Grosvenor Park free essay sample

Dubin has done very well for himself in the past, developing over 4,000 units in Maryland. His most recent development, Grosvenor Tower, a luxury high rise, was a massive success. He was able to garner a 98% occupancy rate since opening. The building caters to young professional couples and singles looking to live somewhere nice with commuter access to the metro into downtown Washington. Many of these tenants indicated to Dubin that they enjoyed the area and would one day like to own homes there. This is where Dubin’s newest development comes into play, a 189 unit community called Grosvenor Park that would serve as single-family bridge homes for young professionals like the ones in Grosvenor Tower. This community would take the young professional demographic from apartment and span the time gaining equity for their â€Å"dream home†. There are many risks associated with this project. First and foremost is the long list of Planning Department requirements, . We will write a custom essay sample on Grosvenor Park or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 6 million in total including $1 million worth of road improvements. There is also a requirement that 15% of units must be set aside for moderate price dwelling units. These units are built comparable to market, but sold at a fraction of the price. Mortgage interest rates were also relatively high during the time of construction due to a number of economic factors. Dubin is afraid that this financial requirement will drive his prices above market rate, and out of range of his potential buyers. To mitigate these risks, Dubin has come up with the plan of developing in chunks, only building as many homes as could sell in a timely fashion before further development. He also offers a high level of customization in these homes. Purchasers have a chance to have a home that fits their wants at a relatively low cost in what Dubin believes to be a prime location. Dubin also plans to develop the more affordable units after he has established a financial base with the market rate units. After assessing Dubin’s situation, I would recommend that he try to reason with the Planning Department to see if there is any way to reduce the fiscal requirements of the project. It is crucial for Dubin to keep his prices low enough for the units to be sold at a rate fast enough for him to make money. As the deal stands, Dubin can have his loans paid off in just over two years and realize a profit in around the same time frame. These figures do not include the extra PD demands, so I think Dubin should try to figure out another strategy for satisfying the PD before proceeding with the project. The demands of the Planning Department seem to be a bit excessive, especially seeing as Dubin and his team seem to have found viable alternatives to the proposed requirements. The sound barrier seems fairly reasonable, and also something that could potentially benefit Dubin’s development a well. The new sewage system, however, seems to be unneeded. Dubin’s team inspected the sewage of the development upstream and concluded the mismanagement fears of the PD were unfounded. Dubin also believes that the PD’s concern about the community bringing in too many new students is completely unfounded. Dubin has a great amount of faith that the potential tenants will wait until after they leave the development to start a family. If I were in Dubin’s shoes, I would put off construction until a better agreement with the PD was found. I would further research the issues, and provide concrete evidence that the sewage in the abutting neighborhood is being managed properly, as well as conducting studies to show that the development would not bring a significant influx of new children into the community. If a better agreement cannot be reached, I would recommend that Dubin continue with the project at the proposed rate of a few units at a time. This will help to not overextend the project and it will keep occupancy rates high as well as helping to test the waters. As someone who values the flexibility of a single family home with parking over an apartment complex, I would love to have an option like this as a young adult. Assuming I had a job in the city, living in a community like this with other individuals my age would provide adult living with social opportunities as well. If I were to get married and settle down, this would be the perfect place to start my life and save up for my â€Å"dream home†. As an investment vehicle, I would wait to see how the community develops before concluding anything as a purchaser. Dubin has a reputation for high quality and knowing what his tenants want, both are very good attributes. I would like more evidence to show that these tenants that occupy Grosvenor Towers would even be compelled to leave a residence like that before acquiring their â€Å"dream house†. The 10% annual appreciation rate for residential properties at the time is definitely a nice figure to consider as well. The development of single-family homes is much different than multi-family. They are marketed to very different socio-economic demographics. Multi-family developments (excluding luxury apartments) usually range from low to market income housing, while single-family units can run a wide spectrum. The space and land resources for single-family developments are much more demanding than multi-family. The turnover rate for single-family homes is lower than apartments because the purchase commitment is a much bigger move than a rental as well. This presents a higher risk of lower occupancy and is more sensitive to market fluctuations, which could prove costly to the developer.

Computers and Education essays

Computers and Education essays During the past two decades, advances in computer technology have ushered in the digital revolution. Computers have changed the way people do business, construct buildings, communicate with one another and receive In the field of education, computers have enhanced the way people teach and learn. This paper examines the advantages and potential difficulties of using computers in the elementary, middle school and high classroom as an educational instrument. Perhaps the biggest challenge faced by educators at this level is overcoming the short attention span of children. This characteristic has been further honed by television. Traditionally, parents and teachers have addressed this problem through educational television programs like Sesame However, education experts have found that children learn best when they are stimulated through participatory learning activities where their minds are constantly stimulated. Towards this, many companies have produced educational software designed to include the children in more In elementary and middle school, websites such as NASA Quest have activities targeted to various grade levels to teach children about space flight. The Exploratorium website maintained by a San Francisco museum is particularly popular among boys who are taught science through demonstrations of sporting activities such as skateboarding. The EcoKids Online! Web page teaches uses games to teach children about energy, wildlife and other environmental issues. In the process, the website also tries to impart strong civic lessons, teaching children about their responsibilities to the environment (Troutner). Under the supervision of a trained teacher, students can find a wealth of educational sites to enhance In older students, many educators report difficulty engaging students in subjects that do not seem relevant to their daily lives. ...

Ethics Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethics Reflection - Essay Example At the workplace, the ethics are supposed to act as a guide as to how members of an organization can relate to one another and the people they are serving (Barney, 2007). This paper will review the roles ethics and social responsibility play in the workplace. As companies continue to grow, so does the need for skilled labour. The problem, however, becomes the need to change as the economic scene is also changing. This means that the standard of living is affected. People, therefore, require more money to satisfy their daily needs. In organizations that they aspire to work in, they dream of making it big and achieving their dreams (Shaw, 2010). However, the pressure brought on by life makes it harder for them with each passing day. This is where ethics at the workplace come into play. In the event, people go to work for all the wrong reasons; they are bound to be side tracked from their objectives. The goal would have been to make an honest living through hard work. As seen in many scenarios, greed gets the better of many people and they end up doing something wrong (Shaw, 2010). At times, they end up going against the workplace conduct. Many believe that doing the right thing is a moral obligation. This is more than true. When people trust an organization with their money only to learn that they are being robbed, it is never a good feeling. The people who have experienced this often lose faith in many honest organizations that are left. When thinking of stakeholders’ needs, it is very important that the planning be based on what the stakeholder wants. A strategic plan could help the smallest organization grow into something significantly huge (Weiss, 2008). Understanding what they want can be very tricky. However, with the right mind set, the perfect plan can be set in motion. The stakeholders need to be known first. This can be the first step in creating the strategic plan. When the audience has been identified, they can be approached with something that

Country Risk Analysis of Italy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Country Risk Analysis of Italy - Research Paper Example The strong export potential, relative underdevelopment of the southern region and the markets of north Africa and east European countries are the favorable endowments. Keywords: Economy, politics, geography, industry, immigration, drugs, EEC, disparities, factor productivity. Country Analysis of Italy Introduction It is important to evaluate conditions that support or hinder the prospects for a business in a particular location while undertaking new start ups, expansion, acquisition and/or other forms of investment. Political, economic, and geographic factors are taken into consideration for evaluation and decision making. Implicit within these broad categories are the demographic and legal factors. A range of reputed published resources like the country reports of the London based Economic Intelligence Unit, the CIA World Fact Books, the World Bank, IMF and European Commission reports can provide the necessary data for analysis for all major countries. The present paper deals with c ountry analysis of Italy, an EU member country that is in the thick of a political and economic crisis in the recent past. Italy became a republic in 1946 after the World War II and is a member of NATO and European Economic Community (EEC) in the euro zone. This country of about 60 million people with practically 100% literacy rate and dominated by the Roman Catholic faith followers, is a developed economy and has been a strong supporter of the political and monetary integration of the EU Zone countries (Anon, n.d., geography.about.com). Italy is a republic, headed by a President as the constitutional head, while the executive authority vests with the Prime Minister (also called the president of the council of ministers) (CIA, 2011). It follows the constitutional form of democratically elected government with two houses of legislature (Senate and Chamber of Deputies), the judiciary and the executive wings having respective roles. Although Italy is not a signatory to the Internationa l Court of Justice jurisdiction, it respects international legal responsibilities like most democratic nations (CIA, 2011). The country is divided into twenty administrative regions of which five regions enjoy a higher degree of autonomy. Regions are further divided into provinces, numbering about 100 at present. Each province is under the watchful eyes of a representative of the federal government. Separatist tendencies, left-wing extremism, and remnants of fascist elements have been sources of political challenges that Italy faced since inception. These risks continue even today, although they have been substantially controlled. Political parties of different hues like left-of-centre or right-of-centre and others form coalitions among themselves and with other parties to govern the country. Italy has largely overcome the period of extremist left-wing terrorism between 1970s and 90s (Dugdale-Pointon, 2007). Widespread corruption has been the bane of Italian politics and economy, an d this has led to short-lived spans of governments, policies and programs. Investigations into corruption scandals have caught up with many politicians, resulting in introduction of political and electoral reforms. Scandals involving the personal life of the immediate past Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the deep economic

Management in a Globailsed world Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Management in a Globailsed world - Assignment Example The movement of goods and services is usually carried across different countries. Most of the businesses engaging in the trade are multinationals and to some extent, the smaller established companies. In addition, globalization entails the movement of human resources that includes labor across various countries. Labor is an important part of an organization since a business needs the right workforce to make it in any business environment. Some of the organization may move their compatriots in major positions before they offer them to those of the host country. As such, the companies to prevent conflicts with the government follow various laws that affect such activities. The movement of labor usually brings people of different languages and backgrounds together. The culture of the people is thus different, and, therefore, there is need to make sure communication is improved between the workers. For there to be an understanding, there should be an improvement in the communication. The refore, the common ground is that the language is an issue and therefore bringing the people together and using various communication channels to help in bringing unity among the workers. Globalization, for example, can be evidenced by various multinationals like Coca Cola since they set up their business in developing countries and end up imposing the western culture on the people especially those that work in the companies. The people thus have to learn the various cultures of the foreign businesses. Macro level deals with what is required of the organization in adhering to various regulations in the host country. The micro level deals with the interests of the employees, mainly expatriates. The interests of the expatriates in terms of security and other issues that may affect them in the host country are looked into by the organization. The expatriate is taken to be working 24 hours for the company and therefore if

Bill of Quantity in Civil Engineering

Bill of Quantity in Civil Engineering INTRODUCTION As stated in the assignment brief, the objective of this assignment is to appreciate and disseminate the knowledge, techniques and skills of measurement into actual practice and to expose the students with the production of Bills of Quantity referring to the measurement work done as part of tender documentation requirements. Based on CESMM, measurements can be classified as coordination and planning of quantities and also to list the details of the work to ensure it is running with a consistent, systematic and new construction techniques were explained well. Bill of Quantities is prepared by Quantity Surveyor based on measurement from the construction drawings / building plans. This document has been used in the construction of buildings which has been detailed in the context of the quantity of each category of work performed. For an example, building works, mechanical, electrical works, civil, structural works and infrastructure works. The contractor will priced or estimate all the works associated in completing the buildings during pre-construction stage. The civil works measurement referred to a document called Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM). Before this document is produced, the party who responsible for the working measurement refers to the method adopted in the United Kingdom named ‘CESMM 2nd Edition or 3rd Edition’. There are most of the benchmark method used in building works, they use their own measurement system. This leads to inconsistencies in the measurement procedure. As a result, contractors are having difficulty to appreciate the tender. Work on the actual measurement must take into account the complexity of the work undertaken. Work measurement for any item of work is also closely associated with the activities and construction methodology. TASK 1 Discuss the importance of Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM) in the civil engineering works / projects taking-off. Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM) is to be used in conjunction with the Conditions of Contract for Civil Engineering Works. CESMM does not deal with the preparation of Bills of Quantity for mechanical electrical engineering work, building work or work which is seldom encountered in civil engineering contracts. If any such work to be included in the contract, such work shall be measured in accordance with their respective Standard Method of Measurement and shall be stated in the Preambles to the Bills of Quantity. CESMM provides a standard format, either in the form of items components and how they should be measured. A multi-level classification introduced in CESMM or space for a description of the work that can be developed. In the other hand, CESMM is to understand the purpose of using a standardised method of measurement. CESMM measurement method using the concept of method-related charges to present the cost of construction at the site in more obvious, such as covering the cost of site preparation and building machinery operating costs, and labor force. The importance of CESMM are be able to prepare bill items and re-measure completed work in accordance in civil engineering works. Be aware of the structure and application of Method Related Charges, unique to CESMM and the benefits arising from this facility. Be aware and appreciate the relationship of the Method of Measurement and the Conditions of Contract in the civil engineering works. TASK 2 Identify and discuss the contents of the tender document to be prepared for the tendering stage. The tendering stage is the process of selecting and appointing the contractor for the main construction contract. The contents of the tender document to be prepared for the tendering stage are: Letter of Invitation to tender– The bidder produce a formal letter to the tenderer, stated the tender closing date and time. Introduction-The tenderer invites bidder to submit a detailed proposal on the provision of equipment/system/software/services/works are detailed in the Tender Document. Conditions of contract – A written agreement is intended to bind the contractor appointed by the employer based on the laws and conditions imposed and agreed. Contract Drawings – technical / detailed construction drawings for measurement / costing by Quantity Surveyor / engineers – prepared by architect / engineers. Specification / Preambles A brief description of the materials and workmanship, the standard or quality of workmanship .It must convey the architect and engineer’s requirements. Bill of Quantities – Prepared by the Quantity Surveyor/stint on the size of the construction drawing plan / building. This document has detailed all the quantities for each category of work used in the construction of buildings. For example, building works, mechanical, electrical, civil, structural works, infrastructure works and other contractors would cost / budget all work related to the completion of pre-construction building. Investigate the Tenderer Financial standing – Look back into the audited accounts for past three years whether they have stable financial background. Get confidential report from firm’s bank. Instructions to Bidder – Purpose of Instructions. Tender Acknowledgement. Tender Document Preparation of Proposals. Submission of Proposals – (technical unpriced commercial proposals, priced commercial proposals, softcopy format) Acceptance of Bidder’s Proposal. Validity of Bidder’s Proposals. Queries Confidentially of Tender Document. Audit of Bidder’s Facilities. .Pre-award Meetings. Bidder Questionnaires Forms. Suspension and cancellation Award of Contract. Proposal Submission Guidelines. Scope of Works, Technical Specifications Requirements. Bill of Quantity (BQ) and Price Schedules. Bidder’s Compliances to Tenderer General’s Terms and Conditions. Tender Acknowledgement Form. One of the contents in the tender document is conditions of contract. What are the available conditions of contract, which are commonly used in the construction project? Contract Agreement. Letter of Acceptance. Tender and Appendix to Tender (as submitted by the Contractor in the Tender) Particular Conditions of Contract, Conditions Part 11(Part of Tender Document) General Conditions of Contract, Conditions Part 1(Example, as published by DM) Specifications(parts of Tender Documents) Drawings. Priced Bill of Quantities. What are the functions of the conditions of contract? The functions of Contract Conditions is to set out the principal legal relationship between the parties to a construction project, determining the allocation of risk and consequently, price. Conditions of contract must be read in conjunction with specification documents, drawings bills of quantities, activity schedules and special conditions. Standard form contracts often comprise suites of contracts with ‘back to back’ subcontracts, consultant appointments and collateral warranties. The formal conditions of contract in a tendering process is: Certification of free competition For the purpose of restricting competition to the price in the tender shall not be taken in consultation discretion. Restriction of publicity action Tenderers are not authorised to mention in their publicity that they have been invited to tender, are tendering or have tendered. Validity period of tender The tender shall specifically state a period of validity of 4 months from the closing date for the receipt of tenders, or such other period as may be provided for in the Special Conditions of Tender. Period for tender preparation The closing date for submission of tenders is stated in the cover letter. Extensions of this period, requested in writing, will only be considered by the Agency if operational requirements so permit, and if, in the case of competitive tendering, fair competition is not thereby impaired. Requests for extensions received less than two weeks before the closing date will,not be considered. Right to audit During its validity period, to request the tenderer to provide evidence of any element of his quotation and may call for additional detailed information irrespective of the type of price proposed. The Agency reserves the right to audit the quoted prices. Negotiation prior to contract award The Agency reserves the right to negotiate with one or more tenderers before taking a decision on the placing of a contract. The offer shall remain valid until changes are agreed in writing. The original offer, as modified shall constitute a binding revised offer. CONCLUSION Civil Engineering is a broad field containing many engineering sub-fields, such as transportation engineering, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering and construction engineering. I understand the knowledge, techniques and skills of measurement with the production of Bills of Quantity referring to the measurement work according to the requirements of Tender Documents. In addition, I must also thanked to my group members and also my lecturer, Mr. Kumarason, as they helped me a lot in the measurement part in Task 2. It helps to create clear open channels of measurements and the procedures in tendering documents, improved my productivity in measurements skills and help keep morale high. In short, this assignments helps me to accept the idea of working in a construction site in future, following the rules and achieving correct Tendering Document. Therefore, this assignments helped me share ideas which ultimately lead me to innovation and better opportunity in my future under takings. REFERENCES Traditional Contract tender.info.[online] Available at : http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Traditional_contract:_tender  [Accessed on 8th July 2014] Construction Contract Conditions.info.[online] Available at : http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Construction_contract_conditions [Accessed on 8th July 2014] Bill of Quantity.info.[online] Available at: http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Bill_of_quantities [Accessed on 9th July 2014] Seeley I.H., Winfield R. – Building Quantities Explained, Fifth Edition, Macmillan (1999) Willis A.J., Willis C.J. – Elements of Quantity Surveying, Seventh Edition, Granada (1978)

The Fantasy World of The Glass Menagerie :: Glass Menagerie essays

The Fantasy World of The Glass Menagerie In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams creates a world in which the characters are disillusioned by the present. Amanda, Tom, and Laura achieve this disillusionment by resorting to separate worlds where they can find sanctuary. Each character develops their own world, far away from reality. Amanda frees herself from the harsh realities of life by constantly reminding herself of the past. To begin with, she continuously repeats the story of the "one Sunday afternoon in Blue Mountain" when she received seventeen gentlemen callers (1195). Furthermore, she keeps a "larger-than- life-size" photograph of her husband over the mantel who left the family when the children were young. When Jim came over for dinner, Amanda wears the "girlish frock of yellowed voile with a blue silk sash" that she wore on the day she met her husband (1222). Amanda obsesses with the past, and at the same time damaging the children psychologically. Constant allusions to the past have psychologically affected Tom and Laura, trapping them into Amanda$BCT(J lost world. Tom and Laura fail to survive in the present because they are always trying to live through the past. However, the past no longer exists, causing them distress in their journey through life. Tom is unsuccessful with his job at the warehouse and Laura cannot seem to fit in with the outside world. These personal downfalls in life drive Tom into a life of poetry and movies, and Laura into a world of glass figurines. Tom is unsatisfied with his work at the warehouse and feels his life lacks adventure. Therefore, he finds it through writing poetry and watching movies. When business is slow at the shoe warehouse, Tom goes to the washroom to work on his poetry. Tom finds adventure in poetry because he is able to create and control his own world. Along with poetry, Tom retreats to the movies every evening to fulfill his adventurous nature. Amanda questions Tom, "why do you go to the movies so much, Tom?" Tom replies, "I go to the movies because$BM*(J like adventure. Adventure is something I don$BCU(J have much of at work, so I go to the movies"(1210). Tom$BCT(J obsessions with adventure leaves him no time or energy to concentrate on his present responsibilities at work. Therefore, he leaves Amanda and Laura for the Merchant Marines, a place where he can live out his dreams for adventure. However, he cannot forget Laura, "I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be!"(1247). Laura's problem, according to Jim, is her "inferiority complex"

Human Resources and Management Stratergy

Analyse two potential benefits of Out and About plc’s current ‘soft’ Human Resource Management strategy. Human Resource Management Strategy is the process of making the best use of an Organisation’s employees in order to achieve its human resource objectives. A soft HRM strategy recognises that the workforce are a valuable asset to the business and are crucial to achieve the organisation’s objectives. Soft HRM has many benefits to Out and About plc- it’s main benefit is to improve staff motivation.Out and About plc has shown this in many ways. Firstly, all staff are on permanent contracts providing them with greater security. This allows for the workers to provide a greater level of commitment to Out and About plc as it is their major career. This greater level of commitment will in turn produce greater labour productivity as workers who feel loyal and dedicated to a company will have a much more enthusiastic and hardworking approach as oppose d to a worker who does not feel greatly involved and concerned of the companies on goings.Furthermore, permanent staff are more likely to commit to training in order to acquire skills that can boost their career- which will again benefit the company. However, it is important to consider whether or not permanent contracts should be used for ALL staff as some groups of staff will most likely not be required at all times. Working in shifts could increase labour productivity as workers are more likely to be ‘fresh’ and more focused on a job in comparison to a member of staff who is to ‘go through the motions’ on a daily basis.Also, permanent contracts for all staff would be a lot more costly than using temporary staff. Out and About plc will need to decide which staff require permanent contracts and which do not to see any benefits financially. Secondly, the company’s current statistics show that the average staff age is 45 and that the labour turnover i s 5 percent (which is well below the industry average of 18 percent). This could indicate that staff are loyal and enjoy working for the business. Therefore it is good to question why a change needs to be implemented when staff are clearly happy.Also a labour turnover of 5 percent is not something which Out and About plc needs to worry about, however it is important to realise that changing the HRM dramatically (form soft to hard) could also affect the labour turnover dramatically. Q2) What do you consider to be the most important influence on Lisa’s marketing plan? Justify your view. A marketing plan consists of setting marketing objectives and deciding upon the strategy needed to achieve them. There are many influences on Lisa’s marketing plan. Firstly, I believe that the operational issues such as location of shops and the availability of suppliers will be of great importance.The passage states that: ‘As well as selling leading brands such as Salomon, Quiksilv er and O’Neill, Out and About plc will also sell a range of ‘own label’ clothing. ’ This means that the ’25 new out of town stores’ will be heavily reliant on these other brands. Therefore, it is vital to gain information and research on the suppliers and how reliable they are. If this research is not done efficiently, Out and About plc could find that they have low levels of stock which could result in unsatisfied customers and the chance of a bad reputation.Furthermore, the location of the shop is vital as it interlinks with the first problem of suppliers. If the shop is far from the supplier – it will be more difficult and take longer to deliver items which will cause great inefficiency. Another reason that the location of shops will be important is because the market in itself is fairly niche therefore the shops will need to be placed in fairly busy areas – like town centres as if they were on quiet desolate places they will see very little business.Secondly, it is key to note that competitors such as supermarkets – Argos and JJB have already affected Out and About plc current market – ‘profits have declined by 15 percent. ’ Building your way up in a relatively niche market is extremely difficult, especially with well known large stores such as JJB competing. Therefore it will be important to ensure that, Out and About plc maintain competitive prices and high quality products.The competition needs to be closely reviewed – for example, if Argos sells a camping jacket for cheap – Out and About plc will have to emphasise that the slight price difference is due to quality and design. Lisa will have to heavily promote what makes, Out and About plc different to Argos and JJB – and why consumers should choose them over a reputable brand. The above has only discussed (in my opinion) the two major points of the influencing factors of Lisa’s marketing plan h owever, there are many more. A key influence would be the reaction of the new target market.If the target market are to decide that the cheaper alternatives are more suited towards them Out and About plc will have failed to create a successful business. I believe this factor is most logical as Out and About plc are almost trying to change a previously known ‘cheap’ business to a higher upmarket business. However, this means they won’t be appealing to the same consumers – this consumer market is much smaller than the aforementioned. We can also question whether or not sufficient market research been carried out upon which to base their strategy?

Are humans still evolving essays

Are humans still evolving essays In order to figure out if humans are still evolving scientists have to ask, do humans have variety in their gene pool, and is there a differential fitness to these variants? Everybody, whether or not they believe humans are still evolving, agree that we have variety. Between genetic drift and when Eyre-Walker and Keightley claimed in 1999 that humans, on average, had 4.2 amino acid altering mutations every generation since humans separated from chimpanzees it is unreasonable to claim that we dont have variety between humans. People who dont believe humans are still evolving are basing their theory on selective pressure. They believe with all the modern technology, medicine, food distribution, heating and cooling, etc, there are no longer any selective pressures in our lives to separate the fit from the unfit. They believe that the capabilities within our modern society and speed with which our culture adapts to change has completely overruled the process of natural selection and ther efore stopped natural selection. However, there are several problems with these claims that could prove these people wrong. These problems are placed into 4 different classes of error including: 1. Misunderstanding the nature and power of natural selection, 2. Forgetting other forms of selection, such as sexual selection, 3. Assumptions about the entire world from the specific first world lifestyles of the very people claiming this, and 4. Mistakenly taking the term current evolution to mean that evolution must happen before our eyes. The first class comes from the assumption that selection only works on the more obvious visible traits and little else. We perceive certain things as good attributes (sharp teeth, strong muscles, speed, and intelligence) and others as bad attributes (obesity, skin prone to sunburn, and uncoordination) and we decide that anything t ...

13 Best Jobs For Good Work-Life Balance

13 Best Jobs For Good Work-Life Balance we have a reputation in america for working too hard. more and more americans are working an average of more than 58 hours a week, well beyond the standard 40. but what if you want a better work/life balance? according to census data, the average american works approximately 39 hours and has a median income of $32,000 per year. but here are 13 positions that pay much better for roughly the same time on the job.postal service clerks work about 39.32 hours a week for a median earned income of $51,000.speech language pathologists work about 36.17 hours a week and make roughly $54,000.registered nurses and psychologists make about $56,000 a year, and work an average of 37.59 and 36.75 hours a week, respectively.chiropractors and occupational therapists each make an average of $60,000 a year working 36.02-39.75 hours.technical writers earn an annual average of $62,000 for 39.61 hours a week.physical therapists work about 37.43 hours a week and earn about $63,000.audiologists work roughly 37.77 hours a week for about $64,000, and radiation therapists make a median income of $70,000 a year for 38.4 hours.the biggest winners are optometrists, pharmacists, and dentists who work an average workweek of 37.83-39.03 hours, but make a whopping $100,000-$130,000 a year.consider one of these careers if you want to optimize your work-life balance and your bank account!the 13 highest-paying jobs for people who want to work less than 40 hours a week

Research Paper #2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Research Paper #2 - Coursework Example New media platforms such as social media, blogs, digital newspapers, wikis, and websites are becoming more common and widely used in the media industry. Although old media is still trying to remain relevant, new media is exerting increasing pressure on media companies to abandon their traditional media for the new media. According to Dunlop (Para 1), new media is transforming old media by attacking its credibility. This is just one way in which new media is transforming traditional media. With specific regard to print media including newspapers and magazines, the effect is more pronounced. The presence of new media such as blogs, websites, wikis, and social media is rendering the traditional print media less relevant. For instance, even before media companies can print newspapers and magazines with the latest news, the news will have already been featured in the new media platforms. Therefore, by the time the print newspapers and magazines are released, the public has already gotten the news. However, there is still controversy regarding the effect of new media on old media. According to Bernstein (261), despite the new challenges posed by new media, traditional media is not about to be gone soon. This could be right. Currently, traditional media is still relevant. People are still reading print magazines and newspapers. In fact, according to Anderson (Para 1), revenues from digital platforms only account for a small fraction of the total advertising revenues compared to what print newspapers fetch. This shows that traditional print media is still relevant in the digital era. Moreover, the audience for traditional print media has not vanished completely. Although the audience has shrunk significantly, there is still a sizeable audience comprising mainly of the old generations that are not so used to the new media platforms. Even with this raging debate, it is clearly evident that many

Discuss the multiple theories of reading that are presented in Essay

Discuss the multiple theories of reading that are presented in Northanger Abbey. How might they lead us to create a theory of reading for real readers, and why might this theory be important - Essay Example The novel encompasses a strong morale, guidance for the choice for true companion and shows how other considerations are mere shallow. ‘Northanger Abbey’ can be treated as a torch bearer of the Austen canon. Very rightly, it upholds or clearly indicates the theme of Jane’s forthcoming novels. As a literary piece, the novel has a great value. ‘Northanger Abbey’ encompasses within its plot, few frivolities of the Eighteenth century literature and encapsulates many of the contemporary fiction and their genre. The novel, ‘Northanger Abbey’ is often claimed by critics as â€Å"earliest and least perfect†. It is also criticized that ‘Northanger Abbey’, â€Å"lacks the narrative sophistication of the later works†. But the main fact is quite different from all these criticism. Within its limited scope, Austen tried to portray a discursive description of what a fiction might be. He precisely shows the way that how a novel should be written and most importantly, read. The heroine of ‘Northanger Abbey’ Catherine is deliberately portrayed as a complete deviation from the conventional heroines of Eighteenth century fictions. Catherine is simple and notably undistinguished. She is a girl from a middle-class family and she falls in love with her hero, much before the hero of Austen’s ‘Northanger Abbey’ put any of his serious thoughts on the girl. All these deviations prove that Austen desperately wanted to re-shape and re-evalu ate Eighteenth century fiction and its reading pattern along with the writing style. This is also a vital reason for manifesting the plot of ‘Northanger Abbey’ in a fashion of a parody for Gothic Fiction. ‘Northanger Abbey’ is indeed an important literary document; purely concomitant to the Radcliffeian popularity, and is truly a literary landmark. It is more than a mere debunking sentimental Gothic novel. It is a serious attempt to depose a narrative technique that challenges the stress on characters by Richardson and