ECommerce and ECRM and eCommerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ECommerce and ECRM and eCommerce - Essay Example Businesses and other productive sectors used to experience problems carrying out their duties due the communication breakdown and the ineffective methods which used to exist (Barnes, 2000 P. 34). According to Mwenda (2004), for one to appreciate the importance the new computer-aided communication can have, he/she must consider the dynamics of the same in that, it has made the world a global village since every one of us can communicate with his/her accomplices every where they are instantly (P. 41). Businesses have been made efficient since the transactions are made over the net in a faster way than we could have imagined sometimes back, advertisements are nowadays being made over the net, which is cheap. The important sectors of our economies are now safe in terms of communication due to the coming of this technology. Internet has been used for so many beneficial activities in sports, culture and the general wellbeing oh the human race (Richmond, J 2003 P. 102). On the same note, websites are being used by organizations to market their products and also to carry out transactions. For them to be efficient they should be well planned for and the organization of the materials should be in order. In addition, it should be attractive for the users. Intuitive and good level of innovation as well as easy navigation is an important issue for every website that is to sell the ideas of an organization. Poorly designed web pages cause confusion, frustration and total dissatisfaction to would be potential customers. This can sometimes cause them to opt out of using your services and consider using that of your competitor. With website metrics data, a company can test different operations to see how potential customers react and view the data to determine the overall navigation style for your site to take a notch higher. The use of website metrics is also called website analytics and is a tool for enhancing customers experience as well as ensuring that

Learning Theories Essay Example for Free

Learning Theories Essay Lev Vygotsky, born in the U. S. S. R. in 1896, is responsible for the social development theory of learning. He proposed that social interaction profoundly influences cognitive development. Vygotsky’s key point is his belief that biological and cultural development do not occur in isolation. Vygotsky approached development differently from Piaget. Piaget believed that cognitive development consists of four main periods of cognitive growth: sensory motor, preoperational, concrete operations, and formal operations. Piaget’s theory suggests that development has an endpoint in goal. Vygotsky, in contrast, believed that development is a process that should be analyzed, instead of a product to be obtained. Marcy P. Driscoll stated (as cited in Riddle, 1999) that â€Å"Vygotsky believes the development process that begins at birth and continues until death is too complex to be defined by stages†. The major theme of Vygotsky’s theoretical framework is that social interaction plays a fundamental role in the development of cognition. Vygoysky states: â€Å"Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological) (Funderstanding, 2001). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to formation of concepts. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals. A second aspect of Vygotsky’s theory is the idea that the potential for cognitive development is limited to a certain time span that he calls the â€Å"zone of proximal development† (ZPD). Vygotsky believed that this life long process of development was dependent on social interaction and that social learning actually leads to cognitive development (Kearsley, 1998). Vygotsky describes it as â€Å"the distance between the actual development level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through Learning Theories 3 problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers† (Funderstanding, 2001). In other words, a student can perform a task under adult guidance or with peer collaboration that could not be achieved alone. The Zone of Proximal Development bridges the gap between what is known and what can be known. Vygotsky claimed that learning occurred in this zone. Therefore, Vygotsky focused on the connections between people and the cultural context in which they act and interact in shared experiences. According to Vygotsky, humans use tools that develop from a culture, such as speech and writing, to mediate their social environments. Initially, Children develop these tools to serve solely as social functions, ways to communicate needs. Vygotsky believed that the internalization of these tools led to higher thinking skills (Riddle, 1999). When Piaget observed young children participating in egocentric speech in their preoperational stage, he believed it was a phase that disappeared once the child reached the stage of concrete operations. Driscoll states (as cited in Riddle, 1999) â€Å"in contrast, Vygotsky viewed this egocentric speech as a transition from social speech to internalized thought†. Thus, Vygotsky believed that thought and language could not exist without each other. Vygotsky’s theory was an attempt to explain consciousness as the end product of socialization. For example, in the learning of language, our first vocal noises with friends or adults are for the purpose of communication, but once mastered they become internalized and allow â€Å"inner speech†. Traditionally, schools have not promoted environments in which the students play an active role in their education and in the education of their friends. Vygotsky’s theory, however, requires the teacher and students to play untraditional roles as they collaborate with each other. Instead of a teacher dictating the lessons to students and later evaluate them, a teacher should collaborate with her students in order to create meaningful ways that students can make their own evaluation. Learning then becomes a reciprocal experience for the students and the teacher. Learning Theories 4. The physical classroom, based on Vygotsky’s theory, would provide clustered desks or tables and work space for peer instruction, collaboration, and small group instruction. Like the environment, the instructional design of material would be structured to promote and encourage student interaction and collaboration. Thus, the classroom becomes a community of learning. Because Vygotsky asserts that cognitive change occurs within the Zone of Proximal development, instruction would be designed to reach a developmental level that is just above the student’s current developmental level. Vygotsky proclaims, â€Å"learning which is oriented toward developmental levels that have already been reached is ineffective from the view point of the child’s overall development. It does not aim for a new stage of the developmental process, but rather lags behind this process† (Social Development, 1996). Appropriation is necessary for cognitive development within the zone of proximal development. Individuals participating in peer collaboration or guided teacher instruction must share the same focus in order to access the zone. Samuel J. Hausfather states (as cited in Riddle, 1999), â€Å"joint attention and shared problem solving is needed to create a process of cognitive, social, and emotional interchange†. Furthermore, it is essential that the partners be on different developmental levels. In addition, the partner that is on the higher level needs to be aware of his partner’s lower level. If this does not occur, or if one partner continually dominates, the interaction is less successful. Scaffolding and reciprocal teaching are effective strategies to access the zone. Scaffolding requires the teacher to provide students the opportunity to extend the current skills and knowledge. Hausfather reports (as cited in Riddle, 1999) â€Å"the teacher must engage students’ interests, simplify tasks so they are manageable, and motivate students to pursue the instructional goal. In addition, the teacher must look for discrepancies between students’ efforts and the solution, control for frustration and risk, and model an idealized version of the act†. Learning Theories 5 Reciprocal teaching allows for the creation of a dialogue between students and teachers. This two-way communication becomes an instructional strategy by encouraging students to go beyond answering and discussing questions. A study (as cited in Riddle, 1999) demonstrated the Vygotskian approach with reciprocal teaching methods in their successful program to teach reading strategies. The teacher and students alternated turns leading small group discussions on reading. After modeling four reading strategies, students began to assume the teaching role. Results of this study showed significant gains over other instructional strategies. Cognitively Guided Instruction is another strategy to implement Vygotsky’s theory. This strategy involves the teacher and students exploring math problems and then sharing their different problem solving strategies in an open dialogue (Riddle, 1999). Vygotsky’s social development theory challenges traditional teaching methods. Historically, schools have been organized around recitation teaching. According to Hausfather, (as cited in Riddle, 1999) â€Å"the teacher disseminates knowledge to be memorized by the students, who in turn, recite the information back to the teacher†. However, the studies described above offer empirical evidence that learning, based on the social development theory, facilitates cognitive development over other instructional strategies (Riddle, 1999). School structure does not reflect the rapid changes that society is experiencing. Opportunities for social interaction have greatly increased with the introduction and integration of computer technology. Therefore, the social context for learning is transforming as well. Learning relationships can now be formed from distances through cyberspace, whereas collaboration and peer instruction was once only possible in shared physical space (Bacalarski, 1994). Computer technology is a cultural tool that students can use to mediate and internalize their learning. According to Kathryn Crawford (as cited in Riddle, 1999) â€Å"recent research suggest changing the Learning Theories 6 learning contexts with technology is a powerful learning activity†. If schools continue to resist structural change, students will not be as prepared as they should be for the world. Lev Vygotsky lived during the Russian Revolution, a time of great change in his culture. His theory was that biological and cognitive development does not happen apart from each other. These two developments sustain and grow from each other. This is when learning takes place. Because of this theory, his environment of change was a great influence in his own cognitive processes. Learning Theories 7 References Bacalarski, M. C. , (1994). Vygotsky’s Developmental Theories and the Adulthood of Computer Mediated Communication: a Comparison and an Illumination. Retrieved November 7, 2003 from http://psych. hanover. edu/vygotsky/bacalar. html. Funderstanding, (2001). Vygotsky and Social Cognition. Retrieved November 7, 2003 from http://www. funderstanding. com/vygotsky. cfm. Kearsley, G. , (1998). Social Development (Vygotsky). Retrieved November 9, 2003 from http://members. aol. com/daidpeal/vygotsky. html. Riddle, E. M. , (1999). Lev Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory. Retrieved November 7, 2003 from www. kihd. gmu. edu/immersion/knowledgebase/theorists/constructivism/vygotsky.

The Bond Girls Essay -- essays research papers

The Bond Girls Whenever there is a Bond film, there is always a Bond girl. She is as indispensable as the gadgets, the car, the chase and the villain set on overtaking the earth. They have always been in the centre of controversy; they have always been branded as beautiful women (often with sexually overt names) who need Bond and ironically, Bond cannot complete his mission without them. They always seem to have perfection in everything they do. However, this portrayal of women can be somewhat unrealistic. Some may want the representation of the ‘Bond Girl’ to stay as it is but others may want the portrayal of the ‘Bond Girl’ to depict the modern idea of ‘girl power.’ I for one think that this representation of women is harmless, partly because it is only a fictional character. It is a representation to be regarded only in entertainment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this essay, I am going to look at and analyse the Bond saga looking especially at how the ‘Bond Girls’ in particular are shown and how their characteristics and qualities have changed over the decades. The James Bond series was created to boost up Britain’s prospects of being noticed as a powerful country with their own hero armed with fast cars, girls, gadgets and gimmicks. Over the years the audience grew to love this hero who they called ‘Bond, James Bond’ with his callous persona, dead-pan humour armed with good looks and a sexy voice to go with his trademark saying. In reality, Britain was falling rapidly from the world stage. The first ‘Bond’ film, released in 1962 was ‘Dr. No’. It was created with a meagre  £90.000 budget and featured Sean Connery (then a virtually unknown actor) who was to play Bond’s character for the remainder of the decade with the exception of 1969’s release of ‘In His Majesty’s Secret Service’ featuring George Lazenby. Throughout the years of Bond, every film has been popular despite the changes in actors, directors and producers. The films gave the audience a visit back to the propaganda-filled forties. It also gave the audience a sense of diversion through all the action and the sense of satisfaction at being able to predict the finish. Every Bond film has followed the ‘Bond formula,’ which helps the audience become aware of the chain of events that occurs in the Bond movies. His character, although quite old, is still popular with younger generation. I t... ...suggests that she has been through some sort of rough activity. The font used in the postcard is big, gold, in use of capitals, which alludes to luxury and wealth, and the symbol of the gold gun suggests wealth and action. The gold colour connotes glamour and sexiness. The writing and name of the title; ‘the world is not enough’ suggests that the characters are not happy with what they have and therefore they want more. The world cannot give them what they yearn for. Whatever’s changed about the Bond Girls, they still have to be racy, active, sexy and uncomplicated. I think perhaps that this is what has made them more accessible and acceptable to women. I think these changes have occurred because women’s’ role in the society have changed over the years. Until recently, women were the weaker sexes compared to the dominating males. Women were passive and were just happy being portrayed as such. However, over the years, more and more women fought for their rights and nowadays want equality with men. More women have taken up occupations, which before were considered to be men’s jobs. The depictions of women in films have changed in time with society to ensure the films popularity.

Neuropsychological and Employment Implications: A Case Study of :: Medical Medicine Essays

Neuropsychological and Employment Implications: A Case Study of Whiting’s Patient Introduction: In 2005, the case study patient was involved in an automobile accident, where he sustained a head injury (Whiting, 2005). During a routine CT scan to check for possible brain damage, his physicians discovered an abnormal growth within his third (3rd) ventricle, in the approximate region of the frontal lobe. The physicians later determined that the growth was a colloid cyst, which is a collection of gelatinous material. On the advice of his physicians, the patient underwent neurosurgery to have the cyst removed, and recovered without any serious side effects. The diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up care associated with brain surgery are not performed in a vacuum; rather, the appropriate level of pre-operative and post-operative care relies on the deliberate cooperation of various parties. These parties include the neurologist, the neurosurgeon, the psychological and psychiatric professionals, the patient’s spouse, his or her employer, and the patient her or himself. The intent of this paper is to examine the roles of the neuropsychologist and the patient’s employers in the successful treatment, using the case study of the patient as a vehicle to conduct this analysis. This paper will begin with a brief overview of the frontal cortex and the 3rd ventricle, followed by the viewpoints of the neuropsychologist and the patient’s employer. The Frontal Cortex: A Brief Overview The brain’s outermost covering, the cerebral cortex, is partitioned into four lobes: the occipital lobe, the parietal lobe, the temporal lobe, and the frontal lobe. Although these lobes, as well as the rest of the brain, mutually innervate each other, each particular lobe is associated with different aspects of behavior and information processing (Drubach, 2000). The occipital cortex contains much of the neurons used in the processing of visual images, the temporal lobe processes many components used in the understanding of language, and the parietal lobe contains the primary somatosensory cortex, the cortical structure involved in the processing of touch sensations and muscle and joint data. (Kalat, 2001) Of interest to us is the frontal lobe. It extends from the central sulcus (a deep cortical groove extending along the coronal plane to both hemispheres of the brain) to the anterior limits of the brain. The two main divisions of the frontal lobe are the primary motor cortex and the pre-frontal cortex. The latter structure, the primary motor cortex, is responsible for the coordination of fine motor movements throughout different

Impact on children in the bilingual education programme

Stung Treng, one of the distant northeasterly states of the Kingdom of Cambodia, is inhabited by different cultural minority groups in add-on to the bulk Khmers, such as â€Å" Brao, Kaveth, Lun, Phnong, Khmer Khe, and Kuy † ( Center for Advanced Study, 2009, p. 285 ) . Without schooling, these groups have high hazards of being exploited and exposed to bad behaviours such as drug maltreatment and unprotected sex. With low degrees of literacy they can be more prone to infection by common diseases in their community like malaria and dandy fever febrility, which farther depletes their minimum incomes necessitating outgo on medical specialties and medical expertness. Furthermore, their full potencies to develop themselves every bit good as their community have non been realized due to miss of chances. There are many benefits associated with female parent lingua based bilingual instruction: higher registration rates in formal system ; lower dropout rates ( a common ground for dropout in the early old ages of instruction is linguistic communication ; there are high dropout rates for kids talking a different female parent lingua to the linguistic communication of direction ) ; lower repeat rates, for kids necessitating to reiterate peculiar classs of their schooling ; higher rates of success for misss remaining in instruction ; higher rates of parental and community engagement in kids ‘s instruction ; it can better the relationship between political leaders and a multilingual population ; it leads to greater proficiency and eloquence in national linguistic communication ( and besides so international linguistic communications if these are pursued ) if initial direction is done in female parent longue ; and community engagement in instruction is really of import – affecti ng parents, community and instructors in instruction helps kids learn. Greater engagement is found when initial direction is in the female parent lingua. Over recent old ages the United Nations Children ‘s Fund ( UNICEF ) , in coaction with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport ( MoEYS ) , has piloted a bilingual instruction programme in Siem Pang territory, Stung Treng state, where most Kaveth cultural group members are concentrated. This has been done in order to supply primary instruction to kids of this group by utilizing a bilingual theoretical account of larning implemented by CARE Cambodia, portion of CARE International, in Rattanakiri state. The programme focused on a minority population in three small towns of Siem Pang territory straight profiting about 225 kids. For confidentiality purposes the small towns will be known as small town K, small town O and small town T. 1.2 Problem Statement The bilingual method of learning adopted in the plan has been the agencies of supplying primary instruction to kids of cultural minorities in this state and its impact has non been studied therefore far, so the research worker has great involvement in researching this. 1.3 Purpose and Significance It is anticipated that the informations collected and analyzed in this survey will be used as a strong foundation to reason for an enlargement of the plan to other minority communities which are presently underserved by the Kampuchean instruction system. This has deductions for an addition in instruction entree for the-hard-to-reach kids of the state ‘s minority groups. The scope of possible impacts include the person ‘s future work chances, their attitudes towards and value for instruction, and the development of positive behaviours towards effectual wellness and hygiene patterns within the minority communities. Hopefully, the research findings will show the positive results and impact of the bilingual instruction programme. It may besides bring out issues or jobs that can be addressed. The positive impact will function as an protagonism message to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport â€Å" for bilingual instruction to be portion of national instruction policy programs, and the programs must be implemented in pattern with sufficient resources in the signifier of allocated financess, decently trained forces and other necessary resources † ( UNESCO, 2005, p. 3 ) . 1.2 Research Questions This research proposal intends to research the inquiry â€Å" What are the self-reported impacts of attending at the bilingual instruction programme on kids, their households and communities? † with the following purposes: To document the impact on take parting pupils of their attendance/involvement in the bilingual instruction programme in Stung Treng ; To document the impact on the households of pupils who attend the bilingual instruction programme in Stung Treng ; and To document the impact on the local communities in which pupils and their households attend bilingual instruction programme in Stung Treng.2. MethodsDiscussed in this subdivision will be the sampling technique, informations aggregation procedures and the method for informations analysis. Ethical issues and the stairss taken to turn to them will besides be considered here. 2.1 Sampling The proposed research will concentrate on the impact of bilingual instruction on the minority communities in Siem Pang territory, Stung Treng state. In each of these communities there is one school supplying bilingual instruction from classs one to three, and this research will utilize a convenience sample to choose one school with ready entree for the research worker. Two pupils from each of the three classs ( n = 6 ) from the selected school will be invited to take part in an interview. A parent of each of the invited pupils will be invited to take part in a focal point group treatment plus two members of the school support commission based on their handiness ( n=8 ) . A list of male and female pupils from the selected school will be sought from the school principal by the research worker. Simple random sampling will be used to choose two pupils from each of the three classs. The research worker will compose each single pupil ‘s name on a separate faux pas of paper, topographic point all the faux pass in a container, agitate the container, and choice faux pass from the container until the coveted figure of participants is selected. This procedure will be repeated by class and gender with misss in one container and male childs in the other in order to hold gender balance. It is of import to hold gender balance in this survey so that every bit representative voices can be heard. An Information Form and an Informed Consent signifier and missive from the school principal developed by the research worker will be sent to parents by the instructor through the selected pupils to seek their parental blessing. If parents of the selected pupils do non O.K. of their kids take parting in this research, the same procedure will be repeated with other pupils of the selected school until the coveted sample has been achieved. There are restrictions deducing from both clip restraints and geographical conditions for carry oning this research, so the sample size will non be big plenty to generalise the results of this survey. This trying attack besides has some restrictions. It can non vouch a good representation of the whole population in the small town or the category, cut downing the generalizability of the consequences. However, the impact of bilingual instruction in this minority community can still be measured through a carefully structured research tool. 2.2 Data aggregation 2.2.1 Interviewing Data will be collected through single interviews with the pupils of each of the three classs who have received parental consent to take part, and with two grownup focal point groups of four each group dwelling of the parents of three pupils and a member of school support commission in each group. Student interviews will be done by class degree, three interviews with the 2 kids from the same class degree. Due to clip restraints, carry oning pair interviews with pupils is a preferred option to the research worker. To cut down the possibility of male childs ruling the interview, the interviewer will deliberately direct the inquiries to girl pupils in an attempt to promote female engagement. The possible grownup participants in focal point group treatments will be provided with an Information Sheet in their ain linguistic communication, explicating the research intent and a Consent Form ( see Appendix A ) . Potential kid participants will be provided with an Information Form and Consent Form in their ain linguistic communication that requires parental every bit good as child consent, in an effort to turn to ethical concerns about questioning kids who are under the legal age of consent. Interviews with pupils will be conducted at their school on Thursday forenoon because Thursday is no-class twenty-four hours whilst focal point group treatments will be conducted in the afternoon of the same twenty-four hours and at the same topographic point. The interviews and concentrate group treatments will be audio-recorded for ulterior written text and analysis The interviews and concentrate groups ( draft inquiries in Appendix E ) will be conducted by the research worker and facilitated by a bilingual instructor, who can talk the local linguistic communication good, to assist smooth the procedure and to avoid any possible misinterpretation during interviews and concentrate group treatments. The instructor will non be the kid ‘s instructor to forestall any concerns of the kid in the event they make a critical remark. An instruction functionary each from the provincial and territory offices will be approached to set up communicating flow between the research worker and survey participants in footings of doing assignments for the interviews and concentrate group treatments. An interview protocol and inquiries will be developed for usage in the interviews and concentrate group treatments ( see Appendix B ) . Students will be asked semi-structured inquiries by the research worker, with interlingual rendition by a bilingual instructor. Possibly examining inquiries will besides be developed to utilize when new subjects come up during interviews and concentrate group treatments. The research worker will discourse the inquiries beforehand with the transcriber to clear up the content and purpose of the inquiries with the purpose of thereby cut downing confusion during the times of questioning and treatment. All interviews and treatments will be audio-recorded so that the procedure can be conducted swimmingly without breaks for note pickings. The recordings will subsequently be transcribed for thorough analysis, and will be translated into English. The recordings, the written texts every bit good as the interlingual renditions will be stored and watchword protected in the research worker ‘s personal computing machine for confidentiality and will be destroyed after the research study has been completed. There are some restrictions to the usage of interviews and concentrate group treatments. Students, their parents and community leaders of the minority group do non hold much exposure to the universe outside their immediate community, and this may take to narrow positions in their responses and treatments and limit the profusion of data/information aggregation. All the research participants are new to interviews and concentrate group treatments, and this may keep them from talking openly and honestly. The usage of a transcriber could besides perplex the procedure and add an unintended confusion to participants. Focus groups can non vouch confidentiality hence single respondents may be restrained in their responses if they believe person in the group might state others about peculiar remarks, particularly any perceived as critical. 2.3 Data analysis The analysis will be done first by transcribing the recorded responses from the interviews and focal point groups. Similar phrases from each transcript are put together under descriptive labels. By making so, informations are pooled and a form or subject will emerge. Give the little figure of participants in both interviews and concentrate group treatments, informations analysis will be done utilizing excel spreadsheet. 2.4 Ethical considerations The true intent of this survey will be obviously explained to all participants in this research and the general benefits deducing from this research for their community will besides be explained in order to derive their full engagement. It will be explained that engagement is voluntary and anon. . By making so the research participants understand they are non compelled to prosecute against their will and may retreat from take parting at any clip. The research worker pays great attending to ethical issues that might be concerned with the survey in footings of coercion and power imposed on the participants. Therefore, the research worker has designed an Information Sheet and Consent Form in the cultural linguistic communication explicating the intent and the procedure of the survey every bit good as their right to decline to take part before the survey can get down. An informal attack to the behavior of the interviews and focal point groups will be pursued in order to set all the participants at easiness and to arouse as rich and varied information as possible.3. Literature Reappraisal3.1 International context Surveies have shown that direction in the female parent lingua is good to achievement in other capable countries and 2nd linguistic communication acquisition. In parts where the linguistic communication of the scholar is non the national linguistic communication of the state, bilingual instruction can do female parent lingua direction possible while supplying acquisition of the national linguistic communication at the same clip ( UNCESCO, 2003 ) . International research shows that at least five old ages of direction in the first linguistic communication -but sooner throughout the instruction system – is required to supply a solid foundation for farther surveies. A strong foundation in the female parent lingua is besides needed for 2nd linguistic communication acquisition and successful transportation of the literacy accomplishments from the first to the 2nd linguistic communication ( UNESCO, 2006 ) . Teaching basic accomplishments to hapless kids through linguistic communication submergence may be damaging, but bilingual instruction is a much more effectual option. Students in the United States of America having direction in a native linguistic communication and English at different times of the twenty-four hours were found to do the most dramatic additions in reading public presentation compared to their English-only equals. This research is pertinent to multilingual low-income states ( World Bank, 2006 ) . The figure of old ages of direction in the first linguistic communication is the most of import forecaster of reading public presentation in a 2nd linguistic communication. It is non of import what the first linguistic communication is, but instead how much cognitive and academic development the pupil has experienced in it. The higher the pupils ‘ accomplishment in the primary linguistic communication, the faster they will come on in the 2nd linguistic communication ( World Bank, 2006 ) . 3.2 Kampuchean context The footings â€Å" cultural minorities, † â€Å" autochthonal peoples, † â€Å" hill folks † and â€Å" Highlanders † are non synonymous. They are used interchangeably to depict the population groups who reside in remote, difficult-to-access countries within Cambodia. They make a life largely by subsistence agriculture and from forest merchandises, and do non talk Khmer, the national linguistic communication, as a female parent lingua ( UNCESCO, 2005 ) . With the publicity of Education For All ( EFA ) , the Royal Government of Cambodia ( RGC ) is cognizant of the demand to do instruction accessible to all. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport is get downing to acknowledge that bilingual instruction may be an effectual manner of run intoing the educational demands of Cambodia ‘s cultural minorities while enabling them to take part more to the full in Khmer society ( UNESCO, 2007 ) . To accomplish Education For All in minority communities, particular schemes such as bilingual instruction can be used ( UNESCO, 2006 ) . Bilingual instruction encompasses more than the female parent lingua as the linguistic communication of direction. Curriculum, stuffs, instructors and, learner-centered methodological analysiss are all elements of the educational procedure related to the autochthonal people ‘s civilization in a wide sense. Furthermore the attack has promoted the acceptance of inclusive instruction with scholars from upland autochthonal groups have long been marginalized and deprived of any chance for formal instruction ( UNCESCO, 2005 ) . Cultural minority communities have maintained their cultural, lingual and traditional differences through their farness from the bulk cultural communities. Given this farness, there has non been the chance to back up substructure and the development and/or renovation of school edifices, conveyance and administrative substructure that instruction may necessitate ( UNCESCO, 2005 ) . This compounds the disadvantage of the minority groups even further. There have been few educational chances for autochthonal peoples and, accordingly, there are few trained forces who are fluid in cultural minority linguistic communications and Khmer. As Khmer is non the first linguistic communication of the different upland groups, kids are placed at a disadvantage when it is used as the lone linguistic communication of direction ( UNESCO, 2005 ) .Find some figures that describe the engagement rates of cultural minority groups in higher instruction in Cambodia – it will beef up this point every bit good as the Significance of the research Given that there have been few undertakings that catered to the specific educational demands of cultural minorities, there is besides a deficiency of stuffs that are culturally relevant or readily adaptable for usage in footings of linguistic communication and content ( UNESCO, 2005 ) . Indeed, small town support for schooling has been missing, most likely due to the fact that formal school services did non run into the demands of the community, and conflicted with socio-cultural norms in upland small towns. Besides, learning methodological analysis and inflexible time-tabling were non suited. Curriculum and stuff developed for the cultural minorities needs to be appropriate to accommodate the demands of the autochthonal communities. If an instruction undertaking is non based on existent, identified demands in the targeted communities, the scholars will hold it inappropriate and non utile for their demands ( UNESCO, 2005 ) with subsequent low engagement and success rates. Education for misss faces particularly tough obstructions within Cambodia and can be observed frequently in the signifier of negative attitudes – by parents, instructors and community members. Discrimination is apparent in societal norms, linguistic communication, and submissive stereotypes. Socio-cultural influences work against misss ‘ entree to instruction in the signifier of early matrimonies, a heavy domestic work load and low educational outlooks ( UNESCO, 2005 ) . This is particularly true in a traditional society like Cambodia, in which miss ‘ instruction is less valued than male childs ‘ and misss are confined to household jobs, allow entirely misss from the state ‘s minority groups.

Spanish Shawl Nudibranch - Flabellina iodinea Profile

Spanish Shawl Nudibranch - Flabellina iodinea Profile    The Spanish shawl nudibranch (Flabellina iodinea), also known as the purple aeolis, is a striking nudibranch, with a purple or bluish body, red rhinophores and orange cerata. Spanish shawl nudibranchs can grow to about 2.75 inches in length. Unlike some nudibranchs, which remain on their chosen substrate, this nudibranch can swim in the water column by flexing its body from side to side in a u-shape. Click here for a video of a Spanish shawl nudibranch swimming. Seeing this nudibranch swimming may remind you of the fringed shawls worn by Flamenco dancers, for which this nudibranch gets its name.    Classification:    Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Nudibranchia Family: Flabellinoidea Genus: Flabellina species: iodinea    Habitat and Distribution: You might think of a colorful creature like this as inaccessible - but Spanish shawl nudibranchs are found in relatively shallow water in the Pacific Ocean from British Columbia, Canada to the Galapagos Islands. They can be found in intertidal areas out to a water depth of about 130 feet. Feeding: This nudibranch feeds on a species of hydroid (Eudendrium ramosum), which possesses a pigment called astaxanthin. This pigment gives the Spanish shawl nudibranch its brilliant color. In the Spanish shawl nudibranch, the astaxanthin shows up in 3 different states, creating the purple, orange and red colors found on this species. Astaxanthin is also found in other marine creatures, including lobsters (which contributes to the lobsters red appearance when cooked), krill, and salmon. Reproduction:    Nudibranchs are hermaphroditic - they poses reproductive organs of both sexes, so they can mate opportunistically when another nudibranch is nearby. Mating occurs when two nudibranchs get together - the reproductive organs are on the right side of the body, so the nudibranchs match up their right sides. Usually both animals pass sperm sacs through a tube, and eggs are laid. Nudibranchs may be found first by seeing their eggs - if you see eggs, the adults who laid them may be nearby. The Spanish shawl nudibranch lays ribbons of eggs that are pinkish-orange in color, and are often found on the hydroids upon which it preys. After about a week, the eggs develop into free-swimming veligers, which eventually settle on the ocean bottom as a miniature nudibranch that grows into a larger adult.    Sources:    Goddard, J.H.R. 2000. Flabellina iodinea (Cooper, 1862).  Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Accessed November 11, 2011.McDonald, G. Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California.  Accessed November 11, 2011.Rosenberg, G. and Bouchet, P. 2011. Flabellina iodinea (J. G. Cooper, 1863). World Register of Marine Species. Accessed on November 14, 2011.SeaLifeBase. Flabellina iodinea. Accessed November 14, 2011.

LES MISERABLES Essays (485 words) - English-language Films

LES MISERABLES Essays (485 words) - English-language Films LES MISERABLES Behind the plot of the story there was a great meaning of what life is all about and human nature. I is not only the main character searching for justice but about the world living one terrible lie. The book touches fragile aspects of crime, love, poverty, and the meaning of life and death. Sometimes life is unfair and you cannot change the way it is, but make the best of it. Things I have Learned What is justice? Anyone, would say it is what the law says and how people abide by it. A man caught stealing money from the poor should in fact go to jail. A man who has killed should also be executed. But what about morals? A man who steals bread to feed his starving family goes to jail. A man kills an man who attacks and threatens the lives of his family goes to jail. This changes the scenario, but who is really the convict? This idea put me to think. Is it okay to overlook the good thief and punish the bad thief? No, its not just to either one of them. The just to do would be to punish them both, but then the innocent suffer. This book has well over a thousand themes. Each one uniquely different towards the reader, but there is a principal message behind the book, the Miserable?s name is mankind. No matter in what society, region, or country, they are all still affected by the same kind of miseries. This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title - Tender story of an ex-convict who re-discovers life. I began to read "Les Mis" as a challenge to myself. As I read the last pages this evening it was all that I could do to keep from bawling. Although I've never seen the musical or the various films, I can't believe that any adaptation can do justice to Hugo's beautiful knowledge of language. Although there is some rough going at the descriptions of historical, societal and political France Hugo constantly returns to his masterful description: "Only a thin partition separated him from that small cluster of lost souls groping in the darkness and sundered from the living world; he had heard them living, or rather suffering, with a few yards of him.... They are les miserables the outcasts, the underdogs. And who is to blame? Is it not the most fallen who have most need of charity?" It is thus that Hugo captures the most icy hearts. The reader can't help but be enthralled by the trials and tribulations of Jean Valjean, the ex-convict wi th a will ! to live outside the mire. With some help, he learns that there is so much to live for, and so much to lose. With a bittersweet ending that does a Mexican-hat-dance on the emotions, "Les Mis" is a true classic.

Biography of Wilfred Owen, a Poet in Wartime

Biography of Wilfred Owen, a Poet in Wartime Wilfred Owen (March 18, 1893- Nov. 4, 1918) was a compassionate poet whos work provides the finest description and critique of the soldiers experience during World War One. He was killed towards the end of the conflict in Ors, France.   Wilfred Owens Youth Wilfred Owen was born to an apparently wealthy family; however, within two years his grandfather died on the verge of bankruptcy and, missing his support, the family were forced into poorer housing at Birkenhead. This fallen status left a permanent impression on Wilfreds mother, and it may have combined with her staunch piety to produce a child who was sensible, serious, and who struggled to equate his wartime experiences with Christian teachings. Owen studied well at schools in Birkenhead and, after another family move, Shrewsbury- where he even helped to teach- but he failed the University of Londons entrance exam. Consequently, Wilfred became lay assistant to the vicar of Dunsden- an Oxfordshire parish- under an arrangement designed so the vicar would tutor Owen for another attempt at University. Early Poetry Although commentators differ as to whether Owen started writing at the age 10/11 or 17, he was certainly producing poems during his time at Dunsden; conversely, the experts agree that Owen favored literature, as well as Botany, at school, and that his main poetic influence was Keats. The Dunsden poems exhibit the compassionate awareness so characteristic of Wilfred Owens later war poetry, and the young poet found considerable material in the poverty and death he observed working for the church. Indeed, Wilfred Owens written compassion was often very close to morbidity. Mental Problems Wilfreds service in Dunsden may have made him more aware of the poor and less fortunate, but it didnt encourage a fondness for the church: away from his mothers influence he became critical of evangelical religion and intent on a different career, that of literature. Such thoughts led to a difficult and troubled period during January 1913, when Wilfred and Dunsdens vicar appear to have argued, and - or because perhaps as a result of - Owen suffered a near nervous breakdown. He left the parish, spending the following summer recovering. Travel During this period of relaxation Wilfred Owen wrote what critics often label his first war-poem - Uriconium, an Ode - after visiting an archaeological dig. The remains were Roman, and Owen described ancient combat with especial reference to the bodies he observed being unearthed. However, he failed to gain a scholarship to university and so left England, traveling to the continent and a position teaching English at the Berlitz school in Bordeaux. Owen was to remain in France for over two years, during which time he began a collection of poetry: it was never published. 1915- Wilfred Owen Enlists in the Army Although war seized Europe in 1914, it was only in 1915 that Owen considered the conflict to have expanded so considerably that he was needed by his country, whereupon he returned to Shrewsbury in September 1915, training as a private at Hare Hall Camp in Essex. Unlike many of the wars early recruits, the delay meant Owen was partly aware of the conflict he was entering, having visited a hospital for the wounded and having seen the carnage of modern warfare first-hand; however he still felt removed from events. Owen moved to the Officers school in Essex during the March of 1916 before joining the Manchester Regiment in June, where he was graded 1st Class Shot on a special course. An application to the Royal Flying Corps was rejected, and on December 30th 1916, Wilfred traveled to France, joining the 2nd Manchesters on January 12th 1917. They were positioned near Beaumont Hamel, on the Somme. Wilfred Owen Sees Combat Wilfreds own letters describe the following few days better than any writer or historian could hope to manage, but it is sufficient to say Owen and his men held a forward position, a muddy, flooded dug-out, for fifty hours as an artillery and shells raged around them. Having survived this, Owen remained active with the Manchesters, nearly getting frost bite in late January, suffering concussion in March- he fell through shell-damaged land into a cellar at Le Quesnoy-en-Santerre, earning him a trip behind the lines to hospital- and fighting in bitter combat at St. Quentin a few weeks later. Shell Shock at Craiglockhart It was after this latter battle, when Owen was caught in an explosion, that soldiers reported him acting rather strangely; he was diagnosed as having shell-shock and sent back to England for treatment in May. Owen arrived at the, now famous, Craiglockhart War Hospital on June 26th, an establishment sited outside Edinburgh. Over the next few months Wilfred wrote some of his finest poetry, the result of several stimuli. Owens doctor, Arthur Brock, encouraged his patient to overcome shell-shock by working hard at his poetry and editing The Hydra, Craiglockharts magazine. Meanwhile, Owen met another patient, Siegfried Sassoon, an established poet whose recently published war work inspired Wilfred and whose encouragement guided him; the exact debt owed by Owen to Sassoon is unclear, but the former certainly improved far beyond the latters talents. Owens War Poetry In addition, Owen was exposed to the cloyingly sentimental writing and attitude of non-combatants who glorified the war, an attitude to which Wilfred reacted with fury. Further fueled by nightmares of his wartime experiences, Owen wrote classics like Anthem for Doomed Youth, rich and multi-layered works characterized by a brutal honesty and deep compassion for the soldiers/victims, many of which were direct ripostes to other authors. Its important to note that Wilfred wasnt a simple pacifist- indeed, on occasions he railed against them- but a man sensitive to the burden of soldiery. Owen may have been self-important before the war- as betrayed by his letters home from France- but there is no self-pity in his war work. Owen Continues to Write While in the Reserves Despite a low number of publications, Owens poetry was now attracting attention, prompting supporters to request non-combat positions on his behalf, but these requests were turned down. Its questionable as to whether Wilfred would have accepted them: his letters reveal a sense of obligation, that he had to do his duty as poet and observe the conflict in person, a feeling exacerbated by Sassoons renewed injuries and return from the front. Only by fighting could Owen earn respect, or escape the easy slurs of cowardice, and only a proud war-record would protect him from detractors. Owen Returns to the Front and Is Killed Owen was back in France by September- again as a company commander- and on September 29th he captured a machine gun position during an attack on the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line, for which he was awarded the Military Cross. After his battalion was rested in early October Owen saw in action again, his unit operating around the Oise-Sambre canal. Early in the morning of November 4th Owen led an attempt to cross the canal; he was struck and killed by enemy fire. Aftermath Owens death was followed by one of World War Ones most iconic stories: when the telegram reporting his demise was delivered to his parents, the local church bells could be heard ringing in celebration of the armistice. A collection of Owens poems was soon created by Sassoon, although the numerous different versions, and the attendant difficulty in working out which were Owens drafts and which were his preferred edits, led to two new editions in the early 1920s. The definitive edition of Wilfreds work may well be Jon Stallworthys Complete Poems and Fragments from 1983, but all justify Owens long-lasting acclaim. The War Poetry The poetry is not for everyone, for within Owen combines graphic descriptions of trench life- gas, lice, mud, death- with an absence of glorification; dominant themes include the return of bodies to the earth, hell and the underworld. Wilfred Owens poetry is remembered as reflecting the real life of the soldier, although critics and historians argue over whether he was overwhelming honest or overly scared by his experiences. He was certainly compassionate, a word repeated throughout this biography and texts on Owen in general, and works like Disabled, focusing on the motives and thoughts of soldiers themselves, provide ample illustration of why. Owens poetry is certainly free of the bitterness present in several historians monographs on the conflict, and he is generally acknowledged as being the both the most successful, and best, poet of wars reality. The reason why may be found in the preface to his poetry, of which a drafted fragment was found after Owens death: Yet these elegies are not to this generation, this is in no sense consolatory. They may be to the next. All a poet can do today is to warn. That is why the true Poets must be truthful. (Wilfred Owen, Preface) Notable Family of Wilfred Owen Father: Tom OwenMother: Susan Owen

Organic Chemistry Lab Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organic Chemistry Lab - Essay Example You would take a sample from two of the compounds, X and Y, mix them. If the result of a lowered melting point is present, then the two are different compounds. Then take X and Z, mix them. If the result of a lowered melting point is present, then the two are different compounds. Do the same with Y and Z and mix them. If the result of a lowered melting point is present, then the two are different compounds. Thus all three compounds are different, if the melting point was proven to be lowered. Question 4-One of the most common causes of inaccurate melting points is too rapid heating of the melting point bath. Under these circumstances, how will the observed melting point compare to the true melting point? If the heating block is heated too rapidly, the thermometer cannot keep up, and reads a value which is lower than the actual temperature of the heating block and of the compound. Question 5-Strictly speaking, why is it incorrect to speak of a melting point? Experimentally, it is extremely difficult to establish the exact temperature at which this equilibrium is established; therefore, the temperature range over which liquid and solid are found to coexist is called the melting point. For example, a solid may be reported to have a `melting point of 100-101oC; this means that, on heating slowly, the first droplet of liquid was observed at 100oC and the last crystal of solid disappeared at 101oC. Question 6-What effect would the incomplete drying of a sample (for example, the incomplete removal of a recrystallization solvent) have on the melting point? Incomplete drying will contaminate the crystal and depress the melting point. Question 7-Why should the melting point sample be finely powdered? A fine powdered sample makes the heat transfer into the sample more efficient and reproducible, and also enhances the overall reflect ability of the sample for easier automated detection of the

Assignment DECISION CASE ANALYSIS Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assignment DECISION CASE ANALYSIS - Coursework Example Later in 193 AD, the whole of Roman Empire was put for auction by the Praetorian Guard. In 18th century, there was an auction that was carried out in Taverns and coffeehouses where it was used to sell art. In around 1990s, there emerged the first internet- based auction materials and in the mid-1995, Glen Meakem, who was McKinsey consultant, started Free Markets. In the year 2004, Ariba did the purchase of Free Market and by today very many companies offer various types of bids including a reverse auction (Cogswell, 2004). He procurement process follows a cycle that begins with preparation, negotiation, and lastly implementation process. The development process in e- auction is longer than it is in face to face negotiation. Here, there are tight conditions, and everything is restricted on the supplier who only negotiates on the price. Furthermore, e- auction involves negotiation of several suppliers; therefore there are a lot of energies invested at the preparation level. However, on es the supplier has gotten into the system, the subsequent years do not require a lot of time for preparation. The second process requires negotiation, at such a point there is extreme talk, and many suppliers negotiate within a given timescales. As they negotiate the price of the good or the serviced decrease such that by the time are done the price is favorable to the buyers who will be willing to choose the price that fits them. The last process that is implementation is based on the company; it should be done in a straightforward and transparent way that favors both the supplier and the buyer (Cogswell, 2004). The Market Dojo finds it so challenging entering into an e- sourcing space where there are bigger companies such as Oracle, SAP and Ariba already offering excellent services to the customers (Testa, 2009). Market Dojo strives to have a share of the market with these well- established companies by taking advantage of the

Microfinance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Microfinance - Essay Example In this aspect, they provide more than just banking services. In my opinion, MFIs have empowered the poor by bringing financial services closer to them. However, it is also of equal significance to lay policies for efficient management and operations of the MFIs (Ledgerwood 205). To determine if the MFIs are able to make sufficient returns to meet their needs without extreme risks and remain financially viable while extending loans to small businesses, a periodic analysis of their performance is necessary (Ledgerwood 205). The targeted beneficiaries also require training in capital management and investment to gain profits. A report on the financial analysis is not only helpful to the internal management of the MFIs, but also to donors and financiers that have invested in them (Ledgerwood 205). This aspect applies to both non-profit and profit making entities. An analysis of the performance provides information that assist in identifying existing and potential problems. From the analysis, changes in policy and management can be implemented, improving financial performance. In conclusion, I believe MFIs need to be monitored and undergo periodic evaluations. This is because well managed MFIs are in the forefront in supporting generation of sustainable income to financially challenged entrepreneurs, driving them towards a financially independent society (Ledgerwood 8). The way they are managed enables practitioners to determine how well they are performing financially and also determine future performance goals.

Discuss how the engineering design process works for a mechanical Essay

Discuss how the engineering design process works for a mechanical component (in this case a lifting device) in an industrial set - Essay Example The process steps in some instances appear sequential, although, in some cases with light of changing design models the steps may be reverse or parallel to one another. Every design situation has unique set of demands and criteria, thus, choosing a design process will be dependent on the specific needs of the project (Lumsdaine et al 1999). The design process would normally entail an entire business or enterprise from product idea to the maintenance of the product, and all the stages that are in between. An engineering designs, thus characterizes the aspect of both the process and the product. The process being the series of continuous actions ending in a precise result and the product being the thing produced as an end result of the process. Graphics would normally be employed to help in visualization of possible solutions and for documentation of the design for purposes of communication (Ertas & Jones, 1996). In an open-ended design setting, engineers would use their math and scien ce knowledge to investigate all options that are possible and do a comparison of many ideas of design. In this case, at the starting point of problem-solving, the engineer or designer does not know precisely the solution to meet the requirements. The designer employs prototypes or early versions of the design and selects the best fit that best uses the resources available and best meets the requirements (Ertas & Jones, 1996). Lifting devices are essential in industrial jobs that require specialized equipment. There are numerous types of lifting equipment used industrially that are available in the market today. Their use is commonly in major hazards sites to remove or install large plant items. (Kemp, 2008)These kinds of lifts require large lifting equipment such as mobile and tower cranes. Plant operations involving lifting of the lifting of mobile equipment and spares for purposes of maintenance, drums of chemicals, will make use of equipment such as travelling cranes, lifting tru cks, lifting chains and hoists. Trained plant operators are the ones who normally carry out these smaller routine lifts while specialists undertake the larger lifts (Bulala, 1998). Without lifting devices, operations in industries would be impossible. Industries such as mining, transport, construction, gas and oil, and steel rely on lifting equipment to move heavy items. Lifting devices are critical in carrying out activities of transportation of weighty materials from one place to another. It is, therefore, important to design equipment that will provide these essential services and ensure the smooth running of activities in industries. While coming up with the design of the equipment, the designing engineer and their design team factor in mind the general principles regarding use of the equipment, the major hazards related to the use of the device, and the code of practice relating to lifting procedures (Kemp, 2008). In this essay, we are going to look at an engineering design pro cess that would work for a lifting device. The engineering design process The steps that would be essential in the design process would begin from first recognizing the problem or need, the user/ users, and the insight, or the importance of solving the problem. The design process leads to asking the question of whether customers have need for the product. There is evidently need for lifting devices such as cranes in

Mid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mid - Essay Example Petrarch is known as the â€Å"Father of Humanism† because he was the one who theorized that â€Å"language was the key to learning and a window to the human soul† (Woods). In short, he was the one who first realized the interplay between language and the human being. For Petrarch, if only the human being can use language effectively, we can know ourselves and the world better and we can serve others better as well. Petrarch was also the first to theorize on the need to know the theoretical and practical purpose of human life in order that one may live well and happily (Woods). Petrarch, however, endured the Black Death because a woman whom he had met in his youth, Laura de Noves, died of Black Death, and of whom Petrarch could only write, â€Å"her soul, as I believe, returned to heaven, whence it came† (Petrarch on the Plague). Women were excluded from the history of our culture because â€Å"our tradition tells us†¦that philosophy itself [including history], and its norms of reason and objectivity, exclude everything that is feminine or associated with women† (Witt). Moreover, society is simply biased against women as it promoted the â€Å"negative characterization† of women or anything pertaining to the feminine aspect (Witt). Our culture and cultural heritage therefore have been not only biased against women and once did not recognize many of the rights that they freely exercise now. The passage actually comes from William Shakespeare’s play As You Like It, Act 2, scene 1, 12-17. This means that the speaker is sick and tired of the pretense that he experiences from the world around him. He seems to have been forced to adopt this insincerity ever since and that everytime he adopts this worldview, he suffers â€Å"adversity† in his life. However, without this adversity, he would not have realized the good thing that such adversity would bring him – the â€Å"precious

Discuss how the engineering design process works for a mechanical Essay

Discuss how the engineering design process works for a mechanical component (in this case a lifting device) in an industrial set - Essay Example The process steps in some instances appear sequential, although, in some cases with light of changing design models the steps may be reverse or parallel to one another. Every design situation has unique set of demands and criteria, thus, choosing a design process will be dependent on the specific needs of the project (Lumsdaine et al 1999). The design process would normally entail an entire business or enterprise from product idea to the maintenance of the product, and all the stages that are in between. An engineering designs, thus characterizes the aspect of both the process and the product. The process being the series of continuous actions ending in a precise result and the product being the thing produced as an end result of the process. Graphics would normally be employed to help in visualization of possible solutions and for documentation of the design for purposes of communication (Ertas & Jones, 1996). In an open-ended design setting, engineers would use their math and scien ce knowledge to investigate all options that are possible and do a comparison of many ideas of design. In this case, at the starting point of problem-solving, the engineer or designer does not know precisely the solution to meet the requirements. The designer employs prototypes or early versions of the design and selects the best fit that best uses the resources available and best meets the requirements (Ertas & Jones, 1996). Lifting devices are essential in industrial jobs that require specialized equipment. There are numerous types of lifting equipment used industrially that are available in the market today. Their use is commonly in major hazards sites to remove or install large plant items. (Kemp, 2008)These kinds of lifts require large lifting equipment such as mobile and tower cranes. Plant operations involving lifting of the lifting of mobile equipment and spares for purposes of maintenance, drums of chemicals, will make use of equipment such as travelling cranes, lifting tru cks, lifting chains and hoists. Trained plant operators are the ones who normally carry out these smaller routine lifts while specialists undertake the larger lifts (Bulala, 1998). Without lifting devices, operations in industries would be impossible. Industries such as mining, transport, construction, gas and oil, and steel rely on lifting equipment to move heavy items. Lifting devices are critical in carrying out activities of transportation of weighty materials from one place to another. It is, therefore, important to design equipment that will provide these essential services and ensure the smooth running of activities in industries. While coming up with the design of the equipment, the designing engineer and their design team factor in mind the general principles regarding use of the equipment, the major hazards related to the use of the device, and the code of practice relating to lifting procedures (Kemp, 2008). In this essay, we are going to look at an engineering design pro cess that would work for a lifting device. The engineering design process The steps that would be essential in the design process would begin from first recognizing the problem or need, the user/ users, and the insight, or the importance of solving the problem. The design process leads to asking the question of whether customers have need for the product. There is evidently need for lifting devices such as cranes in

Cultural Self-Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Cultural Self-Assessment - Assignment Example In this paper I will be looking at cultural self –awareness and the role it plays diversity competence. Every individual’s cultural background is very unique and important as it actually moulds our societal outlook. Various factors of cultural background come into play to influence the overall outcome of individuals in terms of cultural competence and outlook on society. The kind of setting out was brought up in is very influential in shaping their outlook on society. The environmental we grow up and live in, social-economic background, parental influence, culture and educational attainment are important factors within cultural background that roll into play to shape our outlook on society. Religion is another very important factor of cultural background shaping what we become in life as well as the outlook we take on society. The schools we go to, the neighbourhoods and the church we go to during childhood all influence what we became later in life. I personally was born and raised in Kuwait and indeed having left my home country to study abroad has actually taught me a lot in terms of cultural diversity. As a freshman in college I have to interact with fellow students from different parts of the world and a lot of cultural exchange takes place. I have learnt to appreciate the importance of cultural diversity and this is because I now realise that the world has a myriad of cultures and therefore expecting to live, work with or learn with just your own culture in the modern world is tantamount to cultural incompetence. Cultural competence training for me is therefore a very important aspect especially considering that I am a student in effect a future leader. Appreciating others, respecting their cultural identities, learning from them and embracing cultural diversity is what I want to achieve. I therefore value cultural competence and it is for the

Underage Drinking Essay Example for Free

Underage Drinking Essay Do you remember how cool you felt the first time that you drank? All of us younger kids, hanging out with the older kids, everyone getting drunk together. Thinking about this when I was younger really made me raise the question of why we have a legal limit to drink in the first place. Underage kids have had no problem getting alcohol for decades so why put a legal limit on it? When I found myself asking these questions the answers seemed to make sense; or maybe it was my senior year of high school when I got suspended for ten days. After that had occurred it made me think that maybe they have a limit on alcohol for a reason. One of those reasons being that kids are not mature enough yet to handle the side effects that alcohol brings. Underage drinking has been around for years but it brings little to no good to our society. In the United States, there is a certain legal age that states the time in which individuals are allowed to drink or purchase alcohol. Even though you may not agree with most of the rules that the federal government has set in place, this is one rule that I am definitely in favor for. They have placed the legal age limit at 21 for all alcoholic beverages. It does not matter what state you are in; the drinking law is the same for all 50 states in the United States of America (Cost of Underage Drinking). Sadly, sometimes these laws are broken. Even with these laws in place, the alcoholic consumption by our youth still becomes an issue in the United States. After doing research I have come to find out that statistics show that at least eleven million teenagers are still underage drinkers, with about half of them being binge drinkers, meaning they usually have more than 5 drinks per occasion (Flewelling) . In my opinion I believe that America needs to have a change in culture and beliefs towards underage drinking and make it a main priority. While so many people are focused on the consumption of drugs and making that go away, underage drinking is still a humungous issue in America. The NIH News stated that, â€Å"Alcohol is the most used drug by young Americans these days.† When you have newspapers starting to agree with this theory, then you know it’s a serious issue. The risky behavior that is performed Is often associated with underage drinking can have devastating and long term consequences. â€Å"Forty percent of those who start drinking before the age of fifteen meet criteria for alcoholism at some point in their lives.† (Atwood). People often wonder the reason that makes teenagers take part in this terrible habit. There are many reasons why teenagers drink alcohol. For example many homes in America have developed a habit of sipping some alcohol before dinner every night. Another reason to use alcohol at such a young age would be to relieve stress, especially teenagers who use alcohol in time of a confrontation or an argument arises between their family and friends. I believe the main reason that teenagers use alcohol is because they do not much about their effects. In a society where the kid’s parents use alcohol on a daily basis and all the advertisement that is out there now that shows alcohol is very attractive or the cool thing to do; teenagers see these influences and think that it is the cool thing to do, and will make them be considered more of an adult. While I was conducting research I found out that those young people that start drinking at an early age are five times more likely to experience alcohol related complications later on in their lives. Studies have shown that alcohol has more harmful affects on a teenager’s brain and the giving of child birth than an adult would have (Dee) . A person’s brain usually develops the most between the ages of 12 and 21, and if you are consuming alcohol on a regular basis during that time then what do you think the effects are going to be? The use of alcohol doesn’t only have an effect on your brain, but can also drastically affect others. For example, an underage drunk driver hit my girlfriend 2 months ago, and she has to see the neurologist three times a week for treatment. All because of one man’s simple mistake, her life, my life and all of her friends and family were greatly affected. Studies have found that alcohol consumption by teenagers can cause drastic c hanges in the development in personality and general behavior. Many teenagers that drink think that they are invincible and that nothing will ever happen to them, but only if they would read and pay attention to the signs that warn them about these dangers, they would probably think differently. It is shown that those who drink for a short term or just in moderation have been found to impair their learning and memory much more in young people than in adults. It is also possible that those who drink often may not ever be able to catch up on adulthood, because alcohol prevents the growth of systems that are responsible for learning and storing new information (Kaiser). The brain isn’t the only thing in the human body that is affected. Another main body part that is affected is the liver. In many teenagers’ minds, the liver is the last thing they think about when consuming alcohol. Alcohol affects one’s liver in very large amounts. Alcohol can lead to a major liver disease known as, alcohol induced liver disease, a major cause of illness and death in the United States (Kaiser). Studies have shown that about 10 to 35 percent of those who drink heavily developed hepatitis. This causes about 10,000 to 24,000 deaths in the United States each and every year (Gruenebaum). â€Å"A serious epidemic is overtaking our country and underage drinking is spreading rapidly like a virus† (The Consequence of Underage Drinking). Teenagers in all 50 states are getting caught drinking illegally each and every day. The sad thing is, that it isn’t only teenagers in college that are doing it either. Students in high school, middle school and even elementary. How have we let the problem arise this far? There is just no excuse to be oblivious to the issue anymore. Underage drinking is right in front of our faces, and it is killing not only our children, but also the people that they hurt. Thomas Dee made a valid point by stating, â€Å"If we focused more on our children not drinking, than us needing a drink then we would be a lot better off.† It just seems that so many people are focused on getting drunk, than actually doing the right thing. I’m i n the Marines and every day on active duty it seemed that someone under the legal age was getting into trouble for drinking. Although, many believe that if you are old enough to die for your country then you should be able to drink underage. The thing is, the government has made it made very clear, and it is those duties to follow the rules of be punished for them. It is not only the health issues that make this law in effect, but the maturity level also. And teenagers over the years have proven over and over, that they are not responsible enough to handle the responsibility of alcohol consumption. On the other hand, trying to be in favor of those who are under the age, there is just no realistic solution in my opinion. Drinkers and parents need to take charge and responsibility for making sure that teenagers don’t drinks; especially don’t drink and drive. One solution for this would be to end all college sponsorships that have to do with any type of alcohol. Although it brings in big bucks for colleges and for scholarships, it’s the right thing to do to protect the students. The main target for alcohol brands is young people, especially college students. Many will say that it is the drinker’s responsibility, but according to Mark Clayton, education is just not enough. â€Å"Others will say that big companies are not a threat, it is local bars, but only big brewery companies sponsor colleges and universities† (Clayton). Another main issue for underage drinkers at college is adults providing alcohol and false identification. â€Å"Colleges should cut all sales of alcoholic beverages at sporting events, so that false identification cannot be provided.† (Cox). To prevent this problem, another way could be to educate youth about alcohol consumption well before middle school. For most students, before they even reach middle school they are already exposed to alcohol. The D.A.R.E. program teaches children about alcohol and its affects, should be taught in elementary school. My little brother who is in third grade came home and told me that he had learned about that last week, and said he never wants to drink alcohol. According to (underageddrinking.samhsa.gov), over 70% of 8th graders said alcohol is easy to get, and 30% of children age 12-14 get alcohol from a family member. These statistics just go to show how easy it is for kids these days to get alcohol. In some cases the police have no control over the issue. One example would be underground drinking. â€Å"Raising the drinking age to 21 was passed with the very best of intentions, but it’s had the very worst of outcomes. The law has pushed and forced underage drinking and youthful drinking underground, where we have no control over it.† (Hanson). This makes me think is underage drinking ever going to stop? The answer is no. Why teenagers drink is something we just do not have a definite answer for. There are many reasons why teenagers drink, and every one has their own reason for doing it. Peer pressure and stress are among the most common reasons that teenagers take up drinking (CDC). Everyone these days want to feel accepted by their peers, and they believe that drinking will give them the acceptance they seek. â€Å"Many teenagers will think they are invincible when they drink and get behind a wheel.† (American Driving Academy). Drinking and driving is just of the many issues that arise when teenagers get alcohol in them. And if you are under the age and think you can get away with it, you better think again. â€Å"If a minor who has been arrested for driving while under the influence refuses to submit to a sobriety test, the minor can be charged with a separate offense referred to as a referral† (Cost of Underage Drinking). The bottom line is if you under the age of 21, then you should never touch alcohol. If you do decide to make a stupid decision like this, then use your head and not get caught.

Examining The Importanceof Key Performance Indicators Construction Essay

Examining The Importanceof Key Performance Indicators Construction Essay The Latham Report, also known as Constructing the Team was published by Sir Michael Latham in 1994 to highlight the inefficiencies of UK construction industry at that time. The industry was underperforming as a whole, generating low profitability and unable to meet clients satisfaction. Latham Report served as a wake-up call for the nation and underlined the immediate need to reform. Sir John Egan picked up from where Latham left off and published the Egan Report, also known as Rethinking Construction in 1998. Egan Report (1998) identified five key drivers of change which are committed leadership, a focus on the customer, integrated processes and teams, a quality driven agenda and commitment to people. Sir John Egan also challenged the industry to reduce its construction cost and time by 10% annually. Egan Report concluded that, if the UK construction industry is to meet new challenges and opportunities, it must transform itself, and KPIs were highlighted as a tool for attaining this (Cooper, 2004). The first set of UK Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) was published in 1999 with three main objectives (Constructing Excellence, 2006): Key Performance Indicators can be rather confusing to those who have little knowledge in business management. It is believed that the benefits of KPIs are yet to be fully exploited by the construction industry ever since the publication of Egan Report. KPIs are not new to the industry but they are either not recognised or kept away by the management teams (Parmenter, 2007). Nowadays, the term KPIs has become one of the most over-used and little understood terms in business development and management (Ibis, 2010). According to KPIs expert David Parmenter, KPIs represent a set of measures focusing on those aspects of organisational performance that are the most critical for the current and future success of the organisation (Parmenter, 2004). When used correctly, KPIs are able to tell an organisation what to do to improve performance dramatically. However, the organisation can only succeed when the company leaders and staff are all together focusing on KPIs. Each business industry has a different set of KPIs for companies to use to measure their success. In the construction industry, companies use indicators such as the number of safety incidents in a specified time period, profitability of construction projects or reviewing cost of construction materials against the predetermined budget (Vitez, 2010). Cox et al. (2003) state that KPIs are compilations of data measures used to assess the performance of a construction operation. They also state that KPIs could be the methods management uses to evaluate employee performance of a particular task. These evaluations typically compare the actual and estimated performance in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, and quality in terms of both workmanship and product. In order to measure performance or calculate the effects of any given change on the construction process, one must first determine the appropriate KPIs to focus on to measure its impact (Cox et al., 2003). Performance indicators can be defined by either the quantitative results of a construction process, for example  £/unit, or by qualitative measures such as worker behaviour on the job. Accurate analysis of construction performance can be only performed after the KPIs are determined and monitored (Cox et al., 2003). Before any Key Performance Indicators are determined, it is vital to identify what the organisations goal is (Visitask, 2010). After the goals are identified, KPIs will act as a measure of progress towards those goals. Whatever the KPIs may be, they must be critical to the success of the organisation (Reh, 2010). After the KPIs have been defined and the way to measure it has also been determined, a clear target has to be demarcated which should be understandable by everyone in the organisation (Visitask, 2010). The target should also be specific so that every individual are able to work together towards accomplishing it. To achieve a particular target level of Key Performance Indicator for a company, every department along with the company leaders have to work in synergy towards it (Visitask, 2010). In short, KPIs help an organisation define and measure progress toward organisational goals. Once an organisation has analysed its mission, identified all its stakeholders, and defined its goals, it needs a way to measure progress toward those goals and KPIs are those measurements (Reh, 2010). Measuring performance allows an organisation to objectively determine what is working and what is not (Ling and Peh, 2005). There are many ways to use KPIs in the business and industry. According to Constructing Excellence (2006), the main ways that KPIs are used in the construction industry are: CIPFA (1996) describes benchmarking as a tool for self improvement. It suggests that organisations are often prompted to use benchmarking when they want to reduce cost, achieve more with the same or fewer resources, prepare for competitive tendering, improve quality of service, or change culture of the organisation. Benchmarking can be used in a host of ways. For example a company can compare its performance internally, by benchmarking processes in one office against the same processes in another; or it can undertake similar work externally by examining how it compares with its direct competitors (Pickrell and Garnett, 1997). When choosing a target for benchmarking, it is best to benchmark similar organisations in the same industry, in similar marketplaces, of a similar size and if possible, working in a similar locality. Such an approach provides not only more meaningful and focused targets for improvement, but also data and more general information about what competitors are achiev ing (Cooper, 2004). However, sometimes it is necessary to go beyond the sphere of ones own industry to identify the best practice in the business (McGeorge and Palmer, 1997). KPIs are a type of performance measurement tool. It allows management to measure the performance of a company in a certain area such as profitability. KPIs can help a team to work together to achieve a common set of measurable goals, and provide a very quick way of seeing the actual performance of a goal or strategic objective (RapidBI, 2009). According to Constructing Excellence (2006), KPIs can also be used as a marketing tool. For example, Contractors can use KPIs to prove that they have excellent safety records to promote themselves in front of clients when tendering. Besides, KPIs can help companies to make decisions quicker when there are accurate and visible measures to back them up (RapidBI, 2009). In the construction industry, KPIs help managers to find weak areas in their operations that can be improved, leading to faster construction completion times and fewer employee safety incidents (Vitez, 2010). Moreover, constructions companies who use KPIs in their operations usuall y have more flexible operations than their competitors (Vitez, 2010). Although not realised by many people, KPIs actually play a part in providing sustainable construction. There are environmental KPIs that measure impact on the environment, energy use, waste, and impact on biodiversity which are all crucial to sustainability. Benchmarking can provide an objective analysis of how successful an organisation is performing and allows a company to identify its position in the market (Ling and Peh, 2005). By benchmarking against best practice in the industry, one can identify potential areas of growth or weaknesses and use lessons learnt to make targeted improvements. In long run, companies who benchmark will be able to deliver clients expectations and increase clients satisfaction. Besides, benchmarking can help to lock an organisation into continuous performance improvement, and to develop a culture in which it is easier to admit mistakes and make changes (CIPFA, 1996). Pickrell and Garnett (1997) claim that benchmarking can help to reduce overheads and increase profitability of a company. It also enables companies to really understand their business processes. The most important thing of all about benchmarking is that it allows better companies to demonstrate that they are capable of delivering good services and products, thus developing a barrier to the poorer performers in the market. When this happens, poorer performers will strive to improve their performance by means of benchmarking the better ones and consequently the overall performance of the industry is increased as the market gets more competitive.

Vulgar Wedding Roast by a Childhood Friend Essay -- Wedding Toasts Roa

Vulgar Wedding Speech by a Childhood Friend Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is my first experience in playing such a large role in a wedding. And I really appreciate Lee and Susan giving me the opportunity to make a fool of myself in front their friends and family, rather than just my own all the time. Yes, I am feeling pretty nervous at the moment, but not as nervous as Lee was this morning. He said that he had a few butterflies in his stomach. Well, he should be feeling better now, as I found this in the toilet just after he'd left it. [hold up a brick] But unlike me he didn’t have anything to be nervous about. Everything has gone to plan and I can’t imagine a happier way to start married life than in this wonderful venue with all their family and friends around them...

A Time To Kill Essay -- essays research papers

A Review and Commentary On:A Time to Kill By John GrishamA Time to Kill written by John Grisham is a book that presents the high racial tensions in Canton Mississippi in the early 1990’s. The book opens with two young men, James Lewis Willard and Billy Ray Cobb, joy riding in their brand new yellow pick up truck decked out with Confederate flags. They speed though black neighborhoods throwing full beer bottles at people and houses, until they come across ten-year-old Tonya Hailey walking home from the grocery store. The men pull over, trap her, rape her repeatedly, beat her, hang her, throw her off a bridge and leave her for dead. Her siblings find Tonya later that day, barely alive, her father, Carl Lee Hailey., and the black community are outraged. Tonya’s missing shoe is found in the back of the yellow pick up truck and both men are arrested for rape and attempted murder. Carl Lee confronts his lawyer, Jake Brigance , about similar cases where the white criminals wer e let off or given light sentences for similar charges, which enrages Carl Lee further. Carl Lee asks if Jake will stand by him in a jam, Jake promises he will. The next morning Carl Lee shoots the two men on the way to their arraignment, both men die and a cop is shot and loses his leg. Carl Lee is immediately arrested for the murder of the two men, as promised Jake stands by his side. Carl Lee confesses to the murders and admits he never had anything against the two men until they messed with his baby, he feels sorry for the men’s families, but not for what he has done. Jake and Carl Lee begin to discuss every aspect of the case immediately, they decide that Carl Lee with plea not guilty by reason of insanity. The District Attorney, Rufus Buckley, begins to discuss the importance of keeping the case in this county in order to have a better chance of an all white jury, Jake files a change of venue for the opposite reason. Meanwhile, members of the Cobb and Willard family see k out the Ku-Klux-Klan to get even with Carl Lee and Jake, they begin a Klan chapter in their county, which immediately begins to terrorize Jake and his family. The NAACP comes to Canton and offers Carl Lee a more experienced lawyer, the NAACP believes â€Å"Carl Lee’s acquittal for the killing of two white men will do more for the black people of Mississippi than any event since we integrated the schools. His conviction woul... ...ts the entire plot rolling. Finally, the entire courtroom chapters, from opening statements to the acquittal of Carl Lee, are truly important. Through out the scenes in the courtroom, the truth about racism in Canton and America is revealed. Carl Lee and Jake prove to the jury that Carl Lee being black, Tonya being black, and Cobb and Willard being white are the central issues in the case. The jury then finds the strength to pass judgment that was not based on race. Although A Time to Kill is based on a fictional story, it still presents many interesting and realistic scenarios. It is easy to imagine that the events in the book actually did happen or could happen in American today. The series of events that unfold easily invoke strong emotions in the reader, no matter where that reader stands as far as racial beliefs. The book represents a wide range of views on the situation, from the Ku Klux Klan, Jake, Carl Lee, the NAACP, Buckley, the Judge, the jury, Dept. Luny, and the gene ral population of Canton. The book presents everything from the extreme events to everyday actions. A Time To Kill is an outstanding book that deals with important issues and shows many simple realities.

Mobile Phone and Broadband Network

StarHub is Singapore's fully-integrated info-communications company, offering a full range of information, communications and entertainment services for both consumer and corporate markets. StarHub operates a HSPA+ mobile network that delivers up to 42Mbps for downlink to complement its nationwide GSM network, and an LTE network that provides connection speeds of up to 75Mbps in key business areas. It also manages an island-wide HFC network that delivers multi-channel pay TV services (including HDTV, Internet TV and on-demand services) as well as ultra-high speed residential broadband services.StarHub operates an extensive fixed business network that provides a wide range of data, voice and wholesale services. Over Singapore’s fibre-based Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network, StarHub offers a broad range of home and business broadband plans along with a host of advanced media-rich value-added services. Launched in 2000, StarHub has become one of Singapore's most innova tive info-communications providers, and the pioneer in ‘hubbing' – the ability to deliver unique integrated and converged services to all its customers.StarHub, listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange since October 2004, is a component stock of the Straits Times Index and the MSCI Singapore Free Index. Personal Solutions Mobile * Innovative price plans that include cost-saving features such as Free Incoming Local Calls, Per Second Billing, Flat Roaming Rates, All Day Flat Calling Rate, and Free IDD 018 Calls to 18 destinations * Green Pre-paid service * BlackBerry service, the world's leading secure wireless email platform * Mobile broadband service delivered over StarHub's 4G and 3. G network * Mobile data service offers a price cap for data access packages, so customers can surf with peace-of-mind from the mobile phone * StarHub TV on Mobile service that streams pay TV channels including National Geographic Channel and CNN over StarHub's advanced mobile bro adband network * Home Zone, a 3G femtocell service which allows customers to make mobile calls at home through their broadband cable connection * International Roaming service to more than 230 destinations * StarHub is a member of the Conexus Mobile Alliance, which was formed to enhance member's ompetitiveness in international roaming and corporate mobile services in their own counties and across Asia Pacific. It is now Asia's largest alliance of mobile operators with a coverage footprint to over 350 million subscribers in more than 12 countries and regions pfingo pfingo (short for phone, freedom, Internet, on the go) is a VoIP service developed by StarHub. pfingo enables users to make and receive local and overseas calls from their computer or SIP-enabled mobile phones at low rates, regardless of the mobile or broadband network users are connected to.The pfingo account is free and calls between pfingo users are also free. Other rich features that pfingo offers include SMS, fax, fre e push email (Google Mail, Yahoo! Mail, or any POP3 email services), multi-headed chat (Yahoo! Messenger, Google Chat, Windows Live Messenger, ICQ Chat), and foreign number services. For as little as S$2/month, pfingo users enjoy the use of a 3-series Singapore phone number with free incoming calls. To find out more, visit  www. pfingo. com Wireless Broadband StarHub Wireless Broadband is available at Suntec Convention Centre and certain areas of Suntec Retail Mall, Singapore Expo, all The Coffee Bean ; Tea Leaf outlets, as well as selected areas in Changi Airport Terminals 1, 2 and 3 * StarHub customers enjoy free wireless broadband access at all StarHub hotspots in Singapore. In addition, they can get free access to [email  protected] services through a Memorandum of Understanding reached between StarHub and QMax Communications. As a pioneer member of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, StarHub together with other member operators, has been driving the adoption of wireless broadb and technologies and services around the world by developing a common commercial, technical and marketing framework for wireless network interoperability. StarHub has enabled wireless broadband international roaming capabilities in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, UK, the USA and more. IDD StarHub's IDD offerings include the StarHub IDD 008 and 018 services, HomeConnect (pre-paid IDD card) and the StarHub International Calling Card (post-paid IDD card) * StarHub's post-paid and pre-paid mobile customers enjoy free IDD 018 calls to 18 selected destinations. Home Solutions Pay TV * StarHub is Singapore's largest pay TV operator, offering a full suite of quality international channels of news, movies, entertainment, sports, music and education, and seven local free-to-air channels. StarHub's digital platform allows customers to enjoy interactive applications and advanced features. * Operates the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTV) system which offers better quality service and a compellin g selection of channels for corporate customers. * Offers Southeast Asia's first commercial High Definition Television (HDTV) service. Currently carries six HD Channels. * Offers Demand TV and Internet TV Residential Broadband * MaxOnline, StarHub's cable modem service is the first â€Å"always-on†, unlimited broadband Internet access plan launched in Singapore. Offers MaxInfinity fibre broadband service, offering download speeds of up to 1Gbps * Offers Anytime TV which allows customers to access StarHub TV’s on-demand library of more than 6,500 TV shows and movies as well as 12 complimentary pay-TV channels. Residential Voice * Digital Voice, a personal fixed line voice service that is delivered over StarHub's broadband network. * For a low monthly subscription fee, customers can enjoy outgoing/incoming local calls for free. Online Value-added Services Online music portal * Email service * Content filtering service * Online storage service Business Solutions StarHub o ffers a host of services for businesses of every size. We customise our solutions to meet our customers' needs, and help them stay ahead of the competition. Our services include: Business Voice ; IDD * StarHub IDD 008, StarHub IDD 018, domestic and international ISDN, business voice services, fixed number related services, and domestic toll-free services (1800 services) Data Services Ethernet Leased Line (ELL), Switched Ethernet (SWE), Super Direct Service (SDS), Domestic Leased Circuit (DLC), International Ethernet Private Line (IEPL), International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) IP/Internet Services * Business Broadband (ADSL and Enterprise Web), Business Internet (Internet Leased Line), IP Transit Service (Velocity and StarHub IP Exchange/SiX), Switched Ethernet IP Services (SWE), Internet Clean Pipe, Online Storage – Business Global Managed Services * Arcstar Global Managed Services, BT Global Managed Services StarHub Global Conferencing Services StarHub Global Conferencin g Services International Wholesale Voice Services * Carriers around the world, as well as Service-Based and Facilities-Based Operators in Singapore, use StarHub's International Wholesale Voice service to help them reach the destinations they need via StarHub's established international interconnections. Logo The StarHub identity is an expression of our intention to be a proactively innovative company. We want to do things differently, to enhance customer choices for info-communications services and therefore, their quality of life.We recognise that the world in which we live in is changing rapidly, and in order to enable our customers to get the most out of life and their choice of communications services, StarHub will have to explore new horizons and broaden our perspective. Our visual identity is a positive expression of this goal. It recognises people as individuals and that everyone has the power to change for the better. It is confident, forward-looking and dynamic as expressed by the vibrant colours.The transition from Blue to Green, emphasizes the transformation that we want to bring to people’s lives through innovative and integrated info-communications solutions. StarHub’s corporate logo embodies the essence of a Chinese proverb which when translated means â€Å"green is derived from blue and green will become more brilliant than blue†; in short, the pupil shall surpass the teacher. Like the star depicted in its corporate identity, StarHub will adopt a dynamic and forward-looking stance, poised to transform the industry landscape and service mindset in a brand new way. Culture StarHub VisionTo be Singapore’s first choice for information, communications and entertainment services. StarHub Mission To provide every person, home and business in Singapore with world-class multimedia services and content StarHub Core Values ExCITe : Excellence, Creativity, Integrity, Teamwork. 2010 Milestones November * Introduced Singaporeâ€⠄¢s first solar-powered mobile base station enabled vehicle. September * Introduced a broad range of home and business broadband plans along with a host of advanced media-rich value-added services over Singapore’s fibre-based Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network. July Adopted world’s first smartphone signalling solution to further enhance network performance and improve end-user smartphone experience. * Launched Singapore's first full DRM-free unified music store. May * Made available Singapore’s first microSIM card to support compatible mobile devices. * Scored broadcast rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. March * Commenced HSPA+ network upgrade to support up to 42. 2Mbps on the downlink. January * Launched new mobile TV client to enhance TV viewing on smartphones. * Partnered Golden Village and launched Singapore’s first movie-ticketing service on television.