The Extreme Expansion Of The Meat Industry - 1317 Words

Today the industries are now dominated by a handful of huge corporations that process most of the country’s meat at several facilities across the country. As of 2007, four huge companies controlled the processing of over 80% of the country’s beef and three of these same companies process over 60% of the country’s pork. Chicken processing provides over half the country’s chicken supply and even the same situation exists for turkey meat. These four major companies are Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and Smithfield Foods. As a result of all, meatpacking companies have become increasingly powerful, while the government bodies that regulate them have done barely anything to keep them in line. The extreme expansion of the meat industry has accompanied the†¦show more content†¦We do not want another family to have to suffer as our family did.† Other diseases like Salmonella and Campylobacter can also be introduced. In addition to these food safety risks, the use of hazardous machinery and sharp knives can injure workers when mistakes are made. This danger is exacerbated by the increasingly rapid speeds at which workers are expected to slaughter and process animals. This can also cause AIDS and HIV when they come in contact with our foods, if workers get injured while processing meats. The Federal health authorities have estimated that foodborne diseases affect 1 in 6 Americans, which is over 48 million people. These diseases cause 128,000 hospitalizations and kill 3,000 Americans every year. Likewise, a number of studies have confirmed the presence of harmful bacteria in meat, in the US. (put in examples) (each of the sections at least one time but you can do more) (in text citations) These levels are unacceptable; the high levels of contamination are caused by the crowded conditions in which conventional food animals are raised, as well as the high speed at which meat is processed. In order to lower profits, meat processors have continually increased the speed of their production lines. Twenty years ago, meatpacking plants slaughtered about 175 cattle an hour, but due to increased line speeds, today plants can slaughter as many as 400 cattle per hour. In order to ensure the

Personal Statement My Leadership Qualities Essay

Self Reflection The purpose of this paper is to focus on my leadership qualities. I will discuss my key values and beliefs, along with my strongest attribute and one of my weaknesses or an area that needs improvement. Next, I will discuss two managers or leaders, one that I really liked and one that I greatly disliked. Finally, I will discuss how I would like my direct reports to perceive me as a manger and leader. Key Values and Beliefs Upon reflection, I believe that my primary key value is integrity. I value integrity over all other values and beliefs. To me, integrity is the root or base upon which our character is built. Without integrity, our foundation has no substance and our other values are without merit. Another set of values that is important to me is competence and knowledge. The ability to accomplish a task to the best of my capabilities is fundamental to my sense of perfectionism. While, no one is perfect, may be true, I believe it is important to strive toward that goal. If we set our standards at less than 100%, we will achieve less than 100%. Second, knowledge is a critical component in achieving competence. I believe learning should be a life-long objective. The information and skills that come from learning add to your experience and provide you with the means to achieve your goals. These three values, integrity, competence, and knowledge form the basis of my belief system. Strongest Attribute My strongest attribute is my resolve for quality andShow MoreRelatedLeadership Questionnaire For Becoming A Leader1261 Words   |  6 PagesLeaders are decision makers, communicators, managers, and organizers and possess technical and emotional capabilities (Moodie, 2016). A leadership questionnaire can assess the quality, attributes and improvement needed to be a successful leader. The leadership questionnaire available at Mind Tools provides a questionnaire as to How Good are your leadership skill resulting in a score of 76 out of 90 possible points. The area that improvement was indicated was being a good role model includesRead MoreOrganizational Behavior : An Organization1521 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationships by attaining human objectives, social objectives and ultimately organizational objectives. Leadership is the capability of the company s management to make sound deliberations and inspire other employees to perform well (Luthans, 2002). In the context of organizational behavior, leadership entails directing the behavior of company employees towards attaining a shared goal. Leadership is very critical in an organization as it results in higher performance by the employees, enhances motivationRead MoreGB580 Unit 6 Assignment Essay769 Words   |  4 Pages Personal Leadership/Ethics Statement Strategic Management GB580: Unit 6 Professor Stephen Griffith Kaplan University 07/29/2014 Personal Leadership/Ethics Statement Leadership is a gift that not everyone has or desires to obtain. It is often times an instinctive quality that relies on ones ethics and morals. Leadership is a quality that many aspire to have, but few really grasp its true principles. It isRead More1000 Words Personal Statement Reflecting Current Knowledge and Skills and Future Career Planning and Objectives1231 Words   |  5 PagesWORDS PERSONAL STATEMENT REFLECTING CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND FUTURE CAREER PLANNING AND OBJECTIVES. I am currently pursuing a foundation course in Leadership and Management and have an opportunity to work with a non profit organisation (Church) in the area of Pastoral care and mentoring youth. My purpose for this personal statement is to reflect and draw on conclusions from the experiences of my work related case studies and how this may inform my professional development. During my workRead MoreLeadership Styles Of Conrad Hilton1617 Words   |  7 PagesLeadership Comparison For my leadership comparison I selected Conrad Hilton of Hilton Worldwide. Since being founded in 1919, Hilton Worldwide has been a leader in the hospitality industry. Today, Hilton Worldwide remains a beacon of innovation, quality, and success. Leadership Characteristics Knowledge Gained from Research Knowledge Gained from Class How I plan to apply this Knowledge Integrity Hilton Worldwide prides themselves on doing things right the first time. I plan to uphold integrityRead MorePersonal Statement On Educational Leadership1423 Words   |  6 PagesWill Hardin 5040 Create a personal, professional mission statement summarizing philosophy, knowledge and skills of instructional supervision from which to guide future leadership actions. Assessment: Students will articulate a personal theory of instructional leadership and specify a personal, professional mission statement as a guide to socially responsible, ethical leadership behavior. Mission Statement â€Å"We are all in this together. Once we know that we are, we’re all stars and we see thatRead MorePersonal Growth Is The Most Important Factor Of My Development Plan1071 Words   |  5 PagesPersonal growth is the most important factor of my development plan at my current stage in life. Due to the increased competitive nature of young up and comers I feel that I may be limited for opportunities and advancement. Creating an in-depth leadership development plan will assist me in building up on my leadership skills and abilities. Although this leadership development plan is only a guideline, the real learning process is an ongoing journey. It’s a mark of respect and fairness to includeRead MoreThe Attributes Of Effective Leaders1168 Words   |  5 PagesAttributes of Effective Leaders Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the importance of four essential attributes possessed by effective leaders. Introduction I. We all have an image that comes to mind when we think of great leaders. It may be the President of the United States or other world leader, or a famous athlete or coach. A far less prominent group of leaders we all relate to personally and find important is the leaders within the companies we work for. II. Read MoreAn Individual s Level Of Communication1338 Words   |  6 Pagesmanage subordinates, based on their level of communication. I believe that the survey’s outcomes were favorable and accurate in my case. Considering statements such as â€Å"I’m optimistic about life, and I can see beyond temporary setbacks and problems† and â€Å"I think that personal feelings shouldn t be allowed to get in the way of performance and productivity† are some of my main ideologies that I apply. For example, I worked at a computer repair shop and working in a setting where team collaborationRead MorePersonal Statement And Social Responsibility Essay1122 Words   |  5 Pagesidentified in statements and artifacts of the organization are: respect, accountability, justice, integrity, altruism, compassion, social responsibility, honesty, courage, collaboration, competence, professional behavior, confidentiality, excellence, community building, rituals, and legacy. The se values are expressed in agency’s statements and various artifacts. The Vision statement â€Å"All Children Deserve the Best† acknowledges social responsibility and excellence. The Mission statement states, Partnering

The Strength in Challenges Free Essays

The Strength in Challenges My ability to overcome difficulties throughout my life is by far my greatest strength. I have gone through more hardships than the average teen. Each time has forced me to look inside myself, and find the strength to rise up again. We will write a custom essay sample on The Strength in Challenges or any similar topic only for you Order Now I’ve never resented anything that has come my way because each hardship has placed a brick on what is the base of my character today. Back in fifth grade my house had caught fire. It was one of the scariest things in my life. As a fifth grader, dolls and going outside to play soccer were the things I held most sacred. This one event changed my entire outlook on life and showed me what was truly important in my life: my family. When I moved into a hotel for months it made me realize, trivial things like clothes and toys aren’t what makes a home your home it’s the people that are with you through it all. Also, the enormous support we got from the community helped me understand the true meaning of giving. Although this happened to me at a young age, the lessons still ring true today. I never wanted anyone to feel like they were alone and helpless, so every time an opportunity presents itself I feel the need to help. Whenever faced with a difficult decision or see someone in need I look back on this and it reminds me to place myself in their shoes and do whatever I can to help. Being pelted with a ball and getting the wind knocked out of you could be compared to the feeling I got when my mom told me she had terminal cancer. I knew the air was touching my lips, but I couldn’t suck it in. The pain in my chest was so great I had to crouch. Drops from my eyes pooled on the ground and my ears only heard buzzing rather than words. After a while the tears stopped, and I was left in my mom’s arms trying to process all of it. It’s been a year and I am still processing all of it. Each day I wake up not knowing how long my mom has left, and yet each day my mom wakes up fighting for another day which keeps me going. I’ve never had an obstacle as great as this, but it doesn’t stop me from reaching for my dreams. I am part of the first generation in my family to attend a four-year college, and my mom inspires me everyday. Although things may seem almost impossible, if you work hard enough and put forth your best effort, impossible is possible. Throughout my life I’ve been presented with many challenges; however, I never let them control my destiny. I now embrace each one as it comes because I’ve found that the harder I’ve worked to overcome something, it has always left me a better person than before. And with each new challenge, I become better at conquering the next. How to cite The Strength in Challenges, Papers

Corporate Citizenship free essay sample

Corporate citizenship is a term used to describe a company role in the society, many times people has changed the name for social responsibility of the corporations and in one way it? true but we are missing a very important part in it definition, the part we are missing is that companies are like a citizen with a territory so they have their assets and they can sue or be sued, and when you seen the corporate citizenship like this you can understand that also the companies has all the rights that the people has, for example the right of free speech, participate in the politics of the country where they are and other rights that everyone has, but this is only in some countries because in another countries the companies are the ones who have to do everything and the country or government doesn? give any right or benefit to them. We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate Citizenship or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The corporate citizenship has been present from many years or decades ago but only from 2000s many companies start to enter in this title if we can say it like this, this happen because in many countries the people start to buy the ideas that those companies that were social responsible were better than the others ones, so this become in a competition. The government also helps and gives many benefits to the companies that where social responsible and with this everyone wants to be a corporate citizenship and start many programs or regulations to become one. There are three ways to see the corporate citizenship in the world and this theory or approaches were established by Matten and Crane, the first two that I am going to mention are the most predominant in the business world, the approaches are: †¢Limited view – where corporate citizenship is used to denote corporate philanthropy in the local community, such as being a good citizen in donating money to charity or helping out a local sports or arts institution. Equivalent view – where corporate citizenship is used to refer to corporate social responsibility. †¢Extended view – where corporate citizenship is seen in terms of its distinctly political connotations, such as corporate claims to citizenship entitlements, firm? s participation in global governance, or corporate involvement in the administration of individuals social, civil and political rights. With these three approaches we can know that the corporate help the citizens, but for example the case of EJ Gallo Winery is where e can see that many companies use this helps or rights for the favor of the company and it? s not for helping the other, because if one company help in one community or in one country with donations or in some other ways they will ask for something later that could help the company in the market and to increase profits, so with this we can understand that many companies actually become corporate citizenship to gain something later. For conclusion we find that there are many ways to see the corporate citizenship, and that we can compare it with social responsible but we have to know that this corporate are helping everyone and making something to improve the world since the health of the people to the social security of everyone, so we have to remember that they also have the rights that almost every person or citizen has, and that sometimes they will gain something but they won? t stop helping o donating to make a difference.

Computer Simulation Essays (1609 words) - Simulation Software

Computer Simulation WARSIM 2000 is simulation software, used by the armed forces. Extensive, thorough, and tiring work has been done on thgis program. It covers almost all aspects and situations required for realistic, meticulous and a complete simulation. Information Technology has lead to the advancement of the tools required to build the simulator. Information Technolgy's guideleines and technolgy have reinforced this creative simulator General Description of Operational Capability. WARSIM 2000 will increase the effectiveness of commander and battle staff training by dramatically increasing the realism and the scope of the available training environment. In conjunction with other services' simulations, WARSIM 2000 will provide a complete operational environment with scenarios drawn from the entire operational continuum to support Army, joint and coalition force training distributed across the globe. a. The WARSIM 2000 simulation system will use a computer- based simulation and associated hardware to support the training of unit commanders and their battle staffs from battalion through theater-level as well as to support training events in educational institutions. Designed and built using modern computer technology, modern software engineering techniques, and validated algorithms and databases, it will allow units world- wide to train using their organizational equipment. A key feature of the system will be its use of technology to minimize the total Army's overhead associated with supporting training. The system will be designed to meet emerging Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) standards and protocols to facilitate linkages with DIS compliant simulators and live training events. b. The WARSIM 2000 simulation system will consist of, or use, several components: (1) Computer-based battle simulation models that portray the joint and combined environment needed to support Army training events. (2) Software modules for linking WARSIM 2000 to other simulation models to expand the training environment for joint force training exercises. (3) Databases. (4) Computer systems to run the simulation models and support the databases. (5) Technical control systems/workstations for use by personnel in an exercise support function e.g., simulation controllers, analysts, and opposing/ surrounding forces role players. (6) Flexible and responsive terrestrial/satellite communications gateways and media for transmitting voice, data, facsimile, and video between different elements at remote locations involved in supporting a training exercise. c. WARSIM 2000 will meet the Mission Need Statement's (MNS's) requirement for providing a training environment that will allow unit commanders and battle staffs to focus their warfighters and systems in countering threats across the operational continuum. WARSIM 2000 must provide an environment that presents problems to stress and stimulate commanders and their battle staff to assess the situation, determine courses of action, and plan and issue new orders in a timely manner, all while using their organizational equipment and procedures. d. Logistical support for WARSIM 2000 will be based on a government-owned contractor-supported system. The government will own necessary hardware, have all proprietary rights to the developmental hardware and software components, and full license rights to the non-developmental software components of WARSIM 2000. Contracted logistical support will provide for the maintenance of government-owned computer hardware at all times. e. The acquisition and development strategy for WARSIM 2000 must abide by several constraints. (1) The WARSIM 2000 acquisition must build upon the successful infrastructure of current simulations so that the training community (Army and international) can train in an evolutionary progressive yet consistent manner. The Army has invested significant resources into developing its training simulation systems, linking them with other service simulations via the Aggregate Level Simulation Protocol confederation, and proliferating them throughout the Army and the international community. While these systems have shortcomings that must be fixed, they provide a training environment and representations of combat that have been accepted by the training community world- wide. The WARSIM 2000 acquisition must allow the confederation of simulations structure to evolve in a manner that allows current users (Army and international) to maintain access to the confederation without having to make a substantial near-term investment in resources. (2) Meeting the WARSIM 2000 requirements will demand significant technological innovations. However, there are many existing and developing systems that could and should be part of the overall solution. The acquisition strategy must ensure that developers optimize the investment of each service in existing systems (instead of starting from a blank sheet of paper) and insert echnology into the training environment in a way that improves training. (3) Fielding of new capabilities, whether they be functional representations or technological enhancements, must be either practically transparent to the user or be accompanied by training so the user can understand and receive the benefit of the new capabilities. (4 The acquisition strategy must allow for regular user involvement in the development process. User evaluations and requirements must serve as a primary source for determining changes to the system. 2. Threat. Rather

The Assassination of Malcolm X

The Assassination of Malcolm X After spending a year as a hunted man, Malcolm X was shot and killed during a meeting of the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, New York, on February 21, 1965. The assailants, at least three in number, were members of the black Muslim group the Nation of Islam, the group with which Malcolm X had been a prominent minister for ten years before he split with them in March 1964. Exactly who shot Malcolm X has been hotly debated over the decades. One man, Talmage Hayer, was arrested at the scene and was definitely a shooter. Two other men were arrested and sentenced but were most likely wrongly accused. The confusion over the identity of the shooters compounds the question of why Malcolm X was assassinated and has led to a wide range of conspiracy theories. Becoming Malcolm X Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in 1925. After his father was brutally murdered, his home life unraveled and he was soon selling drugs and involved in petty crimes. In 1946, 20-year-old Malcolm X was arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison. It was in prison that Malcolm X learned about the Nation of Islam (NOI) and began writing daily letters to the NOI’s leader, Elijah Muhammad, known as the â€Å"Messenger of Allah.† Malcolm X, the name he acquired from the NOI, was released from prison in 1952. He quickly rose up the ranks of the NOI, becoming the minister of the large Temple Number Seven in Harlem. For ten years, Malcolm X remained a prominent, outspoken member of the NOI, creating controversy across the nation with his rhetoric. However, the close ties between Malcolm X and Muhammad began to whither in 1963. Breaking With the NOI Tensions quickly escalated between Malcolm X and Muhammad, with the final rift occurring on December 4, 1963. The entire nation was mourning the recent death of President John F. Kennedy when Malcolm X publicly made the uncouth remark that JFK’s death was as â€Å"chickens coming home to roost.† In response, Muhammad ordered Malcolm X to be suspended from the NOI for 90 days. After the end of the suspension, on March 8, 1964, Malcolm X formally left the NOI. Malcolm X had become disillusioned with the NOI and so after he left, he created his own black Muslim group, the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). Muhammad and the rest of the NOI brothers were not pleased that Malcolm X had created what they viewed as a competing organization- an organization that could potentially pull a large group of members away from the NOI. Malcolm X also had been a trusted member of the inner circle of the NOI and knew many secrets that could potentially destroy the NOI if revealed to the public. All of this made Malcolm X a dangerous man. To discredit Malcolm X, Muhammad and the NOI began a smear campaign against Malcolm X, calling him the â€Å"chief hypocrite.† To defend himself, Malcolm X revealed information about Muhammad’s infidelities with six of his secretaries, with whom he had illegitimate children. Malcolm X had hoped this revelation would make the NOI back off; instead, it just made him seem even more dangerous. A Hunted Man Articles in the NOI’s newspaper, Muhammad Speaks, became increasingly vicious. In December 1964, one article got very close to calling for Malcolm X’s assassination, Only those who wish to be led to hell, or to their doom, will follow Malcolm. The die is set, and Malcolm shall not escape, especially after such evil, foolish talk about his benefactor [Elijah Muhammad] in trying to rob him of the divine glory which Allah has bestowed upon him. Such a man as Malcolm is worthy of death, and would have met with death if it had not been for Muhammad’s confidence in Allah for victory over the enemies. Many members of the NOI believed the message was clear: Malcolm X had to be killed. During the year after Malcolm X had left the NOI, there had been several assassination attempts on his life, in New York, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. On February 14, 1965, just a week before his assassination, unknown assailants firebombed Malcolm X’s house while he and his family were asleep inside. Luckily, all were able to escape unharmed. These attacks made it obvious- Malcolm X was a hunted man. It was wearing him down. As he told Alex Haley just days before his assassination, â€Å"Haley, my nerves are shot, my brain’s tired.† The Assassination On the morning of Sunday, February 21, 1965, Malcolm X woke up in his 12th-floor hotel room at the Hilton Hotel in New York. Around 1 p.m., he checked out of the hotel and headed for the Audubon Ballroom, where he was to speak at a meeting of his OAAU. He parked his blue Oldsmobile nearly 20 blocks away, which seems surprising for someone who was being hunted. When he arrived at the Audubon Ballroom, he headed backstage. He was stressed and it was beginning to show. He lashed out at several people, shouting angrily. This was very out of character for him. When the OAAU meeting was to start, Benjamin Goodman went out on stage to speak first. He was to speak for about a half an hour, warming up the crowd of about 400 before Malcolm X was to speak. Then it was Malcolm X’s turn. He stepped up to the stage and stood behind a wooden podium. After he gave the traditional Muslim welcome, â€Å"As-salaam alaikum,† and got the response, a ruckus began in the middle of the crowd. A man had stood up, shouting that a man next to him had tried to pick-pocket him. Malcolm X’s bodyguards left the stage area to go deal with the situation. This left Malcolm unprotected on the stage. Malcolm X sidestepped away from the podium, saying â€Å"Let’s be cool, brothers.† It was then that a man stood up near the front of the crowd, pulled out a sawed-off shotgun from beneath his trench-coat and shot at Malcolm X. The blast from the shotgun made Malcolm X fall backward, over some chairs. The man with the shotgun fired again. Then, two other men rushed the stage, firing a Luger and a .45 automatic pistol at Malcolm X, hitting mostly his legs. The noise from the shots, the violence that had just been committed, and a smoke bomb that had been set off in the back, all added to the chaos. En masse, the audience tried to escape. The assassins used this confusion to their advantage as they blended into the crowd- all but one escaped. The one who did not escape was Talmage â€Å"Tommy† Hayer (sometimes called Hagan). Hayer had been shot in the leg by one of Malcolm X’s bodyguards as he was trying to escape. Once outside, the crowd realized that Hayer was one of the men who had just murdered Malcolm X and the mob started to attack Hayer. Luckily, a policeman happened to be walking by, saved Hayer, and managed to get him into the back of a police car. During the pandemonium, several of Malcolm X’s friends rushed to the stage to try to help him. Despite their efforts, Malcolm X was too far gone. Malcolm X’s wife, Betty Shabazz, had been in the room with their four daughters that day. She ran up to her husband, shouting, â€Å"They are killing my husband!† Malcolm X was put on a stretcher and carried across the street to the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Doctors tried to revive Malcolm X by opening up his chest and massaging his heart, but their attempt was unsuccessful. The Funeral Malcolm X’s body was cleaned, made presentable, and dressed in a suit so that the public could view his remains at the Unity Funeral Home in Harlem. From Monday through Friday (February 22 to 26), long lines of people waited to get a last glimpse of the fallen leader. Despite the numerous bomb threats that frequently closed down the viewing, approximately 30,000 people made it through. When the viewing was over, Malcolm X’s clothes were changed into the traditional, Islamic, white shroud. The funeral was held on Saturday, February 27 at the Faith Temple Church of God, where Malcolm X’s friend, actor Ossie Davis, gave the eulogy. Then Malcolm X’s body was taken to the Ferncliff Cemetery, where he was buried under his Islamic name, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. The Trial The public wanted Malcolm X’s assassins caught and the police delivered. Tommy Hayer was obviously the first one arrested and there was strong evidence against him. He had been taken into custody at the scene, a .45 cartridge was found in his pocket, and his fingerprint was found on the smoke bomb. The police found two other suspects by arresting men who had been connected to another shooting of an NOI ex-member. The problem was that there was no physical evidence tying these two men, Thomas 15X Johnson and Norman 3X Butler, to the assassination. The police had only eye-witnesses that vaguely remembered them being there. Despite the weak evidence against Johnson and Butler, the trial of all three defendants began on January 25, 1966. With the evidence mounting against him, Hayer took the stand on February 28 and stated that Johnson and Butler were innocent. This revelation shocked everyone in the courtroom and it was unclear at the time whether the two really were innocent or whether Hayer was just trying to get his co-conspirators off the hook. With Hayer unwilling to reveal the names of the real assassins, the jury ultimately believed the latter theory. All three men were found guilty of first-degree murder on March 10, ​1966, and were sentenced to life in prison. Who Really Killed Malcolm X? The trial did little to elucidate what really happened in the Audubon Ballroom that day. Nor did it reveal who was behind the assassination. As in many other such cases, this void of information led to widespread speculation and conspiracy theories. These theories placed the blame for Malcolm X’s assassination on a wide number of people and groups, including the CIA, FBI, and drug cartels. The more likely truth comes from Hayer himself. After the death of Elijah Muhammad in 1975, Hayer felt overwhelmed with the burden of having contributed to the imprisonment of two innocent men and now felt less obligated to protect the changing NOI. In 1977, after 12 years in jail, Hayer handwrote a three-page affidavit, describing his version of really happened that fateful day in 1965. In the affidavit, Hayer again insisted that Johnson and Butler were innocent. Instead, it was Hayer and four other men who had planned and committed the murder of Malcolm X. He also explained why he killed Malcolm X: I thought it was very bad for anyone to go against the teachings of the Hon. Elijah, then known as the last Messenger of God. I was told that Muslims should more or less be willing to fight against hypocrites and I agreed w/ that. There was no money payed [sic] to me for my part in this. I thought I was fighting for truth and right. A few months later, on February 28, 1978, Hayer wrote another affidavit, this one longer and more detailed and included the names of those really involved. In this affidavit, Hayer described how he was recruited by two Newark NOI members, Ben and Leon. Then later Willie and Wilber joined the crew. It was Hayer who had the .45 pistol and Leon who used the Luger. Willie sat a row or two behind them with the sawed-off shotgun. And it was Wilbur who started the commotion and set off the smoke bomb. Despite Hayer’s detailed confession, the case was not reopened and the three convicted men- Hayer, Johnson, and Butler- served out their sentences, Butler was the first to be paroled in June 1985, after having served 20 years in prison. Johnson was released shortly thereafter. Hayer, on the other hand, was not paroled until 2010, after spending 45 years in prison. Source Friedly, Michael. Malcolm X: The Assassination. Carrol Graf Publishers, New York, NY, 1992, pages 10, 17, 18, 19, 22, 85, 152.

Consultant report on how university should fix its admissions system Article

Consultant report on how university should fix its admissions system - Article Example These changes are sook for with hope that they will bring massive improvements to the usability of the admissions webpage. There are several factors and the driving motive behind the undertaking of any activity. This report is however motivated by several concerns about the Trent University website. These are concerns that were raised by the users of this website who were forced to go through a hectic process of applying for a university of their choice through a parent university. This may be a little discouraging to the potential students. Therefore the major objective of this report is to bring to the attention of the authority the concerns raised by various users of the website, to seek address for the concerns raised by the students who apply for admission into variuos faculties within the institution through the university website. The consultant report is also aimed at seeking the address of possible exploring other avenues of altering the user interface so that it can supports of different classes of computer literacy. Another goal of this report is to ultimately help adjust the admissions model through which students seek entrance into the university. This report will cover various areas of concerns especially those that were reported by users and experts to be of great and legitimate concern. This report will therefore include their thoughts on experience with the admissions systems. It will cover the analysis of the system and the major changes that are thought to be great importance to the improvements of this university admissions systems. The report will also incorporate the recommended adjustments to be made to the website as raised by the users. this report will also cover the duration within which the implemention is to be undertaken. The implemetation of this report should be undertaken during the closure period of the university to avoid interruption of the normal

Judaism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Judaism - Essay Example Their story has played out over time until now when more and more people believe. Anyone born of a Jewish mother is considered a Jew. Jews believe that God appointed them to be his chosen people in order to be an example of holiness and ethical behavior to the whole world. They still hold this view up to date and it is not easy to convince them that all human beings stand an equal chance before God. Different religions have different views regarding different subjects such as marriage, children rights, and individual’s role in the society and at home. It is important to understand how a specific religion such as Judaism views and evaluates each of the roles and if there are special considerations. The central idea of Judaism is a commitment by the Jewish people to one (single) incorporeal God who is also omnipotent and is the creator and ruler of the universe as well as the source of moral law for humanity. The Jewish people believe in the Torah, which was the law given to the Israelites at Sinai. They believe they must follow Gods law which governs their daily life. Legal books were later written by Rabbis; determining the law as it applies to life in each new place and time (Tenakh).  They have several rituals such as the mitzvoth (observance of Torah), the observance of the 613 commandments, rabbinic law, keeping kosher, going to the synagogue where they hear the readings and their worship and prayer. It is like rituals define their religion give the importance they attach to different kind of rituals. Rituals define every aspect of Judaism and this approach is totally different from other religions which do not rely on any kind of ritual to establish an achievement, mos t religions rely on their teachings and the set doctrines that guide their followers. Judaism has applications and requirements of the believer that they are simply unable to meet in fullness. Their requirements limit many people around the globe from joining their faith

An Exploration into the factors Influencing Consumer Purchasing Thesis Proposal

An Exploration into the factors Influencing Consumer Purchasing Decision - A case study of Thai Fashion - Thesis Proposal Example The culture of showing preferences in luxury was not only a culture of the rich but also the middle class and the low-class members of the society. The younger generation of the female population had grown to be fashion conscious as the influence of the media and commercialization took a toll on the fashion industry. Given that, Thailand fashions were selected and purchased at face value, many luxury fashion brands established a promotion method, which included hiring celebrities and other public figures to promote their brands. (Rocha & Hawkins, 2005). Research has shown that the moods and emotions that were evoked by different fashion garments influenced the consumer purchasing decision either positively or negatively. Consumers chose brands based on reliance, personal style, brand image and celebrity influence (Bruce & Daily, 2006). They discovered that the notion of a consumer to acquire a modern look was based on emotions that drove the consumers to buy luxurious fashion brands. This kind of fashion relied on pleasure rather than one's needs and wants. Thai consumers have adopted the behavior of making purchases based on finding new stimuli, sensations, and pleasure. These aspects are personal and very subjective tilting the purchase decision to be oriented to the particular individual (Balckwell&Talarzk, 1983). The consumer personality also had a major influence on the purchase decision. One's personality factor in things like the individual’s self-esteem and body shape.

Best Fit and Best Practice in HRM

Best Fit and Best Practice in HRM Today, many organizations are facing an increasingly competitive and hastily changing environment illustrated by various labor market, deregulation, globalization, improved information technologies, uninterrupted labor markets among other factors. For success in its operations, a company/firm should improve its performance through reduction of its operation costs, creation of new processes and products, increasing quality, productivity and speed market. Consequently, organizations have to center on their workforces capabilities. If a firm manages its human resources effectively, it will be able to generate and enhance commitment, synergy and motivation that will to a sustained competitive advantage. Studies have shown that human resource management is one of the avenues that an organization can use to shape her employees behavior and attitude. Human resource management practices form forums that ensure employees get highly involved in the activities of the organization and work hard to achieve her goals. The manner in which an organization manages her human resource institutes the conditions and tone that will govern the relationship between employers and employees. There are many ways of defining human resource management (HRM) practices. Bowman Swart (2007) looks at it as organizational activities directed at managing the pool of human resources and ensuring that they are directed towards fulfilling the goals of the organization. It has also been looked at as a set of internally consistent policies and practices that are developed and upon implementation, they will guarantee that the human capital of an organization add to the achievement of its business objectives. The approach to definition of human resource management practices may vary slightly but the bottom line of it all is organizing and managing the man power i n an organization. The connections between a firms performance and its human resource management practices are based on two approaches namely best fit (contingency) and best practice (universal) approaches. In best practice, a set of HRM practices are argued to be associated with improved firm performance in all types of organization and by allusion for al types of employees (Nahapiet Ghoshal, 1998). Conversely, the best fit approach argues that performance of a firm is maximized if the human resources policies are constant with the firms business strategies. Both the best fit and the best practice have an assumption that human resource policies take on will be implemented and as projected and have the same consequence on all employees that work in the firm. Researches on human resource management however show that that there is no consensus on which human resource management approach is looked at as suitable. Notwithstanding the inconsistence in both the best fit and best practice approaches, there is a momentous effect of human resource management practices on attitudes and behavior of employees based on the idea of social change. Studies reveal that employees of an organization infer organizational actions like human resource practices as indicators of how much an organization is committed to their welfare (Abraham et al., 2001). In response, the employees counter this gesture through improving their obligation to the organization. Particularly if the human resource practices of the an organization are professed as supportive, the employees will take it as their employer being committed to them through concern and high level of care , consequently they will work hard to and get very much engaged in the organization expressing their enthusiasm in hard work to achieve the goals of the organization. MANAGEMENT 4 The concepts of best fit and best practice are applied in strategic human resource management to the particular policy section of reward structures. Each of the approaches endeavors to explain the manner in which human resource policies generally and reward policies particularly can lead to better organizational efficiency (Zupan KaÃ… ¡e, 2007). Organizations can wok within the framework both the best fit and best practice. I agree with the best fit that suggests that a close alignment between organizational strategy and different systems that it employs like the rewards will go along way in improving the efficiency of the organization. The idea that pay should be linked strategy is not new but it got momentum from scholars in the 1990 talking about its merits as the â€Å"new pay†. It is evident tat all organizational systems have to start with a business strategy to achieve the goals it has set, failure to which it may face difficulties to carry on its operations. This is b ecause the strategy will clarify what the organization wants to achieve over a specified period of time. It will also set the conditions on the manner in which the organization will behave to achieve them; this means that the organization sets cope of standards on the way it is run (Boxall Purcell, 2008). Additionally the strategy will express the types of performance and the levels of performance it wants to employ to run in a organized and effective way. This is as a result of business strategy, organizational behavior and diving individuals being the benchmark for the reward strategy development. The contingent nature of a reward system should not be looked at as a set of compensation practices at all. Nonetheless, it should be treated as one way of thinking about role of a reward system in a complex organization setting. This goes against an assumption that is often made to mean that certain best practices have to be incorporated into an organizations  approach to pay (Simons, 2002). Having looked at best fit, the attention now is on best practice. This premise has been popular in human resource management over the last decade. Studies show that this model otherwise known as high commitment was initially stimulated by work of some United States of America academics, although it was recently developed by those in Britain (KaÃ… ¡e et al., 2009). Although both the models of best fit and best practice are assumed to be complimentary, the later is arguably seen as not having an element of discussion on the organizations strategy at all. Its fundamental benchmark is that all organizations who adopt the best practice strategy will attract super human resources, competencies and talent. According to the views of its proponents, the super human resources available has an effect of influencing the strategy that an organization adopts hence acting as the source of its viable advantage. Consequently for this approach, the organizations policy precedes its strategy. Coff (1997) asserts that there are mutually compatible bundles of human resource policies that sustain high standards of motivation of employees and also their commitment that has a positive impact on the performance of the organization. This is the approach that advocates of best practice say it stands for. However, there is no common ground on which these practices are, on a general scale they are composed of: extensive training, selective hiring, and structure to encourage employees participation, employment security and pay policies which lead in relation to industry competitors (Lengnick-Hall Lengnick-Hall, 2003). There is apparent point of disagreement between in the sector of pay linked to performance appraisal. Researchers have criticized merit pay in a number of ways as: there is subjectivity and unpredictability that reward political skills instead of performance, there is no concern for performance of the organization, it encourages short term focus, there is an emphasis on the individual success that undermines teamwork and lastly there is a tendency of such like a system to create fear at work place. Those who support either side of the human resource management approaches argue that both approaches, hest fit and best practice, will help an organization to achieve its goals and objectives. There are several ways that an organization employs when it comes to organizing its human resources that will help it achieve what it was set up for. The methods of achieving the objectives are: attracting and retaining employees, motivating the performance of employees, promotion of skills and culture in an organization, contribution to corporate culture of an organization among other things There are differences in which the two approaches handle attracting and retaining employees. The capability of an organizations reward systems in attracting and retaining its employees is of cardinal concern to many organizations (Cullinane Dundon, 2006). During economic expansions, times when the labor markets are tight and organizations are struggling to fill vacancies at the same time trying very to ho ld on to hold on to their qualified employees, this becomes a very crucial issue. This also happens during recessions as organizations sometimes become keen on getting the services of qualified employees. To cope with this, the best fit approach boasts of the composition of its reward package attracting many and various kinds of applicants. This argument holds water because drawing example, an organization offering a straight base salary and no chance for incentive earnings, naturally attracts and retains quite different individuals that as compared to one that gives big amounts of incentive pay. Organizations rewarding their employees with different performance related pay incentives have increased chances of attracting employees who are more problem solving and entrepreneurial compared to those offering a base salary. The best fit proponents basically assume that it is in organizations where good performance is recognized and rewarded that good performers tend to seek or employment. This is a correct observation because skilled personnel will take pleasure in working where they will be appreciated as good performers. Systems have a way of identifying poor and a good performer as not all employees turn over is harmful to performance of an organization. To this effect, a reward system has to promote the retention of good performers at the same time aiding the decision of poor performers leaving the organization. According to Dowling Welch (2006), there is also an emphasis on the importance of external competitiveness of an organization for attraction and retention of employees. According to best fit advocates, for effectiveness, a reward system must distribute rewards such that the most valuable employees of the organization will feel contended while relating their rewards with those of individuals performing same jobs in organizations of the same nature as theirs. However caution must be taken here because some studies have shown that in some organizations, it is more cost effective in keeping the wages low and accepting high employee turnover, particularly if the cost of replacing them is low as it is the in unskilled labor. Despite the fact labor markets are far from being perfectly efficient, it is evident that there is some relationship between the quality of a work force and organization attracts and how it pays its employees. This is quite true and it is convincing for the best fit a pproach as it gives the facts on the behavior of employees and pay. Looking in the manner in which the best practice deals with attracting and retaining the employees, it emphasizes on employees that will assist an organization in gaining and sustaining competitive advantage. It achieves this through externally competitive pay levels. According to this however, a combination of a number of a number policies that are interrelated are responsible for highly qualified individuals apply and remain in an organization. The recruiting procedures which provide a huge pool of qualified applicants, coupled with a dependable and valid routine has a significant influence on the quality and type of skills the new employees will have. The thorough process of selecting employees will make the selected candidates feel that they are joining privileged organization with elevated prospects. The best practice approach advocates for positively value low turnover with no cautions whatsoever as opposed to the best fit approach. This happens so as other related procedures a nd policies make sure that the employees chosen are the right ones for the job and are taken in at first instance (Galpin Skinner, 2004). The best practice takes into consideration todays global business employment to be of key importance in attraction and retention of employees as opposed to the other approach which that claims that employment security does not reflect the realities of todays competitive global business. This is due to employees being unlikely to make suggestions to increase the productivity whenever they fear that it will make them loose their job. Researchers assert that the cardinal concern in the design of a reward system is the plan works in employee motivation. There are various theories of employee motivation and there is no one particular that has been accepted universally. The different theories that exist handle different types of reward systems. The best fit approach believes that the payment system of an organization should reflect individual employee contributions (Fitz-Enz, 1993). Employees may at times cut down their efforts to look for employment in highly paying jobs in other organizations due to dissatisfaction originate from negative inequity and some other consequences. It is observed that highly dissatisfied companies are more strongly attracted towards an external market orientation. On the other hand, organizations that are based on a single industry or technology will naturally find themselves much calm with an internal-equity basis. Both types of inequity in an organization have serious consequence for an organization but the implications for external equity like absenteeism and turnover are more rigorous for a particular organization and should be given chief consideration (Lepak Snell, 199). This is clear evidence that the best fit approach in human resource practice has support for the contribution principle. It therefore has an implication that employees who remarkably contribute to the success of an organization ought to be able to compare themselves with significant others form both outside and inside the organization and still get contented with the pay they get. The best fit practice for that matter looks at it as an obligation of the design to promote development and make use of employee inputs that will promote the organization. The best fit approach also makes use of expectancy theory of behavior. The theory utters that individuals make choices depending on some factors like: there expectancy that th ere efforts will make them achieve certain standard of performance, believing that their performance will result significant upshots and the scale of value they place on those upshots (Intagliata, et al., 2004). It is line with best fit thinking as it gives a design framework for each element of a reward system to utilize to its best advantage. The best practice advocates depend on the content theories of motivation as the foundation of their system of reward. It is apparent that factors that get drawn in to produce job satisfaction and motivation are different from those ones that lead to job dissatisfaction. Motivators are the source of job satisfaction and are intrinsic to the particular encompassing recognition for the achievement, the work itself, responsibility and advancement or growth. The potential source of job dissatisfaction is extrinsic and is made up hygiene factors like salaries. The approach does not advocate for incentives for as it results to spiralling of wages and employees who search for the next pay increase. Research has shown that firms block the development of some behavior that front competitive advantage by picking on incentives. Looking at the above discussion, it is apparent the both the best fit and best practice approaches as employed in human resource management practices are all directed towards ensuring that an organization achieves its goals and objectives through organizing its strategies and man power. Through striking a balance between the contingent and universal approach, an ideal or more comprehensive model can be developed by looking at their limit ations and merits. The value of the universal (best practice) framework depends in the demonstration of the strategic significance of human resource management. High rates of significance in their tests were achieved by its proponents but it has limitations in both its methodological and theoretical domain. There is compatibility between the two approaches as the contingency approach comes in handy here to complement the universal model encompassing the external relationships

Macbeth: Choices :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth: Choices         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare characters often could not escape the consequences of their choices. The choices that some characters made in the play put them in a position which they could not escape. In most of these cases the character feels remorse for the choice they had made. The characters that I will be concentrating on are Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady Macbeth. These characters are the best examples of how characters could not escape their choices in the play.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The actions of Macbeth during the play sometimes put him in a situation which he could not escape. An example of this is when Macbeth murders Duncan. After he does it he regrets it and is afraid to think about it. This is shown in the quote: I am afraid to think what I've done; look on't again I dare not./(50- 51, Scene 2, Act 2) Another example is after Macbeth had Banquo killed and he sees Banquo's ghost at the table. He goes crazy and starts yelling at the ghost and he realizes that he cannot change what he has done so he tries to ignore it. That same scene Lady Macbeth says: Things without all remedy should be without regard: what's done is done./(11-12, Scene 2, Act 3) These examples show how Macbeth cannot escape the choices he made.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macduff's allegiance to the country of Scotland leads to consequences which he cannot change. Macduff's allegiance is shown when he left Scotland and his family to go to England. There he met with Malcolm and started raising a army to overthrow Macbeth.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The result of this is the slaughtering of Macduff's wife and children by Macbeth's men.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He blames himself for their death and he knows he can do nothing to change it. This is seen in the qoute: Sinful Macduff, They were all struck for thee! Naught that I am, Not for their own demerits but for mine fell slaughter on their souls. Heaven rest them now!/(224-226, Scene 3, Act 4)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lady Macbeth cannot escape the consequences of her choices either. She pressured Macbeth into killing Duncan when he did not want to. She also smeared the blood all over the guards and put the daggers in their hands. She went along with the murdering of Banquo and tried to tell Macbeth that he could not change what he had done in the second quote of my second paragraph. All of the choices she made had a huge impact on her life and we see what she has become in the

Ethics in Counseling Essay

This paper analyses social, ethical and legal issues within a complaint initiated by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) against a psychologist, Steven Kreft (HCCC v Kreft, 2011). The HCCC investigated a complaint by a client of Kreft of personal and sexual disclosures, as well as unprofessional treatment in the solicitation of a photograph of the client in which the client was dressed in underwear. Kreft’s actions are assessed in light of professional and ethical standards as well as potential breaches of the law. Steven Kreft, was an experienced psychologist narrowly specialising in the treatment of men with anxiety conditions using cognitive-behavioural therapy (HCCC v Kreft, 2011). The client, a 19-year-old married woman, was referred to Kreft because of anxiety and possibly panic attacks, but during the initial stages of counselling, she raised relationship problems, her appearance and sexual needs and practices with him and these became the focus of their se ssions. Kreft conveyed to the client that he was not experienced or skilled in the treatment of relationship problems or sexual disorders, however, the client stated that she wished to continue working with him and he did not insist on referring her elsewhere. The client ultimately accused Kreft of failing to observe proper professional boundaries and engaging in inappropriate discussions of a personal nature in which he: Complimented her on her appearance referring to her petite size, short height and thin build, and likened her to his girlfriend; Commented on her wearing Bonds underwear like his girlfriend wore; Asked the client to comment on his physical appearance; Disclosed details of his personal life including the number of sexual partners he had had, that his girlfriend would share a bed with other girlfriends when they slept over, that he had been in love numerous times, and that he had thought about homosexuality during his youth (HCCC v Kreft, 2011). In addition, Kreft was accused of failing to follow or observe appropriate therapeutic practice and/or failing to observe proper professional boundaries when he asked the client for photographs for a study in which other people would rate the client’s appearance. One of these photographs pictured the client dressed in underwear. Kreft copied these photographs onto his own computer for later presentation to unnamed others. This exercise was not recorded in the client’s clinical notes (HCCC v Kreft, 2011). The HCCC investigated the client’s complaints and took disciplinary action against him. There are numerous social, ethical and legal issues in this case. Although Kreft was in fact a psychologist, for the purpose of this paper, his conduct will be assessed against the Australian Counselling Association’s Code of Ethics and Practice (2012). This paper will explore the power imbalance between Kreft and his client, the effect of his behaviour on the therapeutic relationship and whether Kreft’s behaviour might have breached sexual harassment laws. Ethical and legal guidelines exist to offer protection to people who may experience harm as a result of the actions of another person. According to Welfel (2013, p.3), professional ethics in counselling encompasses five dimensions of behaviour including having sufficient knowledge, skill and judgement; respecting the client’s h uman dignity and freedom; using a counsellor’s inherent power responsibly; and, acting to promote public confidence in the counselling profession. This provides a useful framework for assessing Kreft’s conduct in this case. Beginning with Kreft’s expertise, Kreft usually used a strict cognitive-behavioural protocol for the management of anxiety and panic disorders. Kreft is described by his own treating psychiatrist as a skilled practitioner in a narrow field, having been trained to think rationally and logically. Kreft’s practice â€Å"involved administering protocols, carrying out logic-based interventions and requires his patients to occupy a mindset where they share a common objective and commitment to the treatment and its proposed outcome† (HCCC v Kreft, 2011 at 227). Although referred to Kreft because of his relevant expertise, the treatment interaction became sexualised when the client began talking about her sexual experiences and practices. There was further exploration of her concerns about her personal appearance, low self-esteem, need for validation by men via her sexual activities and descriptions of her specific sexual behaviour. Here, Kreft was out of his professional depth. Specifically on this matter, the Australian Counselling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics and Practice states that counsellors must â€Å"endeavour to make suitable referral where competent service cannot be provided† (p.3) and â€Å"undertake regular supervision and debriefing to develop skills, monitor performance and sustain professional accountability† (p.3). Although Kreft recognised that  the client’s relationship and sexual issues were beyond his expertise and conveyed as much to the client, he could have insisted on referral, despite the client’s preference for continued sessions with him. The ACA further states that competence includes being able to recognise when it is appropriate to refer a client elsewhere (p.12). The rationale for this professional expectation is that counsellors are required to â€Å"take all reasonable steps to ensure that the client does not suffer physical, emotional or psychological harm during counselling sessions †(p.4). Sexualisation of the therapeutic relationship can be harmful to clients, and in this case, it is difficult to see how it served the client. According to the ACA Code of Ethics and Practice, â€Å"the helping relationship constitutes the effective and appropriate use of helper’s skills that are for the benefit and safety of the client in his or her circumstanc es† (2012, p.3), and â€Å"counsellors must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the client does not suffer physical, emotional or psychological harm during counselling sessions† (2012, p.4). In relation to the disclosures, for whose benefit where they? It is unclear what led Kreft to make sexualised self-disclosures and what purpose he thought they served. Perhaps it was a response to the client’s exploration of her relationships and sexual activities. Such client self-disclosure can sexualise the therapeutic relationship (Gurtheil & Brodsky, 2011, p. 183). Counsellor disclosures are inevitable and sometimes useful, but self-disclosure can become burdensome to the client and therefore detrimental. Gurtheil and Brodsky (2011) state that in cases of sexual misconduct, â€Å"a key turning point often occurs when the relationship shifts from a therapeutic exchange to one of sharing personal confidences and feelings† (p.114). They further state that even therapists whose practice deliberately includes open self-disclosure, it is rarely useful and usually burdensome for clients to hear details of the therapist’s emotional, sexual, personal or family life. â€Å"Such disclosures, especially when they involve sexual feelings, are nearly always considered boundary violations† (p.115). It seems that Kreft may have been meeting some personal need by making the disclosures. Without having observed the interaction, it is difficult to judge, however, perhaps in an attempt to normalise the client’s experience or keep her engaged, Kreft seems to also be almost boasting of his own sexual prowess. This amounts to an exploitation of the client for  his own needs. The APA states that, â€Å"counsellors must not exploit their clients financially, sexually, emotionally or in any other way (pp.4-5). If poorly handled, the power imbalance inherent in the therapeutic relationship can lead to exploitation of clients (Barnett, Lazarus, Vasquez, Moorehead-Slaughter & Johnson, 2007, p.402). A young female client, is less likely to challenge the appropriateness of such comments. In addition to the sexualised disclosures, Kreft devised an exercise based on his narrow focus on CBT, which he believed would help the client. He requested and obtained a photo of his client wearing a bra and underpants for the purpose of an exercise aimed at ‘challenging’ the client’s maladaptive or negative beliefs about her appearance. The photo was to be shown to a number of unnamed people in order for them to rate her appearance. Kreft claimed in his testimony that he created the exercise based on his expertise and training. He did not state that he researched current effective practice or discussed the client’s needs in supervision. It would seem prudent to educate oneself about an unfamiliar field of practice or client. In fact, the ACA’s ethical expectations include counsellors committing to ongoing personal and professional development, as well as undertake regular supervision and debriefing (p.3). A cursory investigation of recognised treatments for body image problems Butters and Cash (1987) research into effective cognitive-behavioural treatment of women with body-image dissatisfaction found that a combination of methods produced improved affective body image, reduced maladaptive body-image cognitions and enhanced social self-esteem about fitness and sexuality. The methods included providing clients with information about body-image dissatisfaction, having clients construct a personalised hierarchy of body areas, desensitisation to automatic thoughts and developing counterarguments for irrational thoughts. Butters and Cash (1987) did use observer ratings of client physical attractiveness as part of the series of exercises, but there is no suggestion that clients were to be barely dressed in the photographs used. Kreft seemed to exercise poor judgment in his selection of a photograph in which the client was so scantily clothed. Kreft seemed unaware of his power in the relationship. Power within the therapeutic relationship can take numerous forms. Proctor (2002, p.8) states that one basic form is societal power which is expressed in the imbalances between the genders and between the old and young. In this  case, Kreft was an older male with a teenage female client. According to testimony in his case, Kreft was accustomed to working with male clients, so he may have been unaccustomed to working with a young female. He may have been unaware of the subconscious power he held in the relationship simply by virtue of his stronger position in society. Pope and Vasquez (2007, pp41-42) describ e other forms of power that therapists have in relation to clients. These include the power of expectation–clients expects that the therapist’s interventions will be able to induce beneficial change. Related to this is the power to choose the approach to therapy. Kreft chose to make personal disclosures and chose the therapeutic exercise involving the client’s photograph. She complied with the activity, although she stated in her complaint that she was very uncomfortable about it. Kreft failed to recognise this in her delayed provision of the photo, but also failed to recognise that any young woman might be uncomfortable with such an exercise, yet reluctant to refuse. He did not make this psychologically safe for her. Under the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010, both the disclosures and the request for photographs could be deemed sexual harassment and therefore unlawful. A person sexually harasses another person if he or she engages in unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in relation to another person in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated that the other person would be offended, humiliated or intimi dated. Conduct of a sexual nature includes making orally, any remark or statement with sexual connotations to a person or about a person in his or her presence, and, making any comment of a sexual nature in a person’s presence (Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2013a, p.79). There are therefore three characteristics of behaviour that would have it constitute sexual harassment – being unwelcome; being conduct of a sexual nature; and being conduct that a reasonable person would consider likely to offend, humiliate or intimidate in the circumstances. There seems little doubt that Kreft’s disclosures about his sexual activities fit this definition of conduct of a sexual nature. In relation to whether the comments were unwelcome to the client, it certainly appears so, as she has complained of as much. For conduct to be unwelcome, it must be unsolicited or uninvited by the client, and regarded as undesirable or offensive by the client. Kreft does not suggest that the  client invited the comments. Even if a client does not speak up or complain at the time, the conduct might still be considered unwelcome (Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2013b, p.6). The client’s age is a factor recognised as causing someone to tolerate behaviour even if unwelcome. Numerous sexual harassment cases have recognised how a power imbalance between the parties can contribute to a person remaining silent about how unwelcome the behaviour is (VEOHRC, 2013a, p.85). The final element in sexual harassment is whether the conduct occurred in circumstances in which it could reasonably have been expected that the conduct would offend, humiliate or intimidate the person. Again, given the client’s age in relation to Kreft, and the highly sexual nature of the disclosures, within a relationship that should be focusing on the client’s concerns, it seems that this third criterion of sexual harassment would be met. In conclusion, it seems that Steven Kreft’s behaviour in this case fell far short of recognised ethical, legal and social expectations. He took on a client with issues outside his narrow expertise and attempted to work with her i n relation to the highly sexualised disclosures she made about her relationships with men. Kreft’s own highly sexualised personal disclosures were unethical according to professional guidelines and potentially unlawful, under sexual harassment laws. Kreft’s attempts to help the client change her negative beliefs about her body were devised without reference to existing knowledge in the treatment of such problems and again became sexualised when Kreft chose a photo of the client dressed only in underwear. Ultimately, Kreft was required to update his training, engage in regular supervision, and undergo a suspension of practice for six months. Kreft’s case provides a number of warnings for other practitioners about the dangers of a narrow knowledge and experience base, as well as the importance of understanding the various dimensions of therapeutic relationships. Counsellors would do well to have a sound understanding of ethical boundaries and how they might appropriately respond to a client’s disclosures of sexual behaviour. Having regular supervision is crucial for assisting counsellors in all of these areas. References Australian Counselling Association. (2012). Code of ethics and practice. QLD: Author. Barnett, J., Lazarus, A., Vasquez, M., Moorehead-Slaughter, O., & Johnson, W. (2007). Boundary issues and multiple relationships: Fantasy and reality. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(4), 401–410. Butters, J. W. & Cash, T. F. (1987) Cognitive-behavioral treatment of women’s body-image dissatisfaction. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 6. Gurtheil, T. G. & Brodsky, A. (2011). Preventing boundary violations in clinical practice. London: Guilford Press. HCCC v Kreft (No. 1) (2011) NSWPST 2. HCCC v Kreft (No. 2) (2012) NSWPST 1. Pope, K. S. & Vasquez, M. J. (2011). Ethics in psychotherapy and counselling: A practical guide. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. Proctor, G. (2002). The dynamics of power in counseling and psychotherapy: ethics, politics and practice. Ross-on-wye, Herefordshire: PCCS Books. Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. (2013a). Victorian discrimination law. Melbourne, Australia: Author. Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. (2013b). Guideline: Sexual harassment. Complying with the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Melbourne, Australia: Author. Welfel, E. R. (2013). Ethics in counseling and psychotherapy. (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

A Guide to Buying Firewood at Reasonable Prices

A Guide to Buying Firewood at Reasonable Prices When it comes to fueling your fireplace or wood-burning stove, you can either purchase a rack or two of wood a time, cut it yourself, or buy it by the truckload. The problem with buying it a rack at a time is that its not cost-effective. The other option, cutting it yourself, is less expensive, but it takes a lot of time and effort. Which is why so many people who use fireplaces and wood-burning stoves as their primary source of heat choose to buy pre-cut wood in a large volume. By learning just a little bit about how to make the right purchase, you can save yourself money, time, and muscle pain- and stay cozy all winter. What the Law States Many states have enacted firewood transaction laws to ensure that consumers are getting the correct amount of wood for their money. Its important to understand how a seller might measure wood compared to the state standards of measurement before trying to evaluate how much the wood should cost per unit of measurement. Cords and fractions of a cord are the only two legal units of measurement accepted in most states. Any other unit term- pile, rick, rank, pickup load, etc.- is more of a regional or local preference and therefore can be prone to price-gouging. Understanding Measurements of Wood On average, a cord of wood as defined by most states is equal to the amount of cut and tightly stacked roundwood that can fit inside a container that measures four feet by four feet by eight feet or 128 cubic feet. Be aware that wood received in different lengths can mean you get a different amount of wood. For instance, a cord of wood split and tightly stacked in 16-foot lengths contains considerably more energy (less air space) than a cord of wood stacked and racked in eight-foot lengths. If the firewood is cut to fit a stove or fireplace and is split and tightly stacked, there is less room for air and more room for wood. If the wood is haphazardly piled, on the other hand, the air-to-wood volume ratio is increased and you have less energy per cord. You should, of course, insist on neat and tight stacking, but remember that every processing step adds to the cost of the wood. Also know that a truckload, while not a legal definition, is often the one most used by sellers. In these instances, a truckload can mean anything from a loaded light-weight short-bed pickup (which usually holds about a fifth of a cord) to a large pulpwood truck (which usually holds four cords). Tips for Getting Firewood at the Right Price There are a number of ways to mitigate price gouging and ensure that youre paying the right amount of money for the right amount of energy per unit of wood: Try to avoid buying firewood that is not sold in cords or fractions of a cord, since, again, these other measurements arent standardized and make it almost impossible to compare prices to the market value.In order to avoid wasted space, insist that the  wood is cut to burning length, split, and uniformly stacked in a pile. Although this may increase the cost of the wood for handling, it will ensure a better volume of energy estimation and will make stacking for storage that much easier.Because truckload measurements can vary so greatly, always determine the hauling capacity in cubic feet of any truck used to hold the wood youve ordered and ensure that the stacking is relatively tight and orderly. You can, and should, measure your or the sellers transport bed to determine its volume, which will then determine the cord or fraction-of-a-cord price you can expect to pay.You can determine this price by multiplying the bed length by the bed width by the bed height. Then divide that gross cubic feet volume by 128. Take that number, which will probably be a fraction, and then multiply it by the price per cord to get your woods value. For instance, say you plan to go to a wood lot and stack and haul your own truckload. Your truck bed measures two by four by eight feet. Multiply those numbers together and you get 64. Divide by 128 and you get .5, or the capacity to hold half a cord of wood. If the seller advertises $200 per cord, you should expect to pay $100 to stack and haul your truckload yourself. What Youll Pay Firewood costs are driven by location and availability, so prices for a cord of mixed hardwood can range from $50 to more than $100 a cord, depending on location. If you want to have the seller stack and deliver, know that the cost of transporting that wood to your front door will add more money to that price. Again, depending on the region, you can pay anywhere from $100 to $150 more for processing, transport, and handling.

Aphra Behn essays

Aphra Behn essays [...] a Devil on't the Woman damns the Poet. Aphra Behn, Preface to The Lucky Chance Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was not the first woman writer; neither was she the only woman writer of her day. But Aphra Behn holds the singular distinction of being the first professional woman writer in the English language. That's right, ladies Aphra Behn was the first woman writer who did it for money. It was a natural choice for this young woman, a recent spy for the crown and a widow at the age of 26, to turn to selling herself (in a manner of speaking) in order to survive.Many other women of the period did so; but instead of novels and plays, they sold something much more fundamental and far more common. Single women, whether spinsters or widows, often allowed themselves to be kept by rich men of the commons and nobility alike. Mrs. Behn chose not to sell herself but her wits and words, and was branded a whore for her efforts. Not much is known of her origins. Most biographers seem to agree she was born Aphra Johnson in or around 1640, and that she acquired her education and her connections at court through a noble childhood friend for whom her mother acted as a wet-nurse. She very likely traveled with her family to Surinam in her early 20s; at the age of 26, after having been briefly married to a Mr. Behn (of which nothing is known), she went to Antwerp as a spy for the crown. The mission was singularly unsuccessful, and she returned to England a debtor (very likely serving a short term in prison). When she got out, she began to write, at first "for bread," but soon she made it clear that she was writing not only for money but for fame and also to fulfill what she called "my masculine part, the poet in me" clearly asserting her rights as an artist despite her gender. She ...

Identify on a local or national level how terrorism is financed Research Paper

Identify on a local or national level how terrorism is financed - Research Paper Example Since contemporary age has witnessed large scale terrorism particularly in the wake of cold war between the USA and the former USSR and the advent of purported New World Order, which has divided the globe into different groups on the basis of religion, economic condition and geographical location. The 9/11 catastrophe has determined new dimensions of international relations, where different nations and societies declared their opponents as terrorists in the light of the attacks on WTC, New York. Though the intellectuals view the catastrophe as a nefarious act designed by the US intelligentsia to capture the resources existing in the Islamic world, the western world found the hand of Osama Ben Laden and his companions in the entire catastrophe, which looked for taking revenge of the American and Israeli atrocities on the Muslim population of various countries. Tarpley (2004) observes that 9/11 was an example of state-sponsored, false-flag, synthetic terrorism, and hereinafter called s ynthetic terrorism. Consequently, the Gulf based Al Qaeda was unanimously declared as the most notorious terrorist organization busy in challenging the very peace of the world. ... Somehow, it is also is a reality beyond suspicion that no corporate firm or organization intentionally provides any terrorist group with the financial support; rather, the planning cell of terrorist organizations manages to receive the same in the sacred name of religious institutions, humanity, health, education and other humanistic purposes; the same is applied on the anti US reactionary militant group Al Qaeda. Financial Action Task Force (2008) is of the view that terrorist financing requirements fall into two general areas: (1) funding specific terrorist operations, such as direct costs associated with specific operations and (2) broader organizational costs to develop and maintain an infrastructure of organizational support and to promote the ideology of a terrorist organization. Like all other militant groups, the organization under investigation also requires financing to run its administrative or structural as well as operational activities. The administrative activities inc lude the expenditures spent on the establishment of offices, staff recruitment, co-ordination with media, communication and propaganda activities and payments and salaries of staff members. They also include the payments of utility bills, sharing and exchanging of information and recruitment and hiring of the militants. Moreover, arrangement of residence, health and medical facilities related to the top leadership is also the part of administrative expenditures. While discussing the operational activities, allocation, appointment and placement of the militants is one of the most significant operational activities of the terrorist organization. Since Al Qaeda has to

Sustainability as a source of competitive advantage in the hospitality Literature review - 1

Sustainability as a source of competitive advantage in the hospitality industry - Literature review Example While sustainability is engineered into large hotels, simpler processes are associated with environmental friendliness in small hotels. The differences between them should be noted in order to better appreciate the scope of sustainability issues in large hotels. For small hotels, a significant solid-waste management (SWM) program becomes the principal concern. Small hotels generate wastes that usually end up in landfills, due to the relatively smaller quantities of various types of waste that defy more economical large-scale waste management. It is not true, however, that effective waste management cannot be conducted in small hotels. There are still methods and techniques by which waste can be segregated, recycled, and reduced to minimize and even eliminate contribution to landfills (Radwan, Jones & Minoli, 2010). Empirical studies have come to explore the consumer dynamics relating to sustainable hotels. Lee, Hsu, Han & Kim (2010) sought to determine the view of consumers concernin g green hotels, and how the hotel’s green image can impact on their behavioural intentions. The diagram following provides a graphic presentation of the factors considered in the conduct of the study. The study takes into account among its assumptions the growing concern among the public about environmental issues in general, and how this affects their viewpoint of the hotel industry. Green technology is viewed herein as a strategic tool that can enhance the hotel’s competitive advantage.

Social Construction of Race Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Construction of Race - Essay Example Or he might consider himself as European because, though he lived in Asia, he lives as a European still. In this case, the basis for race classification is not physical feature but the cultural values of the person. This indicates that we can never know for sure the race of the person by looking at them. 2. Media is one powerful tool in shaping a society’s culture, values and preference. At the present time, the media is used by everyone. And we mean every form media, not just television or radio. Nowadays, the power of social media with the dawn of the World Wide Web is clearly visible. It shapes how people think and believe. Media can actually be used to open the perspective of different nations, not just in critical events such as war, economy and politics but also other issues concerning education, women and crime. Because media can now encompass all ages and all races, it can be used to create a venue for open dialogue between different societies in order to create resolu tions for different problems, whether it’s big or small. It can open a nation’s eyes on how their own people believe in but it also can bridge the gap between different nations.

Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper Essay Example for Free

Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper Essay The United States Constitution was ratified and made law September 17, 1789. For Americas yet-to-be history the Framers knew the Constitution had to have a way to grow and change with the people, and their needs. This paper will cover the amendment process, the need for the Bill of Rights, how the Bill of Rights has affected America, what the Bill of Rights have granted American’s, discuss the later amendments, and what effect the later amendments have had. Amendments In order for America to continue to grow and change with the needs of the people, the Constitution was created with an amendment process in Article V. Article V gives two ways in which the Constitution can be amended; first is by a two-thirds vote from both the House or Representatives and the Senate, it must be ratified by 38 of the50 states. To date this is the only method that has been used. Second method is to hold a Convention called for the sole purpose of amending and two-thirds of the state legislatures must attend. Then it must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. The Constitution The Framers of the Constitution were specifically concerned with creating a charter for a working government, of the people, for the people, but the Constitution covered very few rights for the American citizen. During the secret convention of 1787,there was some opposition to the Constitution because it was viewed as not  having enough protections for Americas’ rights. â€Å"A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth† Jefferson, T (1787). Including an agreement to add immediately the Bill of Rights, gave way for the Constitution to be ratified. James Madison argued that a declaration of rights for the American people would help the judiciary branch protect individual rights. â€Å"They have given the right of man and fair discussion, and explained them in so clear and forcible manner as cannot fail to make a lasting impression† Washington, G. (1791). The Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights has affected countless court cases on individual rights. Communities and states can become involved to push moral or financial standards on others, and the Bill of Rights stops neighbors, states, and the federal government from infringing on the rights of an individual. The Bill of Rights protects the civil liberties that Americans are granted with citizenship, but it also gives America something to strive to be. The Bill of Rights is an ideal, a powerful statement of what America is trying to be. Amendments beyond the Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights accounts for amendments one through ten. Each of the additional 17 amendments has come about because of clarification needed for the original mechanics of the first three articles or to ensure civil rights. Amendments 11,16, and 24 are for clarifications of Article III. Amendments 12, 17, 20, 22, 25, 26, and 27are for further clarification of Articles I and II. Amendment 23 is further clarification of Article I. Only six amendments are to provide or clarify civil rights, those are13, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 21. Amendment 18 is the only one ever repealed. As we take a deeper look at amendments 13,14, and 15 they were also known as the Reconstruction Amendments. After the Civil War in early 1865 amendment 13 to abolish slavery, was found to be lacking in clarification of what happened to the freed slaves, and the 14th amendment was proposed in 1866, to allow all slaves citizenship. After this the rights for freed Black men came into question, the 15th amendment was created, that race would not bar anyone from the right to vote. Effects of the Constitutional Amendments The amendments beyond the Bill of Rights have each come when needed for the political and changing human rights that America has faced in the past 224 years. Rights have been granted; laws passed and recalled when they were no longer applicable for the climate of what Americans wanted for themselves. Clarifications for the running of the United States government, what should happen in case of emergencies and representation of all citizens have come from a government for the people, by the people. Conclusion Article V of the United States Constitution provides for America to change. The Framers knew that a simple document that was black and white could not govern a people for all time. Our Constitution is alive; it grows with America, and allows changes to be made allowing it stay relevant

The Electoral Process :: President Elections Politics Essays

The Electoral Process There are very many elections each year in America. Though the most important, the national election for president is held every four years. These elections are far from simple in terms of organization. The process for a national election lasts nearly a year. A party must provide nominated people to stand for election. 'Primary election' is the term used in America for the elections which will select the two parties’ presidential nomination. The primary elections start in January of election year and can last until June in what is called the "primary season". Registered voters vote for their delegates. Since 1952 the first primary election has traditionally been in New Hampshire. Of those nominated, only one is selected by the party delegates at the national conventions. This takes place during the summer. The voting body at a national convention is made up of delegates. The delegates, once at a convention, vote for a candidate for the presidential election. The vice-president is also announced at the national convention. Also at the conventions, each party’s policy platform is announced. This is essentially what each party plans to do if elected by the people. After the national conventions, the two parties’ presidential hopefuls can concentrate on campaigning for the ultimate prize in American politics. Each state has a number of delegates attached to it who are members of the state’s Electoral College. It is these people who the voters in that state are in reality voting for as most of these delegates are voted for at the same time as the presidential election. The number of delegates a state gets is dependent on its population and its representation in the House of Representatives. The election of the electors and congress takes place on the first Tuesday in November. The presidential election is done on a winner-take-all basis in a state. Therefore if a candidate has most voters voting for him in a state, he will get all the Electoral votes from that state. This is true even if the number of people who voted against him is greater than the number he received.

Robert Frosts Desert Places and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening :: Robert Frost Poet Poems Desert Woods Essays

Robert Frost's "Desert Places" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" Robert Frost takes our imaginations to a journey through wintertime with his two poems "Desert Places" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening". Frost comes from a New England background and these two poems reflect the beautiful scenery that is present in that part of the country. Even though these poems both have winter settings they contain very different tones. One has a feeling of depressing loneliness and the other a feeling of welcome solitude. They show how the same setting can have totally different impacts on a person depending on their mindset at the time. These poems are both made up of simple stanzas and diction but they are not simple poems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the poem "Desert Places" the speaker is a man who is traveling through the countryside on a beautiful winter eventing. He is completely surrounded with feelings of loneliness. The speaker views a snow covered field as a deserted place. "A blanker whiteness of benighted snow/ With no expression, nothing to express". Whiteness and blankness are two key ideas in this poem. The white sybolizes open and empty spaces. The snow is a white blanket that covers up everything living. The blankness sybolizes the emptyness that the speaker feels. To him there is nothing else around except for the unfeeling snow and his lonely thoughts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The speaker in this poem is jealous of the woods. "The woods around it have it - it is theirs." The woods symbolizes people and society. They have something that belongs to them, something to feel a part of. The woods has its place in nature and it is also a part of a bigger picture. The speaker is so alone inside that he feels that he is not a part of anything. Nature has a way of bringing all of her parts together to act as one. Even the animals are a part of this wintery scene. "All animals are smothered in their lairs,/ I am too absent-spirited to count". The snow throws its blanket of whiteness over everything and to him it is a feeling of numbness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "The loneliness includes me unawares". The speaker has lost his enthusiasm for life. He can not express his feelings easily because of this feeling of numbness. The speaker is also in denial about feeling alone. He is at a stage where he just does not care about too much and he is feeling a bit paranoid. "They cannot scare me with their empty space." He is saying who cares how I feel, I do not need anyone else.

Benefits of a College Graduate

Ana Nunez Nunez (page 1) Ms. Waltman Assignment 6 Credit 5 College Graduate For my assignment on Credit 5 I had to interview a college graduate. I choose to interview my own sister Sandra Galaviz, she is the oldest of four children in my family. She is a college graduate with a four year degree.She has been a great role model to me and she has motivated me to go to college, so I will be able to succeed in my career choice I asked Sandra why she decided to go to college? She told me that she decided to go to college because she wanted to better her future. Have a wide spread opportunities and get a better education for herself. There was one teacher in particular that Sandra wanted to be like. She always looked up to Mrs. Ramirez her seventh grade teacher. Sandra saw teachers as a great role for children.The next thing I asked her was where did you go to college and why did she choose that school? University of Santa Barbara was the college of her choice. She choose this college beca use it was closer to home and she knew she would be homesick. UCSB offers great teaching programs for upcoming teachers. Sandra also knew this school would have great teaching opportunities and help achieve her career goals. Sandra majored in English. She always wanted to become an English teacher as a child. Sandra got her bachelor’s degree and it helped her in many ways.It also, opened up many opportunities and many career options for her future. I asked her what did she like about her college experience? Sandra replied that she got to learn new things, met new people and she got to explore her new interests. Without this experience she wouldn’t be able to be the person she is today. Nunez (page 2) In college you can face several problems. I asked my sister what challenges did she had to overcome in college? She said she faced procrastination and finical problems.Sandra got rid of her bad habit and started working part-time at Walmart to help her finical status. My s ister gave me some advice on looking to go to college. Sandra told me, â€Å"College is very important to better your education and find something your passionate about in life. † College can make you feel a lot of things. The major feeling is feeling stressed all the time. I asked Sandra how do you overcome stress in college? She replied manage your stress level and control your environment, by controlling who and what is around. Also, stay relax and enjoy yourself.My final question was is college worth the effort? Sandra answered college is a one time experience that can make a major impact on your future. To conclude, my sister has showed me that an education is very valuable and important. It allows me to reach my career goals. I would love to follow in my sisters footsteps in going to college. I want to learn what I want to learn and become what I love. Possibly being the second of our family to go to college would be a magnificent goal in my life. I want to succeed and be the best I can be.