The Most Unforgettable Moment

The most unforgettable experience is always hard for me to forget , and stays fresh in my memory all the time . I still remember the experience of being all my life . Last summer , my family and I spend our holiday on the Redang island . This is one of the beautiful beaches in Malaysia . My family told me many interesting things about Redang island . There are many interesting things to see and to do .I and my siblings are very pleased and excited to got to Redang island . Redang island is located in Terengganu who take the time 8 hours to get there from Kuala Lumpur . After we arrive at Terengganu , we must climb a boat to go Redang island . Trip to Redang island takes 40 minutes . After arriving at Redang island we check in into hotel . At evening we go to beach to snorkelling .The boat ride took us to a larger pontoon boat anchored in the middle of the reef . After a brief instructional video on how to snorkel , I was ready with my medium flippers , a life jacket , large goggles a nd most importantly , a snorkel . I can see various kinds of fish in the sea . There is a large variety of fish , small and very unique .Our activities in Redang island just snorkelling and diving because my family and I are very excited to see the beautiful and unique fish . After three days we were in Redang island , we should go gome . The day went by so fast . My family and I have many memories of that day . I will never forget the experience a holiday with my family .

Axis Bank Future Plans

Axis Bank plans VRS to cut flab at top Anita Bhoir, ET Bureau  Dec 12, 2012, 06. 00AM IST * (The bank plans to roll out†¦) MUMBAI: Three years after  Shikha Sharma  took the corner room at Axis Bank, the country's third-largest private sector lender is making another attempt to cut flab. The bank plans to roll out an early retirement scheme for senior employees aged 40 or more, who have been with the lender for 10 years or longer. This is the bank's second attempt to trim its 31,000-strong workforce since 2009.The first attempt had received a lukewarm response, and this time the private sector lender has tailored the scheme to target people who may be good performers but don't have the ability to make it big. â€Å"This time, the scheme seems to be more targeted and we hope executives will prefer to accept it rather than be fired at a later date on the pretext of non-performance,† said an  Axis Bank  official, who requested anonymity. â€Å"The management wants to reduce the number of vice-presidents and senior vice-presidents. It wants a leaner and younger organisation,† the official added.Axis Bank is not the first private institution to offer an early retirement scheme. In its earlier avatar as a financial institution, ICICI had introduced its first  VRS  in 1996-97. The second scheme came in late-1999. Later, in 2003, the KV Kamath-led  ICICI Bank  announced an early retirement offer targeted at erstwhile employees of ICICI and Bank of Madura. Shikha Sharma, who headed ICICI Prudential before taking up the reins at Axis Bank, seems to be following the ICICI management style in her new job. Axis has 31,738 employees. Its staff cost was 577. 90 crore at the end of September 2012, compared with 498. 2 crore in the year-ago period. â€Å"The bank may face immediate financial burden as it would have to make lump sum payments to employees. However, over a period it would led to cost savings,† said Kajal Gandhi, an analy st with ICICI Securities. http://articles. economictimes. indiatimes. com/2012-12-12/news/35773778_1_shikha-sharma-axis-bank-private-sector-lender Axis Bank plans Rs 6000 crores share sale to meet Basel III norms ET Bureau  Dec 18, 2012, 08. 06AM IST MUMBAI:  Axis Bank, the country's third-largest private bank, is looking to sell as many as 4. 8 crore new shares to boost its capital before the  Basel-III norms  kick in, which at current prices may help it fetch more than Rs 6,000 crore. The lender, headed by  Shikha Sharma, will be the second private sector bank to raise funds this year after IndusInd Bank. City Union Bank's rights share sale is underway whileYES Bank  and  Development Credit Bank  are also in the process of raising equity. ICICI Bank  and  HDFC Bank  may also reach out to investors in the coming months for funds as the market for equity issuances opens up and the need to raise funds increases to meet capital norms. The capital raising is large ly to fund growth and also to meet Basel-III norms,† said  Kajal Gandhi, analyst ICICI Securities. â€Å"Other private sector banks like YES Bank and  IndusInd Bank  have also raised funds recently. † The equity issuance by Axis will lead to a 10. 75 per cent dilution. Axis said its board has approved the fund-raising plan, which will either be a domestic sale to institutions or a GDR issue. It also retains the right to sell to existing holders. Indian lenders are raising capital as loan growth is seen picking up next year after more than a year of sluggish demand.With the government proceeding with some reforms, investment demand may accelerate and banks will need to keep a higher capital buffer. RBI's plan to implement the Basel-III norms to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis mandates banks to keep higher capital. It will be implemented in phases over six years. Axis Bank's tier-I capital, or equity capital, is at 8. 99 per cent, compared with 7 per c ent prescribed by Basel-III norms. http://articles. economictimes. indiatimes. com/2012-12-18/news/35890925_1_basel-iii-shikha-sharma-axis-bank Axis Bank plans to step up lending to MFIsKOLKATA  Ã‚  Aug 13, 2012 Axis Bank – which had gone slow on lending to the microfinance institutions (MFI) post the recent crisis in the industry – now plans to scale up its exposure to the sector. The bank also looks at direct lending to self-help groups. â€Å"We had gone slow on lending to the MFI sector due to the recent crisis. However, with the regulations in place we plan to step up our lending to the sector,† said Ms Shikha Sharma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Axis Bank. The bank's exposure to MFIs was earlier in excess of Rs 800 crore.She was talking to newspersons on the sidelines of the launch of a financial inclusion programme organised by Axis Bank Foundation and microfinance institution Bandhan here on Saturday. MFIs have been recently criticise d on issues of multiple lending, evergreening of loans, lack of due diligence and coercive recovery practices. Axis Bank, Ms Sharma said, aims to achieve a credit growth in excess of 18 per cent during the current year. â€Å"The RBI has projected a growth rate of 18 per cent, we are hopeful of doing better than this,† she said.Asked about concerns regarding asset quality, she added, â€Å"There are no signs of rising defaults in the system at present. † http://www. thehindubusinessline. com/industry-and-economy/banking/article2354147. ece Axis Bank launches new campaign ‘Zindagi ke highway pe koi akele nahin badhta’ Udaipur, January 23, 2013: Axis Bank, India’s third largest private sector Bank, today announced the launch of its new campaign ‘Zindagi ke highway pe koi akele nahin badhta’ that aims to drive home the message that progress and subsequent success is mutual.The campaign designed by Lowe Lintas features Axis Bank’s Br and Philosophy ‘While we keep progressing in our lives, there always is someone else progressing along with us, so let’s Progress Together’. The campaign highlights Axis Bank’s credentials as a customer centric bank and a partner in progress who walks with its customers on the highway of life – hence the tag line Zindagi ke highway pe koi akele nahin badhta. Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Mr. R. K Bammi, Executive Director – Retail Banking, Axis Bank said, â€Å"The new film takes our brand positioning of Badhti ka naam zindagi†¦ or Progress On†¦ ahead.We understand that Progress always has a ripple effect. When one person progresses, others around him progress too. This insight is captured in our new TVC that clearly demonstrates the circle of progress and how you touch lives of others even when you do not know them. † Explaining this new phase in Axis Bank’s communication journey, Arun Iyer, National Creativ e Director, Lowe Lintas says that, â€Å"Last year we crafted ‘Badhti ka naam zindagi’ to define the fundamental philosophy for Axis Bank. The task this year was to continue building this sentiment on a larger canvass.What better than changing the frame of reference from what it means for one individual, to what it means in the context of the entire community we live in? The fact is that when you progress, others benefit too. And hence no one really progresses alone. When you move up, others do too. We hope the execution will make our audience have this joyful realization about how we are connected with each other. † Taking its philosophy of progress together Axis Bank plans to enable its customers to acknowledge contributions of others in their progress through an application called ProgressTogether.The application would be hosted on a microsite which can be reached on the URL www. progresstogether. in and will also be mirrored on Facebook. com on the Axis Bank page. Customers can use the application from their PCs and from their tablets. http://thetimesofudaipur. com/? p=1308 Axis Bank eyes 30 per cent retail assets by FY15 Press Trust of India | Updated On: October 17, 2012 12:46 (IST Private lender Axis Bank plans to increase the share of its retail lending from the present 26 per cent of the total loan book to 30 per cent by 2015, a top official said on Tuesday.As of the September quarter, the third largest private lender saw its retail loan book jump by 5 percentage points from the year-ago period, Axis Bank Executive Director Somnath Sengupta told reporters in a post-earnings conference call. On a year-on-year basis, the retail banking grew 43 per cent as of the second quarter, while large and mid-corporate banking grew just 15 per cent, he said. â€Å"The focus on retail assets will continue to grow, and our target is to take it further to 30 per cent by the end of FY15.It is a part of strategic intent to grow the retail book. We a re expanding through home, auto and personal loans. We are also selling credit cards to our existing customers. † On Monday, the bank reported better-than-expected Q2 numbers logging in 22. 08 per cent rise in net profit to  Rs. 1,123 crore. Terming the quarterly numbers as satisfactory despite a challenging environment, Sengupta said retail advances and lower expenses helped the bank post good numbers.Total income rose 27 per cent to  Rs. 8,280. 29 crore in the July-September quarter. NII rose to  Rs. 2,327 crore from  Rs. 2,007 crore, while other income grew 29 per cent to  Rs. 1,593 crore, driven by growth in fee income which stood at  Rs. 1,343 crore, a growth of 20 per cent. The bank saw its trading income rise to  Rs. 207 crore during the quarter, he said. The bank improved its net interest margin to 3. 46 per cent in the reporting period from 3. 37 per cent at the end of the first quarter.Sengupta further said the bank could maintain asset quality as its g ross NPAs and net NPAs stood barely unchanged at 1. 10 per cent and 0. 33 per cent, respectively as against 1. 08 per cent and 0. 34 per cent as of September 2011. The bank held a provision coverage of 80 per cent as a proportion of gross NPAs, including prudential write-offs. The bank had made an additional provision of  Rs. 115 crore in the quarter, he said, adding it has provided for the exposure to the troubled Hyderabad-based Deccan Chronicle Group, which has become a bad asset now.However, Sengupta did not reveal whether the bank has made full provisions for the Deccan loans and also the exact amount of the exposure. However, it has been learnt Axis Bank has exposure of over  Rs. 400 crore to the diversified company. Asked about the bank's exposure to the state-run power distribution companies (discoms) whose  Rs. 1. 9 trillion of debt was recast last month, he said it was â€Å"limited† but refused to quantify it. Similar was his response when asked about the tex tile sector, whose  Rs. 16,000 crore of debt is being recast with government intervention now.Sengupta also refused to disclose the status of other two default accounts– SevenHills Hospital (exposure at around  Rs. 463 crore) and Icomm Tele (around  Rs. 220 crore). About fresh slippages during Q2, he said the quarter saw a gross slippage of  Rs. 628 crore primarily due to a large corporate account. During the quarter, the bank saw  Rs. 99 crore incremental slippages net of restructuring and upgrades. http://profit. ndtv. com/news/corporates/article-axis-bank-eyes-30-per-cent-retail-assets-by-fy15-312162

How to Write a Job Application Essay

Potential employers often want more than cover letters and resumes; they want to know how well you express yourself, handle spontaneous tasks and follow directions. If you want to nail your job application essay, don’t rush. Take your time and double-check your work. Remember without making a good impression on paper, you won’t get the chance to make an impression in person. Follow Instructions Pay close attention to the instructions. Employers often use job application essays, in part, to determine whether you’ll be a good fit for their company. If you go off-topic in your essay, they’ll know without meeting you that you have trouble following directions. As you prepare your essay, make sure you answer the question they’re asking no more, no less. Also, stick with the parameters set, as far as the length, formatting and font. If no parameters are set, try to make your essay no longer than one page. Your potential employer wants to read an essay, not a term paper. Brainstorm Take notes on your essay before you begin writing the actual draft. Perhaps you have several ideas about how to begin, or several angles from which you’d like to approach the essay topic. Use your brainstorm session to try out different ideas and find the one that suits you best. Outline Your Essay As the architect of your essay, you’ll need a solid blueprint. Use a few sentences apiece to summarize your thesis statement, your introductory paragraph, your supporting paragraphs, and your conclusion. Use the outline like a map to determine whether your essay is headed in the right direction. Ask whether your introduction supports your thesis. Do the supporting paragraphs support the introduction? Does the conclusion summarize the main points? Looking at the bare bones of your essay will help you understand what works and what doesn’t, and what needs to be added or taken away. Be Specific Make clear and concise statements in your essay to keep your potential employer’s interest. Refrain from using vague phrases. For example, instead of writing, â€Å"I’m a good employee and I love to work,† write, â€Å"I showed that I love to work when I served as chairperson for ABC Company’s weekend initiative — we successfully lobbied to have the offices opened during the weekends, so employees can catch up on paperwork and meetings without the distraction of clients calling.† Show and Prove Your job application essay should provide clear examples to back up each of your claims. Instead of, â€Å"I’m a great salesperson,† say, â€Å"In my last position, I had the highest record in my entire region for three consecutive quarters.† Instead of, â€Å"I’m really good with people,† say, â€Å"Due to my outstanding service skills, I had the highest number of repeat customers in the district. People requested me by name.† Be Professional Even if you are given creative license, recognize that this essay is your potential employer’s first glimpse of your work persona. Don’t put anything in the essay that you wouldn’t want to say to her face. Treat the essay like an interview and write accordingly.

Final Exam Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Final Exam - Term Paper Example For example a juvenile may be required to avoid committing any form of crime. Discretionary conditions refer to the requirements that may not result in revocation of probation and depends on the judge’s decision (Del, 2006). For example: the juvenile may be required to stay at home during weekends. 3. Knowledge includes legal rules regarding juvenile probation system such as the age limit of the offender to be recognized as a juvenile delinquent (Del, 2006). Knowledge of rehabilitation programs for delinquents such as knowledge of group rehabilitation programs. Skills include the ability to work with delinquents. For example probation officers may be required to communicate with juveniles in an empathetic manner. 4. Various roles and duties of juvenile probation officers include managing cases of different juvenile offenders (Del, 2006). Furthermore they have to provide recommendations regarding the conditions that govern the probation period. They even have to facilitate the juveniles in following as well as understanding their probation conditions. They have to develop standards of supervising juveniles and remain in contact with families looking after them. 5. Miranda warnings are guidelines that the police officers have to provide to suspects regarding their silence and their confessions. These warnings are provided while suspects are in custody and are going to be interrogated (Del, 2006). In case of juvenile suspects, they are to be provided with Miranda warnings as soon as they are arrested. The probation officer reads Miranda warnings to juvenile suspect, right before interrogating the suspect. 6. There are various cases that reveal the conditions required for testing school athletes for drug testing. These conditions include the voluntary participation of the student in the test and there needs to be a purpose for conducting a drug test such as the purpose of identifying whether a student is eligible to take part in

Meal Pill Product Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Meal Pill Product - Research Paper Example The product is differentiated from other similar product types by the â€Å"completeness† of its nutrient components. Food supplements that are available in the market can only provide the necessary vitamins and minerals but are unable to incorporate calories, proteins and fibers due to technological limitation. The issues encountered by other food supplement companies are its inability to compress calories, proteins and fiber in pill form that is enough to sustain a body for a day. While attempts were made, they are still unable to perfect the technology as the end product tends to become bulky. The equivalent of our product in the market would be a combination of several food supplements and food drinks. The closest to our product is Ensure (Ensure, 2011), a nutrition milk, but it lacks the necessary fiber for the body to function. It has to be complemented with Metamucil (Metamucil, 2011) to supply the body of its fiber needs. For added energy, customers also need to take Clif Bar (Clifbar, 2011). This combination however no longer qualifies the competition to be a complete meal. Our product, Meal Pill, can do what all these three products can do, making it a complete meal. In addition, there is an inconvenience with the products offered by the competition. Ensure needs to be prepared by mixing it with water not to mention that it has an unpalatable taste while our product needs no preparation and has a neutral taste just like all pills.

Reading Early American Newspapers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reading Early American Newspapers - Assignment Example The people of American have always had a voice and proved at this time that they were tired of hereditary politics. The people speak through the election, and this is very clear by Jacksonian ticket aspirants being elected with a majority of votes despite being unpopular among the elite politicians of the time. The nation of America has been very conscious by the type of leader it elects. The article shows the people were judging politicians by their performance and not by popularity. The author laments of bad governorship where leaders are elected by a majority and then after a short while they prove to be selfish and corrupt. However, during the next elections the leaders never ascend to the office. The fact manifests importance of elections in any society. The elections provide the people an opportunity to choose good governance and the leader they feel will deliver. Just like today politicians were very powerful people in the government. The article shows any abuse of office will result into massive voter loss during the next elections. The culture of voting in America is very unpredictable. The famous politicians undermined Jacksonian ticket counterparts, and they emerged victoriously. The only way a politician can win an electoral post is to ensure that he has touch with the people. The leader should be selfless and have the will of the people at heart. The nation is always looking for a leader with the selfless attributes and love of the nation to elect. The nation of America has always been hospitable and accommodates many foreigners. The article shows presence of Irish countrymen during the time of the election. The foreigners were given the privilege of voting. However, they still voted for Jacksons. The act emphasizes on the will of the people to want credible leaders who have their interest at heart. The article explains the importance of democracy and many parties that one can choose in regard to their policy. The early

Marketing of Drugs, by Pharmaceutical Companies Essay

Marketing of Drugs, by Pharmaceutical Companies - Essay Example By presenting these aspects of the marketing perspective of the pharmaceutical industry this paper attempts to come to the conclusion that in the final outcome of these marketing practices it is the care of the patients that is negatively affected. Introduction: Market conditions have never been so good for the pharmaceutical industry. The amount of money spent in the United States of America on prescription drugs was a whopping $141 billion in 2001, as per figures provided by the CMS Office of the Actuary. This expenditure on prescription drugs has made it the third largest factor in the expenditure on national health care in the United States of America. In 1990 for every dollar spent on health care, prescription drugs made up six cents. The proportional expenditure on prescription drugs has shown a significant rise by 2001 to ten percent. By 2010, this proportional expenditure on prescription drugs is expected to rise to 14.2%, more than doubling, in a period of two decades. There have been several factors that have contributed to this remarkable growth in spending on prescription drugs. These factors are the increased use of prescription drugs, an aging population, development of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of chronic ailmen ts, increasing consumer demand for prescription drugs, and the escalating cost of drugs. Unfortunately these good times have not made the pharmaceutical companies satisfied with the profits that this extra demand for prescription drugs would generate from their existing market share of the expenditure on prescription drugs. Instead the lure of raking in profits has made the pharmaceutical industries attempt to carve out a larger share of the pie, in terms of the prescription drug market.

WHEN sTORIES sHAPE lIVES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WHEN sTORIES sHAPE lIVES - Essay Example d when she met Carson Gueye, the first time her mother allowed her to go the market alone, and love blossomed since then, though they knew it was doomed love. Carson was a market worker. He did anything he could for people inside it, like carrying boxes and cleaning stalls. He was an orphan, but an old man, Chan Mo-wan, took him in. In the market, the noise and nauseating odors of men and butchered animals that Shiniang used to hate were gone. Instead, she saw human life and freedom. More than that, she saw Carson. He was sixteen, but already he hovered over others with his 5’11 height and large frame. Shiniang blushed, for he caught her staring at him. Shiniang ran, or rather, stumbled away, nearly falling on women on the floor selling dried fish. She dared look back, and Carson was still there, with a smile on his dark brown eyes. Shiniang was about to go home, hardly able to carry what she bought, when Carson helped her. Their arms brushed and their eyes met. What they saw inside each other’s eyes married their souls. Afterwards, Shiniang and Carson found ways to be together. Young love was not assuring, however. Shiniang once confided to Carson that her cousin, Li-Wang, committed suicide to avoid arranged marriage. It was not new news for many young women killed themselves to oppose arranged marriages (Man 123). Carson asked Shiniang to never do the same thing. Shiniang shook her head: â€Å"I’d rather die than marry a stranger.† Carson kissed Shiniang for the first time on the lips. Their love was doomed, but loyal nonetheless. Shiniang raked her mind, trying to find a solution to her problem, until one story gave her a fitting solution. Uncle Chow Li-Bao was angry when he came to their house years ago. His daughter, Hsien-Hsien, was supposed to be married to a rich trader, when her lover kidnapped her. Marriage by kidnapping was looked down in their community, but it was effective (Zhongyi 58). Risking her own life, Shiniang escaped and found Carson.

Report for hewlett packard (Communication In business 100) Lab

For hewlett packard (Communication In business 100) - Lab Report Example The company is guided by 7 companywide objectives and shared values including commitment to global citizenship (hp, 2010). Been a major player, in the global market, the company is bound by the ten global compact principles and reports its progress on the implementation of the same to the United Nations organization. There is a high likelihood of respecting worker’s working conditions and rights in a company practicing direct dialogue and freedom of association. Direct engagement and open communication with workers in resolving compensation and workplace issues induce a better cohesion amongst workers, working atmosphere, adherence to company’s policies and common sharing of objectives according to csr-supplychain (2010). Hp, being a global company, has to involve a lot of employees ranging from dealers to suppliers, retailers and managerial personnel among other staff in its successful running. For efficient running of the business and the supply chain, the top management of the company must uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining in engaging with the employees. HP conducts audits on the major suppliers in the world deemed to be a risk to the efficient running of the business in order to verify their conformance to certain set rules and standards. Hp as a multinational company maintains detailed standards regarding labor management systems, safety and health management systems, ethics, environment and labor standards. The company has given the employees and suppliers freedom of association and right to collective bargaining in undertaking their activities in the distribution chain. During recruitment of the employees, the company management gives the potential employee an option of stating the amount he/she would like to be given as remuneration. If the

Reggio Emilia research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reggio Emilia research - Essay Example Malaguzzi developed a learning program or self-guided curriculum that had basis on respect, obligation, and community principles that influenced self-discovery and contributing to the enrichment of the environment basing on the interests of the children. The basis of this curricular was to provide education coupled with care where the parents of Reggio Emilia influenced its development through their sale of military equipments that had remained after the World War II. 1. The Reggio Emilia curriculum Since its inception, the Reggio Emilia Approach to offering education has experienced immense improvements in an attempt to improve the learning standards of children. The Reggio curriculum is the Approach that emerged in which the adopters of this philosophy became the Reggio educators. As per the curriculum, the educators are responsible for developing the educational goals that are in line with the intensive expansion of knowledge. In the Reggio application, most of the curriculum impl emented through projects results from the input of children or teachers meaning that it is a flexible education Approach. Ideally, children tend to be curious beings especially when at a tender age meaning that the learning project may change depending on the subjects that have caught their eyes (Grotewell & Burton, 2008). In this learning process, the project developed by either the children or the teachers signifies that children conduct this curriculum while their teachers guide them (Arnstrong, 2006). The Reggio curriculum projects may take months before completion depending on their length meaning a shorter Reggio Emilia project may take shorter to complete. 2. What does Reggio Emilia mean? When a child starts going to school, this means that from that point forward there would be lesser parent involvement, which might be a scary thought for many parents. The lessons rely heavily on structures developed by teachers meaning that there is less play and more study work for the chi ldren. As per the Reggio Emilia Approach, the application is different because parents, teachers, and children become equal stakeholders in the learning process. Presently, the Reggio Emilia application is a module that preschools and kindergartens in the world have adopted with plans to include the program in the elementary classes in the piping. In essence, Reggio Emilia is not a philosophy that bases on a set of established beliefs, but rather it is a philosophical approach whose fundamental values focus on the learning outcomes for children. In this approach, there are several core principles embedded in the execution of this philosophy in learning that include significance of the learning environment, the child being an active participant to the learning process, making the learning visible, and having the three stakeholders of the learning process to collaborate. The most critical part of the process is influencing the children to learn more within the program through the supp ort of the parents and the teachers alike as curiosity heightens the quest for knowledge for young children. Key beliefs that the Reggio Emilia model promotes regarding the learning and development of young children According to Morrison (2010), the Reggio Emilia program is applicable to children from the age of three months to those age six years in which many schools in the USA have incorporated it into their early childhood learning systems. Ideally, the execution of

Past, Present and Future Essay Example for Free

Past, Present and Future Essay As I was preparing to write this personal assessment paper, I cannot help but be reminded of an age-old adage which goes, â€Å"an unexamined life is not worth living† – a wisdom saying claimed to have been coined by the philosopher Socrates. Specifically in view of my stay here at the University of Phoenix, I have many good reasons to suppose that looking back at my personal and professional growth in this learning institution is indeed an aspect worth examining. Not only does it afford me of a chance to chart the progress of my learning journey, it also gives me a rare opportunity to reflect on how my life has significantly changed over the years. In many ways, I believe that what stands to be of paramount importance in examining one’s life lies in being able to learn from the experiences of the past. And I find this especially true for myself since I am coming from a kind of University experience that opened many windows for the acquisition of many learning skills, and the nurturance of lasting relationships as well. With these in mind, I shall reflect on study program that I took at the University of Phoenix with eyes fixed on charting my personal and professional growth relative to the whole study process. As required, this personal assessment paper shall be divided into three distinct but related parts: starting the program, undergoing the program, and the impact of the program on my future life. Recounting experiences at the start of University program Early on in life, I was already introduced to the idea that academic learning is exceedingly important not only because it can become a sure ticket for a rewarding professional life later on, but also because it is a noble endeavor in itself. My parents have constantly reminded me of this almost sacred teaching. Which is why, I consider learning to be an issue of no little importance in my personal growth and development. In ways more than one, this is the reason why I decided to pursue my studies at the University of Phoenix. Specifically, I was moved by a desire to finish my studies so as to later on pursue a greater life-defining goal – to land a career in the field of management. I have to admit that starting a University life is not as easy and sweet as many people would have thought it. At least for myself, I have had a fair amount of anxieties, biases, fears and hesitations that I had to firstly wrestle with before finding myself comfortably abreast with the whole school system. Even if I had the courage to pursue an inner belief on the importance of learning, I should say that my first steps at the University were indeed nerve-wracking, since I had to let go of my little comfort zones and expand my horizon for the sake of learning. But while these memorable days were an initially rocky path, I think that I fared relatively well in handling myself successfully, with a little push and support from my family, friends and peers. I started out my studies at the University as a student at the beginner’s level. In many ways, my problem solving and communication skills definitely needed some serious reinforcements. I knew I had the basic knowledge and skill to pull through though; but surely, they need to be further improved if only I could succeed in my University journey. I was able to pass academic requirements in a manner rather fair and prompt. But I must admit that I was able to accomplish many things not without difficulties. For instance, I discovered that doing analysis and assessments involving critical thinking were not that easy. I did also encounter difficulties in terms of information retrieval, inasmuch as I had to joggle up a number of subjects requiring memorizations, retentions, and practical ways of applying formulas and principles in many assignments and projects. And while I believe that my social and relational skills were aspects that have served me well in the past, my University studies was to even more teach me how to use these skills in a manner distinctly practical, so I can effectively collaborate with my co-students and professors. After years of pursuing an academic learning here in the University though, I honestly think that I have improved a lot in almost all these aspects; as I now possess, all things considered, a competence level of an intermediate student. Assessing personal growth during my University studies A multi-faceted learning approach is what in essence the University of Phoenix afforded me over the years. I have little doubts that the subjects which I took at the University contributed a lot to my growth. Specifically, I have to mention that I was helped enormously in my writing skills. I know right from the onset that I could not write well. And perhaps, this weakness shows even now. In fact, I have encountered difficulties in completing many assignments or projects that needed a fair amount of effective writing skills. It was, to say the least, difficult to get myself staying motivated in matters or subjects where I know I am are not adequately adept with. With much patience and practice though, I think that I was able to improve myself quite significantly in this area. My University studies have enabled me to gather vital insights that I can use in the future. In particular, I feel that certain general education courses may prove to be critical in view of my potential management career in the future. The first one concerns Human Motivation subject, as offered by Psychology 320 course. This is, I believe, chiefly important for any career in management, as it gives students necessary insights and skills to know what motivates people. The management profession entails a lot of handling human resources; i. e. , the people themselves. By studying Human Motivation, I am able to gain necessary knowledge that would not only make me know the factors that motivate people, but also learn appropriate approaches or methods to effectively motivate them. Second, I feel that ISCOM 476, otherwise known as the â€Å"Integrated Supply Chain Application†, is another important course as well. If only to explain, what this course did for me was to make me distinguish between the things that I have honestly learned and those that I have unfortunately missed. The subject was in many ways an eye opener for myself. It gave me insights into the areas that I need to brush up in relation to the previous courses that I have taken. Ultimately, though, I feel that I can use this course to help an organization become successful in what they are trying to achieve in the business. Besides, the course is chiefly about understanding logistics; and, in a career that oversees not only the proper handling of human resources but also key company transactions, the course shall definitely help me improve my management skills later on in my professional life. As for my personal recommendation, I would propose developing a more personal rapport between student and teachers. I do wish to imply that the University professors barely care for the individual performances of their students. Far from it. On the contrary, what I would suggest is to promote healthy student-teacher relations that could bring into the fore individual difficulties encountered by students, as they go about learning the subjects they are currently into. When properly assessed, students can surely address what needs to be done if there are some learning skills or subjects that they find difficult to put up with. I have personally encountered having to put up with the demands of a current subject while brushing up the knowledge I have learned from the previous courses. In many ways, this can be avoided. Developing an effective individual colloquium approach to learning shall, I believe, make students more adjusted into the demands of the current subjects that they are undertaking. Analyzing the impact of University learning on later life Completing a University bachelor’s program in many ways gives me an overwhelming feeling of contentment, pride, and most notably, joy. But perhaps, more than giving me a reason to be proud of myself, I feel that the finishing the University program of my choice has a role to fulfill in my life long learning later on. Finishing the program is surely not an end as it is more like another beginning for my life. It is an accepted knowledge that learning is a process that never stops; i. e. , for as long as a human person lives, he or she needs to learn until death. In many ways, this is how I view life as well. I feel that lifelong learning is something that one needs to achieve in life. And as such, it is something that should not stop. I take root from my personal experience here at the University of Phoenix. Honestly, I think that that I many reasons to quit from the program. The difficulties of having to put up with the intense learning processes of this school system are really one bulk of problem to solve, to say the least. But I did not allow discouraging results, nor pieces of advice of other people (against finishing the degree) get in the way of my desire to finish my studies. In life, this too applies. A person should not let no one stop him or her from finishing something that one truly takes interest in. Far more critical, I am of the firm believe that lifelong learning needs all the support one can get from people who care. Since learning has to be life long, and that it need not to stop after University schooling, I have set forth certain plans in view of acquiring further knowledge. In the years to come, I plan to reinforce the fundamental learning I received from the University by following it up though an array of available study learning programs. Firstly, I intend to attend logistics seminars in the next few months. Realizing that this is critical area for my prospective job, I feel that I need to reinforce my learning to further increase my competence in such a field. Moreover, I plan to further develop my communications and management skills. Communications skills, specifically writing (as I mentioned), were really a weakness that I was able to adequately address. But that does not mean I was able to achieve an expertise or mastery of it. I know that, at the end of the day, I need to improve this aspect more and more. Being a professional entails that one has achieved a certain level of competence in both what one knows, and how one effectively expresses what one knows. In my case, I am pretty aware I need to effectively express myself in both the oral and written manner of communication, in order to better convey and practice the management skills that I have acquired. As indeed, I am aware that I need to be very aware of any new approaches to management strategies as the years go by. What the University has afforded me is a fundamental knowledge about management; but surely, in the years to come, new innovations and challenges that the University studies were not able to address shall inevitably emerge. I know that when that time comes, I need to handle myself successfully as I did so during my student stint at the University. Thus, in order to keep with the pace of ever changing needs of the companies, I plan on improving my management skills by attending seminars and short courses as well. Right now though, I have neither pondered nor decided over the specific company or organization to join with. Suffice it to say that for the time being, I am contemplating on attending a master’s program on management. In this way, not only I am going to be able to address my specific learning needs, I shall also in the process further improve my competence level to that of an expert, ready to take on anything that life has to eventually offer.

Understanding Children and Young People Essay Example for Free

Understanding Children and Young People Essay Parenting is a most challenging yet rewarding experience. Baumrind, who studied parenting styles during the early 1960s, concluded that they differ in four important areas: parents warmth/nurturance, discipline strategy, communication skills, and expectations of maturity. She posited three types of parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative (Berger 2001). Parents are the major influence in their childrens lives. Thus their perception of how children think, and should be raised is crucial in determining childrens behavior. Other factors, such as genes, peers, culture, gender, and financial status, are of lesser importance. Studies reveal a correlalion between parenting styles and school competence, delinquency, violence, sexual activity, antisocial behavior, alcohol and substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and self-perception. Authoritarian Parents Authoritarian parenting, also termed dictatorial or harsh, is low on warmth/nurturance, strict on discipline, high in parent-to-child communication but low in child-to-parent communication, and high on expectation. This style has been predominant throughout Western history: It was effective in status quo times, for example in agrarian-industrial societies (Dinwiddie 1995). Authoritarian parents show little affection and seem aloof from their children (Berger 2001, 283). Parents instruct and order, do not consider the childrens opinion as a group, and discourage verbal give-and-take (Gonzalez-Mena 1993). Obedience, respect, and tradition are highly valued. Rules are non-nogoliable, parents are always right, and disobedient children are punished-often physically. However, parents do not cross the line to physical abuse (Berger 2001, 283). As children obey their parents in order to avoid punishment, they become passive. Authoritarian parents also expect a level of maturity higher than the norm for their childs particular age group: The authoritarian parents assign the child the same responsibilities as adults (Scarr, Weinberg, and Levine 1986, 306). Responsiveness is low, as the approach is parent-centered and stresses the parents needs. This almost noninteractive style has serious developmental drawbacks (Daniel, Wassell, and Gilligan 1999). Children are more susceptible to antisocial peer pressure during adolescence, a time when peer influence is the greatest (Collins et al. 2000); learn not to discuss issues with their parents (why bother if you are always wrong or ignored?); and are influenced greatly by their peers. Often frustrated, they distance themselves from their parents by rebelling against the latters values and beliefs. Steinberg et al. (1994) reveals that boys in this category have the highest level of violence. Steinberg (1996) shows that these teenagers are less self-reliant, persistent, and socially poised, and have lower self-esteem. In addition, there is a strong inverse correlation between such authoritarianism and good grades. Other research indicates that they lack social competence and rarely initiate activities: They show less intellectual curiosity, are not spontaneous and usually rely on the voice of authority (Parenting n.d.). Permissive Parents Permissive parenting, also labeled as neglectful or disengaged parenting, is high on warmth, very low on discipline and structure, low in parent-to-child communication but high in child-to-parent communication, and low on expectation. This style was popular in the 1950s and 1960s. The fact that many German children and adults had followed Hitler led people to attribute this to Germanys authoritarian home environment, which demanded unquestioning obedience. Thus their parents conditioned them for Hitler. (Dinwiddie 1995). Hoping to counteract such undesirable side-effects, they became permissive. Permissive parents are nurturing, warm, and accepting. Their main concerns are to let children express their creativity and individuality and to make them happy (Neal 2000), in the belief that this will teach them right from wrong (Berger 2001). Permissive parents find it hard to set clear limits, provide structure, are inconsistent disciplinarians (Huxley 1998), and reward bad behavior regularly (Dworkin 1997). Children are not pushed to obey guidelines or standards that, even when they do exist, are not enforced (Barakat and Clark 1999). Permissive parents take orders and instructions from their children, are passive, endow children with power (Gonzalez-Mena 1993; Garbarino and Abramowitz 1992), have low expectations, use minimal discipline, and do not feel responsible for how their children turn out. Ironically, these children turn out to be the unhappiest of all (Neal 2000). They are more likely to exhibit such psychological problems as anxiety and depression (Steinberg 1996), are the second group (after authoritarian) most likely to commit violence (Steinberg et al. 1994), and engage in antisocial behavior (Simons, Lin, and Gordon 1998). Research links permissive parents with delinquency, substance abuse, and sexual activity (Snyder and Sickmund 2000; Jacobson and Crockett 2000]. In effect, parents teach their children that they can get their way by manipulating others: Children learn a false sense of control over adults that increases their manipulative behavior (Huxley 1998). Later on, they do poorly in school, have higher rates of misbehavior in areas involving adult authority, and may also grow up manipulating around rules because those are not firm (Thinking n.d.). As they have not been taught how to control or discipline themselves, they are less likely to develop self-respect. This lack of discipline and structure engenders a desire for some type of control, and so they put a lot of energy into controlling parents and trying to get parents to control them (Gonzalez-Mena 1993, 157). Their unmet psychological needs make them vulnerable to being easily discouraged by everyday problems and turns the child away from full and satisfying participation in the world (Garbarino and Abramowilz 1992, 42). This, in turn, hinders their social development, self-esteem, and positive self-concept. Without high expectations to realize, children of permissive parents generally have difficulty controlling their impulses, are immature, and reluctant to accept responsibility (Parenting n.d.). Steinberg (1996) shows a strong correlation between permissive parenting and poor grades in families where parents are not involved in their childrens education and do not initiate a give-and-take relationship with their children. Other negative outcomes are sleep disturbances (Dworkin 1997) and feelings of insecurity. Authoritative Parents Authoritative parenting is high on warmth, moderate on discipline, high in communication, and moderate in expectations of maturity. This style is becoming more pervasive in the West. Authoritative parents are warm and nurturing, create a loving home environment, and provide a high degree of emotional support (Ingersoll 1989). Unlike permissive parents, they are firm, consistent, and fair (Barakat and Clark 1999). Authoritative parents discipline through rational and issue-oriented strategies in order to promote their childrens autonomy while ensuring conformity to group standards (Marion 1999). They establish and enforce behavior standards (Glasgow et al. 1997) and stay in control. Family rule is democratic [rather] than dictatorial (Berger 2001, 283). Parents use reason, negotiation, and persuasion-not force-to gain their childrens cooperation (Marion 1999). Their listening-demanding ratio is roughly equal. Children are given alternatives, encouraged to decide, and accept responsibility for their actions and decisions. The end result is self-empowerment (Barakat arid Clark 1999). When the childrens opinions are valued and respected, both children and parents benefit (Marion 1999; Gonzalez-Mena 1993). Authoritative parents set developmentally appropriate limits and standards for behavior. They make it clear that they will help their children. If their demands are not met, they are forgiving and understanding rather than punitive (Glasgow et al. 1997; Berger 2000). Overall, this parenting style is high on mutual understanding and based on reciprocity. In fact, both parties benefit. Developmental opportunities are provided for children, as the quality of interaction and nurturance is high and expectations are realistic (Garbarino and Abramowilz 1992). In addition, such parents are more likely to encourage academic success (Glasgow et al. 1997), which has a positive correlation with good grades (Steinberg, 1996). This can be attributed to parental involvement in their childrens education and their use of open, give-and-take communication through family reading, writing, and discussions. Research also shows that these children are less influenced by negative pefir pressure and develop successful peer relationships (Collins et al. 2000). As authoritative parenting provides a balance between control and independence, il produces competent, socially responsible, self-assured, and independent children (Gonzalez-Mena 1993). Children are more likely to develop high self-esteem, positive self-concept, greater self-worth, less rebellion, and generally are more successful in life. Furthermore, they are the best adjusted of all children. According to Thinking (n.d), they ranked highest in self-respect, capacity to conform to authority, and greater interest in the parents faith in God. They also respect authority, are accountable, and control their impulses. Steinberg (1996) shows that they are more confident and responsible, less likely to use or abuse drugs or alcohol, and less likely to be involved in delinquency. These children also reported less anxiety and depression and the least amount of violence (Steinberg et al. 1994). Conclusion Western culture places great importance on planning for children and their upbringing. Hence, parents-to-be spend a great deal of time thinking about everything-from which brand of diapers to use to which college they want their child to attend. However, less importance is given to parenting style. Research has proven repeatedly that parenting styles have a direct correlation with how children will grow up, how they live and whether they will abide by the rules in society (Thinking n.d.). Therefore parents-to-be must analyze different parenting styles, their effects, and what works best for them and their child.

Soil stabilization with lime in road construction

Soil stabilization with lime in road construction Soil Stabilization with lime Lime is another fundamental soil material that has been widely used as soil stabilizer for road pavement construction. Limestone is a soil material that discovered from sedimentary rock combining of high levels of calcium and magnesium carbonate composition as other small amounts of minerals. This is the extraction of underground mines and quarries all around the world. Therefore, the lime can be very cheap, it can be found everywhere in many countries. There is no transportation between long distances and it normally used to create a capping layer of road pavement from appropriate in- situ soils. In some road pavements, lime is considered to be a subbase layers that appeared the first part of a two part construction process using ordinary Portland cement and ground blast furnace cement. In general, the plasticity of soil material can be decreased by treating the performance of fine-grained soils. Once, the characteristic or physical property been changed, an improvement of workability needs to be made and also the volume of the material needs to be reduced. in addition, the strength of lime is basically depended on many elements such as curing time, curing temperature, water content and percentage of lime content. Types of lime. There are many types of lime have been introduced as soil stabilizer for road pavement. However, several types of lime have been commonly used there are dolomitic lime, calcitic quicklime, dolomitic quicklime and hydrated high-calcium lime respectively. The high calcium hydrated lime is used more often, this is because the hydrated lime is much less caustic than quicklime, the high calcium hydrated lime is a dry powder that made by a chemical reaction of quicklime with water to ensure natural affinity of the quicklime for moisture content. Easy to form the hydrated lime that is suspended or mud, often the process of pumping a variety of positions within the industrial plant. The alkaline as a result, having a pH of 12.4. Most hydrated limes have a combination of 75 percent cao and 25 percent H2O.Hydrated lime is used in a variety of industrial applications including water treatment, as an anti-stripping agent in asphalt, and in soil stabilization. Some hydrated limes are sold into the food grade market as well. Advantage The advantage of using lime as a soil stabilizer is basically concerned with many reasons such as reduced construction or operational cost during process of the project especically, reduce water use energy consumption and a reduction of Co2 emissions as well as saving time of operational processes. Stabilization with Lime-Fly Ash (LF) and Lime-Cement-Fly Ash (LCF). There is little for coarse-grained soils in soil stabilisation that can be achieved by the use of a combinations of LF or LCF. Lime -Fly Ash is also known as Coal ash which is a part of mineral residual from the burning of crushed coal. It is a combination of aluminum and silicon compounds. Once mixed with water anf lime, the mixture of soil can be created a strengthened cementitious mass accomplished of containing high compressive strengths. A combination of lime and fly-ash can also be used comomly as a soil stabiliser for stabilizering grainy materials when the lime can react with the fly-ash produced a agent. The combination of LF or LCF as a soil stabilisation is suitable for road base and sub-base materials. In gerneal,the appearance of Lime-Fly Ash or Lime-Cement-Fly Ash both them looks almost the same to the appearance of cement. When Fly Ash appear as circular particles that looks like a ball bearing while cement appears angular that looks like a crushed rock more. In addtion, Fly Ash contains strengthened cementitious quality so it can be used to replace the cement in a cement mix. Fly Ash can easily replace the cement in the concrete mixes that is good for saving costs during a soil stailisation process. There is another problem that needs to be considered once Fly-Ash as a soil stabiliser. The compressive strength of concrete mix with Fly-ash is approximately the same to the compressive strength of concrete without Fly-ash. There may be a slight decrease in compressive strength in the first, and then there is a slight increase after the first two weeks. Types of fly ash There are two different types of Fly-ash have been introducted to soil stabilisation or construction industry, type C and type F respectively. Type C Fly-ash is come from the combustion of lignite or subbituminous coal and the type C Fly-ash is also called as â€Å"high lime ash†this is because a high percentage of lime is contained in type C Fly-ash. The type C Fly-ash is a pozzolanic substance, when it is self-reactive with water . Type F Fly-Ash is produced from the combustion of anthracite or bituminous coal and sometimes it is known as â€Å"low lime† ash.It is required the addition of lime to make a reaction to produce a pozzolanic substance. TYPE F Provide sulfate resistance of cement equal to or better than Type V cement. Effectively controls heat gain during concrete curing. TYPE C When type C fly-Ash adds into the concrete mixes, it will contains a early strengths this is becuuse it contains its own amount of lime. Under this circumstance, it requires pozzolanic reaction to be started reacting eailer. Advantage; There are many advantages of using Fly-ash that concerned with the manufacturing of concrete pipe which contains a greater density of the concrete.the peremebility of a construction project can be improved by using a more dense concrete mix and reduce the probability of infiltration. Finaly, the workability of the project can also be improved by using Fly-ash material. A fly ash concrete mix will generally gain strength more slowly at early ages. After about seven days, the rate of strength gain of fly ash concrete exceeds that of conventional concrete, enabling equivalent strength at 28 days. This higher rate of strength gain continues over time enabling fly ash concrete to produce higher ultimate strength than can be achieved with conventional concrete. Stabilization with Bitumen Soil Stabilization with Bitumen which is an aggregate contains bitumen. It has a big difference in appearance when it compared to cement and lime soil stabilisation. The mechanism of bitumen is basically concerned with fine-grained soil that is a sealing or waterproofing phenomenon. The bitumen is coated by soil particles that can reduce the strengths of Soil by slowing down the penetration of water. In some construction project, the bitumen for soil stabilisation is widely used for bitumen bound pavement that is normally less than any other purpose of using. Normally, the bitumen for soil stabilisation will contain approximately about 4-8% of the soil without any water content. TYPES OF BITUMEN. Sand bitumen: a mixture of sand and asphalt, of which the sand particles cemented together, provide a more stable material. Bitumen with aggregate: asphalt mixture gradation and a good gravel or artificial aggregates, after compaction, provides a highly stable sub-base or water quality based on the quality of course. Bitumen with lime: a mixture of lime, soil and bitumen after a soil compaction, the compacted soil mixture may has characteristics of the bitumen treated materials that will contains a high PI value. In general, there are several types of bitumen used for soil stabilization. The type of bitumen which is to be used that based or depended on the different type of soil need to be used as a stabilizer, the processing for a road pavement construction and operational or weather conditions. Frost areas, tar as a binder, should be kept away because of its high temperature sensitivity. The asphalts substance can be slightly influenced by a change in temperature. According to a specific soil experiment, a good result can be perfectly achieved by the soil mixed quickly with liquid asphalt which is the stickiest one. One of the higher qualities for soil mixture that used for a central plant, the sticky grade asphalt cement should be used. There are many soil bituminous stabilization needs to be operated in a place where the bitumen material can be used directly for the soil and soil compaction can also easily be done during construction process. Emulsion is highly recommended to use in a soil stabilization construction, because of energy limitation and reduction of pollution control efforts. For a road pavement project, the engineer needs to decide what kind of the type of bitumen would be used that is based on operational or weather conditions and the cost of the project as well as the different types of equipment in the construction. There are several types of bitumen are introduced as below that would be used for the soil gradation indicated: Open-graded aggregate Rapid- and medium-curing liquid asphalts RC-250, RC-800, and MC-3000. Medium-setting asphalt emulsion MS-2 and CMS-2. Well-graded aggregate with little or no material passing the No. 200 sieve Rapid and medium-curing liquid asphalts RC-250, RC-800, MC-250, and MC-800. Slow-curing liquid asphalts SC-250 and SC-800. Medium-setting and slow-setting asphalt emulsions MS-2, CMS-2, SS-1, and CSS-1. Aggregate with a considerable percentage of fine aggregate and material passing the No. 200 sieve Medium-curing liquid asphalt MC-250 and MC-800. Slow-curing liquid asphalts SC-250 and SC-800. Slow-setting asphalt emulsions SS-1, SS-01h, CSS-1, and CSS-lh. For many road pavement design, the engineer use the bituminous stabilization which is the application of liquid to construct surface of an unbound aggregate road. There are SC-70, SC-250, MC-70, and MC-250 are respectively applied to the slow and medium curing liquid bitumen. Gradations for soil stabilization There are several soil gradations which is highly recommended to used for sub-grade base or sub-basematerial as show below in two tables Recommended gradations for bituminous stabilized sub-grade materials Recommended gradations for bituminous-stabilized base and sub-base materials MIX DESIGN In many soil stabilizations with a sub-grade material, there is one equation that needs to be applied for identifying the groundwork quantity of falloff asphalt. The equation as shown below: p = ((0.02(a) + 0.07(b) + 0.15(c) + 0.20(d))/(100 S)) X 100 Where, p = percent cutback asphalt by weight of dry aggregate a = percent of mineral aggregate retained on No. 50 sieve b = percent of mineral aggregate passing No. 50 sieve and retained on No. 100 sieve c = percent of mineral aggregate passing No. 100 and retained on No. 200 sieve d = percent of mineral aggregate passing No. 200 S = percent solvent The initial number of emulsified asphalt Once soil stabilization with sub-grade materials need to be involved in a road construction. The initial quantity of emulsified asphalt also needs to use for the sub-grade materials that can be determined by a table as shown below: Emulsified asphalt requirements For the final design stage the content of emulsified asphalt that need to be chosen based on the experimental results of the Marshal Stability testing. The test is used to determine the Marshall stability of bituminous mixture. There is a minimum requirement of Marshall Stability which required for sub-grade is 500 pounds. Once, the recommended quantities of bituminous materials need be added, if appearance of increased Marshall Stability is not shown for the soil particles, the soil gradation would be identified with more details or another type of bituminous materials need to be applied as a soil stabilizer. STABILIZATION WITH LIME-CEMENT AND LIME-BITUMEN In a road pavement construction project, the advantage of using combination stabilizers is that one of the stabilizers does not perform its effectiveness properly, the other one is able to compensate when treating a specified characteristics of a given soil. For example, lime has been used frequently with stabilizers such as asphalt or Portland cement in order to provide base courses for clay areas. Since plastic clays is not totally compatible with asphalt or Portland cement and the lime cannot corporate into the soil to make it friable, therefore, asphalt and the cement can be effectively mixed. Stabilization practice might be more expensive than conventional single stabilizer methods, but it could be still reasonably priced at places where base aggregate costs are high. There are many different types of cement as a soil stabilizer. But in this case study, two combinations of cement particle are concerned with lime-cement and lime-asphalt respectively. LIME-CEMENT Lime can be used as an initial additive with Portland cement or the primary stabilizer. The main effects lime gives is to reduce the plasticity of the soil. The main approach is to add enough lime I order to reduce the plasticity index to satisfactory levels. LIME-ASPHALT Lime can be used as an initial additive with asphalt or the primary stabilizer. The main effects lime gives is to act as an anti- stripping agent. In the layer capacity, the lime acts to neutralize acidic chemicals in the soil or aggregate which tends to interfere with bonding of the asphalt. 1-2 percent lime is basically needed for this objective. LIME TREATMENT OF EXPANSIVE SOILS. In a road pavement, the surface of an expansive soil is defined as those exceeding three percent expansion in the exhibition. The expansion of soils is concerned with a road pavement construction, when water is influenced in clay minerals. The plasticity characteristics of a soil particle can be used as an indicant for the swell potential of a soil which is shown as below: Swell potential of soils A treatment with lime would be introduced to determine the well potential of a soil. The lime can be used to reduce swell. For an expansive soil, A more or less degree of expansive soil may be present activities of the clay minerals. Once, the lime needs to be added that requires a minimum amount of the lime, it can reduce swell to acceptable limits. There is an experimental process for conducing swell test which can be found in ASTM D 1883. The depth of lime should be incorporated into the soil, in general, the equipment used by the construction of a limited. In general, A maximum required depth need to be calculated with 2 to 3 feet that can be treated directly without removal of the soil.

Anita Brenner :: Essays Papers

Anita Brenner In 1905 Anita Brenner was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Her parents left Mexico in 1910 when the Mexican Revolution started. Anita was educated in the United States but never forgot the homeland that she loved. Anita's family moved back and forth from Mexico to Texas during the revolution, and then in 1916 they permanently settled in Texas. Anita understood what it was to be displaced from her homeland in times of war. Anita was of Jewish decent, her father had immigrated from Russia in the late 1880's her father and mother met in Chicago then moved to Aguascalientes. Even though she was not of Mexican decent she always considered herself to be Mexican. Her greatest influence of the Mexican culture was her nanny, Nana Serpia. The Mexican Revolution was something that happened when Brenner was very young but it continued to shape her for the rest of her life. Brenner wrote several books but Idols Behind Altars and The Wind that Swept Mexico were influential and publicly acclaimed. B renner also established a publication in 1955 called "Mexico"/ This Month. Brenner spent all of her years writing about Mexico its art, history, and culture. Anita Brenner loved Mexico and spent her life trying to teach mostly an American audience what Mexico was really about. Idols Behind Altars was Anita Brenner first book. It was about that arts and culture of Mexico. In the Introduction to the book Brenner wrote of the historical significance of the Mexican Revolution and what it was meant to accomplish. She wrote of the treachery of the ruling class and of the humble beginnings of the revolution. She wrote that, But the high-voltage current that blew up the works was the brutal and insolent disparity between money and position granted the native technician or professional man --the man of brains and cultivation -- vis-a-vis his foreign counterpart. This devaluation on the basis of, not exactly color, not exactly race, but the same thing really, cooked and rankled and set working the consciousness of skilled men thoroughly aware of their own capacities. They and people like them were among the most effective organizers of 1910-24. (into. 2 idols) This is how Anita Brenner described the people that started the revolution. She believed that the Revolution was bound to happen because of the way the land owners and politicians were running the government.

Review Of Shakespears The Tempest :: essays research papers

Why is it that people fawn Shakespeare and have unreasonably high reguard for his works, including The Tempest, and label them as â€Å"immortal classics†? Indeed Shakespeare’s works had great significance in the evolution of English literature, but these works, including The Tempest are mostly devoid of significance and literary value in the present day. One can expect to gain little educational benefit of the english language or hightened apreciation for fine literature from the reading of Shakespeare’s titles for reasons enumerate. First of all, the colorful and sophisticated metephoric vernacular style of the language utilized is archaic; even the speech of intellectually refined individuals and other respected literary works do not imploy of this rich style of speech. The poemic composition of The Tempest does not increase one’s ability to apreciate distinguished literature because the refined and respected works of most other classical writers are in novel form and thus differ highly from Shakesperian works in the literary devices and mannerisms from which they are comprised. The Tempest was written in early seventeeth century England. At this period of history and country the English language was quite different from what it is today in many ways. First, standard, formal vocabulary was different at this time. An great expample is found in the line â€Å"...you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!† (act 1 sc. 1, p. 9). In this line, the word incharitable is the modern equivalent of the word uncharitable. The standard dictionary word has changed prefixes somewhere througout the centuries. Another thing that would have made a further gap between the vernacular in the play and modern English is Shakespeare’s deployment of common language, or slang (although I have no proof because I don’t speak sixteenth century slang). â€Å"A pox o’ your throught...† (act 1 sc.1, p. 9) and â€Å"...give o’er...† (act 1 sc. 1, p. 9). These phrases seem to be slang therms because they are so deviant from there modern english equvalents, â€Å"curses on† and â€Å"give up†, respectiveley. What value does learning the archaic vernacular give to the reader. Surely it does not increase thier word power or sophisticate thier vocabulary, for nowhere, not even in among people of high intellecutal refinement such as venerable college professers, is this dead language used. Another distinctive trait of the vernacular used in The Tempest is the heavy use of metaphor. This use of metaphor is so heavy and outlandish that it becomes extrodinarily difficult to interpret and causes the words to fall into chaotic ambiguity. In fact, it is not unreasonable to define the language of the text as sophistry. A great example of heavy metaphor in The Review Of Shakespears "The Tempest" :: essays research papers Why is it that people fawn Shakespeare and have unreasonably high reguard for his works, including The Tempest, and label them as â€Å"immortal classics†? Indeed Shakespeare’s works had great significance in the evolution of English literature, but these works, including The Tempest are mostly devoid of significance and literary value in the present day. One can expect to gain little educational benefit of the english language or hightened apreciation for fine literature from the reading of Shakespeare’s titles for reasons enumerate. First of all, the colorful and sophisticated metephoric vernacular style of the language utilized is archaic; even the speech of intellectually refined individuals and other respected literary works do not imploy of this rich style of speech. The poemic composition of The Tempest does not increase one’s ability to apreciate distinguished literature because the refined and respected works of most other classical writers are in novel form and thus differ highly from Shakesperian works in the literary devices and mannerisms from which they are comprised. The Tempest was written in early seventeeth century England. At this period of history and country the English language was quite different from what it is today in many ways. First, standard, formal vocabulary was different at this time. An great expample is found in the line â€Å"...you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!† (act 1 sc. 1, p. 9). In this line, the word incharitable is the modern equivalent of the word uncharitable. The standard dictionary word has changed prefixes somewhere througout the centuries. Another thing that would have made a further gap between the vernacular in the play and modern English is Shakespeare’s deployment of common language, or slang (although I have no proof because I don’t speak sixteenth century slang). â€Å"A pox o’ your throught...† (act 1 sc.1, p. 9) and â€Å"...give o’er...† (act 1 sc. 1, p. 9). These phrases seem to be slang therms because they are so deviant from there modern english equvalents, â€Å"curses on† and â€Å"give up†, respectiveley. What value does learning the archaic vernacular give to the reader. Surely it does not increase thier word power or sophisticate thier vocabulary, for nowhere, not even in among people of high intellecutal refinement such as venerable college professers, is this dead language used. Another distinctive trait of the vernacular used in The Tempest is the heavy use of metaphor. This use of metaphor is so heavy and outlandish that it becomes extrodinarily difficult to interpret and causes the words to fall into chaotic ambiguity. In fact, it is not unreasonable to define the language of the text as sophistry. A great example of heavy metaphor in The

Financial Analysis of Robert Mondavi :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Financial Analysis of Robert Mondavi Robert Mondavi Seeing that I have already made millions upon millions in my moderately successful modeling career, I have decided to turn my attention to investing my money in stock, in particular, Robert Mondavi. 1998 was a hard year for Mondavi, an unforeseen shortage of their most popular wine (Woodbridge Chardonnay- 55% of their revenues) and stiff competition from several new imported brands forced net income down almost $8,000, and cut their earnings per share by 78%. For 1999, Mondavi was forced to take several actions to achieve their objectives. This included redoubling focus on the two largest-volume brands, appointing their Chief Financial Officer to Chief Operating Officer, doubling media expenditures to $7.3 million, taking a $6 million charge to write-off excess inventory and streamline their workforce, creating Brand Teams to improve accountability and planning, and adopt FIFO method of inventory accounting to improve predictability earnings and improve the measurement of inventory value. Mondavi has apparently shown great results from the restructuring, the concentration on the two largest-volume brands have accounted for 20% of the growth of all U.S. varietal wines. They reported record gains in their first quarter report of 2000. The bottom line of the annual report for 1999 shows a 14% increase in net income. But is the company safe to invest in? Stable growth throughout 1995-97 showed net income bolt to $38,125, up 310%. But 1997 showed the risks involved with investing in a company that so heavily relies on natural resources (grapes). Shortages in supplies dropped net income by almost $8,000; earnings per share dropped .53 from 2.43 to 1.90. After analyzing the financial statement, I was able to determine several interesting aspects: a .52 debt ratio shows appeal to lenders; a current ratio of 6.31 is very impressive. Seeing that inventory is so unstable and subject to many natural extraordinary events, the more important acid test shows Mondavi has a comfortable, but less impressive ratio of 1.54. I have found that the financial statement for Robert Mondavi is not to my liking. The strange fonts and subdues colors Financial Analysis of Robert Mondavi :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Financial Analysis of Robert Mondavi Robert Mondavi Seeing that I have already made millions upon millions in my moderately successful modeling career, I have decided to turn my attention to investing my money in stock, in particular, Robert Mondavi. 1998 was a hard year for Mondavi, an unforeseen shortage of their most popular wine (Woodbridge Chardonnay- 55% of their revenues) and stiff competition from several new imported brands forced net income down almost $8,000, and cut their earnings per share by 78%. For 1999, Mondavi was forced to take several actions to achieve their objectives. This included redoubling focus on the two largest-volume brands, appointing their Chief Financial Officer to Chief Operating Officer, doubling media expenditures to $7.3 million, taking a $6 million charge to write-off excess inventory and streamline their workforce, creating Brand Teams to improve accountability and planning, and adopt FIFO method of inventory accounting to improve predictability earnings and improve the measurement of inventory value. Mondavi has apparently shown great results from the restructuring, the concentration on the two largest-volume brands have accounted for 20% of the growth of all U.S. varietal wines. They reported record gains in their first quarter report of 2000. The bottom line of the annual report for 1999 shows a 14% increase in net income. But is the company safe to invest in? Stable growth throughout 1995-97 showed net income bolt to $38,125, up 310%. But 1997 showed the risks involved with investing in a company that so heavily relies on natural resources (grapes). Shortages in supplies dropped net income by almost $8,000; earnings per share dropped .53 from 2.43 to 1.90. After analyzing the financial statement, I was able to determine several interesting aspects: a .52 debt ratio shows appeal to lenders; a current ratio of 6.31 is very impressive. Seeing that inventory is so unstable and subject to many natural extraordinary events, the more important acid test shows Mondavi has a comfortable, but less impressive ratio of 1.54. I have found that the financial statement for Robert Mondavi is not to my liking. The strange fonts and subdues colors

Poor Black Little Fellow

CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY. THESIS STATEMENT: The Pembertons neglect Arnie’s basic needs for various reasons. All along years, white people have been discriminating black ones. That is why several black people, such as Martin Luther King, have been fighting for their right to be treated as equal to any other person of any other race. And even though white people have been simulating to accept them, they have been treated as if they were of a lower social class.This is what happens with the main character of the short story entitled â€Å"Poor Little Black Fellow† by Langston Hughes, Arnie, who was adopted by The Pembertons, a white family. They neglected Arnie’s basic need for various reasons. The first reason why they disregard Arnie’s necessities is that they were used to live by their own. They had spent their marriage on loneliness. This is because they were unable to have children. And hence, they became accustomed to live alone.As a result, they were inc apable to take care of Arnie’s affective needs. For instance, they let him sleep in the garage and they allowed him to bring friends but not inside the house. All in all, these features are important to state that The Pembertons avoided Arnie’s needs. The second reason why The Pembertons paid no attention to Arnie’s requirements is that he did not belong to their family. He was son of The Pemberton’s lovely servants who had died and to whom The Pembertons loved very much. Therefore, they adopted Arnie as their â€Å"own†.Nonetheless, they were unable to completely accept him and consequently, they had many prejudices against him. On the whole, these pieces of information contribute to state that The Pembertons took no notice of Arnie’s necessities. Finally, the fact that Arnie belonged to an Afro-American culture is the last reasons for The Pembertons’ carelessness. As he was black, The Pembertonss deep inside had prejudices against h im. Apart from that, they adopted him just because they felt it was their religious duty.And as a consequence, even though it was unintended, they behaved in a rude way towards him. All things considered are significant to assure that Arnie’s needs were ignored by The Pembertonss. To sum up, the fact that The Pemberton lived alone their whole life, that Arnie was not their son and that he was black contribute to the reasons why the family uncared for Arnie’s affective needs. Summarizing, taking into account these facts it can be affirmed that there were many causes why The Pembertons avoided Arnie’s affective requirements.

Gillian Clarke Essay

Before even reading â€Å"Miracle on St David’s Day†, I knew that something very special was going to happen from the word in the title â€Å"Miracle†. Clarke’s use of this word suggests that an amazing event is going to occur and that the poem is therefore going to be emotional and poignant. Gillian Clarke uses the first verse of the poem to create a pastoral idyll due to the use of personification-â€Å"An afternoon yellow and open mouthed with daffodils†. This conjures a happy and warm image of daffodils with their trumpets open wide, laughing in the sunlight, and it successfully personifies the flowers. Clarke also places people in the description to make it seem even more vivid in our minds-â€Å"the rumps of gardeners between nursery shrubs†. The line, â€Å"country house, guests strolling† pulls together a vivid image of a beautiful, opening scene in the reader’s mind. Clarke also introduces the importance of nature right at the beginning of the poem in this first verse. lAt the start of the second verse, Clarke dramatically dispels the pastoral idyllic that she created in the first verse. â€Å"I am reading poetry to the insane† is a blunt line, completely in contrast to the last verse as it is so insensitive. As readers, we instantly realise the harsh reality of the situation that she is in fact in a mental institution. Clarke’s dispelling of the original image is effective because it catches the reader’s attention immediately as it is a completely unexpected twist. It also makes the poem poignant because it makes the reader’s realise that there is never a perfect place and that there is always suffering around. Clarke goes on in this verse to describe some of the patients around her and the length of their mental disorders-â€Å"An old woman interrupting offers as many buckets of coal as I need. Clarke describes the poignant image of a schizophrenic, beautiful boy absorbed in her poetry making us realise that her poetry may be powerful for these people. After verse two, Clarke introduces verse three by stating â€Å"on a good day, they tell me later† to show how the split between a verse is a like the dramatic split personality of a schizophrenic. In verse three, Clarke goes into more detail about her moving surroundings to build up a vivid idea of the situation in the reader’s mind. She describes ow the sun causes shadows of window bars into the room and how a woman is sitting in these shadows as if she is in a cage. â€Å"In a cage of first March sun a woman sits†. Clarke repeats the word not, â€Å"not listening, not seeing, not feeling† to result in the woman appearing to be trapped inside herself and entirely vacant. Finally in this verse, Clarke writes, â€Å"a big, big mild, man is tenderly led to his chair†. The use of the adverb â€Å"tenderly† makes us understand just how much care and attention these people need. Clarke continues with the poem’s tone of compassion in verse four, by the slow reading caused by several instances of pauses in the line due to commas such as â€Å"†¦ hands on his knees, he rocks†¦ â€Å". â€Å"I read to the big, dumb, labouring man as he rocks† also brings about the sad sense that although this man seems self-sufficient and big on the exterior he is mild and insecure on the inside and in the mind. Finally Clarke uses an oxymoron, â€Å"I read to their presences, absences† to show how although they are physically in the room, some of their minds aren’t really there at all. In verse five, Clarke’s writing makes everything suddenly change. The slow and thoughtful pace of the poem ends dramatically in a similar way that Clarke destroyed the pastoral idyllic after the first verse. Gillian Clarke’s use of alliteration also strongly suggests that something special is about to happen, â€Å"He is suddenly standing silently, huge and mild but I feel afraid. † Clarke then cleverly uses two similes to portray the moment before the man speaks, â€Å"Like slow movement of spring water or the first bird of the year in the breaking darkness†. These similes are closely linked to new life spring which is convenient because the poem is set on the first day of spring. We also grasp from Clarke’s use of similes that the man is going to do something new. This is a significant and poignant moment in the poem because the man is so well-built and huge yet what he is about to do is something really big and special for everybody in the room and the reader, â€Å"the labourer’s voice recites ‘The Daffodils’† The reaction to this man’s speech is shock and no one is able to speak. The nurses are speechless and prepared for violence from the man but even they freeze. The patients, some of which are seriously mentally ill also suddenly listen, â€Å"the patients seem to listen†. It is effective and poignant, how Gillian Clarke then personifies the daffodils to match the characters and mood of the room. She expresses that even nature outside can react at this incredible moment. The hyperbole that she uses, â€Å"a thousand, ten thousand† is an excerpt from the Wordsworth poem that the man is reciting. Clarke successfully employs this hyperbole to exaggerate the number of daffodils who stop to observe to the man breaking free of speech and his life. I think that the seventh stanza is the most heart-breaking stanza, especially â€Å"Since the dumbness of misery fell†; because that implies that the man was once a happy child and only stopped talking and became miserable when something tore his life apart. This is poignant because it makes us imagine tragic events that could have stopped this man from speaking and that it really shows the power and impact that poetry can have. I think â€Å"the daffodils are flame† is a very effective and clever way of Clarke to finish the poem because it is ending with the daffodils where it first started. The way that nature outside corresponds to the event in the room is truly miraculous. In verse six Clarke personifies the daffodils as â€Å"still as wax† whilst the man is reciting and the daffodils are then â€Å"flame† in the last verse during the man’s applaud (we can see a fiery theme). The poem is so poignant because of the way Clarke creates successful images and personification so that we can feel we are in the room at the time of the miracle. The pathetic fallacy at the end leaves reader’s reflective and astounded by the description in poetry of such an amazing account.

Biography of Kate Chopin Essay

Kate Chopin was an American author of short stories and novels. Considered as one of the earliest feminist authors of the 20th century, she was one of the most-celebrated female writers of her time. She wrote several short stories including The Story of an Hour (1894), Euphrase (1850), Mrs. Mobry’s Reason (1891), A Shameful Affair (1893), and many others. Her literature usually described her own life, reflecting the time she lived in and the life she led. When readers look into her literature, they do not only read what is on the text but also try to understand the context. When you look through her fiction, you might notice that the contexts include the life of the author, the time it was written and the social condition during the time it was set, among others. One of her short stories, The Story of an Hour, depicts a woman’s reactions to the news of her husband’s death, upon reading which I found connections between her life and the life of the main character of the short story. Background and early life After Kate Chopin’s father was killed in a train accident, she moved into a household of women in St. Louis. As a girl she was mentored mainly by women – her mother, her grandmother, and her great grandmother. She also had deep bonds with her family members, the sisters who taught her at school, and with her life-long friend Kitty Garasche. A lot of the fiction Kate wrote was hugely influenced by the women she grew up with, especially regarding her views about feminism, and women. In 1870, at the age of 20, she settled in New Orleans. Oscar, her husband, bought a general store in Cloutierville, but in 1882 he died of malaria and left Kate with $12,000 in debt (approximately $229,360 in 2005 dollars). Kate Chopin was widowed at 32. She attempted to run the plantation and store alone but with no success. Two years later, she sold her Louisiana business. Her mother wanted her to move back to St. Louis. The following year, her mother died. After the loss of both her husband and the mother, Kate Chopin found herself drifting into the realms of depression. Her doctor felt that writing would be a good way for her to heal this developing depression. Her doctor understood that writing could serve as a focus for her energy as well as a source of income. She thus indulged herself and became successful, and found many of her work getting published. However, some of her writings were far too ahead of their times and she faced lack of acceptance for almost 12 years. Literary works with examples Kate Chopin commented on the importance of describing â€Å"human existence in its subtle, complex, true meaning, stripped of the veil with which ethical and conventional standards have draped it† (1894). An interview on the PBS website for Kate Chopin says, â€Å"I think she was much more interested in the excitement, the civilization that came in her circle of intellectual friends. That was freedom, the freedom to explore ideas† (PBS, 1999). Kate was neither a feminist nor a suffragist, she said so. She was nonetheless a woman who took women extremely seriously. She never doubted the woman’s ability to be strong. She came from a long line of strong women whom she loved and respected, owing to the affiliation with her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother. She had strong intellectual women friends. Her lack of interest in feminism and suffrage did not have anything to do with a lack of confidence in women, nor did it have a lot to do with a lack of desire for freedom. She simply had a different understanding of freedom. She saw freedom as much more a matter of spirit, soul, and character than anything else, of living your life within the constraints that the world makes [or] your God offers you, because all of us do live within constraints. There is no indication that â€Å"she regretted her marriage, or regretted being a mother† (PBS, 1999). Early 1970s was the period thriving with women’s rights movements, and Kate Chopin was one leading contributor to the said phenomenon. She contributed a lot through her writings about women, daytime dramas, the feminine mystique, women’s liberation, Mars vs. Venus, self-help and commentary on open marriages. You can see how Kate Chopin’s life event (train accident, A Widow, and Freedom for Women) influenced her fictions through The Story of an Hour. One of the main events in the story is a man’s loss, namely Mrs. Mallard’s husband. Josephine, Mrs. Mallard’s sister, brought the sad message that there was a railroad disaster and of those listed as killed included Brently Mallard, who was Mrs. Mallard’s husband. In Kate’s life, there had been a similar loss. That someone was her father who passed away in a railroad accident in 1855. Furthermore, Mrs. Mallard is in due course assumed to be a widow, but readers will soon find out that Mr. Mallard is alive. In Kate’s life, her father had widowed her mother. Both had experienced what it’s like to be a widow but of course, the response to the loss may entirely be different. In the end, before she learnt of Brently’s return from the accident, Louise died of heart disease – of joy that kills. This could suggest that she had a moment of monstrous joy, which consumed her and overwhelmed her to death. Perhaps Chopin would just let Louise die instead of seeing Brently again, causing her to remain imprisoned and be confined to her husband’s hands. Lastly, in The Story of An Hour, Chopin made no suggestion to the readers that Mrs. Mallard was sorry for her husband’s loss. Instead, she uttered under her breath, â€Å"free, free, and free! † which suggests how happy Mrs. Mallard was to have lost her husband, because she now has freedom of herself. The joy she feels after regaining her freedom is something which consumes her. In Kate’s life, a lot of her work mentioned the rise in the rights of women. She experienced a period where there was a decline in those rights and women were deprived of public needs like education, the right to vote, the right to property and their children. Those events drove her to write the kind of feminist text she did instead of dedicating herself to other themes. As observed, literature can bring us to the world of the author. Literary works reflect the time, state of mind, and the life of the author. By understanding the connection between Kate Chopin and Mrs. Mallard in the short story, The Story of an Hour, it can be confirmed that the novel portrayed a reference to Kate Chopin’s life since most of the events (train accident, A Widow, and Freedom for Women) in Louise’s life are similar to, or at least greatly influenced by her own. References Chopin, K. (1894). One Story. PBS (Director). (1999). Kate Chopin: A Re-Awakening [Motion Picture].

Becoming a scuba instructor

The life of a SCUBA instructor is something that people who have a passion for the water and the beach have imagined as ideal. In fact, it would be the perfect career for most because they think that it would mean spending the rest of one’s life on the beach, languishing under the warm tropical sun and taking a dive in the deep blue cold water.All of these benefits while enjoying a modest salary that allows for enjoyment of the other luxuries in life. For those who become successful as SCUBA instructors, the benefits are even better.One can become a world class instructor who explores old wrecks underneath the ocean and even have their own diving schools. Yet these are all dreams and perceptions of what it is like to be a SCUBA instructor. Not everyone gets a chance to enjoy this life. In fact, it is quite difficult and challenging to become a full fledged SCUBA instructor.In order to become one, there is a series of tests and practical examinations that one needs to undergo. The step after that involves taking additional training to ensure that the licensure is complete. As one SCUBA instructor put it, â€Å"Everyone always imagines a life of relaxation.They always feel as if it is simply swimming once in a while and taking people down for fun dives while getting paid for it. † This is not always the case because it involves a major lifestyle and career change. This also means that there are added responsibilities.The first step in being a SCUBA instructor lies in being able to understand the risks and responsibilities that are involved as well as figuring out the first step that one needs to take to pursue this career. The profession of SCUBA instructor, as previously mentioned, is not an easy one.SCUBA instructor is more of a technical term but the actual role that one plays in most dive operations is one of a dive-master rather than a SCUBA instructor. The main bulk of SCUBA resort operations are taking people down for diving trips.Providing i nstructions to new divers or those who want to improve their skills is only a small part of the entire business. Therefore, for those who want to be SCUBA instructor professionals, training as a dive-master is also necessary. This has been labeled as one of the first disappointments or reality checks that an eager SCUBA instructor has to deal with.It is not so much about teaching students how to dive but also acting as an underwater guide to those who already know how to dive but merely want somebody to lead them and show them around the dive area.This leads to the first aspect that must be considered before pursuing a career as a SCUBA instructor; making sure that if the thought of diving at the same spot in shallow water is something that one will be able to do day in and day out. To ensure that this does not happen, it is usually recommended that SCUBA instructors or applicants find the written job description first and get the proper certification.This leads to higher job satisf action. The reason for this is that it allows for more flexibility with regards to career. Under certain job descriptions, SCUBA instructors may be allowed to handle different classes in different sites depending on the size of the school.The pay grade is much higher, however, depending on the school and the lessons that are taught to the students. Another factor which affects the job pay is the experience that the instructor has which usually means that more experience leads to a better job and hence higher pay. This in return usually leads to a higher rate of job satisfaction.This job satisfaction, however, also requires certain additional qualifications that SCUBA instructors need to comply with. These requirements usually have to deal with the other tasks that a SCUBA instructor may be required to do.For example, most SCUBA instructors are required to have the basic knowledge on how to repair SCUBA gear. This means that the instructor must be proficient with not only one brand o f SCUBA equipment but must also have the knowhow for the other brands. Another requirement that is becoming common among SCUBA instructors is the basic knowledge to pilot a boat.While this is definitely not included in the job description, it is necessary because a number of resort owners would like to save on costs by having one person perform multiple positions. This experience in navigating a boat also carries the additional requirement of nautical licensure and familiarity with the parts of boat from a 15’ skiff to a 48’ cruiser.This also means that while no expertise that is on a specialist level is required a certain level of proficiency with regard to the workings of these basic machines is needed.One of the main draws of being a professional SCUBA instructor is the fact that it allows the individual to live on an island. This is, however, also one of the biggest risks and sources of stress. The reason for this is that living on an island also means that one is isolated from a lot of things in life. From a professional standpoint, this means that when the other duties and requirements, such as those mentioned above, are required, one must be able to deal with those problems with the basic tools.Most dive locations do not have the specialists who can deal with the problem as soon as it happens. These shops are usually located on the main island and need to travel to reach the destination of the dive spot. This means that there is a lag time and any good SCUBA instructor must be able to deal with the events happening immediately.This job hazard is usually very stressful and sometimes even hazardous. The next problem is with regard to the personal life of a SCUBA instructor. Being isolated on dive resorts also means being isolated from members of the family or society.As some studies have shown, prolonged isolation usually leads to certain problems and may lead to greater dangers such as alcoholism which is very dangerous for a SCUBA instruct or. Assignments on dive resorts can last for a span as short as six (6) months and extend to durations as long as six (6) years.Another aspect that a SCUBA instructor must deal with is in regard to interpersonal skills. One must remember that being a SCUBA instructor is not only showing people how to dive but also how one is able to teach.In this line, teaching entails that a person must also be able to communicate to the students just what exactly they must do. The most common problems that even experienced SCUBA instructors need to deal with are the fact that they have to teach people without offending them.Most vacationing divers are largely inexperienced and are not quite adept at even the most basic of diving regulations. In educating these people, it is necessary for the SCUBA instructor to be able to encourage them to learn more without putting them down.This is important because safety practices must always be observed before diving. Other problems with teaching also center on those who have been certified but are only taking their first dive. These are perhaps the most difficult bunch to instruct because they feel that they already know what to do.The self important attitude that most of these certified divers carry is a scary thing because they could always forget the basic safety regulations. As mentioned earlier, in diving, the most important thing is safety because there are a lot of hazards that a diver must deal with during the operation.This is more difficult considering the fact that certain countries have different diving regulations from others and these certified divers may feel that the SCUBA instructor is not an authority. The challenge here, therefore, lies in being able to deal with this people to ensure the safety of the group. Now that these basic requirements and training exercises have been elaborated on, it is also important to discuss the basic steps that one needs to undertake before becoming a SCUBA instructor.The most important step that one needs to take lies in certifying that one is in excellent medical condition. Due to the hazards that divers are exposed to at work, one must be physically fit to endure the rigors of diving. Specific requirements such as a current medical report including blood work, chest X-ray and physical fitness tests are necessary.There is also the matter of valid passport, work permits and of course certification to be a SCUBA instructor. The life of a SCUBA instructor is indeed a very promising one if one is able to carefully study and lay out their plan.As discussed previously, all the considerations such as proper training and expertise are very necessary. Individuals must be prepared for the tasks and responsibilities that the job requires. Aside from this there is also the matter of proper permits and interpersonal skills. One overlooked aspect of being a SCUBA instructor lies in understanding the difference between visiting and island the living on an island because these are two (2) very difficult things.Most people usually feel that living on an island is similar to visiting an island but these are not the same. The reason for this is because people must now deal with the living expenses in relation to the salary that they are provided. Most dive resort owners provide salary based on the cost of living scale of the location. As such, while it may seem that the SCUBA instructor is earning so much more than the locals, the conversion rate when compared to other countries may be much lower than average.This means that while one can live the life of a king on a tropical island, he or she may be a pauper in some other part of the world. To summarize, becoming a SCUBA instructor is not for everyone. While the lure of warm and sunny tropical beaches is definitely alluring, the fact that this is considered a job also means that there is work to be done. It is not all just fun and games. The positive side of this, however, is the fact that it really is much easier to do a job that one loves and enjoys.