The Wall - Picture Book About A Visit to Vietnam War Memorial

The Wall - Picture Book About A Visit to Vietnam War Memorial Author Eve Bunting has a gift for writing about serious subjects in a way that makes them accessible to young children, and she has done just that in her picture book The Wall. This childrens picture book is about a father and his young sons visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Its a good book to share on Memorial Day, as well as Veterans Day and any other day of the year. The Wall by Eve Bunting: The Story A young boy and his dad have traveled all the way to Washington, DC to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They have come to find the name of the boys grandfather, his dads father. The little boy calls the memorial my grandfathers wall. As the father and son look for the grandfathers name, they meet others who are visiting the memorial, including a veteran in a wheelchair and a couple weeping while hugging one another. They see flowers, letters, flags, and a teddy bear that have been left at the wall. When they find the name, they do a rubbing and leave a school photograph of the boy on the ground below his grandfathers name. When the boy says, Its sad here, his father explains, Its a place of honor. The Books Impact This brief description does not do justice to the book. It is a poignant tale, made more so by the muted watercolor illustrations of Richard Himler. The boys obvious feelings of loss for a man he never knew, and his fathers quiet remark, He was just my age whe he was killed, really bring home the impact of war on the families whose lives have been changed by the loss of a loved one. Yet, while the father and sons visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is bittersweet, it is a comfort to them, and this, in turn, is a comfort to the reader. The Author and the Illustrator Author Eve Bunting was born in Ireland and came to the United States as a young woman. She has written more than 200 childrens books. These range from picture books to young adult books. She has written other childrens books on serious subjects, such as Fly Away Home (homelessness), Smoky Night (the Los Angeles riots) and Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust. Eve Bunting has also written numerous more lighthearted childrens books, such as Sunflower House and Flower Garden, both of which are on my Top 10 Children’s Picture Books About Gardens and Gardening list. In addition to The Wall, artist Richard Himler has illustrated a number of other books by Eve Bunting. These include Fly Away Home, A Days Work, and Train to Somewhere. Among the childrens books hes illustrated for other authors are Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and Katies Trunk. Recommendation The Wall is recommended for six- to nine-year-olds. Even if your child is an independent reader, I suggest that you use it as a read-aloud. By reading it aloud to your children, you will have the opportunity to answer any questions they may have, to reassure them, and to discuss the story and the purpose of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. You might also put this book on your list of books to read around Memorial Day and Veterans Day. (Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1990; Reading Rainbow paperback edition, 1992. ISBN: 9780395629772)

2018-19 Common Application Essay Sample for Option #3

2018-19 Common Application Essay Sample for Option #3 Jennifer wrote the essay below in response to the 2018-19  Common Application essay option #3. The prompt reads,  Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? Gym Class Hero I’m not really an athlete. I’m all for a rousing game of badminton or tennis, and I enjoy cross-country skiing and hiking, but I enjoy these activities as recreation. I don’t find enjoyment in testing my physical limits to the point of pain. I’m not competitive by nature; I rarely challenge others, or find myself face-to-face with an opponent. Except, to my surprise, if that competitor, that challenger, is simply myself. â€Å"Ok, I need some folks to run a mile,† Mr. Fox, the PE Teacher, bellowed over the 40-odd preteens loitering around the playing fields behind Lafayette Middle School. We were working through a unit on track and field events. Up to this point, I had managed to avoid participation. â€Å"It’s four times around the track. Any takers?† A couple people raised their hands and began assembling at the make-shift starting line. â€Å"Well, let’s get a few more out there,† he continued. Looking over the rest of us, he made a quick assessment and called out, â€Å"Johnson. Patterson. VanHouten. And, uh, Baxter.† I froze. Were there any other Baxters in my class? No. Only me. And, to my dismay, I heard myself saying â€Å"Ok!† as I made my way to the track, my heart already pounding, my stomach in knots, with zero confidence in myself. I couldn’t do this. Where did my doubt come from? No one ever said to me, â€Å"Oh, you can’t run a mile.† I don’t even remember any askance looks, any raised eyebrows implying I was out of my depth. Middle-schoolers can be a cruel bunch, but not that day. There was just that voice in my head, as clear as a bell: â€Å"You’ll never be able to run a mile. You can’t even climb stairs without getting winded. It’s going to hurt. You’ll probably pass out. You could never run a mile.† A whole mile? That voice was right. It was, in my mind, impossibly long. What was I going to do? I ran a mile. There was nothing else to do; I didn’t have time to question it, or come up with an excuse. Sometimes challenging a belief is as easy as just doing something. It wasn’t a conscious â€Å"I’m going to challenge this doubt and insecurity I have.† I just started running. Four laps around the track- it took me thirteen minutes. Which, as I research it now, is not particularly impressive. But at the time, I was pretty proud. For someone who never ran, I was just happy I finished. I didn’t feel great; my legs were shaky and there was something rattling around in my chest, but I had proven myself wrong. I could run a mile. Of course, I ended up throwing up about five minutes later. Even if I had new-found confidence and a sense of accomplishment, my body wasn’t quite ready for it yet. I’m sure there’s some lesson to be learned there- something about not pushing ourselves too far, too fast. About knowing and assessing our limitations. But that’s not the important moral of the story. I discovered I wasn’t always right. I learned that I was too critical of myself, too cruel, too unforgiving. Yes, I’m not going to the Olympics anytime soon. Yes, I’m not going to set any records for track. But- once I stopped telling myself no, and just got on with the task at hand, I surprised myself. And that’s something I’m carrying with me into my future: the ability to shut off those doubting voices, and sometimes just going for it. I may surprise myself by discovering I can do much more than I thought possible. Critique of "Gym Class Hero" In general, Jennifer has written a strong Common Application essay. Is there room for improvement? Of course- even the best essays can be made stronger with effort. Below youll find a discussion of some of elements of Jennifers essay that make it strong as well as some comments on areas that could use some revision.   Jennifer's Topic As the tips and strategies for option #3  state, the vagueness of the terms belief or idea allow an applicant to steer his or her essay in a wide range of directions. When asked about beliefs or ideas, most of us will immediately think in terms of politics, religion, philosophy, and ethics. Jennifers essay is refreshing in that she explores none of those things. Instead, she zeros in on something both commonplace yet remarkably important- that nagging internal voice of self-doubt that nearly everyone has experienced at one time or another.   Far too many college applicants feel that they must write about something profound, some amazing accomplishment, or some experience that is truly unique. In fact, many applicants get overly stressed because they feel they have had unremarkable lives and have nothing worth narrating in their essays. Jennifers essay is a beautiful example of the fallacy of these concerns. She writes about something millions of teens have experienced- that awkward feeling of inadequacy in gym class. But she succeeds in taking that common experience and turning it into an essay that lets us see her as a unique person.   In the end, her essay really isnt about running a 13-minute mile. Her essay is about looking inward, recognizing her sometimes paralyzing self-doubt, examining what it is that often holds her back, and ultimately growing in confidence and maturity. Those four laps around the track arent the point. What stands out is that Jennifer has learned an important lesson: to succeed, one needs to first step up and try. The lesson she learned- to stop telling herself no and just get on with the task at hand- is one that the admissions committee will admire, for it is a key to college success. Jennifer's Title, "Gym Class Hero" When the admissions staff first read Jennifers title, they are likely to have concerns. If you read the list of 10 bad essay topics, the hero essay is one of the topics applicants would be wise to avoid. As meaningful as that amazing touchdown or game-winning home run may have been to the applicant, the admissions folks are tired of reading essays about these moments of athletic heroism. The essays tend to all sound the same, too many applicants write that essay, and the essays are all too often more about gloating than self-analysis and introspection. Thus, the title Gym Class Hero could immediately have the reader in the admissions office thinking,  This tired essay. Here we go again.  But the reality of the essay turned out to be something quite different. We quickly learn that Jennifer is no athlete, and her essay is not about heroism in any typical sense of the word. On one level, the title is ironic. A 13-minute mile is certainly not athletic heroism. Or is it? The beauty of Jennifers title is that she takes the overused word hero and recasts it so that it is something internal, a sense of personal accomplishment that few people outside of herself would see as heroic. In short, there is a slight danger in Jennifers title. Its quite possible shell evoke an initial reaction from the admissions officers, and it may not be a wise strategy to have a title that is going to shut down her readers before they even begin the essay. On the flip side, the beauty of Jennifers essay is the way that it redefines the concept of the hero. There are plenty of strategies for writing a good title, and Jennifer could certainly take a safer approach. At the same time, the play on that word hero is so central to the essay something important would be lost with a different title. The Length Common Application essays need to be between 250 and 650 words. Youll hear different opinions on length from different counselors, but theres no denying that much more can be accomplished in an engaging 600-word essay than a well written 300-word essay. The ideal college application length depends on the writer and the topic, but going too short is often a lost opportunity to highlight who you are beyond your grades and test scores. Always keep in mind why the college wants an essay in the first place: the school has holistic admissions and wants to get to know you as an individual. The school will know you better if you say more. Jennifers essay comes in at 606 words, and they are 606 good words. Theres little deadwood, repetition, or other problems of style. She tells an engaging story without digression or unnecessary detail. A Final Word Jennifer is not going to win an athletic scholarship, and no college is going to recruit her for her 13-minute mile. Her essay is not without minor flaws (for example, she uses the word enjoy three times in the first three sentences). But anyone who reads her essay will admire both her writing ability and her ability to look inward, analyze, and grow from an awkward moment in gym class. The big test of an admissions essay is whether or not it answers a couple key questions for the admissions folks: Does the essay help us know the applicant better? Does the applicant seem like someone who we want to invite to share our academic community, and is she likely to contribute to our community in meaningful ways? In Jennifers case, the answer to these questions is yes. Jennifers essay isnt typical of responses to option #3, and the reality is that she could have submitted this same essay under some of the other options. Gym Class Hero would work for option #2 on facing a challenge. It could also work for option #5 on an accomplishment that sparked personal growth. Be sure to look carefully at the tips and strategies for all seven of the Common Application essay options to figure out which would be the best match for your own essay. In the end, however, it wouldnt really matter if Jennifer submitted her essay under #2, #3, or #5. Each is appropriate, and the quality of the essay is what most matters.

Marketing case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing - Case Study Example After the presentation of a memo, an executive summary is expected. This refers to the official response that complies with the memo. In our case, we shall consider the response of SM. Keith Nyamekecho who is the example in our case study.  The issue is about expansion of computer services in their company in order to meet the increasing customer demands.  The clients identified a strategy of opening more branches all over the nation as a way of expanding as distributing their services, making them available to all the customers over the United States of America. This expansion required them to purchase more computers. The reason as to why they chose my company is because of the quality products. The price of the company is also customer friendly and delivery done on time, with good customer relations. Us. TELCON.NETWORKS believes in quality service. They probably considered my company because I also offer quality products that will enable them to meet the customer goals and sust ain the customer needs.   Upon the agreement on the price and date of supply, I delivered the ordered type of computers –50 PC computes Intel XP 608 at $1350 each and 50 PC computers Samsung CtL-973 at $1520 each. There was no negotiation of the price since before the drafting of the memo, Us. TELCON.NETWORKS had already made a research on the exact price of which I offer the specific computers.  The types of computers I offer in sell in my company are among the most modern that can be used in all types of business.

To investigate various aspects of the design and construction of a Assignment

To investigate various aspects of the design and construction of a major civil engineering project that has taken place in the last few years - Assignment Example Skidmore, Merrill and Owings performed the tasks of the engineering and architecture. Other roles in the construction process included the chief structural engineer performed by Bill Baker, Adrian Smith was the chief architect and Samsung C & T being the primary contractor (10, 11,12). The construction division of Al Ghurair Investment carried the tower construction activities (14, 13). The design of the tower was based on the idea that it was to be the centrepiece of a wide scale development. The initial plan stipulated that the development would have several functions. The building is designed to to encompass thirty thousand homes, at least nineteen residential towers, nine holes, the Burj Khalifa man-made lake and the great Dubai Mall. The additional constructions and structure around the building offered alternative solutions to the needs that would not be met by the building. The primary decision to build the structure relied on the government decision towards diversification. It is observed that the government wanted to diversify from dependence on the oil to service and tourism sector. It is evident that the construction of Burj Khalifa has led to a lot of international recognition. The outcome of such recognitions is increased investment from both the local and international community. The building has put Dubai on the map due to the sensations it creates. The design process was carried out by Merrill, Skidmore and Owings. The architects have also designed other leading structure such as the Willis Tower and the New Yorks World Trade Centre. The structure takes the application of the bundled tube design (37, 38). The building is a reminiscence of the Vision for Illinois, the Frank Lloyd Wright design, designed for Chicago. Initially, Burj Kalifa was designed based on the tower place Tree building with its seventy-three floors. Additionally, the initial plan had it that the building should solely be used for residential purposes. Subsequent

Medical Records and Privacy of the Famous Essay Example for Free

Medical Records and Privacy of the Famous Essay Medical Records and Privacy of the Famous Privacy seems to be something that many people desire, but is becoming less and less available. With all the new technology, it is easier than ever to invade someone’s privacy. With cameras everywhere, from ATM’s to people’s cell phones, it is difficult for anyone to do anything that can be kept to one ’s self. While privacy is a right that the average person doesn’t normally struggle with, it is a problem that celebrities encounter everyday. Paparazzi are constantly following these famous people around as they do their everyday things like shopping, playing with their children, partying, or simply hanging in their homes. It is basically the price to pay to be famous. While these celebrities’ lives are invaded to a large degree, shouldn’t they still enjoy the right to keep some aspects of their lives private? Celebrities should have the right to keep things like medical records private, because not only is it a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), it is unethical to release medical information about someone to the public, even celebrities. In recent years, there have been a number of break-ins of celebrity medical records that have been leaked to the tabloids. In 2006 one of the country’s leading medical institutions discovered that the security of their medical records had been breached when The National Enquirer printed a story about Farrah Faucet’s cancer relapse, before the actress even told any of her family members† (Steinhaurer, 2008). Ms. Faucet is not the only celebrity who has had this happen. In 2007, George Clooney was informed that his medical records were accessed by people who didn’t have the right to look at them, following a motorcycle crash that left the actor with broken ribs and scrapes. Britney Spears was also a victim when the media reported that she was involuntarily hospitalized in 2008 and put in the psych ward under the thought she could be a danger to others or herself. Gossip outlets and other news media reported on her interactions with staff and visitors throughout her hospitalization (Techweb, 2008). These are incidents that have occurred for many years, as tabloids are always interested in the medical issues celebrities deal with, and keeping it under wraps is more difficult with technology making it easier for anyone to gain instant access to health secrets. â€Å"With the advent of networked computers, the problem has increased exponentially, and celebrities are constantly surrounded by people who are willing to trade in medical information for profit or their own 15 minutes† (Blankstein, 2008). While the people who accessed the records of these celebrities and leaked the stories are definitely at fault, I think that much of the blame also lies with the reporters and journalists who actually print and air the stories. The press is violating privacy by releasing these stories in two ways, legally and ethically. â€Å"Medical privacy rules apply to everybody, including celebrities,† Alicia Mitchell, spokesperson for the American Hospital Association said. â€Å"Everybody is entitled to confidentiality of what is often very personal information† (Rhea, 2007). By printing the very private medical information, there was a violation of HIPPA. HIPPA is an act that went into effect in 1996 and it set a national standard for securing and protecting patient health information. Hospitals have strict policies against leaking information, with the exceptions of insurance and law enforcement investigations. Because of this law, many health care providers won’t even admit to treating some patients (Techweb, 2008). While the people who leaked the stories to the press have been reprimanded by either suspension or termination, there wasn’t any type of consequences for the press for reporting this illegal material. That brings me to the ethical violation. â€Å"Depriving people of their privacy is a cruel and immoral act, which could destroy their lives. The sole objective of tabloids is to make money, so they’ll go to any extreme to satisfy their readers and increase circulation figures† (Heng, 2006). It is obvious that celebrity news is an outlet that sells, as seen by the numerous tabloids and entertainment shows. The public has an interest in what is going on in the lives of these rich and glamorous people. This brings on a form of mediated voyeurism, which can be defined as, â€Å"the consumption of revealing images and information about others’ real and unguarded lives, not always for the purpose of entertainment but frequently at the expense of privacy and discourse, through the means of the mass media† (Calvert, 2000). Basically saying that the public has a need to see these famous people and learn about their lives, even at the risk of invading their privacy. The tabloids simply exploit the public’s desire to learn these things, regardless of the ethical issues of invading a human being’s privacy. They know people will buy it and that they will make money. I think that to be an ethical journalist it is important to empathize with the person whose life is about to be splashed on the papers. Of course there is the matter of getting the story and pleasing the readers and the editor, but it should take into account the public’s real right to know. A story about the health of someone like the President of the United States might be something worth printing, because knowing how he is medically is of public interest because this is a man that is running the country. However, that is a different scenario with someone like Britney Spears. She is simply an entertainer and it isn’t important for the public to know her health because it will not affect the daily lives of people. It is simply news that the public likes to learn about. If I were a journalist, I would like to think to myself how I would feel if someone had released my medical records for the public to read. I would feel very violated. As Lance Morrow states, â€Å"Good journalistic standards are not difficult to state, just tough sometimes when applied case by case. Journalists function best when they are mature, experienced, and intelligent; when they keep their work as clear and simple as possible; when they fall back upon decency and common sense if questions arise about whether to run a piece† (Morrow, 2002). If these people were true journalists, they would think ethically about whether or not to release this type of information, and whether or not it is simply the decent thing to do. I would think that it would be an easy answer because, just because someone is famous, doesn’t mean that all of their privacy rights should be violated.

Hysteresis :: essays research papers

Aim: To investigate the pattern in the amount by which a hanging piece of elastic stretches when a load force is applied and the amount by which the stretch is reduced when the load is removed. Aim (in simpler terms): To determine the relationship between the force on a rubber band and its stretch, both during extension and retraction. Hypothesis: Not required. Method 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hang a piece of elastic on a clamp stand. Ensure the elastic is new. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clamp a ruler using the clamp stand. Ensuring the markings on the ruler is as close to the elastic as possible. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Draw a diagram 3) Measure the length of the elastic and record the data. 4) Hang masses on the elastic until it reaches it point of irreversible distortion. Take note of this weight; do not hang more than this weight in the experiment. 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Add a weight of 100N (change appropriately). Wait for a few seconds for the system to â€Å"stabilise†. Measure the length of the elastic and record the data. Special care must be taken to ensure that when the mass is added the elastic should not retract. 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Add more weights, till the total weight is close to its point of irreversible distortion or till there are no more weights. 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Remove the weights one by one. Wait a couple of seconds for the system to â€Å"stabilise†. Measure the length of the elastic and record the data. Ensure that when the mass is removed the elastic should not be allowed to stretch further. 8)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Repeat, till there is no more mass on the elastic. Measure the length of the elastic. Equipment Elastic Clamp stand Ruler Different weights or a weight hanger Variables Independent: Mass hung on elastic Dependant: Length that the elastic extends or retracts. Controlled: Same conditions – thus the behaviour of the elastic is constant   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Same equipment Results Force (N)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Length of elastic (m)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Length that elastic was stretched   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During extension  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During retraction  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For extension  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For retraction 0  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.2 100  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.5  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.5  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.4 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   900  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ..  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ..  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1000  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ..  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ..  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Note: To find the length that the elastic was stretched. Simple subtract the value â€Å"During extension† by the original length of elastic. Then write the result in the column â€Å"For extension† for the appropriate weight. Repeat for retraction. Construct a graph of this data. For ease of data interpretation, graph force on y axis and length that elastic was stretched (that is the column â€Å"For extension† and â€Å"For retraction) on x axis. Also possible to have intervals of 0.98 N on y axis so that value of mass in grams can be plotted accurately (assuming g=9.8 m/s^2) Plot the points and draw a smooth curve.

The National Development Plan

What is South Africa going to look like come 2030! One must understand that our country is not run on instant decisions and spur of the moment choices, but by planning and dedication to making the lives of South African people a much more pleasant journey. Some believe that planning and dedication do not exist in the government today one cannot justify or overrule this statement by simply watching on the surface! Good day to one and all my aim for today is to educate and inform you about the NDP (National Development Plan).Recently meetings regarding such plans were held in Cape Town and the plans for our beloved Country from 2013 to 2030 have already been finalised. I assure you the information I share with you today is not only legit but accurate and important! The NDP is an outline of the plans the government has for our country in these plans we see the direction that our country will take, whether South Africa will see brighter or questionable future in the days ahead. The visio n statement set out by our government is long and promising but as the question arises in all our minds will our government deliver on their promises and plans.In the vision statement many issues are touched on, issues like how we arrived at our first democratic election, how far we have come from the time of that election, how communities should communicate and how the people of South Africa should hold up their flags proudly because they believe in their country! They speak about economic freedom and how we will all live better lives, lives that are enriched by the fruits of our labour and how we will benefit from our effort put into our beautiful country.You may say our government has been promising and not delivering for a very long time but I say to you look at how far we have come at how much we have grown, if not for changes and disputes our country would not have matured we would have not had the opportunity to say as a country and a nation as a family that we have made it t his far and we are going even further. â€Å"It’s our future Make it Work, South Africa belongs to its entire people. We, the people, belong to one another. We live as a rainbow. Our homes, neighbourhoods, villages, towns, and cities are safe and filled with laughter. Through our institutions, we order our lives.The faces of our children tell of the future we have crafted† – that is the extract from the overview of the NDP. In short the government promises us a blissful life, one without interruptions and problems. The national Development Plan aims to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030. South Africa can realise these goals by drawing on the energies of its people. President Jacob Zuma appointed the National Planning Commission in May 2010 to draft a vision and NDP. The commission is an advisory body consisting of 26 people drawn largely from outside areas due to their experience in their fields.The report from June 2011 had found major short coming s and failure to implement policies as well as an absence of broad partnership as the main reasons for slow progress, and set out nine primary challenges: 1. Too few people work 2. The quality of school education for black people is poor 3. Infrastructure is poorly located, in adequate and under-maintained 4. Space divided by the difficulties experienced in infrastructure and development 5. The economy is unsustainably resource intensive 6. The public health system cannot meet demand or sustain quality 7. public services are uneven and often of poor quality . corruption levels are high 9. South Africa remains a divided society Some estimated facts the government expect in future: †¢ Increase employment from 13 million in 2010 to 24 million in 2030. †¢ Raise per capita income from R50 000 in 2010 to R120 000 by 2030. †¢ Increase the share of national income of the bottom 40 percent from 6 percent to 10 percent. †¢ Establish a competitive base of infrastructure, hu man resources and regulatory frameworks. †¢ Ensure that skilled, technical, professional and managerial posts better reflect the country's racial, gender and disability makeup. Broaden ownership of assets to historically disadvantaged groups. †¢ Increase the quality of education so that all children have at least two years of preschool education and all children in grade 3 can read and write. †¢ Provide affordable access to quality health care while promoting health and wellbeing. †¢ Establish effective, safe and affordable public transport. †¢ Produce sufficient energy to support industry at competitive prices, ensuring access for poor households, while reducing carbon emissions per unit of power by about one-third. Ensure that all South Africans have access to clean running water in their homes. †¢ Make high-speed broadband internet universally available at competitive prices. †¢ Realise a food trade surplus, with one-third produced by small-scal e farmers or households. †¢ Ensure household food and nutrition security. †¢ Entrench a social security system covering all working people, with social protection for the poor and other groups in need, such as children and people with disabilities. †¢ Realise a developmental, capable and ethical state that treats citizens with dignity. Ensure that all people live safely, with an independent and fair criminal justice system. †¢ Broaden social cohesion and unity while redressing the inequities of the past. †¢ Play a leading role in continental development, economic integration and human rights. As we now know, our Leaders have made promises that we can only hope and pray they keep to. Latching onto the leadership so that South Africa will become a nation without fault but a stronger unit an unbreakable family and it all starts with you!!!

Healthsouth Accounting Scandal

HealthSouth Accounting Scandal HealthSouth is the one of the largest providers of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services in the U. S. HealthSouth is fully operational in 26 states across the United States and also in Puerto Rico. HealthSouth serves patients in various settings such as; inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation satellite clinics and home health agencies. HealthSouth’s hospitals are able to provide an advanced care to patients that are recovering from neurological disorders, orthopedic, cardiac and pulmonary conditions, spinal cord injury, and amputations.HealthSouth’s corporate is office is located at 3660 Grandview Parkway Suite 200, Birmingham, Alabama 35243. The company employs around 26,000 people. The company is listed as an Industry Healthcare Facilities. The symbol used by HealthSouth is HLS. The SIC code is 8060-Hospitals. (http://investor. healthsouth. com/) Richard Scrushy the founder of HealthSouth was at one time described by Steve Barnes of the AP as a self-made son of the new South, a former teenage parent who hauled himself up from a menial job to become the emperor of the new economy.The problem was that the emperor of HealthSouth that he was describing would be later dethroned by an accounting scandal that would involve lies, bribery, and mail fraud, and deceit, prison time for several individuals, obstruction of justice and auctions. Richard Marin Scrushy was born in August 1952 in Selma Alabama. Richard grew up attending the Methodist church. Like any teenager he held several jobs. He attended Jefferson State Community College and became a Respiratory Therapist after studying at University of Alabama in Birmingham. Scrushy transferred to St.Louis, Missouri, then was promoted to the regional director of the respiratory therapy division of Lifemark Corporation. He then moved to Houston, Texas, and advanced in the company to the company’s COO. In 1984, Scrushy realized his dream of creating a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility and founded Amcare in Little Rock, Arkansas. Amcare’s new name was HealthSouth. HealthSouth started trading publicly in 1986. (www. biography. com/articles/Richard-Scrushy-235385) Richard Scrushy and some of his closest friends founded HealthSouth in 1984.The company was formed and had growth in mind from the beginning. The founding members had a plan for growth. By the end of 1987, after expanding into worker’s compensation and sports medicine, HealthSouth has doubled its revenues and had nearly $100 million in assets. By 2001, HealthSouth had more than $4. 3 billion in revenue and treated more than 100,000 patients a day around the world. The company had 60,000 employees and more than 2000 locations across the country. To accomplish the task of expansion HealthSouth opted to take over other companies with financial issues.In 2003 the company HealthSouth, the largest U. S. opera tor of rehabilitation-hospitals, was under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U. S. Justice Department for overstating earnings by $2. 5 billion since 1999. In 2003, HealthSouth CEO Richard M. Scrushy directed company employees to falsely report grossly exaggerated company earnings in order to meet stock holder expectations. HealthSouth had been dishonest about its income. Richard Scrushy the HealthSouth executive was one of the first executives to be charged under the Sarbanes Oxley Act.In all a total of fifteen HealthSouth employees, including all five of the former chief financial officers, pleaded guilty to criminal charges. However the former CEO Richard Scrushy refused to admit any wrong doing involving HealthSouth. When HealthSouth requested that Scrushy resign he refused to honor the request. (www. washingtonpost. com) On October 16, 2003, Richard Scrushy flat out refused to testify before congress in a hearing. He angered lawmakers that said Scr ushy had been at the center of an organization HealthSouth whose employees were intimidated and at times threatened if they challenged his authority.Then on November 4, 2011, Mr. Richard Scrushy the ousted leader of HealthSouth was indicted on charges that he directed a $2. 7 billion fraud which designed to inflate the company’s stock prices to fund his super-luxurious lifestyle. Mr. Scrushy had purchased items like a Lamborghini, a 92-foot yacht, a private jet, paintings by Renior as well as Picasso, and a mansion surrounded by water. Next a Delaware judge on November 23, 2003, ordered Scrushy to repay $25 million in loans that he obtained from the company in 1999.When you look at his salary in 2002, it included 3 million in salary, 10 million in bonus pay, and 99. 3 million in stock sales. It should not have been difficult for him to pay the $25 million he was ordered to repay from 1999. From 1996 through 2002 it was later discovered by the government that HealthSouth had r eported 2. 74 billion in phony profits. In January 2004 the lawyers representing the former HealthSouth Corp. chief Richard Scrushy filed court motions that posed questions about the ability of the grand jury’s fairness.The grand jury that had indicted Scrushy and demanded additional information from prosecutors was under attack. Meanwhile, in July of 2004 a grand jury indicted two of the former HealthSouth Corp executives Robert Thomson and James Reilly both for a bribery scheme that included the company’s $50 million contract to run a hospital in the country of Saudi Arabia. September 28, 2004, Prosecutors said that the government would not seek additional prison time for former HealthSouth Corp. assistant controller Emery Harris who was resentenced after serving five months for fraud.On September 29, 2004, Federal prosecutors made an announcement about obstruction-of justice charges against HealthSouth’s Corp. founder Richard Scrushy. Scrushy was accused deli berately lying to regulators and urging subordinate to lie to support his story while using his position of power to intimidate them. The former chief HealthSouth scandal did not slow Richard Scrushy down at all. He continued to live the larger than lifestyle that he had become accustomed to before HealthSouth’s fortunes plunged. His larger than life persona follows him everywhere and he definitely acted the part.While his employees pleaded guilty to various fraud charges and their assets were being seized under federal forfeiture laws Scrushy continued to think of only himself. (www. nytimes. com/2003/09/26/business/healthsouth-scandal. com) The case against HealthSouth Corp. founder Richard Scrushy collapsed in June 2005 under the weight of the personal baggage carried by key witnesses and the â€Å"smoking guns† the prosecutor. In Birmingham, Alabama, on June 28, 2005, after only 21 days of deliberation, the jury of men and women cleared Mr. Scrushy of all 36 crimin al charges of which he was tried.The charges included conspiracy, securities fraud, mail fraud and a single charge under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was a statue Congress enacted to force companies to strengthen their internal controls and mandate penalties for CEOs and finance chiefs that sign false financial filings. The verdict handed the government down a defeat in its high profile campaign against corporate corruption and its first attempt to try to convict a CEO for violating the Sarbanes-Oxley which were both huge failures. Four months later he was indicted on new charges of bribery and mail fraud in connection ith former Alabama governor Don Siegelman. Scrushy was accused of donating $500,000 to Seigleman’s campaign in exchange for a seat on a state hospital regulatory board. Both Scrushy and Seigleman were convicted on multiple charges, including bribery, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice. Both men received sentences of close to seven years in federal prison. (www. biography. com/articles/Richard-Scrushy-235385 ) The accounting scandal was described by Securities and Exchange Commission that since 1999 the company and its profit statements were overstated by $2. 5 billion since 1997 according to the wall street journal.To boost profits HealthSouth executives overbooked certain revenue accounts that later â€Å"bled out† into revenue, according to the journal story. Scrushy was accused of insider trading and was fired as HealthSouth’s chairman and CEO. In 2009, Scrushy was ordered to pay HealthSouth shareholders $2. 9 billion to settle a civil suit. Scrushy is presently serving his imposed sentence at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas. (www. biography. com/articles/Richard-Scrushy-235385 ) He is 58 years old and is scheduled to be released from prison on 06-08-2013. He will be 60 years old when he is released from prison.He is still married to his wife Leslie Ann Jones. He has nine children and several grandchildren. He was sued and his personal items were auction off to pay judgments ordered by the court against him. Other people that worked with him at HealthSouth admitted guilt and were sentenced to prison while Scrushy maintained his innocence. He is not serving time in prison for his accounting scandal but for charges that stemmed from him trying to purchase a seat on the state hospital regulatory board. I guess his story really is about an average guy going rags to riches becoming greedy and power obsessed then going to prison for several years.The wake of destruction from the HealthSouth accounting scandal not only affected Scrushy but the employees that served prison time and their families. Later even the Governor of Alabama was influenced by the former HealthSouth executive and also served time in prison. HealthSouth continues to operate today. It is The company that was started by Scrushy was not destroyed by the scandal. The HealthSouth headquarte rs is still located in Alabama. The influence that comes with money and power is something that is really obvious in this story.Scrushy was able to influence his employees into reporting false financial information by grossly exaggerating company earnings in order to manipulate stockholders into thinking that HealthSouth had met their expectations and he was able to manipulate the governor of Alabama into allowing him a seat on the state hospital regulatory board. Richard Scrushy committed accounting scandal that would involve lies by directing employees to file false financial information in order to deceive stockholder about earnings, bribery, mail fraud, prison time for several individuals employed by HealthSouth.His destructive behavior continued and later included the governor of Alabama going to prison with Scrushy. Scrushy was one man that built a mega successful business. Although the business was not destroyed by the founder during his quest for power some of the people had their lives forever altered by his decisions. Richard Scrushy directed his staff to file phony profits totaling 2. 7 billion. He then denied directing his staff to report false profits. He was acquitted of 36 charges related to HealthSouth fraud but others admitted guilt and served time in prison for the crimes.Scrushy was sued and forced to auction off his assets to pay restitution. He later attempted to buy a seat on the hospital board for the state of Alabama for $500,000 and was tried and sent to prison for 7 years. The HealthSouth case is interesting because it has negative stock holder equity. The return on common stock for HealthSouth Consolidated was -28. 63% and the debt to equity ratio are negative as well. The total asset turnover in 2010 was 94. 29% yet the company continues to operate. The Net income in 2010 was 939. 8 million.Perhaps the preferred stock is being paid large amounts so the common shares of stock would get nothing. I wonder if any of the Scrushy family h as preferred stock left in HealthSouth since he was the founder. Scrushy went from being a healthcare worker to the owner of HealthSouth then to prison for bribery instead of any charges stemming from his wrong doing at HealthSouth. In summary, Richard Scrushy had odd jobs as a teenager; he later went to college to become a Respiratory Therapist. He went to work for Lifemark Corporation. He climbed his way through the ranks.He later decided to start his own company which is now known as Amcare that later changed its name to HealthSouth. HealthSouth was a successful company. The company made lots of money. The company made Scrushy a very wealthy man. His life story is story was one from rags to riches. He was married a total of three times and has several children. He became a very influential man in Alabama. He is still married to his third wife whom he met while a Bahaman vacation. Richard Scrushy thought he was above the law. Scrushy thought he was untouchable.He never admitted gu ilt for his part in the HealthSouth Accounting Scandal nor did he serve any prison time for it. He was required to auction off items as ordered by the court to pay restitution. The HealthSouth Accounting Scandal could have been avoided if the person that started the company Richard Scrushy had not directed company employees to falsely report grossly exaggerated company earnings in order to meet stock holder expectations. It is my opinion that he should have reported the corrected information and the chain of events that followed would not have occurred.If he made the decision to report the correct information then his HealthSouth employees would not have been sentenced to prison and his company could have sustained a loss. HealthSouth remains open at its stock is trading at about $24-26 dollars a share. Works Cited â€Å"Richard Scrushy Biography – Biography. com. † Biography. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. . â€Å"Richard Scrushy Biography – Biography. com. † Biography. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. . â€Å"HealthSouth Corporation – Investor Overview. HealthSouth Corporation – Investor Overview. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. . KOLATA, GINA. â€Å"Health News – The New York Times. † The New York Times – Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. N. p. , n. d. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. . â€Å"The Washington Post: National, World & D. C. Area News and Headlines – washingtonpost. com. † The Washington Post: National, World & D. C. Area News and Headlines – washingtonpost. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. .

Parallel Structure Exercises

Parallel Structure Exercises Parallel Structure Exercises Parallel Structure Exercises By Mark Nichol Previous posts on this website have discussed syntactical errors that result in a lack of grammatical balance between equivalent words and phrases; this post lists the various types of mistakes that lead to flawed parallel structure. You are invited to fix each sentence before reading the explanation. Absence of One Word Most sentences with faulty parallel structure merely lack one word that, once added, repairs the damaged equivalence. The multiple examples in this section illustrate an array of problematic sentence constructions. 1. More diverse corporate leadership will lead to better decision-making and products and services that are more relevant to customers. The adjective better refers only to decision-making, not to products and services, which share a distinct phrase that, like better, qualifies a benefit; inserting to before those terms to match the preposition preceding â€Å"better decision-making† clarifies that the sentence has a compound predicate: â€Å"More diverse corporate leadership will lead to better decision-making and to products and services that are more relevant to customers.† This problem also occurs in sentences that feature an in-line list (a succession of equivalent words or phrases, set off by identical punctuation marks, that appear within the horizontal structure of a sentence rather than being formatted vertically, like items on a shopping list). Often, a compound predicate is mistaken for an in-line list, which requires insertion of a supporting conjunction and deletion of an intrusive punctuation mark. 2. Crowds fled in panic, taking shelter in shops, hotels, or leaping off the elevated pavement onto the beach below. This sentence is formatted as a list, implying that people employed one of three methods to escape danger- resorting to shops, hotels, or the beach. However, only two survival strategies were employed: taking shelter in one of two types of business establishments, or leaping onto the beach. The sentence, therefore, must be slightly revised to refer collectively to shops and hotels as two examples of the implied category â€Å"structures in which to seek refuge†: â€Å"Crowds fled in panic, taking shelter in shops or hotels or leaping off the elevated pavement onto the beach below.† 3. The contraception app has become a popular alternative because it doesnt involve taking any medicines, inserting devices, or hormone patches. Here, the three alternative contraception methods must be treated with the same structural support- because verbs accompany medicines and devices, â€Å"hormone patches† requires equivalent treatment: â€Å"The contraception app has become a popular alternative because it doesnt involve taking any medicines, inserting devices, or using hormone patches.† 4. Those complaints ranged from water dripping from ceilings and walls, gas leaks, electrical shorts, and stopped-up toilet bowls- or no toilet bowls at all. Often, a â€Å"from . . . to† construction is flawed because in the assembly, to has been omitted, but it is required to complete the equivalence: â€Å"Those complaints ranged from water dripping from ceilings and walls to gas leaks, electrical shorts, and stopped-up toilet bowls- or no toilet bowls at all.† (Note that no punctuation interrupts the from . . . to continuum; this is true even if to is employed more than once.) Better yet, however, when the order of words or phrases in the list does not obviously express an ascending significance, employ a simple list structure that omits from and to: â€Å"Those complaints included water dripping from ceilings and walls, gas leaks, electrical shorts, and stopped-up toilet bowls- or no toilet bowls at all.† Incorrect Word Order The sequence of words, rather than an absence of words, can impede logical syntax. 5. Employers frequently have resource needs, both as part of digital-transformation initiatives and other projects. â€Å"As part of† applies only to â€Å"digital-transformation initiatives,† not to the corresponding phrase â€Å"other projects,† so â€Å"as part of† must be repeated before the latter phrase: â€Å"Employers frequently have resource needs, both as part of digital-transformation initiatives and as part of other projects.† Better yet, simply transpose both and â€Å"as part of† so that the phrase applies to both corresponding phrases: â€Å"Employers frequently have resource needs, as part of both digital-transformation initiatives and other projects.† Absence of One Word and Incorrect Word Order Sometimes, a sentence is flawed in both respects. 6. The cynic in me believes it’s rarely done for aesthetic reasons but for strictly commercial ones. This sentence requires a counterpoint to rarely, and because that adverb and its opposite must share the verb done, the verb must precede both adverbs: â€Å"The cynic in me believes it’s done rarely for aesthetic reasons but often for strictly commercial ones.† Insertion of Extraneous Word Here, a superfluous repetition of a preposition disrupts a sentence’s parallel structure. 7. These processes can be used to evaluate internal controls to prevent and detect drug diversion in inpatient and outpatient pharmacies, research facilities, and in clinical and procedural areas. Repeating the preposition in before each example of a place where drug diversion can occur is a valid (but unnecessary) alternative to allowing a single iteration to support the entire list, but this sentence is flawed in that it does not succeed in applying either choice- either â€Å"research facilities† must be preceded by in, or, as shown here, the instance of the preposition before the final list item can be omitted: â€Å"These processes can be used to evaluate internal controls to prevent and detect drug diversion in inpatient and outpatient pharmacies, research facilities, and clinical and procedural areas.† Incorrect Inflectional Form Occasionally, the error is the wrong inflectional form of a word, rather than omission of a necessary word or insertion of an extraneous one. 8. It has chosen to reach settlements rather than levying civil monetary penalties in all but the rarest of cases. Here, to match the bare inflectional form reach, levying must be pared down to levy: â€Å"It has chosen to reach settlements rather than levy civil monetary penalties in all but the rarest of cases.† Misuse of â€Å"As Well As† The phrase â€Å"as well as† is often misunderstood to be a conjunction. 9. This type of assessment helps further inform management’s overall risk tolerance, target fit, valuation assessments, as well as the overall strength of the target. â€Å"As well as† is not equivalent to and or or, so when the last item of an in-line list is preceded by that phrase, rephrase the sentence so that â€Å"as well as† and what follows constitute a clause separate from the list (and insert a conjunction before what is now the final list item): â€Å"This type of assessment helps further inform management’s overall risk tolerance, target fit, and valuation assessments, as well as aiding in measuring the overall strength of the target.† Alternatively, do so but replace â€Å"as well as† with an additional conjunction (â€Å"This type of assessment helps further inform management’s overall risk tolerance, target fit, and valuation assessments and aids in measuring the overall strength of the target†) or incorporate the clause into the list (â€Å"This type of assessment helps further inform management’s overall risk tolerance, target fit, valuation assessments, and measure of the t arget’s overall strength†). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"â€Å"As Well As† Does Not Mean â€Å"And†Dealing With A Character's Internal Thoughts

Biography of Dom Pedro I, First Emperor of Brazil

Biography of Dom Pedro I, First Emperor of Brazil Dom Pedro I (October 12, 1798–September 24, 1834) was the first Emperor of Brazil and was also Dom Pedro IV, King of Portugal. He is best remembered as the man who declared Brazil independent from Portugal in 1822. He set himself up as Emperor of Brazil but returned to Portugal to claim the crown after his father died, abdicating Brazil in favor of his young son Pedro II. He died young in 1834 at the age of 35. Fast Facts: Dom Pedro I Known For: Declaring Brazils independence and serving as emperorAlso Known As: Pedro de Alcà ¢ntara Francisco Antà ³nio Joo Carlos Xavier de Paula Miguel Rafael Joaquim Josà © Gonzaga Pascoal Cipriano Serafim, The Liberator, The Soldier KingBorn: October 12, 1798 in the  Queluz Royal Palace  near  Lisbon,  PortugalParents: Prince Dom Joo (later King Dom  Joo  VI), Doà ±a  Carlota JoaquinaDied: September 24, 1834  at Queluz Palace, Lisbon, PortugalAwards and Honors:  Multiple Brazilian and Portuguese titles and honorsSpouse(s): Maria Leopoldina, Amà ©lie of LeuchtenbergChildren: Maria (later Queen Dona  Maria  II of Portugal),  Miguel,  Joo,  Januria,  Paula,  Francisca, PedroNotable Quote: It grieves me to see my fellow humans giving a man tributes appropriate for the divinity, I know that my blood is the same color as that of the Negroes. Early Life Dom Pedro I was born with the lengthy name of Pedro de Alcà ¢ntara Francisco Antà ³nio Joo Carlos Xavier de Paula Miguel Rafael Joaquim Josà © Gonzaga Pascoal Cipriano Serafim on October 12, 1798, in the Queluz Royal Palace outside of Lisbon. He was descended from royal lineage on both sides: on his fathers side, he was of the House of Braganà §a, the royal house of Portugal, and his mother was Carlota of Spain, daughter of King Carlos IV. At the time of his birth, Portugal was ruled by Pedros grandmother Queen Maria I, whose sanity was quickly deteriorating. Pedros father Joo VI essentially ruled in his mothers name. Pedro became heir to the throne in 1801 when his older brother died. As a young prince, Pedro had the best schooling and tutoring available. Flight to Brazil In 1807, Napoleon’s troops conquered the Iberian Peninsula. Wishing to avoid the fate of the ruling family of Spain, who were â€Å"guests† of Napoleon, the Portuguese royal family and court fled to Brazil. Queen Maria, Prince Joo, young Pedro, and thousands of other nobles set sail in November of 1807 just ahead of Napoleon’s approaching troops. They were escorted by British warships, and Britain and Brazil would enjoy a special relationship for decades to follow. The royal convoy arrived in Brazil in January of 1808: Prince Joo set up a court-in-exile in Rio de Janeiro. Young Pedro rarely saw his parents; his father was very busy governing and left Pedro to his tutors and his mother was an unhappy woman who was estranged from her husband, had little desire to see her children, and lived in a different palace. Pedro was a bright young man who was good in his studies when he applied himself, but he lacked discipline. Pedro, Prince of Brazil As a young man, Pedro was handsome and energetic and fond of physical activities like horseback riding, at which he excelled. He had little patience for things that bored him, such as his studies or statecraft, although he did develop into a very skilled woodworker and musician. He was also fond of women and began a string of affairs at a young age. He was betrothed to Archduchess Maria Leopoldina, an Austrian Princess. Married by proxy, he was already her husband when he greeted her at the port of Rio de Janeiro six months later. Together they would have seven children. Leopoldina was much better at statecraft than Pedro and the people of Brazil loved her, although Pedro found her plain and continued to have regular affairs, much to Leopoldinas dismay. Pedro Becomes Emperor of Brazil In 1815, Napoleon was defeated and the Braganà §a family was once again rulers of Portugal. Queen Maria, by then long descended into madness, died in 1816, making Joo king of Portugal. Joo was reluctant to move the court back to Portugal, however, and ruled from Brazil via a proxy council. There was some talk of sending Pedro to Portugal to rule in his fathers place, but in the end Joo decided he had to go to Portugal himself in order to make sure that Portuguese liberals did not entirely do away with the position of the king and royal family. In April 1821, Joo departed, leaving Pedro in charge. He told Pedro that if Brazil started moving toward independence, he should not fight it and instead make sure he was crowned emperor. Independence of Brazil The people of Brazil, who had enjoyed the privilege of being the seat of royal authority, did not take well to returning to colony status. Pedro took his fathers advice, and also that of his wife, who wrote to him: The apple is ripe: pick it now, or it will rot. Pedro dramatically declared independence on September 7, 1822, in the city of So Paulo. He was crowned emperor of Brazil on December 1, 1822. Independence was achieved with very little bloodshed: some Portuguese loyalists fought in isolated locations, but by 1824 all of Brazil was unified with relatively little violence. In this, Scottish Admiral Lord Thomas Cochrane was invaluable: with a very small Brazilian fleet, he drove the Portuguese out of Brazilian waters with a combination of muscle and bluff. Pedro proved himself skillful in dealing with rebels and dissidents. By 1824, Brazil had its own Constitution and its independence was recognized by the United States and Great Britain. On August 25, 1825, Portugal formally recognized Brazils independence; it helped that Joo was the king of Portugal at the time. A Troubled Ruler After independence, Pedro’s lack of attention to his studies came back to haunt him. A series of crises made life difficult for the young ruler. Cisplatina, one of Brazil’s southern provinces, split off with encouragement from Argentina: it would eventually become Uruguay. He had a well-publicized falling-out with Josà © Bonifcio de Andrada, his chief minister and mentor. In 1826 his wife Leopoldina died, apparently of an infection brought on after a miscarriage. The people of Brazil loved her and lost respect for Pedro due to his well-known dalliances; some even said that she had died because he hit her. Back in Portugal, his father died in 1826 and pressure mounted on Pedro to go to Portugal to claim the throne there. Pedro’s plan was to marry his daughter Maria to his brother Miguel, which would make Maria queen and Miguel regent. The plan failed when Miguel seized power in 1828. Abdication of Pedro I of Brazil Pedro began looking to remarry, but word of his poor treatment of the respected Leopoldina preceded him and most European princesses wanted nothing to do with him. He eventually settled on Amà ©lie of Leuchtenberg. He treated Amà ©lie well, even banishing his longtime mistress, Domitila de Castro. Although he was quite liberal for his time- he favored the abolition of slavery and supported the Constitution- he continually fought with the Brazilian Liberal party. In March of 1831, Brazilian liberals and Portuguese royalists fought in the streets. He responded by firing his liberal cabinet, leading to outrage and calls for him to abdicate. He did so on April 7, abdicating in favor of his son Pedro, then 5 years old. Brazil would be ruled by regents until Pedro II came of age. Return to Europe Pedro I had great troubles in Portugal. His brother Miguel had usurped the throne and had a firm hold on power. Pedro spent time in France and Great Britain; both nations were supportive but unwilling to get involved in a Portuguese civil war. He entered the city of Porto in July of 1832 with an army consisting of liberals, Brazilians, and foreign volunteers. Things went poorly at first because King Manuels army was much larger and laid siege to Pedro in Porto for over a year. Pedro then sent some of his forces to attack the south of Portugal, a surprise move that worked. Lisbon fell in July 1833. Just as it looked like the war was over, Portugal got drawn into the First Carlist War in neighboring Spain; Pedros assistance kept Queen Isabella II of Spain in power. Death Pedro was at his best in times of crises, as the years of warring had actually brought out the best in him. He was a natural wartime leader who had a real connection to the soldiers and people who suffered in the conflict. He even fought in the battles. In 1834 he won the war: Miguel was exiled from Portugal forever and Pedros daughter Maria II was placed upon the throne. She would rule until 1853. The warring, however, took its toll on Pedros health. By September 1834, he was suffering from advanced tuberculosis. He died on September 24 at the age of 35. Legacy During his reign, Pedro I was unpopular with the people of Brazil, who resented his impulsiveness, lack of statecraft, and mistreatment of the beloved Leopoldina. Although he was quite liberal and favored a strong Constitution and the abolition of slavery, Brazilian liberals constantly criticized him. Today, however, Brazilians and Portuguese alike respect his memory. His stance on the abolition of slavery was ahead of its time. In 1972, his remains were returned to Brazil with great fanfare. In Portugal, he is respected for overthrowing his brother Miguel, who had put an end to modernizing reforms in favor of a strong monarchy. During Pedros day, Brazil was far from the united nation it is today. Most of the towns and cities were located along the coast and contact with the mostly unexplored interior was irregular. Even the coastal towns were fairly isolated from one another and correspondence often went first through Portugal. Powerful regional interests, such as coffee growers, miners, and sugarcane plantations were growing, threatening to split the country apart. Brazil could very easily have gone the way of the Republic of Central America or Gran Colombia and been split up, but Pedro I and his son Pedro II were firm in their determination to keep Brazil whole. Many modern Brazilians credit Pedro I with the unity they enjoy today. Sources Adams, Jerome R. Latin American Heroes: Liberators and Patriots from 1500 to the Present. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991.Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962Levine, Robert M. The History of Brazil. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

Differences between Cost-Effectiveness and Performance Management Coursework

Differences between Cost-Effectiveness and Performance Management - Coursework Example However, performance management can be done at the beginning of a project, in the course of the project and at the end of the project, unlike cost effectiveness which is mostly done after the conclusion of a project or at the end of a financial period A nonprofit organization is one that conducts activities or charitable projects without financial gains in mind and enjoys tax exemptions from the state. For a long time, it has been thought that it is difficult to measure the performance of nonprofit organizations. According to Anthony and Herzlinger (1980), they noted that the reason there exists a problem in the measurement of performance in nonprofit organizations is the aspect of motivation unlike in profit-making organizations where they are driven by profits. Thus, the lack of motivation leads to financial unsoundness to the nonprofit organizations. However, there are certain elements that are essential in assessing financial soundness in such organizations. Firstenberg and Nitte rhouse (1994), states that programs with measurable objectives and tasks should be created and seen to it that they are accomplished. They insist on the importance of having a budget that funds the tasks, setting time targets to meet those particular tasks and identifying managerial practices in that particular field the organization is involved in, to help in monitoring tasks and progress. Monitoring progress should be done through budget expenditures, completion of tasks and meeting objectives, meeting targets and comparison of the actual cost to the budgeted costs. This is just but a tip of the iceberg in assessing financial soundness of nonprofit organizations.

Teaching ESL through Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teaching ESL through Culture - Essay Example The complexity was actually compounded when the aspect of culture comes into play. With the growth of technology that contributed to breaking barriers of time and distance, people from various cultures felt the most eminent need to learn ESL, considering English as the universal language. In this regard, the objective of the essay is to review six pertinent literatures that delve into the subject of teaching ESL with culture seen as playing a crucial role in learning and reinforcing literacy and proficiency. Defining Culture From evaluating the contents of the six articles, one observed that in discussing the role that culture plays in teaching ESL, several authors acknowledged that defining the term ‘culture’ proffered challenges due to its broad perspectives. Lafayette acknowledged that â€Å"because culture can be defined so broadly, it is often difficult for teachers to select those aspects that should be included in the curriculum at various levels of instructionâ €  (6). ... omprises a set of symbolic systems, including knowledge, norms, values, beliefs, language, art, customs, as well as habits and skills learned by members of a given society† (Young, Sachdev, & Seedhouse, 2009, p. 149). From among the definitions noted, Young, et al. included language as part of the definition acknowledging the important role it plays in the communication process. Problems in Incorporating Culture in Teaching ESL Aside from the dilemma in defining the term, most authors have revealed that there were apparent apprehensions for incorporating teaching culture in the ESL curriculum (Lafayette, 1978, p. 6). Sauve have enumerated seven problems with teaching culture in the Canadian ESL classroom, to wit: (1) naming â€Å"a Canadian culture† (Sauve, 1996, p. 17); (2) unprepared academic programs for teaching cultural aspects; (3) a conceptual dilemma of defining ESL; (4) perceived decline in valuing the ESL professional; (5) the role of immigrant educators as ESL staffs; (6) biased society in favor of white, Anglo-Saxon, Christian and of middle class tradition and values (Sauve, 1996, p. 22); and (7) time context and priorities. The article written by Young, et al. highlighted concerns that included ambiguity in determining â€Å"whose culture should be a focus for study on English language program† (Young, Sachdev, & Seedhouse, 2009, p. 151) and how effective an identified approach would be after taking into account the increasing predominance of nonnative speaking (NNS) teachers of a language and their acknowledged difficulty in teaching culture with the ESL realm. Finally, Byram and Kramsch (2008) disclosed the problem of cultural translation by citing Geertz’s words as: â€Å"Translation is not a simple recasting of others' ways of putting things in terms of