Entrepreneurship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Entrepreneurship - Research Paper Example Social entrepreneurs do not leave everything up to the government; rather they try themselves to handle the problems in the most efficient manner. Social entrepreneurs not only solve social problems but also navigate social barriers to the communities (Light 123). They offer a wide range of ideas to the people living in any particular society in order to manage their social problems. â€Å"Social Entrepreneurs Identify and Solve Problems on a Large Scale† (Coggins). Social entrepreneurs commit themselves to change the direction of the society and want to implement their vision practically for the betterment of the society. â€Å"Social entrepreneurs seek to attain long-term social effects† (Cuizon). Some of the core activities of a social entrepreneur include creating and sustaining social values, helping the individuals find solution to their problems, continuously pursuing learning and innovation, and taking bold steps to tackle major social issues even with limited r esources. Social entrepreneurs can be defined by two elements, which include strategic focus on social impact and an innovative approach towards the mission (Nicholls). Tackling with the issue of teenage pregnancies is a real example of social entrepreneurship. It is because teenage pregnancies is a critical social issue these days which needs to be handled by the people living in any particular society instead of relying on the government to take considerable steps. Teenage pregnancies bring a number of negative consequences for the whole society in the form of low interest in marriages, poor health of newborn children, and less educated mothers. The common elements of social entrepreneurship reflected in the example of teenage pregnancies include advancing the social mission to provide safe sex education to the children, applying innovative process towards the mission, and taking considerable measures for advancing the social

Principles Of human Resources Management Essay Example for Free

Principles Of human Resources Management Essay INTRODUCTION The management of organization human resource to make them attain the organizational goals and work effectively towards contributing to the growth of the organization in contemporary times has taken a new dimension from the traditional way of personnel management. Human resource is considered as the most valuable resources in the organization; without which other resources cannot be coordinated and utilized to the optimal sue of the organization. The formation of effective relationship with workers and enabling a working environment where there is informal relationship goes a long way to motivating workers to performance. According to Farrazzi Gatti (2007), â€Å"†¦developing deep, genuine relationships- both internally among co-workers †¦is one of the most important skills need for performance in workplace† Thus, Human Resource Development (HRD) is a vital process used in contemporary times to make an organization Human resource inapt and adequately equipped to face the challenges of the time. According to Wilson (1999:27), â€Å"An alignment between strategy and training and development is now commonly regarded as a good business sense in all corners of the globe†. This is more adduced to the limited resources and finance to aid an organization in the attainment of its goal. Thus, HR development will go a long way in the organization to attain effectively set goals in the most efficient way. For Colours R Us (CRU) company to effectively get the best in its human resource management , the management of the organization need to put in place conducive working environment; one that would motivate workers to want to remain long in the organization. This is obtainable through formation of deep relationship among workers. Getting the right people at the right place is a function of human resource planning. Motivation of workers plays a significant role in maintaining and making the positioned ‘right people’ stay and build up a long career in an organization. IMPLEMENTING AN EFFECTIVE HRM IN CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS Effective Human Resource Management practices are recognises as to enhance an organisation’s competitive advantage by creating both cost leadership and differentiation. Today’s competitive global environment has made organisation maintaining a competitive advantage puts a premium on having a committed and competent workforce. Low-cost, high- quality products and services are a result of committed employees all working hard to produce the best products and provide the best services that they can at the lowest possible cost. Thus, it is important that the Human Resource Managers are made to get in touch and be included in the organisation’s strategic plan, since they have the wealth of experience in the motivation of the organisational workforce into putting their best in the attainment of the strategic goals of the organisation. Furthermore, the possession of information about human resource planning put the Human Resource Manager in a good position to partake in the strategic planning of the organisation. For example, with the available information on human resource planning, this along side with the organisation strategy would bring about the hiring of the best human resource that would be in a better position to efficiently meet the organisation’s goals. In this view, Sims (2002), has it that, As effective partners in helping organisations successfully achieve their goals, Human Resource Management managers need to have a clear understanding of exactly what are the organisation’s strategies, and then they must ensure that their own efforts are consistent with provide support for those strategies. To the extent that the Human Resource Management function is seen as a strategic partner and/or a centre of expertise, of course, its manager should also be actively involved in the formulation of corporate and business strategies as well as other functional strategies. A closer integration between top management goals and Human Resource Management practices helps to elicit and reward the types of behaviour necessary for achieving an organisation’s strategy. According to Matanmi (2001:7), â€Å"as a concept HRM has relatively recently, developed as a generic (i.e. broad, all-embracing), and yet specialised management field that particularly draws its strengths from such multi-disciplinary sources of knowledge that include (but) not exclusively restricted to) personnel management, organisation behaviour   (OB), industrial and labour relations, economics, law, psychology and sociology†. In the process of HRM, there is an increasing emphasis on the personal needs of the organisation and its members. Thus, how effectively an organisation’s employee contribute successfully to the attainment of the organisational goals depends to a larger extent upon the ability of its HRM staff. Hence, the challenges of the HRM are to create an organisational environment in which each employee can grow and develop to his or her fullest extent (Sims, 2002:4). Furthermore, Rowden (1999) have it that Human Resource Professional need to master global operating skills. They should learn to do business in non-native environments, with individual of different backgrounds and perspectives and with products and services used in different ways. Human Resource Professionals should also be masters of the business environment. They need to understand financial reports, business goals, and consumer and investor important. â€Å"Also they must have the business acumen necessary to understand and support the business function. This will make Human Resource Professionals and indispensable part of a team assigned the task of charting a business’s future†. (Hussey 1995). Thus, it is seen that for the Human Resource source professionals to actively partake in the strategic planning of an organisation they need to be vast with skills that cut across financial planning, critical visioning and thinking, analytical skill and be informed with the ever changing technological development and better utilisation of modern information technology packages. This will make them be equipped to put the organisation a head of its competitors. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF COLOURS R US (CRU) HRM PROBLEMS The workers in Colours R Us (CRU) are not motivated enough to make their stay and build up a career in the organization. The working environment is not conducive; as workers find it difficult to meet their personal needs in the locality where CRU is located. These include restaurants services, baby day care services, security of workers who engages in night shifts. The necessary amenities are not there to aid the worker abide in their work and stay long in the company. Another major issue that is making CRU not to attract the best workers and to retain those it has is the level of remuneration available to the company’s staffers. However, CRU gives an average remuneration, the locality where the company operates from there is higher level of payment. The software companies and communication call centers are well positioned to pay more. This alone, would be an obstacle in motivating the right workers to want to be employed and build up a career with CRU. This is also a cause to make already employed workers in CRU to wanting to move out. Furthermore, the statistical number of workers in the organization shows that women are more than male permanent workers are. Women workers usually leave within short period of assuming their post as workers in the company. There is the problem of getting more workers to operate the company’s diversification operation in the production of ‘Magnificence in Miniature’ RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGING THE COLOURS R US (CRU) HRM PROBLEMS As a Consultant with ‘Right People Right Place’, my recommendations for CRU Company, to solve its HRM problems, include the following: MOTIVATIONAL IMPROVEMENT FOR THE COMPANY’S HR CPU as an organization has not done very well in the motivations of its staffers. Though the company pays its staffers the average pay in the industry, the workers put in much time. Motivation would keep the staffers to contribute meaningfully in the organization and they will be interested and prepare to build up a lasting career with the company. Lindner (1998), argues, â€Å"Motivated employees are needed in our rapidly changing workplaces. Motivated employees help organizations survive. Motivated employees are more productive. Monetary incentive is not only the channel of motivating workers. The sense of belonging and appreciation of workers contribution to the organization goes a long way to motivating workers. To be effective, managers need to understand what motivates employees within the context of the roles they perform. Of all the functions a manager performs, motivating employees is arguably the most complex. This is due, in part, to the fact that what motivates employee changes constantly†. The CPU management should adapt different ways for motivating employees who serve long hours and permanent from short- term workers. Motivating short-term worker, this should be done differently from those workers who are overworked or who put in lengthy work performance in the organization (University of Chicago Newsletter for Supervisor and Managers, 2004). In motivating a short-term worker the management of CPU, need to adopt the following strategic approach: Reinforce the significance of short-term employees work by explaining their importance and how they contribute to the organization’s growth. Introduce short-term employees to the people who use their work to demonstrate the effect the quality of their work has on others. Counter assumptions that someone else will do the work if short-term employees do not come through. Discuss the role short-terms workers play in the CPU manufacturing and working process. They should be made to understand that their work is as important as that of other employees. The Management of CPU should demonstrate interest in their long-term plans for HRM for short –term workers. Plans should be devised to identify those areas where skilled short-term workers may have value elsewhere in the organization. The management should help short-term workers to identify other opportunities before their assignment in your department is over. On the other hand, to motivate those workers who have work lengthy period and over work for the organization, the CPU management can motivate this group by adopting a strategy that follows the sequence of: The CPU management should let the lengthy period and over worked employees know that the company value their stay in the organization and appreciate their contribution to the growth of the organization. They should be made to know they stand to be adequately rewarded. The management of CPU should display the quality of a team player by requesting from this category of workers what they require to made them comfortable and keep the work going. The management of CPU should provide a feedback to workers that put in lengthy work hours, stay, and make them fell appreciated for their contribution in the organization. ADOPTING A MUTUAL EXCHANGE MOTIVATIONAL STRATEGY Mutual exchange is another strategy the management of CPU can adopt in motivating their workers. Here, where a worker has accomplish an assigned task he or she should be given something in return based on   earlier promise made by the supervisor; this may come in form of   a day off, or early closure for the   day’s work etc. According the Moore (1991), the negative effect of this appraoch is that it is not the most effective approach for motivating   workers; as the workers and supervisor may not reach a balance on what should be exchanged for the accomplishment of an assigned task.   RECRUITING MORE MALE WORKER The management of CPU should engage in recruiting more males than females. The environment where the company is situated is not conducive for female worker to work adequately. There is absence of day care for nursing mothers and those women with little children; the vicinity is not safe enough for night female worker. Considering these facts, the male worker will do more to cope in the environment than their female counterparts will. STRATEGIC ALLIANCE FORMATION WITH OTHER INTENSIVE CARE AND FACILITY PROVIDING ORGANIZATION The major reason for the workers leaving the CPU Company within short period is adduced to the lack of amenities to contribute to workers convenience in working for the company. The locality where the company is situated lacks these basic amenities. The management of CPU can enter into strategic alliance by inviting and forming strategic partners with small organizations to provide basic services that the workers lack, such as children day-care services, security, inter-alia. REFERENCES Ferrazzi, Keith Gatti, Lisa (2007), â€Å"The Human Element of Successful Training† June Volume 61, 6c ABI/ INFORM Global P. 68 Hussey, D. (1995), â€Å"Human Resources: Strategic Audit† In International Review of Strategic Management Vol. 6 Pp 157-195. Lindner, James R. (1998), â€Å"Understanding Employee Motivation† in Journal of Extension. June 1998 Volume 36 Number 3 Matanmi, Segun (2001) Strategic Management of the Human Resources in Nigeria for the next Millennium: some notes   (unpublished article) Lagos State University. Moore, Dianne-Jo (1991), â€Å"7 Motivational Strategies Managers Motivation Of Workers† Modern Machine Shop http://findarticles.com/p/search?tb=artqt=%22Dianne-Jo+Moore%22 (2/11/06) Rowden, R.W (1999), â€Å"Potential Roles of the Human Resource Management Professional in the Strategic Planning Process† in SAM Advanced Management Journal. Vol. 64, Issue 3. Pp 22 Sims, Ronald R. (2002), Organisational Success Through Effective Human Resources Management West Port, CT: Quorum Books. Pp. 1-5, 8, 9, 20, 23. University of Chicago Newsletter for Supervisor and Managers’ (2004), â€Å"Strategies and Tactics Methods to Manage Your Work, Your Staff, and Your Results† Volume VI Issue 9 September http://hr.uchicago.edu/newsletter/itk20040901/toc.html (1/11/06). Wilson, John P. (1999), Human Resource Development: Learning and Training for Individuals and Organizations London: Kagan Page

Looking At The Child Protection System Social Work Essay

Looking At The Child Protection System Social Work Essay The literature looks previous and existing literature on how effective the local authorities are at promoting the needs of black African children and their families who are involved in the child protection system. In previous years there have been deaths of African children such Victoria Climbie and khyra Ishaq. There have also been deaths of other African children in Britain linked to witchcraft. A theme echoed by the majority of the literature is that if social work practice and policy is to prevent these tragedies there is need to understand and acknowledge different contexts of culture and diversity. The main theme is how to provide social work interventions and family support that are culturally sensitive and competent to both children and their families who are at risk of significant harm. There is need for social work professional to understand parenting practices in African families and protect children hence every child matters was implemented. The laming report (2009) set o ut challenges faced safeguarding children such as, training and workforce issues still need to be resolved and data systems need to be improved and there is still need improve knowledge and skills to understand children and their family circumstances. Also the laming report noted that despite the progress in inter-agency working there are still problems of day to day reality of working across organisational boundaries and culture, sharing information and lack of feedback when professionals raise concerns about a child. In this literature review I will be focusing on black African children and their families analysing their experiences of the child protection system that have come to live in united kingdom and how the children are protected in the child protection arena. I will be paying attention to key themes and debates in research, validity and generalisability of data, gaps in research and future implications to practice. I will be using the term black African throughout the review of literature; however I recognise that there are different races in Africa who share the same culture and beliefs. Literature search Material used for the literature reviewed varies; I included journals searched online, books from the library and articles from the internet and material published by the government. As I searched the online journals and books I discovered there was little material about my chosen topic and scarce research on the topic of the needs of black African children and child protection children. Most studies and literature focused on black and minority ethnics and mixed parentage children hence the proportion of black African children can be over-represented in these studies and the data cannot be generalised easily to the wider population. There is need for professionals to have knowledge about the identity and diversity of black African children and their families because Britain has seen an enormous growth of African people due globalisation and other environmental factors such as war, famine and work opportunities. However not all children from African families get involved in the child protection system. Review of the literature Research data and statistics on African black children are not constant and highlight mis-representations. According to the 2001 census the population of black African people was 0.8%. However, these statistics are from 2001 and the populations could have increased due to migration and the 2011 census will offer more up to date statistics. Also not everyone registers for the census especially black and minority people who are isolated and who do not have any immigration status might shy away from the census in fear of deportation. The department for education and skills (2006) estimated the number of African children in need to be 8000 in 2005. this accounted for 3% of the overall total- an over-representation compared with the 2001 census in which African children made up 1.4% of the population. Research highlights the over-representation of the African children and their families involved in the child protection system for example, data of African children is combined with afro-Car ibbean children and ethnic minority children- statistical data from British children represented 5% of the children on the child protection register in 2005, but census data 2001, black or black children made up 3% of the total population (national statistics, 2003). Research data continues to indicate that black communities are disproportionately represented across social welfare statistics (graham, 2006; barn et al 1997). Britain has experienced a massive increase in population due to people coming into Britain for better lifestyles, escaping war, famine, torture and looking for better job opportunities. Britain has experience a rise in the number of people claiming asylum and some of them are unaccompanied asylum seeking children. When looking at experiences of black African children and their families and how to offer them appropriate intervention it is important to acknowledge diversity in terms of religion, culture, language and beliefs (Bernard and gupta 2008; gibbs and huang 2003; robinson 2007). Research has shown that black families black African communities and ethnic communities are likely to live in poverty. There is well documented literature on social exclusion and poverty experienced by black African children which also is inclined to impact on the parenting abilities of parents. Also looking at histories and backgrounds of black African families is which add to poverty is also highlighted in research, (Bernard and gupta 2008; gibbs and huang 2003; robinson 2007). Research has shown some of the factors that affect African children and their families such as private fostering and asylum seeking, HIV/AIDS, poverty- highlighting grief, loss and separation, (Bernard and gupta 2008). Review of the research suggest that black African children are almost twice as likely to be looked after, however some of these children will be accommodated under section 20 of the children act 1989 due to being unaccompanied asylum seeking children (Bernard and gupta 2008; robinson 2007; barn 1993). Jones 2001, highlights the conflict between the children act 1989 and immigration legislation and policy and Jones argues that social work profession singularly failed to provide critical scrutiny on the status and relationship of immigration and child care law and the erosion of childrens rights. The number of refugee children arriving in uk is arising annually and the vulnerability of refugee children has legal, emotional and practical aspects (woodcock, 2003; chase, 2009). There is substantial evidence to indicate that many refugee children and young people from different cultures manifest symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems (Hodes, 2000 , 2002; Ehntholt and Yule, 2006; Dyregrov and Yule, 2006).Research on social work with unaccompanied children is limited (kohli and mather 2003). Research also states that there is risk of alienating black children in care by not meeting their emotional and psychological needs due to no contact with community with same culture, family and lack of black workers (bran et al 1997 pg 9). However, available research data paint a complex and contradictory picture and data is combined with other minority ethnic children Analysis of literature draws attention to that the way black African families parent their children and their daily lives had been neglected in many studies in child welfare literature and there is little empirical evidence especially about African parenting in Britain (Bernard, 2002 graham 2006). Research has looked at cultural values and how they influence parenting in African families involved with the child protection system (brophy et al 2003). Literature highlights that there is need to look at kin-ship and extended families. Family structures have been changed due to globalisation, war and other social factors. There is few research data on impact of culture, gender ideology, socio-economic status and religious belief influencing parenting and also notions of what constitutes harmful behaviour. The few data that exist states that; cultural practices appear to play some part in African children being involved in the child protection system, (mama 2004). Barn et al 2006 challeng e popular myth and stereotype that some cultural groups have more punitive punishment practices. They found no significant differences between ethnic groups with regard to physical punishment of children-thoburn et al 2005 pg 83 agree. Nobes and smith 1997s study of physical punishment by parents found physical punishment was universal in the 99 two parent families and Thompson et al 2002 found that 67 mothers in new forest are of England reported diverse behaviour management tactics and mothers who used physical punishment reported less behavioural problems in their children than mothers used reasoning. This supports the challenge the stereotypes that cultural groups have more punitive punishment practices because the majority of the above studies involved parenting by white culture in the United Kingdom. Studies on parenting by other black and ethnic cultures are scarce and there is need for research. A growing body of literature emphasises the importance of appreciating the socia l contexts of parenting and lived experiences of African children for making sense of child maltreatment (Holland 2004, Robinson 2007). Black perspective is based on the notion of common experiences that black people in Britain share and it is critical of oppressive research paradigm and theoretical formulations that have a potential oppressive effect on black people, (Robinson 2007). An understanding of black frame of reference will enable social work professionals to come up with more accurate and comprehensive assessments of African black children involved with the child protection system, (Robinson 2007). Ecological perspective is important in analysis of impacts of poverty, discrimination, immigration and social isolation on black and minority children (gibbons and huang 2003 pg 3). However there is the danger of over-generalisation and stereotyping because individual members of a culture may vary greatly from the pattern that is typical within that culture (Robinson 1998) Research argues that postmodern theories have gained a strong foothold in the profession of social work (pease and fook 1999; learnard 1997). However Their tenets have been strongly contested by those demanding a more complex understanding of identity, i.e., one that links the personal with the structural or collective elements of human existence alongside the individual ones (Dominelli 2002; graham 2002) and those drawing on the idea that what holds people together are what they share in common or their sameness (Badiou 2001). The lack of appropriate preventative suppoirt servives and lack of understanding of cultural of black families often result in social work operating against the interests of black children (barn 1993, graham 2002) Anti-discriminatory perspectives and incorporation of knowledge from service users Social workers contribute to the perpetuation of oppression through their practice by directly or indirectly engaging in structural oppression its institutional and cultural forms that are integral elements in the ways in which social relations in a globalising world have been organised, (dominelli 2007). Key to eliminating structural forms of racism is that of addressing the issue of binary dyads that reaffirm racist dynamics rather than challenging them. Nonetheless, resistance to its perpetuation is evident in many of the responses by service users and practitioners. Social work educators and practitioners have much more to contribute to the elimination of oppression. (dominelli 2007). Social work has operated within a problem oriented framework which is characterised by deficit and dysfunctional theories of black families (Robinson 2008). Dominelli (1992) argues that black children and families are over-represented in the controlling aspects of social work and under-represented in the welfare aspects of social work. Problems with communication and working in partnership have been highlighted in literature. Fifty-four young people participated in the research. Chase, 2009 study-The majority (80 per cent) of participants were identified through a single London local Authority, Young people often described complex relationships with social workers and other social care professionals and were also more mistrustful of the interplay between social care and immigration services: Hellen, from Ethiopia, said: Sometimes they dont understand you when you are sad. They keep asking you questions. It makes me angry, it makes me want to shout. It makes me remember all the bad things and they dont understand that. If they ask me (questions) I will suffer for months. The positioning of social workers within the asylum system is a difficult one to negotiate. They are expected to apply social care principles such as the best interests of the child, yet work within very clear organisational boundaries and regulatory codes-frequently dictated by resource and funding limitations. The Climbie inquiry (laming 2003) highlights the challenges faced by local authorities when developing information-sharing indexes for keeping insight of the children who are on the margins of society and whose lives are characterised by transitions. Literature highlights some of the challenges for social work assessing and making decisions about African children and families whose cultures differ from the majority white population (brophy et al 2003, laming 2003) The fear of being seen as a racist combined with cultural stereotypes can lead to a failure to make judgements and intervene appropriately regarding practices that are harmful (burman et al 2004 study) Whilst their views should form part of policy related discussions on current topics, respect for childrens rights may still be lacking. Meanwhile, such notions challenge us to take children seriously and to appreciate their contribution to social reproduction and change (Aubrey and Dahl 2006). Lots of research appear to focus on empowerment through cultural knowledge inviting new thinking about the challenges faced by black communities Relevance to policy and practice The complex social circumstance experiences by many African families pose challenges for parents, children and social work professionals working to safeguard and promote childrens welfare The framework for assessment of children in need and their families (DoH, 2000) based on the ecological approach places a requirement on workers to consider families histories and social circumstances and literature of anti-oppressive practice stresses the importance if consideration being paid to power relationships (dlrybple and burke 1995). There must be some understanding of the links between peoples personal experience of pressing and structural reality if inequality pg 123 In order to safeguard and promote welfare of African children acknowledgement of sources of discrimination and oppression, a commitment to human rights and social justice must be met. Through developing effective relationships with African children and families can professionals begin to understand their individual, emotional as well as practical needs. Global mobility and consequent changing nature of communities require local authorities to be proactive in gathering information and developing services including interpretation services that are responsive to the needs of African and minority ethnic families. Several authors have critically analysed the evidence on service provision for black families in general. A pathologising approach to black families may lead to unnecessary coercive intervention and on the other hand a cultural relativist approach may lead to a non-intervention when services are required (dominelli 1997, chand 2000). Either way appropriate intervention is not pr ovided for black and ethnic minority children. The quality of services in black communities is a focus for debate and raises important issues about the lack of policy initiatives based upon needs and aspirations of local communities (graham 2002) Subjecting cultural practices to scrutiny is a necessary party of the assessment process of professionals are to achieve better outcomes for children. A balance must be struck between sensitively challenging claims that certain types of behaviour are the norm in African families whilst at the same time not losing sight of childrens welfare needs. By drawing on strengths perspective professionals can illuminate how parents draw on cultures a s a resource to parents in circumstance of adversity whilst not excusing behaviour that is harmful to children. The issue of punishment is one of the most controversial areas relating to black families, child abuse and social work (chand 2000 pg 72) Conclusion This review has highlighted that multiple social, environmental and parental factors interact in complex ways to bring black African children into the child protection arena. Thus, making professional judgments regarding thresholds of concern for African children poses a major set of challenges and, ultimately, practitioners need the skills, knowledge and conceptual tools to distinguish between the styles of parenting that differ from those of the majority culture, but which are not necessarily harmful, and parents who seek to justify abusive and neglectful behaviour by drawing on cultural explanations to justify their actions.

Free Essay: Analysis of Sonnet 12 :: Sonnet essays

Analysis of Sonnet 12 When I do count the clock that tells the time, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night: When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls o'er-silver'd all with white; When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer's green all girded up in sheaves Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard: Then of thy beauty do I question make That thou among the wastes of time must go, since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake, And die as fast as they see others grow; And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence save breed to brave him when he takes thee hence. This is an enjoyable sonnet that uses nature imagery, found extensively in Petrarca, that Shakespeare uses to get his point across. Not much explication is needed, aside the sustained images of nature, to fully understand its intent, but I would like to point out a peculiar allusion. When reading line 3, "the violet past prime" has made me think of Venus and Adonis. In the end, Adonis melts into the earth and a violet sprouts where his body was, which Venus then places in her heart, signifying the love she has for him. Reading this into the poem makes the few following lines more significant. Having Adonis portrayed as the handsome youth, Shakespeare is alluding to the death of youth (in general and to the young man) through the sonnet. In the next line, it is not certain if "sable" is an adjective or a noun and if "curls" is a noun, referring to hair (which is plausible) or a verb modifying "sable." Invoking the allusion to Adonis here, Shakespeare portends that if Adonis did live l onger, he too would have greying hair; thus, Shakespeare sees ["behold"] an Adonis figure, the young man, past his youth.

Feasibility of Chili and Kamias Mosquito Repellant

Chapter 1: Introduction Mosquitos are common flying insects that are found around the world. There are about 2,700 species of mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes are usually larger than males. Females drink blood and the nectar of plants while the males only sip nectar of plants. When female mosquitoes bite, they inject an anticoagulant (anti-clotting chemical) into the prey to keep the victim's blood flowing. Not all mosquito species bite humans. That is why females, who drink blood, can carry diseases from one animal to another as they feed.Mosquitoes are often carriers of diseases such as alaria, encephalitis, yellow fever, dengue fever, dog heartworm, West Nile virus, and many others. Mosquito larvae are important food for fish and other predatory aquatic animals. Adult mosquitoes are also important food for birds, bats and other arthropods, including dragonflies and spiders. Kamias is the Filipino name for a tree scientifically known as Averrhoa bilimbi. In English, it is known as the cucumber or sorrel tree. This tropical tree is found naturally in Malaysia and Indonesia, and its fruit is used both for cooking and traditional medicine.Though kamias is a highly acidic fruit, it can be consumed after certain preparations are taken, and it does provide trace amounts of vitamins and minerals. Kamias fruit contains a small amount of vitamins and minerals. Due to the acidic nature of kamias fruit, it is quite sour and not often eaten raw. In Costa Rica, the fruit is used as a relish, and people in other countries use it in recipes that require a sour taste such as chutneys or pickled foods. Kamias can be substituted for vinegar, used in Juices like lemonade, or even combined with large amounts of sugar o make Jams.Medicinally, kamias can be made into a paste and applied topically to itchy or swollen skin or skin affected by bug bites. In traditional Malay medicine, they create an infusion of the fruit and leaves to remedy a cough, as well as administer a tonic to wom en after they give birth. This infusion is also used on pimples, hypertension, dizziness and diabetes. Those in Indonesia use the kamias fruit as a treatment for fevers, inflammation, rectal bleeding, boils and other conditions. The flowers of the kamias are also used as a remedy for toothaches.Do not consume amias without first checking with a health care provider, and do not attempt to treat any medical condition or problem by consuming, drinking or topically applying the fruit. Chills are often used as condiments, ingredients, or a main meal. Even though they may sting a little, a lot of people keep begging for more. There is something about chili that leads people to addiction. Chili peppers contain a substance called â€Å"capsaicin† which is the active component in it and is also responsible tor the burning or stinging feeling every time you take a bite into one of these spicy treats.Capsaicin is released and immediately starts to cause burning sensation in your mouth o r whatever else it touches. As soon as our brain detects the pain, it releases an â€Å"Endorphin† which is a natural painkiller the human body produces. We conducted this research because we wanted to see if Kamias and Chili is a good alternative mosquito repellant. Mosquito repellants are really expensive nowadays, and we wanted to see if this mosquito repellant of ours would be a cheaper alternative. Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature In the past, chili was used only as spices because of its taste.After a while, it was discovered that is also good as a mosquito killer because of its pesticidal property. Kamias, on the other hand, was also used in food spices before it was also discovered by Battistelli in 1939 that it also has properties like astringent, stomachic, refrigerant, and antiscorbutic. Some of the researchers now are having kamias as wine but in this research study, I want to test the properties of the kamias fruit together with the chili. Chapter Three: Me thodology In our experiment, we have conducted several steps.

A Closer Look at Watchmen’s Dr Manhattan Essay

Neil Armstrong, Clark Kent, John F. Kennedy, Professor Charles Xavier, Gandhi, Chuck Norris, Master Yoda. The men mentioned above are fictional or real characters with quite a few things in common. They are all heroes in their respective universes, they fight for what is good, and they are all experts in their fields of profession. In fact, they are the supposed best or the most renowned at what they do. Neil Armstrong has to be the most famous Astronaut of all time while Clark Kent’s alter ego, Superman is arguably the greatest superhero there is and if not, he is definitely the most famous. Chuck Norris is the best ass-kicker in the world while Professor X is the greatest telepath in the Marvel Universe. JFK was a great president, Gandhi changed revolution, and Master Yoda taught nine hundred years’ worth of Jedi Knights. Yes, these men are all very talented and very powerful. However, these outstanding heroes have one more thing in Common: they all fall nothing short of insignificant to the power, intelligence, and capabilities of Dr. Manhattan. Dr Manhattan’s powers and abilities include immortality, shapeshifting to any form he chooses, seeing the future, reading minds, teleportation, and bending matter to his will. He practically has no physical weaknesses. Superman and Yoda could possibly put up a fight but that’s another story. In the world of Watchmen, Dr. Manhattan made human life appear insignificant. Yes, insignificant. Can you imagine? The supposed dominant species in the world could have been a clump of dirt on Dr. Manhattan’s shoe compared to his Godlike persona. This became the aggravating external conflict Dr. Manhattan had with humans. In fact, Dr. Manhattan ended up believing that Humans had become irrelevant and mattered little to him, thus, resulted in him eventually leaving Earth and living on Mars. This caused momentous discomfort and major uproar in Earth, namely, The United States. Dr. Manhattan may have lost his purpose of necessity for human beings but The United States needed him as if their lives depended on it. In fact, The United States practically worshipped him as a God. In the Watchmen storyline, The Cold War between the Russians and the Americans was at the brink of becoming nuclear warfare and either side was very close to opening fire and sending all their nuclear warheads at each other. If both sides fired every missile they had, they would destroy all human life on Earth. Dr. Manhattan, being America’s greatest weapon and greatest defence, was expected to use his power and eliminate every Russian warhead that he could and give the United States a chance to fire back at Russia and ultimately win the Cold War. What the Americans hadn’t counted on was Dr. Manhattan leaving Earth after losing his temper during a live-on-television interview. The Russians took this once in a lifetime opportunity of an AWOL Dr. Manhattan to ready their missiles to fire at the United States. Of course, that is not what happened. But we will get back to that later. You may be wondering, â€Å"Okay what’s your point? Why are you mentioning all of Dr. Manhattan’s capabilities and how he serves the United Sates? † Well to answer your question, let me restate what I pointed out earlier: In the world of watchmen, Dr. Manhattan makes human achievements and ultimately being human, almost completely irrelevant. Imagine, the nuclear warhead is possibly the most powerful weapon humankind has to offer and Dr. Manhattan can make them disappear with a wink of an eye. Man’s mission to the moon took billions of dollars, a rocket ship, and years of planning and preparation for this life-changing project to become a reality. However, as seen in the opening credits of the film version, Neil Armstrong was not the first person to arrive on the moon. When Armstrong first set foot onto the moon’s surface, what does he find? He finds nothing other than Dr. Manhattan in his, blue, naked form with no spacesuit, no spacecraft, and no artificial aid whatsoever. What does this tell us? Whatever humans can do, Dr.  Manhattan can do it much better. And if humans are ever to make a new life-changing discovery, Dr. Manhattan has already discovered it. However, Dr. Manhattan does have some personal, noteworthy, and very human limitations. In his eyes, he would even call them â€Å"Flaws†. Let’s take a closer look at some of these flaws. For one thing, Dr. Manhattan may be all-powerful and superior to humans but he still experiences human emotions. Namely, love. To expound on the significance of Dr. Manhattan’s ability to love, let me first talk about another flaw of his. Dr. Manhattan is the most powerful being in the Watchmen Universe and he knows it. Soon, his Godlike power eventually causes him to lose all respect for humanity and he begins to question their significance in his life. Getting drunk with power and losing respect for anyone under your power is indeed a very human imperfection. Now, going back to his ability to love, the only reason Dr. Manhattan has not given up on humans and abandon Earth completely was because of one person, Laurie, better known as The Silk Spectre. Dr. Manhattan was in love with her. He even tells her that she had become his only link to humans and without her, he would have no longer cared and simply let the United States and Russia destroy each other. It can even be inferred that if it wasn’t for Dr. Manhattan’s ability to love, Veidt would not have gotten his way and the Russians and Americans would have still caused nuclear war. In the Watchmen storyline, Adrian Veidt, also known as Ozymandias, was meant to appear as the villain. Readers and the audience would be quick to assume that since he was not on the side of Dr.  Manhattan, NiteOwl, Rorschach, and Silk Spectre, and the fact that he killed The Comedian, he was automatically the villain. However, in the end, and to everyone’s surprise, Ozymandias ironically turned out to be the unconventional hero. Veidt’s subtitle of â€Å"World’s Smartest Man† suited him because he knew that the solution to preventing the nuclear war was to direct both superpowers against a common enemy. And that enemy had to be none other than Dr. Manhattan. Somehow, Veidt just knew that the only way to prevent global destruction via nuclear war was to make the United States fear Dr.  Manhattan just as much as The Soviets feared him. Veidt tricked Dr. Manhattan into helping him make generators that could replicate the energy that gave Dr. Manhattan his power. When Dr. Manhattan left the planet and exiled on Mars, Veidt seized the opportunity to attack a number of major cities in the world using energy from the generators he and Dr. Manhattan made. Because of these attacks, thousands of people were killed and the areas affected by the blasts endured colossal damage. Yes, Veidt had killed thousands of people but he believed that sacrifices had to be made if we truly wanted to save the world. After the attacks from Ozymandias, scientists examined the affected areas and the energy readings led the humans to conclude that Dr. Manhattan himself had caused these global crimes. Thus, causing the Americans and Soviets to turn their weapons away from each other and point them towards an even greater threat: Dr. Manhattan. Dr. Manhattan knew that Veidt was right and he also knew that if he stayed on Earth, it would cause even more destruction and more unnecessary deaths. Without hesitation, he left the planet once again.

War Against Marijuana Legalize it essays

War Against Marijuana Legalize it essays A total of 3,470,545 Americans have been arrested for marijuana offenses. In 1997 state and local law enforcement arrested 695,200 people for marijuana violations. That number is the highest ever recorded by the FBI. Of the 682,885 arrests made in 1998, approximately 88% were for simple possession. The remaining 12% were for sale and manufacture. Every 52 seconds, a marijuana smoker is arrested in America. This is truly a waste of law enforcement and a waste of our tax money. These people getting arrested are generally responsible adults capable of making their own decisions. Marijuana was made illegal in 1937, but hemp was kept legal to use. Hemp provides from four to fourteen tons of dry fibers per acre per year. It can be made into paper, cloth, and cellulose for plastic. If drug laws would allow hemp farming, wed have an alternative resource for paper, which would save our trees. When you look at the one-dollar bill, you are looking at a hemp farmer, George Washington grew hemp. The US Drug Enforcement Agency is ignorant to realize that there is a big difference between hemp and marijuana. Hemp can not be used to get high, and it never was used for that, but it still was put in the same category as heroin. Our tax dollars go to feed all the people that are held in prison on marijuana related charges. Those people are now struggling to feed their children, knowing that they wont get much help, because they are criminals according to a good percentage of society. Our society thinks marijuana isnt acceptable because it is illegal. Marijuana was made illegal because congress put up a fight, and went against narcotics. It was found a narcotic when it was classified along with opiates. It was deemed too dangerous to allow research, and dismissed all attempts to argue over it. We know that the legal drug addictions present now, do not cause any crimes. The actions from them, but not the use. ...

Business Types and Key Influences

Business Types and Key Influences Free Online Research Papers In basic terms a business can be defined as an entity that provides merchandise and services to others who wish for or require them. When starting a new business, the first thing that must be considered is the ownership structure. Will the business be a corporation, a partnership, a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company? Which one of these types of ownership will suit the business depends on the type of trade and the needs of the venture. The success or failure of a business largely depends on the governance and operational methodology of the owners, stakeholders, managers and employees. These methodologies are fundamentally influenced by key factors such as economic impact, governmental manipulation and legal aspect. The purpose of this memo is to look at the types of businesses and key influences that affect the way business is conducted at Riordan Manufacturing, Haffman Trucking, Kudler Fine Foods, McBride Financial Services, The Elias Group, and Smith Systems Consulting. Riordan Manufacturing Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. is in the business of plastic injection molding. Some of their products are plastic bottles, fans, heart valves, medical stents and custom plastic parts. The company is entirely owned by Riordan Industries, Inc. and has facilities in San Jose, California, Albany, Georgia, Pontiac, Michigan and Hangzhou, China. Riordan Manufacturing employs 550 people and has projected annual earnings of $46 million. (University of Phoenix, 2006) Business Type The name Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. indicates that the company is a corporation, and the balance sheets and income statements provide the clarification that the company is a C corporation since it has paid and is liable to pay corporate taxes. (University of Phoenix, 2006) According to Pratt (2001), â€Å"To the IRS, a C corporation is a separate taxpayer.† (p. 50) Key Influences Riordan Manufacturing is impacted by all three key influences as mentioned in the table. Below are the explanations of the influences. Economic Influence. Under the economic influence, Riordan Manufacturing is affected by GNP and GDP growth rate. Raymond (2004) explains, â€Å"The GNP and GDP are fairly close, differing mainly in whether non-U.S. residents in the United States or U.S. residents outside the United States are included in this calculation. GNP includes the value of goods and services produced by nonresidents located within the United States but excludes the value of those services and goods produced by U.S. residents working abroad. GNP excludes the former but includes the latter.† (para. 6) Since Riordan Manufacturing is producing goods inside and outside of the United States, both GDP and GNP would directly be affected by the growth of the company. â€Å"Maximum production signifies economic growth, or increasing the total amount of goods and services produced by the American economy.† (Raymond, 2004, para. 6) The second factor is the inflation Rate. Inflation rate is the rise in percentage in prices of goods and services. This phenomenon usually occurs when the demand for goods and services is higher and the supply is weak. If the supply of the raw material required by Riordan Manufacturing is feeble, it would have serious impact on the production which in turn would have unconstructive bearing on the relationship with their clients. Another view is that if the cost of the raw material is high it would have a direct negative bearing on the profit of the corporation. Since Riordan Manufacturing is a manufacturer and supplier, inventory levels play a significant roll in the business practices of the corporation. The company needs to have a certain amount of inventory in stock so that the customer orders are not negatively affected due to any delay in production. This leads to the next influence which is consumer confidence. For any business consumer belief is the most important and essential aspect of the trade. If the customers are not satisfied with the products, the consequence would be dreadful for the business. The scenario is no different for Riordan Manufacturing who works hard to exceed the ISO 9000 standards. ISO 9000 standard according to International Organization for Standardization (2009) website is the standard for quality management system. The last economic influence is currency exchange rate. Since Riordan Manufacturing also has a facility in China that produces fan blades and fan housing, the currency exchange rate could have a good or bad affect in terms of expenses and profits in US dollars. Government Influence. A few government influences also affect the trade practices at Riordan Manufacturing. The US government regulates almost every aspect of the manufacturing industry which impacts the production at Riordan Manufacturing. From the disposal of waste and bi-products to the emission of gases from the manufacturing facilities; everything is directed by laws and standards. These parameters affect the operational cost of the corporation since it has to monitor constantly and maintain the equipment and machinery at the factories and also take measures to abide by the regulatory procedures. Since Riordan Manufacturing is a C corporation, it has to pay income taxes on the profits gained. Higher tax rates mean more taxes have to be paid and would affect the overall profit. Legal Influence. The current federal minimum wage for non-exempt employees is $6.55 per hour. (United States Department of Labor, 2009) Riordan Manufacturing has 550 employees and it has to make sure all the employees are paid at least the minimum wage as stated by the federal and state laws. University of Phoenix (2006) states, â€Å"there have been no attempts by any union to organize the facility; however, there are rumors that an organizing drive may be focused on the plant during the next 12 months. While the company has officially agreed to remain neutral if there is an organizing campaign (as required in its vendor agreement), unofficially, company officials are opposed to unionization and would prefer to stay union-free.† (para. 10) If a union is organized at Riordan Manufacturing, the company will have to abide by all the union regulations which could mean higher pay rates and benefits for the employees; that could affect the profits gained. Environmental protection laws are designed to protect the environment and public health. (Environmental Protection Agency, 2009) These laws regulate emissions and waste disposal methods that directly affect Riordan Manufacturing because during the production of its products, gases and waste is generated, Huffman Trucking Huffman trucking is a national transportation company that employs 1,400 employees, and has logistical hubs located in Los Angeles, California, St. Louis, Missouri and Bayonne, New Jersey. Huffman trucking has its central maintenance facility in Cleveland, Ohio. The company’s expected revenues for fiscal year 2004 is more than $6 million. (University of Phoenix, 2005) Business Type University of Phoenix (2005) states, â€Å"Huffman Trucking continued to grow from internal sales and the acquisition of five Eastern regional carriers. This growth has enabled Huffman Trucking to continue to be privately held.† (Para. 3) As per the balance sheet and income statement, the company has not paid any income tax or is not liable to pay any income tax. (University of Phoenix, 2005) These facts show that the company is a sole proprietorship. Key Influences The business practices of Huffman trucking are shaped by all the key influences that are explained below. Economic Influence. Under the economic influence factor, Huffman Trucking is affected by inflation rate. University of Phoenix (2005) states, â€Å"Fuel and labor are significant elements of cost that impact profits. The challenge to Huffman is to determine when fuel and labor costs have risen to the point that they should pass them on to the customers.† (para. 10) Apparently from their own words, it can be confirmed that inflation rates have direct impact on the profit of the company. Government Influence. Even though the transportation industry is practically deregulated today, there are still some states that have strict regulations governing the trucking business. â€Å"Federal law still requires new carriers to apply for certificates of public convenience and necessity. All tariffs must be filed with the commission. Most states continue to enforce strict entry and price controls on intrastate carriers. These controls cause inefficiency. One result is that in some cases, shipping products from overseas is cheaper than shipping the same goods within the United States. Shipping blue jeans from El Paso, Texas, to Dallas, for example, costs about 40 percent more than shipping the identical jeans from Taiwan to Dallas.† (Moore, 1993, para. 20) Legal Influence. The transportation industry is usually prone to unions and Huffman Trucking is no different. Since there is an organized drivers union at the company, it has to abide by the union laws and regulations. Kudler Fine Foods Located in San Diego, metropolitan area, Kudler Fine Foods is an upscale specialty food retail store that sells domestic and imported food items. The company has a store in Del Mar, California and Encinitas, California. (University of Phoenix, 2007) Business Type From looking at the company’s financial statements and balance sheets, it is pretty clear that there is only one owner and the company doesn’t pay any income tax. This fact proves that Kudler Fine Foods is a sole proprietorship. A Sole Proprietorship is a legal entity where the business is the same as the owner. (University of Phoenix, 2008) Key Influences Economic, governmental and legal key influences that concern the business routine of Kudler Fine Foods are described below. Economic Influence. Since Kudler Fine Foods is in the retail business, inflation rate plays a major role in its business model. With a high inflation rate the cost of purchasing a product for retail would go up which means that the cost would eventually have to be passed down to the customers. This chain of events would drive the customers away from the stores, affecting the profits. The inventory levels have to be strictly monitored. Since the business is related to food that can only be stocked for so long after which it has to be discarded. So, to keep the wastage low only a limited amount of inventory needs to be purchased. The quality, cleanliness and service have to be top class in any food business. This implies that for customer confidence and satisfaction, the quality and service needs to be constantly scrutinized. Government Influence. Food businesses are closely monitored and strictly regulated by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Food and Drug Administration branch of the US Department of Health and Human Services strictly controls the businesses that are related to foods and drugs. â€Å"The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.† (United States Food and Drug Administration, 2009, para. 1) Along with domestic products, Kudler Fine Foods also retails imported food products. This subjects the company to import tariffs and quotas. Legal Influence. Kudler Fine Foods has to regularly monitor the federal and state minimum wages law since it has employees working on minimum wages. This fact also drives down the profit as the minimum wages are increased by the government. McBride Financial Services McBride Financial Services is a fairly young regional mortgage lender based in Boise, Idaho. The company plans to spread out its venture to Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. It caters to professionals, retirees, families and individuals looking to purchase either a primary or secondary residence or recreational properties. (University of Phoenix, 2005) Business Type Though not much information is provided about the formation of the company, it is apparent from the name that the company is owned by a single individual. In addition, there is no mention of the tax expenses in the Pro Forma Budget. Hence, McBride Financial Services is a sole proprietorship. Key Influences. McBride Financial Services is impacted by all three key influences that are explained below. Economic Influence. Since McBride Financial Services is in the financial business that lends money, it is hugely affected by the interest rate. The profit margins are solely dependent on the interest rate that a property is financed at. Higher interest rates mean higher profit margins. The other key economic influence is the monetary policies. The regulation of interest rates and the supply of money to control inflation and stabilize the currency is termed monetary policy. (InvestorGuide, 2009) This policy has direct affect on the financial institution and McBride Financial Services being in the financial services business is precisely influenced by it. Government Influence. Although monitored by the SEC, Until 2009 the banking and finance industries were very vaguely regulated. This allowed the financial institutions the freedom to practice their own business methodology. But, due to the current economic situation fueled by the unethical practices of the finance industry, the government has set forth new regulatory laws which McBride Financial Services has to adhere to. Legal Influence. McBride Financial Services has to abide by the antidiscrimination and fair credit reporting act based on the services that the company is providing. The Elias Group The Elias Group is a non-profit organization that provides consultation services and assists businesses that desire to contract with the United States government. The organization also provides grants to support academic and professional research. (University of Phoenix, 2004) Business Type Since The Elias Group is a nonprofit organization and there is not too much information available regarding the company’s finances, I would guess that it is an S corporation since this is the best way to incorporate a nonprofit company in terms of the tax exemption laws. (University of Phoenix, 2008) Key Influences Being a nonprofit organization, The Elias Group is not concerned by most of the key influences. Explained below are the ones that do influence the company. Economic Influence. The expenses and operational costs are paid by contributions from businesses and individuals. If the unemployment rate is too high, the amount of contribution drops, affecting the operations of the organization. Government Influence. Grants from the government is another major source of revenue required to run the organization. Government debt and budget deficit could shrink the grants from the government which would have adverse results on the functions of The Elias Group. Smith Systems Consulting Smith Systems Consulting is an IT consulting firm that specializes in software and website designing, developing, hosting and maintaining. It also offers database and IT support services. (University of Phoenix, 2004) Business Type As the name SSC, Inc. implies, Smith Systems Consulting is a corporation. Since no information is provided regarding the company’s finances, it is hard to determine what type of corporation it is. Since it is specified in University of Phoenix (2004) that there are 5 partners, it gives an impression that the firm is an S corporation because an S corporation has more tax benefits as oppose to a C corporation. (University of Phoenix, 2008) Key Influences Consulting firms providing IT services are usually not subjected to too many key influences. A few are specified below. Economic Influence. Since Smith Systems Consulting is in the services business, the factor of utmost importance affecting their business practices is consumer confidence. The firm has to work diligently to provide the best quality service to its clients in order to gain customer confidence and keep the consumers satisfied. Legal Influence. In IT development and programming business, copyright and patent laws play a crucial role in how the business is conducted. Smith Systems Consulting has to make a conscious effort not to use source code from any other software company or programmer. Conclusion In conclusion, there are a few key influences such as payroll taxes, political climate, political stability and discrimination laws that apply to the business practices of all types of organizations. Any firm that employs at least 1 employee has to deal with payroll taxes. The political climate and stability is important because if the conditions in the country are not suitable no business can thrive. Lastly, today no firm is exempt from discrimination laws due to the diversity in the workforce and variety in the customer base. Research Papers on Business Types and Key InfluencesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductPETSTEL analysis of IndiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesDefinition of Export QuotasBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into Asia

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Mental models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Principles of Econometrics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

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Human Resource Management and Development Case Study

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Why I deserve this scholarship Personal Statement

Why I deserve this scholarship - Personal Statement Example Due to the economic meltdown, I found myself currently unemployed and struggling financially. I am a single mother of three children and we are on public assistance. It did bother me a lot to find myself in this troubling circumstance yet it was not a moment to lose hope. It occurred to me that being on public assistance would not do good in the long run so I returned to school to get my AS in Criminal Justice. These prompted me to seek this scholarship. It would be of great help as I wouldn't be having problems on paying for the books, student's loans, or other school necessities. It would be a happy blessing if I would be able to win this scholarship. Be rest assured that this is not only for my personal gain, this scholarship would pave way for me to serve my country in a more efficient and quality-oriented manner. I would strive to be the best student that I could be and be worthy of such opportunity.

Principles of Econometrics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Principles of Econometrics - Coursework Example Random assignment does not guarantee that the groups are "matched" or equivalent, only that any differences are due to chance. Control group is a valid counterfactual since it is a proof that your experiment had a specific outcome. At the end of the experiment, you have the results for the control group (the group where no intervention/treatment was applied) and the results for the group(s) where an intervention/treatment was applied. We only get useful information only when we compare those two sets of results. The  Hawthorne effect  (also referred to as the  observer effect) refers to a  phenomenon  whereby individuals improve or modify an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed Multicollinearity  (also  collinearity) is a statistical phenomenon in which two or more predictor  variables  in a  multiple regression  model are highly  correlated, meaning that one can be linearly predicted from the others with a non-trivial degree of accuracy. In this situation the  coefficient estimates  of the multiple regression may change erratically in response to small changes in the model or the data. (a) Explain what is meant by measurement error and how does it cause endogeneity bias? (4 marks) When the measurement error is in the dependent variable, the zero conditional mean assumption is not violated and thus no endogeneity. However, when the measure error is in the independent variable, the problem of endogeneity arises. Suppose that . Explain how an instrumental variables regression estimated using two stage least squares (TSLS) can be used to obtain consistent estimates of the regression coefficients. (7 marks) Instrumental variable (IVs) methods especially using

Why I deserve this scholarship Personal Statement

Why I deserve this scholarship - Personal Statement Example Due to the economic meltdown, I found myself currently unemployed and struggling financially. I am a single mother of three children and we are on public assistance. It did bother me a lot to find myself in this troubling circumstance yet it was not a moment to lose hope. It occurred to me that being on public assistance would not do good in the long run so I returned to school to get my AS in Criminal Justice. These prompted me to seek this scholarship. It would be of great help as I wouldn't be having problems on paying for the books, student's loans, or other school necessities. It would be a happy blessing if I would be able to win this scholarship. Be rest assured that this is not only for my personal gain, this scholarship would pave way for me to serve my country in a more efficient and quality-oriented manner. I would strive to be the best student that I could be and be worthy of such opportunity.

Liberal Education Essay Example for Free

Liberal Education Essay Essay Education is the most important factor behind the progress man has achieved in this world. It has been the permanent character of human history and evolution of thought. However, in the past, it used to be prerogative of only a few privileged men and the pace of development was quite slow. Since it has been disseminated to common people, there has been rapid growth in every sphere of development: science, technology, sociology, politics, anthropology, etc. Now it is treated as basic human right of every man. Though, it encompasses a wide sphere of knowledge, it has been metamorphosed by man according to his needs. It has been mainly applied as a tool of economic development, which has limited its application. Consequently, people are deprived of the potential education offers for the overall development of personality and stability of society. The chaos in modern world is also partly due to this fault. Therefore, in order to meet the multi-dimensional challenges, man faces in the world, it is essential to impart real education i. e. liberal education. The liberal education has been defined in many ways, though emphasizing the similar essential elements. The best definition is offered by the â€Å"Association of American Colleges and Universities†. â€Å"Liberal education means to empower an individual and prepare him to deal with diversity, complexity and change†. As manifest from the definition, the purpose of education is to enable man to surpass the challenges faced in the world, to know and obtain his rights and to accommodate himself in the constantly changing environment in the present day competitive world. The importance of liberal education in this contemporary globalised world is greatest than ever before. The world has become so shaped that every economic and social activity requires modern and advanced means of communication and technology. The transformation of technological development is on a very fast track. There is a demand of more interactive and communica tive manpower to run this complex system. Moreover, despite the interdependence on each other, the diversity in different areas is in sharp contrast. Hence, the man is required to be quite sufficiently prepared to move forward. And the instrument that can enable him to face these challenges is nothing but liberal education. This is why the renowned scholar â€Å"Skarnovey† says: â€Å"Liberal education: the developing countries must adopt it as it is a necessity†. Nevertheless, it is essential for every nation but the developed countries are already ahead in this sphere. The developing countries, which are still far behind, need to forge efforts to transform their education system in order to catch up with the rest of the world. Not only because it helps in achieving economic development but also because it fulfills the need of society in every sphere of life. The sphere of liberal education is wide enough to call it real education. Basically, education is aimed to develop whole being of a person. It is necessary to educate man to learn social ethics, cultural values, religious obligations, ways and means of a stable society and skills of professional competitiveness. Liberal education, simply, fulfills all these essential needs. It emphasises the development of a citizen who is professionally capable of living in the society in civilised way the way which is not only beneficial to himself alone, but also fruitful for other members of his family, community and society. It is best elaborated in the words of Kurth Kahin; â€Å"Liberal education teaches something about everything and everything about something†. His words can be best understood by contrast to the maxim â€Å"Jack of all; master of none†. Simultaneously, there are also people who are â€Å"Jack of none but master of one†. The people, who acquire general education without proficiency in any specific subject, are explained by the first maxim. While some people who are very skilled and highly qualified in one field like an engineer, scientist or doctor but do not know any other subject or field of life; these are referred to the latter assumption. However, liberal education is a moderate way between both the polar positions. It is aimed at making a person a good professional in any one field and also to possess knowledge and skills about other important fields. More importantly, it makes constructive members of society better described as â€Å"Jack of all; master of one†. In such a way, the objectives of liberal education are multifaceted, which address the requirement of society to a considerable extent. These objectives are briefly discussed here: Firstly, it is the most important for a man to be an informed citizen. The people who are concerned only with their single professional field of occupation cannot be ideally good citizens. They would only be members and nationals of a community or nation. A good citizen is required to be participatory in the social and political building of community, which is the foundation of any society. As the actions of man are based on information and knowledge, without these none understands the obligation towards community and resultantly remains inactive member of society. However, but if the students are inculcated the knowledge of their needs and roles, they would be quite prepared to foresee occurrences and would direct their thoughts and actions towards social and political participation. This can be achieved when the system of education is made liberal which does not aspire to produce only technical robots in human shape but informed and good citizens. Secondly, the philosophy of liberal education envisages the development of creative thinking among the students. Creative thinking has acquired fundamental place in the education system of advanced countries. The students are encouraged to â€Å"think a new†. The creative experiments, creative writings and creative art lead to frame the development of thought process. Though, it is practised in western countries, it owes its origin to the most influential scholars and artists of Greek period and early Muslim era. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Ibn-e-Khaldun, Galileo, Khuw-arzmi, Newton, to name a few, all were creative thinkers. In short, whole of the development in the world and education itself is the result of creative thinking. On the contrary, the limited application of education is insufficient to produce brilliant minds. The specific technological development devoid of human values and ethics has failed to form the basis of a viable society. Thus, it is the objective of liberal education to teach the students various subjects like history, sociology, philosophy and psychology besides their professional field, so that creative thought is encouraged to be developed among them. Therefore, we need to introduce liberal education in order to secure our future based on collective ideals. Thirdly, liberal education improves the skills and competitiveness of students, which is necessary to enable them to get foothold in the competitive market. For example a typist may have good efficiency in his field but computers have replaced typewriter. People like to get their papers typed on computer in order to save their document and to get good command. Now, the excellent typist is in trouble, he would go jobless in the market unless he learns to operate computer. Same is the case with every field of employment. The modes of technology are being transformed very rapidly. In order to meet the demands of market one should be quite prepared and skilled. Hence, the knowledge of mathematics, science, computer literacy and technological acquaintance are necessary to be imparted to the students, which can be achieved through liberal education. Fourthly, as the world has become a global village, the importance of communication skills has been increased manifold. A person must be proficient in national and at least one international language. He must know how to send e-mail, voice-mail or to carryout visual communication. The social change compels the person to change the job for better opportunities. The talented people feel an urge to move towards other countries as well in order to actualise their talent and to obtain maximum result. This is where the communication skills are mostly required. All the communication techniques, basically, listening, speaking and writing are essential ingredients. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the skills of students through methods of listening comprehension and speaking ability tests. All the examinations of foreign languages comprise these elements and even very talented students from developing countries fail to go abroad due to lack of these communication skills in international languages. The world has become so shaped that every economic and social activity requires modern and advanced means of communication and technology. The transformation of technological development is on a very fast track. These few objectives of liberal education underline its importance and need in the developing countries, including Pakistan. Unfortunately, it has not been taken seriously. The system of education in our country is obsolete. It is devoid of the contemporary methodology of teaching and the curriculum is almost from primary to university level. Computer is studied as a field of study only, not as a skill. Even in most of the universities it is taught only to the students of computer department seeking degree in that subject, let alone its use at primary and secondary level. In universities the students of other subjects like sociology, languages, arts and other sciences are not taught the computer skills. This lags them far behind from students of other countries and few quality institutes of the country. Same is true of languages. English though introduced from primary level, is not taught according to the modern techniques of comprehension. Only reading lessons and knowing meaning of words cannot enable students to master the language. The methodology of English departments in universities is also in question. The national language, Urdu, is also not focused at any level of education. Learning of both these languages is important to produce capable and competitive students at the national and international level. The fate of the students of other subjects is also not much different. On the one hand, they are deprived of computer and language skills; on the other they do not become proficient in their field of interest as the proper methodology is not applied. Faculty members are not well qualified, research is not pursued and creative thought is ignored. These defects of our education system are the main reasons of the chaos, unemployment, poverty and social instability in our society. In order to overcome these shortcomings, we must adopt the liberal education system without any further delay. However, this requires a well thought out and comprehensive policy to improve the existing education system. Primarily, we should redesign our curriculum at all levels. All the major components/subjects of liberal education: sociology humanism, citizenship, history, philosophy, languages, computer and sciences must be introduced in every tier of education from primary to university levels in accordance with the capacity of students and the needs of society. Secondarily, all the institutions should be equipped with computer and scientific laboratories and libraries. The research and creative thinking should be encouraged through modern techniques of education. In this regard the accessibility and equality of all sections of our stratified society must be ensured in order to achieve uniform development. Lastly, the faculty must be energised by providing skilled and experienced teachers. The existing teachers should be trained to equip them with modern techniques of teaching methodology. Fresh and young blood must be encouraged to join education field as a profession by enhancing the monetary incentives in the education sector. This policy will yield tremendous benefits to the future of a nation. The liberal education is hailed because it brings concrete advantages. The young generation of Pakistan makes bulk of the population of country. According to a report of the State Bank of Pakistan 65 per cent of the educated youth is unemployed due to irrelevance of their skills with market. If this portion of population is properly skilled, it will prove to be a boost to the economy as the manpower is considered a resource in all countries of the world. Another benefit would be the eradication of poverty. Once our youth are employed, they will naturally add to the income of their families and consequently eradicate their poverty. It will also help in raising the living standard of our common man as it is directly proportional to the income of a family. The liberal education would create sense of understanding and cooperation among the people. The contemporary chaos of extremism and isolationism are due to lack of approach towards collective interests and common goals among people. Once they realise their social obligations and think creatively they will initiate participating positively in the stability of society. It is quite clearly manifested from the discussion that liberal education, which is the real education, is an essential component of good governance and stable society. It not only helps an individual to progressively achieve goals but also gives impetus to economic, political and social stability to a state. In short, it forms the basis of human development in this complex global world of diversity and challenges. It offers a way towards a better change.

Black History Project Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr Cultural Studies Essay

Black History Project Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr Cultural Studies Essay On April 16, 1947, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. was born in Harlem to Cora Lillian and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. Who knew that he would grow up to be one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the NBA. He is more recognized by his changed name, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar was raised in Manhattan and did not live a wealthy life. His mother, Cora Lillian, worked as a department store price checker and the father, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr., was a transit police officer and a jazz musician. He weighed at 12 pounds and 10 ounces at birth and was twenty-two and a half inches long. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) His grandfather was of Trinidad descent and was 68 tall and his father was 62 tall. Even his mother, who was of Cherokee descent, was 511 tall. His parents raised him to be Catholic (however he later converted to Islam) and he was enrolled in St. Judes Elementary in Washington Heights. He was one of the only two African Americans in the grade school. Abdul-Jabbar was then transferred to Holy Providence Boarding School in Cornell Heights, Pennsylvania in the fourth grade. The student population in the school numbered only 40 male students, all of whom were African American. Abdul-Jabbar was a hardworking child and an honor student, which made him seem unlikeable by other students. He hardly fit with the crowd in school so his parents brought him back to New York City when he completed the fourth grade. (http://sports.jrank.org/pages/23/Abdul-Jabbar-Kareem-Childhood-Big-Man.html) Abdul-Jabbar considers many people to be his heroes and inspired him to pull through whenever he went through tough times. When he was a boy, he and his mother used to listen to baseball on the radio. His favorite team was the Brooklyn Dodgers and his favorite player was Jackie Robinson who ended almost sixty years of segregation in sports. Abdul-Jabbar admires his courage, grace, and patience the most because it inspired him to utilize those qualities not only in daily life, but as well as when he entered the realm of professional sports. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/giantspages/favspages/heroespages/02bjrobinson) Other heroes that have helped Abdul-Jabbar through his times of hardships include Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/giantspages/favspages/kajheroes) Abdul-Jabbar got hooked on to basketball at a very early age. In Manhattan, Abdul-Jabbar spent his time with his friends playing basketball at a local playground called the Battlegrounds at Amsterdam. At Holy Providence, he also spent time during recess periods playing peach-basket basketball. He improved greatly playing on the courts of Philadelphia and when he finished the eighth grade he was well-respected in the sport. His frame, at the time, of 6-feet-8-inches provided a great advantage towards other players he faced. He was able to go to Power Memorial High School by scholarship in 1962, where he played for the varsity team for four years. Abdul-Jabbar led the varsity team with the influence of Coach Jack Donahue to a 78-1 record and two national championships. He made the all-city team for each of his four years of high school, and there he set a New York City record for the most points scored by a high school player, as well as the most rebounds. (http://sports.jrank.org/page s/23/Abdul-Jabbar-Kareem-Childhood-Big-Man.html) Also with a scholarship of his choice, Abdul-Jabbar played for the UCLA Bruins from 1966 to 1969 under Coach John Wooden. Abdul-Jabbar led the Bruins to a three-year record of an outstanding 88 wins and only two losses. He acquired many accolades in his college career which made him very noticeable and recognizable to other players and teams. He was awarded Player of the Year twice for 1967 and 1969, three-time First Team All-American, played on three NCAA Basketball champion teams, honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament three times, and became the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year which was renamed as the Oscar Robertson Trophy. Abdul-Jabbar became the only player to win the Helms Foundation Player of the Year. The most well-known college game of Abdul-Jabbar was on January 20, 1968 when he and the UCLA Bruins competed against the Houston Cougars in the first-ever nationally televised regular season college basketball game. At the Houston Astrodom e, over 50,000 fans witnessed the event live as Houston managed to defeat UCLA as a final score of 71-69. Abdul-Jabbar suffered a scratch on his left cornea during the game which definitely contributed to the lack of an adequate performance from the player. From then on, he wore his signature goggles for protection for his eye was still not 100% healed. Abdul-Jabbar then was drafted in the 1969 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks where he began his path to superstardom in the field of professional basketball. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) The multimedia file portrays the final seconds of the 1974 NBA Finals. Two blockbuster teams, the Celtics and the Bucks, went head-to-head in an epic contest. The video shows the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar performing his signature skyhook shot over Henry Finkel to give the Milwaukee Bucks a 102-101 win in a double overtime. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd-iBiz49h8) The skyhook shot was what Abdul-Jabbar was known for because it was very difficult to block. This was because the shot put his 72 frame between the basket and the ball. Only a few players even accomplished in blocking the skyhook shot. This win over the Celtics would send the series into a seventh game. A similar shot was used in the 1987 NBA Championship by Magic Johnson. Johnson referred it as the baby hook in reference to his good friend and teammate. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_shot) A greater advantage for Abdul-Jabbar was the fact that he can do the skyhook with either hand. This made him even more diffi cult to defend. According to Abdul-Jabbar, the skyhook shot was the only shot I could use that didnt get smashed back in my face. (Kareem 112) Abdul-Jabbars professional career began when he was picked by the Milwaukee Bucks as a coin-toss over the Phoenix Suns. His place in the team enabled the 69-70 Bucks to achieve second place in the NBAs Eastern Division. He was ranked second in the league of scoring and third in the league of rebounding; for that, he received the award of NBA Rookie of the Year. In 70-71, Milwaukee then went on to record the second-best record with 66 wins. During his career in the Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar was awarded three NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, two scoring titles, and the NBA Championship. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks for a total of six seasons. In 1975, Abdul-Jabbar was drafted by the Lakers and he then began to actually step up his game even further by training harder and doing everything he can to improve his weaknesses. To develop a greater flexibility, Abdul-Jabbar began yoga in 1976 and was also known for physical fitness regimen. Throughout his entire career, Abdul-Jabbar acquired numerous accolades including a total of 38, 387 points, 17, 440 rebounds, and 3, 189 blocks. He has awarded six NBA Championships, six NBA MVPs, nineteen NBA All-Stars, two NBA Finals MVPs, ten All-NBA First Team Selections, five All-NBA Second Team Selections, five NBA All-Defensive First Teams Selections, six NBA All-Defensive Second Team Selection, 1970 NBA Rookie of the Year, 1970 NBA All-Rookie Team, participation in the NBAs 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, three NCAA Mens Basketball Championships, three NCAA Basketball Tournament MOPs, Naismith College Player of the Year, and a two-time USBWA College Player of the Year. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) His total stats add up to the following: games 1560, games started 625, minutes played 57446, field goals 15837, field goal attempts 28307, field goal percentage .559, three-point field goals 1, three-point field goal attempts 18, three-point field goal percentage .056, free throws 6712, free throw attempts 6712, free throw percentage .721, offensive rebounds 2975, defensive rebounds 9394, total rebounds 17440, assists 5660, steals 1160, blocks 3189, turnovers 2527, personal fouls 4657, and points 38387. (http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/abdulka01.html) Abdul-Jabbars NBA career lasted twenty long years, from 1969 to 1989. His talent was quickly recognized by his outstanding performance in college when he played for the UCLA Bruins. Abdul-Jabbar was a large star with many loyal fans. Many Abdul-Jabbar fans wore his signature goggles when attending the games to show their support for the player. Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement on June 28, 1989, and during his final season, every team in the NBA gave him gifts including a yacht with the words Captain Skyhook on it. Abdul-Jabbar has served as an assistant coach for the LA Lakers since 2005. He is also interested in acting because of his fame through basketball. He made several television and film appearances including the sitcoms Full House, Everybody Loves Raymond, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) Abdul-Jabbar is a large advocate and supporter of helping the Muslim youth. He understands how many young Muslims face numerous acts of discrimination and negative stereotyping because of their religion. He advises them to simply explain how the religion of Islam has affected their lives positively. He relates the situation of the Muslims to the experience he went through as an African-American in the United States. Abdul-Jabbar explains that fanatics have taken over the stage and made Islam seem to be fanatic, when really it is the complete opposite since Muslims benefit every day from the morals and ethics the religion teaches. He says that the youth must be motivated and must not give in to the demeaning and demoralizing acts others do to discriminate Muslims. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?p=1156#more-1156) The primary type of charities Abdul-Jabbar supports are the ones that mainly promote cancer and leukemia. This is the case because Abdul-Jabbar himself is diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?page_id=74) He discovered his condition when he suddenly began to feel odd sensations such as hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis. When he took an exam at the UCLA Medical Center, the doctor informed Abdul-Jabbar that his white blood cell count was excessive and the doctor diagnosed him with leukemia. However, the disease is not too serious for it can be treated and he can live a full, productive life. According to Abdul-Jabbars doctor, the disease tends to initially diagnose people in their mid-to-late 60s and typically affects males more than females. (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/11/10/abdul-jabbar-leukemia.ap/index.html) Abdul-Jabbar is the head of the Skyhook Foundation as well. The organization empowers childrens lives by not only motivating and inspiring them in sports but as well as in the importance of education. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?page_id=1187) Abdul-Jabbar has been described to have a very shy and introverted personality. He always wore very formal attire when attending any event or occasion such as a suit or a tuxedo. Abdul-Jabbar explains that he is always uncomfortable when speaking to reporters and describes them as scurrying around like cockroaches after crumbs. At games, he has been described as an arrogant player; however, his performance at games certainly backs up his arrogance. (http://sports.jrank.org/pages/24/Abdul-Jabbar-Kareem-Spiritual-Journeys.html) In his private life, he has been described as a person with little words; however he is a very hardworking individual. Abdul-Jabbar married Habiba Abdul-Jabbar, but divorced in 1978. He had two daughters named Habiba and Sultana and one son named Kareem Jr. with her. Kareem Jr. also hopes to follow his fathers footsteps to professional basketball. He has two sons, Amir and Adam, with another woman named Cheryl Pistono. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul- Jabbar) Abdul-Jabbar considers fellow basketball player Magic Johnson as one of his closest friends. Johnson respects Abdul-Jabbar so much that he performed the sky hook shot as the final shot instantly before the buzzer to win the 1987 NBA Finals as a form of gratitude towards his great friend. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_shot) Abdul-Jabbar considers Coach Donahue for the Power Memorial High School and Coach Wooden for the UCLA Bruins to be his biggest motivations. The two coaches are the ones who really pushed Abdul-Jabbar to the limit for him to achieve and reach the success he dreamt of. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul-Jabbar) Abdul-Jabbar said that his entire life turned for the better when he converted to Islam. The religion has taught him how having good intentions for things can bring good things to life. He is a rather honest, truthful, and quiet individual. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?p=1120#more-1120) Abdul-Jabbar is not very involved in the field of politics; however, he is a very strong supporter for helping the Muslim youth against discrimination. He has been known to only speak English because his parents were occupied with their profession. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul-Jabbar) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is considered a very good role model because he had a poor life. His perseverance and determination brought him to where he is today. His path to a successful career in the NBA can be an inspiration for many. This proves that nobody is crazy if they simply want to dream big. Pictorial http://iggyvibal.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/kareem_abdul_jabbar_skyhook.jpg Abdul-Jabbar Going For His Signature Sky Hook Shot (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://iggyvibal.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/kareem_abdul_jabbar_skyhook.jpgimgrefurl=http://iggyvibal.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/jabbar-has-rare-form-of-leukemia/usg=__y-8q8ZOQfx6QwCuSV_EvdRxMSLA=h=517w=414sz=53hl=enstart=1tbnid=FYBmKMiJF1OtcM:tbnh=131tbnw=105prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkareem%2Babdul%2Bjabbar%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den) http://www.b-sidenation.com/images/bsidepics1/kareem%20abdul-jabbar1.jpg Abdul-Jabbar Setting Up To Shoot (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.b-sidenation.com/images/bsidepics1/kareem%2520abdul-jabbar1.jpgimgrefurl=http://www.b-sidenation.com/gpage5.htmlusg=__uG1p7g3eWDGTIVcR_JGacc01MCQ=h=421w=319sz=77hl=enstart=11tbnid=Csr1xJcsgXPoUM:tbnh=125tbnw=95prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkareem%2Babdul%2Bjabbar%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den) File:Kareem Abdul Jabbar crop.jpg Abdul-Jabbar in the White House (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar_crop.jpg) File:Kareem1vl1.jpg Abdul-Jabbar at a Book Signing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kareem1vl1.jpg) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shoots a sky hook over Xavier McDaniel.JPG Abdul-Jabbar Shoots a Sky Hook over Xavier McDaniel (http://lakers.topbuzz.com/gallery/v/kareem-abdul-jabbar/Kareem+Abdul-Jabbar+shoots+a+sky+hook+over+Xavier+McDaniel.JPG.html)