Elementary Education Essay

Reading Comprehension -The student uses a variety of strategies to comprehend grade level text; Strand: Reading Process Listening and Speaking – The student effectively applies listening and speaking strategies. Informative – The student develops and demonstrates technical writing that provides information related to real-world tasks. Benchmark: LA. 2. 1. 7. 3. The student will summarize information in text, including but not limited to main idea, supporting details, and connections between texts; LA. 2. 5. 2. 4. The student will listen politely to oral presentations by classmates. LA. 2. 3. 1. 1. The student will prewrite by generating ideas from multiple sources (e. g. , text, brainstorming, webbing, drawing, writer’s notebook, group discussion, other activities); LA. 4. 4. 2. 5. The student will write simple directions to familiar locations using cardinal directions, landmarks, and distances, and create an accompanying map. Grade Level: Grade 2 Objectives: 1. Using the book The Trumpet of the Swan, the class will understand the main idea of the story by reading, listening and students discussion. 2. Basing on the journals of Louis in the Trumpet of the Swan, the class will come up with their very own journal writing. 3. Using the given information in the book The Trumpet of the Swan, the class will make a map of the main character’s travels and adventures. Activities: Before reading: 1. Ask the class if they know what a journal is and if they have ever written one. 2. Tell the class you are going to read them a story entitle The Trumpet of the Swan. During reading: 3. Read the Trumpet of the Swan. 4. Show a map of Canada and point important spots that are mentioned in the Trumpet of the Swan. 5. Show a sample journal and explain how to write and what to write. After reading: 6. Ask the class to read Sam’s poem and summarize the text and identify the main idea of the poem (Reading). 7. Ask the class to write a journal about nature (Writing). 8. Have the class make a map of Louis’ travels and adventures including all the important spots in Canada, Montana and the Northeast (Visually Representing). 9. Have the class discuss the book by having them share their favorite part and ask questions like the following: How to behave in the woods if you want to appreciate nature, what are their stand on the ethics of Louis’ father, why is there a need for Serena to hear the beautiful song of her mate, does anyone identify with Applegate Skinner? Or have someone recite a part of Sam’s poem (Talking/Speaking). 10. Ask the class to listen when a classmate recites a poem and identify the main idea of the poem (Listening). Assessment of Writing Development: The 2 ways of assessing a student’s writing development are Rubrics and Portfolio assessment. ? â€Å"Rubrics are tools teachers and students use to evaluate and classify writing, whether individual pieces or portfolios. They identify and articulate what is being evaluated in the writing, and offer â€Å"descriptors† to classify writing into certain categories (1-5, for instance, or A-F). Narrative rubrics and chart rubrics are the two most common forms† (UNL|FLWI, 2008). ? Portfolio assessment is the collection of students’ work over time reflecting their progress, efforts and achievements and teachers based it on the following items: â€Å"students’ Projects, surveys, reports and units from reading and writing Favorite poems, songs, letters, and comments, Interesting thoughts to remember, Finished samples that illustrate wide writing, Examples of writing across the curriculum, Literature extensions, Student record of books read and attempted, Audio tape of reading, Writing responses to literary components, Writing that shows growth in usage of traits, Samples in which ideas are modified from first draft to final product, Unedited first draft, Revised first draft, Evidence of effort, Self-evaluations, Writing that illustrates evidence of topic generation† (Hurst, 2009). Assessment of Grammar Skills: You can informally assess children’s grammar skills by: ? Reviewing children’s work on relevant pages in their Student Books, handwriting sentences they copied during Daily Routines, and especially their own independent Quick Writing. ? Another method is by â€Å"formal graded assessments such as quizzes, selected homework activities, and in-class tests† (Porter and vanDommelen, 2005). Assessment of Spelling Skills: The two ways of assessing the students’ spelling skills are observation and analysis of the work samples. ? Observation can be done in the classroom by observing the students as they write and as they try to use words that are beyond their ability level. It is important that observation be supplemented later with the students’ work samples and it should be done in a systematic way. ? Analysis of the work samples is an assessment of students’ â€Å"spelling ability from examination of samples of their unaided writing† (Westwood, 2008). These â€Å"samples can be taken from students’ exercise books, test papers, and language arts portfolios† (Fiderer as cited in Westwood, 2008). THE SPELLING PATTERNS: 1. Blends: are 2 or 3 letters combined to form a distinct spelling sound. Examples are : -br- in brown and break and -fr- in fry and freeze 2. Digraph: A group of two successive letters whose phonetic value is a single sound. For example, EA in BREAD, CH in CHAT, or NG in SING. 3. Diphthong: the union of two vowels, pronounced by a single impulse of the voice; as, ea in beat, ou in sound. 4. R-controlled vowels: When a vowel is followed by an r, it makes a special sound. These are called r-controlled vowels, or r-colored vowels. Examples are /ar/ sound as in car, /er/ sound as in butter. 5. Long vowel: a sound which is the same as, or very similar to the letter name of one of the vowels. Examples are /a/ as in gate, /e/ as in need. 6. Short vowel: Are vowels of shorter duration. Examples are short /a/ as in bat, short /e/ as in bet. 7. Contraction: is a word made up from a verb and another word where an apostrophe takes the place of any letters that are left out. It can be positive contraction or negative contraction. Examples are: aren’t – are not and here’s – here is. CUING SYSTEM: 1. Semantics — the study of the development and changes of the meanings of speech forms. Semantics is also a study of the process by which meaning is derived from symbols, signs, text, and other meaning-bearing forms. 2. Syntax — the conventions and rules for assembling words into meaningful sentences; syntax varies across languages. 3. Graphophonic — Refers to the sound relationship between the orthography (symbols) and phonology (sounds) of a language. 4. Phonological awareness — The understanding that speech is composed of sub-parts — sentences are comprised of words, words are comprised of syllables, syllables are comprised of onsets and rimes, and can be further broken down to phonemes. Cuing Strategies â€Å"Used by effective readers to figure out unfamiliar words and to make meaning, cuing strategies include knowledge of syntax, semantics, words and word meaning, and graphophonics (letter/sound associations). Teachers can guide students to use cuing strategies by reminding them to ask themselves, did it sound right? Did it make sense? Did the word look right? † (Teacher Resources, 2002). References † Advice for Teachers: Assessing Student Writing. † UNL | FLWI. 2008. 03 Apr. 2009 . Porter, Patricia, and Deborah VanDommelen. â€Å"Integrating Assessment with Grammar-for-Writing Instruction. † CATESOL: California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. 2005. 03 Apr. 2009 . Hurst, Carol Otis. â€Å"Portfolio Assessment in the Reading-Writing Classroom. † Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site – Reviews and teaching ideas for kids’ books. 03 Apr. 2009 . Westwood, Peter. What Teachers Need to Know about Spelling. Aust Council for Ed Research, 2008. â€Å"Teaching Reading: Lens on Literacy. † Teacher Professional Development and Teacher Resources by Annenberg Media. 2002. .

Animal Shelters

Animal Shelters For The Win! Did you know that there are about 4 to 6 thousand animal shelters in the United States? Also did you know that there are between 8 to 12 million animals in those animal shelters? Unfortunately each year between 4 to 6 million of those animals are euthanized due to not being able to find a home. That’s almost half of the animals that enter a shelter yearly! But what If I told you that you can make change for those animals, if you can take euthanization completely off the table and that you’d be doing something good for you at the same time.You would do it right? Well then you should go adopt a pet at your local shelter. Not only will you be helping the animals but you would also benefit greatly from this. You would help save lives and also gain a new best friend. Studies have shown that more animals are euthanized than adopted at an animal shelter! So it is time for people to step up and make a difference in the world! It’s not like th e workers at an animal shelter want the animals to be euthanized, but they have no choice because many new animals come in everyday to the animal shelters all throughout the United States.I am going to convince all of you guys to adopt an animal at a local animal shelter and not at a pet store. Buying an animal at a pet store may seem like a good option, but in reality there is a better option! That option is adopting an animal at an animal shelter! Do you know what Puppy Mills are? How about Commercial Kennels? Well this is important to know because many of the animals from those pet stores are from these Puppy Mills and large commercial kennels. Puppy Mills are dog breeding facilities that put profits ahead of the welfare of dogs. Those breeders do not care about filth, disease, socialization, and overcrowding.They don't care about inbreeding or genetic defects either. They don't care about who in the world buy the puppies and also they do not care about wearing out the breeding m oms. They just care about making money. Yes I said it. Money, money, and more money. It’s a sad truth but it's the truth. On the other hand, the animals at an animal shelter are well cared for and are not forcefully bred. The people there actually care for the animals and help treat the animals who were once abused, left behind, and not cared for. Many of those working at an animal shelter usually do not get paid much or do not get paid at all.Most volunteer their time to help the animals in desperate need! They do it because they have a passion for animals. They do not care about the money, they care about the animals health, well being, and most importantly, helping the animals find a new home. There is a myth that animal shelters do not have purebred animals but that is completely untrue! That is just a rumor. If you just take time to go to your local animal shelter, I know that you can find a purebred animal. Of course it would be harder to find purebred animals, but it i s definitely not impossible.Another reason why I think adopting is a better option is that not only is there a variety of animals there, but it is also much more affordable. Did you really think that buying a pet at a pet store was cheaper? Well you are wrong! Adoption fees at an animal shelter are much lower than buying from a pet store. Adoption fees can vary by location and animal shelters, but the prices can range from being free to 250 dollars. Comparing to the prices at a pet store, many animals like dogs and cats are being sold for almost triple the price! Some are even sold for 1000 dollars! That is really expensive!This shows how the animal shelters put the animals before the money. Imagine yourself in a world, where there were no animal shelters. Only those puppy mills and large commercial kennels. Life would suck right? The population of animals would decrease tremendously and also there would be so many more animals with illnesses, diseases, and defects. Also the animals would have to continue to live life sad and suffer in pain, the rest of their life. Now, Imagine the world where everyone only adopted animals at a shelter! The world would be so much happier for the animals and the people!There would no longer be any more of those Puppy mills or large commercial kennels and there would be no more of those heartless people who forcefully breed animals for money. Life would be so much better and if the animals could talk, I know they would say something like this†¦ â€Å"I love you,† and â€Å"Thank you for saving my life. † So the next time you want to have a new pet, just remember and think back about how adopting at an animal shelter is a better option than buying from a pet store. Think about how the animals from a pet store come from puppy mills and commercial kennels.Think about how poorly the animals are treated, and how this results in the animals having serious illnesses, diseases, and genetic defects. There is a simple s olution to this problem. All you have to do is adopt from an animal shelter and not buy from a pet store! Don't forget that those people from those puppy mills and commercial kennels just breed for quantity not quality. Not persuasive enough? Be Quiet! Then you better read my persuasive speech paper again. Haha I’m just kidding. But seriously adopt your new best friend from your local shelter!

Child Development Essay

Purpose of the course: The course meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:45 to 10:00 in Mayborn 105. My office hours are Wednesdays from 10-12 and nearly anytime by appointment in Hobbs 217a. The course is about experimental methods of research on child development. It is designed for students concentrating in child development, cognitive studies, or psychology. The prerequisites include at least one course about child development and at least one course about statistics. The course is built around empirical articles about child development (many of the articles are â€Å"classics† that you may have read about in your other courses) and around readings about statistics & research methods. The main purpose of the course is to bring to life the basic elements of experimental approaches to psychological science in the context of child development research. To accomplish this we will read chapters about statistics and research methods. These concepts will be anchored to child development by applying them to classic (and recent) research reports, by applying them to hands-on experiences of designing and implementing data collection protocols, and by applying them to the entire research process by writing a research proposal. Requirements: 1. Come to class and participate. This will count 5% of your final course grade. I hope everyone receives the entire amount of credit. I’ll distribute an attendance list at the start of each class. It is fine to miss two classes. If you need to miss, please email me the day before. As for participating in class – it is a good thing for students to ask & answer questions in class. Sometimes I’ll ask people to hold on to their questions and ask me after class, so I can continue with the lecture. 2. Midterm exam. This is the only test in the course and will count 40% of your final course grade. It is a â€Å"concept mastery† test. You will be expected to define, explain, and apply the statistical concepts and the research design concepts to the empirical papers that we have read up to that point. It involves teaming-up with classmates in order to identify a classic research study, to design dependent variables and independent variables based on that study, create an observation sheet, and observe a few children. Then students should, individually, summarize what you observed in a table, and report your observations within a scientific style format. It will count 15% of the your final course grade. 3. Term paper in lieu of a final exam. This is to be a 12-20 page paper roughly following the format of an NIH research proposal. It will count 40% of your final course grade. 4. Letter grades: Excellent or outstanding work will receive a grade of â€Å"A† or â€Å"A-â€Å". Good or very good work will receive a grade of â€Å"B+† or â€Å"B†. or â€Å"B-â€Å". Work that minimally fulfills the assignments will receive a grade of â€Å"C†, and work that does not fulfill the assignment will receive a grade of â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†. The Vanderbilt Honor Code: I strongly encourage students to brainstorm together, to study together, and to team up to prepare for tests together. However, all written work should be your own. Tests are to be taken on the scheduled day and assignments are due on the scheduled day. I will make exceptions for documented medical emergencies, family emergencies, and participation in official Vanderbilt events.

Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Employment Relations - Essay Example A few of the evidences such as CIPD (2011) provides a clear statement that there are very less organisations wherein the unions do not have any existence. It is also evidential that the labour unions have a high influence on the development of the business organisations. Justifiably, the trade unions have played a decisive role in the UK for developing the employment relationship with the help of introducing the procedure of collective bargaining and allowing the employers to design favourable policies for the employees (CIPD, 2011: 3-4). In an organization wherein both employers and unions are the part of work process, it can be stated that the employment relationship ensures successful running of business at large. With regards to the aforesaid subject, this essay is being prepared with an intention of gaining an insight about employment relationship, which prevails between the employers and the labour unions. The study has been conducted on this subject with reference to various literatures reviewed by different authors. In the conclusive part of the essay, a study has been made on the prevalence of employment relations in the organisations with unions and without the unions as well. Employment relationship, as mentioned in the earlier section is one of the prime aspects of every business organisation. In this similar context, it can be apparently observed that the unions have a significant role to play in building up of the employment relationship. For instance, as per the notion of Guest (2004: 542), employment relationship is considered as one of the wide framework of rights and responsibilities of both the employers and the employees towards forming a healthy relationship in order to reap significant benefits. Guest (2004: 542) also stated that in the ancient industrialization society of the UK and the USA, there was high prevalence of unionism in the majority of

Chapter 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chapter 4 - Assignment Example The correct answer is (c), to solve for I, one must identify the value of I that causes the PV of the positive CFs to equal the absolute value of the PV of the negative CFs. This is, essentially, a trial and-error procedure that is easy with a computer or financial calculator but quite difficult otherwise. The formula for effective rate of r= (1+i/n)n- 1, for Riverside Bank, the effective annual interest rate will be, rR = (1 + (0.065/12))^12 = 1.067, while for the Midwest Bank, the effective annual interest rates will be, rM = (1 + (0.07/1))^1 = 1.07. Hence the effective annual rate is higher for Midwest Bank by (1.07 – 1.067) 0.003 or 0.3%. To arrive at the annual contribution for Ed’s trust, first we calculate the total amount that will accrue for Steve in the next 46 years using the formula, FV= (A.(1+i)˄n-1)/i(1+i) where A is the equal annuities, i is the interest rates and n the number of years (Wegner, p 530). From their initial amount of $15,000 at the rate of 9%, they will accumulate, 15,000x (1+0.09)^7 = 27,420.059. From their regular contribution of $5,000, they will accumulate: $5,000 x 1.09^7 + $5,000 x 1.09^6 + $5,000 x 1.09^5 + $5,000 x1.09^4 =$32,276.7, the total will be: = $59,696.76 At t=11, the amount of $8,103.14, will have a deficit of $12,350.54, so an additional amount of $9,536.88 should be saved before the study begins, hence distributing the amount in three equal installments we use the annuity formula, Ax (1.09^3), A =

Imageries unveiled Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Imageries unveiled - Essay Example The general tone is one of obscurity and inconspicuous violence. It contains inconceivably dark images, which this paper is going to explore in the following paragraphs. After the first reading of the story, the reader is sufficiently horrified. But the techniques used by Faulkner make it slightly painless to digest the grotesqueness of the plot. One technique used by the author is that of jumbling the chronology of events in a suspenseful manner. The other is that of the narrator’s shifting point of view, which lays stress on Miss Emily’s strength of rationale, her detachment and her conceit. This diminishes the repugnance of her actions. The narrator of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† functions like a mirror upon Miss Emily Grierson’s life. One critic, Kenneth Payson Kempton calls her an â€Å"extreme of anonymity† yet he asserts his point across the story (Sullivan 1971). Faulkner’s use of symbols and metaphors in the story enhances the intensity of the plot. The story starts with the funeral of Miss Emily to be held in her house, not the Church. The narrator gives a description of Miss Emily and her house. She is compared with the decay of her house in many physical, emotional and mental ways. She also represents the Old South through her southern heritage, points of view and stubbornness. Her death becomes a symbol of a dying generation, since Old South generations were deteriorating very rapidly due to the changing customs and traditions. Faulkner describes her as dressed in black, leaning on a cane. Her â€Å"skeleton† is small and she looks â€Å"bloated† with a â€Å"pallid hue†. He avoids directly saying that she is dead. These phrases of depiction add to the gothic quality of the story. The back and forth movement of the narrative gives the reader a close-up of her life. She remains in denial after her father’s death. For three days she insists that her father is not dead. This prepares th e reader to expect a similar gesture from her after she poisons her lover, Homer Barron. Emily’s house is an emblem of alienation and death, enveloped with mental illness. Just like Emily, the house, too, is an object of fascination for the townspeople. Another symbol in the story is the strand of hair found on the pillow next to the dead corpse. It reminds the reader of the lost love and the extent to which people can go in pursuit of happiness. It also reveals a woman’s inner life, which refuses to submit and chooses to remain in solitude all her life. Emily, as stubborn and strict as she is, believes in abiding by the rules but in her own morality makes it permissible for herself to murder. The narrator foreshadows the discovery of the strand of hair while he portrays Emily’s transformation as she ages. The reader also comes across â€Å"black†, as a color with a very strong imagery. It represents loss, melancholy and obscurity. In her youth, Emily is completely shut from her sympathetic environment (Watkins 1954). She belonged to an aristocratic family. Her father occupied a high social position in the town of Jefferson. He shunned Emily from the rest of the world and forbade her to meet anyone. This attitude was so detrimental to her personality that she could never overcome its strength. She became extremely reliant on her father that it later became difficult for her to forget him. The story is a masterpiece for exposing such an

Goods Design Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Goods Design - Research Paper Example Donald Norman moved away from mainstream scientific thinking by transforming his quest for enhancement of life. His streams of thoughts analyze an object not merely by its proposed use but its interaction with the user. Beyond serving a use an object has intrinsic ability to appeal to the user’s subconscious. This ability is attached subjectively based on the user moods, preferences and expectations. Norman believes that an attractive design is capable of creating pleasant experiences. He also believes that aesthetically pleasing objects usually appear more effectives by virtue of their sensual appeal. He suggested that although this ability did not influence the usability of the object it however influenced motivation of the user to perform the intended task. Cognitive thought processing takes place in either depth first processing that minimized distractions or breath first processing that takes advantage of the distractions and converts them into creative ideas (Norman, 200 7). Cognition is objective since it focuses more on the feasibility of the concepts on which the design is based. This suggests that engineers and designers produce items that are human centered in as far as reducing stress induced by the product since this would interfere with the user’s concentration. ... Items that are incorporate features such as color, shapes, smell that attract positive emotion in the user motivate better work performance (Norman, 2007). They inspire broad thinking and creativity by increasing tolerance to minor difficulties and flexibility at finding solutions. Pleasure derived from the physical appearance or functioning of the items induces positive effects broadening creativity and tolerance to blockage. He concludes on the notion that attractive things work better which is not entirely based on cognition of usability. According to him a good design must possess both usability and aesthetic value. Marketing considerations must be integrated in the manufacturing process and placement in the market. The items should be functional, affordable and pleasurable to own and use (Norman, 2007). Norman concludes that the positive affects of a design usually enhance creativity and this make those designs which are human centered to be essential for situations or tasks whi ch are stressful and this how Donald Norman emphasized on the importance of design in creating pleasant emotions. 2. Philosophy a crash course Philosophy refers to the academic discipline that exercises reasoning and logic with an attempt to understand reality and develop answers to fundamental questions about life, knowledge, morality and human nature (Irwin and Gracia, 2007). Due its generalized ideas and interrogation of thoughts this field of study is often perceived to ask questions that are rhetorical and interfering with common belief systems. Students shun philosophy out of its complexity and use of reasoning and logic to develop knowledge and test existing systems. Popular culture on the other

The Victorians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Victorians - Essay Example I not only communicated through symbols, but also expressed my emotions through playing piano. The division of responsibilities was very significant; men and women recognized the difference in their roles and accepted the fact that even within marriage they were supposed to lead separate lives until their death. Unmarried women who got pregnant were highly disregarded in the Victorian era; they were considered not only conspicuous, but also a danger to the society’s stability. However, pregnancy of a married woman was highly valued because of the high position of babies after marriage. I remember a big celebration that was held by my father when I experienced my first menstrual cycle. I think he held the celebration because he knew he was going to exchange me for a good amount of money. He was the one that had the authority of deciding which boyfriend was to marry me depending on the money on his saving account. In connection with this, only women who were virgins were considered potential wives during my era. Virginity was an indication of not only purity of the woman, but also a significant bride price. Marriage in my era was also between couples from the same social class; a wealthy man married a woman from a wealthy family as well as a poor man married a woman from a poor family. To avoid shame associated with uncalled matches, my parents controlled my company. It was a result of this that I married a wealthy man that I did not love. Double standard was also acknowledged in my era; men were allowed to have many lovers considering that women were barred from ha ving any lover apart from the husband because they were believed not to have sexual energy. The guilty of adultery, as well as well pregnancy of an unmarried woman, meant not only shame, but also humiliation. Thus, I avoided by all means having any relationship before marriage as well as outside my marriage after getting married to my husband. Divorce was also not very common during my era. It

Services Sector Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Services Sector Marketing - Essay Example But a tangible product's quality can be evaluated at the time of purchase and it can be rejected, if the customer feels dissatisfaction about the product. It also creates problems when customers evaluate a product in terms of it price (Reif 1997). However, consumers can use other attributes of the service provider or the place of his business to evaluate the quality of service. Services are perishable in the sense that they have to be consumed the moment they are delivered by the service provider. If they are not consumed on site or immediately, they will be lost and that cannot be recoverable. They cannot also be stored and as such they cannot add time and place utility to consumers. The service offered at different time point need not have same quality. Consistency and uniformity in service cannot be expected even from the same service points. Naturally, service does not match with what was planned and promised. This causes concern for consumers and they often raise grievances in this respect. Utmost care and attention through personnel training and service maintenance alone can mitigate this issue. The major concern of marketing management is the development of tools for marketing goods and services. The marketing management means and includes all efforts that a marketer/manufacturer takes to make sure that goods and services are smoothly moving from production point to consumption point. In these efforts, marketing team put emphasis on certain elements, which they consider as indispensible for marketing success and they are collectively termed as marketing mix. Traditionally, the marketing mix consists of four components, namely: Product, Price, Place of Distribution and Promotional Activities, commonly referred to as 4 P's of marketing. These components of the marketing mix constitute the core of a company's marketing system. The 4Ps are strongly interconnected. However, with the advancement of modern marketing management theories, some more elements have been added to marketing mix. A brief description of all these elements comes in the coming paragraphs: Product: - is concerned with developing the right products and/or services, which should satisfy some customers' needs. Place: - is concerned with getting the right service to the target market. A service is not of much good to a customer if it is not available when and where it is required. Promotion: - is concerned with the creation of awareness to the target market about the right service. Price: - is very vital since it represents the only element of the marketing mix that creates revenue. Thus, through careful coordination of the 4Ps, management can draw the most benefit from any marketing environment. People: - Everybody involved in the marketing efforts irrespective of designation or status in the organisation. Physical evidence: - all the physical appearances and tangible thing that support the marketing process. Processes: - all the series of

Inventory Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Inventory Management - Essay Example The researcher of this essay states that inventory is a major investment for many companies today. Manufacturing companies can easily be carrying inventory equivalent to between 50% to 70% revenue of the business. It is therefore necessary to reduce the levels of inventory held to the necessary minimum. On the other side if inventory levels are kept too low, the business faces alternative problems like stock outs, high re order cost, setup cost and lost quantity discounts. As it is stated in information that is provided by the company in the essay, that finance team of Wooden Wonders LTD have recently been reviewing that inventory management system for the company and they have decided that FIFO as a recording method would be successful. In addition, the researcher analyzes that the company is focusing on the methods of minimiseing the costs of ordering and holding inventory. Management of Wooden Wonders Ltd stated their aim to control the extra costs attached with inventory manageme nt. As Wooden Wonders’ customers are department stores from across the UK and Europe, Wood Wooden can run its manufacturing cycle in the light of Just In Time approach. For the purpose of minimising the costs of ordering and holding inventory, the company can use any of the methods that were mentioned in the essay and decide which suits with its economic conditions. It is also concluded that care should be taken before choosing any of the alternatives because any wrong step can directly affect the company’s good will.

Explain Why William Became Involved in Wales in the Years 1066 to 1087 Essay Example for Free

Explain Why William Became Involved in Wales in the Years 1066 to 1087 Essay * Had to keep Wales at bay because the border kept shifting * Rebels that went against William went to Wales for safety The main reason that William became involved in Wales shortly after he had taken England was because he would have seen the Welsh as a threat. Along with many other countries, they would have known that the situation in England was unstable and William may have thought Wales were planning an invasion. To assert his authority over Wales, he led a campaign into their country in 1066 and an even larger one in 1081 for the sole purpose of asserting his dominance over the country. If he shown just how powerful he was, then the Welsh princes would see that it was in their best interests to submit. He would have thought that because Wales had submitted to Edward the Confessor, they should do the same with him. Another reason why he got involved with William was because the borders between England and Wales were an issue. The borders between the two countries kept shifting which led to disputes between the Welsh and the English over the land. This would have created tension and William would have had to intervene. This is why he built castles along the border so he could establish the line between his country and Wales. Also, why he wanted this line to be established was because Wales was having a power struggle itself. Because there were multiple princes in Wales there were many disputes going on and William did not want this ‘spilling over’ into his country. Furthermore, some rebels that went against William such as Hereward the Wake and Edric the wild took shelter in wales when their rebellions had failed. Because Wales was sheltering the rebels from William, this made Wales an enemy to Williams reign. Overall, the reason why William became involved with wales during his reign was because he wanted to show them that he was in charge and was vastly superior to them. ‘Scotland presented major problems to William in the years 1066 to 1087’. Explain whether you agree or disagree with this view Plan * The northern rebellion-Malcolm teamed up with Edgar and the Danes * Malcolm was a king- natural rivalry dating back Tension between borders- this meant that Malcolm was hiding rebels * 1072 march into Scotland- showed his power because nobody really stopped him * Treaty of Abernethy was signed which meant that Malcolm recognised him as a leader and kicked Edgar out of his court. Scotland certainly caused issues for William during his years as the King of England however the severity of King Malcolm’s threats is to be disputed. One of the most important reasons why Malcolm w as considered a threat was because he became involved in the 1069 Northern rebellion. If Scotland had invaded by itself with nobody else supporting them, then they would have not been much of a threat. However when teamed up with the Danes and Edgar Aetheling, who was called â€Å"king† by rebels, the threat became considerably larger. Due to the North still being â€Å"semi-independent† from the south according to a historian, William did not have as much power here than he did down south which allowed Malcolm and Edgar to gain considerable support which was a major problem for William because he had only been King for 3 years and his hold on power was still quite fragile. Another reason why Scotland was such a threat was because there was tension around the borders of Scotland and England. Much like Wales, the borders kept changing and this caused dispute between landowners. Also, Scotland could provide refuge for anyone that had rebelled against William (including Edgar) which would have furthered the tensions. The disputes of land had also caused problems for William. Lands such as Cumbria and Northumbria were disputed between Malcolm and William. This became worrying for William because parts of his kingdom were being threatened to be taken from him which would give Malcolm more land and support against William. However, the threat of Scotland was not as substantial as some historians make it out to be. In 1072, William marched through Scotland with relative ease. Although Williams army was â€Å"fearfully exposed† according to Purser, the Scottish did not capitalize on this opportunity. This could be interpreted as Malcolm showing he did not want to fight against William. This point links into the treaty of Abernethy. In the same year Malcolm met William at abernethy and signed a treaty which shown that he recognised William as his superior. According to purser, in â€Å"good faith†, Malcolm kicked Edgar out of his court which would have made further rebellions in the north very difficult. Overall, Scotland was initially a threat around the time of the Northern rebellion however the treaty of Abernathy played a main factor in extinguishing the threat of the Scottish.

Accounting 201 Final Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Accounting 201 Final Study Guide Essay When are expenses recognized? Name the accounting concepts that answer these questions. What are the four financial statements? What is the purpose for each? Does each report for a period of time or for a point in time? Be able to calculate the change in stockholders’ equity for a period based on information contained in the retained earnings statement. What is GAAP? Who is the body currently responsible for establishing GAAP? What governmental agency has oversight authority over the accounting profession? What is an audit? What is the purpose of an independent audit? Who can perform an audit? What is the sequence of the accounting cycle? Define the following terms related to the accounting cycle: -chart of accounts -journal -ledger -trial balance -adjusting entries -adjusted trial balance -closing entries -post-closing trial balance -posting -journal entry -debit -credit -t-account Be familiar with account classification. What are the five major categories of accounts? What is a contra account? Be able to analyze transactions using the debit/credit rules. What is a compound journal entry? How is an account’s balance determined? What is meant by the term normal balance? Be able to calculate an account balance. When are adjusting entries prepared? Why are they necessary? What are some rules that apply to all adjustments? Review the handout you were give regarding adjusting entries. What do the following accounting concepts mean? -going concern -cost-benefit -materiality -consistency -revenue recognition/realization -matching Which of the accounting concepts listed above form the basis for accrual basis accounting? What are the three closing entries? What is the purpose of closing entries? What is the format for a bank reconciliation? Which reconciling items require that a journal entry be made to recognize them? Be aware of the formulas to calculate some of the commonly used financial ratios, including: -current ratio -working capital -quick ratio How are the following items calculated? -net sales -cost of goods sold What is the difference between a periodic inventory system and a perpetual inventory system? What are internal control procedures? What are the four primary reasons for establishing internal controls? What are some common examples of internal control procedures? Define the following terms with regard to notes receivable/notes payable: -principal -interest -maturity date -maturity value Be able to calculate ending inventory and cost of goods sold under the following inventory cost allocation methods: -average costing -FIFO (first-in, first-out) -LIFO (last-in, first-out) Be able to define the following terms related to long term assets: cost -residual value/salvage value/trade-in value depreciable cost -book value -service life/useful life -depreciation -accumulated depreciation -depletion -amortization Be able to calculate depreciation using the following methods: -straight line -units of production -double declining balance How is the cost of a group/bundled purchase of assets allocated? What is the difference between the direct write off method and the allowance method of recognizing bad debts? Which one is p referred by GAAP? Why? Be able to define the following terms related to bonds payable: -bond indenture -debenture -secured bond coupon bond -registered bond -convertible bond -callable bond -term bond -serial bond -sinking fund When will a bond sell at a discount? At a premium? Be able to determine the issue price of a bond based on its market price quote. What are the rights of bondholders? Of common stockholders? Of preferred stockholders? Be able to define the following terms related to stock: -common stock -preferred stock -dividends in arrears -par value -treasury stock -dividend declaration date -date of record -dividend payment date -stock dividend -stock split -book value

Principal Issues For Research On Secret Trust Social Work Essay

Principal Issues For Research On Secret Trust Social Work Essay I consider that I have reached this outcome and the associated skills because I can identify the principal of issues for research on a specific legal topic. I have conducted my research on a specific topic Secret Trust. I also have found the principal issues of research as required for this topic by expressing a research question. I think the doctrine of secret trust is not a unproductive issue. The difficulties pose in the test and finding of this doctrine clearly point out that it is worth a research topic. The difference between the Wills Act theory and outside the Wills theory makes it extremely grey issue which needs careful consideration. With just a simple attitude the fraudulent party may not be able to take the benefit for him or his family. To identify secret trust, the definition of Wills Act and secret trust and how these are operated need to be considered. I thought that there is some unclear and merely enforceable thought about secret trust. I realised that the case Backwell Vs Blackwell is a significant step to identify the doctrine of frustration. The difference between Wills Act and outside the Wills theory can be identified from it. While dealing with the difference I came across various debatable issues where Wills Act is more preferable to the courts. I found that secret trust can make fraud very easily.According to the court the contracting parties should bare the risk .To avoid these entire complexity force major clause is the proper solution. While preparing my research I thought I need to start from the basic points of law of Trust. Why we make a trust? Why trust is failed? How secret trust is different from the requirement of Wills Act? In Blackwell Vs Blackwell , Re Falkiner and Re Keen Secret trust has three essential element that is intention to create trust, communication of the intention of secret trust to the secret trustee and acceptance of the trust by the secret trustee. After Blackwell various new cases came into force and the doctrine of secret trust has developed but those were not important for my research. The important part was the gift which is absolute but informally agree with the trustee that this is a trust. And it causes problem for the court to prove that it is trust and actual beneficiary is in vary difficult situation he/she may not even know about the trust. To solve it new cases have developed but still remain some confusion. Evidence The first and the second paragraph of my essay clearly indicate that I have demonstrated my skill in successfully identifying the principal issues. In my topic I have tried to identify the problems and complexity in relation to the application of secret trust and tried to focus on the solution to it. I have identified various legal areas in the form of case law which are essential for my research work. The first two paragraphs clearly indicates that I have managed to successfully identify the key issues for research in my topic and demonstrated the required skills of 1) legal sources and research and 2) freedom and the ability to learn. The formulation of my research question regarding the topic plays a vital role in the process. At first I tried to identify the key problems of the current secret trust and commentator view. Text books, journals and other supporting materials helped me considerably in the process. Later I evaluated the probable solutions represented by the legal scholars and the case law. There were several case laws which I studied during th e research process and found them very informative and useful in order to get the total understanding of the current law, e.g. Edwards V Pike, Re Snowden, Re Young, McCormick V Grogan, Allen V Snyder and others. These cases brightened up my understanding regarding the topic. There were some very informative and useful articles I found at the online database. I am Thankful to the University of London for providing such a great source of materials, that helped me a lot as I could not have found those journal in the local database. The article and journal from online library, J E Penners law of trust, the subject guide helped me a lot.Patricia Critchleys comment in dehors theory, Viscount Sumners comment about relation to the statute law and secret trust help me understanding in depth. Lord Hailsham L.C.s comment about destroying the whole object of creating of secret trust and fraud on the beneficiaries gave a very in depth reflection on the chosen topic and guided me maturely through out the process. Outcome 2 Locate and retrieve relevant information on a specific topic using primary and secondary legal sources, in paper or electronic media (including use of the world-wide web). Claim I can locate and retrieve relevant information on a specific topic namely Secret Trust, using primary and secondary legal sources, in paper or electronic media (including use of the world-wide web). In doing the research I first studied my The Law of Trustt text-book written by J E Penner. There I have gone through the Formalities and secret trust chapter, the relevant paragraphs and studied the relevant materials. At this stage I have found necessary information which helped me to get the initial ideas. I went through Westlaw via online law library. There I searched for the Secret trust and this helped to identify the potential research materials. I also went through Lexis Nexis for the cases on Secret trust. First I have studied the definition of formalities as laid down in Statute and text book and after secret trust as laid down in text book and by the case law. Then I have picked the exact definition which is important and I put it in my research. I also studied the examples of secret trust or the areas which can be regarded as secret trust and I felt that some of those were important for my research as they dealt with formal trust and secret trust. I have then studied the difference between the full secret trust and half secret trust which was very crucial and also have gone on study the limitation of secret trust which is basically the main part of my research. I have picked the part which I felt important and wrote my research accordingly. I also studied at some relevant books available in my academy law library; however I decided not to include them in my project as this would mean going into much bigger detail than was required for present purposes. I knew from the very beginning that if I go through the text book and Westlaw I would be able to locate these materials important for the research. Evidence The first step in my work on this project was to search for all necessary cases and other supporting materials. From reading the subject guide and resource books I have identified the most important cases for my research. I have gone through the cases on my text book, the subject guide and study pack. Apart from this I have extensively studied academic arguments, which helped me lot to develop my research. In my research I have used the online sources. I have used both the Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis Library. I went for arguments and article there. I also studied the secondary sources and organize my research consequently. The bibliography of my research essay lists the primary and secondary sources I studied for my research. The case summaries and commentators argument verify that I found primary legal sources relevant to my research area. Outcome 3: Use sources in a critical and reflective way. Claim I can use sources in a critical and reflective way. In paragraphs 3-16 of my research essay. I describe a critical and thoughtful analysis of a range of cases addressing the issue of the doctrine of secret trust. I identified those cases by examining the relevant sections of the text book, subject guide and commentary in Westlaw and then used the Lexis-Nexis database to find the cases and download full case report I have read the cases, found out the specific information addressing the issue of the doctrine of half secret trust and full secret trust, their differences, links and also tried to find the solution to the complexity regarding this area. While preparing my research I always check whether the topic which I have studied has any impact on my research. I have particularly checked Blackwell V Blackwell case and cases related to it. At the time of studying I checked whether any issue deals with half secret trust, full secret trust, their differences and links. I have asked mysel f whether the issues which I was reading have anything to deal with formalities and can help me to find that the distinction between half and full secret trust. For me an issue would be relevant if it anything to deal with secret trust. I have gone through the conflicting decisions and their arguments in favour of those and I got idea for my research. I have come to the knowledge that an argument is important if it has reliability and used for proper purposes. In my research the legal arguments which I have given has strength and weakness. Whenever an argument has the persuasive power in relation to the topic and it can clearly put the picture to the reader then that argument has strength and if it is uncertain and unclear then the argument is unclear. In this regard I gave my effort to provide with the proper argument which put the clear picture to us. Evidence In my research essay I displayed my capability to use both primary and secondary legal sources and reference materials in a critical and reflective way. The case summaries and commentators view as given in the evidence for outcome 1 illustrate my ability to assess the primary legal sources judging their relevance and importance for my research. Outcome 4: With limited guidance, and using a range of legal resources, plan, research and produce an original piece of legal writing some of which should address areas of law not previously studied in depth. Claim I can, with limited guidance, and using a range of resources, plan, research and produce an original model of legal writing some of which addresses areas of law not previously studied in depth. I finished a research essay using primary and secondary legal resources as I already mentioned in outcome two earlier. I had previous idea on law of secret trust. With those slight ideas I started my work. I have attended few group works with my classmates and personal session with my teacher. I drawn my research with these and the oral presentation helped me a lot to complete the research. I have gone through the secret trust and its increasing use in various aspect of law of trust. I studied the purpose of the secret trust, enforcement of the secret trust, dehors theory, criticism of dehors theory, fraud theory and criticism I also studied the issue of testamentary trust. While reading secret trust I have read the impact of half secret trust and full secret trust and thus eventually I have studied the effects of formalities both under common law and under the statute (Wills Act 1837). In dealing with all these issues I have found that the university subject guide does not provide us with material information on this depth area. Evidence My research essay clearly indicates that this area has not been studied in depth. In our class secret trust chapter was dealt in a very short time and we did not have the opportunity go in depth with our teachers. The research essay is my original piece of work it is a genuine writing on a particular legal issue. I am stating that this is my original work. I received limited guidance while doing it. I am aware of the penalties for plagiarism. My claim that this work goes beyond my previous learning is absolutely based on the case analysis I have done while doing my research essay. Outcome 5: Make an accurate assessment of your progress and the quality of your work and, using feedback, identify areas for improvement. Claim I believe that my research essay provides the necessary evidence to show that I am able to correctly identify and critically assess source materials to produce a credible answer to my research question. I consulted a variety of supporting materials, made an accurate assessment of them and drew probable conclusions. I believe I succeeded in selecting the most relevant materials and rejected those materials which were not related to the work or which duplicated information. I received feedback from my classmate Baezid, which allowed me to identify areas in need of change, improvement or clarification. I prepared a short presentation of my work outlining the topic and presenting the principal arguments. I believe that my oral presentation (Outcome 7) increased my understanding of some issues and highlighted those areas that need further work. In addition, the feedback I received from Baezid made me realize that I should focus on selected aspects of my research question and choose the two to three most important articles on the subject in order to be able to produce an essay within the word limit. I consider that I have produced an answer to my research question which is as nearly as possible given the scope of the task. I believe that this work is highly original; it includes many valid questions and thought and could form the basis of a bigger research project. Evidence My research essay and portfolio provide evidence that I have achieved this outcome. In evaluating my work I focused on my research skills, my ability to analyse legal texts and my presentation of arguments. I worked with other students (Elahi and Mahmudul) which allowed me to evaluate my legal research and presentation of argument skills. Each of us prepared a short presentation in which we explained briefly and coherently our research proposals and the main aspects of our work. This was a good practice for my oral presentation (see the PowerPoint slides in Appendix C). In my presentation I focused on the conclusions. As I gave my presentation it became clear that I could not easily explain these, and my friends thought, even from what I had said, that my conclusion contradicted my own evidence. After my presentation, I reviewed my conclusions and saw that I was overstating my case and I needed to moderate my argument and make my points both clearer and more subtle. This presentation with other students also gave me an opportunity to reflect on my presentation skills and help me prepare for the formal oral presentation (see the discussion under Outcome 7 below). Outcome 6: Produce a word-processed portfolio, with footnotes, using appropriate formatting tools, and communicate and exchange documents by email. Claim I can word-process text, with footnotes, using appropriate formatting tools, and communicate and exchange documents by email. I officially state that the full portfolio I have submitted was word-processed by me. The full assignment was completed in Microsoft Word software. I have used font Arial in size of 12 point. I also designed my headings, subheadings etc by using bold and underline format. In my whole legal research I have used 1.5 lines spacing to build it easier to read. the each outcome are in bold and size 14 point, the question of outcome are in 14 point and normal, the heading of claim and evidence are in 14 point size and with underline. In various tome to do my legal research I have faced many sort of problem, in that moment I have take very much support from my teacher and friends. They help me to solve the problem to how can my research essay become well. Without internet this research can not be possible to complete well. I have tried my best to utilize this opportunity by using my University of London portal. After completing my research I have exchanged my research with my teacher friends by email. And I also take suggestion by this email. Evidence The provided legal research essay is the best and appropriate evidence of my achievement. The use of word processed portfolio, footnotes, screen shots of the emails I have exchanged, using a variety of formatting tools etc showed that I have completed this achievement. Outcome 7 Briefly and accurately present and discuss, orally in English, legal information from standard textbooks, leading cases or statutes in a way that responds relevantly to the question asked or topic set and is understood by the audience. Claim I can briefly and accurately present and discuss orally in English, legal information from standard textbooks, leading cases or statutes in a way that responds relevantly to the question asked or topic set and is understood by the audience. I made an oral presentation face-to-face at the Intensive Weekend in my Bhuiyan Academy H 13, R 7, Dhanmondi Dhaka 1205 Bangladesh on 2 February 2011 ( Morning Session). My assessor was Shajib sir senior teacher of my academy. Evidence I include as evidence the PowerPoint slides (Appendix C) which I used as the basis of my presentation, a certificate proving that I completed the presentation (Appendix D) and the assessment pro forma with feedback from Shajib sir (Appendix E) indicating that I reached a high level of competence in the task. Outcome 8: Work as an active and effective member of a team contributing productively to the groups task. Claim I can work as an active and effective member of a team and contribute productively to the groups task. To do research I have took help from two of my associates. They help me very much. They help me to sort out what was the problem of my research, how can I prepare my power point slide, what is the mechanism of screen shots of the emails I exchanged are included as Appendix B. I also improve my research by taking help from my teacher. He also plays a very effective role as a guide of mine. Evidence In my legal research Appendix B and Appendix C I have tried to show my evidence that I have described above. These two appendixes is a mirror of my take help and group work with my teacher and friends. These also provide that how much I have afforded in a group work.

Practice of Therapy Essay -- Counseling

Practice of Therapy The actual practicing of therapy is a scary step for beginning therapists, although the education has been received and after practicum there will some experience in practicing with clients, doing therapy on your own seems intimidating. However, I am sure like most other experiences in life, the more you do something, the better you get at it and the more comfortable you feel in knowing what you are doing as well as doing it the proper way. With therapy, an individual can learn all about theories, models and assessments but the rapport and confidence from clients can only come after practicing therapy. Protocol For Initial Telephone Contact I will begin by introducing myself and then explaining my qualifications, I want the client to feel at ease in knowing I am not only capable but educated and trained specifically in marriage and family therapy. The next step would be asking the client to specify the issue that has caused the couple or family to seek therapy and then to determine all family members as well as any other individuals or public agencies that are connected to the couple or family. Next would be determining if the situation is a crisis situation and then deciding if I am able to help with the family or couple’s issues. Then I would talk about fees, payments and ensure the family has adequate transportation to attend sessions. After that, I would set up an appointment date and time, preferably within the next 24 hours. Who Comes To First Meeting? If the clients are a couple, I would prefer both individuals attend the first interview, although I realize this will not always be agreeable. In a family interview I would also prefer all members of the family present, this way each member can expre... ...ions. It has often been said there is no substitute for experience and it appears to me that practicing therapy is one of those situations. Works Cited Grewal, Daisy. (2012). In Atheists We Distrust. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=in-atheists-we-distrust Hayslip, Bert., and Schneider, Lawrence. (1985). Effects of Counselor-Client Age Similarity and Presenting Problem Intimacy on Client Satisfaction. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED259254.pdf Locke, H.J., and Wallace, K.M. (1959). Short-term marital adjustments and prediction tests; Their reliability and validity. Journal of Marriage and Family Living. Nichols. (2010). Family Therapy; Concepts and Methods. Patterson, J., Williams, l., Edwards, T. M., Chamow, L., & Grauf- Grounds, C. (2009). Family Therapy; Concepts and Methods.

Perrault and Robinson Versions of Puss in Boots :: Compare Contrast Puss Boots Essays

Perrault and Robinson Versions of Puss in Boots Puss in Boots, like many folk and fairy tales is found in varying versions of the same story. Two of the many versions of this tale which are still told today are the classic version by Charles Perrault and one retold by Harry Robinson, an Okanagan Native Storyteller. Robinson's version was recorded and then transcribed and may be found in 'Write It On Your Heart - The Epic World of an Okanagan Storyteller.' This paper will examine and compare the content of both these tales with regards to plot and attempt to explain why the differences and similarities occur with regards to characters and places. Though both versions share a common goal of assuring a good life for the son who inherits the cat, the reasons vary considerably from version to version. In Perrault's tale, the son is destitute and the cat sets out to ensure his master's survival and comfort. Robinson's version, on the other hand, portraits a cat that seeks to right a wrong and return to his master that which was stolen from his family. A significant difference between the two tales is the number of events that take place. The openings to these two tales are very different from one another. In Perrault's tale, the father is already dead and the children are about to split their meagre inheritance: a mill, an ass and one cat. Robinson launches instead into an extended preamble identifying the story to be told along with some pertinent facts concerning its source. He identifies its source as being non- Native. "This is white people stories." (Robinson, 282) Unlike Perrault's poor miller, Robinson's father figure is identified as a well-to-do rancher with lots of cattle, several horses and many acres of cultivated fields. In fact, the farming operation is so large that there are many farmhands to tend to the various tasks (Robinson, 283). The father is very much alive and continues to be an integral part of the story for one third of the tale. Perrault's sequence of events is compact and straightforward. Once the sons have divided the assets, the two oldest siblings are removed from the tale. The cat requests some boots and a bag and sets off to provide for his master. Upon snagging each day's catch, he presents it to the king as a gift from his master whom he dubs the Marquis of Carabas.

Comparing Piety in The Wakefield Mystery Plays, The Book of Margery Kem

Comparing Notions of Piety in The Wakefield Mystery Plays, The Book of Margery Kempe, and Le Morte D'Arthur The monastic lifestyle that Launcelot and his knights adopt after their conversion is one that Margery Kempe might approve of -- doing penance, singing mass, fasting, and remaining abstinent. (MdA, 525) But Launcelot's change of heart is not motivated by the emotions that move Kempe, nor is his attitude towards God the same as can be found in The Book of Margery Kempe and The Wakefield Mystery Plays. In the Wakefield plays, God wins piety through outright threats. He appears to his followers in visions, as he does in Kempe, but never as a benevolent or comforting presence. Kempe receives her only comfort in life through God's constant reassurances of her holiness in the face of the condemnation of her peers; in the Creation play, it is God who casts out Adam and Eve, just as Kempe is cast out of traveling party after traveling party. The fear of being similarly punished keeps other Wakefield characters in line. Noah begins his play with a speech detailing the mistakes of the those who have angered the Lord: "First on Earth and then in hell . . . but to those no harm befell/who trusted in his truth." And God responds: "Vengeance I will take,/ On earth for sin's sake,/My grimness thus will wake/Both great and small." (WP, 91) God promises that "All shall perish less and more that so spurned my plan." Fa... ...dA, 523) Works Cited and Consulted Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe. Ed. Sanford Meech and Hope and Emily Allen. London: Oxford UP, Early English Text Society 212, 1940; rpt. 1961. Lawton, David. "Voice, Authority, and Blasphemy in The Book of Margery Kempe." Margery Kempe: A Book of Essays. Ed. Sandra J. McEntire. New York: Garland, 1992. 93-116. Malory, Sir Thomas. Works. Ed. Eugene Vinaver. London: Oxford University Press, 1966. Mann, Jill. "The Narrative of Distance, the Distance of Narrative in Malory’s Morte DArthur." The William Matthews Lectures 1991 delivered at Birkbeck College, London. Rose, Martial, ed. and trans. The Wakefield Mystery Plays. New York: Norton, 1961.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Speech

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Hello and thank you all for coming! Today, we are here to commemorate the man, or Genius rather, who goes by the name of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. At the early age of four, he could learn a piece of music in a mere thirty minutes. At six years old, he began writing his first symphonies. Oh, the joy I would have if I could just sit and talk with him about his passion for music. We would talk about how he structures his compositions or about how easy he thought it was to compose a piece of music in only a short amount of time.Mozart’s mind is almost magical in my eyes. The precision he put into every one of his symphonies and operas emulates the passion he must have felt for his work. Of course it goes with out mention that he had his struggles every now and then, especially with matters of money. But through it all, he still managed to bring the world a wide array of music, which we can honestly say has defined a major portion of the â€Å"classical† period of music. Many composers that followed him sought to emulate his style, but it seems to me that there was no one greater than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.As a classically trained opera singer, I have experienced the joy and struggle that accompanies any Mozart compilation. As I began learning his work, I was able to step into the shoes of one of Mozart’s opera singers. I imagined him encouraging my progress and watching my every achievement. Having learned many of his operas, I wondered how many he actually wrote in his life and what went into making them. I also thought of how his work had affected my life and the life of others.And, because of this my friends, I am here today to show you why Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart deserves a day of recognition for what he has given us, and to immortalize his life and works, and for his influence in my life. His operas are enchanting and unforgettable, but more importantly, the admiration I gained from learning his operas throughout m y life has given me a greater respect for the love of classical music. Mozart had many followers of his talented music, and of course, as he traveled for work, he had to accommodate to them.He composed many operas in German, Latin, and Italian. The traveling started when he was young. At only seven years old, his father would take him and his sister on tour across Europe, which gave him the chance to perform and to absorb many different styles of music. Since Wolfgang was a fast learner, he was quick to acknowledge the many musical idioms he had learned and that in turn helped him setup his own style of music. When he began freelancing his music, he sparked a great interest among people because they had never experienced the â€Å"Mozart† way of music.If he hadn’t embarked on his own path of self-fulfillment, I wouldn’t be here talking with you today. You see, Mozart had a passion and he built on that and was able to watch it grow. His actions have helped me kee p my love for music growing. Like Mozart, there are times that I struggle with the music, but it’s the passion and perseverance inside of me that pushes me forward. Because of my endeavors and accomplishments with Mozart’s operas, I was able to cultivate a new view on life. There is courage in me that I have gained from overcoming the difficulties of his works.I have an enormous amount of respect for real music because I know how much time and talent goes into it. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has shown me, through his works, that I can achieve great things and that I can over come difficulties. There is a way to share with others the joy and strength he has given me, and that is to dedicate a day of celebration in his name. I am proud to honor Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by proclaiming that January 21st is national Mozart day. This day will not only commemorate the day he was born, but it will also memorialize the history of his life.In celebration there will be chances for you to learn more about the famous composer. Historians will share with you the stories of his life, orchestras and operas will preform for you his many challenging masterpieces, and musicians everywhere will have a chance to be recognized for all the hard work and dedication they put into sharing the gift of music. A banquet held for them will provide the opportunity to learn and share all the unique aspects of music each musician can share with the world.This day will help us to set our goals high, and like Mozart, we will achieve greatness. No one will ever have the misfortune of not knowing who Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is and what he has blessed us with. Joy and relaxation will run through the veins of listeners as radio stations spread the beauty that his music provides. Mozart’s life was built around music. He was preforming almost his whole life, and even though that is true, most of us wish he could give us more.There are many works of music out there that have been writt en by Mozart but there are many more pieces of music that have been written and shaped by the influence he has bestowed upon the world. His love for music has shown me how much I can achieve just by pursuing the hard to reach goals. As we celebrate his life, may we take advantage of the joy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart can bring to each of our lives. But remember, Mozart was truly gifted and was recognized for it at an early age. You can encourage your children to get involved with music. You never know, what if they become the next â€Å"Mozart! † Thank you

Innocence in Catcher in the Rye Essay

In JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a boy aimlessly traveling New York City after being expelled from a classy boarding school. Holden poses a great deal of trepidation when it comes to sexual relationships, especially those of Jane and Sunny. Furthermore, Holden tends to misjudge the maturity of his fellow characters. The combination of this misconception, the tension between sexual trepidation, and an adult life with adult relationships, results in confusion for him. In Holden’s life, there have only been a few people he’s cherished more than his childhood neighbor, Jane Gallagher. They were close childhood friends, and when his roommate Stradlater brings her up years later in high school, all he can talk about is the innocent fun they used to have: playing checkers, watching her dance ballet in the summer heat, and how her Doberman always came into his yard. However, he also reminisces on how her â€Å"boozehound† stepfather would always â€Å"run around the goddam house naked† (42). He suspects that her stepfather had harassed Jane, who â€Å"had [a] terrific figure, and [he] wouldn’t’ve put it past that bastard† (103). This really bothers Holden, as does when Stradlater insinuates that he made sexual advances onto Jane on their date. To Holden, sexual encounters mean an adulteration of innocence, and he hates that Stradlater or Jane’s stepfather may have corrupted Jane. Many times, Holden promises himself that he â€Å"outa go down and say hello to her† (40), or that he should â€Å"give old Jane a buzz† (195), but he never does. Subconsciously, he fears that Jane will have grown up, and calling her or seeing her will surely alter the young, innocent, checkers-playing version of Jane that he has in his mind. This is confusing for Holden because Jane has grown up, yet he still thinks of her as a little girl, not the grown woman that she is. Holden â€Å"knew that she wouldn’t let [Stradlater] get to first base with her, but it drove [him] crazy anyway† (104). This shows Holden’s potential misconception of Jane’s innocence. It is unlikely for a post-teenage young woman to be as sheltered and have as much innocence as she did when she was a little girl. However, this is something Holden cannot grasp. This dilemma is a direct result of Holden’s irrational respect for innocence, influenced by sexual confrontations in Holden’s past. When Holden agrees to have a prostitute come to his room in the hotel, he is soon greeted by Sunny at his door. Holden is immediately unimpressed with Sunny’s maturity; how she was â€Å"jiggling this one foot up and down†, she â€Å"never said thank you†, and she â€Å"had this tiny little wheeny-whiny voice† (123). He also notices that she appears very young, and said things that were really childish. This ends up making him feel â€Å"more depressed than sexy† (123), and he decides not to have sex with her after all. The depiction of this young girl making money as a prostitute seems to upset Holden, and he ultimately concludes that having sex with her would spoil her innocence. This is where Holden is again misguided. Just as it is unlikely for Jane to retain the same degree of innocence through the years, it is improbable that Sunny, being a prostitute, will have not had sex with many people in the past, therefore preserving her innocence. But all Holden can see in Sunny is the childish and immature, which results in a conflicted view of the world. The importance of innocence to Holden is something that results in nervousness towards others’ sexual identity and activity. His perspective of Jane and Sunny’s innocence is also misguided to the point where he sees innocence in them when there is none. Overall, the importance of innocence to Holden results in contention that is less than innocent.

Groupon Essay

1. Introduction Groupon is a deal-of-the day Internet start-up company that was launched in 2008 in Chicago. The website offers discounted deals for local as well as national companies. Now operating in more than 150 markets as diverse as the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Brazil, Europe, South America, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, China, Russia and many more. Consequently there is no doubt that this company is a multinational enterprise (MNE). Groupon had 35 million registered users by October 2010 and thus has been one of the fastest growing businesses in the world (Lacrote, 2011). According to Andrew Mason, founder and CEO, Groupon was founded to be the first company to offer the very best deals available. This could only be done by contacting local merchants directly which gave Groupon its competitive advantage. Using this local responsiveness Groupon is able to offer the best deals every day within 24 hours (Cutler, 2010). The aim of this paper is to analyze how successful Groupon’s global strategy can be implemented worldwide. Firstly an overall impression of Groupon’s  business model and organizational structure is given. Secondly a deeper insight in the corporate strategy as well as the global strategy is provided. Furthermore the unsuccessful entry to China is analyzed and evaluated. Finally this paper conducts to what extent Groupon can be considered socially responsible before a conclusion is drawn in the last section. 2. The Business Model Groupon is a multinational start-up company that offers one â€Å"Groupon† per day in each of their markets (Deborah, 2009). In the beginning of the process Groupon congregates with another business to set up a deal for a certain product or service. As a next step, both parties  negotiate a minimum number of participants, which have to sign up for a deal to become available. In the end the price discount of each voucher has to be identified. This price is paid by the end consumer and is usually split equally between Groupon and the merchant. The reason why merchants are attracted to Groupon’s business model is that the high quantity sales of each voucher are very beneficial. In addition, merchants profit from several marketing channels, which are used by Groupon. Thus a win-win situation is created. 3. Organizational Structure Groupon’s top-level corporate management is based in Chicago. CEO, Andrew Mason and the most important worldwide functional managers navigate the global coordination from the headquarters. Top-level corporate managers provide direction and purpose, leverage corporate performance and ensure continuing renewal (Bartlett and Beamish, 2008). Hence, the most important strategic decisions are to be made in the headquarters. Groupon’s Geographic subsidiary Managers are established for certain geographical areas (Organizational Chart Groupon, 2012). Those managers have to interpret cultural differences on the one hand and implement the corporate strategy on the other hand (Bartlett and Beamish, 2008). In order for Groupon to be locally responsive the company is providing small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) from which they can manage their subdivisions in different geographic areas. For Groupon it is important that geographic subsidiaries have a high degree of freedom and thus react quicker and respond to local demand. As a result, Groupon’s subsidiary orientation can be considered geocentric because geographic managers make decisions about local responsiveness while headquarters decide on the overall corporate strategy (Perlmutter, V. 1969). 4. Groupon’s corporate strategy As Groupon is established in many countries of the world, a global strategy has to be pursued on the one hand. This leads to a gain in brand equity, brand awareness and global efficiency. On the other hand Groupon offers national as well as local deals, which caused the business to act locally responsive as well. Groupon, for this reason, can be considered transnational, as the company acts â€Å"more responsive to local needs while capturing the benefits of global efficiency† (Bartlett and Beamish, 2008, p13). Today’s MNEs compete in highly complex, diverse and constantly changing business environments. This is due to globalization of markets as well as acceleration of product and technology life cycles. Most importantly however is the intensification of global competition for Groupon. Most online services are easy to imitate. Therefore it has been of utmost importance that Groupon’s managers take the right actions and develop appropriate strategies. Groupon has access to highly educated international managers that sense and interpret complex and dynamic environmental changes. These managers have developed and integrated multiple strategic capabilities in order to cope with today’s business world. As it was very hard for Groupon to enter foreign markets, Groupon identified several companies that were interested in forming joint ventures. An important part of their global expansion strategy that was centrally managed from Chicago, was developing five pronged strategies that led to global efficiency and competitiveness. First of all, Groupon has introduced a coordination strategy that focuses on an analysis of various goods and services that would be engaging and appealing to the subscribers. Once these goods and services have been identified, Groupon’s managers start the process of initiating, negotiating, arranging, and executing. As soon as the coordination strategy is in place, Groupon discovers a pricing strategy. Due to the high discounts for  customers on the one hand and the provision of highly effective marketing instruments for comp anies on the other hand a win-win deal is created. Groupon sets a fixed price and a fixed deadline when the deal  ends. By doing so, the target group has limited time to purchase the offerings and is therefore under some pressure to buy the product instantly. In Addition, the deal only takes place when a minimum number of buyers are reached. This way the seller obtains full planning certainty for the particular deals. Another important part of Groupon’s strategy is advertisement. Many companies find it interesting to offer products via Groupon because of their heavy marketing activities they undertake. By advertising and selling the company’s products, companies benefit of free marketing as Groupon only charges a fixed percentage of the selling price. Product offering is the fourth of the five strategies they came up with. In this section, they identify possible highly demanded products and undertake a lot of research and carefully examine the preference of the people catering to the local market. Finally, Groupon added a special features strategy in which they market their service as we ll as the products in a unique way. 5. Groupons Global Strategy Joint ventures play an important role for Groupons expansion strategies. As Groupon has successfully started and expanded their business in the United States they quickly realized that there is a high demand for deal of the day business overseas as well. One of the first market entries outside the United States was entering European market. Although well-established companies were already the deal of the day their business model, Groupon was eventually able to benefit from those competitors. Oliver Samwer, founder of Citydeal was the first competitor who interacted with Groupon. Andrew Mason described this meeting as follows: â€Å"After a few days with Oliver [Samwer] and the rest of the Citydeal management team, we realized that they were among the best operators we’d ever metâ€Å" (Chan & Lee, 2011). Afterwards Groupon analysed the situation and realized that Citydeal was already dominating the European market. Competing with them would have been extremely difficult and risky as opening own facilities all across Europe  would have been a substantial investment. As a  result, Groupon was rather interested in a acquisition and bought Citydeal in 2010 for 126 million dollars. This investment enabled Groupon to instantly gain access to the European market. Groupon was providing their experience from America, whereas they received local marketing expertise and well educated employees. When engaging in cross-border collaborations MNEs try to overcome any protectionist barriers as well as overcoming national regulations by having good political contacts. (Bartlett and Beamish, 2008) Nevertheless, those relationships often involve great risk as a substantial amount of capital investment is required. It is often uncertain whether companies can actually benefit from economies of scale and scope as well as arbitrage opportunities. To illustrate the source of forming competitive advantage more precisely this paper introduces the AAA-Framework by Ghemawat, 2005 (Appendix 1). In this model Groupon can be placed close to adaption as they attempt to act locally responsive by supplying their customers with national as well as local deals. Aggregation also plays a vital role because Groupon â€Å"attempts to deliver economies of scale by creating regional (†¦) operations; it involves standardizing the product (†¦) offering and grouping together the development and production processes.† (Bartlett & Beamish, 2011). Moreover, Groupon is trying to make use of arbitrage opportunities, which â€Å"is the exploitation of differences between national and regional markets, often by locating separate parts of the supply chain in different places (†¦)† (Bartlett & Beamish, 2011) However, arbitrage takes an inferior position as Groupon is providing a service and does not have production facilities. 6. Groupons entry to China After successfully expanding business into many markets before, Groupon ran into some difficulties when starting a joint venture in China. Groupon’s general strategy when entering  new markets is aggressively penetrating the market to gain market share very quickly. As competition in the market was a lot more intense than expected, this strategy did not work in China (Chao, 2012). Using a unified entry  strategy in every country without adapting to the differences, which are present in each market, is known as the United Nations Model (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1986). When Groupon entered the Chinese market they were proclaiming to become the biggest online shopping site right from the beginning. This arrogant attitude did not take any strong competitors in the Chinese market into account (Chao, 2012). Competitors knew exactly how to treat customers and vendors according to the Chinese circumstances. One example is that Groupon tried to split the profits with vendors equally. Local competitors were used to charging only ten percent, which gave vendors no incentive to consider Groupon (Chao, 2012). In addition to that, the world leader in the discount deal business did not consider hiring more than 2 Chinese managers in their senior management team. This resulted in very low local responsiveness, as western managers did not know the Chinese culture well enough (Chao, 2012). To overcome cultural difference Groupon startet a joint venture with the Chinese online deal website Tencent (Chan & Lee, 2011). This joint venture gave Groupon the opportunity to adapt a rather local strategy. It would have been easy to learn from Tencent and employ a more responsive strategy afterwards. Again, Groupon did not take notice of the need to learn from this locally established company and hired expats to run operations around the country (Zhu, 2011). Consequently, there is evidence that Groupon’s competence of local organization in China has been very low. Since the Chinese market provides a significant purchasing power, China can be viewed as an environment of high importance for Groupon. A subsidiary that can be characterized by a high strategic importance and a low competence of local organization is called a â€Å"Black Hole† (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1986). Managing once way out of a â€Å"Black Hole† is extremely difficult and Groupon would have to choose the right strategy to do so successfully. Bhattacharya and Michael describe in â€Å"How Local Companies Keep at Bay† that local companies can beat  multinational Enterprises by pursuing several distinguishing strategies (Bhattacharya & Michael, 2008). As strong competition has been one of Groupon’s main problems when entering the Chinese market, in order to gain market share against local companies the MNE has to analyze how locals are able to outperform their global strategies. Afterwards those strategies have  to be used against the local companies (Bhattacharya & Michael, 2008). In the case at hand, Groupon would have to adapt to the locally responsive strategies and pair them with their own expertise. More specifically Groupon would need to start by learning from its venture partner and hiring local managers who know how the Chinese market works. Besides choosing the wrong entry strategy, Groupon’s low local competence was caused by ethical differences. On the one hand Chinese employees felt like they were not treated fairly when Goupon fired around 400 people in 2011 (Chao, 2011). On the other hand Groupon ran an offending advertisement during the Super Bowl in the USA (Chao, 2011). A solution to such a conflict of cultural tradition is for the manager to ask oneself if the company’s practices would be acceptable if the manager’s country were in a similar state (Donaldson, 1996). If Groupon is able to successfully implement those changes the national subsidiary would take the new role of a â€Å"Strategic Leader†. A â€Å"Strategic Leader† is characterized by a high competence of local organization and a high strategic importance of local enviro nment (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1986). 7. An evolving global role Multinational enterprises are more and more responsible for the establishment of a tremendous gap between rich and poor all over the whole world. Using global strategies and exploiting economies of scale and scope can be viewed as very exploitative and irresponsible. To see if Groupon is acting socially responsible one can analyze the level of responsibility by  distinguishing between four MNE postures. Firstly there is the exploitive MNE, which is known to use socially irresponsible opportunities to maximize profits. An exploitive company might take advantage of the cheapest possible workforce it can find by employing children in unsafe environments working long hours. Secondly a transactional MNE is described. This posture is characterized by trying to maximize profits and acting socially responsible on the other hand. Those companies settle at the boarder to being socially irresponsible while not actively engaging in any social efforts. Thirdly there is the responsive MNE. In c ontrast to the transactional MNE the third  posture is characterized by an active engagement into corporate citizenship behaviour. Finally the transformative MNE defines itself by taking responsibility to solve the problems in less developed countries in the world (Bartlett and Beamish, 2008). Applying Groupon to the MNE types, they can be classified as a responsive enterprise. Even though Groupon was criticized by some companies for being harmful to certain industries, a large amount of social responsibility has been shown. Having noticed the ability to raise money from groups of people, Groupon has established charity deals on their website. When customers buy one of those deals Groupon will match the amount and donate everything for example to the Red Cross (Campbell, 2012). 8. Conclusion The Internet deal company Groupon was established in 2008 and became a multinational company in a very short period of time. The corporate structure is made of the main functional managers in the corporate headquarters and geographical subsidiary managers in each location. The fast growing business can be characterized as transnational because it is pursuing a global strategy while having a great focus on being locally responsive. In order to expand as rapidly as Groupon did, the cooperation had to acquire businesses in some countries and start joint ventures in others. As mentioned before, in most European countries  this strategy worked out perfectly well. When Groupon decided to enter the Chinese market, however, some problems arose. Even though Groupon claimed to behave in a responsive manner they were reluctant to adapt locally responsive management practices in China. Consequently, the Chinese competition disabled Groupon from becoming market leader. To answer the problem statement if Groupon’s global strategy can successfully be implemented worldwide a conclusion can be drawn. While Groupon implemented the global strategy very successfully in the European market, there are some major difficulties when using the same strategy in China. To overcome those problems Groupon has to hire more Chinese managers in order to understand how the Chinese system works. Additionally, Groupon should use the  opportunity to learn from their venture-partner Tencent. Finally it is important for Groupon to analyze the competitive advantages of the competition in order to beat the local leaders by using their own methods. Coming back to Groupon’s overall strategy one can identify Groupon as a transactional company since it is actively engaging in corporate socially responsible activities. References Bartlett, C. & Beamish, P. (2011). Transnational Management. New York, USA: McGrawHill Bartlett, C. and Ghoshal, S. (1986) Tap Your Subsidiaries for Global Reach. Harvard Business Review. Bhattacharya, A. & Michael, D. (2008). How Local Companies Keep Multinationals at Bay. Harvard Business Review. Campbell, L (2012,November 18). How Groupon and LivingSocial Are Raising Millions for Charity Using Social Media. Socialmedia Today. Retrieved from: http://socialmediatoday.com Chan & Lee, (2011, February 28) Groupon Enters China, Teams with Tencent. Pedaily. Retrieved from: http://www.pedaily.cn Chao, L. (2012, August 24). Groupon Stumbles in China, Closes Some Offices. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from: http://online.wsj.com Cutler, K. (2010, May 7). Groupon CEO: Being in a band made my business rock. Social. Retrieved from http://venturebeat.com/ Deborah, C (2009, June 10). Virtual â€Å"tipping point† leverages group. Reuters. Retrieved from: http://www.reuters.com Donaldson, T. (1996). Values in Tension: Ethics Away from Home. Harvard Business School Press Lacrote , V. (2011, June 1). Groupon. Retrieved from http://digitalstrategies.tuck.dartmouth.edu Perlmutter H. (1969). The Tortuous Evolution of the Multinational Corporation. Columbia Journal of World Business Zhu, J (2011, November 4). 4 Mistakes Behind Groupon’s Failure in China. Tech In China. Retrieved from: http://www.techinasia.com

Increase in Tommy John Surgery Amongst Young Athletes

In order to keep up with the competition, athletes must constantly look for a competitive advantage. There are many ways to do this, both good and bad, legal and illegal. The hottest trend in today's society is very unique and out of the ordinary. Young athletes have been turning to a procedure called Tommy John surgey in order to get a boost in athletic performance. This surgery has been sought out by these young athletes even when not injured, and this has outraged many professionals and doctors around the world.This growing trend has been highly debated and will continue to be until some sort of guidelines are set. Tommy John surgery is reconstructive surgery of the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. This surgery has been common amongst college and professional athletes over the last few decades, most notably baseball players. The surgery was first performed in 1974 on former Major League Baseball star Tommy John by Doctor Frank Jobe. The surgery was so revolutionary, Doctor Jobe decided to name the surgery after his first patient.The process for Tommy John surgery is a quite simple process that has evolved over time. Basically, when ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow becomes damaged, a tendon needs to be taken from another part of the body in order to replace the damaged one. The new tendon is carefully woven into a figure eight pattern in the elbow bone. There is a slight risk of damage to the ulnar nerve, but if done carefully, the process is pretty routine these days. One of the key reasons why young athletes are opting for this surgery is the rising success rate ever since it has been in existence.When it was first discovered and performed, the surgery was given a 1 in 100 success rate by surgeon Frank Jobe. The success rate as of 2009 is an astonishing 85-92 percent. The time it takes to recover depends on the sport, and the position played in that sport. On average, it takes between 6 and 12 months to fully recover, with baseball pitchers tak ing the longest. The causes for this surgery can be a variety of situations. Through the repetitive stress of the throwing motion, the ulnar collateral ligament can become stretched, frayed, or torn severly.In pitchers, the total number of pitches thrown is the best way to monitor elbow issues. The type of pitch thrown, such as a curveball or a slider, also has an effect but not quite as much of one as the number of pitches thrown. Children these days are beind overworked more than ever, thus causing a dramatic increase in elbow issues in young athletes. The growing concern with this surgery as of late has been the urge of these teenagers who want to get this surgery even when they are not injured.The reason for this is because since so many athletes come back from this surgery playing at a much higher level than pre-surgery, these young kids figure that they might as well get the surgery before they can get hurt. Parents are also at fault here as well because there are many cases w here the parent is the initiator as well. Beau Wycoff, a freshman baseball player for his hometown high school Toms River North, is facing this same issue. His father believes that he should get Tommy John surgery because he doesn't throw as hard as the other boys on the team.He isn't looked at as a top player, and his father believes that this will make him stronger and throw much harder. Beau is not on the same page and is very torn about this situation. â€Å"I want to be the team's top pitcher, but having this surgery when I'm not hurt is something I am not sure about,† Beau said. This is just an example of what goes on all over the country with young athletes and their decisions to acheive a competitive advantage. In an e-mail response from the Center for Sports Parenting, they simply are irate about this situation.They believe that there should be a significant medical issue with the elbow for someone to legally go through with the surgery. Also mentioned was pressure f rom parents in order to get this surgery is a huge concern in dealing with this topic. The Center believes that operating on a perfectly healthy elbow in order to get some kind of advantage is an unnecessary risk for a young athlete. Situations like these make Tommy John surgery look like it's a bad thing, and that certainly is not the case. It should only be seen as a bad thing when it is abused by people who truly do not need it.This surgery has been proven by many studies to be very positive. In one study where a questionarre was sent out to 743 patients who had the surgery, 94. 5 percent were baseball players and the other 5. 5 percent were track, football, and other. Out of these people questioned, 622 patients or 83 percent, returned to their previous level of play or higher. The average recovery time of these patients was 11. 6 months. Also recorded was that only 10 percent of these patients had complications, which were mostly minor.Guisto Salicetti has been a baseball pitch er since he was 7 years old. He came to St. Peter's College on a baseball scholarship after dominating the high school ranks for 4 years. After arriving at school he soon had elbow troubles and found out he needed Tommy John surgery. The surgery went well and he is currently lightly throwing and should be able to pitch in a game in no time. â€Å"The surgery was a very positive for me and even though the recovery has been a lot of hard work, hopefull it will all be worth it in the end,† Guisto said.Tommy John surgery has become a phenomenon in the last couple of years. If done for the right reasons, the procedure is a great innovation is surgical medicine. There are some circumstances where this surgery can be abused and mistreated. This needs to be addressed in the near future because young athletes and parents are taking this too far. Tommy John surgery should be all about success stories and revitalizing careers, not about controversy and potentially ruining a young teenag ers's promising athletic experience.