Clay Shirky's Here Comes Everybody (2008) Term Paper

Clay Shirky's Here Comes Everybody (2008) - Term Paper Example As an example, many people are blogging about thousands of topics. Some of these blogs are personal and only go out to a few people (usually family and friends) while others are intended for a larger, more global audience. These blogs may have errors in them but they are being shared without filtering. Socially, the â€Å"publish than filter† approach is able to bring people together on a larger scale than previously available. People can learn about each other via several social networking sites and they can meet large groups of people via these sites. People are able to have conversations with perfect strangers about their ideas. Economically, many people have learned to master social business networking by sharing content on several social networking sites that include Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. Each site has a different way of giving content but people are able to gain an understanding of the person behind the business as well as the business. Mass amateurism , according to Shirkey, refers to the idea that anyone can publish anything so â€Å"everyone is a media outlet†. This means that people do not have to have fancy degrees in journalism or be professional writers to be published on the Web. People are able to provide different viewpoints on a variety of topics and it does not matter who they are as a writer. Also, the individuals are able to publish more often and more regularly. One example that Shirky keeps exploring is the Blog. The blogs are written on many different topics and people can present their political views, share photos, or create videos and publish them all over the Internet with most of the tools to do these things provided for free. Another example that Shirky gives is the use of instant messaging and other chat programs that allow the individual to be in touch with a variety of people in real time. These types of media allow an individual to publish more than once, on a regular basis, and more is said than would be possible in print newspapers and magazines because of the standards of those newspapers and magazines. The advent of mass amateurism does not mean the end of professionalism; it just means another vehicle for information will be developed. There will always be people who want to read professional literature including magazines and newspapers like Time or The New York Times because they want to read good journalism. Open Source Software (OSS) is software that is provided free by a manufacturer that gives the same opportunity to the end users as commercial software. Linux is one good example because it is a group of software programs that many schools have used instead of Microsoft products. The reason OSS is popular is because there are no licensing agreements that must be updated yearly and schools can make as many copies as necessary; faculty and students can also copy this software to their home computers. Shirkey says that OSS is more an ecosystem that can tolerate mista kes easier than commercial software systems. Because Linux uses source codes and the company gives the codes to users, people can customize the software to meet the organizations’ needs. The history of OSS shows that it will not take over commercial software because it still has some challenges. Shirky continually showed how different types of OSS was used but how it was given as an alternative for organizations who did not have the money to

All is about Malala Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

All is about Malala - Essay Example The writer then twists the situation, and presents a sudden change in the living condition of Malala where he presents the fact that she is shot. The reader is shocked to learn that a person who is so capable of bring a change has been crippled by an outsider. The consequence of using this technique is the building of a scenario that portrays ‘tragedy’; humans when faced with tragic situations are programmed to display feelings of sympathy. Later on in the text, the writer mentions her recovery from injury in such a dramatic way where instead of admiring the efforts of the medical experts, the focus is on Malala’s recovery; which is done intentionally to support the earlier claim of Malala being a very capable person. Here again, the writer manages to gain sympathy of the reader by implying that the bad-element of the society is defeated by the good element. For the sake of comparison and contrast, the case of Emma Sulkowicz is taken as parallel to Malala’s case in this task. Emma was raped by a classfellow of hers on her first day; this incident happened on the campus. Although she remained quiet in the start, which was largely due to her dread of becoming a victim of her offender again, she ultimately managed to report the incident to the authorities after she realized that two of her other classfellows had also gone through the same misery and pain. As opposed to Malala’s case, where she was the only person who stood to oppose the negatively affecting Talibans, Emma only spoke when she was sure that she was not alone and there are other people who were suffering from the same problem. Emma spoke against injustice by seeking help from the authorities and the judicial system of the country. This was largely due to the existence of infrastructure that assists people in getting justice. Malala on the other hand

British Petroleum: PESTEL and SWOT

British Petroleum: PESTEL and SWOT This Report will assess the altering business background of a one of the largest perpendicularly incorporated oil and gas companies British Petroleum, over the last five years. The Micro and Macro business environment of the company have influenced by some main factors and the motive of this report is to focus on them to recognize, analyze and understand. In order to do this, some important tools need to be considered. PESTEL analysis is one of the tools can support the organisations to estimate macro-environmental factors which can have an impact on them. SWOT analysis is another important tool, which assists organisations in additional developing their self consciousness. Introduction Business environment can be defined as a complex of policy, legal, institutional, and regulatory circumstances that administrate industry activities. It is a sub-set of the investment policy and includes the administration and enforcement mechanisms that implement government policy, as well as the institutional activities influence the way key factors operate (e.g., government agencies, regulatory authorities, and business membership organisations including businesswomen associations, civil society organisations, trade unions, etc.). Macro-environment Macro-environment is the uppermost level of the environment, which consists of broad external factors that can influence the business. In this case, PESTEL analysis is a useful tool to identify these factors and this can be based on the analyses of future trends such as political, economic, social, environment and legal etc. Using this tool, managers can categorize the key drivers of modifications and this can be used to build the potential trend to future scenario (Johnson et al, 2009). According to Worthington and Britton (2003), some manners may influence the business; renovate the inputs (resources such as labour force, technology, finance and materials) in outputs such as goods (products that can be touched such as foods, cars, and so on) or services (products that cannot be touched such as insure services). These performances can be used and prejudiced by companies in order to create their policy. Considering that this macro environment is very complex and companies cannot control it, its analysis is very important. Companies need to identify them and understand the negative impacts they can produce, therefore they can be prepared to reduce them (Palmer and Hartley 2009). Political Factors According to Palmer and Hartley (2009), politicians are usually responsible to create and exceed legislation to companies and occasionally they may create direct influence some types of businesses, such as: client defence law, workers protection laws, regulates of effluence and so on. In addition, according to Lancaster (2008) others political decisions as the workforce education, health and environment, and even the economy infrastructure can also influence businesses operations. Economic Factors Economic factors are very significant for an organization because it is directly associated to GDP (gross domestic product), economic development, redundancy rate, inflation rate and so on. Any modification in the economy can influence businesses. One good example is the oil spill at Gulf of Mexico has made BP a huge quantity of financial loss. The increase in the crude oil price affected all the chain such as power charge, oil-based raw material, plastic, synthetic fibres and so on (Lancaster 2008). This example indicates the significance of monitoring the economy, either nationally or internationally, in order to recognize possible opportunities and threats. Social and Cultural factors The socio-cultural environment is possibly one of the most difficult factors to evaluate, considering that is based on people manners changes, such as religion, ethics, priorities, attitudes, philosophy and social changes (Lancaster, 2008). On the other hand, Palmer and Hartley (2009) state that a crucial part for businesses is to understand the cultural value of a society; companies should be monitoring this frequently to better match to customers desires and requirements. Technological Factors According to Lancaster (2008), technology is an important macro-environmental feature which is presented in many products that we use on our daily breathes, as television, calculators, video records, computers and so on. Companies play an important responsibility on generating more technologies due to this some of them has their own research and development department or work in partnership with universities or research institutes, seeking to provide new products or with better excellence to clients. Environmental Factors This factor has been constantly increasing, especially for multinationals, due to the challenging of social responsibility activities and projects with focus on the centre of population and the environment. These corporations have an important function on contributing to the social development (Worthington and Britton 2009). BP, in the last five years, has worked proactively to reduce environmental risks and, as a result, it has improved its indices across the years. In its eco efficiency activities, they have focused on: reducing water consumption, energy, generation of effluents, production of residues solids and pastes. Moreover, it is also preoccupied with the society and develops projects in partnerships with the communities to improve factors such as people education, quality of life, social projects and so on (BP plc, 2010). Legal Factors Companies should work according to the law otherwise they can have important collision on their businesses. Some laws are changing to defend clients (municipal licences, anti-monopoly laws); workers (minimum wage, workers safety) and suppliers (copyright and patent laws which favour business investments). Some of them can manipulate market constitution and performance (Worthington and Britton 2009). Microenvironment Microenvironment, on the other hand, is the internal factors which generally business decisions are made. The internal environment is composed of various components such as employees, suppliers, customers and so on. Therefore, microenvironment can be divided in various small parts inside a company and each part is extremely important for the business. Lancaster (2008) argues that one of the main objectives of marketing is to concentrate the requirements of consumers. In order to achieve this, companies can make use of their internal property and capabilities, their microenvironment, over which they have control, and use this as a foundation of information to create the better policy to please costumers requirements. In addition, the microenvironment is easier to realize than the macro environment because it refers to everything that is part of a company such as suppliers, employee and so on. Everything that is direct or indirect interrelated to the company (Palmer and Hartley, 2009). Customers They are one of the most important parts of the microenvironment. Companies need to focus on monitoring possible changes on consumers trends and on creating an efficient relationship with them. In other words, companies need to be one step ahead, trying to calculate consumers requirements and needs and developing products to concentrate these demands. Moreover, companies must not focus just on this simple replica (creating a good products to customers), but think away from it (Palmer and Hartley, 2009). Intermediaries They correspond to associations between companies and customers. Some companies, mainly large ones, have some complications to attend all final costumers therefore they choose to sell their products through mediators to be present even in small supermarkets. Some companies can fail because they do not recognize this as an important policy (Palmer and Hartley, 2009). Shareholders At the end of 2010, there were 345,581 holders of BP ordinary shares and a further 163,397 holders of American depository shares. One American depository share (ADS) represents six ordinary shares. One of the holders of ADSs represents some 824,700 underlying holders. ADSs can be bought and sold on North American stock markets. The total number of actual shareholders in the US and UK is in excess of 1 million. About 80% of the ordinary shares and American depository shares are held by institutions such as pension funds and insurance companies. For more than 20 years, BP has encouraged its employees to purchase shares in the company on favourable terms, giving them an extra stake in the companys success. Competitors Companies need to keep their eyes on their competitors, monitoring them and trying to expect their next steps. Furthermore, there are two different types of competitors: direct competitor, which sells comparable products; and indirect competitor, which is more difficult to identify, because sometimes competitors can appear in different forms. For example, who is the indirect competitor for a cinema? Is it another cinema? A home rent movie? (Palmer and Hartley 2009) The following companies are some competitors of BP Plc: Chevron Corporation Exxon Mobil Corporation TOTAL S.A. Petrobras (Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.) (Datamonitor, 2010) SWOT SWOT is a tactical development tool, used in management and strategy formulation in order to identify strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of a particular company. It mainly focuses on analysis and understanding the organisations internal and external environment. Strengths are considered internal positive factors within an organization which can add value; Weaknesses, on the other hand, are negative aspects, which can disrupt the business from achieving its goals. Opportunities are external factors which help business and can represent one possibility of acquiring competitive advantage if the company has the ability of identifying them quicker than its competitors. Threats are also external factors but which can affect businesses operations negatively (Campbell and Craig, 2005). SWOT analysis is used as an analytical tool to achieve significant information about the company in order to take suitable actions. A company can do better decision makings when it understands the quarter points of a SWOT analysis. Strength factors can be used as a foundation for constructing advantages, enchanting the opportunities; weakness can be seen as a challenge and used to correct errors (NetMBA, 2010). Applying SWOT analysis on BP, we can see their strengths, weakness, threats and opportunities: (S)trengths Dominant market position Vertically integrated operations Wide geographical presence (W)eaknesses Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico Explosion in the Texas refinery Violation of tax laws in Turkey (O)pportunities Acquisition of Devon Energys assets in Brazil, Azerbaijan, and the US deepwater Gulf of Mexico Oil and gas exploration projects (T)hreats Saturation of resources in the North Sea Instability in some oil-producing regions Environmental regulations (Datamonitor, 2010) Company Overview BP is one of the biggest perpendicularly incorporated oil and gas companies in the world. The companys operations principally include the searching and production of gas and crude oil, as well as the marketing and trading of natural gas, power, and natural gas liquids. BP is headquartered in London, the UK and employs about 80,300 people. Case Study The Deepwater Horizon oil spill out (also referred as the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the BP oil disaster or the Macon do blowout) is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed for three months in 2010. The impact of the spill continues since the well was capped. It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The spill stemmed from a sea-floor oil gusher that resulted from the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion. The explosion killed 11 platform workers and injured 17Â  others. On July 15, the leak was stopped by capping the gushing wellhead, after it had released about 4.9Â  million barrels (780ÃÆ'-103Â  m3), or 185 million gallons of crude oil. It was predictable that 53,000Â  barrels per day (8,400 m3/d) were evading from the well just before it was capped. It is supposed that the daily flow rate diminished over time, starting at about 62,000Â  barrels per day (9,900 m3/d) and decreasing as the reservoir of hydrocarbons feeding the gusher was gradually exhausted. On September 19, the relief well process was successfully finished and the federal government acknowledged the well successfully departed. Impact on BP and the UK economy BP at the time the United Kingdoms largest corporation and a major business in the UK investment world came under powerful popular, media, and political pressure to terminate its 2010 dividends in their entirety. Media reports state that BP is of such a size and significance in that country, that one pound in every seven of investment and pension fund income in the UK is derived from BP. Local media offered views on what this might mean for citizens. As BP was reported to be offloading billions of dollars in assets in preparation, some estimates suggested the total legal responsibility could amount to as much as US $100 billion (UK Â £67.5 bn) by the conclusion of the tragedy. Financial analysts commented that BP was able of addressing the probable liabilities that might effect, and BP stock rose to some extent on the news that the preliminary US $20 billion compensation fund had been arranged. Political and foreign relations impact The disaster was seen by some as placing stress on US-UK relationships, insofar as BP is a British company. Both US President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron were under considerable pressure to comment politically on the matter. Insurance Times reported an open letter from the Chairman of RSA Insurance Group, the head of one of the countrys leading companies, to President Obama (text of letter) that expressed a concern over double standards compared to the sub-prime based banking crisis of 2007-2010 and over prejudicial and personal comments in the media. Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, was also reported to have made a similar comment, and similar concerns related to the tenor of media releases were also expressed by Labour MP and ex-Parliamentary Secretary Tom Watson, Vince Cable the Business Secretary, and the UK Foreign Office. The Department of State stated that the issue will not affect US-UK relationships, calling the UK its closest ally. Cameron stated that sensible dialog was needed and BP would require certainty over its liability for compensation. Obama was later reported to have said that his frustration over the mammoth oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not an attack on Britain and that he had no interest in undermining BPs value, as the two leaders tried to soothe trans-Atlantic tensions over the disaster. Impact on BP due to US tourism On May 25 BP gave Florida $25Â  million to promote the beaches where the oil had not reached, and the company planned $15Â  million each for Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. The Bay Area Tourist Development Council bought digital billboards showing recent photos from the gulf coast beaches as far north as Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta. The U.S. Travel Association estimated that the economic impact of the oil spill on tourism across the Gulf Coast over a three-year period could exceed approximately $23 billion, in a region that supports over 400,000 travel industry jobs generating $34 billion in revenue annually. On November 1 BP announced plans to spend $78 million to help Louisiana tourism and test and advertise seafood. Other economic consequences On July 5 BP reported that its own expenditures on the oil spill had reached $3.12Â  billion, including the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs. The United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990 limits BPs liability for non-cleanup costs to $75Â  million unless gross negligence is proven. BP has said it would pay for all cleanup and remediation regardless of the statutory liability cap. Nevertheless, some Democratic lawmakers are seeking to pass legislation that would increase the liability limit to $10Â  billion. Analysts for Swiss Re have estimated that the total insured losses from the accident could reach $3.5Â  billion. According to UBS, final losses could be $12Â  billion. According to Willis Group Holdings, total losses could amount to $30Â  billion, of which estimated total claims to the market from the disaster, including control of well, re-drilling, third-party liability and seepage and po llution costs, could exceed $1.2Â  billion. On June 25 BPs market value reached a 1 year low. The companys total value lost since April 20 was $105Â  billion. Investors saw their holdings in BP shrink to $27.02, a nearly 54% loss of value in 2010. A month later, the companys loss in market value totaled $60 billion, a 35% decline since the explosion. At that time, BP reported a second-quarter loss of $17 billion, its first loss in 18 years. This includes a one-time $32.2 billion charge, including $20 billion for the fund created for reparations and $2.9 billion in actual costs. On October 1, BP pledged as collateral all royalties from the Thunder Horse, Atlantis, Mad Dog, Great White, Mars, Ursa and Na Kika fields in the Gulf of Mexico. At that time, BP also said it had spent $11.2 billion, while the companys London Stock Exchange price reached 439.75 pence, the highest point since May 28. By the end of September, BP reported that it had spent $11.2 billion. Third-quarter profit of $1.79 billion (compared to $5.3 billion in 2009) showed, however, that BP continues to do well and should be able to pay total costs estimated at $40 billion. Recommendations Companies should observe regularly for new challenges, by focusing on developing strategies which can allow them to develop them better than their competitors. On this case, BP should do the same and seek for a strategy to become the first company in the world of petroleum industries, selling products with quality and diversity, achieving customers first choice. If the company wants to be competitive, companies should evaluate its products with the ones from foremost competitors. They can also achieve competitive benefit by investing on its employees; looking for joint ventures with other companies in different countries so that they can achieve information from different markets; in search of operational efficiency and cost regulation; seeking for new partnerships, assessing where there are greater opportunities for export. Conclusion The micro and macro business environment of companies are influenced by various factors. They can change them when necessary (such as production, marketing strategy, etc) by taking immediate actions with respect to internal factors. Conversely, companies cannot take action directly on external factors. But in order to minimize their impact they can identify them with appropriate time. Managers decision making capability can be based on the use of these tools and analysis the company can obtain a general overview about the company and aspects what kinds of impacts can happen such as politics, laws and regulations, economy, environment, technology and so on. Due to high competition, with demanding requirement companies should use these tools such as PESTEL or SWOT to build up a successful policy and competitive with the market. BP has developed a variety of strategies by focus on customers, by producing quality products for domestic and international market and it is always doing a great job for the benefit of the society, employees, and environment.

Is Copy Protection Cracking Ethical? Essay -- Technology Hackers Copyr

Is Copy Protection Cracking Ethical? Introduction There are many types of hackers in the world. One group of hackers focuses on breaking copy protection schemes. Copy protection schemes prevent the illegal copying of software, music, etc. By cracking these schemes, people are then able to use and copy the item without the copy protection preventing or hindering their use. This process is commonly known as cracking and the hackers involved in the process are known as crackers. Cracking is commonly viewed as an illegal act in many countries as it is typically used to steal copies of the copyrighted item. However, there are benefits to cracking. It can remove the inconveniences the copy protection scheme imposes on users and in some cases allow users to work around incompatibilities with the copy protection. So the question comes down to, is it ethical for someone to crack copy protection schemes? What is Copy Protection? Copy protection comes in many forms. Its primary purpose is to prevent a person from making a perfect copy of the original. Since the creation of CD burners this technology allows copyright owners to prevent someone from making copies of their intellectual property and either giving them away for free or selling them at a cheaper price without paying royalties to the copyright owner. One type of protection is used on software products. This protection comes in two pieces. The first piece prevents a user from copying the CD. This is usually done by having a portion of the CD unreadable by CD drives. The second portion of the protection requires that the user insert the CD in the drive in order to use the application. This check involves validating the CD as an original CD which would include look... ...f the property then it is unethical. References Stanford University, Stanford Copyright & Fair Use, 2003 http://fairuse.stanford.edu/ US Copyright Office, Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 Summary, December 1998 http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf World Intellectual Property Organization, The Collection of Laws for Electronic Access, http://clea.wipo.int/ Business Software Alliance, Global Piracy Study, 2002 http://global.bsa.org/globalstudy/ Game Copy World, 2004 http://www.gamecopyworld.com Business Software Alliance, BSA Logo, 2004 SecuROM, 2004 http://www.securom.com SafeDisc, 2004 http://www.safedisc.com Harvard Law School, DeCSS FAQ, 2000 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/openlaw/DVD/dvd-discuss-faq.html Wired News, DVD-Cracking Teen Acquitted, January 2003 http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,57107,00.html

Political Awareness Essay

Social media become an important medium of communication in the modern time in which it is provide powerful channels of information between politician and citizens. Besides that, the social media act as proactive devices for encouraging the citizen to participate in democratic process. The social media an important medium of information have influence people’s thought and action about politics and encouraged people to give opinions, critics and suggestions as well as participate in politics. Therefore, the social media is one of the primary mechanism in the political scene and capable of making political issues. However, it gives a negative aspects on political issues in which people may give wrong information and it also enjoys a positive function by spreading information across society quickly and enjoys freedom of speech. The development of new technology encourages youth to engage in politics. Youth today most likely to use the social media like Facebook, twitter, blog and you tube as medium of communication to interact with others. For example, blogs play an important role in political communication and in forming the opinions of political actors and politically interested users. Their ability to facilitate active interaction, present opinions, mobilize voters, as well as influence public opinion and eventually election outcomes makes political blogs an interesting. Online social networks provide us with convenient platform for such analysis. The data from many social networks is publicly available. Furthermore, social media has emerged as a significant platform for discussion and dissemination of political information. For example, Pew surveys (Smith, 2011) found that 22% of adult Internet users participated in political campaigns through at least one of the major social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace during the 2010 U.S. elections. However, people would not use social media regularly for interaction that lead to political engagement. People usually discuss about politic in social media only time of election in which political parties, political activists and organizations promote, persuade and wishing to increase participation by citizen. There is an analysis of social media usage for political purposes by young people during the United Kingdom general election in 2005. It  emphasized that the role of social media for reinforcing existing democratic awareness rather than as an alternative mode of political socialization. Interestingly, the percentages of the youth are much likely use social media in accessing political information for news and information about parties as well as candidates than older users. Thus, the social media plays an important role as strategies by political parties to target young voters are a valuable approach in attracting disaffected citizens. However, it also indicates that political engagement by young people may show signs of becoming misuse to the new social media where mobilization and activism may be more increase if they are social media users.

Research Ethics Board of Canada Essay

There are many rules that must be adhered to when describing a course of ethics. The purpose of this reading, â€Å"Ethics,† was to inform readers of the rules and regulations set forth by the Research Ethics Board of Canada. The ethics board keeps a close watch over matters of all types of human research. The given selection made obvious the Canadian government’s involvement in the research practices of its countrymen, and also the government’s commitment to keeping human research work ethically sound. The Research Ethics Board of Canada, or the REB, must be consulted in every instance of â€Å"research involving human subjects† (p. 3). Part of their job is to make sure that the safety of the living research subjects is held in high esteem. They also provide a â€Å"clear moral foundation† for research practices (p. 54). The REB is not limited to cases of research on the living. Even in the case of deceased bodies, the REB requires that â€Å"respect† is in order due to the â€Å"dignity of the person from whom tissue is obtained† (p. 76). Regarding the ethical treatment of the living and the dead, the REB has the final say so in what can or cannot be done with a human body, and their opinions supersede those of the researchers (p. 3). The REB oversees laboratory practices, but they also oversee ethical treatment of humans in the public sector as well. In the public sector, celebrities and sports figures are often hounded by reporters and photographers. The REB, however, protects some of their privacy by including in their general policies rules about research on â€Å"living people in the public arena† (p. 1). The REB does not regulate research about people who fall into this classification unless â€Å"the subject is approached directly for interviews or for access to private papers† (p. 1). When such requests occur, the REB must step in and confirm that the â€Å"research† is being done ethically and in accordance with policy (p. 1). One could safely assume that most people wanting information for unethical purposes would be dissuaded by the measure of protection the REB provides. The REB may just have a general measure of authority in research in the public sector, but in some research situations, they assume a great amount of control. In cases of extremely invasive or â€Å"potentially harmful† research, the REB must assess, monitor, and review each case with â€Å"intense scrutiny† (p. 9). The REB especially monitors cases that are â€Å"the most ethically challenging† (p. 9). Some of these cases may include situations where children are involved. Potential â€Å"physical, moral, psychological, and social consequences† must be provided for review by the REB before research on a child, particularly a very sick child, can be approved (p. 28). Even if the research is approved, the REB gives the final decision about the research to the person who will be undergoing it. The REB works with people who usually would not be able to indicate consent, such as young children, Alzheimer’s patients, and the cognitively impaired (p. 29). In the interest of ethical behavior, if the person indicates that they do not want to take part in the research, the REB will step in and remove them from the situation. Even though the REB is a governmental agency, they still have control over what happens medically to the most frail and innocent patients. It would be unethical to include a person in a study that they did not choose to take part in, so in the name of ethics the REB stops researchers from taking advantage of perilous situations. The protection of the people of Canada is the main job of the REB. Even though some people are opposed to governmental intrusion into areas of health and ethical treatment, the REB is a good example of appropriate governmental intervention into such research. Canada has an excellent model for the rest of the world.

Pakistan Versus The USA

Pakistan Versus The USA For a long period, Pakistan and the United States of America have been two nations that traditionally co-existed in peace and harmony. The two countries have always stood up for each other in the face of hardships such as wars or floods. As a matter of fact, there are absolutely no records of any war that ever took place between the United States of America and Pakistan. This paper is about factors that have been driving a wedge into the relationship of these two countries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pakistan Versus The USA specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While some of these factors are internal or arise within the two countries, some of them are external forces that are beyond the reach and control of the two countries. In the last one or two years, the relationship between Pakistan and the USA has been torn apart by political issues and differences. One such difference is the dealing with terrorist groups and militia men who are causing turmoil in the Middle East. These groups include the Taliban and the Haqqani network. These groups have engaged in destructive acts that have created a big impact to the nation. Not only have such acts shaken the economy of the country but the political arena as well. The citizens are in constant fear due to the numerous threats issued by these groups. The question that that begs to be answered is who is to blame and why? The author of this essay strives to illustrate the point that the accusations heaped upon Pakistan by the United States of America are true. The author will achieve this by writing a commentary on an article that appeared in the New York Times on the 6th of October, 2011. The author will also rely on two other sources to further point out the fact that Pakistan is indeed responsible for much of the turmoil going on in the Middle East. Gladstone (2) argues that the Pakistan’s support of unlawful terrorist groups such as the Taliba n and the Haqqani have undermined the efforts of the United States of America to restore peace and calm in the Middle East. For instance, the alleged supply of arms and ammunition by the Pakistani to the militia groups in Afghanistan has frustrated efforts to restore law and order in the region. This is because the terrorists receive support from the Pakistani making them equally powerful and dangerous against the American and the United Nations troops. The major allegation ever made against the government of Pakistan is that it was involved in covering up the exact location of Osama Bin Laden, the then Al-Qaeda leader. This was a major shock to the international community. Whether this allegation was true or false remains a mystery, but the probability that this was the case before the death of the terrorist is high.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is bec ause quite a good number of substantial evidence confirms this. An example of this is the fact that the Pakistani community and even some local people to some extent knew the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden. However, most of them could not disclose any information to anyone because they feared for their lives. Considering the fact that Pakistan has been the main cause of alarm in the Middle East, one would think that in order to command such respect, the country must be having a good fortune. However, this is not possible. Virtually all the buildings in the small towns of Pakistan have been brought down by war (Ahmed 5). Most former inhabitants of these ruined cities have made their way to other better places to live. A preferred destination for the emigrants has always been the neighboring Arab countries. This is because they don’t face any religious hostility. After discussing the role of Pakistan in the prevailing war in the Middle East, it now becomes necessary to look at the measure that can be taken against this country in order to stop it from promoting any more crime. In this case, it would be effective if this country would receive sanctions banning it from trading with any other country in the whole world. This act of punishment will lead to inadequacies in the country which may prompt the government to hold their horses for the sake of peace. But it is not what should be expected. Having known the Arabs only too well, it is most likely that they will keep on fighting to the last man. If anything, the sanctions imposed upon them will only aggravate them and cause them to seek for revenge. Another possible act of punishment would be to ban all travel into and outside of the country. Under normal circumstances, this step will certainly be a big blow to the Pakistanis. However, since Pakistan is a non-tourism country, it stands to lose nothing (Steven 24). This travel ban will only affect a handful of Pakistanis who are probably engaged in interna tional trade or those who plan on visiting their loved ones in foreign countries. However, the most ironic part comes in when the United States of America, after having a hard time dealing with Pakistan, still takes no disciplinary measures against them. It would be expected that the USA would take stringent measures to make the Pakistanis pay for all the pain, harm and loss of lives and property that they have had a hand in causing. Instead of disciplining them, the USA does an even more astonishing thing. Currently, the United States of America spends billions of dollars in military and civil aid to Pakistan.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pakistan Versus The USA specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The President of the United States of America, Barrack Obama, holds the view that it would be unfair to punish vulnerable Pakistanis such as flood victims because of poor decisions made by their leaders and most specifica lly, their intelligence services (Gladstone 56). However, it is a pity that the Pakistanis authorities have failed to acknowledge this immense gratitude bestowed unto them. Instead of seeing to it that every flood and war victim has what she or he needs, they are engaged in other activities that will only worsen their situation. From the foregoing, it can be seen that Pakistan has been actively engaged in activities that have facilitated war or even created a conducive environment for war. It has been a major role player in the never-ending conflict in the Middle East. It has also been more of a war maker than a peace maker. This is because it has allied with terrorist groups such as the Taliban and the Haqqani network. It can also be seen that although there is enough evidence suggesting that Pakistan has been involved in terrorism activities, no disciplinary measures have been taken against it. Instead, the United States of America has faithfully stood with the country even as it is faced with life-threatening floods. All in all, there is need for the Pakistanis to join hands, say no to terrorism and aim at building up a politically and economically stable nation. Ahmed, Akbar. A Third Encounter of a Close Kind, History Today 39 November 1989: 4-9. Print. Gladstone, Rick. â€Å"Obama warns Pakistani on militants† The New York Times 6 October 2011: 56-57. Print. Steven, Philip. The Idea of Pakistan. New Delhi: Brookings Institution Press, 2004. Print.

HOW TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS YOUNG PEOPLE Essays

HOW TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS YOUNG PEOPLE Essays HOW TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS YOUNG PEOPLE Essay HOW TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS YOUNG PEOPLE Essay Name: Course: Instructor: Date: How Technology Impacts Young People The rapid advancement in technology has helped in shaping the future of the young generation. For decades, machines have been used, but with the recent advancement, they deserve a considerable enhancement to enable better learning system. For instance, the use of computers such Internet applications that allow the youths to capitalize their greatest learning resource has been on the increase. Technology advancement has contributed to effective communication and enhanced better socialization among the youths. However, digital technology has contributed to negative and positive effects among the young generation in the modern society. The youths have been exposed to digital technology to an extent that the society has started experiencing the impact of this technology. Therefore, if the societies make the right decisions now, they can substantially make better changes in the ways technology can be used today and for future generations without affecting young people. Since technology is integrated into the young people’s lives, it is vital to discuss how technology affects them positively and negatively. Technology advancement has positively affected the lives of young people in diverse ways. First, with the advancement in technology, lives of young people have become much easier because technology is helping them to accomplish what was formerly not achievable. For instance, the use of machine devices such as telephones, televisions, radios as well as the internet, have made lives of the younger generation easier. This is because they can use technologies such as computer games in advancing their skills in sports. Moreover, it creates awareness of the changes occurring across the globe. For instance, the young generation can learn about healthcare benefits thus becoming aware of the way they can maintain their body healthy. This is done through mass media such as televisions and radios thus raising awareness among the young generations. Secondly, technology in communication benefits the young people in many ways. Through the use of phones and Internet applications, the youths are able to make communication efficiently and effectively. This is because the use of Internet especially the use of emails helps in delivering information faster and effectively due to high speed and clarity. Cases of fraud are controlled and its proximity makes communication process reliable. Moreover, it makes socialization easier because many youths are connected on Face Book, Gmail and Yahoo chat lists thus they meet with many friends across the globe. Youths utilize the internet in communicating with friends and relatives freely and participate in significant social activities. Lastly, technology has helped in the education sector in many ways. First, many educational institutions both public as well as private ones incorporate computer as part of the educational process. This is because computers aid in research processes for various courses under study. For instance, in the information technology course, computer engineers or programmers work hard in order to integrate and manipulate methods as well as systematize the programs. They do so in order to compete with others in a computerized world. In fact, the Internet as part of technology has aided in the research process. This is the central purpose of using technology in education. This is because students are nowadays able to find online materials such as books, scholarly journals and on line dictionaries thus making the research work easier (Veletsianos 39). Another way it has helped in education is through sharing knowledge through on line discussions. Students share their learning ideas on a certain topic of discussion through active participation in online discussions. Moreover, many students are able to attain degrees for various courses through distance education programs and even they can use Internet for job searching. The internet is remarkably educational because skilled educators create a rich learning environment whereby students are being introduced to new ideas. Technology has helped students to develop new skills as well as expanded their knowledge in wider subjects. This is because the informed technology engages students to participate and learn new experiences. This is through creating a community of students a cross the environmental boundaries. In addition, technology has helped in simplifying the life of youths in the education sector. This is because it has loads of valuable effects to the young generation in the society (Hutchby 29). This is because technology has played a vital role in improving the student’s learning skills. The quality of public education especially mass media has helped to create awareness among the youths. In fact, many institutions advertise the best learning institutions for obtaining degrees or masters thus enabling students to identify the best learning environment suitable for advancing their studies. Through utilization of websites, students in poor communities can get access to better libraries and best instructors around the world. This is crucial because students will develop basic academic skills thus improving students and teachers’ access to educational information. On the other hand, technology advancement has negatively affected the lives of young people in various ways. First, it has induced attention deficit. The attention deficit prevalence on the youths has increased dramatically. According to the research study carried out on the negative impact of technology, it was found that there are high increased cases whereby youths are diagnosed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Bougie 65). This problem is associated with inattentiveness, impulsivity, or both. It is a most common disorder that affects children. Hutchby (78) argues that ADHD is a development disorder caused by too much time spent on technologies especially watching video games. The rapid pace appears to be a vital element linked with exposure of video games and attention deficits. Secondly, digital divides are yet another disadvantage of technology. Sefton-Green (102) points out that digital technology has led to contradictions in the technology age for young people. It has led to contradictions through communication process. He further clarifies that through misinterpretations of information, there have been cases of gender divides among the youths. The research reveals that more than a half of young men and nine percent of young women would admit about their interests towards technical issues (Valdez 2011). Similarly, technological literacy differences tend to create gender gaps. This is because of the cost cutting edge of technology, which creates generation gaps between the highly prosperous and the less prosperous regions. Thirdly, the massive advancement in technology has complicated the lives of the young generation. This is because those who are unable to get the latest gadgets are excluded from other peers’ social activities. This is what is termed as consumerism and technological dependence (Valdez 2011). The young generations grow up in a world where technical devices are rampart. Thus, gadgets such as mobile phones and hand held computers have complicated their lives. It has structured their lives in a manner that even their way of making of appointments, language as well as aesthetic preferences are very complicated (Valdez 2011). Lastly, technology has hut education in varied ways. First, the innovative technology has changed educational values and shared behaviors of young people. The major concern in this case is that many students spend much of their time watching pornography and playing video games instead of studying. Moreover, instead of being in class, some of them visit cyber cafes to chat with their friends and to play video games. Others pretend that they are doing research work in the computer room but instead they are listening and downloading music from music websites and blogs. This has been noticed by parents, educators and the government, but they have still neglected to help students. Thus, because of this technology, the performances of students in many schools have declined (Veletsianos 93). In addition, it has affected the young people’s writing habits. The writing styles of abbreviating names especially when youths are writing short messages have significantly contributed to poor language development. The youths consider this style of writing as the formal and faster ways of writing in the modern generation. This has led to poor performance in schools especially in languages subjects because of grammatical errors. This is because they are used with this habit of communication through short messages. Thus, they have ended up implementing that style in schoolwork. In fact, many youths spend much of their time interacting via text messages. They use acronyms and abbreviations in writing. These methods have become ingrained in the minds of the youths. Hence, it has become the common as well as formal style of writing in learning institutions. In conclusion, since technology is integrated into the young people’s lives, it is vital to discuss how technology affects them positively and negatively. First, it has helped youths to accomplish what was formerly not achievable. They are able to make communication efficiently and effectively. Additionally, in education, it has helped in research and students share their learning ideas through active participation in online discussions. On the other hand, it has negatively affected the youths. This is because it has induced attention deficit and created digital divides as well as complicated the life of youths. It has hurt education because of changed educational values and shared behaviors of young people. This is because students spend much of their time in watching pornographies. Moreover, it has changed their writing styles. This is because students have developed vague acronyms and abbreviations thus resulting to poor performance in learning institutions. l>

What Is the SAT Adversity Score What Does It Mean for You

What Is the SAT Adversity Score What Does It Mean for You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Last Thursday, the College Board announced via the Wall Street Journal that it has been testing out a project where, along with students' SAT scores, colleges see each student's "Overall Disadvantage Level," or their "adversity score." In this article, we'll go over what we know so far about the adversity score and how it might affect college admissions. We'll also give some tips on how to limit what information about you the College Board can use to calculate your adversity score. We'll keep this article updated as new information comes out on the adversity score, so be sure to check back periodically. What Is the SAT Adversity Score? The SAT adversity score, also known as a student's Overall Disadvantage Level, is a number that the College Board calculates from information it has about different aspects of an SAT test taker's life about the disadvantages they've faced.This score is visible to colleges and institutional score report recipients only; if you're a test-taker and you look at your SAT scores in your College Board account, you won't see this information. The College Board states that the adversity score is on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 denoting test takers with the least amount of hardship and 0 the test takers with the most amount of hardship. Just what information goes into the adversity score calculation, though? The Wall Street Journal initially listed 12 factors that were used to determine a test taker's "adversity index." Further elaboration about how this adversity score is shared with colleges can be seen in the screenshot posted by the College Board: In the above image, you can see that the "Overall Disadvantage Level" (aka the adversity score) appears as part of an "Environmental Context" report, which is just one of several reports shown on the dashboard through which colleges view test takers' scores in context. From this screenshot, it's also possible to see that the "Disadvantage Level" calculated by the College Board draws from data in broad categories like college attendance, family stability, median family income, housing stability, education level, and crime, for both the applicant's high school and neighborhood. The only information on the Environmental Context Dashboard based on information about test-takers as invididuals is their SAT score. As per the College Board, the Environmental Context Dashboard (including adversity scores) was first used in a pilot study of 50 schools 2018-2019, with expansion to 150 schools planned for Fall 2019 and a more widespread release in the following year. Specific schools named as having had access to the adversity score for this past year's admission cycle include Florida State University, University of Michigan, Trinity, and Yale. How the SAT Adversity Score Is Calculated In contrast to the initial reporting from the Wall Street Journal, the adversity score does not take things like whether test-takers are English Language Learners or have differing AP opportunities into account. The following information is included on the Environmental Context Dashboard but is not actually used to calculate a student's "Overall Disadvantage Level" (aka adversity score). SAT Score in High School Context Applicant's SAT score compared to the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile scores from their high school* High School General Information Senior class size Free/reduced-price lunch rate Rural/urban Average SAT score of colleges students from that high school attend* %age of seniors taking an AP Exam* Average number of AP Exam taken* Average AP score from that high school* Number of unique AP exams administered at that high school* Instead, the adversity score is calculated using the following 31 publicly-available data points on test-takers' neighborhoods and high school environments*: Income and Family Structure median family income poverty rate % of families with children in poverty % of families that are single-parent families with children % of families that are single-parent families with children in poverty % of households with food stamps Housing % of housing units that are rental % of housing units that are vacant what % of income rent is Educational Attainment % of adults with less than a 4-year college degree % of adults with less than a high school diploma % of adults with agriculture jobs % of adults with nonprofessional jobs % unemployed college-going behavior Probability of being a victim of a crime (neighborhood-level only) *As of this article's publication, it's not entirely clear how the College Board is calculating things like "percentage of housing units that are vacant" for test-takers' high school environments (since in general, teachers do not actually live in schools). We'll update with more information as it becomes available. Why Did the College Board Create the Adversity Score? Based on quotes from the College Board's CEO David Coleman, it's clear that the main reason for this score is that the College Board is trying to show that the effort and "resourcefulness" needed to get a certain score differs drastically between test takers, depending on certain advantages or disadvantages the test taker starts out with. This is not the first time the College Board or the SAT's creator ETS has tried to contextualize SAT scores for colleges. According to the Wall Street Journal, one attempt to do this happened in the early 1990s, when Winton Manning (an ETS researcher) worked on creating a modified SAT score that took "background factors" into account called the Measure of Academic Talent. Far more extreme a change than the current adversity score, the MAT ended up being scrapped ostensibly due to lack of resources. In 1999, the ETS decided to take another crack at giving colleges more information about how SAT scores should be weighed. Through the Wall Street Journal, ETS announced that it was creating a program called Strivers, which would identify students whose actual SAT score exceeded their expected SAT score by 200 points or more as strivers. This expected SAT score was calculated using "14 different categories, including family income, parents' education level and high-school socioeconomic mix" (Wall Street Journal). (Sound familiar?) After public outcry, ETS decided not to go forward with the Strivers program in 1999. Archival footage of ETS circa 1999 before they announced the Strivers program. In 2019, it's not entirely surprising that the College Board is yet again trying out the idea that they should give more information to colleges about SAT test takers than just a single test score. As more and more colleges are becoming test-optional or test-flexible and events like the recent college admissions scandal and the more regular SAT/ACT cheating scandals continue to occur, it makes sense that the College Board would want to give colleges a reason to continue using the SAT as part of college admissions. While the information that the College Board is using to calculate the adversity scores for students is available to colleges anyway, being able to use a single score to compare students will save schools a lot of work; it's part of the logic behind using standardized test scores in the first place, after all. Or to look at it from a more optimistic point of view, the new adversity score will make it easier for colleges to identify students whose got the score against the odds, rather than with them. Now that we've discussed some of the general reasons why the College Board might have decided to implement the adversity score, we're going to move on to going over specific positive and negative aspects of the program. Pros of the SAT Adversity Score Although it's easy to dismiss as pointless or silly, the SAT adversity score does have some positive features. #1: It's a Sign the College Board Is Trying In recent years, the College Board has taken substantial steps towards trying to level the SAT prep playing field. By providing the entire Official Guide to the SAT, including eight official practice tests, for free on CollegeBoard.org, the College Board instantly became more accessible to test takers around the world of varying income levels. College Board's partnership with Khan Academy is another step in the direction of removing economic barriers from SAT prep (even if some aspects of the partnership means that relying on Khan Academy alone to prep won't necessarily be enough for everyone). As positive as they are, though, none of these measures so far have resulted in eliminating the gap between students of different races, income level, and parents' education level. So the fact that the College Board is seeking to account for this difference by giving test takers an explicit score that says "oh, this is why there might be that difference" could be seen as another attempt to get rid of SAT score gaps. #2: More Data = More Robustness The College Board regularly releases data on how certain factors like race and household income can affect SAT scores, even controlling for other factors. However, these reports don't really get into more complicated effects of how multiple factors interact (e.g. gender, household income, and highest level of parental education achieved), likely because it is difficult to explain these interactions and because the effects might not reach statistical significance. For the adversity score, however, statistical significance is not really relevant. Rather than having to justify why the 31 factors used in the adversity score have a significant effect on SAT scores, the College Board is just calculating the adversity score and handing it to colleges with a "Here, this is the Overall Disadvantage Level of the test taker." The colleges can then decide whether or not that's a metric worth considering, which brings me to the next pro of the adversity score. #3: It's Not Mandatory for Colleges to Consider Just because the College Board provides this data to colleges doesn't mean that admissions officers have to take it into account. In contrast to the proposed early '90s MAT, the adversity score will not actually change an applicant's SAT score. Colleges who want to build more economically diverse classes can use applicants' adversity scores to inform their admissions policies, while colleges who place less importance on this can choose to ignore it. #4: It Doesn't Explicitly Use Race as a Factor Unlike the previous "Strivers" program, which worked best when race was used as a factor, the current SAT adversity score skirts using race as an explicit factor in its calculations. Many of the factors used have traditionally been strongly correlated with race when it comes to SAT performance, so the adversity score still captures some of that discrepancy, even though race itself is omitted. Why is the College Board using this roundabout approach to try to account for SAT performance differences between test takers of different races? The recent Wall Street Journal article makes the insightful observation that this may help schools maintain diversity if even the appearance of race-based affirmative action is outlawed. Since the adversity score is calculated by the College Board, a third party, and the schools (presumably) don't know exactly what weight is given to various factors, only that race isn't one of them, then they may have a better chance at keeping the right to use the adversity score as a way to create diversity in their incoming classes. Because of this, we've landed on the side of the adversity score not including race being a marginally positive factor, but we'll have to see how things play out. Cons of the SAT Adversity Score Despite the positive aspects of the adversity score, we have some concerns about how this new feature will affect testing and admissions. #1: It Doesn't Actually Close the Score Gaps While it's admirable that the College Board is willing to publicly acknowledge that there are score differences between students from different backgrounds, and that it's harder for some students to get to a certain SAT score than for others, the adversity score doesn't actually change any of this. Imagine that you're talking to a teacher about how you've noticed that there is one female composer on the syllabus for a music survey class, and your teacher responds by giving you background into why it was harder for women to make their livings as composers or publicly assert they were composers, particularly if they were women of color. Yes, it's helpful to have that background to contextualize why fewer female composers are widely known, but that still doesn't change the fact that you're only listening to music by men. And don't get me started on Amy Beach Mrs. H. H. A. Beach. #2: None of This Is New Information The data going into the adversity score calculations is data that colleges can access from the public domain anyway. In compiling the data necessary to calculate the adversity score for each test taker and then presenting schools with those numbers, the College Board is essentially doing a huge amount of labor for free for schools. I discussed earlier in this article that a possible motivation for the College Board doing this free labor is to give schools a reason to keep using the SAT as part of college admissions. The fact that the College Board is doing admissions offices' jobs for them with this adversity score does not directly harm test takers and applicants. However, it does indirectly mean that the College Board is spending more of its resources trawling through data to give colleges information they have already and less resources on improving the SAT and making actual progress on eliminating score gaps. #3: It Will Increase Anxiety Among Test Takers and College Applicants It's not surprising that the College Board has so far declined to explain exactly how they calculate each student's adversity score; there's really no advantage to them doing so. The opacity of the whole adversity score program, however, from students not knowing it was going on at all last year or what schools were/are using it to students not being able to see it or know how it was calculated, is likely to increase anxiety and stress levels among SAT test takers and college applicants using SAT scores. We'll update this if and when more information comes out, because some of the categories listed are so broadly named ("college-attending behavior," I'm looking at you) that it's hard to know what they mean. And, speaking as a former high schooler, knowing that there's yet another part of the college admissions process that you can't control, can't see, but affects your admission would have driven me even further up the wall. #4: There's a Disproportionate Effect on Domestic Applicants Something the College Board didn't really address in any of its public statements through news organizations is how the new adversity score is going to be more easily calculated for US test takers than for international test takers. All of the data used to calculate the adversity score come from public records. And although some countries may have this information published freely in easily accessible formats, it's not a stretch to imagine that it's going to be a lot easier to gather things like housing values and vacancy rates for students who live in the United States. If schools are aware of this discrepancy and are specifically looking to increase their diversity when it comes to test takers in the US with certain adversity scores, fine. But it's inevitable that this is going to lead to some US applicants feeling like international applicants are getting a leg up in this regard. #5: Factors Are Still Too Broad Even though the adversity score takes 31 factors into account, some of these factors are still relatively broad or limited. Take a factor like "college-going behavior." Does this refer to the percentage of people in the neighborhood/parents who went to a 2-year college/some college but dropped out/any college at all? (If so, that's a double factoring of "% not attending a 4-year college" into the adversity score.) Whether people attended public or private schools? What degree you earned? What the average college-going rate is for parents of students at your school? In your county? State? Country? I realize that it's impossible for the College Board to get really granular with all of these factors, particularly since they're relying on publicly-available data, but that's why college admissions offices look at specific information about things like parent education level, rather than a score that aggregates that along with other information. What Does the New Adversity Score Mean for Your Admissions Chances? Because the fact that there is an adversity score is still relatively fresh, it's possible there may be changes to how the adversity score is used by schools or if the College Board continues with this program (since it's still being tested on a relatively small sample of schools). The best evidence of how the adversity score might affect your chances comes from the two schools discussed in the Wall Street Journal article, Yale and FSU. The dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale was quoted about how the adversity score was a positive influence in building a freshman class with more diversity. In the article, it was also noted that the assistant vice president for academic affairs at FSU stated "SAT adversity scores helped boost nonwhite enrollment in the incoming freshman class." If you use your SAT Essay-analytical skills, you'll notice that the Yale and FSU representatives are pretty vague about the affect the adversity score has had (e.g. "boost nonwhite enrollment" could mean either that nonwhite enrollment doubled or that one more nonwhite student enrolled). Still, based on this admittedly small sample size, the clear commonality is that the adversity score is being used by colleges who have access to it to increase diversity in admissions to some extent. This is unsurprising- it's hard to imagine what else schools would admit to using the adversity score for. If you're a test taker who could reasonably assume you'd have a low adversity score (two-parent household in a wealthy neighborhood with lots of parents with jobs involving post-graduate degrees), then it is possible your chances of admission may be negatively affected by the adversity score (assuming the schools you apply to are one of the 150 schools the College Board plans to have this program rolled out to in the fall). The provocative quote from the assistant vice president for academic affairs at FSU with which the Wall Street Journal chose to end its article puts it this way: "If I am going to make room for more of the [poor and minority] students we want to admit and I have a finite number of spaces, then someone has to suffer and that will be privileged kids on the bubble." (Wall Street Journal). Granted that the Wall Street Journal literally has "Wall Street" in its name and its own motivations for choosing the quotes it did to publish, the FSU representative isn't necessarily wrong (and presumably would know for his own school, at the very least). If a school you're applying to uses the adversity score and you're a middle-of-the-road applicant with few disadvantages, it might not be as easy as it was previously to get into some of the colleges you want to get into. One of the pieces of anecdotal feedback the College Board reports in its post about the adversity score tends to back up this assumption: "For some admissions offices, the tool was most useful for borderline acceptances and students who went to committee. For others, it was valuable for students from nonfeeder high schools and areas they are less familiar with." (bolding mine) So it's likely that the effect of the adversity score will be most felt by applicants who were already on the edge of acceptance/rejection for schools. If there are two applicants who have the same SAT score, have borderline GPAs, letters of recommendation, and personal statements, it's conceivable that colleges who see and use the adversity score would some of the time choose the applicant with the higher adversity score. But as you can tell from our qualifying and italicizing throughout this article, it's not a certainty. One final point about the adversity score is that college admissions is not actually a zero-sum game. Yes, each school has a target number of students that they want to admit, but they're not going to reject you because they're one over their quota of admitted students with overall levels of disadvantage. The adversity score as a way to attempt to recognize the achievements of students who had to overcome certain disadvantages does not nullify the achievements of students who didn't. Recap: Understanding the SAT Adversity Score We know this is kind of a long article, so here's a quick rundown of some of the main takeaways: The College Board is trying out giving some schools an adversity score for individual test takers, which is supposed to indicate how the test taker's "Overall Disadvantage Level" compares to the average test taker. The adversity score uses information about test-takers' neighborhood and high school environments, but does not use any information specific to any individual test-taker The College Board may be doing this to try to account for the score gap between students with different backgrounds or to try to make sure colleges don't do away with standardized testing as part of admissions (or a combination of the two). The factors used to calculate the adversity score include some traditionally associated with race, but do not explicitly include race. The existence of an adversity score could be good because it shows the College Board is at least making some attempt to ameliorate score gap issues, draws from different factors that it was previously hard to account for, and isn't mandatory for colleges to consider. The existence of an adversity score isn't great because it doesn't actually fix the score gap problem, doesn't actually provide new information, is likely to increase anxiety among test takers and college applicants, will disproportionately affect domestic test takers, and still relies on some undefined categories of data for calculation. The people most affected by this will likely be students on the cusp of admittance, where having a high adversity score might tip the scales in favor of one applicant over another. As a final take away, we want to stress that admissions is not going to necessarily be "easier" for applicants with higher adversity scores than it is for students with lower ones. The College Board just wants colleges to take into account that it was likely harder for a students with high adversity scores to get the scores they did on the SAT than for students with the same SAT score but lower adversity scores. We expect to see more in the news about the new adversity score in the weeks and month to come, so stay tuned for updates to this article. Us to the College Board right now. What's Next? Interested in reading about more standardized testing shenanigans? Check out our articles on the Harvard race-based discrimination lawsuit and past SAT/ACT cheating scandals. What does it take to be an outstanding applicant, adversity aside? Learn how to get into the most elite universities in the US with PrepScholar co-founder Allen Cheng's guide on Harvard and the Ivy League. You don't get to see the adversity score, but your SAT score report does show you lots of other interesting information. Find out what you can learn from your score report here. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Strategic Plan Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Plan Law - Research Paper Example Georgia Department of corrections The Georgia Department of Corrections is a government organ that manages prisons in the state of Georgia. The institution offers a variety of correctional services that include treatment of convicts while in the facilities, offering control measures to protect convicts and the society from harmful initiatives, and correctional facilities to offenders. Mission statement The organization has a published mission statement that stipulates the institution’s scope. The mission statement provides that â€Å"the Georgia Department of Corrections protects and serves the public as a professional organization by effectively managing offenders while helping to provide a safe and secure environment for the citizens† (Georgia Department of Corrections, 2011). The facility therefore works in the interest of the public to ensure that citizens are safe from criminal activities that could be committed by the convicts (Georgia Department of Corrections, 2 011). Population served The institution, according to the reported statistics of the year 2011, currently serves about 210000 people. This includes individuals who are in prison facilities as well as those under probation facilities. The institution’s facilities host about 50 thousand individuals. ... Demography of the inmates by gender indicates male dominance of more than 90 percent. Classification by race however reveals black dominance of more than 60 percent. A similar trend in percentage composition of the offenders is followed in statistics of probates. The 20 to 40 years age bracket, males, and blacks forms majority of classifications by age, gender, and race respectively. There is however a variation in probates composition by race in which the number of whites almost equals that of blacks. The demographics also indicate that probates are relatively minor offenders while criminals with more serious cases beyond property related crimes are restricted to imprisonment (Georgia Department of Corrections, 2011). Programs offered The institution offers varieties of programs to its inmates. Some of the currently running programs include â€Å"equine rescue program, computer office technology, construction, auto body repair, cosmetology, barbering, service industry, food process ing, graphic arts, cabinetry, welding, masonry, and building maintenance† (Georgia Department of Corrections, 2011). These programs aim at equipping the convicts for engagements that can occupy them and reduce their further involvement in crimes (Georgia Department of Corrections, 2011). Number of personnel The institution is managed and run by 13000 employees. This data combines uniformed officers and other staffs (Georgia Department of Corrections, 2011). Strategic plan Communication efficiency is a necessity in operations and management of an organization. While coordination facilitates official communication among personnel, cooperation in correctional facilities is necessary to facilitate harmony among workers, among inmates and between workers and

John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism - Essay Example He argues that the principle of utility should be seen as a tool for promoting general happiness. Most of our actions, according to him, should be judged according to this principle. In his illustration of the utility theory, Mill thinks that we should appeal to the principle of utility only when we face a moral dilemma between two secondary principles. The basic assumption of the utilitarian theory, as advocated by Mill, is that "we should each act so as to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people." These important ethical views of Mill can be applied in almost all fields of our lives. That is, a utilitarian advocate may judge any act or behavior according to the amount of happiness or sadness it will produce for the greatest number of people. While this seems a claim that would be approved by all people, the question that emerges here is: "who are the persons to whom the actions should promote happiness?" According to the utilitarian theory, in order for any action to be right and ethical, it should promote happiness to the maximum number of people involved (Cain). ... Utilitarianism, as a form of the consequentialist theory, can be defined as a moral theory according to which an act is right if it conforms to the notion of usefulness or utility of the group. That is, an act conforms to the notion of utility if its performance will result in the maximum pleasure for the maximum number of people. So, the value of the consequences of an act, according to utilitarianism, is determined entirely by the welfare of everyone concerned in the action. On the other hand, a non-consequentialist theory judges the rightness or wrongness of an action based on properties intrinsic to the action, not on its  consequences. Relevant to the non-consequentialist theory is the categorical imperative approach, advocated by the eighteenth century German philosopher Immanuel Kant. According to the categorical imperative theory, an action is moral only if the rule that governs it can be generalized to all human beings on earth. That is, the will should be influenced only by universal considerations, and not by subjective considerations, identified by the one involved in action. Therefore, ethical egoism and utilitarianism are two classical contradictory philosophical theories that attempt to explain the behavior of individuals, families, and governments. According to utilitarianism, an act is ethically right if it conforms to the notion of utility, and an act conforms to the notion of utility if its performance will result in the maximum happiness for everyone concerned (Mill). That is, utilitarianism maintains that the ethical standards of each action is to be determined according to the favorable or unfavorable consequences of that action. In Mill's words, utilitarianism refers to "the creed which accepts

Panama Canal expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Panama Canal expansion - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that most infrastructural mega projects are prone to suffer from cost overruns, delays, poor performance or inability to give customer satisfaction if inadequately managed. Interaction of several factors such as governance of such projects, their financing, human management, and financing can cause complexities which can either promote their success or inhibit it depending on how they are approached. It is, therefore, crucial for project managers to thus critically analyze a mega project before undertaking it. This report takes an in-depth assessment of the expansion of the Panama Canal which is one of the busiest waterways internationally. Panama expansion project is also of key interest given that it plays a critical role in maritime trade and brings together international concerns. The initial construction of Panama Canal went underway in 1880 under the leadership of Ferdinand de Lesseps who built Suez Canal. This was a large scale proje ct undertaken by people who had little prior experience in canal construction. They faced several challenges including minimal workforce, diseases and lack of funding. The geology of the region also posed a challenge to the construction work. A second company, the Compagnie Nouvelle du Canal de Panama, was contracted to complete the construction. After the American government the requested French machinery for construction, work officially began in 1904. Despite the challenges encountered in constructing the canal, Panama Canal was completed a decade later.

Interview with an Entrepreneur Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Interview with an Entrepreneur - Assignment Example evealed under the heading of Interview Summary, has been scheduled to focus on eight particular issues that had been of substantial importance during one’s migration from being employed to being an independent individual with high hopes of becoming a successful entrepreneur. The interview starts with the factors that inspire a person to be self employed. Next, light has been shed on the changes that take place in his life since he had opted to be self employed and the measures adopted by him to cope with those changes. Subsequently, questions were aimed at understanding his opinions on skill requirements and other aesthetic aspects associated with entrepreneurship. The basis of this interview is to try and substantiate an individual’s decision of gauging the comparatively riskier waters of entrepreneurship by sacrificing the sense of security that employment confers. Life has turned to a new leaf since I have moved from employment to self employment. Previously job responsibilities were routine based tasks which had comparatively lower responsibilities. Self employment has imposed greater responsibilities and there is no limit with regards to the volume of work. After moving to the role of an entrepreneur I have also started devoting fewer times to my family and friends. The best part however is that I welcome this change. On the professional front entrepreneurship has provided me with lots of freedom to explore and try out new ideas which is quite different from a routine job where there is less room for exploring new ideas. Certain changes have come as a pleasant experience like added responsibilities, work pressure etc. It was difficult in the very beginning since the entire gamut of the business fell upon my shoulders. Family and personal life has of late taken a beating as I have been unable to devote time to my family. On this occasion I would sincerely thank my wife, my children and my friends who have been supporting me in my new initiative. The

The military relationship between Qatar and the United States Essay

The military relationship between Qatar and the United States - Essay Example Similarly, the states in the Middle East have been seeking to relate with the United States in a manner that promotes their political, security, and economic interests. Historical records indicate that the first contacts between these two can be traced to the late eighteenth century when there were efforts to sustain relations between them. This was particularly reflected through American missionaries who were spreading Christianity in Middle East and Africa. Apart from spreading Christianity, they were also establishing educational institutions, primarily in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon (Shunnaq 2012). In Post-World War II period, the United States has been seeking to maintain relations with the Middle East based on prevailing interests, mainly supply of oil and promoting security and democracy in the region. It should be noted that the relationship of the United States and the Middle East has also been largely shaped by how it relates with the Israeli state and conversely how Isra el is relating with the other states in the Middle East (Hahn 2005). Political analysts and historians argue that the Israel-Palestinian conflict has significantly shaped the United States policy in the Middle East. In addition, the recent happenings in Syria have been critical in defining how the United States relates with the Middle East, and vice-versa. ... States like Iran, Lebanon, and Syria are yet to warm to cordial relationship with the United States (Blanchard 2011). This paper will discuss the United States policy with specific reference to the military relationship between the United States and Qatar. Qatar is a small peninsular state that borders Saudi Arabia in the Gulf of Persia. It is a constitutional monarchy being headed by the Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. It gained full independence on 3rd September, 1971 from Britain. The Emir is the head of government and has the mandate of appointing members of the governing Council of ministers, headed by Prime Minister Abdallah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who is the monarch’s brother (Fromherz 2011). It has a constitution that was approved in April 2003 and it stipulates that the state rule is hereditary within the family of Al-Thani. It further stipulates that the future successors will follow the Emir’s male offspring line. In addition, the constitution states that the re shall be a legislative authority residing in the hands of Advisory Council of 45 members, two-thirds of whom are elected directly, while one-third are appointees of the Emir. Natural gas and oil production is the backbone of Qatar’s robust economy, which has been experiencing an average annual economic growth of 9 percent over the last half a decade. It has signed a number of agreements with the United States energy companies such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. As regards its foreign policy, Qatar is a United Nations’ member, as well as being a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Arab League, and the Organization of

Focusing the Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Focusing the Study - Essay Example Two distinct studies all base their research on the subject although with different approaches and purposes. A qualitative study by Mohr, Webb and Harris titled ‘Do Consumers Expect Companies to be Socially Responsible? The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Buying’ attempts to focus on the problem of whether corporate social responsibility actually impact profitability within organizations, (Mohr and Webb, 2005). The key questions asked within the study include; whether from consumer’s perspective corporations have to be socially responsible to society; the nature of this responsibility; how much knowledge consumers think they have on the level of the social responsibility of the firms; if the consumers really care of the firm’s social responsibilities and what motive consumers actually attribute to corporations that participate actively in society’s affairs. The paper uses a number of methods including in-depth interviews and has the purp ose of coming up with a clear understanding on what the public expects on these corporations with regards to social responsibility, (Mohr and Webb, 2005). The second study titled ‘Corporate Social and Financial Performance: A Meta-analysis’ by Orlitzky, Schmidt and Rynes uses a quantitative approach in assessing the relationship between the corporate social performance and the resulting financial performance. The quantitative study conducts a meta-analysis of 52 studies with a total sample size of 33,878 observations, (Orlitzky, Schmidt and Rynes, 2003). The study’s specific objectives were to provide a statistical integration of accumulated research between CSP and CFP, examine key determinants of both CSP and CFP and integrate empirical research in the context of diverse studies. The Hypothesis stated that ‘Corporate Social Performance and Financial performance are generally related across a wide variety of

The military relationship between Qatar and the United States Essay

The military relationship between Qatar and the United States - Essay Example Similarly, the states in the Middle East have been seeking to relate with the United States in a manner that promotes their political, security, and economic interests. Historical records indicate that the first contacts between these two can be traced to the late eighteenth century when there were efforts to sustain relations between them. This was particularly reflected through American missionaries who were spreading Christianity in Middle East and Africa. Apart from spreading Christianity, they were also establishing educational institutions, primarily in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon (Shunnaq 2012). In Post-World War II period, the United States has been seeking to maintain relations with the Middle East based on prevailing interests, mainly supply of oil and promoting security and democracy in the region. It should be noted that the relationship of the United States and the Middle East has also been largely shaped by how it relates with the Israeli state and conversely how Isra el is relating with the other states in the Middle East (Hahn 2005). Political analysts and historians argue that the Israel-Palestinian conflict has significantly shaped the United States policy in the Middle East. In addition, the recent happenings in Syria have been critical in defining how the United States relates with the Middle East, and vice-versa. ... States like Iran, Lebanon, and Syria are yet to warm to cordial relationship with the United States (Blanchard 2011). This paper will discuss the United States policy with specific reference to the military relationship between the United States and Qatar. Qatar is a small peninsular state that borders Saudi Arabia in the Gulf of Persia. It is a constitutional monarchy being headed by the Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. It gained full independence on 3rd September, 1971 from Britain. The Emir is the head of government and has the mandate of appointing members of the governing Council of ministers, headed by Prime Minister Abdallah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who is the monarch’s brother (Fromherz 2011). It has a constitution that was approved in April 2003 and it stipulates that the state rule is hereditary within the family of Al-Thani. It further stipulates that the future successors will follow the Emir’s male offspring line. In addition, the constitution states that the re shall be a legislative authority residing in the hands of Advisory Council of 45 members, two-thirds of whom are elected directly, while one-third are appointees of the Emir. Natural gas and oil production is the backbone of Qatar’s robust economy, which has been experiencing an average annual economic growth of 9 percent over the last half a decade. It has signed a number of agreements with the United States energy companies such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. As regards its foreign policy, Qatar is a United Nations’ member, as well as being a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Arab League, and the Organization of

Donald Trump Good Manager or Bad Manager Essay Example for Free

Donald Trump Good Manager or Bad Manager Essay 1. Work Hard every speaker at every event like this, but the Don gives this more than the usual lip service. He basically said that everyone he knew that made a lot of money and was successful, worked 7 days a week. He suggested to the audience that if they wanted to succeed, they should be prepared for 80 hour weeks for a long time. 2. Love What You Do Another platitude, but he spoke about this in a passionate way. He discouraged the audience from joining or switching to a hot industry or from going into consulting in favor of getting involved with an industry you love (antiques, baseball, marketing), even if that industry is not currently doing well as a whole. His message was that you will perform so well in your imperfect industry that you will rise above the rest and end up being a star in the top 1% of that industries, but if you joined an industry you werent passionate about, youd end up in the 50th percentile of earners in that industry. He thought the pay in the top 1% of a crappy industry (in a job you love) would top the 50th percentile in a hot industry 3. Know What You Do, Whatever industry you are in and whatever role you play in that industry, work hard to become a world class expert in it. For example, if you are a macro manager in a security software company, he suggested that you should not just focus on getting good at email marketing campaigns, but that you should become an expert in that security industry yourself, so that you can communicate with all levels of people about the technology simply , so that you can have detailed conversations with analysts, so that you can write credible blog articles, so that you can explain the future competitive dynamics to potential investors, etc. 4. Luck According to Don, The harder I work, the luckier I get. 5. Education A huge advantage that is expensive in the short run, but cheap in the long run. Dons perspective when asked about the rising cost of education, If you think getting an education is expensive, try ignorance. 6. Management Donald fought the platitude pattern and said You want to be smarter than your people. He thought the notion that you should hire people smarter than you was a poor one. 7. Persistence He talked a lot about riding the ups and downs of the real estate market, losing everything, and c oming back. He credited his success and the demise of many of his competitors to being patient and persistent over long periods of time to wait out market fluctuations. This one might be more relevant to Donalds business than most, but still interesting. 8. Negotiation Always do it face-to-face. In this era of telephones, teleconference, and video conference, Donald suggests that if its an important negotiation, you should do it face to face, so you can read the other persons body language. 9. Middle men Donald is not a fan of middle men who do not add value and who extract outsized returns. He tells the story of how he goes around a broker on a billion dollar (thats the number of zeros the Don deals in these days) deal where he was losing a negotiation and flew to Dubai to deal directly with the principal and struck a great deal. I must say, I liked this piece of advice. There are so many industries that have middle men filled with old boys clubs that take money out of your pocket. If you want a good example, try leasing some office space or dealing with a technology analyst. 10. Marriage Marry someone who understands number 1 above and make sure to get a prenuptial agreement. Donald Trump may not be a jerk as the world makes him out to be. Although it may come as a surprise to most of America, Donald Trump’s long time employees describe him as a strong yet merciful leader. Trump is a far more righteous leader than he is given credit. â€Å"Not only is he fair, when he’s forced to make a decision he thinks about it carefully, and just as he does on the show, Mr. Trump will contact the appropriate people whenever there’s an unproductive or anti-productive issue to be resolved. If he weren’t a successful real estate developer. According to actual Donald Trump employees, he’s very much like the man you see on the show, but he’s also a man filled with genuine compassion beyond anything the cameras could ever show yet the media never picks up on the good press they always take the bad against him. Trumps employees say he works hard to keep his kindness out of the spotlight, but in truth he is far more generous than his reputation would lead anyone to believe. On the season premiere of â€Å"The Apprentice,† a member of the winning team asked Donald about the story of a middle aged couple who stopped to help when Donald’s trusty limo broke down on a deserted highway outside New York City. Trump showed genuine signs of humility as the contestant asked if he had really paid off the mortgage on that helpful couple’s home after they rescued him. Almost embarrassed, Trump admitted to the kind act, but most people refuse to believe this stern business tycoon could ever show compassion beyond that of his immediate family and inner circle. So while this man would seem to be lost in most marketers, Donald has turned it into a lot of money and respect. Donald Trump’s leadership style has turned â€Å"The Apprentice† into a powerful magnet for thousands of young entrepreneurs, many of whom credit Trump with teaching them important lessons for business success.