated like a corporate tax, but unlike such a tax, it would not be a deduction from cash flow, nor would it be passed on to consumers. And unlike payroll taxes, it would not add to labor costs, thus giving no reason to lay off workers. A great advantage of the share levy is that unlike an ordinary tax, it would not exacerbate the problems of an economy threatened by recession. The issuing of new shares does not oblige companies to pay out more in dividends–it simply adds to those who will receive such dividends in the future. The levy should be calibrated to insure that all retirement funds gain more than they lose. While it would act in some respects like a wealth tax, it would not take demand out of the economy. And its revenues and payments could be adjusted to moderate the swings of the business cycle. (Kingston, Schulz, 1997) Defining the Problem Believe it or not, in 1945 there were about 42 workers for each person receiving Social Security benefits. By 1960, that ratio had shrunk to about 5 to 1. Today, it’s 3. 4 to one and by 2030, there will be just 2. 1 workers for each beneficiary. At the same time, Americans are living longer. That’s good news. But it means retirees will receive benefits for a longer period. Americans are also having fewer children, which mean relatively fewer workers paying Social Security payroll taxes. It is those taxes that finance current benefits. (Buell, 1999) Aside from these demographic trends, first-time Social Security benefits are growing far faster than inflation. These benefits now rise with overall wage growth, and wages are rising faster than prices. The result: over the next 75 years, benefits will increase more than 20 times, while prices will go up at half that rate. A retiree in 2060, for example, has been promised annual benefits starting at over $140,000. The result is a system that would require people in the future to work longer hours and pay more in taxes to support retirees. By 2034, payroll taxes would need to be increased by 50% to pay promised benefits or benefits would need to be slashed. Between now and 2070, benefits will exceed payroll taxes by a cumulative $120 trillion. Is it any wonder young people don’t expect to receive their Social Security? Something better can be done and is happening. Every generation of Americans has left a legacy of prosperity for its children. We cannot let our legacy be a Social Security system drowning in a sea of red ink.