Edgar Allan Poe Biography. By. Alyssa Marshall. - 1260 Words

Edgar Allan Poe Biography By Alyssa Marshall Mrs. Guinn English III March 6, 2017 Abstract Edgar Allan Poe was a writer in the â€Å"Gothic Era†, many of his stories genres are horror like â€Å" The Masque of The Red Death†, mystery such as â€Å" The Fall of The House of Usher†, lost love as in â€Å" The Raven†, and obsession such as â€Å" The Pit and The Pendulum†. Edgar’s poems and short stories are influenced by tragedies that happened through out his lifetime. Poe influenced not only American literature but literature around the world. He also influenced writers around the world such as Sir Conan Doyle, Fyodor†¦show more content†¦Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809. As a child Poe’s father David Poe Jr, a professional actor abandoned him and his mother also a professional actor, who died when Poe was only three years old from tuberculosis. Later on, Poe moved to Virginia with is foster parents, which were very successful. Him and his foster father had a complicated bond. At the age of 13 Poe started writing poems that had meaning. Poe started attending the University of Virginia in 1826; he excelled in college but had financial issues and developed a gambling addiction, which ruined his financial status. Poe published his first book â€Å"Tamerlane and other poems† in 1827. Two years later, he learns Frances (his foster mother) was dying of tuberculosis. She passes away before he could return to Virginia. Poe joined the army around 1827. After the lost of his mother John and Poe make peace and he helps Poe get into West Point, he excelled and published his second poetry collection â€Å" Al Aaraaf†,† Tamerlane†, and â€Å" Minor poems† in 1829. Later that year Poe gets kicked out of West Point and starts focusing on writing full time. Poe starts traveling for writing opportunities. In 1836 Poe marries his cousin Virginia, which

Group Projects Are Always Difficult, Especially With...

Group projects are always difficult, especially with strangers. Going into this project I was precautious, but the results proved me wrong. Our assignment, to write an informative group speech, was focused around the Westboro Baptist Church. Our group consisted of 5 people who had just met each other a couple weeks before. We got started right away on trying to come up with ideas for our presentation style. Deciding on a news broadcast, we assigned each other subcategories to focus on. Even though there was some obstacles and difficulties associated with this speech, we pulled through at the last moment. Leadership within a group is the influence used to help clarify a group’s purpose or help guide a group to achieve its goals. Within a†¦show more content†¦In the end, we focused on the task and leadership was not an issue. Another key aspect we looked at in our groups was our member participation. With the tendency to not have everyone in class that our group faced, it was hard to check on equal participation. With group messaging and last-minute meetings we were able to even out the participation. I found that Katie was our information seeker, Allison our evaluator, Chelsea our orienteer, Justin our coordinator, and me the energizer. This distribution of responsibilities and jobs was hard to coordinate with one another but learned to focus on each other’s strengths. While in group projects, one tends to find an unequal distribution of participation within a group. Our group faced this same challenge with some people putting in more effort than others. We face d some help seekers and withdrawers, as our book talks about, but were able to corral them back into our speech. Problem solving and decision making is also a key concept in group work. To start off, deciding our topic was the first big decision. We went around our group seeing if anyone had any ideas of which topic and the presentation style to go with it. A few murmurs were here and there and we decided on the church. Once the project was started, we found a problem in our ability to meet up as a group. Our work time in class wasn’t being utilized correctly when we only had two people in class. We weren’t able to meet outside of class because of our

Immigration Essay free essay sample

Immigration is becoming a controversial issue in the U. S. Immigration advantages like economic growth, sharing cultures, diversity and new skill sets in betterment of immigrant’s lives. Immigration makes a more innovative, flexible, and productive economy, leading to new and better jobs. USA is also known as a â€Å"melting pot† because people living in the USA are from different parts of the World. An important benefit of immigration is economic growth. According to a research on White House website, â€Å"immigration reform would increase real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) relative to current law projections by 3.3 percent in 2023 and 5. 4 percent in 2033 – an increase of roughly $700 billion in 2023 and $1. 4 trillion in 2033 in today’s dollars† Ambitious immigrants often start the new businesses and the growth of these businesses result in creation of new job opportunities. Increase in employment rate usually leads to more consumer spending, low unemployment rate, increase in tax revenues and increase in household income. We will write a custom essay sample on Immigration Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to the Fiscal Policy Institute, â€Å"Small businesses owned by immigrants employed an estimated 4.7 million people in 2007, and these small businesses generated more than $776 billion in revenue annually† While in the USA, immigration has played an important part in the stabilization of economy. Immigrants also add a great significance to linguistic diversity. In metropolitan cities like New York, Boston and Chicago multiple languages like Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese are spoken. But there is a negative side to it. Immigrants use their own language with each other and do not try to learn English which creates divisions in the community. USA offers a better educational system and job opportunities to immigrants as compare to other countries. For example, If International students qualify, they can study in the most prestigious schools like Harvard Business School and MIT. Immigration law in the USA also provides refuges a chance to escape from situations like war or political threats and move to USA for secure living. Besides economic consideration, immigrants also make great contributions to American culture. Immigrants bring new ideas, thoughts, values, beliefs and cultures to a USA. For example Arab students help Americans understand the Arab world by sharing their experiences with them. Furthermore, immigrants enrich the culinary landscape of America and introduce a vast variety of cuisines. America is always seen as a welcoming and open country for immigrants. The people who have not lived in a USA have different opinions because of the international media. International media is portraying that America is starting wars in every region of the world. People from different parts of the World immigrate to the to have better lives and secure the future for their children. But immigrants should pay taxes and learn English so that they can communicate with people in USA. There is a myth about immigrants in the USA that they don’t pay taxes but the fact is that they do pay taxes whether they are in sales, property or any other work. The study by Cato institute says that immigrants pay between $90 to $140 billion taxes and contribute in federal reserves. â€Å"Even illegal or undocumented immigrants pay taxes as evidenced by the Social Security Administration suspense file†. Another myth that says that immigrants come to the USA to take government support funds but the fact is that immigrant’s come to USA to make a living and secure their future. According to the Urban institute research, â€Å"Immigrant labor force participation is consistently higher than native-born and immigrant workers make up a larger share of the US labor force (12.  4%) than do the US population (11. 5%)† There are few drawbacks of Immigration as well. Opening the door for everyone means that there could be legitimate chances of increase in crime rates and terrorist threats. There are so many languages spoken in America, which is damaging the national identity and the English language. In my opinion, Immigration is a great way to develop a multicultural environment and it also helps in the growth of economy. People share their cultural values and respect the freedom of speech under one flag. But it also comes with the few disadvantages like a threat to national security and rise in crime rates. That is why, before entering America, Immigrants should be fully scrutinized by homeland security and background checks should be run to minimize the threats. And the use of English language should be made compulsory for all the immigrants so that no one have problem in communicating with anyone.

Artemisia Gentileschi free essay sample

Primarily strong contrasting lights and darkness display Gentileschi’s work, perhaps inspired by both her father and Caravaggio. Her paintings are all primarily bold compositions for example the way the subject matters are placed in the paintings you cant help but look at them, also the vivid colors Gentileschi used help with that too the deep red curtains and ultramarine sheets. This painting is quite large and is a horizontal rectangular format while using oil on canvas. (â€Å"Venus and Cupid†) The primary subject matter of the painting, Venus and Cupid, is Venus, the Goddess of Love. Artemisia Gentileschi seems to portray powerful women for example Judith, Susanna, Cleopatra, and Danae, depicted either as heroines or victims in the paintings. Cupid is also important in this painting, him being the son of Venus, he seems to be portraying the image of an overseer or a protector while Venus seems to be freely sleeping. We will write a custom essay sample on Artemisia Gentileschi or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (â€Å"Venus and Cupid†) The artist is known to portray powerful women with meaningful subject matter as mentioned before. I also believe that Artemisia, the artist, chose this subject matter because this painting and scene was a perfect way for her display her extended education. This painting may have been a way to show her life, experiences and her luxurious life that she was living before Artemisia’s life hit tragedy. (A. , Sarah) Artemisia had been raped by Agostino Tassi, after which he promised to marry her but later broke it off, her father then went to the police and turned Tassi in, in the trial process Artemisia was tortured to figure out if the story she was telling about the rape was true or not. (â€Å"Art HERstory â€Å") The way Venus’s beauty is depicted in this picture of her resting so peacefully on the couch. In my opinion, Gentileschi may have put her self in place of all those women emotionally that she had painted throughout her career, even if the paintings were commissioned she may have added a hint of herself in them judging by her past. Gentileschi may have related to some of them or wished to be like some of them. In this particular painting she may have made it thinking of herself in place of Venus almost as a self- portrait of how she hoped her life was rather than how it turned out. For the 17th century, this painting fits right in along with the others. Most paintings from the century were paintings using oil on canvas. Many famous artists during that time period had adopted this trend to depict reclining beauty. Also, if an even closer observation can be made, you notice that in the background there is a temple. This temple is similar to the temple which has been built in the honor of Venus. The temple in the background is there to remind the viewer the importance of Venus, the Goddess of Love. That part of the painting seemed like the most intriguing part because it seems to stand out more because it just seems to be out there. Cupid seems to blending more into the background, maybe the artist is trying to display that Cupid may be more imaginary and just there to protect Venus from evil. (â€Å"The 17th Century†) The bed sheet, on which Venus is sleeping on, is actually supposed to have been painted using the color, ultramarine. The colors used are very strong, dark and cool which allow the main character to basically stand out of the painting. The colors basically compliment the painting well because it sets the mood for the entire environment. (â€Å"Venus and Cupid†) If you know a little about the Roman mythology, which is very similar to Greek mythology, you should remember that Cupid is supposedly the child of Venus. Knowing this little fact makes the painting even more understandable. It allows the viewer to visualize the relationship between mother and son. Gentileschi may have wanted to send the message of love between mother and son through this painting. Another way to look at it is if you look at her other paintings Gentileschi revolved her paintings around subject matters of women who were known for their courage, beauty and simplicity. Her paintings mostly consisted of women being dramatically nude in which it showed her style, which is dramatic realism. Therefore there are many ways to interpret the painting Venus and Cupid by Artemisia Gentileschi, it’s just the matter of how you see it.

Research Paper of Gender and Identification free essay sample

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals receive unequal treatment from families and their peers. Many actions must be implemented in schools creating safer lifestyles for the minority youth and their mental health. This article covers the gender socialization of children and prospective adults, analyses adolescent sexuality amp; mental heath and looks at measures of increasing the socio-acceptance of LGBT individuals. The focus of this paper is to define how gender socialization shapes both gender and sexual identities; the consequences LGBT adolescents face in school and how we can mitigate these problems. Harold Garfinkle (1917-2011) coined the theoretical perspective of ethnomethodology based on three core assumptions. First, all people are epistemologists, people create knowledge and meaning in their everyday lives, and therefore we find subjectively in human affairs. This basically means that knowledge and meaning is derived and intuitively understood through socially constructed lessons. Second, language provides meaning to objects and social conditions; therefore discriminatory language against people is socially constructed symbols that have meaning only to the defendant. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper of Gender and Identification or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lastly, objects have an indeterminate quality, because we get to determine what they’re used for. Furthermore, objects have many purposes, an individual should use that object in the means he feels most comfortable such as your mind and body. Ethnomethodology is based on the belief that you can discover the normal social order of a society by disrupting it(Garfinkel, 1967) Fixed Roles and Situated Actions by Murray Webster Jr. and Lisa Rashotte explain how two visions have shaped research and theory on gender socialization. The first vision is considered the older of the two theories describing how the family bases gender with the roles of functionality with the father being an instrumental leader(Webster, 2009). Instrumental activity entails giving orders, evaluating performance and exerting influence(Webster, 2009). On the contrary, the mother focuses on social-emotional activity; expressing feelings, nurturing, helping others manage feelings and keeping up with family traditions(Webster, 2009). Each role either instrumental or expressive roles are equally valuable and rewarded, both involving their own capabilities within the family(Webster, 2009). When socializing a child within the nuclear family using the functional role system, the offspring must learn either the instrumental or expressive role(Webster, 2009). Parents and relatives are responsible for identifying a child using gender appropriate belongings and reinforcing behaviors that conform to society’s norms(Webster, 2009). Since socialization has been practiced repetitively, roles have managed to become over-learned and individuals struggle to display the opposite of their own role(Webster, 2009). Hence, the reason for unharmonious communication styles due to the narrow scoped minds of opposite genders(Webster, 2009). If society were to change gender-role norms regarding male instrumental leading and female expressiveness, it would require the change immediately from birth and would need to involve all children to change society(Webster, 2009).

Fin 571 Week 1 Assignment Essays

Fin 571 Week 1 Assignment Essays Fin 571 Week 1 Assignment Essay Fin 571 Week 1 Assignment Essay Guillermo Furniture Store Concepts FIN/571 October 31, 2011 Guillermo Furniture Store Concepts This assignment sets out to explain the pertinent financial concepts and principles found in chapters two and three of the text Corporate Financial Management by (Emery, Finnerty, Stowe, 2007) and how they relate to the context of the Guillermo’s Furniture Store scenario. Guillermo’s was a leading furniture manufacturer who enjoyed inexpensive labor and convenient supplies of raw material next to his location in Sonora, Mexico, until in the late 1990s when his downturn started. An overseas competitor from Norway entered the area with a high-tech approach to the furniture manufacturing business. They offered to make product to exact specifications and at an all-time low price. Besides, challenge came from the burst of development in the area and an influx of people. This hindered the safe economic environment Guillermo’s enjoyed. Profit margins diminished as Guillermo’s was placed in a competitive environment. He applied the behavioral principle, which states that when all else fails look at what others are doing for guidance. He researched his competition and found that they were consolidating into larger organizations through merger or acquisition. However, because of his independent nature, he did not delight in such an idea. His take on the trend was quite the opposite of the Self-Interested Behavior principle, which says that when all else is equal, all parties to a financial transaction will choose the course of action most financially advantageous to themselves (Emery, Finnerty, Stowe 2007, p. 20). : The course of action that was most financially advantageous to the company was to research his competition’s approach and explore new approaches to the business. Taking another principle into consideration, the Principle of Two-Sided Transactions, which states that understanding financial transactions requires that we not become self-centered? One may want to argue that Guillermo did quite the opposite of this principle, which led to his rejection of the consolidating approach and research of the foreign ompetition. In Norway their high-tech solution utilized computers that man the production line. This gave way to reduced labor cost, increased precision in cutting, and robots assembling the furniture. With the aim of coming up with the best decision, Guillermo assessment of the situation after his investigation had to have been one that evaluated the cost, economic benefits, financial benefit, and value among other things of the various options available. From his Norwegian research he learned that technology is very costly. However, it would dramatically reduce his production cost. From discussion with his distributors he learned he could have serve as a representative for a different manufacturer and move his company from primarily manufacturing to primarily distribution. Then there was his patented process for creating a coating for his furniture. With this option he had a market for flame resistant furniture but not as much as much for finished coating. To determine the best decision Principle such Incremental Benefits, Risk-Return Trade-off, and diversification should be taken into consideration. The Principle of Risk-Return Trade-Off says that if you want to have a chance at some really great outcomes, you have to take a chance on having a really bad outcome. In a financial transaction, we assume that when all else is equal, people prefer higher return and lower risk (Emery, Finnerty, Stowe, 2007). Having to take risks is anticipated when managing a business. In conclusion, to determine the best concept, create value and economic efficiency, Guillermo needs to come up with a new idea, establish comparative advantage, or make customers order to specification. The competition utilized the latter and has forced him into this state. Observing financial transactions involves risk and taking a risk is a chance Guillermo would have to be ready to take. Determining the best return often helps with decision-making process. The other great financial option is to diversify. Putting all his eggs in one basket may lead him to a worse position in the future. Nevertheless, the principle of self-interested behavior will in the end lead to the best decision. Reference Corporate Financial Management, Third Edition, by Douglas R. Emery, John D. Finnerty, and John D. Stowe. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Guillermo’s Furniture Store Scenario, University of Phoenix

English Only Debate Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English Only Debate - Article Example Some of the first casualties of the English only program would be the immigrant children who are in the process of learning English. America values its legal immigrant population and children need to be assimilated into the language as well as society. Bilingual education allows the children to continue to learn in both languages and allows them to keep pace with their classmates. An English only system would ban bilingual education in the public classroom. While a bilingual class could teach the child US History in their native tongue, an English only program could offer them no chance of learning about America's past. If the educational system fails to adequately support these students at this point in their education it will decrease their potential for success and increase the chances that they will become an economic burden to the system sometime in the future. States such as California and Arizona have debated and implemented bans on bilingual education, but Utah has gone farther by considering a bill that would require most all public business to be conducted in English only. When public notices and records are printed in a foreign language, it helps the non-English speaker to fully understand their rights and obligations. The requirement that all public paperwork be printed only in English would not only restrict the rights of the non-native speaker, but would also place an unwarranted burden on our public institutions. This would be especially true in areas that have concentrated numbers of immigrants. Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of an English only advocacy group, contends that the program would unite Americans by the use of a common language (Making English, 2008). The law may unite the English speaking population, but it would drive a wedge between the natives and the immigrant population. America has a long tradition of valuing diversity and language contributes to our cultural fabric. In fact, our concept of the world may be based in our language. Linguistic scientists believe that our language shapes human thought (Biever 2004). Many cultures have words for concepts and meanings that are lost in translation. As an example, the Inuit Eskimo has over 100 words for 'snow' (Mendosa 2005). If they were subjected to an English only system, they would lose the many fine nuances that they use to describe the vast differences in their winter precipitation. The diverse languages spoken in America help create the rich cultural differences that we value. There is little fear of English becoming a minority language as it has become the international language of choice for business. Most immigrants arriving in this country are anxious to learn English and become a part of our culture. They want to shop in American stores, watch American TV, and listen to American music. Placing an English only barrier may actually impede their progress towards that goal. The global view of English as the universal language makes it unnecessary to place limitations on the use of other languages. In conclusion, the hope that an English only America would help unite the people is a short-sighted and misguided effort. The children who currently have English as a second language would be left behind in the educational system. Bilingual programs could prevent these people from turning to public

Individual Paper Industry Profitability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual Paper Industry Profitability - Essay Example The country comprises of 29,360 numbers of total shoe stores and the industry employs 188,866 people (Statisticbrain, 2015). Due to the rising imports, the revenue of the footwear industry as well as the consumer spending is declining. To stay afloat especially in the footwear market, the only way is to create a presence or existence in the niche markets (Sorenson & Audia, 2000). The essay will focus on the relationship between industry structure, environmental change and industry attractiveness by taking into consideration the industrial structure and attractiveness of Aeolus Air in order to show the level of the industry profitability. The comparison of Aeolus Air, which is a hypothetical company; will be shown with other three companies which are also fictitious companies in order to reflect the management and performance of Aeolus Air on several grounds. The PEST analysis of the footwear industry of the United States has been done in order to show the positive as well as negative effect of the environmental factors. This will further help to examine the opportunities as well as threats for the footwear industry. Political factors: The competitive tax structure and the currency exposure risk hold a threat for the footwear industry. The policies of the foreign direct investment disallow full ownership of the retail stores. Therefore, these policies generally hold threat towards internationalization (Marx, 2008). Economic factors: Due to the economic recovery, the footwear industry has been growing. However, increasing rates of interest will adversely affect the growth of this industry. Rise in the imports is affecting the revenues of the companies within the footwear segment. High dependency on the overseas manufacturing as well as outsourcing is a threat for the industry. Moreover, increase in the company resources and raw materials’ shipping costs also affects

Human Rights Violation in China Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Rights Violation in China - Assignment Example The essay begins with a definition of internet regulation and the condition in China and then proceeds to state the conclusion before giving the premises to support it. Counterarguments can be very effective tools to elaborate an argument in an essay. Counterarguments are opposite arguments that help the reader to view the other side of the argument in question. This way, counterarguments help to give the reader both sides of an argument so that they can fully understand what is at stake and help them make the right decision. Counterarguments help to strengthen the writer’s argument especially when the counterarguments are weaker than the arguments being spearheaded by the writer. In the essay, counterarguments have been used to help strengthen the main argument of the essay and also to provide both sides of the argument to enable readers to understand the argument better (Wolterstorff 210). The main argument in the essay is that the Chinese government should not restrict internet use because it violates people’s rights and limits access to information. Several counterarguments have been used in the essay to help strengthen the argume nt and these include â€Å"The government has the right to control and govern the internet according to its own rules and laws within the borders,† and â€Å"Internet censorship system is also very instrumental in safeguarding the Chinese culture against being eroded by the western culture as seen in other countries.† In an essay, the use of various sources helps the writer to read from a wide range of materials thereby getting a big range of ideas to enrich the essay. Credible sources help to give weight to an argument by effectively quoting from materials researched by renowned authors. In the essay, various sources were used to help enrich the content of the arguments.

Health Promotion Activity for HIV

Health Promotion Activity for HIV Health promotion about raising awareness of Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV). Group members Grace Gaisey, Ethel Onyewuotu, Isabelle Bialan, John Daramewa, Nana Sarpong- Mensah and Peace Uzoma. Introduction This essay highlights assessing, planning, implementing and the evaluation of a health promotion activity on HIV. The World Health Organisation (WHO), 2013) defines HIV as a virus which infects the cells in the immune system by destroying its function to a stage that infections may begin to occur as a result of weakening the immune system. Assessment of Health Need Health needs assessment is an efficient method in reviewing health issues involving a population which leads to approved priorities and allocation of resources that assist in the improvement of health and reduce inequalities (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2009). This is beneficial as it contributes to the description patterns of disease in a local population and the differences from other location, such as districts, regional or national disease patterns such as HIV as it is a pandemic disease (National Aids Trust (NAT), 2014), and creates the opportunity in learning more about the needs and priorities of the local population to provide the objectives needed to work towards meeting those needs (Wright, Wilkinson and Williams, 2009). Epidemiology and demographic statistics Naidoo and Wills (2009) defined epidemiology as the study of occurrence and spread of disease in a population. Demography on the other hand is the size, composition and the distribution of human populations and their changes resulting from fertility and mortality (Dudley, Poston Bouvier, 2010). HIV is a transmitted disease with almost 75 million people infected with the virus worldwide, with data trends indicating it has increased as 36 million people were living with HIV by the end of 2012 (WHO, 2014). It has also been estimated that the 75 million infected with HIV caught the virus by means of transmission, such as sexual intercourse and mother to child transmission (WHO, 2013). For instance, it has been estimated that 5.1 million of children worldwide have been infected with HIV through mother to child transmission (NAT, 2013). Thus, early infant diagnosis is being scaled up in many countries, but in 2011 only 35% of the infants born to mothers living with HIV received HIV test and has been increased by 46% between 2010 and 2012 from 2.4 million to 3.5million (WHO, 2013). The demographic statistics from data trends indicates that, about 36 million people have died of HIV globally since 2012 compared to 30.3 million people in 2001 which shows an increase of 17% (WHO, 2014). Although the mortality among the population are infants aged 1-5 years and has increased with 3.34 million (NAT, 2013). HIV causes mortality among adults, however, according to estimates by WHO (2013), infants who has HIV are more likely to die between the ages of 1 and 5 years, respectively, with 2.3 million dying as a result while adults have the likelihood of dying between 15 and 60 years. Target group The target group for this HP activity is 15-24 years as statistics shown by the Public Health England (PHE) (2013) indicate young people under 25 are more at risk of contracting HIV with a peak age of women between 15-20 years and 20-24 for men. This has been indicated as a public health issue in many countries as 40% of new HIV infections are seen among 15 to 24 year olds (PHE, 2013). WHO (2013) further corresponded stating, half of the 75 million people infected with HIV in the world are young women aged 15 to 20 years, accounting for all new infections, and there is a growing recognition that these women and girls with HIV infection is shaped by gender inequalities and violence against them. Behavioral aspects that might affect this health issue. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (2014), behavioral aspects that can affect the risk of HIV includes individual sexuality and self-esteem. For instance, research indicates that most ongoing risk behaviour for HIV transmission has been described for men who have sex with men (MSM) (NAT, 2014). It has also been estimated that, 10 million people of MSM are living with HIV globally and in 41,100 in the UK in 2012 which has been increasing in the recent years, making public health experts have concerns about the rising rate among MSM (NAT, 2014). Policies In 2013, World Health Organisation published a global policy in which they provided recommendations on HIV testing and counselling. They estimated that about 20 million adolescents aged 10-24 years are living with HIV worldwide with half of them unaware of their infection. This policy aims at giving a high priority to enhance access to HIV testing and counselling globally, which is beneficial as it involve the improvement of health and is appropriate for the HP activity as advising people on HIV testing and offering counselling gives the opportunity to care, treatment and support for people and permit them to know their status (British HIV Association, 2014). In addition, the policy also outlined the need for giving sufficient information on HIV awareness and an early diagnosis and treatment as it can reduce the progression and the prevention of HIV transmission. Thus, the WHO (2013) corresponded by recommending that HIV testing and counselling should be offered in global hospitals as this will assist the diagnosis and management of the infection. In the UK, the NAT (2012) provides a policy based on HIV prevention and its aim is to promote health of the UK population with a prevention of an HIV test action plan to reduce late diagnosis of HIV in the UK. This is a relevant policy as HIV has become a generalised epidemic in the UK that affects the health and well being of enormous people from all social classes (NAT, 2014). HIV is not only a health issue, but also a developmental issue that affects the social, cultural, political and the economics of the country (British HIV Association, 2014) as it is associated with serious morbidity that includes a high cost of treatment and care (PHE, 2013). The initiative of this policy is to facilitate an increase in HIV testing in all healthcare settings in order to reduce the proportion of individuals who are unaware of their HIV infection with the motive of benefitting the individual and the public health. This is vital as maintaining focus on increasing regular HIV testing is a key component of the prevention and care of the people in raising the awareness of HIV of the people in the UK. As a result, the UK national guidelines for HIV testing from the British HIV Association, (2008) recommends that an HIV test should be offered to all newly registering patients in general practice and general hospital admissions and promote the awareness of HIV which will assist in reducing late diagnosis of HIV. Type of needs According to NICE (2008), an understanding of the assessment of health needs requires a definition of need which indicates the capacity of a benefit from an intervention. Bradshaw (1972) suggests there are four dimensions of need; however, the Bradshaw need chosen was the normative need as it is based on professional judgement (Coles Porter, 2008). It creates the need for professionals to identify standard requirements (Gruen Black, 2006). For instance, the WHO (2013) recommended that HIV testing should be offered in global hospitals. This indicates a health need as data indicates that most people are unaware of their infection (NAT, 2013). Approach Ewles and Simnett (2003) model comprises of five approaches to health promotion which consists of medical approach, behavioural change approach, educational approach, societal change approach and client-centred approach. Thus, the educational approach was chosen as having an educational approach in health promotion offers individual information to ascertain health benefits for themselves (Ewles and Simnett, 2003). The health belief model is seen to be the most common theory used in health promotion, providing the benefits of educational approach (Glanz, Rimer Viswanath, 2008). The model is essential for addressing problem behaviours that raises health concerns (Black, Hawk Keene, 2006). For example, high risk of sexual behaviour and the possibility of contracting HIV, this is an identification of individual behaviours. Willz (2007) further suggested that health professionals need to be mindful of this model so as to enable them in educating and promoting health in individuals from various cultural and ethnic groups. The strength of the educational approach is based on the fact that it permits people to make an informed decision about their health by providing knowledge and information to different cultural and ethnic groups which the health belief model corresponds to. However, Naidoo and Wills (2009) further explain that the educational approach differs from the other approaches as it does not use reinforcement to achieve its aim which is a limitation. The Royal College of Nursing (2011) corresponded with this view advocating that the role of the nurse is to inform and not persuade. Aims and Objectives The group had aims and objectives to ensure everyone recognizes what needs to be achieved. For that reason, the group identified the aim as raising awareness for HIV and with the objectives that comprises participants will be able to identify the main differences between HIV and AIDS, identify the symptoms of HIV and the safest option to fight off the menace, able to understand three risk factors of transmitting HIV and identify three places to access information on HIV. Evaluation Stufflebeam and Shinkfield (2007) explained health promotion evaluation as a process that is concerned with assessing health related activity against the goals in a way that results and contributes to future decision making. In addition, Black, Hawks Keene (2006) further stated that evaluation is made so as to determine if aims and objectives have been met and determine the efficiency of the methods used. This is vital as without evaluation, the idea of if objectives are met would not be known and also problems and weakness encountered would not be seen to rectify. Thorogood and Coombes (2010) states there are three stages of evaluation in health promotion; this includes process, impact and outcome. In the process of the health promotion activity, the group utilised a method of approach so as to achieve the aims and objectives. Thus, the educational approach was chosen as the group used educational materials such as penis model as an illustration on safe use of condom, posters which were clear and easy to read, distributed leaflets to assist in expanding the knowledge of the participants on HIV awareness as Linsley, Kane and Owen (2011) states, good quality health information leaflets assist individuals to make informed choices about their health. In addition, Health belief model (1974) suggests that, people need to have some kind of knowledge, such as information given to them through leaflets and posters to take actions in changing their behaviour or make a health related decision. The interactions that took place during the health promotion(HP) activity was done through raising awareness of HIV to our target group by explaining and discussing the health issue with the participants and after giving a questionnaire for them to answer to enable the group gather information on as to whether the objectives has been met. The impact evaluation involves in assessing the activity in regards of the aims and objectives set by the group. Naidoo and Wills (2008) state that the impact evaluation is the immediate effect the health promotion have on people. Essentially, this refers to the measurement of what has been achieved by the group. The questionnaire given to the participants were analysed by the group which indicated that 87% in 27 people tick the right answer and 3 people in 13% had the wrong answer. From the evaluation carried out, 13% of the participants answered the questionnaire wrongly because it was distributed to them before explaining what the health issue was about. Out of the 30 questions set, only 3 participants had it wrong, which means the group was able to expand the knowledge of the participants and their understanding on HIV. Green and Kreuter (2008) explained outcome evaluation measures as the long term effects of HP activity and whether it has achieved its goals. The outcome effect of the HP activity will be difficult for the group to identify as it there will be a follow up which will be difficult to contact participants again. There are some improvements that could have been made to improve the HP activity. Hence, demonstration of the penis model should be kept in a discreet position and not visible to the audience so as to not be seen as offensive to others. In addition, the standing poster should be clear and group members must ensure it is not blocked from the audience whiles interacting with them. Royal College of nursing (2007) states health promoters are in the contribution to improving the health of the public. Thus, their role as a health promoter is to plan and develop ways that assist people improve and manage their health. Linsley, Kane and Owen (2011) further corresponded saying health promoters must have an evidence-based understanding of the important effects that can be made through health promotion interventions and communicating with people to develop their awareness of activities leading to better health and become knowledgeable about their own health status which will improve the overall health population. The HP activity on raising awareness on HIV could be carried out in Gum clinics within the target group of 15- 24 years. According to French (2009), people can go to gum clinics no matter their age. As stated by the RCN (2012), nurses are health promoters and in an ideal position to influence the people they interact with in order to empower positive health outcomes. Thus, the role of the nurse as a health promoter is to provide advice and support through one to one interventions with clients to improve their sexual health (French, 2009). The nurse can also implement guidance on prevention and risk reduction support of HIV to clients by providing relevant information, leaflets and condoms so as to raise their awareness on HIV. Conclusion This essay has outlined a health promotion activity based on raising awareness of HIV, with a health need assessments and target population identified. The essay has also outlined epidemiology and the demographic trends associated with health policies that govern it. The writer also identified the approaches and the aims and objectives with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the health promotion activity and the role of the health promoter. References Bradshaw ref. Black, M., Hawks H., Keene, M. (2006).Evaluation in health promotion.6th (ed). Philadelphia: Elsevier Mosby. British HIV Association.(2014). UK National Guideline for HIV Testing. London: BHIVA. Coles, L. Porter, E. (2008). Public health skills. A practical guide for nurses and publich health practitioners. Oxford: Blackwell. Croyle, R. T. (2005). Theory at a Glance: Application to Health Promotion and Health Behaviour. 2nd (ed). Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Available at www.thecommunityguide.org. Dudley. L., Poston, J. Bouvier, F. (2010). Population and society. An introduction to demography. New York: Cambridge University Press. Ewles,L. Simnett, I. (2003).Promoting Health -A Practical Guide. 5th (ed). Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall. French, K. (2009). Sexual Health. Chichester: Blackwell Publication. Glanz, K., Rimer. B., Viswanath, K. (2008).Health behaviour and health education. 4th (ed). San Francisco: J. Wiley. Green, L.W. Kreuter, M.W. (2008).Health promotion planning: an educational and environmental approach. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield. Gruen, R. Black, N. (2006). Understanding health services. Berkshire: Open university press. Linsley, P., Kane. R., and Owen, S. (2011). Nursing for public health promotion, principles and practice. Oxford: Oxford university press. National Aids Trust.(2012). HIV testing, action plan. London: NAT. National Aids Trust.(2014). Men who have sex with men (MSM). London: NAT. Naidoo,J. and Wills, J. (2009). Foundations for Health Promotion. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall Elsevier. Naidoo, J. Wills, J. (2008).Health Promotion Foundations for Practice. London: BailliereTindall. Public Health England. (2013). HIV in the United Kingdom: 2013 report. London: PHE. Public Health England. (2013). HIV in the UK: 2013 Report. London: PHE. Royal College of Nursing. (2011). Informed consent in health and social care research: RCN guidance for nurses. 2nd (ed). London: RCN. Royal College of Nursing. (2012). Nurses contribution to public health: prevents, promote and protect. London: RCN. Royal College of Nursing. (2007). Nurses as partners in delivering public health. London: RCN. Thorogood, M. Coombes, Y. (2010). Evaluating Health Promotion. (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford university press. Wills, J. (2007).Promoting Health. Oxford: Blackwell. World Health Organisation. (2013). Global update on HIV treatment: Result, impacts and opportunities. Geneva: WHO. World Health Organisation. (2013). HIV and adolescents: Guidance for HIV testing and counselling and care for adolescents living with HIV. Geneva: WHO. Wright. J., Wilkinson, R. J., Williams. R. (2009). Development and importance of health needs assessment. British medical journal, 316(7140), 1310- 1313. United Kingdom: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2009). Health needs assessment: A practical guide. London: NICE. United Kingdom: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2008). Health needs assessment at a glance. London: NICE.

Ismenes Indecisiveness in Antigone :: essays research papers

The play Antigone is usually thought of as either the tragedy of Creon or the tragedy of Antigone, but it is just as much the tragedy of Antigone's sister Ismene. In the play, Antigone and Creon hold on to two different ideals, Antigone to the ideal of sororal duty and holy rights, while Creon holds on to the rules of his kingdom, dominated by the laws of men and of reason. Ismene is obsessed by her role as a woman, choosing to ignore her feelings of obligation towards her family, and remaining completely indecisive and inactive, as she believes a woman should. By the end of the play she is left in the same position as Creon, without any family in the world and feeling partially responsible for the outcome. If Ismene had stood up and done something either to stop Creon from sentencing Antigone to death, or to help Antigone in burying Polyneices, she would in the end be with her family in life or in death, and be better of than being left alone on earth alive. Also the actions of the characters in the play are very comparable to the ideas and strategies of the Greeks and Spartans in Thucydides, written shortly afterwards. Ismene's indecisiveness and lack of action is starkly contrasted with the actions and beliefs of Creon and Antigone, the characters who are most often thought of as the victims. For Antigone, the punishment that characterizes her as a victim is the sacrifice of her life for her personal beliefs about the honor and duty associated with family ties. Antigone's death at the end of the play illustrates the fact that she is willing to die as long as she knows that her brother has received proper burial rites. On the other side there is Creon, who can be thought of as a stubborn and terrible king, but who really is acting just like Antigone, holding onto what he believes firmly in. As Antigone blatantly ignores the laws of the city, and only acts in the direction fulfilling the requirements of holy rites, Creon acts in parallel by ignoring the laws of the divine and only following the laws which as king it is his duty to uphold and preserve. Antigone clearly gives her opinion of the situat ion, and outlines her values that are so important to her while speaking to her sister.

Benthams version of Utilitarianism Essay

Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that shows the reasons for a person choosing to carry out an action – it justifies an action being for the greater good. Utilitarianism is a teleological theory which means it looks at the consequences or result of an action – to decide whether it is subsequently right or wrong this also makes it a consequentialist theory. The theory of Utilitarianism began with Jeremy Bentham. Bentham’s theory of Utilitarianism is where actions are judged based upon the pleasure gained in the result. Jeremy Bentham was the man who originally thought of and came up with the idea of Utilitarianism, he believed in ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’. There are two types of Utilitarianism; Bentham’s theory is Act Utilitarianism. Act Utilitarianism is about creating the greatest amount of pleasure in a particular situation through a particular action. Bentham believed and used research to conclude that people would naturally seek pleasure and avoid pain. ‘Nature had placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do as well as to determine what we shall do.’ (Bentham) Bentham truly believed that pleasure was the purest form of good and pain the sole evil; he saw this as moral fact. This is why Bentham is also known as a hedonist. The hedonists were a group of Greek people who sought to find true pleasure; ‘hedone’ means pleasure in Greek, this group included people such as Plato and Aristotle – who agreed that good was found in the greatest happiness. The principle of utility was a way to find out how good or bad an action was, based on its utility (usefulness). An action that creates the most pleasure and the least pain is a useful one and therefore it is good – pain v pleasure. For Bentham good, is the maximum amount of pleasure with the minimum amount of pain afflicted and bad, is pain with little pleasure received. Bentham believed that in any situation a person should think of a solution that will lead to the maximum happiness for the maximum of people. For example, if a man with the cure for cancer and a young child were in a car crash, you would assume to save the life of the child as they are considered to be innocent, however with Bentham’s theory you should do the maximum amount of good for the maximum amount of people, which means you should save the man. By saving the one man you then save thousands, the action of letting the child die is out weighed by the amount of people you have saved if using Bentham’s theory. However Bentham knew that it would be hard to predict the outcome of every situation and know which route to take and so in order to help, he came up with the ‘hedonic calculus’ which you can use to work out which option will produce the greatest amount of pleasure. There are seven factors which you must take into account when choosing what to do in a certain situation; the intensity of the pleasure, the duration of the pleasure, how certain pleasure will be the result, how near the pleasure is to you, how continuous is the pleasure, is there likely to be pain mixed with the pleasure and how widespread will the pleasure be. When faced in a dilemma, Bentham believed that you could chose the ‘good’ option – the option which would do the most amount of good and the least amount of pain. For example, if you are in a plane crash and you could only save one person; your wife, your child or a doctor who has the ability to save many. Bentham believes in this situation you must use ‘the hedonic calculus’ to form a solution to your problem. The doctor could make thousands of lives better and create much more pleasure than if you save the wife or child, however this tough decision would leave you without pleasure. Following Bentham’s utilitarianism you must save the doctor. When a decision has to be made over a moral situation, the hedonic calculus is used. In using the hedonic calculus the individuals involved should be considered by applying the seven factors to them in relation to the options for the choice of action you have. ‘Utilitarianism has no serious weakness’ Discuss It is true that Utilitarianism does have many strengths however it does have weaknesses too. Bentham, Mill, Hare and Singer’s theories each have their own faults. Utilitarianism is very straight forward and easy to understand. It is very natural for a person to consider the outcome and how much pleasure they will gain before going through with an action. It is a principle that aims to bring people happiness this is very appealing for many in societies. Many of the ideas and theories can be related to specific actions and situations and therefore can be helped out in the process of considering what to do in certain places, for example; giving to charity gives happiness to the poor and is good whereas acting cruelly towards someone is bad. The use of Utilitarianism can be carried out universally. Utilitarianism is not dependant on any religion, culture, race or society as it is about a person or groups happiness. This use of utilitarianism is great because it makes people picture and understand other people’s point of view for example; if you were to hit someone then instead of carrying out the action, you would think about the outcome – picture yourself in the other person’s shoes – understand that pain which you would cause and subsequently stop yourself from hurting them. You have to think of other people’s pleasure and pain rather than just your own. This is mainly used in preference utilitarianism as Hare put it ‘standing in someone else’s shoes’. The fact that Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory is both good and bad. It is natural for us to weigh up the consequences of an action before carrying it out however it is never going to be easy to always predict the outcome of an action completely right for example; if you go out to steal to help your family survive but then get caught and arrested then you can no longer carry out the ‘good’ action of helping your family. Utilitarianism may also be argued against because it ignores or seems to ignore the importance of following duties – the act itself may be right or wrong for a reason other than the amount of happiness it produces, for example an old friend is on his death bed and asks you to swear that you will give à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30,000 (all of his money when he dies) to his favourite park he used to visit but on the way to handing over the money you see an advert that says it needs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30,000 to save 10,000 people. Out of duty you must give the money to the park however if you are following Utilitarianism your belief is that the money must going into creating the most good/ happiness which would be saving those 10,000 people. W.D Ross believed it was important for you to follow and carry out your duty. Bentham’s Act utilitarianism although was flexible and relied on the consequences it had no defence for minorities for example; one slave being treated badly but creating happiness for a whole family would be thought of as right. Also it is very impractical having to calculate using the ‘hedonic calculus’ every decision we make. There is also a difficulty defining what pleasure is for example; a paedophile’s pleasure is very different to another person’s. Mill’s Rule utilitarianism is very practical and sets about certain rules for society that must be maintained which can help societies to operate. However there are weaknesses to rule utilitarianism too again there is no defence for minorities or any help at what defines happiness but also this time if you are following rules you could end up obeying them even when more happiness can be created by disobeying them.

Expository Essay Sample on a Great Leader Who Is That

Expository Essay Sample on a Great Leader Who Is That Expository essays on what makes a great leader are focused on explaining the difference between an ordinary leader and a great leader. Although these two are both leaders, there is a big difference between the two. There is a debate that great leaders are born, yet, there are those whose argue is great leaders are nurtured. This debate has brought into question what really makes a great leader. A leader should have the qualities that cause him or her to be regarded as a great leader. Not all leaders are great leaders, and the difference is because of the qualities that such leaders portray. A great leader should not be a dictator. Instead, leaders should always be focused, visionary, possess sharp perception, be responsible, and reasonable. Leaders who are effective take into account their strengths as well as their weaknesses. They evaluate themselves when they ask questions like, â€Å"Am I a good leader? What can I accomplish, and what are my limits?† If a leader identifies his or her areas of weakness, he will try to turn his weaknesses into his strengths by working towards improving them. Some leaders tend to think that they have the ability to accomplish anything within or outside their domain. They are disillusioned into the thinking that leaders are always knowledgeable and nothing can outdo their thinking powers. This is a fallacy in thinking because there is no complete individual who is able to perform all duties. Leaders should be assisted by other people who are professionals in different fields and areas of knowledge. These other persons assist the leaders in compensating for their weaknesses. Leaders should recognize the abilities of those who work with them. Doing so helps them to be regarded as effective leaders. The perception of a leader is important. It helps in evaluating whether a leader is an effective or not. Leaders should be effective in their communication and should build a good relationship with those who serve under them. Leaders should ensure a good environment where everyone feels they have something of value to contribute. Conflicts should be recognized and addressed appropriately. A leader will be perceived to be a good leader if those who work with him talk positively about his leadership skills and what he is being able to accomplish. Leaders should also be responsible and accountable just like any other person. They should never be above the law. They should keep in accordance with the rules that govern them. They should never go beyond their limits. They should avoid the notion that they are powerful and, therefore, can bend the rules to suit themselves. The leaders’ incentive should be the goals of the organization or group they are leading. Good leaders should ha ve the goal as their central concern and work towards realizing the goal with the interest of the organization or the group they are leading. Tips on writing an expository essay on this topic: The purpose of an expository essay is to express a personal opinion on a given topic. The topic should be interesting to your targeted audience. A good way to decide on a topic is to listen to news reports and social media on the hot topics of the day. Find something that interests you and do some preliminary reading on that topic. Do you have an opinion? Develop that opinion into a thesis statement. Then develop some major points to support that opinion. Look for examples or personal experiences to add as details for those support points. As always, make sure to organize your ideas logically and to use transitional devices to help your thoughts flow smoothly. Finally, be sure to edit your essay and to conduct a final proof-reading.

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Introduction: Definition of Concepts Strategic management refers to the methodical examination of the factors related with clients and competitors and the firm to come up with the ground for maintaining maximum management practices. Simply put, it is the process of examining the internal and external environments of an organization (BusinessDictionary.com, Web). Strategic management involves examination, decisions, and actions that a firm carries out to create and maintain competitive advantages (Dess, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Competitive Strategy refers to continual plan of action designed to enable an organization achieve a competitive advantage in a certain market segment or over its competitors (BusinessDictionary.com, Web). Deriving from this, strategic competitiveness is the advantage that one firm has ove r its competitors. This essay seeks to examine Toyota Corporation on various aspects. Impact of Globalization and Technology on Toyota Corporation There exist different definitions for globalization but for the sake of this essay, globalization is the evident identifiable organization of firms and regulations that enable taking of advantage of communities and states and their resources by international companies (Vogel, 2008). Globalization happens not only in the developing world but also in the developed world. For instance, Toyota has 13 operational manufacturing units in North America (Vogel, 2008). The Toyota Corporation laid claim to the fact that its revenues went up due to ‘lean manufacturing’ but looked at closely, that translates to a myth. Globalization has enabled Toyota Corporation to venture out into regions that have cheap labor. This is what the company has taken advantage of, as well as the drastic slashing of operational costs to boost its revenues (Vo gel, 2008). Where technology is concerned, Toyota has engaged in hybrid technology, an idea that saves on fuel consumption. This has lead to a high demand for such cars and more revenues for the company (Vogel, 2008). Industrial Organization Model Industrial organization Model of above Average Returns looks that the external environment influences the strategic plans of an organization. According to the model, the production field that an organization opts to compete in has a greater impact on performance than the options that the management comes up with in the company (Adner Helfat, 2003). The organizational performance is seen to be influenced by such industry features like economies of scale, penetration barriers, differentiation of products and services, diversifying, and the level of concentration of organizations in the industry (Adner Helfat, 2003).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The model operates on four assumptions. First, external environment exerts force and constraints that will influence the strategies that will lead to above-average returns (Adner Helfat, 2003). Secondly, majority of the rivals take charge alike strategically relevant inputs and such inputs dictate the companies’ strategies (Adner Helfat, 2003). The third assumption intimates that inputs used to realize strategies are highly movable across organizations and as such, input gaps between various cannot last long (Adner Helfat, 2003). Lastly, a company’s management is rational and acts in the best interest of the organization as indicated by their desire to maximize profits (Adner Helfat, 2003). The model decrees that firms must identify the most appealing industry in which to compete. This is informed by the fact that firms in any industry have similar valuable inputs that are transferrable from one firm to the other and that for fir ms must therefore compete in the industry with the greatest profit potential (Adner Helfat, 2003). In addition, firms must learn ways of utilizing their inputs to execute strategy required by the field’s structure features (Adner Helfat, 2003). Toyota could earn above average returns if it embarks on the technological innovativeness that has driven it throughout the years. More research should be carried out on hybrid models of vehicles. Resource Based Model This model is based on the uniqueness of an organization’s internal inputs and abilities. A five-stage system explains the interconnections between input identification and method selection that will afford the company over average profitability (Open Learning World.com, n.d.). Therefore, the model emphasizes that an organization’s inputs and skills are more crucial to realization of profitability than the external resources or strategic decisions (Open Learning World.com, n.d.). The five stages include in puts, skills, competitive edge, an appealing industry and strategy formulation and execution as explained hereafter. Primarily, organizations must identify their internal inputs, and gauge their strengths and weaknesses against rivals’ strengths and weaknesses (Open Learning World.com, n.d.). Secondly, organizations must know what set of inputs grant the organization capabilities that are special to the organization compared to their rivals (Open Learning World.com, n.d.). The company should then gauge the potential for their special group of inputs and skills to outdo their competitors regarding profitability. In other words, the organization should prognosticate how the inputs can grant them competitive edge in the industry (Open Learning World.com, n.d.).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The fourth stage involves de tecting and competing in an appealing industry (Open Learning World.com, n.d.). Lastly, if companies must realize above average profits, they must come up and execute strategies that enable them to utilize their inputs in a better way to exploit chances in the external environment (Open Learning World.com, n.d.). Toyota is currently the world’s greatest car manufacturer. This implies enough internal resources and all that they need to do is to come up with strategies to allow them exploit the external environment where they have a niche too in selling hybrid cars (Vogel, 2008). Toyota’s Vision and Mission Statement and Their Impact The company’s global vision as it is called influences the company’s overall success in that, it encompasses all stakeholders and gives a very special place to the global environment. In addition, the global vision takes keen interest on current and future innovations, which the company expects to be the best. In other words, t he mission and vision statement adopts both industrial organization model – focus on external environment- and resource-based model – focus on the internal resources and capabilities (Vogel, 2008). Lastly, the company utilizes both internal and external stakeholders to reach great heights in the industry. The company engages the best employees possible and trains them accordingly. In addition, due to its superior innovations and eco-friendly products, the company is in tandem with its actual and potential customers (Vogel, 2008). Conclusion For any company to succeed in an industry, several factors must be at play. The company must understand the whole concept of globalization. In addition, they must be aware how globalization can affect the company. It must take advantage of such incentives like cheap labor force and local government subsidies. In addition, the company must focus closely on its internal resources as well as its external resources or opportunities ther ein. Unique internal resources enable a company to go out and exploit opportunities in the external environment. Lastly, the mission and vision statement must encompass all that a company intends to do.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Adner, R., Helfat, C. E. (2003). Corporate Effects and Dyanamic Managerial Capabilities. Strategic Management Journal , 1011-1025. Web. BusinessDictionary.com. (Web). Strategic Management. Web. Dess, G. G. (2005). Strategic Management (2nd Edition ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Open Learning World.com. (n.d.). Resource Based Model. Web. Vogel, R. D. (2008). How Globalization Works: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (TMMTX) A Case Study. Web.

Compulsory Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Compulsory Education - Essay Example Parents are answerable to the authorities if their child is not receiving age-specific education, while 'it is their decision whether to use schools or provide education at home'. Parent was described as (a) who is not a parent of his but who has parental responsibility for him, or (b) who has care of him" (Section 576 of the said Act). The importance of parental duty to secure good education for the child is detailed only in Section 7. If the child is enrolled into a school, parents will have no other obligations or constraints. Under section 444 (3), a, flexi-time and part-time schooling is allowed. Home educating children with special education needs (SEN) including learning difficulty, or any other needs that might hinder the regular attendance at school or otherwise are mentioned in Section 7. UNESCO's report has brought out many salient points like integration of pupils with disabilities or learning difficulties into mainstream schools which it called 'mandatory pedagogic integ ration, or school-based integration and this pertains to only schools. 'Above all, integration in this sense involves dealing with the individual needs of each child, subject to the capacity of a mainstream school to meet those needs' http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/unscolaw.htm The survey goes on to explain an important circular letter from the Minister of Education of the Flemish Community in Belgium in 1994 which accepted the 'equivalence' principle in integration. In other words, although some pupils could not follow all the lessons of the regular programme due to their disability, they could graduate with approved replacement lessons. The 1873 Act of Employment of children in agriculture was repealed by Lord Sandon's Act of 1876 about the compulsory education which said "It shall be duty of the parent of every child, to cause such child to receive efficient elementary instruction in reading, writing and in arithmetic, and if the parent fail to perform such duty, he shall be liable to such orders and penalties as are provided by the Act," Hancock (1879, p.457). It is believed that universalization of compulsory education is necessary for reduction of poverty all over the world. Is compulsion right in any matter Surprisingly it is the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights that has provided the political and moral support for compulsory education. Article 26 of this declaration says that 'Elementary Education shall be compulsory' and Dakar Frmaework for Action reiterated the same. European Association for Education Law and Policy says: "Legislation should provide for the goal of high standards in the provision of education and the development of mechanisms and policies, and adequate allocations of public funding, to support this aim; but it would probably need to leave the degree of specificity for national standards to be determined by individual states" http://www.ua.ac.be/main.aspxc=.ELA&n=47283 It also says: Under the UK model, the rules on inspection and teacher qualification have become intensified because these matters are seen as integral aspects of the new quality agenda for schools. At the same time, new risks of civil liability have

Response to Valedictorian Speech- Discussion on high school education Essay

Response to Valedictorian Speech- Discussion on high school education - Essay Example In this discussion about the American education system, the controversial issue is whether the academia has adequately prepared its students for the challenges of higher education. On one hand, Goldson argues that she is graduating at the top of her class only because she did her best to follow what she was told to do within the system that is already set up before her. On the other hand, the academia contends that they stress not only memorization, but also understanding, challenging, and innovating when engaging new ideas. My own view is that the potential to learn and probe cannot be suppressed if we do not allow it. I believe, too, that the academia does not wish to see its students fail to thrive in school. It is about time that people begin to see that grades do not make the person. Such thinking could lead the way towards, hopefully, important and effective

The Significance of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Research Paper

The Significance of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Contemporary Period - Research Paper Example It is in the last three decades that numerous discourses on CSR happened (Campbell 2007). There is an assumption that the notion of CSR has contributed to the changed nature of modern organizations (Tencati & Zolsnai, 2009). Since, CSR becomes the theoretical basis for organisations to accept the truism that their responsibility is not only to secure and increase profit for the firm (Milton, 1970), but it also includes being responsible to other actors in the society that may be affected by the actions and activities of the company. The ‘noble’ intention underpinning CSR has earned the ideal wide acceptance in the business world. However, in the recent past, many are questioning the validity and ’authenticity’ of CSR because of the obvious contradictions between what some well-known corporations are doing and saying. This situation is heightened by the Enron experience, the global economic crisis that started in 2007, and the various ethical issues involving pharmaceutical companies, sweatshops, child labour and other similar cases that persist despite claims of adhering to the tenets of CSR. Thus, now some are questioning the continued importance of CSR in the midst of corporate abuses and impunities. In this regard, this research will attempt to address the problem ‘is there still a continued significance for corporate social responsibility?’ With this question, the research aims to understand the current perception of some scholars regarding the importance of CSR. Likewise, the study intends to know whether there is still a meaning for CSR in the contemporary period. Finally, it intends to determine the continued possible merits of CSR despite some impurities of some well-rated firms. In order to address the issue and achieve the objectives of the study, the research adopted a documentary analysis of some articles relevant to the research topic.

Meaning of life - Human Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life Human Essay We walk around in the world and we as human beings look to find fulfillment and happiness in many things such as sports, friends, and boy/girlfriends and as young people when we get rejected by these things we act like we can’t go on with life. . But i challenge you to think about the meaning of LIFE. Well Life is a Gift of God, Abundance of receiving things. In John 4 its speaks on living water and how Jesus uses both the physical and spiritual meaning of water when he speaks to the Samaritan Woman, He refers to the spiritual side as living water. People in the world tend to you suicide or hurting themselves as a way out of situations but God gave us eternal life so that we may be humble servants unto him. . God never puts more on us than we can bear. . Life is important so we really need to know the meaning of it because it seems to be lost in todays society. .I used to be bitter and sad before i had gotten saved. . I had a huge void that needed to be filled and nothing truly could fill it. . Except GOD.

Abraham Lincoln, Adelicia Acklen and Harriet Tubman Essay -- articles

The time of the American Revolution was the birth of America. During this period of time the Revolutionary war was fought and America gained its independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1976 giving the 13 colonies freedom to govern themselves and shortly thereafter in 1781, the Articles of Confederation were ratified. These articles empowered the federal government to conduct foreign affairs, make treaties, and declare war, which had been essential in the struggle for independence. In 1787, The Constitution of the United States further strengthened our laws. During the next 100 years Americans continued to build communities and wealth based on the principles and laws contained within these documents. During colonial America and the period leading to the Civil War slavery was the foundation of the socioeconomic system. This topic created an ongoing debate between the north, south and free states. The Declaration of Independence declares, â₠¬Å"That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (Foner, 2013, A-18).† Abraham Lincoln President of the United States of America, Adelicia Acklen plantation owner, and Harriet Tubman, abolitionist define what these unalienable rights meant to them in the 19th century, the period that created an opportunity for change and a rebirth for America. Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. He had two siblings, sister Sarah who was older than him and younger brother Thomas, who died during infancy. The family was eventually forced to move out of Kentucky to seek other opp... ..., 692-696. OBAMA, B. (2013). Proclamation 8943--establishment of the Harriet Tubman underground railroad national monument. Daily Compilation Of Presidential Documents, 1. Ranney, J. A. (2010). In praise of whig lawyering: a commentary on Abraham Lincoln as lawyer and politician. Marquette Law Review, 93(4), 1325-1331. Rowland, T. Rowland, E. (2013). Maryland memorializes: Harriet Tubman.history. The reference center. 26(3), ISSN: 1046-2899, Scott, K. & Collins, S. (2010). Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln on black equity in the civil war: a historical-rhetorical perspective. Black History Bulletin, 73(2), 8-15. The Belmont Mansion. (2014). Retrieved from thebelmontmansion.com The Examiner. (2011). Woman play dramatic, if unheralded roles in the civil war. Retrieved from www.examiner.com/.../adelicia-acklen-belmont-mansion-and-women-

Essay on 1983 Essay

Different dictionaries provide a number of meanings to the word fool. Firstly, the word fool perhaps implies â€Å"a silly person†, â€Å"a dumb† or even a â€Å"dunderhead†. Apart from these negative connotations to the word fool, the term could also mean, â€Å"a professional in counterfeiting folly to draw entertainment for others, a clown, or a jester†. Besides, a fool could a character in a script of other literal work that is created and manipulated to feature a fool. In Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, there are several unconventional fools other than the clown Feste. Feste and the cauldron of fools in the play dexterously combine their unusual traits and wits to stimulate other characters into their charade eliciting their own form of foolery. This paper explores the role of the fool in William Shakespeare play, Twelfth Night. To begin with, Feste plays a significant role in the Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare in the Illyrian society. He features a transcendental ringleader capable of trouncing conventional social hierarchies and leading them in his own views and interests, aside from the intense criticism of his environment. Feste’s significance in the play is well embedded in his ability to socialize and interact with the nobles and the common with equal ease. In the play, Feste is an employed clown of Olivia’s late father. Therefore, he is an â€Å"official fool† implying that he is permitted to speak the truth to people surrounding him (Act I. Scene V). This role reflects Feste and truthful fool in this Illyrian society, even though he mirrors a critic of his environment. William Shakespeare also injects humor in the play through the characters and mannerism of Feste. For instance, Feste emerges as a conventional fool when he clad as the curate, Sir Topaz. He goes on to visit the imprisoned Malvolio incarnated as Sir Topaz in the company of like fools, Sir Toby and Maria. Shakespeare exerts a shower of humor and wit in the play through the Feste’s charade. Feste humorously abuses the unawares Malvolio of the disguise calling him a â€Å"Satan† and a â€Å"lunatic† (Act IV. Scene II). In a punning twist and turns of words, the in-disguise Feste cum Sir Topaz wittingly confuses Malvolio bringing out the fool in the latter. Incidentally, Malvolio featured as an intentional ruin to people’s pleasure in the play. Therefore, Feste’s folly dawns an acceptable and just behavior among the audience in light of his condemnable actions. Feste represents a genius with words character in the play. He has a knack for witty repartee and word play. Indeed, this justifies Cesario’s description of Feste as the â€Å"wise fellow to play the fool† (3.1.14). Besides, Feste’s penchant for excellent sizing up situations is dramatic and significant in the play. He points out other character’s folly drawing a couple of bucks and a laugh. For instance, Feste’s shrewd description of â€Å"the greedy and drunk† Sir Toby in an honest and humorous mockery justifies to the Elizabethan audience his legitimacy as a licensed fool. Notwithstanding, this folly acts offers an honest insight to the audience of the concealed and dark secrets and aspects of a character in the play. Source document

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 36-37

36 JENNY, ROBERT, RIVERA, AMANDA, TRAVIS, HOWARD, AND THE SPIDER Rivera drove Robert and Jennifer to their house. They sat in the back, holding each other the whole way, not saying a word until they thanked him when he dropped them off. On the drive back to the station Rivera tried to formulate a story that would save his career. Any version of the true story seemed like a sure ticket to a psychological disability retirement. In the end he decided to tell the story as far as the point where The Breeze disappeared. A month later Rivera was pumping Slush-Puppies at the Seven-Eleven, working undercover for the robbery division. However, with the arrest of a team of robbers that had terrorized convenience stores in the county for six months, he was promoted to lieutenant. Amanda and Travis rode with Howard. At Amanda's request, Gian Hen Gian saw that Effrom's body was turned to stone and placed inside the cave. When Howard stopped in front of Amanda's house, she invited Travis to come inside. He refused at first, wanting to leave her alone with her grief. â€Å"Have you completely missed the significance of all this, Travis?† she asked. â€Å"I guess so,† he said. â€Å"Did it occur to you that the presence of Catch and Gian Hen Gian proves that Effrom is not gone completely? I will miss him, but he goes on. And I don't want to be alone right now. I helped you when you needed it,† she said, and she waited. Travis went in. Howard went home to work on a new menu for his restaurant. Chief Technical Sergeant Nailsworth never found out what happened to Roxanne or who she really was, and he was heartbroken. Because of his grief he was unable to eat, lost a hundred and fifty pounds, met a girl at a computer user's meeting, and married her. He never had computer sex again outside the privacy of his home. 37 GOOD GUYS Augustus Brine declined offers for a ride home. He wanted to walk. He needed to think. Gian Hen Gian walked at his side. â€Å"I can repair your truck, make it fly if you wish,† the Djinn said. â€Å"I don't want it,† Brine said. â€Å"I'm not even sure I want to go home.† â€Å"You may do as you wish, Augustus Brine.† â€Å"I don't want to go back to the store either. I think I'll give the business to Robert and Jenny.† â€Å"Is it wise to put the drunkard in the wine barrel?† â€Å"He won't drink anymore. I want them to have the house, too. I'll start the paperwork in the morning.† â€Å"It is done.† â€Å"Just like that?† â€Å"You doubt the word of the King of the Djinn?† They walked in silence for a while before Brine spoke again. â€Å"It seems wrong that Travis has lived so long without having a life, without love.† â€Å"Like yourself, you mean?† â€Å"No, not like myself. I've had a good life.† â€Å"Would you have me make him young again?† Brine thought for a moment before he answered. â€Å"Could you make him age in reverse? For each year that passes he is a year younger?† â€Å"It can be done.† â€Å"And her, too?† â€Å"Her?† â€Å"Amanda. Could you make them grow young together?† â€Å"It can be done, if you command it.† â€Å"I do.† â€Å"It is done. Will you tell them?† â€Å"No, not right away. It will be a nice surprise.† â€Å"And what of yourself, Augustus Brine? What is it you wish?† â€Å"I don't know. I always thought I'd make a good madam.† Before the Djinn could say anything else, Rachel's van sputtered up beside them and stopped. She rolled down the window and said, â€Å"Do you need a ride, Gus?† â€Å"He is trying to think,† the Djinn snapped. â€Å"Don't be rude,† Brine said to the Djinn. â€Å"Which way are you going?† â€Å"I don't know for sure. I don't feel like going home – maybe ever.† Brine walked around the front of the van and slid open the cargo door. â€Å"Get in, Gian Hen Gian.† The Djinn got into the van. Brine slammed the cargo door and climbed into the passenger seat next to Rachel. â€Å"Well?† she said. â€Å"East,† Brine said. â€Å"Nevada.† It was called King's Lake. When it appeared in the desert, it simultaneously appeared on every map of Nevada that had ever been printed. People who had passed through that part of the state swore that they had never seen it before, yet there it was on the map. Above the tree-lined banks of King's Lake stood a palace with a hundred rooms. Atop the palace a massive electric sign read, BRINE'S BAIT, TACKLE, AND FINE WOMEN. Anyone who visited the palace was greeted by a beautiful, dark-haired woman, who took their money and led them to a room. On their way out a tiny brown man in a rumpled suit returned their money and wished them well. Upon returning home the visitors told of a white-haired man who sat all day in the lotus position at the end of a pier in front of the palace, fishing and smoking a pipe. They said that when evening approached, the dark-haired woman would join the man and together they would watch the sun go down. The visitors were never quite clear as to what had happened to them while they were at the palace. It didn't seem to matter. But after a visit they found that they appreciated the simple pleasures that life presented to them and they were happy. And although they recommended Brine's to their friends, they never returned themselves. What went on in the rooms is another story altogether.

Vietnamization of the Vietnam War

Vietnamization of the Vietnam War Campaigning under the slogan â€Å"Peace with Honor,† Richard M. Nixon won the 1968 presidential election. His plan called for the â€Å"Vietnamization† of the war which was defined as the systematic build-up of ARVN forces to the point that they could prosecute the war without American aid. As part of this plan, American troops would slowly be removed. Nixon complemented this approach with efforts to ease global tensions by reaching out diplomatically to the Soviet Union and the Peoples Republic of China. In Vietnam, the war shifted to smaller operations geared towards attacking North Vietnamese logistics.   Overseen by General Creighton Abrams, who replaced General William Westmoreland in June 1968, American forces shifted from a search-and-destroy approach to one more focused on defending South Vietnamese villages and working with the local population.   In doing so, extensive efforts were made to win the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese people.   These tactics proved successful and guerrilla attacks began to subside. Advancing Nixons Vietnamization scheme, Abrams worked extensively to expand, equip, and train ARVN forces.   This proved critical as the war became an increasingly conventional conflict and American troop strength continued to be reduced.   Despite these efforts, ARVN performance continued to be erratic and often relied on American support to achieve positive results. Trouble on the Home Front While the antiwar movement in the US was pleased with Nixon’s efforts at dà ©tente with communist nations, it was inflamed in 1969, when news broke about a massacre of 347 South Vietnamese civilians by US soldiers at My Lai (March 18, 1968). Tension grew further when, following a change in stance by Cambodia, the US began bombing North Vietnamese bases over the border. This was followed in 1970, with ground forces attacking into Cambodia. Though intended to enhance South Vietnamese security by eliminating a threat across the border, and thus in line with the Vietnamization policy, it was publicly viewed as expanding the war rather than winding it down. Public opinion sunk lower in 1971 with the release of the Pentagon Papers. A top-secret report, the ​Pentagon Papers detailed American mistakes in Vietnam since 1945, as well as exposed lies about the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, detailed US involvement in deposing Diem, and revealed secret American bombing of Laos. The papers also painted a bleak outlook for American prospects of victory. First Cracks Despite the incursion into Cambodia, Nixon had begun the systematic withdrawal of US forces, lowering troop strength to 156,800 in 1971. That same year, the ARVN commenced Operation Lam Son 719 with the goal of severing the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. In what was seen as a dramatic failure for Vietnamization, ARVN forces were routed and driven back across the border. Further cracks were revealed in 1972, when the North Vietnamese launched a conventional invasion of the South, attacking into the northern provinces and from Cambodia. The offensive was only defeated with the support of US airpower and saw intense fighting around Quang Tri, An Loc, and Kontum.   Counterattacking and supported by American aircraft (Operation Linebacker), ARVN force reclaimed the lost territory that summer but sustained heavy casualties.

Grammar Chants Resources for English Learners

Grammar Chants Resources for English Learners The use of grammar chants to learn English are useful for learners of all ages. Chants  can be used to learn vocabulary and grammar and are a lot of fun to use in classes. They are especially effective when used to help students learn problematic forms. These chants are also known as jazz chants and there are a number of great jazz chants books available by Carolyn Graham who has done a great job of introducing her jazz chants to English learners. The chants  on the site cover a wide range of simple grammar and vocabulary subjects for lower level English learners.   English learning chants  use repetition to engage the right side of the brains musical intelligence. The use of multiple intelligences can go a long way to helping students speak English automatically. Here are a number of chants for some of the most common beginning level problem areas. Many of these chants are simple. However, remember that through the use of repetition and having fun together (be as crazy as you like) students will improve their automatic use of the language. Using a chant is pretty straight-forward. The teacher (or leader) stands up in front of the class and chants the lines. Its important to be as rhythmical as possible because these rhythms help the brain during the  learning process. The main idea is to break up a learning objective into small, bite-sized pieces. For example, to practice questions forms you can start with a question word, then on to the simple beginning of a question with the question word, auxiliary verb, followed by the  main verb. In this way, students learn to group chunks of language that often come together. In this case, the pattern of auxiliary verb subject main verb i.e.  do you do, did you go, has she done, etc.   Example of the Beginning of a Chant What What do you do? What do you do in the afternoon? When   When do you go... When do you go to visit your mom?   and so on... Using this form of a chant could also work well for strong collocations such as make and do. Start with the subject, then make or do and then the collocating noun. Example of Make and Do Chant She   She makes   She makes the bed. We   We do We do our homework. etc.   Be creative, and youll find your students having fun while learning important English basics.

Je tu il elle on vous - Singular French Subject Pronouns

Je tu il elle on vous - Singular French Subject Pronouns To replace a noun, French uses a word called â€Å"a pronoun†. You choose this pronoun according to both the grammatical value of the word it replaces and the meaning of the word it replaces. Anne est au marcheÃŒ . Elle est avec Mary.Anne is at the market. She is with Mary   To replace â€Å"Anne† in the second sentence, I used â€Å"elle† (she). â€Å"Elle† is a subject pronoun: it replaces a noun subject of the verb, and its a third person singular to match Anne which is a person about whom I am speaking, feminine, one person, so she. What is a Subject? The subject is the person or thing that does the action of the verb.   How do you Find the Subject of a Sentence in French? There is an easy way to find the subject of a sentence, and its important in French you learn this grammatical question in order to be able to find the subject of a verb without any doubt. First, find the verb. Then ask: â€Å"who verb† or â€Å"what verb†.  The answer to that question will be your subject. A subject is a noun (Camille, flower, room...) or a pronoun (I, you, they...). It can be a person, a thing, a place, an idea...   Examples:  I paint.Who paints?Answer: I paint. â€Å"I† is the subject. Camille is teaching French.Who is teaching?Answer:  Camille is teaching.â€Å"Camille† is the subject.   What is happening to Camille?What’s happening?Answer:  What is happening.â€Å"What† is the subject (This one was trickier, wasn’t it?)   French Subject Pronouns Replacing One Person In French, the list of singular subject pronouns is: Je (or j’ vowel or h, its called an elision) I  Ã‚   Tu (never t’) you singular informal   Il it, he - long â€Å"ee† sound​ Elle it, she - short clip â€Å"L† sound On - this one is more difficult to understand. It used to mean â€Å" one â€Å", but nowadays is used in casual French to say â€Å" we , instead of the now more formal/written form â€Å" nous â€Å". So although its listed as a singular pronoun, nowadays its mostly used to replace several people, so for a plural. See my lesson on on. Vous you, one person, formal. Note that vous is also the pronoun we use for you plural, when you say you to talk to more than one person (yous guys :-) Traditionally, vous is listed as a plural subject pronoun, although it can and does often refer to only one person. Its confusing, I know, so I wrote a whole lesson on tu versus vous. ​French Subject Pronouns Replacing Several People In French, the list of plural subject pronouns (replacing several people) is: Nous we - S is silent, but becomes Z when followed by a vowel or an h. (Nowadays, â€Å" nous â€Å" is used in a formal context and in writing mostly. In conversation, we tend to use â€Å"onâ€Å"). Vous you plural, both formal and informal - S is silent, but becomes Z vowel or an h. Ils they masculine or they masculine and feminine - S is silent, but becomes Z vowel or an h. Elles they feminine ONLY - S is silent, but becomes Z vowel or an h. ​Important : In Pronunciation Il ils / elle elles â€Å"Il† and ils have the same pronunciation, sort of an English eel, and â€Å"Elle† has the same pronunciation as its plural form â€Å"Elles† sort of an English   L sound . Do not pronounce the S to remember the spelling; it would mess up your pronunciation! Oh, and since Im talking about pronunciation, you will soon see that most verbs will take an silent ent to match with ils and elles - Im not explaining the whole French conjugation concept here yet, just planting a seed: this ent matching ils and elles will always be silent. Its not pronounced an, its not pronounced at all. Never in a verb. Its a very bad, but very common mistake French student make. No it Subject Pronoun in French There is no â€Å"it† form in French. Everything: objects, concepts, animals etc. are either masculine or  feminine in French, and are therefore referred to as â€Å"il† or â€Å"elle†. So dont think of il and elle as being only he and she, they also mean it. It will be weird at first, but you will get used to it, I promise.   What Do First, Second, Third Person Singular and Plural Mean? This concept is often baffling to student of French, but its a standard for grammatical jargon. Subject pronouns are often referred to as persons and this is how most grammar books will present a French verb conjugation : a table, with 3 lines, and two columns. As an example, I will take the verb chanter, to sing, in the present indicative tense. Singular Plural Je chante Nous chantons Tu chantes Vous chantez Il, elle, on chante Ils, elles chantent Je is often referred to as the first person singular or 1ps, tu as second person singular or 2ps... can you guess nous? 1st person plural. Which makes ils and elles both third person plural. This presentation is super confusing if you ask me since vous for example could replace BOTH a singular or a plural... But its very common to talk about verbs this way in French, and most French teachers are so accustom to it that they wont even understand that its weird...   French Subject Pronouns in Detail So now that you get an overview of the singular French subject pronouns, lets look at them individually. There is a lot to be said on each. Singular French Subject Pronouns Je Tu Il Elle (what about moi, me, mon...?) Plural French Subject Pronouns Nous, Vous, Ils, Elles (please dont say the s)The Misunderstood French Subject Pronoun on. Finally, before you can go ahead and start conjugating your French verbs, I will encourage you to learn more about Tu versus Vous - A French Dilemma.   I post exclusive mini lessons, tips, pictures and more daily on my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest  pages - so join me there! https://www.facebook.com/frenchtoday https://twitter.com/frenchtoday https://www.pinterest.com/frenchtoday/