Five Ways to Meet Deadline When Life Gets Crazy-Busy

Five Ways to Meet Deadline When Life Gets Crazy-Busy Whether penning a novel, a blogpost, or a magazine article, most writers work on deadline. But even with a due date, it’s easy to focus on life’s more pressing matters. After twenty years as a working scribe, I’ve discovered a few tricks to keep my productivity on track. 1. Schedule an appointment If we were in an actual office meeting, we would not be answering the phone, replying to e-mails, or folding laundry. We can use that same mindset to stay focused while working from home. Each day, set aside a specific time for writing. Block that time on the calendar as if it is for an important meeting, and allow no interruptions. 2. Maintain a Detailed Goal List Corporate employees are expected to write goals and report progress. We can follow that same strategy. First, we need to create a list of goals, assigning each to be completed   Ã‚     Week   Ã‚     Month   Ã‚     Quarter   Ã‚     Year Then we must don our †boss† hat and hold our â€Å"employee† accountable. It helps to keep a Daily List, too. Each night, select specific tasks to be accomplished 3. Find an Accountability Partner Teamwork! It’s very important to build a relationship with at least one trusted writing partner. Share monthly goals, set regular check-in times, and press for the best from one another. For those who don’t have such an acquaintance, consider joining organizations such as Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, etc. Many communities offer an arts council or writers organization, and libraries may host events, too. National Novel Writing Month is another excellent source of encouragement, with perks such as local Meet-Ups, daily wordcount check-ins, and more. 4. Go High-Tech Many online tools can boost productivity. For example, a service called Focusmate allows users to share a virtual cubicle of sorts. Each user schedules a 50-minute session during which assigned partners work quietly while they can see one another onscreen. Calendar apps can save time Brainwave apps use binaural beats to increase focus, attention, and productivity. Basically, users tune in to an online station, listen to specifically formulated music, and voila! The choices are endless, so it’s best to search â€Å"brainwave app† on the selected device and find the best fit. Voice dictation apps allow us to turn speech to text. This maximizes time spent in carpool lines, and it frees us from our desks. Google and Apple each offer a free and reliable voice-to-text service, while Dragon charges a fee and requires a bit more time investment on the front-end. 5. Earn Rewards We are all wired to work for rewards, but one of the best things about being the boss is that we control the reward system. When we add a new chapter, for example, we may earn a walk outside or a chat with a friend. But a finished novel may earn us a new piece of art or a weekend getaway. The greater the accomplishment, the greater the reward. And that keeps us coming back to the page. How do you keep your writing goals on track? Share your productivity ideas and let’s keep the conversation going via Facebook or Twitter.

How to Use Powerful and Creative Verbs

How to Use Powerful and Creative Verbs Verbs are action words, right? We all remember that from elementary school. Verbs describe the action that is taking place. But verbs dont have to surrender all the fun and emotional power to adjectives- the words that traditionally paint the pictures in our heads. As a matter of fact, the most powerful writers use verbs quite effectively to illustrate their writing. Review Your Verbs After you complete a draft of your paper, it might be a good idea to conduct a verb inventory. Just read over your draft and underline all your verbs. Do you see repetition? Are you bored? Verbs like said, walked, looked, and thought can be replaced with more descriptive words like mumbled, sauntered, eyeballed, and pondered. Here are a few more suggestions: Looked: gazedstaredsevered (with his eyes) Walked: strolledspideredsashayedskulked Said: suggestedutteredbellowedargued Get Creative With Verbs One way to make verbs more interesting is to invent them from other word forms. Sounds illegal, doesnt it? But its not like youre printing dollar bills in your basement. One type of noun that works well is animal types, since some animals have very strong characteristics. Skunks, for instance, have a reputation for being stinky or spoiling the air. Do the following statements evoke powerful images? He skunked the party up with his cologne...She snaked the hallways...She wormed her way out of the class... Jobs as Verbs Another noun type that works well is names of occupations. We often use doctor as a verb, as in the following sentence: She doctored the paper until it was perfect. Doesnt that evoke the image of a woman hovering over a piece of writing, tools in hand, crafting and nurturing the paper to perfection? What other occupations could paint such a clear scene? How about police? Mrs. Parsons policed her garden until it was completely pest free. You can get very creative with unusual verbs: bubble-wrapped the insult (to suggest that the insult was surrounded by softer words)tabled your idea But you do have to use colorful verbs tactfully. Use good judgment and dont overdo the creativity. Language is like clothingtoo much color can be just plain odd. List of Power Verbs abscond accelerate adapt advocate afflict agonize analyze anticipate ascertain aspire assess assimilate barter better bypass calculate challenge champion clarify coordinate define delegate describe detail devalue dispense divert duplicate examine execute exhibit expedite facilitate forge formulate generalize generate halt halve hypothesize illustrate implement inquire labor launch lull manipulate model monitor observe observe orchestrate position procure qualify reconcile refrain regulate restructure revisit secure simplify solve surpass table tabulate taint thwart trigger undervalue undulate utilize value verify verify vex

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

Persuasion - Research Paper Example â€Å"Ethical behavior is very significance and important in the society (Johannesen, 2007).† In this paper we will explore the internal and external factors that influence behavior use of deception-Manipulation Theory, Four Factor Model, and Interpersonal Deception Theory. The paper also discusses how visual images, iconic images, music and aroma effect persuasion; Subliminal Messages VS. Supraliminal Messages, Backward Masking, and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). Internal and External Factors that Influence Behavior Positive ethical behavior is expected in all careers and engagements in life. In our current society, people do not always do what is expected from them. Sometimes a person is aware that a given action will have negative consequences but still does it. In the society, it is something nice for every person to be responsible and do only what is right. This is the best way to maintain social responsibility and ethical conduct. At the same time, a person should no t be guided to act in a given manner. Such ethical behavior and act should be intrinsic and consistent with human ethical principles, values and moral obligations. The importance of this behavior is that the society will live in harmony and reduce a great deal of problems faced in it (Freeman & Stewart, 2006). With reference to research, it is clear that manipulation theory offers a way of examining at a distinctive part of the interpersonal communication procedure that deals with the manner through which information packages. It is worth noting that manipulation theory is more concerned with the substance of the deceptive messages, the situational substances that bring them about, the extent to which the recognition of that message affects awareness of the deception and the relational effects related with deceptive messages. Ethical behavior determines a person’s action and how it will influence the people around him. For any action, it is necessary to make sure the greatest gain is realized. This can be explained using the utilitarian theory, which is a major ethical theory. According to utilitarianism, an action is viewed ethical if it promotes the greatest or best consequence. The resultant consequence, according to the utilitarian theory, should maximize happiness (Johannesen, 2007). The argument of this ethical theory is that actions are only right if they will promote happiness and wrong if they produce the opposite of happiness. Any form of ethical behavior should therefore be aimed at maximizing happiness. With reference to the Four Factor Model, whenever people are telling lies, there are usually four fundamental mechanisms at work. Such mechanisms include arousal, behavior control, emotion, and thinking. To begin with is arousal. Lying results to arousal and anxiety. This occur either due to disagreement at conflicting behavior and value, or because of the fear of being caught. The second factor is behavior control. Human beings try to have p ower over body language that might give them away. In actual fact this is impossible and leakage frequently takes place, for instance where one is controlling his or her face and his legs give him away. Emotion: Human emotions usually change whenever lying (Freeman & Stewart, 2006). Thinking: to lie, we frequently have to think harder in order to guarantee coherence in our arguments. Research records that interpersonal deception theory explains the way through which people cope

Network Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Network Security - Essay Example In order to prevent such attacks in the future the following measures should be thoroughly applied. The employs should be enforced with strict regulation when it comes to dealing with spam mail. The employees should be educated on how to avoid suspicious emails (Minimizing the impact of the RSA SecurID breach, 2011). Security monitoring technologies should be used to monitor changes in user privileges and also add manual approvals to critical infrastructure and software (Minimizing the impact of the RSA SecurID breach, 2011). Also the infrastructure hosting critical software should be hardened and they should be monitored closely for remote and physical access. Help desks activities and any other activities that may result in information leakage should also be examined (Minimizing the impact of the RSA SecurID breach, 2011). Since the attack has taken place recently the full damage is too early to be predicted. According to RSA’s FAQ for the customers the threat of direct attack to the customers have been denied since the information stolen is useless, without the information held by individual customers (Inc.). Because of that RSA is confident there no immediate reason to call back any products. The local user should apply them selves with strict rules handling any type of spam mail or downloading attachments from unknown sources. Also they should avoid sharing their important credentials (usernames, passwords) with strangers. Even though the company effort and training to avoid spam based attack has not paid off. It is a good lesson to everyone (Litan, 2011). By utilizing the thousands of computers in DC++ file sharing service network this DoS have been launched against 40 companies over the last three months (Reimer, 2007). If such attack is launched using a single computer the attacker is easy traceable. So overcoming this barrier, using DC++ network’s

Comparison & Contrast Essay Example for Free

Comparison Contrast Essay In society it seems that everywhere we look we are surrounded by advertisements whether it is television commercials, billboards or advertisements. Obviously, the main purpose of advertisements is to get the consumer to purchase the product. Print advertisements are an extremely effective way to reach a mass audience because the advertisements are in print, the use of color, text and photography are all key factors in luring the consumers in to buying their product. Advertisements cannot simply attempt to sell the product in question; they must make it appeal to the consumer. It is important that advertisements not only attempt to make the product they are trying to sell clear but also to actually make the advertisement mean something to us, the consumer. The two advertisements that I will be comparing and contrasting are two make-up ads. I picked these two ads because I feel they do a great deal of drawing their consumers in. Mascara is a must have in the make-up world. Most women wear mascara to make their eye â€Å"pop. † Consumers will automatically look at these two ads because of the brand names and how people classify make-up. By knowing that a lot of consumers look at these ads they have to make the ads interesting. Not only will I be comparing and contrasting these two ads but by doing that I will also be telling how they draw consumers in to looking and buying their product. The first ad for mascara came from the magazine Lucky. Lucky is mostly targeted towards young teens and women. This mascara in the advertisement is made by Rimmel London. The use of color is very helpful in this ad because it uses bright vibrant colors that catch your attention. The color of the mascara is black and electric green. Also, the color of the models eyes is very blue which accentuates the true color of the mascara. By making the models eyes such a pretty color it might make people think that if they use this certain mascara it might make their eyes â€Å"pop† like the models does. In the article all the words are written in white and all caps in the background. I think the reasoning behind writing all the words in white is because it is a neutral color and it also stands out. Although the colors really help, keywords also have a great toll in selling a product. By putting â€Å"REV UP THE VOLUME† in big letter it draws your attention. It draws people in that want more volume for their eyelashes. All caps draws your attention and makes you want to read every word on the ad. By putting that if you use the product you will have denser more numerous lashes in 30 days it make consumers want to buy this product and actually see if the product will work. Last but not least is the layout of this ad. Layout really helps make an advertisement. By making the model take up most of the page, your attention goes directly to her. Even without knowing what the ad is about; if you just look at her you can automatically tell it is a mascara ad by her eyelashes. By putting the words around the model you can read them and after every word you read about it helping your eye lashes you can’t help but look back at her eye lashes. The brush of the mascara is out of the bottle so the consumer can see what the brush looks like and how it will form their lashes. The second ad is also found in the Lucky magazine, which means it also mostly targets young teens and women. The mascara in this particular ad is made by Revlon which is a very popular brand of make-up. This company took a very smart approach by getting a celebrity model to endorse this product which is a very beneficial thing. The colors in this ad are more laid back compared to the Rimmel London ad. The use of all black and then making just around the eyes a little lighter automatically draws your attention not just to the model but to her eyes. The words are in white and a very pretty aqua color. These colors stand out very well on the black background. By closing the eyes I believe it shows how long the lashes look. The words are on the top and on the bottom of the page. In my opinion, the reasoning behind this is so that if you start at the top of the page you will read down to the bottom of the page. The mascara top is out of the bottle and shows quality of the brush and just how thick it is and by doing this, Revlon is trying to visually convince the consumer that with this thicker brush, the more luscious your eyelashes can become. After looking at all of the aspects of these two ads, they have a lot of similarities. The first main similarity is that they both came from the magazine Lucky. By putting these ads in the same magazine, these two mascara providers are competing with each other for the teenage and young woman market. On both of the ads the mascaras are in very pretty colors. Although the colors are different they both stand out and make the mascara unique. Keywords of these ads are very alike. All of the very important words are in all caps, big, white, and very noticeable. The layouts of these two ads are almost just alike. Both of the ads have the model in the very middle of the page which is where usually all the main focus of the reader goes. Both of the mascaras are on the bottom right corner of the page which goes well because after the reader has seen this beautiful woman and what this mascara has done for her, the reader looks to the bottom to see just exactly what the mascaras name and appearance is. Even with many similarities, there are still some differences between these two ads. The brands of the mascaras are different, one is Rimmel and the other is Revlon. The use of color is very different in these two ads; Rimmel London used black and electric green where Revlon used black and aqua. In the Rimmel ad the colors are very bright and vibrant colors, while the Revlon ad is very dark and dull. Although the keywords are alike they are very different too. In the Rimmel ad the words are in all caps, no matter how big they are they are still in caps. Some words in the Revlon ad are all caps but then the words that are small are in regular font. After comparing and contrasting these two very marketable mascaras, it is very difficult to pick which one is the clear cut winner. Many people have different styles, so maybe the black and electric green appeals to half of the readers where the black and aqua mascara appeals to the other half. Both of these companies did a very good job in putting their advertisement out there and making their product very attractive and marketable. These companies have been around a long time and know what they’re doing. If that means coming up with competitive ads week in and week out, they’re willing to do whatever it takes to be the top mascara provider in the world.

A Comparison of Religion in Sir Gawain and Green Knight and Othello Ess

Role of Religion in Sir Gawain and Othello      Ã‚   Respect for religion and government is an important part of any country, but what happens to a country when these values begin to change?   England was beginning to go through this change in 1603 when Othello was written by William Shakespeare.   Comparing the religious themes and heroes of Othello to the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight which was written during the Middle English era, will demonstrate just how far England had come.   Both heroes are clearly religious, but Gawain maintains his faith until the end, while Othello falls into the snare of temptation.   The spiritual hero of Middle English is quite different from the tragic hero of the Machiavellian era.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To begin, look at a night in the life of Sir Gawain.   It is Christmas Eve and Gawain is in need.   He needs a place to stay in his search for the Green Knight's castle and he has traveled a long way.   What does he do?   Gawain could boast of his great ability to find his way and gallop on.   He could give up and go home as many others would.   He could become so completely discouraged after all his hard work with no results, that he wishes someone would just thrust a sword into his side and put him out of his misery. Gawain doesn't do any of those things though.   That is just not Sir Gawain of Camelot.   He is not that kind of hero.    And at that holy ride He prays with all his might That Mary may be his guide Till a dwelling comes in sight. (736-739)    If that wasn't enough, Gawain continues praying when he realizes that it is Christmas Day and he is missing mass:    I beseech of Thee, Lord, And Mary, thou mildest mother so dear, Some harborage where... ...troduction" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (1-6)    Dinney, Larry. Religion and Tradition in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1995.    Gardner, John. The Complete Works of the Gawain Poet. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1965.    Gawain Poet. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams et al. 6th ed. 1 vol. New York: W.W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. 1:200-254    Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (39-55)    Snyder, Susan. "Beyond the Comedy: Othello" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (page 23-37)

Assignment in Sales Management Essay

1. What is Sales Management? -Sales management is a business discipline which is focused on the practical application of sales techniques and the management of a firm’s sales operations. It is an important business function as net sales through the sale of products and services and resulting profit drive most commercial business. 2. What is salesmanship? -Salesmanship is a personal action or effort on the part of an individual which is intended to bring about the sale of the goods for sale. More broadly speaking, salesmanship is the art of selling something to somebody, and everything which contributes to the consummation of this exchange is necessarily a part of salesmanship. – salesmanship is the Practice of investigating and satisfying customer needs through a process that is efficient, fair, sincere, mutually beneficial, and aimed at long-term productive relationship. 3. What are the marketing mix? -The marketing mix and the 4 Ps of marketing are often used as synonyms for each other. In fact, they are not necessarily the same thing. â€Å"Marketing mix† is a general phrase used to describe the different kinds of choices organizations have to make in the whole process of bringing a product or service to market. The 4 Ps is one way – probably the best-known way – of defining the marketing mix, and was first expressed in 1960 by E J McCarthy. The 4Ps are: Product (or Service) Place Price Promotion A good way to understand the 4 Ps is by the questions that you need to ask to define you marketing mix. Here are some questions that will help you understand and define each of the four elements: Product/Service What does the customer want from the product/service? What needs does it satisfy? What features does it have to meet these needs? Are there any features you’ve missed out?  Are you including costly features that the customer won’t actually use? How and where will the customer use it?  What does it look like? How will customers experience it?  What size(s), color(s), and so on, should it be?  What is it to be called? How is it branded? How is it differentiated versus your competitors? What is the most it can cost to provide, and still be sold sufficiently profitably? Place  Where do buyers look for your product or service?If   they look in a store, what kind? A specialist boutique or in a supermarket, or both? Or online? Or direct, via a catalogue? How can you access the right distribution channels?  Do you need to use a sales force? Or attend trade fairs? Or make online submissions? Or send samples to catalogue companies? What do you competitors do, and how can you learn from that and/or differentiate? Price What is the value of the product or service to the buyer? Are there established price points for products or services in this area? Is the customer price sensitive? Will a small decrease in price gain you extra market share? Or will a small increase be indiscernible, and so gain you extra profit margin? What discounts should be offered to trade customers, or to other specific segments of your market? How will your price compare with your competitors? Promotion Where and when can you get across your marketing messages to your target market? Will you reach your audience by advertising in the press, or on TV,  or radio, or on billboards? By using direct marketing mailshot? Through PR? On the Internet? When is the best time to promote? Is there seasonality in the market? Are there any wider environmental issues that suggest or dictate the timing of your market launch, or the timing of subsequent promotions? How do your competitors do their promotions? And how does that influence your choice of promotional activity? The 4Ps model is just one of many marketing mix lists that have been developed over the years. And, whilst the questions we have listed above are key, they are just a subset of the detailed probing that may be required to optimize your marketing mix. Amongst the other marketing mix models have been developed over the years is Boom and Bitner’s 7Ps, sometimes called the extended marketing mix, which include the first 4 Ps, plus people, processes and physical layout decisions. Another marketing mix approach is Lauterborn’s 4Cs, which presents the elements of the marketing mix from the buyer’s, rather than the seller’s, perspective. It is made up of Customer needs and wants (the equivalent of product), Cost (price), Convenience (place) and Communication (promotion). In this article, we focus on the 4Ps model as it is the well-recognized, and contains the core elements of a good marketing mix. 4. What is marketing and sales strategy? Marketing strategy is defined by Prophet’s David Aaker as a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its resources on the optimal opportunities with the goals of increasing sales and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage.[1] Marketing strategy includes all basic and long-term activities in the field of marketing that deal with the analysis of the strategic initial situation of a company and the formulation, evaluation and selection of market-oriented strategies and therefore contributes to the goals of the company and its marketing objectives.[2]

Bank Internship: National City Corporation

This past summer (2002), I was an intern in the Credit Department at the corporate headquarters of National City Bank located in downtown Cleveland. During my time as an intern I was able to put my classrooms knowledge and experience into practice dealing with real world situations. Let me give you an overview of what our department basically did on a day to day basis. We were what you would call the â€Å"number crunchers† of the building. Senior Credit Officers, Loan Officers, and Secured Credit Analysts would send numerous financial statements for various companies to our floor. These financials, with the attached project (I will explain the projects/assignment later) would then be assigned by our department head to specific analysts. We were then responsible for completing the desired task that the Officer had requested by a certain date and time. Analysts would gather as much information about the company as needed and perform the various tasks in order to get the Officer’s approval of the completed product. All in all, that is basically what the Credit Department did on a day to day basis, but this is just a brief overview. I will go into further detail throughout the remainder of the paper. On my first day at the internship, I was introduced to my supervisor and Assistant Vice President of Credit, Anita Swoboda (she interviewed me and gave me the job over the phone, so we had never met) and the rest of my coworkers on the 9th floor. After the introductions were made and I was situated in my new desk, I was instructed to go to a computer in the back of the office to learn the system that the department worked off of. The instructional tour took me through the database that I would be using on an everyday basis and showed me what everything the specifics of the system. The database was constructed like an Excel spreadsheet, but it was specifically made with equations for the different data entries. After I was fully acquainted with the database (it is called FAMAS), I was given my first assignment to complete. The slang term used around the office for these financial tables was â€Å"spreads†. The spreads were the end result of the data entered into FAMAS. I was given a set of financial statements from a specific company and my job was to enter the relevant data into the necessary categories and subcategories in the system. After all of the data was entered, I had to check to make sure that the balance sheet was in balance, the income statement provided the correct net income for the period ending, and the cash flow statement was in accordance to the company’s given data. If everything was in place and all of the data was correct, I then would print off the â€Å"output†. The output gave six pages of the summarized data that I had entered. Three pages were the replicas of the balance sheet, the income statement, and the statement of cash flows. The other three pages gave concise ratios and detailed reconciliations pertaining to the data. This, inevitably, was used by the Officer to make an accurate assumption about the stability of the company’s cash/asset/liability position. This was the most basic and most assigned project for the analysts in general. The next type of responsibility that I had was in the contents of what was called a Criticized Asset Sheet or CAC for short. These CACs were used by Officers when a company was underperforming according to National City’s standards for loan payments. These companies often times would have negative net income levels for more than one year, poor repayment practices in the past, and overall bad quality dealings with National City in general, just to name a few. The CAC required the analyst to do the assigned company’s spreads as well as a number of other pieces of financial analysis in order to give the Officer and the committee a better idea of where exactly this company stood and if it was beneficial to keep doing business with them. I was responsible for going through another database (I was taken through another step by step training session, this time with an individual) to get all of the pertinent information needed for the assessment. This new database allowed me to get detailed information on all of a company’s outstanding loans (i. e. what type of loan, when it matures, how much is outstanding, etc. ), the list of beneficiaries/individual signers on the loans as well as their financial commitment in the company, and the company’s past status on its old loans. After gathering the necessary information, it was my duty to input the data into a pre-designed word document and add verbiage to tell what each number represented (this is difficult to explain without showing you exactly what the sheet looked like). I would then send an updated copy of the CAC to the Officer (whoever it was that I was working with) and he would look over it to see if there should be anything else added and also to see if there were any mistakes that I had made. After looking over the sheet, the Officer would then send me a new copy of the CAC via interoffice email with his/her pdated section. Their section dealt mostly with notes from the last meeting, recommendations, developments, etc. which were relevant for the next meeting with the committee. I would then take this new copy and send it over to Secured Credit, where someone would derive an analysis on collateral determinants, cash flows summaries, etc. and that would then go into the CAC at the end. After I had collected all of the necessary items, I would put the CAC together with my section, the Officer’s section, the Secured Credit comments, and the spreads. I would then print out a copy and give it to the CAC secretary who would put it on the stack of other CACs to go down to the printing room for multiple copies. These copies would then be distributed to the various committee members when the CAC was due to be discussed. It was the committee’s duty to discuss the company’s situation with the Officer (the Officer was closely related with the company, meaning that he had gone to the location, spoken with the executives on several occasions, etc. to see if it was feasible or not to continue funding their outstanding loans or if they should be ended. The last responsibility I had as an intern at National City was the most detailed and the most important assignment that permanent analysts completed. Toward the end of my internship, it was noticed by my superiors that I could handle large workloads and put out excellent results. So, my supervisor decided that I should be taught how to do the main thing that permanent analysts d id on a regular basis. These assignments were called Credit Sheets. The Credit Sheet incorporated all of the things that dealt with the CACs and the spreads, but required an extreme amount of financial information and overall analysis. This sheet dealt with the loan structure, financial position of the company, statements from the CEO, industry and company analysis, future implications that may hinder the business’s performance and various other aspects of the overall picture company and its industry in general. These sheets were usually between 30 and 100 page reports and were done because a company was seeking new loans, extensions on old loans, or more borrowings. My duties were to gather all of the information that I could about the company and its industry. I would be in constant contact with the Officer so that he/she could give me any updated financial or company news in general and also so that I could let them know how my progress was coming along. I would then construct a broad industry analysis as well as a very detailed company analysis. It was also my job to provide a detailed financial analysis of the company including collateral trends, borrowing base, future commitments, 1, 3, and 5 year cash flow analysis, and projected future position. The sheet, again just like the CAC, would be passed between the Officer and myself, with him/her adding necessary information as necessary, until we were both confident with the content. The sheet would then be presented to the committee and it would be determined through discussion, whether or not the company’s request was valid according to the information presented and the committee’s feeling about the future of the company. I did also have other various responsibilities such as side projects for different people and whatnot, but basically, the things that I described above were my most important responsibilities. These duties, no matter how large or small, were an integral part of the corporation’s functioning as a whole. During my time as at National City, I, along with the two other interns and the new permanent employees, was required to take a Commercial Credit class. We would meet as a group one or two times a week with Anita, in a classroom setting, and go over the different topics we were assigned to read. There were five parts in all: Qualitative Company Analysis, Credit Risk Analysis, Cash Flow Analysis, Balance Sheet Analysis, and Case Studies. These areas were integral in the learning process of dealing with Commercial Credit in that it taught us what to look for when dealing with companies’ financial statements and allowed us to take a more in depth look at the financial process. It was an incredible learning tool because it allowed all of us to take what we were learning in the classroom and use it in a real world situation. I thought that that aspect was the best part of the internship in that it expanded on my current skills and enabled me to experience situations that cannot be taught merely in a college setting. The purpose of an internship, as I see it, is to make a person aware of the world that waiting for them after college and to give them a better understanding of what is out there in corporate America. Not only did this internship show me what could be waiting for me after college, but it also taught me a great deal about how a corporation works as a single unit. My job and status in the corporation was not looked down upon and I was not handed filing work or other types of â€Å"busy work†. I was being taught and molded in a way that was in accordance to how they train their ermanent employees. It was truly an incredible learning experience for me. The internship was very beneficial to my future professional career. I speak with employers now and they are thoroughly impressed with my experiences at National City. I have a superior knowledge of certain aspects of the financial world that has given me a leg up against the competition during the interviewing process as well as in conversations with professionals in the field. I feel more comfortable and confident with my skills and abilities than I have ever felt before. National City made me feel important and now that is the attitude that I carry around with myself. The thing that I enjoyed the most about my internship at National City was the fact that I was treated as an equal and important member of the corporation. Aside from the learning aspect of the job, I gained a sense of what it would be like to be an employee of a large company, such as a bank. I was given work that the permanent employees were doing and I was expected to perform within the same parameters. I also enjoyed the work setting in general. We worked hard, but it was a laid back atmosphere where you could really get to know the other people in the office. Plus, most of the people that I worked with were either fresh out of college or had graduated just a few short years back. There were also a few Ohio University College of Business alumni in my department which made for interesting and resourceful conversations. With all of things in mind, I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed the fact that this job really taught me a lot. I know that I have already mentioned this, but the knowledge that I gained from my time at National City was priceless. I never thought that an internship could be so beneficial to me in the long run, but I was proven wrong in this case with flying colors. The internship, overall, was just an incredible experience for me and I am truly grateful that I was given the opportunity to prove my self while expanding on my skills at the same time. The College of Business has done a fantastic job in preparing me for my professional career in many ways. Many of the classes I have been required to take have given me a strong base of knowledge in particular areas of finance. I felt extremely prepared for this job when I first started just because of the fact that the finance and accounting classes that I have taken so far have taught me a great deal about the raw material in dealing with income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, etc. The course I took at National City was mostly a method of fine tuning my already present skills and also a means of allowing me to put my entire classroom learning to work in real world situations. The course that really prepared me the best for this position was the second business cluster (301i). In the cluster, I learned how to better my time management skills, work through tough situations, and gain more experience with interacting with other individuals (group work). I thought it was amusing that the permanent analysts were working on industry analyses for their projects and I was able to help them because of the fact that I had done so many of them in the cluster. I guess I really didn’t realize just how much I have truly learned until I experienced it first hand in a situation like the one I just mentioned. The introductory finance class given in the cluster (FIN 325) was also an important class that helped to prepare me for this job. I was introduced to the stock market on a more specific level and was taught about how to â€Å"analyze† the numbers (basically, what everything means). But, like I said, the overall knowledge that I gained from all of the classes I have taken here at Ohio University have been a huge benefit to my professional career. When I began my internship, I knew that I was prepared, but I didn’t know that I could be fully prepared for the task that was laid before me. To my relief, everyone around me was extremely helpful if I had any problems with anything and the Credit class also refreshed my memory about some of things that I may have forgotten over time. All in all, I was prepared enough to perform to the best of my ability and to add value back to National City. My overall outlook on my career and future has always been a concern of mine. I would always ask myself what kind of job of do I want to have when I graduate, where do I want to work, what will make me happy, etc. and it has always been hard for me to answer. To be honest with you, I never thought that I would want to work at a bank, to become a â€Å"banker†. But after experiencing a banking job first hand, I feel that it is something that I truly enjoy. I feel that banking is a great place for a finance major to start off in a career because it allows one to gain an understanding about the â€Å"meat and potatoes† of the financial world. Banking is a broad field to get into because there are so many aspects of it and so many different career paths to follow. I have interviewed with a number of companies to get a feel for what is out there for finance majors coming out f college and have found that it is mostly banking or sales. I know for a fact that I do not picture myself in a sales type position (life insurance, broker, etc. ) and that banking just seems to be the right fit for me. I have had the benefit of being able to take an in depth look at what the banking industry is all about and what it has to offer to myself i n regards to developing my professional career. I am happy to say that I am currently in the second round of interviews with National City for a Commercial Banking position. This is a position that I feel will be the most beneficial for me to begin at directly out of college. I feel that this position will give me the sound financial background that I need in order to advance in my career and develop into the professional that I have always strived to become. This internship was a great experience for me, one that gave me something more than just a paycheck. National City is an excellent corporation and deserves praise for its efforts in the internship arena. Please let me know if there are any other questions that you would like answered, for I may be able to explain myself better in spoken words (592-6294). Thank you.

Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Essays

Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Essays Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Paper Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Paper Essay Topic: Critical Thinking This essay will firstly, ascertain and examine what exactly critical thinking is. Secondly, it will provide a brief outline of Platos Apology, and then it will outline and assess how Platos defence is represented and understood as critical thinking. Finally, there will be a conclusion of what exactly being a critical thinker entails and a short paragraph explaining how the module has improved and expanded my own capacity for critical thinking. Young (1996, p. ) states that critical thinking is the capacity people have to question beliefs and presuppositions (their own and those of others) with a view to giving reasons for them or for amending them. Put more simply, critical thinking is the procedure for understanding and evaluating the evidence which supports a certain claim or view. Critical rationality which is the capacity to criticise, that is, to assess goals, rules and presuppositions themselves and where appropriate change them is a distinctively unique human trait, which gives human beings the power to engage critical thinking (Rationality Handout). It also involves rational decision making in whether to believe or discount a point, and it also involves accepting or rejecting certain evidence. It is not simply an exchange of opinions, but a critical and vigorous attempt to find ones way through discussion and argumentation. The Apology is Platos version of the speech given by Socrates as he defends himself against the charges of being a man who corrupted the young, refused to worship the gods, and created new deities (Schofield, 1998, p. 1). Young (1996, p. ) states that Plato sees philosophy itself as namely a style of thinking which is distinctively different from, for instance, science or religion or indeed anything else. So, philosophy for Plato is not a distinctive set of conclusions or of finished truths, but a distinctive style of thinking. For Plato, Socrates embodies this distinctive way of thinking and living that is philosophy, which Young (1996, p. 2) adds is not just another way of theorizing about life but also a new attitude toward life, even a new way of living life. Socrates begins by stating that the accusations against him began because people confused him with intellectuals who claim to have expert knowledge either in the natural sciences (cosmogonists), or in the social sciences or humanities (sophists). Socrates says There is a wise man called Socrates who has theories about the heavens above and has investigated everything below the earth, and can make the weaker argument defeat, the stronger (Young, 1996, p. 2). Socrates is, in the Apology, the very embodiment of philosophy or critical thinking, so by stating the differences he is stating that philosophy does not provide expert knowledge, but instead gives a different kind of human or limited knowledge. Socrates says of himself that it seems he really possesses this. And he hints that, limited though it be, the knowledge or wisdom that can be secured via philosophy is of decisive importance for human beings (Young, 1996, p. 3). The vital knowledge Socrates talks about is the abilities and vital skills philosophy learns people of questioning everything, being inquisitive in life and not accepting things for how they are. Socrates then goes on to tell a tall story about himself, which, as with all of the Apology, it isnt just the words spoken but the action and setting plus words left unspoken, which determine the texts meaning. Socrates tells the story of his friend Chaerephon who went to Delphi and through the oracle there asks the god if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The god said that there was no one. Socrates claims to have been astonished and then states that it was reverence toward the gods which led him by his questioning activity to challenge the leaders of the State (Young, 1996, p. 3): I knew I was making myself disliked, but felt compelled to put my duty to the god before all else And by the dog, Athenians! as I pursued my questioning at the gods command, it seemed to me that those with the greatest reputations for being wise were amongst the stupidest of all; others supposed to be their inferiors were wiser, and better people too. (Young, 1996, p. 3)) An important part of critical thinking is then, according to Socrates, having the ability and open mind to listen to and question everyones views. Socrates differentiates between the all-seeing knowledge of the gods and normal knowledge which humans can gain, and states that the wisest people are those who know that they can never have this definitive and ultimate knowledge. Young (1996, p. ) adds Socrates wisdom or knowledge consists in part in the fact that he (unlike his powerful interlocutors) knows the limits of his own knowledge (or the extent of his own ignorance), whereas they do not: a person who is ignorant of x but knows herself to be ignorant of it, is to that extent wiser than someone who does not know it either but mistakenly thinks she does. Socrates gets his accusers to admit that they are ignorant and proud; to use Platos language, they are lovers of status, power and wealth, as opposed to lovers of knowledge and truth (Young, 1996, p. ) and states they will only ever become wise and less ignorant if they change their will and desire. Translating Socrates words, Young (1996, p. 4) comments Philosophical knowledge or wisdom, then, depends upon on the will at least as much as the intellect; upon desire and upon the direction of desire at least as much as abstract intellectual ratiocination; upon practice at least as, much as theorizing. Critical thinking then is an intellectual effort aiming at acquiring human self-knowledge or self- understanding. (Young, 1996, p. 4). In order to strive to achieve this, a person must have courage, be prepared to question and challenge oneself, and to continue on even though it may be upsetting some people, just as Socrates upset those in power through his philosophy of questioning and debating. Critical thinking is a way of living which one embodies in their attitudes and practices, it is also about taking others views and beliefs into consideration, and then challenging the very presuppositions that these beliefs rest on. To be a critical thinker is to be tolerant, not take things at face value and to realise that as humans our knowledge will always be limited. This should spur one on to be open-minded and to question ones thoughts and views. However, Socrates recognises that some people may be unwilling to do this out of fear of losing their credibility and reputation. One should not automatically assume what a person says is true just because they are in power, in the same way Socrates tells the youth to think for themselves and not believe everything politicians say. Young (1996, p. ) sees philosophy as a second-order study; first-order studies being those, such as sciences that deal with facts, where as second-order study focuses on the concepts using which first-order studies study the real world and its facts with a view to clarifying the structure and role of these concepts; or again instead of engaging in first-order evaluation of the world we focus on the evaluations and judgements whereby first-order evaluating is done; and so forth. Socrates was willing to die for philosophy and the distinctive way of thinking and living it entails; the statement he made he unquestioned life is not worth living (Platos Apology, p. 12) sums up his life and beliefs perfectly. He believes that critical thinking is good for both individuals and society, and that the freedom to think in this way should be defended. In asking what the good life was and how we could attain it, Socrates made critical thinking the patrimony of potentially every person who was willing to follow his leadership. His simple call to critically examine oneself and the world would both empower and challenge his followers throughout the ages. To be fully human after the example set by the life of Socrates would require any serious person to engage in the examined life (Polelle, 2008, p. 91). Socrates was the very embodiment of what it is to be a critical thinker, and he saw it as being such a crucial part of being a human being that he was willing to die for it. The very idea of critical thinking needs defending because there will always be people who are annoyed by it and who will try to take away others freedom to practice it, just as happened to Socrates in the Apology. I must admit that I have never had time for either religion or god. When I was younger I could not understand why people spent so much time out of their lives worshipping something that has never even been proved exists. It seemed very unusual to me that people would pray to a god when things got bad because how do they even know someones listening? It seemed obvious to me at the time that surely there is no higher being because if there really was, would this almighty god allow all of the suffering that goes on in the world to continue? Can there really be a god that created our earth? After studying the critical thinking module I no longer think this way. Im open to everything, even something that cant be proved, like god. I still question the ideas on which ideas and beliefs are based, but I am now more open to all ideas, no matter how strange they seem to me at the time. Instead of just ignoring the Jehovahs Witnesses at the door, I now say hi, collect some brochures from them and have a chat, although I cant see myself ever becoming a follower of Jehovah. I am open to ideas, such as god creating the world, however I do feel this is very unlikely. I have thought there must be something out there listening to gods worshippers, and surely he must exist otherwise he would not have so many followers. But then again, perhaps the bible is a hoax. I feel more inclined to believe that a big bang created the earth, mainly because there seems proof to support the fact. To be a critical thinker means to consider and debate all ideas and beliefs and I feel I am developing my ability to think critically. However, this does not mean I have to agree with everything or everyones points of view.

How to Make Glow in the Dark Slime

How to Make Glow in the Dark Slime It only takes one more ingredient to turn normal slime into glowing slime. This is a great Halloween project, though its fun for any time of the year. Glowing slime is safe for kids to make. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: about 15 minutes Materials for Glow in the Dark Slime Elmers glue gel or 4%  polyvinyl alcohol  solution4% (saturated) borax solutionPhosphorescent zinc sulfide (ZnS) or glowing paintMeasuring cups/spoonsBowl or zip-top plastic baggieSpoon (optional) Make Glowing Slime Basically, you make glowing slime by adding zinc sulfide or glowing paint to normal slime. These instructions make a clear slime that glows in the dark. However, you could add zinc sulfide to any of the recipes for slime with different characteristics.The slime is made by preparing two separate solutions, which are then mixed. You can double, triple, etc. the recipe if you want more slime. The ratio is 3 parts PVA or glue solution to 1 part borax solution, with a little glow-in-the-dark agent thrown in (measurement isnt critical).First, lets prepare the glue gel or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution. If you have polyvinyl alcohol, you want to make a 4% polyvinyl alcohol solution. 4 grams of PVA in 100 ml of water is great, but the project still works if your solution is a different percent of PVA (just takes more or less). Most people do not have PVA sitting around their homes. You can make a glue gel solution by mixing 1 part of glue gel (either clear or pale blue) with 3 parts of war m water. For example, you could mix 1 tablespoon glue with 3 tablespoons warm water, or 1/3 cup glue with 1 cup of warm water. Stir the glow agent into the glue gel or PVA solution. You want 1/8 teaspoon of zinc sulfide powder per 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of solution. If you cannot find zinc sulfide powder, you can stir in some glow-in-the-dark paint. You can find glowing paint at some paint stores or glowing paint powder (which is zinc sulfide) at craft or hobby stores. The zinc sulfide or paint powder will not dissolve. You just want it mixed in really well. Please read the label on the paint to make sure it is safe enough for your purposes.The other solution you need is a saturated borax solution. If you are in a chemistry lab, you can make this by mixing 4 g of borax with 100 ml warm water. Again, most of us arent going to be doing the project in a lab. You can make a saturated borax solution by stirring borax into warm water until it stops dissolving, leaving borax at the bottom of the glass.Mix together 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of PVA or glue gel solution with 10 ml (2 teaspoons) of borax solution. You can u se a spoon and a cup or you can just squish it together with your hands or inside a sealed baggie. The phosphorescent glow is activated by shining a light on the slime. Then you turn out the lights and it will glow. Please dont eat the slime. The slime solution itself isnt exactly toxic, but it isnt good for you, either. Zinc sulfide can be irritating to the skin, so wash your hands after playing with this slime. It may be harmful if swallowed, not because ZnS is toxic, but because it can react to form hydrogen sulfide gas, which isnt great for you. In a nutshell: wash your hands after using the slime and do not eat it. Do not inhale or ingest the glow-in-the-dark ingredient, whichever you choose to use.Store your slime in a baggie or other sealed container to keep it from evaporating. You can refrigerate it if desired. The slime cleans up well with soap and water. Tips for Slime Success The glowing slime in the photo was made using  a glowing paint called Glow Away at Michaels craft store, for $1.99, that is good for many, many batches of glowing slime (or other glowing projects). Its safe, washes away with water, and is easy to mix into the slime gel. It was located with the tempera paints. Other products may work equally well, just be sure to check the label for safety information.Instead of zinc sulfide (the compound used to make plastic glow-in-the-dark stars), you can substitute any phosphorescent pigment. Be sure the product is marked phosphorescent (glows in the dark) and not fluorescent (glows only under black light).You can use Elmers non-toxic blue glue gel for this project, sold with school supplies, but there is a clear glue gel made by another manufacturer, plus there are red or blue glue gels with stars and glitter that you could use.Usually, borax is sold in stores right next to laundry detergent. If you dont see it there, try looking near household cleaning chemicals or on the insecticide aisle (note: boric acid isnt the same chemical, so its not a good idea to  make substitutions).

The Dock Street Theater Charleston South Carolina Essay

The Dock Street Theater Charleston South Carolina - Essay Example However, the main entrance to the building was built about 46 years later by J.W. Gamble in 1855 Just like it had been named, the hotel was mostly the preserve of planters who travelled to Charleston from South Carolina to take part in horse-racing activities. The hotel was reputable for its classy food and drinks during this period. It is also believed that South Carolina's famous punch was first made here. One peculiarity about this hotel was that in those early days guests passed through the recessed porch with brownstone columns. This led into a lobby that gave access to a grand staircase that ascended to a drawing room. Despite signs of considerable alteration to the interior, the elements of the antebellum hotel remained and were reintegrated for reuse in the building. Following these years of renovation works, a series of additions to the hotel spanning the entire 19th and 20th centuries can be readily identified by the different colorations of the bricks. The history of the Dock Street Theatre also brings to mind the story of Charleston's theater history. In the 1930s, the building had some restoration work carried out by the City of Charleston as a Works Progress Administration project. It was under this project that a large a large section was constructed behind the hotel containing a stage and auditorium characteristic of the 18th century. After this building was finally renovated, it was named after a 1730s theater which stood on the Queen Street side of the building. On the other hand, the theater is said to have been the first building purposefully constructed for theatrical performances in the USA. In the course of this, Planter's Hotel sporadically housed one of the city's theatrical bands, which performed at the nearby New Theatre during the mid-19th century. The most prominent actor of this band was Junius. B. Booth. He was the patriarch of an exceptional group of actors, which included J. W. Booth; the guy who assassinated President Lincoln. Junius Booth, stayed at the Planter's Hotel, and was alleged to have attempted killing his manager in 1838. Today the Dock Street Theatre is home to a community theater group called the Charleston Stage Company, and houses the city's Cultural Affairs office as well as The City Gallery, which is an exhibition space for local artists. Another interesting story about the history of the theater reveals that an announcement in the South Carolina Gazette in 1736 read that a new theater would open in Dock Street. The house later became known as the Dock Street Theatre for the two years it was in operation. It closed in 1738 and got burned in the great Charleston fire of 1740. Two more playhouses were built on or near its site, one in 1754 and a second in 1766, and then a hotel was built in its place. Before becoming a community theater, the city made a move to restore the original theatre, and they rebuilt the building using plaster and woodwork for historic buildings that were being torn down. In 1937, using funds and people from the Works Progress Administration, a same-model of the original eighteenth century interior was constructed inside the crumbling hotel. Owned by the city, the restored theatre opened, as its ancestor had, with a production of The Recruiting Officer. The Dock Street Theatre was an outgrowth of the little theatre movement. So, in 1937, the theater reopened and is today home to the Charleston