My Sisters Shadow free essay sample

My most memorable instance of failure occurred during my junior year when I failed to be on the Distinguished Honor Roll. This might seem trivial to many people but they do not have the same drive as I do to be on that list published in the newspaper that no one actually reads. Although my self-motivation drove me to attempt to earn a place in the Academic Hall of Famea place reserved for those students that achieve Distinguished Honor Roll status every marking period of their high school career, my driving force has a secondary component to it: my sister, Lauren. I have always been in Lauren’s shadow when it comes to academics. Being the second child and in similar classes as my sister, we shared many of the same teachers. We both attended the same Catholic elementary/middle school so it is safe to say that everyone knew we were sisters especially since she is only two years my senior. We will write a custom essay sample on My Sisters Shadow or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Being the quintessential student, she was valedictorian of her graduating eighth grade class. What rank was I? My graduating class had two valedictorians and I was right behind them in third place. As usual, I was one step behind Lauren. The shadowing continued in high school. Lauren was a model student and all of her teachers loved her, which worked both to my advantage and disadvantage.Our last name did not raise up the red flag like I am sure some surnames did, but it also meant I was expected to be similar to my predecessor. I should also mention that she was the valedictorian of her high school graduating class. I truly was ecstatic for her and extremely proud, but I cannot say I was surprised. Throughout my freshman and sophomore years, there would be a teacher here and there that knew Lauren, but then I became a junior. During my junior year every single one of my teachers had taught Lauren, and many had her in their class within the past year. I always work extremely hard in school and try my best to do well, but it is hard to stand out against someone who did the best that one can possibly do. I am not a jealous younger sister who despises everything her older sister has accomplishedthat is not me at all. However, I do want my hard work to stand out academically for once in my life. Distinguished Honor Roll presented me with an opportunity to tie with Lauren in something academic, something I had been pushing myself to do for years. I always motivated myself to work hard for me, but I still managed to remain in her shadow. As a friend once told me, â€Å"Lauren’s blanket has no holes in it. She excels in all subjects.† This â€Å"blanket† that my sister wove gave me little opportunity to shine. This is the underlying reason I wanted so desperately to be on Distinguished Honor Roll. Failing to make it during that fateful first marking period of junior year denied me something I had been working for since sixth gradethe opportunity to be on my sister’s level academically. My teachers reassure me that they do not compare me to my sister, and my parents always go out of their way to make sure that I know they are proud of me. However, none of this can help when I constantly compare myself to her. The only comparison that matters is the one that I make and how I view myself. College will provide an opportunity for me to establish myself as an individual and to practice being happy with my best. There will be no one to compare my sister and me at college and, most importantly, I will finally be able to stop comparing myself to her. I will have a fresh start, something I have never had before.

Yemen Nation Profile - Geography, Climate, and History

Yemen Nation Profile - Geography, Climate, and History The ancient nation of Yemen lies at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Yemen has one of the oldest civilizations on Earth, with ties to the Semitic lands to its north, and to the cultures of the Horn of Africa, just across the Red Sea. According to legend, the Biblical Queen of Sheba, consort of King Solomon, was Yemeni. Yemen has been colonized at various times by other Arabs, Ethiopians, Persians, Ottoman Turks, and most recently, the British. Through 1989, North and South Yemen were separate nations. Today, however, they are united into the Republic of Yemen - Arabias only democratic republic. Capital and Major Cities of Yemen Capital: Sanaa, population 2.4 million Major Cities: Taizz, population 600,000 Al Hudaydah, 550,000 Aden, 510,000 Ibb, 225,000 Yemeni Government Yemen is the only republic on the Arabian Peninsula; its neighbors are kingdoms or emirates. The Yemeni executive branch consists of a president, a prime minister and a cabinet. The president is directly elected; he appoints the prime minister, with legislative approval. Yemen has a two-part legislature, with a 301-seat lower house, the House of Representatives, and a 111-seat upper house  called the Shura Council. Prior to 1990, North and South Yemen had separate legal codes. The highest court is the Supreme Court in Sanaa. The current President (since 1990) is Ali Abdullah Saleh. Ali Muhammad Mujawar is Prime Minister. Population of Yemen Yemen is home to 23,833,000 people (2011 estimate). The overwhelming majority are ethnic Arabs, but 35% have some African blood as well. There are small minorities of Somalis, Ethiopians, Roma (Gypsies) and Europeans, as well as South Asians. Yemen has the highest birthrate in Arabia, at about 4.45 children per woman. This is probably attributable to early marriages (the marriageable age for girls under Yemeni law is 9), and lack of education for women. The literacy rate among women is only 30%, while 70% of men can read and write. Infant mortality is almost 60 per 1,000 live births. Languages of Yemen Yemens national language is standard Arabic, but there are several different regional dialects in common use. Southern variants of Arabic spoken in Yemen include Mehri, with about 70,000 speakers; Soqotri, spoken by 43,000 island residents; and Bathari, which has only about 200 surviving speakers in Yemen. In addition to the Arabic languages, some Yemeni tribes still speak other ancient Semitic languages closely related to the Ethiopian Amharic and Tigrinya languages. These languages are a remnant of the Sabean Empire (9th century BCE to 1st century BCE) and the Axumite Empire (4th century BCE to 1st century CE). Religion in Yemen The Constitution of Yemen states that Islam is the official state religion of the country, but it also guarantees freedom of religion. The majority by far of Yemenis are Muslim, with some 42-45% Zaydi Shias, and about 52-55% Shafi Sunnis. A tiny minority, some 3,000 people, are Ismaili Muslims. Yemen is also home to an indigenous population of Jews, now numbering only about 500. In the mid-20th century, thousands of Yemenite Jews moved to the new state of Israel. A handful each of Christians and Hindus also live in Yemen, although most are foreign ex-patriots or refugees. Geography of Yemen:Yemen has an area of 527,970 square kilometers, or 203,796 square miles, at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the east, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Eastern, central and northern Yemen are desert areas, part of the Arabian Desert and Rub al Khali (Empty Quarter). Western Yemen is rugged and mountainous. The coast is fringed with sandy lowlands. Yemen also possesses a number of islands, many of which are actively volcanic. The highest point is the Jabal an Nabi Shuayb, at 3,760 m, or 12,336 feet. The lowest point is sea level. Climate of Yemen Despite its relatively small size, Yemen includes several different climate zones due to its coastal location and variety of elevations. Yearly average rainfall ranges from essentially none in the inland desert to 20-30 inches in the southern mountains. Temperatures also range widely. Winter lows in the mountains can approach freezing, while summer in the tropical western coastal areas can see temperatures as high as 129 ° F (54 °C). To make matters worse, the coast is also humid. Yemen has little arable land; only roughly 3% is suitable for crops. Less than 0.3% is under permanent crops. Yemen's Economy Yemen is the poorest nation in Arabia. As of 2003, 45% of the population was living below the poverty line. In part, this poverty stems from gender inequality; 30% of teenage girls between 15 and 19 are married with children, and most are undereducated. Another key is unemployment, which stands at 35%. The per capita GDP is only about $600 (2006 World Bank estimate). Yemen imports food, livestock, and machinery. It exports crude oil, qat, coffee, and seafood. The current spike in oil prices may help alleviate Yemens economic distress. The currency is the Yemeni rial. The exchange rate is $1 US 199.3 rials (July 2008). History of Yemen Ancient Yemen was a prosperous place; the Romans called it Arabia Felix, Happy Arabia. Yemens wealth was based on its trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices. Many sought to control this rich land over the years. The earliest known rulers were the descendants of Qahtan (Joktan from the Bible and Koran). The Qahtanis (23rd c. to 8th c. BCE) established the crucial trade routes and built dams to control flash-flooding. The late Qahtani period also witnessed the emergence of written Arabic, and the reign of the legendary Queen Bilqis, sometimes identified as the Queen of Sheba, in the 9th c. BCE. The height of ancient Yemeni power and wealth came between the 8th c. BCE and 275 CE, when a number of small kingdoms coexisted within the countrys modern borders. These included the following: the western Kingdom of Saba, the southeastern Hadramaut Kingdom, the city-state of Awsan,  the central trading hub of Qataban, the southwestern Kingdom of Himyar, and the northwestern Kingdom of Main. All of these kingdoms grew prosperous selling spices and incense all around the Mediterranean, to Abyssinia, and as far away as India. They also regularly launched wars against one another. This squabbling left Yemen vulnerable to manipulation and occupation by a foreign power: Ethiopias Aksumite Empire. Christian Aksum ruled Yemen from 520 to 570 A.D. Aksum was then pushed out by the Sassanids from Persia. Sassanid rule of Yemen lasted from 570 to 630 CE. In 628, the Persian satrap of Yemen, Badhan, converted to Islam. The Prophet Muhammad was still living when Yemen converted and became an Islamic province. Yemen followed the Four Rightly-guided Caliphs, the Umayyads, and the Abbasids. In the 9th century, many Yemenis accepted the teachings of Zayd ibn Ali, who founded a splinter Shia group. Others became Sunni, particularly in south and west Yemen. Yemen became known in the 14th century for a new crop, coffee. Yemeni Coffee arabica was exported all over the Mediterranean world. The Ottoman Turks ruled Yemen from 1538 to 1635  and returned to North Yemen between 1872 and 1918. Meanwhile, Britain ruled South Yemen as a protectorate from 1832 on. In the modern era, North Yemen was ruled by local kings until 1962, when a coup established the Yemen Arab Republic. Britain finally pulled out of South Yemen after a bloody struggle in 1967, and the Marxist Peoples Republic of South Yemen was founded. In May of 1990, Yemen reunified after relatively little strife.

Analysis of Social Software Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analysis of Social Software - Literature review Example Normally, social software entails unrestricted and deliberate members, who also receive reputations and confidence among themselves. Additionally, it is worthwhile noting that, commonly, members with common interests, goals, mindsets, tendencies, factions or associations create continual and lasting relationships. However, it is significant noting that, businesses did not merely adapt their online strategies to take account of the web’s ‘social’ aspects. Significantly, the stiff competition in businesses necessitated the adoption of online strategies in order to promote their brand online. Consequently, any business, whether little or huge, desires to initiate developing a strategy for Internet marketing just to withstand the stiff competition.   Considerably, it is hard, sufficient to advertise solely in the print media like newspapers, as well as yellow pages since quite forthrightly; the above two are turning into an â€Å"old-school† because myriad pe ople utilize the Internet to examine businesses prior to purchasing their respective products or commodities. Concisely, if a small business fails to embrace any form of an online strategy, it really misses out.   Significantly, small business proprietors may depend rigorously on the neighborhood or regional populace as its objective market and therefore question how a worldwide Internet marketplace can be of assistance to the business. Considerably, the reply is easy, overall the neighborhood internet searches conducted, eight over 10 projections will enquire or tour a store and six over 10 will make purchases.   This is significant because of the geo-targeting potentials of Internet hunt engines like Google.   It is worthwhile noting that social software entails online payments. Research by scholars such as Breslin has indicated that accepting online payments is never a simple matter for numerous businesses (Breslin 76). Considerably, before a business  person decides whet her to adopt online payments, he must examine several considerations. For instance, he must consider his location. If the business’s locations are in the USA, the proprietor has several options. However, if the business locations are in Canada, the proprietor has limited options. Nonetheless, in the other parts in of the world, it is sadly noting that a business proprietor has very limited options. Additionally, if the business is outside the USA or Canada, it is not recommendable for businesses to use online payments such as PayPal. Secondly, before adopting an online payment a business must consider whether it has a merchant account.  Ã‚  

SE Asia Basin History project (South China Sea Platform and South Essay

SE Asia Basin History project (South China Sea Platform and South China Ocean Basin) - Essay Example Geologically, the nearly 3.5 million square kilometers area is primarily surrounded by a series of sedimentary successions which are highly rich in petroleum resources (IHO, 1998). According to many experts, South China Sea platform and ocean basin has a complex geologic structure comprised of folded fundament dating back to the pre-Cambrian period, Indo-china period and Herynina periods. The rhomboid shaped marine basin is largely confined by crustal structure fractures, lithospheres as well as massive tectonic belts. This paper presents the history of the South China Sea basin including its stratigraphic columns and dissects as well as the history of its deposition. South China Sea basin is locacated at a junction of three major tectonics namely; the Eurasian,Pacific-philippine and the India-Australian plates. The basin lies on top of a continental self that was drowned during the ice age. According to many experts, the oceanic as well as the stretched continental crusts that are presently underlying the South China Sea basin have always experienced a series of tectonic movements since the Cenzoic times. The basin is located within the juncture area of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian and Pacific plates and the Regional Plate Tectonic events have played crucial roles to control the formation plus evolution of continental marginal basins. It is widely speculated that the basin may have been formed by underlain by continental crust before it was affected by rifting and subsequently overprinted by forearc structural setting after the initiation of subduction. For example, the evolution of the region may have been as a result of a collusion of the Eurasian and Indian plates, the northward drifting of the Australian plate as well as the westward subdution of the Pacific continental plate during the Cenozoic period as shown in figure 1 below. With regard to its crustal structure, the basement of the basin

Human biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human biology - Essay Example Changes in hormone levels can create poor oocyte quality. Controlling blood levels are also determining factors used to time oocyte retrieval and increase the number of oocytes that are retrieved (2005). The three hormones that can be tested so the best time for oocyte retrieval are LH (Luteinizing Hormone), oestradiol and progesterone. An increase of LH is an important variable as it is an indicator that ovulation has begun and that the release of an oocyte has already begun. Many times if the LH levels are high, the possibility of retrieving mature eggs may be difficult, which is why most LH surges will delay the process of IVF. Oestradiol stimulates the lining of the uterus, making it ready for the arrival of the embryo (2005). The longer the oestradiol level rises the more mature the eggs will be. The problem with measuring the oestradiol levels is that they vary from person to person. This variance can make it difficult to measure whether it is appropriate to have a high or increased oestradiol levels for four days as opposed to eleven days. Also, one level may be considered high for one person, but low for another. Progesterone developed when the presence of LH increases and when oestradiol has readied the lining of the uterus for the embryo. This means that the presence of progesterone is acceptable during the process. However, levels that are considered too high for a particular patient are an indication that the quality of the eggs are poor. 'The woman's reproductive system is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary ovarian axis'(1998). "Neurons that secrete GnRH in the preoptic and arcuate nucleus areas and stimulate the production of follicle-stimulating and LH, which can in turn create oestradiol and progesterone'(1998). The presence of follicle is an indication that eggs are being produced and possibly mature. The more follicles that are present, the higher the oestradiol levels. The advantage of stimulating follicular development increases the likelihood of pregnancy as the uterus is ready and eggs are more likely to be mature and of good quality. Multiple oocytes are likely to be also. Based on the figures present, it is clear that during normal cycles, the levels of LH, oestradiol and progesterone are affected. These hormonal levels are particularly affected by the presence of hormones. Hormonal levels are decreased with the use of certain steroids. Hormonal levels are much higher with treatments. Any hormone that stimulates ovulation is likely to increase the risk of multiple births. This is the case because ovulation inducement can create a "polyfollicular response," which increases the risk for multiple births as more than one egg is released (2004). IVF is known among the medical community to decrease the risk of unwanted multiple births. IVF is works effectively because the doctor and patient have a great amount of control over the process. IVF allows the physician to actually control the number of embryos that he/she implants. The fact that the process is so controlled increases the success rate of pregnancy even though only one embryo is implanted. REFERENCES Gemzell, Carl, 2004, Gonadotrophins and Steroid Hormones, viewed 06/13/2004, www.tylermedicalclinic.com Gleider, Norbert, August 1 2004, Limiting Embryo

Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath

Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath From 911 to Hurricane Katrina the United States government has used many of its different resources to help with the aftermath. After every event that causes panic and destruction in the United States there is always someone there to help clean it up, from large companies to the people just wanting to help. When natural disasters and hurricanes strike its takes us to long to get everything taken care of and there are too many losses of life. When it comes down to it, Its not clear if the United States is truly ready for another emergency. On August 25, 2005 hell struck the southern states of the United States. Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Florida and parts of Alabama were taken over by the massive category 5 hurricane. Hurricane Katrina formed over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005 and then crossed southern Florida as a moderate Category 1 hurricane, killing some and causing flooding there before growing and strengthening rapidly in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm weakened before making its second landfall as a Category3 storm on the morning of Monday, August 29 in southeast Louisiana. It caused severe destruction along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas, much of it due to the storm surge and then made its way towards New Orleans where the most damage was caused. As the approaching storm starting growing stronger the citizens of New Orleans we told to evacuate. Many of the citizens did but some stayed. Many of the wealthy and middle class citizens, who had a place to go and money to support them left. The lower class citizens who had no money and nowhere to go, stayed and suffered. As hurricane Katrina mad land fall the destruction started, the winds and the rain were devastating peoples homes became flooded and families were trapped inside of their home and were killed. There were almost 2,000 deaths from the Katrina, hunderds of thousands of people with out homes, water, or food were left on the streets to fight for their lives. The Super Dome played a huge role in the shelter for the people who needed it most. People fled from their unsafe homes to find a spot in the huge covered football field. Many people where inside of the dome when the storm struck, and many came to it after. When staying in the dome you had what you brought with you, a blanket and a pillow and your family. The bathrooms were overflowing and the air smelt of death. People were pushing and shoving to find a spot to sleep in the crowed unsanitary place. If you were to walk outside of the dome and around the corner you would see the bodies of the men and women who didnt make it and who could not be brought in, many of them had a piece of paper with them stating the names of their family members so that after it was all over they could be buried. People went without food and water for many days, some were stranded on top of their own homes. Cars were under water along with some homes and buildings, many people couldnt swim so that was the death of them. The flooding came from the breaking of the levees. Why did the levees break? That was the question on everyones mind. The government should have had the levees in tip top condition, but they did not last very long into the storm. It is believed that because the poor maintaining of the levees most of the things that went under water and were destroyed and killed is the governments fault. That is a questionable statement to make, but the breaking of the levees played a big role in the destruction of New Orleans. As the hurricane came to an end many people came to the rescue, the first on site were the local police and fire departments, but they were not large enough to deal with the terrible conditions. The Coast Guard arrived soon after and many other small agencies, the rescue and clean up began. As there different groups of people started it was chaos no one knew where to even start. There were people living out of the super dome who needed help but also the people stuck in their homes. As the search and rescue began so did the death toll, house by house they number just went up. During the time of Hurricane Katrina President George W. Bush was in office. When news of what had happened in southeast states he did not get on Air Force One and fly down to show his country that he was there to help, he took off to another country to do business. It took the President 12 days to make his way down to New Orleans; he never set foot on the ground though. The president overlooked the city from the comfort of his plane. On April 27th 2011 a ramped F5 tornado took over the town of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. President Obama was down there and supporting the efforts within three days. The support that the people of Alabama felt from their President was much greater then the appearance that Bush made in the air. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003. FEMA was established to â€Å"support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.† When FEMA was asked about Hurricane Katrina and what it was like down there they layed it all out on the table, they nor was anyone else fully ready to take on what had be done down there. They labeled it a disaster and a disaster is what it all was. â€Å"A disaster, it strikes anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire or a hazardous spill, an act of nature or an act of terrorism. It builds over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning. Every year, millions of Americans face disaster, and its terrifying consequences.(FEMA)† If another emergency was to happen in the United States again the government would have a lot of work to do. When FEMA was added to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security they were thought to be the group that would be able to take care of everything. They are apart of the government she they should have enough money to prepare. At the point we are in with the national debt they money flow to FEMA and all of the other companies in very limited. If and when another emergency happens there is not going to be enough to help feed the people and shelter them. People living in danger zones should also have a plan for another emergency. Such as where they would go if they needed to leave and extra money would help too. Local police and fire departments need more training and funding. The locals are the first to be there and they have to start with the aftermath and if they are not prepared for it then everything starts to slow down and people are stuck in places they will not survive in. New Orleans is still not a clean place, many people had to move from there because they were homeless and the United States government has done nothing to help rebuild home for them. Brad Pitt is donating his time and money to build families homes And even the rapper Lil Wayne has donated his money to help rebuild his home town. Still no money from the government to help out the people that need it the most. When looking at the aftermath of it all and seeing everything that was done and the things that were not done you can see some positive in it. The people of New Orleans have grown stronger and have become more aware of the levees and the problems that come with them. Local police and firefighters have works on new training methods. When President Obama was asked if we were ready to take on another emergency like Katrina he said â€Å"Yes, everyone makes mistakes, but you always get to learn from them.† When the tornado swept through Alabama you could see an improvement in the actions taken by the government. Everything happened so fast, there was a plan and that plan is still in action, there are somethings that still need work but the improvements have been made with the timing and the recovery efforts. Before doing this paper, I got the chance to watch When the Levees Broke. It was an eye opening movie. Just being able to see what the people of New Orleans was going through was un real. People lost the ones they loved and their homes. As a United States citizen I do believe that because part of New Orleans was a very poor mostly black neighborhood that many people had no interest in what the people were going through. But the main point about it is that out government is pending to much of its money overseas taking care of disasters in other countries when our country has still not recovered from our own. Is the government ready to poor their money and help into the next place that needs it. The locals can only do so much they need guidance from the big men, we just need the big men to be there.

Barbie :: miscellaneous

Barbie Good afternoon everyone. I’m Dr. Nikolovski and I’m here to talk to you about the controversial Barbie. Barbie, recently turned 40, is perhaps the most debated about child’s toy in the world. She is sold in over 150 Countries and is known to almost every child and adult worldwide. According to creator Mattel, over 93% of all Australian girls aged between 3 and 10 own at least one Barbie each, and the typical American girl of the same age has on average 9. So what does this model of ‘supposed perfection’ have to do with real life you may ask? This successful toy whom is considered to promote an unhealthy lifestyle and image, is a role model of millions of girls around the world, including you daughters. Today I am here to put you any doubts you may have to rest and to promote Barbie as a good and inspiring toy for your children to be playing with. Barbie is one of the most enduring stars in the world. She’s loved, hated, tortured, adored and disemboweled by millions. But the argument still remains, that Barbie is a bad role model for young girls. While some agree yes, I definitely believe no! Barbie has been blamed for quite a few things. Eating disorders being one them, as a result of her â€Å"anorexia-inspired† body. However it must be noted that eating disorders are proven to be a mental disease, just as something like schizophrenia. How a doll, a toy, something for girls to play with is able to be responsible for such a disease is a question I’d be curious to hear answered. Especially as the girls whom play with Barbie are those aged between 3 and 10. Barbie has been around since March 1959, and I’m yet to hear about an eating disorder directly linked with her. I believe that Barbie is an inspiration to young girls in her multiple careers. Which over the years have included things from tennis player, presidential candidate, and paleontologist to an astronaut, which was back in 1964, before there were any women astronauts. This year’s new generation millennium Barbie of 2002 is set to head off to international High School in New York. Barbie’s instant success was not from her body or looks, but clearly from what came with her. It's clear now that her ultimate success is her transformation like qualities.

Sethu Sethunarayanan

1. Explain in detail what theories and concepts you learned in class are helpful to understand the case. The case discusses an entrepreneur named Sethu Sethunarayanan, who invented and marketed an innovative trap to help poor Irula people (an Indian tribe) catch rats more efficiently. He is the founder of the Center for Development of Disadvantaged People (CDDP) – one of a few recognized non-profit organizations in India. The case is an example how technological innovation and human capital can be used to improve the life for the poor.This rat-trap entrepreneurship was a social entrepreneurship because the inventor used the resources to cater to the needs of poor people. Prior to the innovation of the new trap, Irula villagers needed to use their mouths and their hands to catch the rats directly; their health was severely affected when touching the rats. After talking to a rat-catcher’s wife, Sethu realized that there was a problem and with the instinct of an entreprene ur, he knew that there would be an opportunity for him to solve the problem and improve the lives of Irula people.With the help of a mechanical engineer, Sethu developed a new trap to help people catch rats without contacting directly to the rats and the hot area of the trap. The values created from this innovation were a better health and a better income for rat-catchers. A concept test was implemented to fifteen rat catchers to see whether it worked. This was an important process to determine whether the entrepreneur needed to revise his innovation. After six iterations in eight months, the trap met most of the needs of the rat catchers. Sethu then applied for the grant from the World Bank to commercialize the innovation.It was a good choice of raising fund since social entrepreneurships usually do not attract numerous investors (because the aim is not for profit but for a better life of people). Sethu also planned various processes for the implementation of the project. Firstly, he identified the market which consisted of 1,500 neediest villagers and communicated the benefits of the new trap directly to this segment by visiting their villages. Secondly, Sethu created more values for customers by creating the women’s microcredit funds, which operated like loans and enabled women to afford a trap.These funds helped bring the traps to more villagers. Thirdly, he chose the right people to take care of the production. Since the young and unmarried women were selected to be the workers, the men and the boys were kept for catching the rats. Finally, he already thought of the exit strategy when the demand for the traps decreased. In such a situation, the factory would produce other steel products that were useful for Irula people. 2. What were crucial factors that determined success or failure? The success of the rat trap entrepreneurship was contributed by numerous factors.Firstly, it was due to the human capital: Irula people. Although Irula young women we re illiterate, they were able to produce the traps by themselves after being instructed. Selecting these women to operate the factory was a wise strategy because it made Irula people feel proud of their tribe. These workers might also persuade and instruct their relatives and neighbors to use the traps. As a result, the customer base for the business would be enlarged. Secondly, the technology innovation was also an important factor. It was the simplicity of the trap that made it usable for Irula people, 99% of whom were illiterate.Sethu and the mechanic engineer spent eight months inventing and testing the trap before it met all the needs of the rat catchers. If the trap was more complex, Irula people could not use it and the entrepreneurship would become a failure. Thirdly, the $98,500 grant from the World Bank served as the source for Sethu to implement his business plan. The plan included many costly processes such as health checks and treatments for the beneficiaries, building factory, training employees, and production. Without the fund of the World Bank laying the foundation, Sethu might not be able to start the business.Lastly, Sethu seemed to be the first one who addressed the problem in how Irula people catch rats, so he had the first-mover advantage. In addition, it was not likely that other social entrepreneurs would come and compete with Sethu in the near future. Hence, the Irulas did not have other choices but use Sethu’s new traps if they wanted to change the way to catch rats. 3. What characteristics of the entrepreneur enabled their success? Sethu had many characteristics of an ideal social entrepreneur. Among those characteristics, the thing distinguishing him from others may be his concern for the community.Being inspired by Mahatma Gandhi – the Father of the Nation, Sethu always thought of ways to bring a better life for the poor in India. This is probably the reason why he realized the problem of the old way of catching rats of the Irulas and did not stop thinking of a solution. In addition, Sethu obtained an appropriate education and experience in doing social entrepreneurship. Sethu studied in Gandhi’s school in India, where he was instructed to use Gandhi’s method to improve lives for the poor, solve human conflicts and introduce new ideas.After graduation, he worked for an NGO to accumulate experience before establishing his own NGO in 1998. His education and experience were the foundation for his innovativeness, which contributed to the invention of the rat trap. Finally, the most vital factor leading to the success of the entrepreneurship was Sethu’s risk-taking attitude. What would happen if the trap failed when applying to a large extend even though it was successful in the concept test; or if the Irula refused to use the trap anyway?In such a situation, Sethu would lose all the costs in health checking and treatment for the rat catchers, building the factory, training the e mployees and so on. More importantly, his prestige would be adversely affected since he was awarded the grant from the World Bank but failed to use it effectively. Despite all these risks, he still continued with the business because he believed in his idea and in the Irulas. 4. What were problems encountered by the entrepreneur and how did the entrepreneur deal with the problems? How did the entrepreneur overcome the problems?When implementing the project, Sethu did face some problems. Firstly, it was the resistance from the Irula people. They refused to meet Sethu and CDDP volunteers because they think Sethu and the volunteers were from some politic parties. Knowing that Irula people wanted to involve and did not like free things, Sethu triggered their interest by approaching them personally, explaining the serious health problems with the old trap and asking them whether they wanted to change their lives. The second problem was the selection of the workers for the factories.Becau se the men and the boys needed to catch rats while the wives and the old women were taking cooking roles in families, Sethu chose young, unmarried women to be the workers. He even transferred the ownership of the factory to these women so that they felt more motivated to control the production. The third problem was that Irula people were not be able to afford the trap at $25. CDDP solved this problem by launching the women’s microcredit collectives. In particular, a group of 12-15 women contributed money to form a fund.When a woman wanted to buy a trap but could only afford 50% payment, she received the trap and paid the rest to the microcredit fund. Such a fund made the traps become more affordable for the Irulas. Perhaps the most serious problem was that the business did not bring profit, at least in the recent future. The production cost per unit was $27 ($22 for raw materials and $5 for labor) but the selling price was only $25. To deal with this problem, Sethu used boot strapping as the financing method for the entrepreneurship when he tried to save unnecessary costs. For example, he asked the Irulas to return the trap if they did not use it.In addition, Sethu’s son successfully negotiated with the supplier to lower the material cost (from $28 to $25) and the cost savings was then reinvested in the factory. 5. Given the knowledge and skills you acquired in class, would you have done anything differently and if yes, what? There may be some alternatives to deal with the mentioned problems. Firstly, we can use the power of the influential group to persuade the Irulas to use the trap. By identifying some influential people, for example the tribal chief, in a village and convincing them to use the new trap, we can spread the benefits of the new trap to other villagers faster.It is because the Irula people still live with tribe culture, they will likely to follow what the tribal chief does. Secondly, instead of selling the traps to the Irulas peop le, we can employ them as our employees and pay them salaries. The salaries will have one fixed portion and one variable portion based on the number of rats a person can catch. We will receive money from the farm owners and distribute to the catchers. By employing the Irulas as our employees, we solve the problem that some Irula people wish to use but do not afford the new trap.What is more, when putting them in a company and considering them as our employees, we also help educate them and reduce their illiteracy. 6. What would be the next steps you would take to successfully proceed? To continue the success of the entrepreneurship, firstly, we must find ways to earn money because no business can maintain forever without profit. Initially, the selling price was at $25, which was $3 lower than the production cost. We can continue working with the supplier (the steel maker company, in this case it was Tata Steel) or even change to other suppliers to further reduce the cost.On the othe r hand, we could provide new complementary products/services to earn profits and help offset the losses in the rat-trap product line. Notice that the new trap helped catch rat 95% efficiency and helped doubled or even tripled their incomes, the Irula people would earn more money to spend for their living expenses. For instance, we could provide maintaining services for the traps and charge a certain level of money, depending on the current economic situation of the rat catchers. Or it might also sell hand sanitizers for the Irula people to wash their hands after using the trap.When the Irulas’ income increased, these complementary products were likely to be purchased widely because the Irula people cared more about their health. In addition, we can work with the owners of the farms to increase the payoffs for Irula people. The old method of catching rats is extremely inefficient, affects the plants on the fields and causes pollution. We will approach the farmers explain to th em the efficiency and the benefits of the new trap, and convince them to employ rat catchers who use the new traps. Lastly, a more efficient trap can be produced.The current new trap can only catch one rat at one time, which is very inefficient. We can apply new technology to catch many rats at one time. For example, rats are affected by certain electromagnetic waves. By putting some wave generators at the fields, the rats are hurt and will come out of their burrows. Then the Irulas might catch the rats more easily. Because the costs for such systems might be high, we will need to obtain a certain level of profits before trying the new technology. Furthermore, we can also seek funds from external sources.

Tips for Salvaging Flood Damaged Photos, Papers Books

Tips for Salvaging Flood Damaged Photos, Papers Books When disasters hit, most people dont mourn the refrigerator or the couch but the loss of precious family photographs, scrapbooks, and memorabilia can be devastating. While it may seem as if theres nothing to be done when faced with piles of soggy, mud-spattered documents, pictures, and other paper items, saving at least some of them may be possible if you follow a few simple steps. How to Save Water-Damaged Photos Most printed photographs, photographic negatives, and color slides can be cleaned and air-dried using the following steps: Carefully lift the photos from the mud and dirty water. Remove them from water-logged albums and separate any that are stuck together, being careful not to rub or touch the wet emulsion of the photo surface.Gently rinse both sides of the photo in a bucket or sink filled with clear, cold water. Do not rub the photos, and change the water frequently.Time is of the essence, so as soon as you can arrange adequate space, lay each wet photo face-up on any clean blotting paper, such as a paper towel. Dont use newspapers or printed paper towels, as the ink may transfer to your wet photos. Change the blotting paper every hour or two until the photos dry. Try to dry the photos indoors if possible, as sun and wind will cause them to curl more quickly.If you dont have time to dry your damaged photos right away, rinse them to remove any mud and debris. Carefully stack the wet photos between sheets of wax paper and seal them in a zipper-type plastic bag. If possible, freeze the photos to inhibit d amage. This way, photos can be defrosted, separated, and air-dried when you have the time to do it properly. More Tips for Handling Water Damaged Photographs Try to get to flood-damaged photos within two days or they will begin to mold or stick together, making it much less likely they can be salvaged.Begin with photographs for which there are no negatives, or for which the negatives are also water damaged.Pictures in frames need to be saved when they are still soaking wet, otherwise, the photo surface will stick to the glass as it dries and you will not be able to separate them without damaging the photo emulsion. To remove a wet photo from a picture frame, keep the glass and photo together. Holding both, rinse with clear flowing water, using the water stream to gently separate the photo from the glass. Note: Some historical photographs are very sensitive to water damage and may not be recoverable. Older or valuable photographs should not be frozen without first consulting a professional conservator. You may also want to send any damaged heirloom photos to a professional photo restorer after drying. Other Paperwork Marriage licenses, birth certificates, favorite books, letters, old tax returns, and other paper-based items can usually be saved after a drenching. The key is to remove the dampness as quickly as possible, before mold  sets in. The simplest approach to salvaging water-damaged papers and books is to lay the damp items on blotting paper to absorb moisture. Paper towels are a good option, as long as you stick to the plain white ones without the fancy prints.  Avoid using newsprint since the ink may run. How to Save Water-Damaged Papers Books As with photos, most papers, documents, and  books can be cleaned and air-dried using the following steps: Carefully remove the papers from the water.If the damage is from dirty flood water, gently rinse the papers in a bucket or sink of clear, cold water. If they are especially fragile, try laying the papers on a flat surface and rinsing with a gentle spray of water.Lay the papers individually on a flat surface, out of direct sunlight. If the papers are soggy, put them in piles to dry out a bit before attempting to separate them. If space is a problem, you can string fishing line across a room and use it as you would a clothesline.Put an oscillating fan in the room where you are drying your papers to increase air circulation and speed the process.For water-logged books, the best option is to place absorbent paper between the wet pages (this is called interleaving) and then lay the books flat to dry. You dont have to place blotter paper  between  every page, just every 20-50 pages or so. Change the blotting paper every few hours.If you have wet papers or books that you just cant deal with right away, seal them in plastic zipper bags and stick them in the freezer. This helps to stop  the deterioration  of the paper and prevents mold from setting in. When cleaning up after a flood or water leak, remember that books and papers dont have to be directly in the water to suffer damage. The increased humidity is enough to trigger the growth of mold. Its important to remove books and papers from a wet location as soon as possible and move them to a location with fans and/or dehumidifiers to speed air circulation and lower humidity. After your papers and books are completely dry, they may still suffer from a residual musty smell. To combat this, place the papers in a cool, dry place for a couple of days. If the musty smell still lingers, put the books or papers in an open box and put that inside a larger, closed container with an open box of baking soda to absorb odors. Be careful not to let the baking soda touch the books, and check the box daily for mold. If your important papers or photos have developed mold and must be discarded, have them copied or digitally scanned before throwing them out.

the cost to fly today essays

the cost to fly today essays Airline pricing and demand has changed in many ways over the years. From when its infancy in 1926 passenger revenue started out at twelve cents per mile to now in 2004 it is set at fourteen and a half cents per passenger mile. It may seem that the pricing has not changed much; however, when you look at the statistics over the past eighty years, the prices have really fluctuated. Airline pricing hit its all time low in 1945 at four and a half cents per mile, and its record high is currently now in 2004 at fourteen and a half cents. There are many different factors that affect airline pricing. For example, passenger trends and habits change from year to year. The demand for travel also changes. Another price change can come from competitive ad offers. But after analyzing all of the factors, I believe that the main factor for price changes from year to year comes primarily from the airline operating costs. One may separate airline costs in to two main categories: direct operating costs and indirect operating costs. The first category to discuss is direct operating cost. Direct operating cost can be subdivided into three separate groups: flight operations, maintenance and overhaul costs, and depreciation and amortization. To begin with, flight operations include several items. First, the flight crew expenses involving salaries, traveling expenses, allowances, pensions, and insurance for the pilot make up a portion of flight operations. The wages of the flight crew also changes from year to year because of labor agreements and wage negotiations. The second item in flight operations and the most expensive direct operating cost is the use of fuel and oil to power the aircraft. The reason why fuel and oil are the most expensive is because the price of oil continues to fluctuate as well as the increasing demands of oil. The amount of fuel for any given aircraft can vary based on differe nt variables. These variables include the num...

Supply of Oil and Alternative Energy Sources in the Next few decades Essay

Supply of Oil and Alternative Energy Sources in the Next few decades - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that there has been an enormous discussion about the future of oil ever since the theories of global warming and sustainable living have emerged â€Å"Oil's very future is now being seriously questioned, debated, and challenged†. The present research has identified that Saudi Arabia has been reassuring the world about the enormity of oil reserves in the capacity of owner of the biggest oil terminal in the whole world i.e. Ras Tanura while the world has generally remained skeptical about the assertions of Saudi Arabia. The researcher states that this can partly be attributed to the fact that Saudi Arabia has generally kept the information about her oil reserves hidden and has not allowed any external audits of the same. This essay discusses that, in addition to that, Saudi Arabia has not leaked the statistics about her oil reserves and much of the information that is spread across the world today comes from predictions and estimations . The author has rightly presented that Saudi Arabia has always overestimated the supply of oil for the years to come: Naimi's [Saudi Oil Minister’s] role is to assuage a nervous market. He blames the continued run-up in prices on "speculators." And he asserts that Saudi Arabia would be able to meet the world's rising demand for years to come.   This paper illustrates that many experts find themselves between these two poles.

Critique of a Political Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Critique of a Political Speech - Essay Example As I analyzed his delivery, I noticed a disconnect between the words that were on the page and the way he was delivering them. Although a gifted orator, he lack the emotional connection that would make one believe that he not only wrote his own speech, which he probably did not, but that he actually believed in what he was asking the people and congress to believe in. President Obama came to the White House with very little known about his work experience by the public. He was only a fresh senator with only 2 years of legislative work under his belt at the time he began his presidential campaign. Even with all his political shortcomings in terms of work experience and the like, those who covered him during the campaign were all wowed by his most remarkable asset. They all agreed that he was a gifted orator who knew how to truly engage his audience and sway them towards his beliefs by the time that he came to the end of his speech. Sadly, serving as our president did not seem to culti vate that aspect of his oratorical talent. His previous American Job Act speech left many wanting, for his speech was full of words but short in substance. He began his speech with what I believe to be the most self serving opening in the history of speeches: Tonight we meet at an urgent time for our country. We continue to face an economic crisis that has left millions of our neighbors jobless, and a political crisis that has made things worse. This past week, reporters have been asking "What will this speech mean for the President? What will it mean for Congress? How will it affect their polls, and the next election?" His ethos in the previous paragraph was supposed to show us his authority over Congress and make us believe that he is in the best position to help the public interests because he understands the social situation and knows how to solve it. He is after all, the president of the country. Its penultimate leader and father to all those residing in this great land. Instea d, his opening paragraph shows us that he was thinking more about political survival more than anything else. The ethos of his speech veers more on the intrinsic side as we all know that he is not, and will never be one of those common-folk who shall be extremely affected by high gas prices, mortgage problems, or even, loss of jobs, he won't even have a dwindling 401k portfolio. He is obviously conscious of that fact as he never mentions those pressing problems faced by normal people. He chose to open his speech talking about his re-election instead. An opening which, in my honest opinion, weakened the ethos of his whole speech. His speech however, offers a strong argument in terms of pathos that the listeners and others affected by our current socio-political climate can get behind and support. He presented the following argument in support of his American Job Act Bill towards the middle part of his speech: The next election is fourteen months away. And the people who sent us here – the people who hired us to work for them – they don't have the luxury of waiting fourteen months. Some of them are living week to week; paycheck to paycheck; even day to day. They need help, and they need it now. The people who helped draft Pres. Obama's speech were very conscious of the fact that the American public is now very restless and clamoring for change and action from the government. From those who are in power right now. The speech, at