Into the Wild Essay

You will have 45 minutes to plan and write an essay on the topic assigned below. Before you begin writing, read the passage carefully and plan what you will say. Your essay should be as well-organized and carefully written as you can make it. I think that Chris McCandless was bright and ignorant at the same time. He had no common sense, and he had no business going into Alaska with his Romantic silliness. He made a lot of mistakes based on arrogance. I don’t admire him at all for his courage nor his noble ideas. Really, I think he was just plain crazy. Shaun Callarman Explain Callarman’s argument and discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with his analysis. Support your position, providing reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading. The sample student essays that follow reflect the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for their respective scores. Sample student essay with a score of 6: Life: Not an Episode of â€Å"Grizzly Man† Yes, living alone in the wilderness like Thoreau and London sounds exciting, especially if you fake a big part of your adventures or if you can pack up and go home when you get too hungry. Chris McCandless doesn’t have these options, but Shaun Callarman believes that Chris is full of â€Å"Romantic silliness,† and by this statement I think he means that Chris goes into Alaska seeing only the good parts of the wilderness experience. Like Callarman, I believe that Chris has a head full of â€Å"Romantic ideas† and that he lacks â€Å"common sense† although I would not call him â€Å"plain crazy.† When Chris decides to map some part of the Alaskan wilderness that’s already been mapped, he is definately showing â€Å"Romantic silliness.† Callarman is right about this; it doesn’t seem very courageous to me to waste time doing work that someone else has already done! I would want to spend my time doing something more useful. The wilde rness in Alaska is being ruined with oil pipes and spills. Chris could of taken some of his â€Å"noble ideas† and used them to better the area. By spending his energy for a good cause, he would not have seemed so arrogant and ignorant, as Callarman states. It might have  felt romantic to him to draw his own map, but he was staying in a bus, so it seems pretty clear to me that somebody else had been there already. Also, Callarman says that Chris â€Å"made a lot of mistakes base on arrogance.† I agree; Chris does make a lot of errors. For instance, he brings the wrong kind of gun, the wrong kind of clothes, too many books and not enough food. What is the purpose of his reading and his library research in Alaska if he’s not going to be willing to take advise? So yes, Chris’s mistakes maybe coming from an arrogant brain. On the other hand, Chris did show some â€Å"noble ideas,† in contrast to what Callarman states. He tries to keep other people from getting involved with him by not letting them get too close. In addition, he really did kill a moose and not a carabou, as some people made fun of him for doing. Finally, he lives a lot longer out in the wilderness than most people could! Chris is definately a bizarre mix of qualities, as Callarman argues, but now that I think about it Chris is not really as bad as he looks. Being young (high school and college) is suppose to be the time of our lives for Romantic silliness. Aren’t we suppose to be idealists during this time? I would not want my plans and dreams to be called â€Å"arrogant† or â€Å"ignorant,† because they’re impo rtant to me and I want them to come true. All in all, with his bad family life and sketchy role models like London, Chris did not do too bad. I do feel sorry for his parents and sister and friends, but his life is a lesson for all of us to be careful but to follow our dreams as much as we can. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 6. The superior response indicates that the writer is very well prepared to handle college-level reading and writing. The writer offers a concise and accurate explanation of the Callarman quotation and effectively addresses all aspects of the prompt. The essay demonstrates a thorough, critical understanding of the passage, invoking Callarman both directly and indirectly, integrating quoted material smoothly, and using the Callarman quotation to guide the writer’s response. The essay consistently and insightfully negotiates between Callarman and the writer, even to the extent that the writing itself functions to modify the writer’s position as the essay progresses. With a few exceptions (see the second paragraph, for example) the writer uses transitions appropriately and effectively, both within and between  paragraphs, to guide the reader through the essay. The writer offers specific, accura te, and relevant examples (the map, the insufficient clothing and food, too many books) to support the essay’s points. The writer concludes the essay by referring to London again at the end and bringing the essay full circle. The essay’s paragraphs get shorter toward the end as the writer perhaps begins to rush, yet they are generally unified, focused, and well developed. The writer has learned to write in the literary present tense, with only some wavering of verb tense (especially toward the end of the essay). The essay is generally free of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics, except for minor slips (such as â€Å"definately† and â€Å"maybe† versus â€Å"may be†) that do not interfere with meaning. Sample student essay with a score of 5: Into the Wild Essay Shaun Callarman does not have much good to say about Chris McCandless. He believes that he, â€Å"was bright and ignorant at the same time,† meaning that Chris was smart; just smart enough to get himself killed in Alaska. Callarman also believes that Chris, â€Å"was just plain crazy,† which I think is taking his argument too far. I agree that Chris was foolish and made mistakes based on arrogance, but I don’t think he was crazy. Chris was just a bad combination of brains and stupidity. A college graduate should know enough to prepare for the wilderness. Who goes to a cold and distant place like Alaska with a backpack full of books and a bag of rice? He had enough money to buy the stuff he needed, why not spend some of his savings on a $5 map? His $24,000 would of bought him a lot of equiptment and food. People kept trying to buy him equiptment but each time he denied them. Is this being independent, or is it being stupid? I vote for stupid. Of course, Chris had a lot of problems that contributed to his decision to go into the wild. For example, his parent’s marriage was awful, and his dad’s double life must of been a huge shock. It seems that Chris did a lot of this to spite his parents, like lieing about his identity, ignoring letters from home, and badmouthing his Mom and Dad. There are lots of people like him that feel they have something to prove, so they go out and do something wreckless. Chris didn’t prove anything by going to Alaska, besides that he was an idiot. If he hated his Mom and Dad so much, maybe he should of just  gone somewhere and started a new life, maybe he should of taken his savings and bought a cabin in Alaska and been alone as long as he wanted instead of starving to death in a bus for innocent hikers to find later. If Chris is crazy, then so are a lot of other people, but he seems more foolish and even mean. For example, what about the way he treated the old man Ron? Ron really cared about Chris and he had already lost his entire family, but Chris tried to tell him how to live. After all that, he hit the road again and left Ron behind. This example shows that he only thinks of himself throughout the book, which just makes him like many others, dumb. Callarman lets him off too easy when he calls him â€Å"crazy†. If Chris was crazy, he could of been helped, but I believe he was mostly foolish and angry. He went to Alaska in a temper tantrum to show everyone, but he paid the biggest price in his death. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 5. The clear competence of the essay indicates that this writer is ready to handle college-level reading and writing. The writer provides a reasonable and clear thesis that responds to the prompt. The writer opens with an accurate summary of the Callarman passage, choosing to focus on the idea of whether or not Chris is crazy to develop a well-reasoned response. The writer shows some depth and complexity by attempting to consider opposing viewpoints in the third paragraph, although the logic wavers somewhat. The essay tends to overuse generalities (largely that McClandless was â€Å"dumb† or â€Å"stupid†), and some sections are underdeveloped. However, the writer does provide some specific examples (McClandless’ refusal to obtain equipment, his abandonment of Ron) to back up the essay’s assertions. The writer’s personal voice is lively and consistent throughout the essay. Transitions are occasionally awkward or missing, but the writer generally succeeds at using transitional language to guide the reader through the essay. The writer is able to reiterate the essay’s position in the final paragraph without being overly repetitive. The essay suffers from some errors of expression, such as spelling (â€Å"equiptment,† â€Å"lieing†), usage (â€Å"would of,† â€Å"should of†), mechanics (â€Å"his parent’s marriage†), semicolon use, pronoun confusion (the use of â€Å"he† in the first paragraph), and style (overuse of â€Å"a lot†), but these concerns do not generally detract from meaning. On the strong side,  this writer has learned to use a comma before coordinating conjunctions that connect independent clauses. Sample student essay with a score of 4: Chris McCandless was a risk-taker. He was a young man that wanted to be independent and live his life without anyone telling him what to do. Some people, such as Shaun Callarman, describe him as ignorant and arrogant. Others admire him for his ability to maintain his independence and live under his own control while maintaining his morals. Shaun Callarman says he was â€Å"bright and ignorant at the same time.† He had to have been bright. He read amazingly difficult books and followed their teachings as well. However, aside from calling him bright, Callarman also calls McCandless ignorant. Was McCandless ignorant for following the teachings of these books? No. He was just curious and obviously determined. Callarman states, â€Å"He had no common sense, and he had no business going into Alaska with his Romantic silliness.† I agree with what Callarman says in this passage. Common sense would have told him to bring the necessary supplies with him before attempting to go in to the wilderness of Alaska. I have been taught from a very young age to not go anywhere without my necessities, whether it be money, food, or water. I also have been taught to not go anywhere alone, especially if it is a huge risk. Chris McCandless ignored, or showed absolutely no common sense. I do not however think he was crazy. I do admire him for his ability to retain his morals and live his dreams out to their fullest potential. He took risks and in doing so was able to achieve what he most wanted. Independence. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 4. This adequate response to the topic suggests that the writer should be able to handle college-level reading and writing. The writer demonstrates a generally accurate understanding of the passage, although the writer struggles to understand some of Callarman’s points (i.e., how McCandless could be â€Å"bright and ignorant at the same time†). The essay delivers its thesis in the first sentence; this thesis is succinct and responds to the prompt. The first paragraph is brief but adequately set up, with the question, Was Chris independent or arrogant? posed through logic and transitional language (e.g., â€Å"Some people . . .† in the third sentence,  followed by â€Å"Others . . .† in the fourth). The writer quotes Callarman both directly and indirectly and attempts to incorporate quoted material smoothly with tag phrases, introductions, and other markers, although the quotati ons after the first paragraph are repetitive in terms of structure and logic. The essay as a whole is somewhat simplistic and repetitive. The final paragraph, for example, basically restates the thesis paragraph (first paragraph), and the body paragraphs tend to repeat their points as well. The logic in the essay is uneven, particularly in the third paragraph, where the essay seems to argue against its own thesis when the writer attempts to acknowledge Callarman’s â€Å"Romantic silliness† comment. The writer offers transitional language, although somewhat simplistic, within paragraphs (â€Å"however† is a prominent transition) but does not provide similar guidance for the reader between paragraphs. The examples from the text (reading hard books, leaving without necessities) are relevant but are general and underdeveloped. The essay generally demonstrates control of grammar, usage, and mechanics; in fact, this essay is a prime example of a paper that handles the English language quite competently but that struggles in other areas, such as organization and development. Sample student essay with a sc ore of 3: Chris McCandless was an adventourous man. Chris McCandless wanted to live his life to the fullest. Chris had changed his name to Alex the Supertramp. Alex wanted to live on the ‘road’. So he packed up all his belongings and burned his money. He unfortunaly died hundred and twelve days after he ‘hit the road’. Many people think of him as inspiration. While Others belived he was Crazy. I personally believe that Alex was an inspiration. An man by the name of Shawn Callarman had written a passage about Alex. Callarman writes â€Å"I think that Chris McCandless was bright and ignorant.† Callarman goes on to say that â€Å"I think he was just plain Crazy.† I disagree I believe Alex had a purpose in life. I believe that Alex had taken some time to think about his journey. Alex had a purpose in his life. I believe he wanted to show people how they can have goals and still acheive them. Even though he died on his Journey he left a ‘track’ b ehind. Alex had many pals along the way and he made a difference in their lives. Chris McCandless was an inspiration to me. Many people have their opinions of Chris. Chris’s story could lean  towards both ways. I believe that Chris MaCandless made a difference in a least one person’s life on his Journey. Chris McCandless was Crazy but he was not just a regular man. Chris McCandless was an inspiration to us all. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 3; however, it is a weak 3. Although the essay suggests developing competence, it is flawed in significant ways that suggest the writer needs additional practice before being able to succeed in college-level reading and writing. The writer makes limited use of the passage, focusing solely on the idea of McClandless’s potential craziness. The essay quotes Callarman by implication and without attribution in the final sentence of the first paragraph. It mentions Callarman directly only in the second paragraph by providing two quotations, the first of which is simply dropped in, then left unaddressed. The writer struggles to choose between two potential thesis statements (â€Å"I personally believe that Alex was an inspiration† and â€Å"I believe Alex had a purpose in life†), both contained in the second paragraph and reiterated but not supported elsewhere in the essay. The body paragraphs are a series of assertions that lack effective transitions. The writer has limited control of syntax and vocabulary, using a highly repetitive sentence structure throughout the essay, with constructions of similar length, grammatical structure, and simplicity (e.g., the first three sentences of the first paragraph open with the word â€Å"Chris†). The writer offers examples from the text that are accurate (McClandless’s changing his name, burning the money, making friends along the way), but these examples are often unspecific and are generally underdeveloped and undersupported. The writer struggles to maintain a consistent and appropriate verb tense throughout the essay. The essay suffers from an accumulation of errors, especially errors in spelling (â€Å"unfortuanly† and â€Å"belived†), punctuation (missing commas and misused single quotation marks), and erratic capitalization (â€Å"Others† and â€Å"Crazy†). Sample student essay with a score of 2: Into the Wild Essay Callarman’s argument is that he thinks that McCandless was bright but a the same time ignorant. He tries to said that he was dum by saying he was  ignorant. Also he try to said that McCandless didn’t have no business to go to Alaska. That he made Mistakes based on Pride. That he was just going there because he was Crazy he didn’t know why he was going there. I also agree with him because why he wanted to go to Alaska. Specialy when he didn’t have the right things to live in a place like that. He also was acting crazy that he didn’t even know what he was doing. He even die because he didn’t have no Food to eat. And he was acting weird with his parents and his brother and sister. Callamar made a good opinion about McCandless by saying that because he didn’t act like a normal person. I think he didn’t act like an adult. Specialy when he sent the Letters to his Family and his Friends. I think he did Miss his people he didn’ t wanted to assume he Miss them. He should to stay with his parents and never went to Alaska. McCandless did it wrong because he went to Alaska just because of his Romantic illness. That was not a good reason to just go away and live to another place were he would not live in good conditions. I think he could Forget about his Romantic illness and he could even get another person. But he even kill his own life which is not a good thing. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 2. The serious flaws here indicate that this writer will need considerable additional practice before being able to succeed in college-level reading and writing. This piece provides a good picture of a student whose ESL writing features are profoundly obscuring what would otherwise be a stronger (that is, a 3-level) essay. The writer demonstrates a basic understanding of the passage but focuses on repeating Callarman’s points without establishing a clear direction for the essay. The writer fails to respond to the prompt with a focused thesis. The first sentence of the second paragraph, â€Å"I also agree with him . . . † alludes to a potential thesis that has not yet been offered and that never appears explicitly in the essay. Although the writer attempts four body paragraphs, the paragraphs are not logically linked to one another. The writer attempts in the second paragraph to use transitiona l language to guide the reader through that particular paragraph, but the essay’s organization both within and between paragraphs is left largely to the reader to discern. The essay offers generalizations (â€Å"he was acting weird with his parents†) without providing specific support. The writer  lacks basic control of syntax (see the first sentence of the third paragraph) and vocabulary (â€Å"Romantic illness†), and some statements make no logical or syntactic sense at all (see the third sentence of the second paragraph and the first sentence of the third paragraph). The writer has serious and persistent errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics (spelling, erratic capitalization) that severely interfere with meaning. The problems many English learners have with idioms (â€Å"because why he wanted to go†), verb tenses (â€Å"he tries to said†), and verb forms (â€Å"he even kill his own life†) are pervasive and profoundly obscure meaning. Sample student essay with a score of 1: I sure do agree with Callarmans argument. She is absolutly right McCandless was bright and ignorant. And He defenatly had no common sense, he was one of those weird people you won’t expect. For my observation she gots the same thoughts as I do. I shure think defining terms allows me to cushion my position. The evidence that I will use is that He was writing all his up and down pants. In my point of view I think that McCnadless was avery unique guy. He even did things that no one would do. An example, work everywhere he stop use his name and give out half of his idenity. That is my point and answere for this paragraph. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 1. The fundamental deficiencies of this essay clearly indicate that the writer needs much additional practice in order to be ready to succeed at college-level reading and writing. The writer agrees with the Callarman quotation without demonstrating any understanding of the passage. The writer fails to use the Callarman passage to develop a meaningful response to the prompt. The essay, at approximately 120 words, is seriously underdeveloped; statements of agreement with Callarman make up a considerable portion of the text. The digression about â€Å"cushion[ing] my position† contributes nothing to the minimal text the writer provides. The writer’s reflective statements about purpose are similarly wasted. The only evidence provided by the writer is McCandless’s evasive attitude toward self-identification at work, but even this example is so poorly expressed as to be nearly incoherent. The writer lacks basic control of syntax and vocabulary. The writer has serious and persistent errors in mechanics that severely interfere with meaning. Spelling and verb form errors are pervasive.

Healthy Eating Essay

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think. Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious. Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to  your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet. Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts. Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet. Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices. Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit. Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? How much is a moderate amount? That really depends on you and your overall eating habits. The goal of healthy eating is to develop a diet that you can maintain for life, not just a few weeks or months, or until you’ve hit your ideal weight. So try to think of moderation in terms of balance. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body. For most of us, moderation or balance means eating less than we do now. More specifically, it means eating far less of the unhealthy stuff (unrefined sugar, saturated fat, for example) and more of the healthy (such as fresh fruit and vegetables). But it doesn’t mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner–but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories  of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you’re still hungry, fill up with an extra serving of fresh vegetables. Try not to think of certain foods as â€Å"off-limits.† When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences. Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. If you don’t feel satisfied at the end of a meal, try adding more leafy green vegetables or rounding off the meal with fresh fruit. Visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards, a slice of bread should be the size of a CD case, and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb. Healthy eating tip 3: It’s not just what you eat, it’s how you eat Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids. Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating. Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of our food. Reconnect with the joy of eating. Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you  feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going. Avoid eating at night. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Early studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may help to regulate weight. After-dinner snacks tend to be high in fat and calories so are best avoided, anyway. Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day. Some great choices include: Greens. Branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options—all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. Sweet vegetables. Naturally sweet vegetables—such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Fruit. Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on. The importance of getting vitamins from food—not pills The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. And while advertisements  abound for supplements promising to deliver the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables in pill or powder form, research suggests that it’s just not the same. A daily regimen of nutritional supplements is not going to have the same impact of eating right. That’s because the benefits of fruits and vegetables don’t come from a single vitamin or an isolated antioxidant. The health benefits of fruits and vegetables come from numerous vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals working together synergistically. They can’t be broken down into the sum of their parts or replicated in pill form. Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart. A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable. Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy. Tips for eating more healthy carbs Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites. Make sure you’re really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran can  be deceptive. Look for the words â€Å"whole grain† or â€Å"100% whole wheat† at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the U.S., Canada, and some other countries, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain. Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%. Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain. Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood, and help prevent dementia. Add to your healthy diet: Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame). Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, and walnuts. Reduce or eliminate from your diet: Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products. Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle  mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily. Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet: Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu, and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes. Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options. Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices. Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change. Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans. Downsize your portions of protein. Many people in the West eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables. Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans, or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics. Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, as well as many other important functions. You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K—nutrients that help calcium do its job. Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet. Good sources of calcium include: Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese. Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms. Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans. Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt. Sugar Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips: Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice. Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.

How Austen creates her novel “Pride and Prejudice” Essay

Jane Austen was extremely modest about her genius, describing her work to her work to her nephew Edward as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"That little but (two inches wide) of ivory in which I work with so fine a brush as produces little effect after much labour.† Although the world of her novel â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† is confined to a small section of society comprising of country-gentry and lesser aristocracy of England in the opening of the 19th century, the novel itself shows page by page how interesting life could be, how fascinating life’s twists and turns are, how significant the trivialities are to those concerned. The range of Austen’s novel is limited by her own circumstances, her own sex, and her position in the society. But the little world she writes about, she knows inside out. She fills her little world so artfully that when we are in it we do not long for anything else and we feel its fullness as well. She practiced what she preached. â€Å"There are four families in a country village† is the very thing to work on. She sticks to what she knows and is refusing to include in her novel what does not properly belong to village life; she is an artist. Austen has an acute interest in personalities, her field is the human heart. Therefore, although she writes in the years of war between England and France while Napoleon was changing the map of Europe, in her novel we find not mention of â€Å"Britain at war.† In â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† soldiers like Wickham, come to Meryton to provide, in a sense, amusement for the girls. Austen thus does not impose anything harsh or unnecessary on her novel; this alludes to the artistic unity of her creation. She consciously limits herself and does not write anything beyond her experience. It may well be mentioned here that in â€Å"A Room One’s Own† Virginia Woolf pays a rich tribute to Austen by mentioning that novels like â€Å"War and Peace† could never be written by any female novelist, but certainly no Tolstoy could ever write the novels of Jane Austen. Austen deliberately and wisely limits herself to a few families and a limited number of characters in â€Å"Pride and Prejudice†. Her characters live in comfort in country houses; their lives consist of holding balls, attending parties, visiting each other’s house and thus amusing themselves. In that society even a small event is given a higher importance. Thereby a ball at the Bingleys or at the Lucases is eagerly anticipated and minutely analyzed. Austen chooses her characters from very ordinary life. Her characters range from the proud aristocrat Darcy to the dull-witted Mrs. Bennet, from the good-natured Jane to the hypocritical Miss Bingley. The men-folks in her novel do not in fact do nay work whereas the young girls are always in pursuit of good husbands. The girls have somehow managed to turn themselves into husband hunting butterflies. Distant Pembrly, Netherfield and Rosings are the upper limit, whereas Sir W Lucas and Lady Catherine Debourgh are highest in rank, the still higher estates and greater aristocracy are not mentioned in the novel, since they little effect Meryton and Derbyshire. The way Austen treats her characters is satiric. Her views of life are therefore always satiric; the passionate and tragic aspects of human life are somehow discarded. Only such characters are chosen that could be satirically treated. This satiric vision of life is a limitation on Austen’s part. Critics sometimes mention that Austen â€Å"Banished nine-tenth of life, and gave us people who never work, or fight or die, or starve or go crazy.† In the view of that above-mentioned statement we find that people in â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† engage themselves in doing nothing. Mr. Darcy apparently seems to have some work to do when he is at Pemberly, the work he does there is obviously connected with his estate. Mr. Gardiner revels in fishing only. Mr. Bennet, as we are told, takes one of his farms but only emerges from his library when he needs to settle some family affairs. Mr. Hurst’s motto of life is â€Å"High living and little thinking.† Reading has a place in family entertainment and since all the novels are heard at family gatherings, the writers take care to fill up pages fit for family consumption. In fact, Austen’s knowledge of men’s ways limited, but she knew how to use  her limitation. In â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† men come and go, and sit and chat when in front of the ladies; Austen does not pursue them into their personal world. We may see Fitz William Darcy and Bingley set off in a carriage but what they discuss is never reported if no woman is present. Despite Austen’s failure to present the many facets of men’s life, she is successful in providing an illuminating insight into some of the most significant characters like that of Darcy and Bingley. For instance, Darcy’s transmigration from a proud and snob person to a compassionate and reliable one is shown with perfect dexterity. In this novel Austen does want to compete with students of political economics, or social problems. The life and its complications that she depicts are just as what she experienced as a woman. Quite naturally her themes in this novel center the complex role of money and love in marriage. In doing so she even consciously avoids any discussion on philosophical or social issues. A simple plot concerning a few number of people is woven in this novel. That Austen has no wish to exceed the limitation of her own is quite evident when we find that urban life is excluded from the novel only because she had not much experience of it. It is mentioned casually during Jane’s visit to London. We have also observed that no black-hearted villain ever makes an appearance in Austen’s pages. The greatest villainy that ever occurs in â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† is the occasional elopement of Lydia with Wickham. Wickham indeed lacks all those negative traits of character which could have made him a person of shade like that of Alec in Hardy’s â€Å"Tess of the D’urbervilles†. Therefore, Wickham’s possibility to be the only villain in â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† ends there. Still it is no shallowness or lack of insight on Austen’s part, which leads her to restrict the exploration of human nature to the apparent social level. Austen gives us in her novel an artistic unity in which nothing is forced, nothing is excessive. A simple plot proceeds bit by bit to the only conclusion possible. Her characters act and speak in a very familiar way as we can imagine. The characters are so true to nature and so well-balanced against constructing types that as they talk along the story we begin to  think that it would not matter if there were no plot. The central figures whose union we desire grow upon us as their mistakes and recoveries reveal the fineness of their spirit. Therefore, in Austen’s world there is a welcome for the sensitive reader who will accept it as it is and will not cry out for, in the words of one critic – â€Å"The moon of passionate embraces or the lightning of sword.†

Federalist Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Federalist Politics - Essay Example They were instrumental in gaining popular support for a large republic. The Federalist #10 is an important document as it set out the framework for how we view special interests, majority rule, and where the power in government will reside. A major portion of the Federalist papers defined the nature of special interest groups. Madison termed them factions and warned of their ability to wield undue influence. Factions are known by the more modern term special interest groups. By concentrating money and political power a small minority can have a great impact on laws and legislation. Factions can bring about corruption and give a voice to a segment of the population that is unduly loud in comparison with the one man one vote philosophy that underpins our constitutional system. Small, well organized factions can influence local politics, elect friendly delegates, and promote laws that are favorable to their cause. In this process the average voter is shut out from the system of government and it is given over to a form of tyranny. Factions have two main impacts on the constitutional system. It has the causes, which are the organized groups attempting to subvert the system, and the results which Madison termed the effects. Madison was realistic in his analyzing of the causes and effects. He understood that there could be no law against special interest groups working to forward their agenda. ... In creating a constitutional government where factions could have their least effect, Madison examined the Democracy and the Republic. Democracy is inherently the most fair to the majority, and the most expedient. Democracy also carries with it the dangers of mob rule. It locks out the interests of the minority and does not consider individual freedom. A democracy has the ability and the function of eliminating dissent and minority viewpoints. In Madison's view this was the biggest threat of a democratic form of government. While a Democracy carried with it the threat of the majority usurping the rights of the minority, a Republic carries with it the opportunity for rule by a select few. Representative Republicanism was the lesser of the two evils as Madison viewed it. A Republic that was represented by local representatives would help establish a balance between the majority and the rights of the minority. Spreading out the political power geographically and demographically would help deter the majority from gaining absolute rule. Madison foresaw the weakness of a republic becoming elitist and ruled by factions. However, his vision of a large republic helps to minimize the effects of rule by a few special interests. Madison believed that factions could not overtake a large republic. While they may be able to promote local support, on the federal stage the constitutional form of government and the balance of power would limit their influence. When compared to a democracy, a republic was more beneficial to the people. The larger the republic, the less vulnerable to undue influence by factions it would have. Madison's Federalist #10 helped set the tone for our constitutional form of government we have today. While

President Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address Literature review

President Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address - Literature review Example He also began to illustrate how the condition of slavery had been outgrown by both Northern and Southern states, the progress that was surely just and right in the eyes of God. Because of the arguments and components included within the speech and the situation in which it was delivered, this qualifies as a rhetorical situation based upon the definitions provided by Lloyd Bitzer. This is because all three components of a rhetorical situation are present. These include exigence in which there is â€Å"an imperfection marked by urgency †¦ a thing which is other than it should be† (Bitzer 7) in the form of a war within the nation, an audience capable of being influenced by discourse, and a set of constraints â€Å"made up of persons, events, objects and relations which are parts of the situation because they have the power to constrain decision and action needed to modify the exigence† (Bitzer 12). Lincoln’s rhetorical speech was designed to urge an end to the war and a re-recognition of the South as brothers within the same house rather than enemies. Lincoln’s speech is clearly intended to get his audience to accept their Southern enemies as brothers. Being relatively assured of winning the war at this point, he was laying the foundation for Reconstruction. Although he, like many others, lays the blame for the war entirely at the feet of the South, â€Å"To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest [slavery] was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it† (Lincoln, 1865), he also insists to his listeners that the people of the South are still ‘family’: â€Å"Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God †¦ It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces, but let us judg e not, that we are not judged† (Lincoln, 1865). In making this argument, Lincoln reminds his listeners that the North has benefited from the slaves of the South too. Therefore, the losses sustained by the North are just punishment for having allowed such practices to continue. Lincoln suggests it is God’s will that the North has lost something rather than the fault of the South. For this reason, the North should not expect any retribution from the South. Instead, Lincoln suggests they should just end the war and begin helping each other to rebuild, â€Å"with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations† (Lincoln, 1865). At the time the spee ch was delivered, the nation was strongly divided and tensions were high on both sides.  Ã‚  

The Japanese Quasi-Jury and the American Jury Term Paper

The Japanese Quasi-Jury and the American Jury - Term Paper Example A body was created to collect views and give recommendations on the approaches to reform the country’s judiciary. The body proposed the establishment of the quasi-jury to try the high-crime cases. The quasi-jury structure was formulated through the ‘Lay Assessor Act’ the system was a concession between the political elements and the conservative individuals. The Supreme Court was opposed to the move to create a jury that was similar to the American jury. Under the law, the judges are required to use the law in the determination of the innocence or guilt of an individual as well as give a ruling on the sentence. Moreover, the judges make a determination on matters regarding the interpretation of the laws and decisions beyond the authority of the lay assessors. A presiding judge administers the trial procedures but the statutes of evidence in Japan’s judicial process are indistinct and simple compared to the procedures in the US. The presiding judge has the a uthority to limit the number of questions on a witness as well as the determination of the unsuitable evidence given by a witness before a ‘Saiban-in panel’. Moreover, the opposing advocate may reject the improper assessment of the evidence. The discussions between the judges and lay assessors demand that majority as opposed to a unanimous decision. Nonetheless, the composition of the majority must have a professional judge especially when ruling on the guilt of an accused person. The information arising from is regarded as confidential while those leaking the information being subjected to a fine. The composition of the bench and lay assessors is dependent on the situation and the magnitude of the... The legal system in Japan has been largely a civil law since the approval of the Japanese Civil Code in the late 1890s. The system was borrowed from the western nations such as France and Germany. The model persevered even after the Second World War and the adoption of the contemporary constitution in Japan. The separation of power among the various arms of the government is similar to the American model. The judiciary has autonomy like the other arms. In the US, there are divergent procedures in the cases depending on the state although they are largely guided by the constitution. The quasi-jury exercised in Japan has both positive and negative effects depending on the administration. Whereas citizen participation in the judicial process is significant, the established procedures and restrictions are important to assist in getting timely and fair justice. The judicial system in any nation should be informed by the culture of its people and the nature of the governance structures in order to ensure the obligations are met in a desirable approach. It would be more desirable if the principles and frameworks of the jury are reformed in line with the demands of the country and the global environment. Judicial systems are viewed as essential in human-social existence in the society. The Saiban-in system has resulted in minimal effect regarding the prosecution of cases. The system has given the public a dynamic responsibility in the judicial processes, which is likely to improve when the citizens become familiar with the system and the lay judicial involvement.

Federal Bureau of Prisons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Federal Bureau of Prisons - Research Paper Example Whatever the intended function of prison is, the reality is that they perform a role in our society. We have the need to feel safe from people who would do us harm. Many commit crimes at the state level, so are sentences to local jails or state prisons. Others, however, wrong the country as a whole, and not just a given segment of society. For this offenders, the federal government has set up an elaborate system of prisons across the country divided into six different regions. The purpose of the Federal Bureau of Prisons is to â€Å"Protect society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of prison and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens† (Roberts, 1997, p. 53). The purpose of this paper is to explain the function of the federal prison and to examine the actually effectiveness of its various pro grams and policies. History and Policies Established in 1930, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has stated its policy to provide more progressive and humane care and treatment for Federal inmates sentenced to serve time (Roberts, 1997, p. 53). ... 53). As one can see, this is quite an elaborate system of institutions, and each is governed by a nationalized set of policies designed to keep everything running smoothly throughout the country. Currently, the federal prisoner system is designed to care for about 219,000 inmates. Policies dictate that each inmate who is incarcerated is done so in order to order to ensure public safety. At the same time, the facilities that the inmates are housed in are designed to be safe, humane, cost efficient, and secure to the level required by each individual offender. Security Levels Just as with state and local prisons and jails, there are various levels of security existent in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The system is made of five distinct security levels. The goal in this division is to confine offending prisoners in a manner appropriate to their individual circumstance and crime committed. Each level has different features related to the number and presence of external patrols, towers, security barriers, or detection devices (Fliesher, 1998, p. 11). Each level of confinement will also typically have different types of housing within the institution, certain security features, and a different staff-to-inmate ration. It is also interesting to note that each institution in the federal system is designed to house a different security level as needed depending on the space available and the needs of the population (Fliesher, 1998, p. 11). The lowest level of security in the Federal Bureau of Prisons is minimum security. Prisons of this type are also known as Federal Prison Camps and typically have dormitory type housing, a low staff-to-inmate ration when compared to other

Earth science (geology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Earth science (geology) - Essay Example an aquifer it is very important that the unit should be fully saturated, has open voids or spaces and could provide sufficient amount of groundwater at fast rates to wells and springs. An aquifer can of three types – unconfined, confined or perched. An unconfined aquifer is one which has no confining layer between the zone of saturation and the land surface. A confined aquifer has a layer in between the land surface and the saturated zone. This confining layer either allows water to pass through it at a very low rate or not at all. Confining layers are generally made up of clay, silts or rocks such as shale. Lastly, a perched aquifer is the saturated zone which is situated in the zone of aeration and lies above the confined layer. The unconfined aquifer has the capability to provide the maximum amount of water, followed by the confined aquifer. A perched aquifer can provide water enough only for a household (â€Å"Groundwater storage in aquifers†, n.d). The potentiality of an aquifer in a region can be determined on the basis of the permeability (capacity to transfer water) and porosity (capacity to hold water) of the geological material. According to research, the most potential usable aquifers are found in regions where the land is comprised of unconsolidated sand and gravel because they allow the maximum permeability of groundwater to be transferred to wells and also have the capacity to hold maximum water (â€Å"Maine Geological Survey†, 2011). Other regions where productive aquifers are found are the aquifers which are formed of sandstone, limestone, dolomite or basalt flows. Sedimentary rocks such as sandstones or carbonates form one of the best aquifers since they have high levels of porosity. Certain fractured or dissolute sedimentary rocks also have the capacity of holding significant amount of water and therefore can act as good aquifers. Limestones are also productive aquifers since they are highly permeable. Aqui fers formed by fractured metamorphic

Commercialization in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Commercialization in Canada - Essay Example The diagram given below gives an indication of the contribution of commercialization towards the GDP of Canada. The diagram indicates that contribution of commercialization towards the GDP has been very low and more volatile in nature. The growth rate of commercialization has been volatile and erratic in nature. If the growth rate of commercialization is compared with other countries like USA and UK, then it becomes evident that Canada has to make a lot of improvements to match with the advanced countries.The diagram below gives an indication of the initiative taken by the University and colleges for spending in the research and development projects. The indication of the spending in research and development projects bears a special importance. This is because of the reason that technological innovation and development are one of the prime drivers of commercialization. Studies indicate that in comparison to other countries the fund allocated to the colleges and Universities for condu cting research and development works is significantly less.The above diagram gives an indication of the spending by the various sectors like private non-profit, provincial governments, the federal government, universities and industry in research and development activities.The analysis of the spending in research and development activities by various groups indicates that the spending by the provincial governments and federal governments are significantly low. Whereas the spending by the universities is significantly more.... The indication of the spending in research and development projects bears a special importance. This is because of the reason that technological innovation and development are one of the prime drivers of commercialization. Studies indicate that in comparison of other countries the fund allocated to the colleges and Universities for conducting research and development works is significantly less. Fig 2: Research and development fund allocated for GDP Source: (Kenney, 2013) The above diagram gives an indication of the spending by the various sectors like private non-profit, provincial governments, federal government, universities and industry in research and development activities. Fig 3: Commercialization development index Source: (Kutsuna, 2013) The analysis of the spending in research and development activities by various groups indicates that the spending by the provincial governments and federal governments are significantly low. Whereas the spending by the universities is signifi cantly more, this is a cause of concern (Litan, 2012). This is because of the reason that studies indicate that those countries which are characterized by larger spending initiatives by governments and federal bodies have more chances of increasing the success rate of commercialization. Discussion of the reasons for poor commercialization Studies indicate that successful commercialization depends upon the management skills of the startups. The poor management skill of the people heading the startup projects in Canada is one of the reasons for poor development of commercialization. The infrastructures provided by the government to support the startup are proving to be insufficient. Canada also lacks the number of anchor companies. The

Abercrombie & Fitch Positioning Strategy Research Paper

Abercrombie & Fitch Positioning Strategy - Research Paper Example An analysis on Abercrombie & Fitch can show how it has positioned its brand, and how effective the strategy is. This can be done using the four P’s of the marketing mix as noted by Smith, (2013), namely product, promotion, place and price. A look at the product shows that it clearly stands out. There is a lot of competition in the clothing industry, but Abercrombie & Fitch has managed to continue leading in terms of products. This company sells outfits like tank tops, underwear, jeans, fragrances, t-shirts and footwear for the youth and kids only, unlike its rival companies such as American Eagle Outfitters and Gap Inc who stock all types of clothes, footwear and fragrances for everyone. It is a company for young kids between the age of 7-14 year, teens between 14-18 years and also stocks women underwear and loungewear (Joseph, 2013). This is one aspect in the market mix that makes it distinct from the other companies. In addition, as the CEO of the company, Mike Jeffries puts it, his business is for the lovely, the attractive and cool and those who are not overweight. The company’s cloth line is unique in design. ... In fact, most of the people do not get to know about Abercrombie through the television or magazines. Word of mouth from its customers works well for them, and on Abercrombie television, the advertising is done. Of importance to note is their way of advertising, which makes use of sex appeal. This has greatly been condemned religious denominations and human rights organizations, complaining that the company campaigns for pre-marital sex among the youth, especially the young girls. However, the company CEO, Mike Jeffries confidently asserts that he and his team represent healthy sexuality, playful and glorious camaraderie which is usually found in the company’s target market (Joseph, 2013). The company, in early 2003 used its magazine, Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly, to further reach out to existing customers and potential customers. The magazines production was however stopped as people accused the company of promoting soft pornography. The company also advertises its products through its website (Abercrombie. Com) and through its subscription catalogs which have over 400,000 subscribers. Their advertisements all reach out to the young people where they show the ‘effect’ of using the company’s products like perfumes. A good example is the Abercrombie effect advertisement. They also indirectly use negative publicity to promote their products (Joseph, 2013). Price is the other element in the marketing mix. Price is a great determinant on who will buy at a certain company and how much of a product they will buy. When the price of a product is law, more people are likely to purchase it and vice versa (Smith, 2013; Graham, 2013). For Abercrombie & Fitch,

Being on time Essay Example for Free

Being on time Essay One of my pet peeves is people who aren’t on time for things. Just how much this upsets me was brought home to me twice today, and I decided it was time to rant about it. The first was a meeting I was supposed to have with the director of a local non-profit organization. The plan was that he would give me a call â€Å"before noon†, to arrange a meeting shortly after noon. I was offering to put some scripts together on their website so they could post news more easily so people would know what’s up with this organization. Off the top of my head, I’d guess it was an offer of about a thousand dollar donation of services. He finally called at 12:30, calling my cell-phone (after I’d given him my home number, saying that was the best way to reach me), leaving a message saying we’d have to reschedule. I left for lunch and a walk to clear my head at 12:45, and finally got the message at 2:45 when I got home and wondered if maybe he’d called the cell-phone. At this point, I don’t know if I’m even going to bother trying again. Apparently my offer of services isn’t worth enough for him to call me when he said he was going to, which makes me wonder why I should bother helping out. The second was the president of a company for which we did some web design work. He was impressed with our work, and asked if we might want to put in a bid for some future work. The problem is that the person we had to work with at that company, â€Å"marketing guy†, had blown off every single in-person meeting we’d scheduled during the previous project, and had been late for numerous phone calls we’d also scheduled (about a quarter of the final cost to the client was time we spent waiting for marketing guy, rather than doing productive work). I replied that we’d be interested in looking at the work, as long as marketing guy wasn’t involved. And I’ll stick by that. I don’t think there’s enough money to convince me to work with marketing guy again. The third event (a couple days ago) is a company I’m contracting at. At this company, there’s a regularly scheduled weekly meeting. It happens every week unless people decide there isn’t enough to talk about and we cancel the meeting. One of the team members has not been on time for the meeting that I can remember. It bugs me enough that even though this is the client providing most of my income at the moment, I think about simply walking away from the contract almost every day. So why do I feel this strongly about being on time? Well, most of it has to do with the saying â€Å"A Man’s Word is His Bond.† If you tell someone you’re going to do something, then you do it. If you don’t, you’d better give notice ahead of time, and have a pretty good reason. But another part of it is respect. When schedule a meeting, I’m making a commitment to be there on time. When someone else is late to the meeting, I get the feeling that they figure they’ve got something more important than my time. â€Å"Sorry I’m late, but traffic was brutal† is an excuse I hear all the time. Well, I had to get to the meeting through the same traffic, and I was on-time. If I’ve got a meeting in the morning, I’ll check the traffic reports or look out the window and make sure I leave early enough to get to the meeting. I respect the other people at the meeting enough that I’m not going to waste their time by being late. I just realized that this also applies to monetary issues. I’ve had clients who never pay on time. They agree in a contract to pay my invoices net-30 and then checks arrive like clockwork 45-60 days after the invoice. I won’t work with that sort of client anymore. I’ve got yet another job that I put in a bid on yesterday, but I’ve heard through the grapevine that this client habitually pays late. When we meet to discuss terms, I’m going to make it very clear that late payment on their part will be considered breach of contract. Fuck it. It’s not worth my time to try and wheedle payment out of them, so if they don’t pay, work is stopping, and I’ll hand the collections over to the lawyer. It may cost me the job, but at least it’ll keep me from getting upset with the client. And I think that’s got to be my long-term approach. If a client’s not willing to honor their commitments, whether it’s showing up on time for a meeting, or getting a check in the mail, I’m not sure why I would want to work for them. I don’t need the headaches. Now I just have to figure out how to deal with the current client. Maybe changing the meeting to the afternoon will be the answer.

Mission & Vision Essay Example for Free

Mission Vision Essay The article speaks about how a mission should be written, so it will provide a clearer and well defined purpose. It’s explained the advantages and limitations of having it. It also explore whether a standalone statement or a broader model should be a better mission statement. This is followed by proposing a new definition of a mission, demonstrating how it is rooted in good practice, and presenting its benefits and limitations. Some context of practical implication discussed as well. Findings The paper initially shows the inconsistent use of the concept of mission in the expanded list approach. It then proceeds to show similar inconsistencies in three of the most respected models of guiding statements in the literature. Vision Framework (Collins and Porras (1991, 1995, 1996, and 1997) Ashridge Mission Model (Campbell and Yeung (1991)) Model of organizational vision –Liptons Model (Lipton’s (1996, 2003)) Mission Statements Approaches Check List Type: The article says that to get a well-defined mission statement, it has to have the checklist-type approach. Research shows that many times companies are only setting a single line of mission statement which does not constitute all the items in the checklist which makes it a poor mission statement. This is where suggestions are being made to the organizations to redefine the mission statement  by David and David (2003), They suggest the following comprehensive list of nine components that an effective mission statement should include: Customers (the target market) Products/services (offerings and value provided to customers) Geographic markets (where the firm seeks customers) Technology (the technology used to produce and market products) Concern for survival/growth/profits (the firm’s concern for financial soundness) Philosophy (the firm’s values, ethics, beliefs) Public image (contributions the firm makes to communities) Employees (the importance of managers and employees); Distinctive competence (how the firm is different or better than competitors). Compilation Logic: Variously referred to as statements of purpose, values statement, goals and strategies, corporate creed, corporate philosophy, and so on. (Leuthesser and Kohli (1997,). A mission statement is a clear definition of the mission and purpose of the organization, it may be referred to as the organization creed statement, statement of purpose, statement of general principles, statement of corporate intent or vision statement. † (Strong (1997, p. 269)) Strategic Intent: â€Å"Strategic intent captures the essence of winning† (Hamel and Prahalad, 1989, p. 64). An effective mission statement basically answers one question: How do we intend to win in this business? † Welch and Welch (2005, p. 14). Brief on the Model Vision Framework: In vision framework, a well-conceived vision consist of 2 major parts. Those are core ideology and envisioned future. The core ideology speaks about the purpose of the organization. It consists of explaining the character of the organization, what it stands for and why it exists. The 2 parts of core ideology are core values and core purpose. Core values are the principals of the organization and core purpose is the fundamental reason of the organization existence. The envisioned future is what the organization would like to achieve. Ahihridge model: In Ashridge model, the mission statement should consist not only the purpose but also the strategy, values and standards of behavior. The purpose in this context reflects as to who the organization is on business for. The strategy part speaks about the business logic on saying which business brings the competitive advantage while the values speak of the emotional and moral logics which eventually motivate the employees. The standards of behavior will convert the strategy and values into policies and guidelines. Liptons Model: Lipton’s model speaks of 3 components. Those are mission, strategy and culture. The mission specifies the fundamental and unique purpose of the business. The strategy is about how the mission can be achieved while obtaining the competitive advantage of the business. The culture is the part which describes the values, standards of behavior and leadership style of the organization Differences of 3 Model The â€Å"Ashridge† model emphasizes the importance of a â€Å"sense of mission† and Lipton talks about a â€Å"sense of vision. In both models can see purpose, strategy, values, and standards of behaviors. However the vision model comprises of vision and mission elaborated both other 2 models. The contents of those elements, however, are not always the same. Proposed Definition The proposed definition of mission statement should consist of 3 things. Those are, commitment to reflect authenticity of the mission, a significant value which is exciting and inspiring and a worthy cause for the members of the organization to embrace on. This new definition aims to provide benefits are individual and organization level. Two benefits can be derived and those are to create a clear focus for the employees and it helps organizations to make strategic decision in regards to resources which help the success of the business. Strength Drawback Analysis The variety of organizations’ mission statements is so wide that no single definition can possibly be exhaustive. There are authentic and fabricated mission statements, and not all existing varieties are necessarily authentic. This definition, by design, excludes all those varieties of mission statements that are not authentic, i. e.  that imply no particular choice. The proposed definition reverses the logic of compilation and synthesis in favor of a more focused approach. Evidently, a definition built on choice can never be exhaustive. Limitation Direction for future Research The paper, however, focusses mainly on content and does not thoroughly address the process of developing a mission and how this process relates to and influences the mission ’s content. This is a fruitful research opportunity. Observation Mission statement framework should include some components to measure the organizational outcomes.

Introduction To Social Media Plan Proposal Marketing Essay

Introduction To Social Media Plan Proposal Marketing Essay This plan includes the tactical objectives to be used to accomplish two primary goals of social media: 1. Increase unique traffic to Archello.com 2. Convert anonymous traffic to known visitors. 3. Improve search engine rankings Introduction The impact of media has changed. The Internet used almost all the traditional media such as radio, print, television and direct mail. Similarly, marketing its role has changed over the past few years. Social media enables everyone to generate their own content as a result marketers are no longer the only broadcasters. The rise of social media The Internet is growing critical to marketing, but its moving into social digital space (Weber, 2007  [1]  ). According to Weber, the social web will become the primary centre of activity in our lives. To put it differently people use the social web instead of the old media for all the services supplied. On top of that, social web brought a lot of new opportunities to exchange knowledge worldwide. According to the Internet World Statistic in June 2010 there were more than 1.96 billion people online  [2]  . Given this, it can be concluded that social web has great impact on the people. For instance people now interact and communicate as a society and use the web to extend existing relationships. Moreover, using the social web people can be seen as an influencer rather than a listener. Everybody can create and distribute their knowledge and content to an audience. In addition to that, social web offers unlimited possibilities to spread thoughts and opinions. An innovative technology called RSS (Really Simple Syndication) evolved the usage of social media. It increased the reach of blogs and given terrific push to social medias evolution (Mayfield, 2008  [3]  ). With RSS the audience can subscribe to content they are interested in, which means they do not have to search for it. What is social media, compared to traditional media, from the perspective of marketing? Traditional media and social media have the same purpose yet they differ from each other in terms of content distribution and reach. In contrast, from the perspective of marketing, the distinction with regards to content and communication with the audience is significant. The social media tools share five characteristics that drive participation, openness, conversation, community and connectedness. To put it differently, these tools speculate the differences between traditional and social media. When it concerns consumer recommendation, the traditional media hardly offers anything. Since the socialisation of the web, sharing opinions has never been so easy. The consumer influence channel has changed significantly since social media and its many tools. The table below shows the difference between both types of media. Consumer influence has become extremely important. Both Personal experience and personal recommendation is a strong tool to influence consumers. This is something that traditional media does not offer. Thus companies should start being active in social media for the increasing importance of social media. When it comes to sourcing information, low-involvement products and services are not the only categories that people research and review online. It is remarkable the number of people that research high-involvement products. Looking at the marketing angle, this reflects that consumer influence on the web is also impacting long-term marketing. Social Networks Companies make use of social networking to connect with their customers. Social networking sites are basically online communities where people can share personal information, opinions, share common interest and content information. These online communities offer entertaining services and help its members help to expand their networks. Blogs Weblog is an online journal where the most recent entries appear first. People can subscribe and even leave comments. Weblog covers a wide range of content. A successful blog updates and focuses its tone, topic, links and trackbacks, comments and subscription. These features make a blog interesting. Furthermore, there is a blog distinction between personal, political and business. In the context of this report, Archellos blog can be seen as a marketing opportunity. Micro-blogging Micro-blogging is a combination of social networking and instant messaging that people can create. It provides a quick way to communicate with a group of people the message can be posted on their profile. An example of micro blogging is Twitter. The content of micro blogging is limited. Target audience With help of Internet opinions and thoughts can be shared much easier than before. People have conversations outside their social network. The influence economy is compelling the people to become more open and social. Therefore having the right target audience will contribute to a more effective communication strategy. Archellos target audience is very broad. Its target audience are the architect, the contracting firm, the architect school, the building contractor, the service provider and junior designer. Each target audience needs to be approached differently. An architect firm makes use of micro-blogging like LinkedIn whereas a designer student will become a fan on facebook. Social Media Strategies: Blog 2 hours daily Goal: 1000 daily viewers by 1st of January 2011 Short-term objectives: Increase recognition 3 number of posts a day Add RSS button Link with different architecture websites such as www.news.architecture.sk Using SocialOomph Increase engagement Post tradeshows that Archello will participate in Run a photo contest on Archellos blog and flickr Make a poll for visitors for feedback and suggestions Post latest buzz and market trends on architecture Provide forum page on Archellos blog Key Metrics: Number of posts Audience growthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  unique and returns Conversation rate Conversions Subscribers Social Networks 2 hours daily Goal: 10.000 likes by February 2011 Short-term objectives: Facebook fan page 3 number of posts a day Link the fan page with other informative web pages such as www.news.architecture.sk Participate in others groups like Archdaily Use facebook involver applications to enhance the fan page Use Facebook add badge to increase recognition Create a invite us button on Archello website for the exhibitions Archello members should start leaving a comment on fan page about a post Enhance the fan page Total budget: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬700 euro per month Archello.com Post relevant and inspiring case studies focusing on the design process and start discussion board where architects can discuss how they would handle a project. Start using WordPress and LiveJournal to write small piece on the architecture industry and link it back to Archello.com Run a contest of top 10 photographs. Pictures will be uploaded on Flickr, Facebook and Archello.com. The following text will appear on Flickr for the contest: We are going to publish the best 10 photos from this pool every month on Archello.com. The photos will highlight the best Flickr talents on the architecture website. Once we pick our 10 favorite photos we are going to let the photographers know via Flickrmail to let them know we are going to publish the photos. You can also join us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Archellocom/130796890286255 LinkedIn Keep the Profile up to date Start a discussion on new projects and trends related to Archello Follow companies who already are users of Archello Participate in QA, this will built credibility Join other groups to extend the number of followers Key Metrics: Referrals from social networks Friends on Social Networks Micro blogging (Twitter) 2 hours weekly Goal: 3000 followers by 1st of February 2011 Short-term objectives: Adjust the key words on twitter to attract more followers Update company profile Post trade shows that Archello will be visiting Post exhibition videos of Archello Follow daily follow 90 to 110 new people Total budget Twitter: $29,95 Key Metrics: Friends/Followers 2ndà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ order followers (followers follower count) Pages ranking on key terms from micro blogging sites Widgets 1 hour per month Short-term objectives: Creation of widgets at widgetbox.com Distribution of widgets like chat rooms, Vimeo badge and social share badge on Archello.com Key Metrics Usage of widgets (by count) Posts/Mentions about social widgets offsite Bookmarking 2 hour daily Short-term objectives: Update and Post stories on the following sites: Delicious Sphinn Reddit Digg Stumbleupon: bookmark each story or project and use wordpress blog to increase exposure. Squidoo Flickr Add This Key Metrics: Referrals from bookmarking sites Pages ranking on key terms from bookmarketing sites Online Video 2 hours weekly Short-term objectives: Update videos on social video sites and link to Archello.com Youtube Use a friend adder program: Tube Blaster Pro Key Metrics: Referrals from social video sites Views of videos on social sites Pages ranking on key terms from Youtube Photo sharing 2 hours weekly Short-term objectives: Photos of the exhibition and Archello stand Share the photos with links back to blog and Archello.com Flickr Facebook Photo Gallery Archellos blog Key Metrics: Referrals from photo sharing sites Views of photos on social sites Pages ranking on key terms from photo sharing sites Marketing suggestions to increase recognition and exposure: Create a invite us button on Archello website for the exhibitions etc Updating the blog with the latest projects and ideas relating to sustainability, content updates Organize a party for moving to Amsterdam or having the best augmented reality Top 5 architecture tips every week and link this to facebook, twitter etc Start using WordPress and LiveJournal to write small piece on the architecture industry Try to link the website with CNN.com and BBC.com since they have a major online publications Make use of Ad banners on facebook to increase brand awareness Participate on tradshows: at least once a month Post once a day links on different architecture pages. These pages include: Architecture (Visual Artist) number of likes: 62,079 Architecture (page) number of likes: 249,181 Architecture Lab (webpage) number of likes: 5,248 ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN (page) number of likes: 127,885 ARCHITECTS ARE SEXY (page) number of likes: 59,164 Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Sample-Social-Media-Marketing-Planid=3176676 http://www.danielhoang.com/2009/03/08/social-media-strategic-plan/ http://www.icrossing.co.uk/fileadmin/uploads/eBooks/What_is_Social_Media_iCrossing_ebook.pdf http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm http://www.marketingtothesocialweb.com/files/Marketing_to_the_Social_Web_-_Chapter_1.pdf How To Write Your Social Media Plan In 8 Steps

Drug Use in Sports Essay example -- Athelets Drug Use Sports

Drugs in sports can cost a player his or her scholarship(s) and more seriously, their lives. Everyday athletes that you may not think are doing anabolic steroids or the human growth hormone are the athletes who are the big users. 1. There are three major performance enhancing drugs that are used by the super star athletes: anabolic steroids, amphetamine, and the human growth hormone pills. 2. These performance enhancing are found in just about all fifty states and the problem is rapidly growing. 3. In almost every type of sport there is one form or another of performance enhancing drugs. Some of the most common sports you will find them in are the power/strength sports and the endurance sports. 4. Athletes may come up with the strangest ways of using the drugs that can sometimes be a major threat to their lives. 5. Drug testing is a way for the sports officials to weed out the users and severally punish them by throwing them off the team and sometimes expelling them from school. Perf ormance enhancing drugs have a major impact on sports and athletes. The sports of today are experiencing more problems with performance enhancing drugs mainly because of the popularity of the three most common drugs: anabolic steroids, amphetamine, and the human growth hormone. Many of the so called jocks that play the rough and tough sports like football are the ones who are using anabolic steroids. There are different effects for men and women but all of the problems are very serious. Males are subject to hair loss, acne and liver cancer which can be a life threatening disease. Females are exposed to growth of body and facial hair and they are also liable to contract deepening of the voice. Gaining that little bit of competitiveness can lead to greater increases in performance. Steroids increase muscle mass and strength which helps athletes recover quicker from injuries. The most common sports where you would find the anabolic steroids are in body building, football, track & field power events and weightlifting. Another (1) performance enhancing drug is amphetamine. Amphetamine also has very serious side effects in the male and female body. Both males and females can experience feelings of anxiety and restlessness along with a rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing. Amphetamines, as with any other performance drug, can become addictive. Athletes use the drug amphetamine to boo... ...g for steroids on a random basis. Any player testing positive on the first offense is faced with suspension for a year and on the second (6) offense the player is handed a lifetime suspension from NCAA competition. At one time Stanford University was able to compete in sports with disregard to collegiate rules about the mandatory drug testing. Conrad Rushing a California judge said, "drug testing is invasion of the athletes privacy" (Worsnop, 528). I think that statement is very wrong because drug testing should be a mandatory event in every college whether or not it is an invasion of their privacy. It is a policy and every school should abide by the rules no matter what. Drugs in schools ruins the reputation of the school and if it continues, schools will have less kids applying and they will have no other options but to get rid of the problems of drugs. Sooner or later the drug problem will just keep growing and growing and all sports are going to lose attention. Most important , sports are going to lose the support of their fans which effect the finances of the players and organizations. Without enough financial support sports cannot survive and sports would be ruined forever.

Heroism in Lord Jim Essays -- Conrad Lord Jim Essays

Heroism in Lord Jim    In the heartfelt novel, Lord Jim, Joseph Conrad explores the concept of heroism through the conduct and emotions of Jim, a man who spends his life attempting to seek penance for an act of cowardice he committed as a young officer during the shipwreck of the Patna in the East. Through the eyes of the narrator, Marlowe, the reader sees Jim's internal struggle to repent for his sin as he "jumps" from job to job trying to escape his ominous legacy, eventually landing in the dangerous and isolated community in a native state, Patusan. There he lives contentedly detached and hidden from the Patna until civilization reenters his dome in the form of an evil man, Brown --unveiling Jim's repressed and remote secret by hitting his guilty conscience -- causing Jim's long awaited dark fated death, yet, ending his life with a trace of heroism. Throughout the novel, Jim internally aspires toward the significant and frequently occurring image, courage. From the very beginning he sees "himself saving people from sinking ships . . . an example of devotion to duty, and as unflinching as a hero in a book" (3). His thoughts would be full of valorous deeds: He loved these dreams and the success of his imaginary achievements. They had a gorgeous virility, the charm of vagueness, they passed before him with a heroic tread . . ." (12). Despite this heroic desire, while on the Patna, Jim and five others ironically betray the "savage" men who were "surrendered to the wisdom of white men and to their courage"(10) when they abandon the sinking ship to insure their own safety. Conrad explains this action to be human, a natural response, something any person would have done in his situation. When Marlowe first encounter... ...le of bravery. After two years, Marlowe visits the Patusan and meets, or rather upsets, Jim and his companions. Marlowe says that they "know him to be strong, true, wise, brave . . . he was all that . . . he was more . . . he was great -- invincible -- and the world did not want him, it had forgotten him, it would not even know him" (206). When Jim encounters Brown, a man "not afraid of death" (230), he convinces his friends that Brown is no harm to them because that's what Jim truly believes. Unfortunately, advised and guided by the sneaking Cornelius, Brown had plans to attack the Malays under Dain Waris, Doramin's son. After Dain Waris was killed, Jim understood. "He had retreated from one world, for a matter of an impulsive jump, and now the other, the work of his own hands, had fallen in ruins upon his head" (265). The Malays will never trust Jim again.   

Adopting an Energy-Efficient Lifestyle Essay -- Environment Research P

Adopting an Energy-Efficient Lifestyle â€Å"Energy is critical for economic growth, social development and human welfare,† said the Honorable Shri Dilip Ray at the 1999 International Conference on Financing of Energy Sector in Developing Countries (Chaturvedi 29). However, it can also be detrimental to these necessary features of human life by affecting the environment we live in. The environment, comprising â€Å"both social/economic and physical/environmental elements,† is currently being damaged by the side effects of energy wastage (Cloke and Park 35). This damage to the environment, including biodiversity loss, ozone depletion, health problems, and decreasing abundance or degradation of natural resources, is primarily due to the immense requirement of energy needed to fuel electric power plants which supply home appliances such as electric lights and heating and air conditioning systems with energy. â€Å"The total electric energy consumed in the United States annually is more than 20 trillion ki lowatt-hours. Electric motors consume about 58 percent of that, or 13 trillion kwh† (Qayoumi 1). If we did not require as much energy to sustain our lifestyles, or in other words, if we lived in more energy-efficient homes and used more energy-efficient products, environmental damage could be substantially reduced. We could then derive the added benefit of having a reduced monetary cost for energy usage. Not much is required to reduce both monetary cost and environmental damage. â€Å"If the efficiency of every [electric] motor were improved by only 2 percent, and with an average electric cost of 6 cents per kwh, it would translate into annual savings of more than $1 billion† (Qayoumi 1). However, we cannot expect to help heal the wounds we ... ...Countries. New Delhi, India: Concept Publishing Company. Cloke, P. and Park, C. Rural Resource Management. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1985. Earth Sheltered Home from Ecolution, the Eco-Home Network Newsletter. Eco-Home Network. 30 Sept. 1999 . Motors and Maintenance: Enhancing Energy Efficiency. Mohammad H. Qayoumi. 30 Oct. 1999 . ST-96-20R Estimates of Housing Units, Households, Households by Age of Householder, and Persons per Household: July 1, 1996. The U.S. Bureau of the Census. 30 Oct. 1999 . Sub-claim: Propose to show this with other examples of energy efficiency (passive solar heating, insulating homes, active solar heating, geothermal energy, hydropower, wind energy)

Ethical Perspectives Essay

ABSTRACT: This paper will describe the four different types of ethical perspectives. We will start by describing my ethical perspective; which I found out to be â€Å"character† from my results on the Ethical Awareness Inventory Assessment. We will then evaluate the four types of ethical perspectives. Which include character/virtue, obligation/deontology, results/utilitarianism, and lastly, equity/relativism. Then we will conclude with a brief discussion on issues one is likely to encounter dealing with ethical dilemmas at Bank of America. The four ethical perspectives include character/virtue, obligation/deontology, results/utilitarianism, and equity/relativism; thus, making up CORE. These different ethical perspectives help to explain what drives an individual’s decision when faced with an ethical dilemma. It is easy for someone to say what they will do when faced with an example of an ethical dilemma; however, it is another thing to make that same decision when faced with an actual real-life dilemma. By understanding what perspective compels someone to make an ethical decision, it will be easier to make that decision when one really has to. I have found that my ethical perspective is character/virtue. I was not surprised when I got my results. I have always done my best to live a life of integrity, which is very important to me. The people in my life would agree. Character is a very, if not the most, important part of a persons make up. Without character you have no solid or clear foundation. Without character you most likely with not possess strong morals naturally. Character is the beginning building block of a successful and trustworthy person who is dependable and values integrity. Character/Virtue The properties of a virtue are very different from that of other moral concepts, such as value. Virtues are something that you possess only if you practice them. Values are what is important to people. I may value honesty, but not always tell the truth. I cannot possess the virtue of honesty without telling the truth (Ciulla, 2004). Aristotle once said, â€Å"Virtues are good habits that we learn from society and our leaders.† People must practice virtues while being fully conscious that what they are doing  is morally right. One thing about the Greek concept of virtue (aretà ©), which is also means excellence, is that it does not separate an individual’s ethics from one’s occupational ability. Both Plato and Aristotle used many examples of doctors, musicians, coaches, rulers, etc. to talk about the relationship between moral and professional excellence. Aristotle wrote, â€Å"Every excellence brings to good the thing to which it is the excellence and makes t he work of that thing be done well. . . . Therefore, if this is true in every case, the excellence of man also will be the state which makes man good and which makes him do his work well.† (Ciulla, 2004) Obligation/Deontology Deontological ethics or deontology, which means obligation or duty in Greek, is an approach to ethics that focuses on the right or wrong of actions themselves, as opposed to the consequences of those actions. It is sometimes described as â€Å"duty† or â€Å"obligation† based ethics, because deontologists believe that ethical rules â€Å"bind you to your duty†. Deontological ethics is commonly contrasted with consequentiality or teleological ethical theories, according to which the rightness of an action is determined by its consequences. Deontologists, such as W. D. Ross, hold that the consequences of an action, such as lying, may make lying the right thing to do (Ross, 2002). Many people feel obligated to do what is right just because of their ethical practices. I feel that no matter what, you should be ethical in everything that you do. Results/Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility, that is, its contribution to happiness or pleasure as summed among all persons. It is therefore a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome. Utility has been defined by various people as happiness or pleasure, though preference utilitarians, define it as the satisfaction of preferences. It may be described as a life stance with happiness or pleasure as ultimate importance (Wikipedia 2008). Utilitarianism can be contrasted with deontological ethics (which disregards the consequences of performing an act, when determining its moral worth) and virtue ethics (which focuses on character), as well as with other varieties of consequentialism. Supporters of these opposing views have extensively  criticized the utilitarian view; though utilitarians have been similarly critical of other types of ethical perspective. In general, use of the term utilitarian often refers to a somewhat narrow economic or pragmatic viewpoint (Broad, 1930). Equity/Relativism In philosophy, moral relativism is the position that moral or ethical propositions do not reflect objective and/or universal moral truths, but instead make claims relative to social, cultural, historical, or personal circumstances. Moral relativists hold that no universal standard exists by which to assess an ethical proposition’s truth; moral subjectivism is therefore the opposite of moral absolutism. Relativistic positions often see moral values as applicable only within certain cultural boundaries (cultural relativism), or in the context of individual preferences (moral subjectivism). An extreme relativist position might suggest that judging the moral or ethical judgments or acts of another person or group has no meaning. Though, most relativists advocate a more limited version of the theory. In moral relativism, there are no absolute rights and wrongs, only different situations (Wikipedia 2008). Some moral relativists hold that a personal and subjective moral core lies at the base of individuals’ moral acts. In this view, public morality reflects social convention, and only personal, subjective morality expresses true authenticity. Moral relativism differs from moral pluralism, which acknowledges the co-existence of opposing ideas and practices; but accepts limits to differences, such as when vital human needs are violated. Moral relativism, in contrast, grants the possibility of moral judgments that do not accept such limits (Wikipedia 2008). Working in a banking environment, I believe having the ethical perspective of character is very important. Naturally having a moral and ethical character places confidence and trust in my superiors that I will do what is ethically right in every situation. I do not see many issues arising in my organization because Bank of America places our Code of Ethics as a priority that each associate must abide by. Understanding character, we see that ethical decisions are made naturally because it is right. I do my best to  uphold Bank of America’s code in everything I do. In conclusion, there are many differences to the types of ethical perspectives with few related qualities. Individuals from diverse walks of life and belief systems come to their own ethical perspective conclusion in many different ways. My personal ethics perspective is character. I believe having good character is a vital part of one’s life. It will not only lead to success, but earn people’s respect along the way. The admiration of others, and the trust and confidence they will feel from one that has great character is priceless. My father has always taught me that â€Å"you can never be wrong doing the right thing.† I live my life by this and encourage others to as well. References Broad, C. (1930). Five types of ethical theory. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co. Ciulla, J. (2004). Ethics, the heart of leadership. Connecticut: Praeger. Ross, W. D. (2002). The right and the good. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Wikipedia. (2008). Retrieved September 17, 2008 from http://www.wikipedia.org