Tuition Reimbursement

Introduction Tuition reimbursement refers to an arrangement between an employer and an employee that outlines and specifies terms that allow an employer to pay for the employee’s advanced education (Martocchio, 2003, p.23). A tuition reimbursement plan provides suitable employees with an opportunity to improve their capabilities associated with their career.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Tuition Reimbursement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They do this through participating in certain courses offered at accredited institutions of study and organizations specializing in career related training (Martocchio, 2003, p.25). It is very important for employees to understand the company’s policy on such programs. Reimbursement tuition may cover certain courses and exclude others. An employee is required to take a course that is included in the company’s tuition reimbursement program. Discussion Tu ition reimbursement helps companies build a stronger workforce (Willis, 2010, par1). However, the common benefit of an employee tuition reimbursement program is controversial in that some human resource gurus say it is a waste of money or mismanagement at its best. The common complaint is that employees do not learn anything related to their current jobs and at worst the employer pays for a staff member’s degree in an unrelated field, only for them to lose the employee to a different company (Willis, 2010, par2). Tuition reimbursement is one of the best and competitively priced retention tools for a business for a number of reasons. The business should structure the plan appropriately by ensuring that it only gives opportunities that comprise of courses associated with jobs offered by the business. This will guarantee a certain level of benefits to the business through the application of employees’ newly acquired knowledge. Through improved skills and newly acquired kn owledge by employees, the workforce strength will be enhanced, thus increasing the overall output of the business (Willis, 2010, par4). A degree in business and communication will improve the employee’s motivation to work and improve interaction with clients, which will enhance the image and integrity of the business (Willis, 2010, par7). It is important for a business to consider its employees as valued resources whose capabilities are worth improving regardless of the career course they choose to study. The business should take responsibility and encourage employees to fund their study courses because it is a personal initiative to improve one’s career through advancing one’s current education level. This is because benefit is more likely to be a motivator and loyalty builder, which will boost the business reputation as a good place to work (Willis, 2010, par8).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your fi rst paper with 15% OFF Learn More A tuition reimbursement program helps in attracting younger employees (Smith, 2004, par2). The advantage of this program especially for small and midsized businesses is in attracting younger employees, since they know the benefits of joining such a business organization. This helps in incorporating new ideas and more vibrant workforce into the business that is important in meeting business goals (Smith, 2004, par2). It is inevitable, regardless of the degree an employee will pursue, that the knowledge on a multitude of things will increase. This makes the employee more marketable for advancement with the current employer and a better employee (Smith, 2004, par4). A tuition reimbursement program ensures favourable relations with employees (Smith, 2004, par6). Employers and managers in a business are supportive of employees trying to better themselves in terms of career advancement through advanced learning. The presence of such employees and their commitment to attending college classes, serve as motivation to the employer to consider the employee for possible advancement opportunities. They do this because they consider the employee’s initiative to advance education as a positive step in personal growth and an opportunity for the overall growth of the company. A tuition reimbursement program for a Bachelor in Business and Communication will make employees highly competitive (Willis, 2010, par5). Career options for such graduates include public relations and human resource officers, business and marketing managers, government administrator, media and marketing officer, promotions officers, advertisers, management consultants, information systems specialists (Willis, 2010, par5). This degree program focuses on management. At some point in an employee’s working life, management may be included as part of a job’s responsibilities. A Bachelor in Business and Communication degree combines various aspect s of business management and communication. Employees learn the interaction between market forces within external and internal business communities (Martocchio, 2003, p.49).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Tuition Reimbursement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They expand their skills in leadership and management, problem solving, public relations and critical thinking. Employees in a master’s class learn to think critically and creatively about problems facing a free market economy. They explore effective and ethical management concepts and learn the complexity of changes in an organization. Professions for employees with a bachelor in communication include journalism, public relations, marketing and advertising. For example, after pursuing a business degree, a Human Resource assistant can become a systems manager, a teacher can become a school administrator, a mechanic can become the workshop supervisor and a marketing assistant can become a marketing director (Martocchio, 2003, p.43). Business degrees mainly include courses in commerce, business finance, information technology, entrepreneurship and marketing. The main advantage of pursuing this degree is the attainment of knowledge and skills that are necessary in any field in the different sectors. Precisely, it diversifies opportunities available to employees who have taken that degree course. These skills include leadership, communication skills, report writing, teamwork, problem solving, data analysis and time management. Another reason why this degree is important is that it offers many opportunities and most important, it provides an employee with a chance for promotion in the work place and advancement of career. In addition to advancement of career and promotion in the work place, employees who undertake the course earn higher salaries compared with those who fail to pursue the degree. According to the bureau of labour st atistics, those with an economics or business degree entered the workforce in 2007 with an average starting salary of $47,782 (Willis, 2010, par6). After a given period, employees with degrees in business related fields earned more than the average salary of other degree majors. Those with an associate’s degree made, on average, $7,228 more per year than those with just a high school diploma (Willis, 2010, par6). Those with a bachelor’s degree made, on average, $20,488 more per year, while those with a master’s degree made on average $31,980 per year than those with a high school diploma (Willis, 2010, par6). According to recent studies, seven out of the top 25 highest paying jobs of 2008, required masters degree in business administration or a related business degree. In addition, management and consulting services were recently ranked as the fastest growing industry. This is attributed to the fact that both require a professional business degree. Conclusion Wh en making a decision on whether to pursue a business degree or not, it is important to consider certain factors. First, consideration of personal career goals is important and secondly, the goals and objectives of the organization should be in line with personal career goals. A business and communication degree does not guarantee an employee rise to a chief executive officer position, but it does offer a flexible way of enhancing education, updating job skills, and an opportunity for a more fulfilling position (Willis, 2010, par3).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, it is important for businesses to develop tuition reimbursement programs for employees to increase output, improve their credibility, strengthen their workforce and increase loyalty from staff members. In addition, it is important for employees to take up reimbursement opportunities in order to enhance their skills, improve their market worth and foster motivation in the work place. References Martocchio, J. (2003). Employee Benefits: A Primer for Human Resource  Professionals. New York: McGraw-Hill. Smith, M. (2004). Does Tuition Reimbursement Benefit Employers? Web. Willis, M. (2010). Tuition Reimbursement Helps Companies Build a Stronger  Workforce. Retrieved from http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/12/prweb4878364.htm This essay on Tuition Reimbursement was written and submitted by user Typhoid Mary to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Not Poor, Just Broke Essays

Not Poor, Just Broke Essays Not Poor, Just Broke Paper Not Poor, Just Broke Paper I learned most emotions from school. You would think I would have learned most of my feelings from my home life, but I think my parents did the best they could to cover them up and make it seem like everything was fine and dandy. I grew up in a museum of sorts, or a playhouse. Everything was staged and we had to act in a proper manner to make it look like we had a perfect life. When my mom was upset, she would pull herself together in a moments time and say we need to â€Å"keep up appearances† so no one was the wiser. I would pay close attention to my parents to try and iscover how they really felt, but they were remarkable actors. So I became a player, performing in my own life as well. It was in school where I learned what real emotion was. And how to handle it. How do you pretend one way when you feel another way? I would imagine that is why some of the other kids act out. They are in a certain life, pretending to be something they are not but don’t want to let on t o the truth of their real emotions. I remember this other student who went to school with me. I felt bad for him most of the time because he always came to school kind f dirty and shabby. His family barely had any money and I don’t think his father was around. One day in class, there was a big scene when the teacher made it a point to single him out as a needed student and mention that everyone knows he doesn’t have a father. I’m not sure about his family but he seemed to just barely be holding it together. The teacher picked on him a lot, which I know bothered him. It bothered me as well. I felt sad for Page 2 of 2 him, but then I would remember my mother and trying to keep up appearances. He had a crush on my friend. I don’t think e knew that we all knew he liked her. I felt ashamed that we would make fun of him behind his back and call him names. I think back about how I use to act differently with my friends at school than I did at home. I wish I had learned more from my patents because I know now that most of my childhood friends were not the best influence on my developing emotions. That day when the teacher picked on him, I felt asha med. But I just kept smiling and pretending nothing was wrong. I wish I would have reached out to him and been a little more nice. It was a lesson well learned.

How to Improve and Retain Your German Fluency

How to Improve and Retain Your German Fluency Here are some suggestions to help you with your goal to improve your German.   Surround yourself in German:Label your home, your workplace with German words. And dont label with nouns only. Do colours, verbs (such as à ¶ffnen /open and schließen /close on a door), adjectives (e.g. rauh/rough, weich/soft on different textures).Paste the conjugation of verbs you have difficulties with on your bathroom mirror.Change the settings on your computer to German.Have a German site as your homepage.Learn at least one German word a day: More if you can retain them. Then practice it on someone that day or write it in a sentence, so that it becomes part of your spoken vocabulary and not just your comprehension vocabulary.Write in German every day: Keep a journal or diary, get an e pen-pal or join the one-on-one classes on our forum. Write your to-do lists in German.Read in German every day: Read, read, read!Subscribe to a German newspaper/magazine, a German-American newspaper or read German magazines/newspapers online.Use a German cookbook.Read childrens books. They expo se you to basic vocabulary, dont have much jargon and often use repetition. As your vocabulary increases, try older childrens/youth books.Read dual-language books. They give you the satisfaction of reading more advanced classic books. Listen to German every day: Challenge yourself to watch a German podcast, show etc. or listen to German music every day.Find a German buddy: If there are no Germans near where you live, pair up with someone else who is learning German and commit yourselves to speaking only German with each other.Practice wherever you go: Though limited in a non-German speaking country, with some creativity, you can get some daily German practice. Every little bit helps.Become involved in your local German club: Also try the universitys Kaffeeklatsch, the Goethe-Institute. Depending where you live, you may have the opportunity to attend German festivities, German film screenings, book clubs etc. If no such thing exists in your community, why not create your own German club? Even just a simple evening of German board games with two or three people will enrich your German learning experience.Take a German course: Check out your community college, university or language schools for courses. Study for a German proficiency test this year. Study/Work in Germany: Many German organizations and institutions offer scholarships or grants for a study abroad experience.Most important resolution to always keep: Believe that you can and will learn German.

Cornairs Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Cornairs Strategies - Assignment Example As the case study states, â€Å"Comair has been an award-winning leader in the regional carrier industry. The FAA and various trade magazines have recognised Comair many times for its profitability, management, time-keeping, cancellation and lost luggage statistics.† Cornair unfortunately has several weaknesses to consider. These include the strikes present and unhappy workers, repercussions of 9/11 for flight companies, and their own inability to create an effective information system. This study declares that Economic Factors: Due to the strike, 9/11, and its own failings in its information systems, Cornair is currently experiencing an overall loss of money and production. This can be reversed by focusing on new information systems strategies, as well as making sure employees are happy. Currently, there are differing views of smart technology that needs to be considered by Cornair. As a starting point, it should be noted that smart technology is also known as data or information fusion, which is fanning out to applications as diverse as systems that predict earthquakes or traffic jams and robots that display hand–eye coordination. Some researchers see information fusion one day surpassing artificial intelligence and fuzzy logic in the breadth of real-world problems it can address. But others caution that the technology, which had its origins in military targeting systems, is still new and evolving over time. Essentially, in the military, the focus is on the monitoring of environmental parameters and making decisions based on predetermined scenarios that support an optimum solution. Just as the human brain assimilates input from all five senses, say a tangy strawberry, information fusion unifies multiple data streams in computers. For example, automatic targe t recognition—the seminal application—melds input from several sources into perceptions of â€Å"friend† or â€Å"foe.†

Compare and Contrast their attitudes towards motherhood, proposing why Essay

Compare and Contrast their attitudes towards motherhood, proposing why the differences and similarities exist - Essay Example She is shown as having love for her children but her abortions are quite ironic. The poem talks about a mother who is no mother (Grimes 2007). The attitude towards motherhood and children is quite loving but the act of abortion indicates that the mother never wants her children. She considers it a crime that indicates that she is fully aware of her act of abortion. From Atwood’s narration, it appears that both the women are one and have the same body (Tyler 1982). Jeannie is the protagonist of the short story and she is the would-be mother. The attitude towards motherhood is not given as it is something pleasant and wanted but something that has been imposed on the woman. The mother is shown as suffering. It is shown that mothers have a painful duty to perform in child birth and that’s all. The mother of â€Å"The Mother† never gives birth to a child but loves her children in her fantasy while the mother in â€Å"Giving Birth† gives birth to a child but shows a little concern towards the child and considers herself in a divided personality. Tyler, Anne. The Complexities of Ordinary Life: The Dancing Girls and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood. 1982. Retrieved on 9th February 2009 from

Medieval Diary Essay Example for Free

Medieval Diary Essay Tomorrow is the day I start out on my journey to King Richard’s court. I will not be bringing much in my wagon, as I only have one horse and it cannot carry a significant amount of weight over that far of a distance. Perhaps I will bring some old wine bottles or blunt daggers for my performance in front of the King, as well as a few scrolls of my most favored jokes and poems. Since this will be my first time appearing before the King, I am quite nervous and wish to make him laugh as much as possible. Not only are the King and his court going to be witness to my act, but a large audience as well. When I was summoned, I was told that this was going to be an ornate fayre. Even though I have always received applause by the Dukes and other Lords I have performed for thus far, I hear that King Richard have proven himself to be quite fierce and ferocious, especially in battle; and I only hope that this does not carry over to his sternness in court next week. I am planning on returning home right after the King’s festivities, as I have greatly missed this humble house by the river. Canterbury is always so pleasant this time of year, and traveling around the country for the entire summer and winter of 1196 was extremely exhausting. To be honest, the thought of a long trek ahead leaves me a bit weary; but since this is the first time the King of England has personally requested the services of me, Henry Walter the Jester, I absolutely could not refuse. 4 April 1197 It is noontime right now, and I am resting after a few hours of travel. I did not feel the need to set out too early, as I have given myself enough travel time so that my horse and I may travel at a moderate pace. This morning was a great treat, as I was visited by Rowan the baker, who gave me half a dozen of his freshest loaves of bread, two large sacks of grain for my horse, a sack of oats, and two of his famous meat pies. He had gotten word that I will be appearing before the King and offered me all of this food as a congratulatory gift. Together, with the wheels of cheese, salted pork slabs, and jugs of ale I have already packed, this will surely be enough rations to last me to the King’s fayre and back; and of course, there are several villages I may stop at along the way. I probably loaded up one too many jugs of ale, but it is the surest thing that will keep me in high spirits during my journey. 5 April 1197 Today, I came across a minstrel named Ulric while resting my horse. He is also headed towards King Richard’s fayre, so we have decided to travel together. I suppose one could say it is safer to travel with a companion, but he is quite an interesting character and makes the trip not so monotonous. He comes from York and travels around the same way as I do, earning wages and receiving ample food and shelter from the nobles for which we perform. We both have similar lives and we are both lucky enough to be experienced enough in our professions as wandering performers to make a sizeable income. He, too, was summoned by the King. After we set up camp for the night, Ulric showed me some of the songs he could play on his lute, along with some of the poems he would recite with his music. I must say, he is a very talented musician. I offered to lend him some of the poetry I have brought; but after I showed him my poetry scrolls, he pointed out that they are much too comical to be paired with the performance he had planned for the King. He prefers more artistic pieces of literature based upon love. Perhaps I have spent too much time as a single man to particularly care about love, but I would rather make jokes about the subject and exercise my unique right of having the complete freedom to say anything I wish, mocking anything I choose. 6 April 1197 Ulric and I had to make a quick stop at a village today. During our lunch break, I was searching in my wagon for a jug of ale when I accidentally knocked my jester hat into a muddy puddle; so we had to make haste and find a well. Luckily while I was laundering my hat, Ulric somehow managed to find a box holding a worn chess board with its pieces intact. We spent nearly two hours tonight playing chess, trying to see who had the superior mind. To anyone who mistakes jesters for being uneducated and foolish, I ask them to come and witness a show of my intellect as it is displayed during this game! It does get tiring when ladies and lords all over England assume that I am nothing more than a dunce, simply because of the way I make a living. Could a fool make up witty jokes and stories? I think not. People are so quick to forget that humor is one of the greatest signs of intelligence. 7 April 1197 As I write tonight, I am huddled by the fire. The night air has been so frigid, that I have developed a sore throat. If my voice is too hoarse, then I will not be able to speak will proper volume or unleash my signature robust laugh in the King’s court. I plan to speak very quietly and sparingly until my performance, and eat lots of hot pottage. Ulric may become bored with the lack of conversation, but at least now we have chess. There is no need for conversation when there is chess. During these hours of quiet, I have come to realize how much I truly love my humble home in Canterbury by the river. It is no grand castle, but my village is welcoming and nurturing, and makes me feel as if I have a great extended family. All of their faces greet me whenever I come back from a long journey of being a jester in courts all over England, and it is comforting to know that they will all greet me again after I return from this fayre. 8 April 1197 I am so tired, I can hardly write in this diary even though it is only noon. I did promise myself I would document every step of my first performance before a King, however, so I cannot go without writing for the day. Ulric and I are hoping to arrive at the palace by nightfall and be able to sleep in comfortable quarters rather than the backs of our cramped wagons. As much as I would like to celebrate the end of our journey by finishing off the last two jugs of ale, I plan on retiring early tonight. My throat is feeling much better and my normal voice has returned, so I refuse to do anything to sabotage my recovery. Our horses are nearly done feeding, so I must get ready to travel the last bit of our trek if we are to arrive tonight. 9 April 1197 After a good night’s rest in a comfortable bed, I feel refreshed and ready to be seen by King Richard the Lionheart. I have decided to perform an exaggerated victory of a battle between two lions as a pun on his nickname. As a jester, after all, nobody is off-limits in terms of mockery—not even the King himself. If I am to gain his favor and make him laugh, I might as well use all of my tricks and wit to do so. I must say, this is the grandest of all fayres I have witnessed. Ulric has been charming the court all afternoon with his lute playing and poetry, there are lines of trumpeters, archery tournaments, and hoards of people enjoying the festivities. I cannot wait until after the King’s royal feast, when it will be my turn to be granted an audience. Although my nerves are a bit on edge, I feel confident. My new red outfit is freshly pressed, the bells on my hat are extra shiny, my marotte is in hand, and I am positive that I have enough energy to evoke laughter from all people of the court. I am certain that today’s performance will be the greatest I have given, and that I will return to Canterbury with only positive stories to tell.

Film Analysis of All That Heaven Allows Essays -- Papers Movie Film Ci

Film Analysis of All That Heaven Allows Chosen sequence: Golden Rain Tree/Cary's bedroom scene. Before the emergence of 'auteur theory' the director Douglas Sirk was a renowned exponent of classical Hollywood narrative, particularly in the genre of romantic melodrama, of which his film All That Heaven Allows is a classic example. However, he is now regarded as a master of mise-en-scene, one of the few tools left to a director working within the constraints of the Hollywood studio/institutional system who is now thought to have been highly critical of American mainstream culture and society in this prosperous era. 1, 2 The 'Golden Rain Tree' sequence occurs early on in the film after the opening panoramic, establishing shot - showing the scene of the action, a small middle-class New England town in autumn. The main protagonists are soon introduced of which the prime causal agent is an unsettled woman, Cary Scott (Jane Wyman), in keeping with romantic melodrama. As a widow, she is a victim of circumstance who is eager to change her life. Her friend visits (Mona) and hopes to persuade Cary to take a conventional route out of widowhood but, by chance, she meets the gardener, Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson) and from the mise-en-scene in these opening scenes it is obvious that she would prefer a romantic affiliation of some sort with Ron. After a few pleasantries, some tea at the table outside Cary's house and some profound references to gardening, Ron goes to hand Cary a small brance/twig, evidently a token of deep affection. The film so far displays all the conventions of classical narrative and maintains all the dominant ideologies o... ...lassical narrative cinema. In Being There, the character and motives of Gardiner are made much clearer to the viewer through the imaginative use of mise-en-scene, as illustrated above. NOTES 1. Carroll. Essay The Moral Ecology of Melodrama: The Family Plot and Magnificent Obsession. p. 170. 2. Cook. p. 76-79. BIBLIOGRAPHY An Introduction to Film Studies Jill Nelmes (ed.) Routledge 1996 Anatomy of Film Bernard H. Dick St. Martins Press 1998 Key Concepts in Cinema Studies Susan Hayward Routledge 1996 Teach Yourself Film Studies Warren Buckland Hodder & Stoughton 1998 Interpreting the Moving Image Noel Carroll Cambridge University Press 1998 The Cinema Book Pam Cook (ed.) BFI 1985 FILMOGRAPHY All That Heaven Allows Dir. Douglas Sirk Universal 1955 Being There Dir. Hal Ashby 1979

A Hero Within

Everywhere you turn society today seems to be keen on portraying African Americans as a scapegoat to white societal issues and inadequacies. Ernest Gaines exemplifies this idea in the novel A Lesson Before Dying in which a young black man, Jefferson, is sentenced to trial and execution for what can be considered a â€Å"wrong place and wrong time† incident. Grant, who is an educator in the community, plays the role of a cynic and buffer between Jefferson and the rest of the community. He begins this novel as a somewhat worn out empty husk of what his full potential can fully allow. In a society that is dominated by white people in a post slavery pro-racist world very few opportunities present themselves for African Americans, such as Jefferson or Grant, that allow for growth and fulfillment of one’s existence. As the novel progresses Gaines provides the right elements to allow for self-fulfillment and growth for both characters that lead to life changing epiphanies and ultimately allow for a hero figure to rise. Although almost opposite in composition both Jefferson and Grant lack elements that allow them to feel whole and truly live. As individuals both struggle to live in a world that seeks to oppress causing each to barely live, but through their combined experiences and shared struggles, each are able to break the chains of oppression and rise to their ultimate potential. Grant begins the novel feeling distanced from the other members of the black community while at the same time feeling intrinsically bound to them. He feels pressured to conform to a society in which white people are superior and give little to no privilege to blacks. This idea is furthered as Dr. Joseph visits Grant’s school and compliments his students mentioning that they are a â€Å"good crop†, insinuating that the black students are subhuman or objects for a slave type of work. Although Grant’s inadequacies leave him feeling conflicted, hollow, and helpless to do anything but run away, he often remembers the pride and excitement surrounding black heroes such as Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis as they stood up to the white men and society. A hero as seen through Grant’s eyes is â€Å"a man who does something that other men do not do or cannot do. † Although Grant believes he is not a hero, he believes that Jefferson can embody the idea of a hero and that he can stand up to defy the white people proving that African Americans are human too. Grant continues by explaining to Jefferson while crying that he (Grant) needs him (Jefferson) more than Jefferson needs him. The crying and showing f helplessness marks the first transition for Grant towards the hero he can become and shows the character’s positive growth. This transition also marks where the individual struggles between Jefferson and Grant end and unification towards the embodiment of heroism begins Grant continues to embody the idea of a hero and show character progression while drinking at the Rainbow Club by standing up for Jefferson, when it would have been much easier to ignore the situation and derogatory comments. Grant’s passion and inability to sit back while the mulatto bricklayers demean the idea of Jefferson promotes the hero within, by standing up for the weak and doing something when others would not. Even though a fight breaks out and Grant is knocked unconscious, it is still another positive step towards the inner fulfillment he desperately needs. Grant also embodies a non-traditional hero in the sense that he keeps his loved ones, Vivian, at arm’s length at all times. This typically is done to protect the loved ones from impending harm; however this differs because in this instance it stems from his own inadequacies and lack of conviction in himself. Although Grant lacks the ability to see his true inner potential, others such as Tante Lou have shown positive encouragement and ultimately given everything in the belief that Grant can be great. In this instance Tante Lou has kept hidden the fact that she works incredibly long hours and works her fingers to the bone, just to send Grant to college. These outside positive factors have helped pave the pathway so that one day Grant can find his inner hero and live up to his full potential. Another important transition into Grant’s heroic path is the belief in himself which stems from an important connection with Jefferson whom he felt provided an idea he lacked, wholeness. Grant explained to Jefferson that he felt lost and needed Jefferson to believe in something so that someday he (Grant) can look to Jefferson as an example and start believing in himself. Through Jefferson, Grant has learned to stop hiding behind his own fear and inadequacies. This marks the change in status for both men as Jefferson for the first time exemplifies strength, which is shown in his posture and offer to provide Jefferson food. Grant steps back from a teaching role and exemplifies a student role in which he feels inadequate, realizing that perhaps his opinions and cynic views on life have been wrong. This is an important point in the book because it marks the final transition into the fulfillment of both men’s existence. At this point he reader has seen both characters come full circle and grow from empty husks into in depth complex people, both of which can be considered as heroes. On Jefferson’s last night Jefferson apologizes to Grant for crying when he realized that Grant would not be at the execution, stating that nobody had ever been as good to him as Grant had been during his incarceration. This kindness shown by Grant once again exemp lifies the hero role as doing something that other men do not do; in this case it was treating Jefferson as a man, a human, and as an equal. Finally Jefferson’s diary shows how Jefferson has grown into his potential and indicates that his faith is placed not in God but in his friendship with Grant. His finding of faith is the last part needed by Grant, to fully believe in himself and become the man Tante Lou and everyone else knows he can become. Although both individuals started on a path of isolation, cynicism and were shown as empty husks of their true potential, they each found fulfillment and growth. Even though it was unintentional both Jefferson and Grant grew from the experiences provided by the other and were finally able to break the chains holding them back to fulfill their potential as heroes. Upon the epiphanies that each had based on the others actions and conversations, both characters were able to grow and accomplish what individually they could not. Even though in the end Jefferson was still put to death, this book shows that two men who have nothing in common can create something so great that it shakes the very foundation on which they are built. This can apply to present day society as well as to society in the past.

Definition Essay: Freedom Essay

Freedom Our fore fathers fought for political freedom from the tyranny of England and its kings. Slaves fought for freedom and equality. Women fought for the freedom from their stereotypical â€Å"wifely duty† and their right to vote. We now are beginning to see freedom, due to the World Trade Center Disaster, being redefined and more defined. Young Americans of the past saw freedom differently than young Americans of today. The pampered youth of today’s society use freedom in regard to getting a car or getting to buy new clothes. Freedoms to colonial young Americans were not so petty. They were a big part in helping our country break free from England and to them being free from the religious restraints of their day were freedoms celebrated, not just getting name brand clothing. I believe, as Americans, we are free but our freedom comes with responsibility that should not be taken so lightly. Maybe we have lost view of what freedom truly is and what it is meant to do. Freedom has a wide range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being hampered or frustrated in decisions one makes in life. We have, for some time now, taken our freedoms for granted. The freedoms from one state to another or one country to another differ greatly, making a true definition of the word unclear. People throw the word freedom around as if it is not something of importance. Millions of our fellow Americans have died and millions more put their lives on the line daily so we can have the freedoms we have now. Freedom is defined as the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. Given this definition, many of the places we use the word freedom or the sense of being free are very misused. Freedom is not a new outfit or a new car. Advertisers have used freedom to describe their products or the feeling that their product would give you but that does not mean that just because you wear or drive their product, you are not more free than you were before. For example, running down a wet street alone in Nike shoes does not make you more free. Freedom has been used so unrestrictively socially that many Americans have forgotten what freedom really means. People use the word freedom to describe everything and to use as an excuse or reason behind many terrible things they do. Freedom is not  an excuse for abusing your neighbor who is different from you. Freedom was fought for to make life better, it was not created to be used to alienate, abuse, or hurt people. When abused, either in protest or in life in general, we cause others to be hurt or killed. For example, in protests today people burn the American flag, our symbol of freedom, to make their point. Veterans of our Armed Forces and every patriotic American are hurt by this. The amount of blood that was shed so we could have our flag and our freedom being taken so lightly is a shame. Freedom fighters in our history who wanted to abolish slavery or desegregate communities were killed because they fought for freedom from slavery because they believed that freedom would make them equals. Some groups today, using freedom as a mask, are fighting to take away our freedoms or to limit them more. Cults using freedom of religion as a mask persuades people to leave their hoes and family and live in their communities. They get their followers to give up their freedom for the good of their religion and even to kill themselves and others. Pro-lifers picket abortion clinics trying to get people to change the law allowing women’s freedom of choice using freedom of speech as their mask. These freedoms are for our common good as a nation not to get everyone to be what someone else wants. True freedom is an unrestrained and unrestricted right, with this in mind, are we truly free? Yes, we are free but we are expected to use our freedoms with responsibility and the good of our country as a whole when we act out using freedoms we have. All freedoms in our constitution and life have limitations for the protection of the good of society and the good of our nation. We have the freedom to bear arms but without the proper permit, one can not carry that gun on their person out into the world to cause harm. We have the freedom of speech but with the limits set so we can not slander or defame another person without being punished. We teach our children as they get more freedom that there are consequences for abusing their freedoms. Maybe Americans need a reminder of the consequences associated with abuse of their freedom. It is now being said by political critics that the tragedy of September 11 is our wake-up call. That this tragedy was the world’s way of telling us that our freedoms are at risk and that we should keep our  democratic ideas to ourselves. Maybe now that people have to leave earlier to take a flight so their baggage can be checked more carefully and now that UPS will open and look in every box we want to send, Americans will look upon their freedoms with a little more thought not lightly glancing and taking them for granted. As Americans, we must teach our children about freedom so that the future generations will not take their freedoms for granted or abuse them. When a baby is born they have no freedom since they can not even walk, talk, or eat without help. As they grow, they get more freedom and we guide them with discipline so they know right from wrong and good from bad. They know not to call names, to respect the flag, and to appreciate others for their differences rather than hate them or hurt them, when their parents guide them as they grow. Without this guidance children will get worse and worse every generation. They will take their freedoms for granted more and abuse them worse. I teach my children that the American flag is a reminder of all those lost in battle and that it represents our country. They know freedoms are important and that not everyone in the world has them so they should appreciate them, not abuse them. They respect the flag and the freedoms that it represents. We do not use our freedom of speech to make fun of others who may be different from us or to say things that may hurt other people’s feelings. As a parent and role model to younger generations, we must all do our part to make them understand about freedom and responsibility. If they are making fun of someone for being different, they are punished or if they abuse someone else for being of a different religion, they are punished. This is the beginning of learning about freedom, responsibility, right and wrong, and consequences of their actions. My children know the Pledge of Allegiance even though they do not say it in school anymore, as they should. If kids were reminded daily by saying the Pledge, they would know to respect it and the freedom it stands for. In many countries, they have no freedom. They can not speak out against a government when it is wrong, they must be the same religion as everyone else, and they can not even choose whom they marry. In our country we can do all of these yet many people still think it is so bad here. We do not have to worry about only being able to have one child or that our parents can pick our husband when we are born. Our freedoms let us do what we want within reason. I think the limitations are more common sense than anything. Like it says in the Bible, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do not slander someone else or their religion. Do not abuse your neighbor for differing opinions or skin color. Do not try to force others to your lifestyle or way of thinking. Don’t do anything to another American that you would not like them to do to you. Our fore fathers would be disgusted to see the abuses of freedom and lack of responsibility in using those freedoms in today’s world. They did not fight and die for us to destroy our country, our fellow countrymen, or our planet. So when you think of freedom, picture the American flag flying over the rubble that was once the World Trade Center or picture the American flag swaying over as a soldier wounded in battle carries it. Freedom is not a word to use lightly. It is a word that comes with responsibility and that is important to our country. Say it when you meant it and when you are showing respect to those who have given their life so that you can say it every day.

What could possibly replace K-12 and collegeÂÂ

What could possibly replace K-12 and college   It’s no surprise to anyone that the world around us is changing faster than most people can keep up. Rapid technological innovation, increasing globalization of businesses and interconnectivity among people all over the world, and quickly evolving social and cultural norms are all helping to usher in a â€Å"brave new world† of sorts, with tangible ripple effects that affect how we live at all levels. Education is no different. We’ve already witnessed a paradigm shift in the way children are being educated in recent decades, with a greater focus on a STEM-centered (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education beginning in K-12 and continuing through college, and technology making learning more inventive and interactive.For example, in a recent article in Education Week, Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education, said the following regarding the biggest impact that technology is having in education: â€Å"Right now, the value is in access to high-quality resources. We’ve moved from 100 percent of learning materials coming from an out-of-date textbook, to interactive materials, and students in remote locations having access to high-quality resources. Technology has enabled learners to explore and learn on their own in ways that were harder to do when the resources all had to come from the teacher. It’s very powerful.†Current and emerging changes in an increasingly globalized world is leading many people- including education experts and educational technology insiders, as well as parents and students- to speculate on what could possibly replace our traditional K-12 and college learning models as we move forward. A perceptual shift regarding how educators are viewing their role in teaching students is taking place, with various ideas regarding a â€Å"traditional alternative approach† gaining attention.A recent article in Psychology Today  takes a closer look at à ¢â‚¬Å"Education’s Future: What Will Replace K-12 and College?† If you’re curious about what learning traditional learning alternatives could potentially disrupt the current field of education as we know it, keep reading!In his article, Peter Gray, Ph.D. and research professor at Boston College, as well as author of Free to Learn, highlights some of the deep problems with the current educational system: â€Å"Ever more people are becoming aware of the colossal waste of money, tragic waste of young people’s time, and cruel imposition of  stress  and  anxiety produced by` our coercive educational system†¦ Children come into the  world biologically designed to educate themselves.  Their curiosity, playfulness, sociability, and willfulness were all shaped by natural selection to serve the function of  education.  So what do we do?  At great expense (roughly $15,000 per child per year for public K-12), we send them to schools that deliberat ely shut off their educative instincts- that is, suppress  their curiosity, playfulness, sociability, and willfulness- and then, at great expense and trouble, very inefficiently and ineffectively try to educate them through systems of reward and  punishment  that play on hubris,  shame, and  fear.†The problems in education that Gray is passionately warning us about are not relegated to the formative K-12 learning years. He sees serious issues in higher education as well: â€Å"†¦what about those years of schooling that we call â€Å"higher education,† especially the four years toward a college degree?  Many young people, because of family and societal pressure, see that as essentially compulsory, too.  For them, college is just a continuation of high school- grades 13, 14, 15, 16.  And those years of schooling are even much more expensive than the earlier ones, which expense must generally be paid by the  parents  or through loans that can sad dle a person for decades.†Gray sees a more cost effective way forward in education, an approach that takes advantage of the natural way students learn and includes practical, real-world work exposure. He outlined the following three-phased approach to education as an effective way to approach K-12 and college education moving forward:Phase I: Learning about your world, yourself, and how the two fit together.According to Gray, the initial years of an individual’s life (the first 15 to 18 years, actually) are designed as a time of self-exploration, play, and discovery. We come to understand and make sense of our world and our place in it through these approaches. We also learn about who we are as unique individuals, what drives us and what we’re passionate about. Then, ideally we start formulating a plan for how we want to devote our time and energy in the future, as productive and functional adult members of society.Gray believes that this approach typifies  "Self-Directed Education,† also referred to as â€Å"unschooling,† and in his vision of the future, â€Å"publicly supported learning-and-recreation centers will enable everyone, regardless of family income, to educate themselves well in these ways.†Phase II: Exploring a career path.Gray contends that a big problem with our current educational system is that it is largely disconnected from clear pathways to the professional world: â€Å"One of the many problems with of our current educational system is that even after 17 years of schooling, including college, students have very little  understanding  of potential careers.  The only adult vocation they have witnessed directly is that of classroom teacher. A student may have decided, for some reason (maybe because it sounds prestigious), to be a doctor, or a  lawyer, or a  scientist, or a business executive, but the student knows little about what it means to be such a thing.†This is a big problem, and can ultimately lead to stressed out and confused parents and teens who have no practical tools for determining what career path is right for them.Gray has a more practical plan for combining real-world career experience and exposure with an education: â€Å"In the rational system of education that I have in mind, students would spend time working in real-world settings that give them an idea of what a career entails before they undertake specialized training for that career†¦In this way they would further their education and gain real world experience while drawing  at least some income rather than accumulating debt.†This approach to education isn’t exactly far off on the horizon. In fact, many companies are already recognizing the value of providing the next generation of employees with early exposure to potential career fields, and the rising number of apprenticeships across the country, according to available U.S. Labor Department data, is proof.Phase II I: Becoming credentialed for specialized work.Gray believes that getting credentialed for ones’ chosen field of work should be an essential aspect of their education. This should include any required specialized learning and training, as well as preparation for any testing required prior to entering the field. According to Gray, â€Å"This is the only phase of the educational system where testing should be essential.†Obviously, this level of individualization in education would require a complete departure from the one currently being used, which is why Gray feels strongly that ushering in a Self-Directed Education model as early as possible in a learner’s formative years  is critical.In sum, what does Gray see happening to the educational models and institutions we already have in place? â€Å"The graded K-12 schools will gradually  disappear, replaced by age-mixed learning centers supporting Self-Directed Education.  Universities will continue on, with public support as centers of research and scholarship.  They will not enroll â€Å"students,† as we think of them today, but, like other institutions, will bring in assistants and apprentices, some of whom may move on, through experience and desire, to become full-fledged scientists and scholars. Community colleges, which already provide useful,  often hands-on training for a variety of careers at relatively low cost,  may expand and become part of a growing system of apprenticeships that involve some classroom training related to potential employment.†Clearly, Gray has very specific ideas regarding what could possibly replace the current K-12 and college models- whether or not they are enacted on a wide scale, and the effect they will ultimately have, remains to be seen.

An Analysis of Egalias Daughters

In the satire of the sexes, Egalia’s Daughters by Gerd Brantenberg, there is put forth a society different from which has ever been present in modern times. This would be a society where women were at the forefront and did the decision making, worked and held governmental positions. The men were portrayed in the way females live in present society, though it was often exaggerated to make that point. Men were dominated and ruled by women and had to do their bidding and cook for them and take care of the children, so on and so forth. By taking a hard look at how sexuality is imagined and experienced on all analytical levels and picking apart the social construction of gender in Egalia’s Daughters, society itself in the present can start to be unraveled as well. What is found in this book can transfer over to a point and parallel itself with present experiences of women and their struggle for equality, recognition and acknowledgement. In order to fully analyze the sexes in this book, the micro, meso and macro levels need to be looked at individually to observe where sexuality is imagined and experienced by both genders. On the micro level, the sexes are very different from one another in this book. The women are expected to be large in weight and wear pants and shirts. The men are often wearing skirts and blouses with a contraption called a peho which holds their genitals in place. This can be compared with a bra to women in society today. When Patronius Bram has to buy his first peho he’s struck with much anxiety and wondering. This means he’s beginning to enter adulthood and will attend the Maidmen’s Ball. Here is where boys expect to be â€Å"swept off their feet† by a certain woman and taken into a maidmen-room and engage in some sort of sexual activity. The boys expect it to be a wonderful experience and hope to have actual intercourse. The women on the other hand appear rather rowdy and in it only for the sexual relations. The whole goal of this ball is for the boys to be offered something called â€Å"fatherhood protection† from a woman. This can be compared to becoming engaged to be married in modern society today. Women view men as a sort of hindrance in this book—just view them as weak and by giving them fatherhood protection they’re doing them a huge favor. It’s the men that seem to actually love the women that choose them and try to not always focus on what’s going to happen sexually. On the meso level, it’s clear that there are certain norms regarding sexuality which are present in schools and the community. The classrooms in Egalia’s Daughters are dominated by the girls. There are many degrading comments coming from girls to boys. Boys are expected to be wearing their peho at all times when they leave the house even though it is often uncomfortable and not wanted. If they are seen without it it’s similar to the reaction of people in modern society seeing a woman who isn’t wearing her bra. Johnson writes in â€Å"Patriarchy, the system,† that socialization is just a process used to teach people how to participate in social systems (33). The men in this book are taught by what they are told to do and fall into specific roles that almost appear pre-determined. If they deviate from the norm, they are shunned which becomes evident at the end of the book when Patronius is trying to make changes and is persecuted for it and his ideas/beliefs. This correlates directly with feminists and the feminist movement that’s prominent in society today. The rules and expectations have been in place for so long it almost seems futile that true change will ever occur. However, as the book illustrates there’s always some others with the same beliefs and aspirations of equality. The women in the book don’t fully realize that though the society was built on equality, men are hardly equal to women. Johnson also writes â€Å"patriarchal culture is about the core value of control and domination in almost every area of human existence† (34). Though this is obviously a matriarchy, this domination is clear. Women make all the decisions regarding parliamentary laws and make the household decisions and control all finances. The men don’t usually work and are expected to watch the children (hence the term â€Å"housebound†) so they don’t have any access to money. They are made to be fully dependent on their woman. Even when engaging in sexual activity there are permissible positions and others that are regarded as dirty or deviant because the man is in control, which is unacceptable. It’s very interesting because the same can be said of modern society today. Women often have little access to financial means and have long since been expected to stay home with the children and let the husband work. This can actually be better explained when looked at on the macro-level. Though this book isn’t about a nation it’s fairly well-spread and established that women are in control of everything. There are some societies that differ in the treatment of men but it’s still a matriarchal situation. Gender in Egalia is socially constructed, similar to how it is in modern society—but opposite. Where men are considered inferior to women. Lorber writes â€Å"gender is one of the major ways that human beings organize their lives† (24). He goes on to describe how it occurs at birth when the genitalia are seen. In the book mothers often hope for a daughter like fathers in modern society often want a son. The reactions to certain events and punishments from women mold the men to be obedient and oppressed. When Patronius is telling his mother he wants to be a seawom diver she just tells him that no real menwim want to go to see. This immediately puts Patronius on a path of secrecy regarding his beliefs and ideas because he will just be told he’s not being realistic and his hopes dashed. He also can see from this that similar treatment will occur elsewhere because the society’s ideas are widespread and accepted. His little sister Ba is already demanding and abusive towards Patronius because she feels entitled since she’s a girl and he’s a boy. She ridicules him on being part of the frail sex and makes rude comments often. She’s been born into this society and her mother only encourages her by not punishing her when she ridicules Patronius. She’s just being a girl and that’s what girls do to boys. Sound familiar? Modern society would say the exact opposite, boys will be boys. So it can be said that Ba is not entirely responsible for the way she acts; it’s accepted and widespread although it certainly isn’t very civil. No one has a problem with it and it just begins a vicious cycle. In Egalia women are threatened by any uprising from men. Patronius tries to make changes that make men become more of an equal to women (though far from it) and he is shot down by the female lawmakers. Which are all of them—there are no men to have say in the laws and regulations. These men are looked at like all they are doing is stirring up trouble and are subject to ridicule and various shunning behaviors. This is also recognized by Hogeland in her article â€Å"Fear of Feminism† where she writes about feminism not being a fear of gender but a fear of the politics involved (18). Many men didn’t participate in any rebellion in Egalia because they feared repercussions or didn’t think their lives were all that bad and didn’t understand the magnitude of what was happening. This parallels directly to the feminist movement that occurred in the United States. As shown above, it’s evident that Egalia’s Daughters employs complete role-reversal of the sexes to illustrate the inequality that exists. By doing this every little think is analyzed and the reader can really see and pick out everything that contributes to one sex becoming more authoritative and powerful than another. Sexuality is present on all levels of analysis but experienced differently by each gender. Even in society today, when asking men and women their opinions and ideas on gender equality there will be very different responses. Men will often hinder change without even realizing it because they’re more privileged and don’t want to see their power leave them. The social construction of gender is also very easy to see throughout the book.

Improving the efficiency of light distribution in PON for service Article

Improving the efficiency of light distribution in PON for service delivery in Fiber to the Home (FTTH) environments - Article Example This is true in wide area networks (WANs) that provide connectivity between cities and in metropolitan area networks (MANs) that connect telco operators’ nodes within cities. However, most local loop or the â€Å"last mile† that serve residential, small business or enterprise users, have not benefited from this. The local subscriber lines for telephone and Internet are still using twisted copper pairs while cable television subscribers are still using copper coaxial cable [1]. With the increasing users’ demands for services such as Internet applications, VoIP, interactive games, high-definition television (HDTV) and video on demand (VOD), the â€Å"last mile† connection has become a bandwidth bottleneck. Developments in xDSL and cable TV technologies has in some extent addressed this problem but still not enough to meet the continuously increasing bandwidth demand. A more effective solution is gradually being put in place especially in urban areas by extending the fiber to the user. This technology is called by many names depending on the termination mode – fiber to the home (FTTH), fiber to the curb (FTTC) or fiber to the building (FTTB). All of these FTTx solutions may utilize the Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) distribution technology. This system utilizes bandwidth allocation algorithms to allow efficient sharing of limited upstream channel bandwidth [2]. Different methods of implementing this will be discussed in this art icle. An EPON system is a point-to-multipoint fiber optical network with no active elements in the transmission path from the source, an optical line terminal (OLT), to the destination, an optical network unit (ONU). It can use different multipoint topologies, such as bus, ring, and tree. The most typical architecture is based on a tree topology and consists of an OLT, a 1:N passive star coupler (or splitter/combiner), and multiple ONU. The OLT