Capital Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Capital Punishment - Essay Example After 2004, lethal injection (perceived by many as the least gruesome way of executing someone), hanging and beheading were the main methods used. Electrocution and the gas chamber are used in the United States only if the inmates wish to be executed by these methods. Stoning to death for sexual offences still occurs in some Islamic countries, notably Pakistan.2 From 1990 to 2003 Amnesty International reported a global average of 2,242 executions per year. In 2003 Amnesty reported 1,146 executions in 28 countries, 88% of them in just 5 countries: The People’s Republic of China 726, Iran 108, the U.S. 65, Vietnam 64 and Saudi Arabia 52.3 The figures reported by Amnesty in 2004 showed an increase over the previous year, totaling 3,797 executions in 25 countries, about 90% of them (3,400) in The People’s Republic of China, 230 in Iran, 64 in Vietnam, and 59 in Opposition to Capital Punishment began in Europe in the 1750s. Persons like Cesare Beccaria (Italian jurist), Voltaire (French philosopher), Jeremy Betham and Samuel Romilly (English law reformers) declared that Capital Punishment was inhumane and should be replaced by life imprisonment.5 Today, Capital Punishment has been abolished in the vast majority of democracies in Europe and Latin America, while it is still retained in most democracies in Asia, the U.S. and almost all totalitarian governments. In the U.S., the Supreme Court abolished it in 1972 on the grounds that it was being applied in an arbitrary and capricious manner which constituted cruel and unjust punishment (Furman v Georgia 1972).6 On July 2, 1976 in deciding the case Gregg v Georgia, the Supreme Court legalised capital punishment.7 Today following a four-year moratorium, Capital Punishment was reinstated in 1976. Today, it is followed in 36 States as well as by the Federal Government.8 Capital Punishment is a far better tool than life imprisonment primarily considering the saving of State and

Igniting Young Minds Essay Example for Free

Igniting Young Minds Essay Swami Vivekananda’s success Mantras for youth! â€Å"My Faith is in the Younger Generation, the Modern Generation, out of them will come my workers. They will work out the whole problem, like Lions.† Swami Vivekananda expressed this confidence in the youth of this country exactly 50 years before the end of Colonial Rule while speaking to a mammoth gathering of youngsters in Madras. Swami ji himself was the embodiment of youth, dynamism and vibrancy. The life and ideals of Swami ji are the greatest inspiration for the youth of our nation. In a short life of 39 years, 5 months and 22 days, this great man conquered the entire world with his message. Many great personalities both in India and across the world became deeply inspired by Swami ji. The writings of Swami ji can ignite the minds of the reader.. Anybody who has come into either direct or indirect contact has witnessed an ocean of change in his or her life. Today, the youth of this country faces various challenges and I am certain that the message of Swami Vivekananda has the power to wonderfully guide them into the future. PURPOSE OF LIFE Swami ji always held that the real birth of the individual takes place when the purpose of his life germinates. He believed that he who does not have a purpose is nothing but a walking-talking corpse.It is extremely important not to decide the purpose of life with the narrow objective to be something or the other. Think of doing not becoming and in this process you will certainly become something. Once the purpose of life is clear, all actions of life become driven by that purpose. SELF-CONFIDENCE A precursor to do anything in life is to have confidence in the self. Swami Vivekananda attached more importance to self-confidence than even faith in God! â€Å"He is an atheist who does not believe in himself. The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is an atheist who does not believe in himself,† he famously stated. Unfortunately, we have limited ourselves without knowing our capabilities. Many times we feel that we can do ‘only this much’ despite being blessed with tremendous capabilities. If our youth is determined, there can be nothing impossible for them to achieve in the world! But, for this we must regain our self-confidence. Swami ji always believed that everything that is happening around us be it small, big, positive or negative gives us the opportunity to manifest the potential within. DEDICATION For any endeavor to attain the pinnacle of success, dedication to the cause is absolutely essential. Swami Vivekananda once said, â€Å"To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. ‘I will drink the ocean’, says the persevering soul; ‘at my will mountains will crumble up’. Have that sort of energy, that sort of will; work hard, and you will reach the goal.† Another quality that Swami Vivekananda spoke of was patience. He said, â€Å"Be like the pearl oyster. There is a pretty Indian fable to the effect that if it rains when the star Svà ¢ti is in the ascendant, and a drop of rain falls into an oyster, that drop becomes a pearl. The oysters know this, so they come to the surface when that star shines, and wait to catch the precious raindrop. When a drop falls into them, quickly the oysters close their shells and dive down to the bottom of the sea, there to patiently develop the drop into the pearl. We should be like that.† Very often, it so happens that we take on a task with immense enthusiasm but as time passes by, the same enthusiasm fizzles out. Pursuing a challenge with utmost dedication is indeed a road to success for our youth. TEAMWORK This era belongs to organization and teamwork. Be it any sector from science, technology to business, teamwork constitutes a major cornerstone to attaining the desired results. When he was in USA, Swami Vivekananda was greatly impressed by the spirit of teamwork there and he thought of the need to re-vitalize this spirit of teamwork in India. Leading by example, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission and organized Sanyasis to work towards nation building. Friends, if the present youth walks on the hallow path of Swami ji’s ideals and beliefs it will merely be a matter of time before India adorns the mantle as the leader of the World. In any case, we are the most youthful nation in the world but simply that is not enough. It is necessary to arm our youth with the relevant knowledge and skill that will convert this mammoth potential to desired results. India is celebrating Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary and Gujarat is commemorating the entire year as ‘Yuva Shakti Varsh’. It is indeed high time that we resolve to follow these ideals of Swami Vivekananda and take this youthful nation to greater heights as the leader of the world.

International Marketing Plan For Londons Ships

International Marketing Plan For Londons Ships 1. Executive summary This report presents an inclusive international marketing plan which has been formulated for Londons Ships, operating in the tourism industry of the UK. The marketing plan primarily aims to generate awareness within its target market regarding the products and services offered by the enterprise. This plan also aims to promote the historic partner museum ships with in the global tourists market. These partner museum ships are members of Londons Ships. This marketing plan is the primary plan formulated for a period of one year. The target market that has been defined by the marketing plan is formed of those people who keep keen interest in the UKs history and heritage and falls within the age bracket of 35 to 65. This target market lives in USA. The marketing plan has been designed upon carrying out an examination of the UK tourism industry. The industry has been influenced by the distressed economic condition and requires expansion with the help of the UK government. It has been furth er recognised that micro and macro industrial environment has the capability to impact the enterprise and its subsequent performance. The marketing plan identifies the objectives based upon which the marketing strategy and the communication channels have been proposed. This plan also ascertains the implementation plan with identified responsibilities and time period. Furthermore it has also been postulated that the plan should be persistently monitored and assessed against the performance indicators. The key factor based upon which the plan has been proposed is the consistent monitoring and reviewing of the performance and expected outcomes of the marketing plan so that performance issues can be addressed. 2. Objectives of the enterprise 2.1. To develop and expand the business of the enterprise by means of expanding the market and develop the brand of Londons Ships. 2.2. To propagate the museum ships as esteemed members of Londons Ships as well as the heritage of the UK. 2.3. To amplify the revenues generated by the business by means of accomplishing business sustainability and subsequent expansion. 3. Assessment of the environment of the market (source: Londons Ships corporate website; Business Source Premier, 2009, case study: Londons Ships of Historic Interest Partnership) 3.1. Micro environment: Carrying out the SWOT analysis of the enterprise, it has been assessed that the strengths are representation of the company as the heritage of the UK whereas the member vessels of the enterprise are some of the famous and well known museum ships. The weaknesses of the enterprise are its dependency on the tourism industry of the UK which had directly affected the performance of the enterprise. Londons Ships lacks in adapting to the technological innovation such as e- commerce website that can facilitate the business in increasing its sales and revenues through providing information, knowledge regarding the offered products and services by the enterprise. Additionally an e- commerce business infrastructure can also provide the international tourists to do online booking, which also is the missed opportunity by the company. Thirdly the major weakness has been observed as the uncompetitive website of the company which lags far behind in providing information and i nteraction of the business with its customers and stakeholders. The opportunities that lie ahead of the business are to take advantage of the investments by means of expanding and enhancing the e- marketing and online presence. Secondly with improvements that are expected in the UK economy are also expected to influence the industrial development, hence laying positive impacts on the business growth. The threats to the enterprise are seen in the form of competitive tourism industry of the UK which has the potential of attracting new market entrants who are eager to snatch the opportunities through forming associations with existing companies and increasing their market share. Secondly the other business affiliates such as hotels, car rental service providers etc can also threaten the company through making strategic alliances with the competitors. 3.2. Macro environment: the tourism industry of the UK had got affected by the existing economic turbulence. Therefore the tourists operators have been under constant scrutiny that whether or not these operators effectively furnish the value for money. The number of tourists visiting the UK has been declined since last nine years (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). Therefore the tourism industry is facing challenges in terms of attracting the tourists due to slow development, lower business revenues and scarcity of competent and skilled people. 3.3. It has been assessed that in order to provide efficient services by the industry, hit mandates persistent investments to be made in the development of people and the products. The tourism industry of the UK demonstrates high potential to survive even in the distressed economic situation nevertheless, significant considerations must be made by the government to promote UK tourism as one of the key economic drivers. The subsequent result of expanding the industry will be job creation within the industry, increased revenues that will be shared by the market and most importantly giving a boost and financial injection to the distressed and recovering UK economy. 4. Identification of the target market The marketing plan primarily aspires to target a single market which is USA market. Upon the effective implementation of this marketing plan, other target markets will be defined and approached. As indicated, the target market falls within age the age bracket of 35 to 65 years. The target market has been assessed to keep a keen interest in exploring the world tourists sites due to their expenditure power. A brief analysis of the USA market has been given below along with the reasons for choosing this market as the target market for the marketing plan: 4.1. PESTEL analysis of USA (USA country profile, Euromonitor International, a, b, c 2010) The political arena of the USA raises concerns due to its involvement and approach towards international politics. Within the USA the expenditure of the government on social security and Medicare contributes towards two- fifth of the spending of the federal government which has been accused of increasing with an unjustifiable rate. Therefore due to the economic turbulence this funding has been affected which translates into instability of the USA government. The economic condition of the country appears to be distressed. Although currently the GDP seems to be stagnant, however it is expected to grow up to 3.1 per cent by the end of year 2010. The GDP is also expected to grow up to 2.6 per cent by the end of year 2011. The social landscape indicates towards a high living standard inclusive of yearly and even frequent trend of holiday making. The tourism spending has increased by the end of 2009 whereas decline in the inflation rate also indicates towards a promising picture. There has been increasing interest noted by the global tourist industry in the UK tourism industry due to increased efforts made by the local industry in increasing inbound tourism in the UK (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). Out of the most famous tourism attractions in UK are its historical buildings, museums etc. There has been an increase in inbound tourism in the UK, hence attracting the tourists from the USA market has been done because the USA is bigger market with increasing expenditure on tourism. 5. Marketing Objectives The marketing objectives have been drawn on the business objectives of the enterprise as indicated in section 2. These objectives have been set as: 5.1. To obtain a larger market share of the global market and also obtaining a larger share up to five per cent of the USA market in first year of implementation of the marketing plan. 5.2. To develop the relationship with the customers and stakeholders of the enterprise. 5.3. To develop a brand of the enterprise by means of creating an awareness of the enterprise as well as museum vessels. 6. Proposing a marketing strategy (inspired by Bangs, 2002; Chinsall, 1995). The following marketing strategy has been proposed to be adapted by the enterprise so that the defined marketing objectives can be attained: 6.1. Product: The enterprise requires developing its product and branding portfolio by increasing the quality and operational characteristics of the products and services that are being offered to the customers. It is recommended that the developed products and services should be coordinated with the needs and demands of the USA tourists. In addition to the development of the product portfolio the enterprise also requires to provide effective customer services that are designed to gain ultimate customer satisfaction. These efforts should be made in line with the brand development initiatives under taken by the management. Within the same context, introducing products such as green tourism should also be introduced that supports preserving ecology and bio- diversity. The prime objective of the developed product and brand portfolio should be addressing the target market coupled with services such as loyalty scheme, extra mileage scheme, easing out the accessibility for the disabled tou rists. 6.2. Price: The adapted pricing strategy of the enterprise should be a combination of competitive and premium pricing strategy. This has been proposed so that the tourists can be capable enough of spending on the tourist products and attractions with varied choices. 6.3. Place: There is an immediate requirement of the development of the e- commerce based infrastructure of the enterprise. It has been therefore suggested that Londons Ships should form strategic alliances with other tower operators to come up with competitive tourists products laden with trade discounts, competitive products etc. The development of e- commerce channel should be in line with brand development as well as creating the brand awareness of the corporation and its products and services. 6.4. Promotion: The enterprise should adapt multiple promotional channels such as e- marketing, public relations, social networking and so forth. Most importantly the company should concentrate on making a strong and consistent presence of the company as well as expansion of e- commerce website within this regards it has been suggested that the company should make its distinction on major search engines like Yahoo, msn etc. The reason behind doing so is to generate online traffic for the company as well as including provision of shared links in coordination with other e- commerce websites / companies offering similar services and products to the customers. The company can also improve its web presence by means of including familiar key words and by means of paying a specific amount to major search engines so that the web link of Londons Ships can be sponsored and appear with the results of the search engine. This can be made possible through outsourcing a search engine placement comp any whose job is to generate customer awareness, increase online traffic etc. for the enterprise. Most importantly Londons Ships should adapt to the process of email marketing. An e- mail marketing campaign that is designed for generating revenues as well as retaining customers likely to provide benefits such as higher number of customers visiting the website, increased brand awareness, brand development. Further on email marketing can also benefit the company through giving a cost effective solution that is equally influential in attracting global tourists towards the UK tourism industry. Some of the compatible channels of communication of e- marketing are newsletters, brochures etc. 6.5. In addition to the above recommendations the company should also adapt to the online public relations so that the customers and stakeholders are consistently kept well informed about the company and the brand along with development of the brand in context of supporting global ecology, low carbon economy and green tourism pertaining to bio diversity. 6.6. Most importantly the company should also strengthen its relationships with its customers and business partners so that the objectives of retaining the customers and obtaining a higher percentage of global market share can be attained. 7. Implementation plan (inspired by Kotler, 2006) Strategy- Implementation plan -Identified responsibilities -Start date-End date. Develop products portfolio and brand of the company along with creating the product and brand awareness: implying marketing and advertising channels along with branding and online public relations actions in order to promote the product portfolio. Creation of the awareness of the company and its brand should be carried out through promotion the marketing massage which is influential enough to successfully attract the customers to the member vessels of the company. Marketing manager, executive and team members September 2010-August 2011. Develop competitive and premium pricing strategy Revisions of the pricing strategy so that the company offers varied prices that cater different social classes with in the identified target market. Competitive prices can be possibly accomplished through cutting down the cost of business. In order to premium price the products, the enterprise should undertake some strategic actions such as making strategic alliances with allied services (other tour operators) so that the customers can be provided with value for their money(family packages, annual passes, fast track access etc.). Marketing manager, operations manager and their team November 2010-March 2011. Develop relationship with the stake holders Develop communication channels so that the customers and stake holders are kept well informed about the developments and activities of the company. Marketing manager, Business manager and his team October 2010-August 2011. 8. The marketing budget The desired marketing budget for this marketing plan has been assessed to be  £ 20,000 for the first year. The desired resources that should be allocated for the implementation process of this plan are human capital, financial budget, and continued support of the management as well as marketing personnel. 9. Monitoring and evaluation The evaluation of the marketing plan should be carried out against the following performance indicators as suggested by Punniyamoorthy and Murali (2008). These indicators are higher number of customers, increased brand awareness, experiencing the anticipated outcomes of marketing activities, successfully implemented competitive and premium prices paid by the customers, improved quality of customer services, higher market share etc. 10. Critical Issues (source: drawn from the case study) Londons Ships is assessed to challenge by the following critical issues which must be addressed prior to the implementation of the marketing plan that has been proposed above: 10.1. A process of consistent monitoring and reviewing should be carried out so that the marketing manager is well aware of the performance evaluation of the plan and can take corrective measures accordingly. 10.2. In addition to the implementation of the marketing plan the company should also concentrate on the development of its e- commerce infrastructure and web site so that the proposed strategies can be effectively implemented. It is also important so that the customers / foreign tourists can draw information and knowledge regarding the company and partner museum ships through the website as well as securing online purchases long before entering into the UK. 10.3. Londons Ships should also adapt to strategic business practices such as development of e- supply chain, forming strategic alliances with business partners with an ambition of offering tourist packages etc. 10.4. In addition to above issues the management should ensure that the company is well equipped with skilled and competent personnel which is capable enough of coping with the significant changes that the company has been suggested to go through. Therefore sufficient amount of training and development needs to be provided to the people along with learning and identifying the needs and demands of the people. References and Bibliography Adrian, P (2001) Principles of Services Marketing, (3rd edn) McGraw Hill Business Source Premier (2009) ‘Tourism crucial to UK recovery, Caterer and Hotelkeeper, 199:4583 Buttle, F (1996) Relationship Marketing: Theory and Practice, Sage Brassington, F and Pettitt, S (2006) Principles of Marketing, (4th edn), FT Prentice Hall Bangs, D (2002) The Market Planning Guide: Creating a Plan to Successfully Market Your Business, Product, Or Service (6th edn), Kaplan Publishing Buhalis, D and Costa, C (2006) Tourism Frontiers: Industry, Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, UK Buhalis, D and Costa, C (2004) Tourism Management Dynamics: Trends, Management and Tools, Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann, London Cox, E (2001) Diffusion of forecasting principles through books, In J. S. Armstrong (ed.), Principles of Forecasting / J. E. Cox, D.G. Loomis, Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers,. Choy, L (1995) The quality of tourism employment, Tourism Management, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 129-37 Chinsall, P (1995) Strategic Business marketing, (3rd edn) Prentice Hall Chaston, I (2001) e-Marketing Strategy, McGraw-Hill Christopher, M et al. (1993) Relationship Marketing: Bringing Quality, Customer Service and Marketing Together, Butterworth-Heinnemann Clarke et al. (1998) Relationship Marketing, Financial Times Management. Doyle, P (2006) Marketing Management Strategy, (4th edn), FT Prentice Hall Dlabay et al (2005) Intro to Business: Finance, Marketing, Operations, Management, Thomson South-Western Euromonitor International (2010 a) USA: Country Profile 2010, Euromonitor International Euromonitor International (2010 b) Travel and tourism- United Kingdom, Euromonitor International Euromonitor International (2010 c) Travel and tourism- USA, Euromonitor International Edgell, L (1995) â€Å"A barrier-free future for tourism†, Tourism Management, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 107-10. Finn, A. and Erdem, T (1995) â€Å"The economic impact of a mega-multi-mall. Estimation issues in the case of West Edmonton Mall†, Tourism Management, Vol. 16 No. 5, pp. 367-73. Gilligan, C et al (2003) ‘Strategic marketing planning, Butterworth-Heinemann Gonzalez, A and Bello, L (2002) ‘The construct â€Å"lifestyle† in market segmentation: The behaviour of tourist consumers, European Journal of Marketing, Vol 36:No 1/2, pp. 51-85 Hollensen, S (2007) Global Marketing, Pearson Education Limited, England Lambin, J (2000) Market-Driven Management, MacMillan Hosuton, B et al. (2002) Business strategy: an introduction, (2nd edn), Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford Kotler, P (2000) Marketing Management, Millennium Edition, Prentice Hall Kuhn, R (2002) Process-based strategic planning, (2nd edn), Springer Londons Ships corporate website (2010) ‘About us [online] Available from Mintel Oxygen (2009) ‘Inbound Tourism- UK-November 2009, Mintel Oxygen Payne, A et al. (1998) Relationship Marketing for Competitive Advantage: Winning and Keeping Customers, Butterworth-Heinnemann, Porter, M (1985) Competitive advantage: creating and sustaining superior performance, Free Press, New York Ryan, C (1995) â€Å"Tourism courses: a new concern for a new time†, Tourism Management, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 97-100. Find out more from UK Essays here: http://www.ukessays.com/services/example-essays/marketing/international-marketing-plan-londons-ships.php#ixzz3EEh1jQiX

The Difficult Journey in Kate Chopin’s short stories, At Cheniere Caminada and Athenaise :: compare and contrast essay examples

The Difficult Journey in Kate Chopin’s short stories, At Cheniere Caminada and Athenaise Kate Chopin’s short stories, â€Å"At Cheniere Caminada† and â€Å"Athenaise,† present the tales of two innocents, Tonie and Athenaise, taking a journey. They must leave their homes and wander into foreign lands before returning with a greater understanding of themselves and life. The structure, setting, and images of these two stories symbolize the seeming transformation of the characters. In structure, the two stories follow a journey motif. In â€Å"At Cheniere Caminada,† Tonie begins at home and then travels to Grand Isle then New Orleans before returning to Cheniere Caminada. He cannot return to his home until he has come to terms with the questions that have risen in his life. For Athenaise, her journey also takes her from her married home. The story opens with her at her parent’s home. She is forced to return to Cazeau’s house, but because she does not have the answers to her questions, she cannot stay there. She runs away to New Orleans and only comes back to Cazeau when she finds her answers. Paralleling the journey of these two is the contrast of city and country. Tonie and Athenaise both live in the country, a place traditionally associated with innocence, a lack of knowledge. In the beginning of both stories, Tonie and Athenaise lack an understanding of love and sexuality. Tonie â€Å"had no desire to inflame the hearts of any of the island maidens† (Cheniere 1). In Part II, the narrator tells the reader that Tonie had â€Å"never felt those premonitory symptoms of love which afflict the greater portion of mankind before they reach the age which he had attained (2). Since the object of his affection, Claire, does not live on Cheniere Caminada, Tonie must travel to Grand Isle to be near her. After he misses the chance to take her as his own when they are alone on his boat (4), he leaves Grand Isle, and we next see him in New Orleans, even farther from his home. Only after he hears the news of Claire’s death can he return to Cheniere Cami nada because this represents the end of his quest.

Willy Loman is No Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death of a Salesman Essays

Willy Loman is No Tragic Hero in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman In Arthur Miller’s essay about â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man,† he argues that the common man is as appropriate a subject for tragedy as the very highly placed kings and noble men. Mankind keeps tragedy above all forms because they are given the same mental abilities as the nobles. In â€Å"Death of a Salesman†, Willy Loman is a common man and a middle class worker, enough saving to provide food for his family. So if the tragic hero can be a common man, does Willy fit in that category? Even though he is a common man he fails to live up to the standards of being a tragic hero because he never accepts nor admits to his own errors. He, therefore, loses his dignity. One of his biggest errors is his failure of be a good father. Willy Loman’s character is capable of making errors. He believes he is a very successful salesman and well liked. He also thinks that the company likes what he is doing. He once said, â€Å"I’m the New England man. I am vital in New England† (Miller pg. 32) Because of his false belief about his success Howard fired him. After he got fired charley offered him a job, but he refuses to accept, because he is too proud and jealous to work for Charley. His actions were wrong because at no time was a successful salesman. He is not a powerful character. Willy lives in his fantasies where he is the man. Who goes out to another place and comes out rich, he is love by everyone and admired by his family. In real life, he is lazy and does not live up to his own ideals. â€Å"As Aristotle explains, a tragic hero must be one of noble character and must fall from power and happiness.†(Www.ccd.rightchoice.org/lit115/poetics.html) but Willy neither has a noble characteristi c nor does he fall from power because he does not have a position of power. According to Miller, a tragic hero is someone who dies for personal dignity. Willy does die for his dignity. â€Å"Those who act against the scheme of things that degrades them.†(Miller. Tragedy of the Common Man) Willy, in his ideas and action of committing suicide, fits in that category. In act 2, Willy reveals his desires to win back Biff’s respect by committing suicide.

My Information Technology Job Interests

During my research for this paper I have learned quite a bit about myself. This assignment forced me to look at what my strengths and preferences are. Coupled with the information I have learned about the job market, I know have some direction. This paper will explain what I have chosen. My Information Technology Job Interests As a 42 year old married mother of two, I have recognized that my profession as an Administrative Assistant is no longer sufficient. It is lacking in challenge and financial stability. This is all I have ever worked as since I started college in 1984. I was a Computer Science major that never obtained a Bachelor’s degree. Working a full time job, usually as an Administrative Assistant, I deduced two things. One was that programming was too time consuming and the second thing was that I really loved computers. Now that I have children preparing for college I know I need a more acceptable income in order to afford them the type of education they will need to succeed in life. The Information Technology field has many different directions you can choose to take. Which direction should I go? First I needed to find out if the IT field would continue to grow. After checking the Career Cluster publication it stated â€Å"Over 216,000 jobs in Information Support and Services are projected immediately. Expect 21 to 35 percent job growth to 2012. † With this forecast it seems the IT Support field is wide open. There are still many types of Information Support and Services positions. Some of these positions include Computer Support Specialist, Technical Support Specialist, and Help Desk Technicians. Computer support specialists provide technical assistance, support, and advice to customers and other users. This occupational group includes technical support specialists and help-desk technicians. These troubleshooters interpret problems and provide technical support for hardware, software, and systems. They answer telephone calls, analyze problems by using automated diagnostic programs, and resolve recurring difficulties. Support specialists work either within a company that uses computer systems or directly for a computer hardware or software vendor. Increasingly, these specialists work for help-desk or support services firms, for which they provide computer support to clients on a contract basis. Technical support specialists respond to inquiries from their organizations’ computer users and may run automatic diagnostics programs to resolve problems. They also install, modify, clean, and repair computer hardware and software. In addition, they may write training manuals and train computer users in how to use new computer hardware and software. These workers also oversee the daily performance of their company’s computer systems and evaluate how useful software programs are. Help-desk technicians respond to telephone calls and e-mail messages from customers looking for help with computer problems. In responding to these inquiries, help-desk technicians must listen carefully to the customer, ask questions to diagnose the nature of the problem, and then patiently walk the customer through the problem-solving steps. Help-desk technicians deal directly with customer issues and companies value them as a source of feedback on their products. They are consulted for information about what gives customers the most trouble, as well as other customer concerns. Most computer support specialists start out at the help desk. In researching Computer support specials and system administrators I have learned that they normally work in well-lighted, comfortable offices or computer laboratories. They usually work about 40 hours a week, but are sometimes required to provide computer support over extended hours, they may be â€Å"on call† for rotating evening or weekend work. Overtime may be necessary when unexpected technical problems arise. Like other workers who type on a keyboard for long periods, computer support specialists and systems administrators are susceptible to eyestrain, back discomfort, and hand and wrist problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Computer support specialists and systems administrators constantly interact with customers and fellow employees as they answer questions and give advice. This is why I feel I would well suited for this field. I have always enjoyed fixing things and helping people solve problems. I tend to be very patient and have always enjoyed teaching. And in considering my family and how important my time is with them the normal hours of work per week make Technical Support and Help Desk Technician my top picks for possible careers. Reference Career Cluster –Focusing Education on the Future – Information Technology http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ClusterDocuments/itdocuments/brochure.pdf Technology in Action, Introductory 4rd Edition, Author: Evans, Martin and Poatsy, Prentice Hall, Bundled ISBN: 0536073546 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Support Specialist and System Administrators http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos268.htm#nature

Civil Rights Movement

During the 1960s it was the start of the civil rights movement. It's quite a significant period in American history for equality since the Civil war. African American has had enough of the unjust way they've been treated. This was about the fight to attain something more than just changing the law but also come together as a nation to continue the fight for freedom and solve these social issues that were oppressing people of color. In order for this to happen, African Americans must of have taken actions that would greatly affect the system that they were forced to live. This was a time where uniting in their community was essential to the cause of the civil rights movement. Overcoming all these challenges was difficult as they were met with many oppositionists that were peaceful and non-peaceful. Many different leaders had a different philosophy on how to resolve their issues. Ultimately, they all had the same goal which was to find freedom and equality for their people. The civil rights movement was about battling against the racial injustices in America and getting equality to all people, while at the same time offering solutions to resolve all these issues in America. In the civil rights movement, African American were faced with dangers and obstacles in this fight. With all the rallies, marches that were organized, or just simply living their life, came a lot of unwelcome physical violence. One prime example of this is the peaceful marches people came and were then beaten by the police. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. directly explains, â€Å"when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters† (p.28-29).Most of the time it was no fault of the protester, but it was because of the racism and hate police had people of color. Another, yet similar, example of violence, experienced by Anne Moody. This was a protest in the death of Medgar. Anne, as well as other protesters, were arrested and put into a paddy wagon or garbage trucks and left in the fields. â€Å"The driver rolled up the windows,† describes civil rights activist Anne Moody, â€Å"turned the heater on, got out, closed the door and left us† (p.49). The protesters were not treated with any respect but instead treated like animals. Police brutality was a reality that was expected to be confronted with at rallies. However, they had to show no signs no signs of counter-attack and peaceful throughout the protest. It was part of King's non-violent approach during the civil rights movement. The oppression and discrimination of sorts was a battle that people of color faced during the 1960s. All of this was part of an everyday life for African Americans. However, there was some type discrimination within them. This was the role that women were allowed to be part of in the marches. Civil rights activist Rosa Parks states, â€Å"women were not allowed to play much of a role. The marching committee didn't want Coretta Scott King and the other wives of the male leaders to march with their husbands† (p.44). This was the separation of women and men for no reason. It shows the inequality that was present during the 1960s but also a bit ironic since the whole point of the march was the fight for equal rights. It's also a representation of how much more work is needed to make this world equal for everyone. Moreover, the discrimination against color people was quite vibrant in all aspects of the ways African Americans lived. African Americans were hit with a lot of discriminatory signs in public accommodations that were extremely racially offensive. When there seemed to have been some type of change with that, it only lasted for a while and went back to the same old thing. â€Å"We realize that we were the victims of a broken promise. A few signs, briefly removed, returned; the others remained,† expresses activist Martin Luther King, Jr. (p.26). Just because of their skin color they were met with racist signs. As I said before it's not just a legal change that was occurring but also a social one that needed a change. It was important to have a change in opinion by this country's society. It was also about combating the racism black people faced on a daily basis throughout their day. Anne Moody was a victim of what black people faced and hoped to change. Anne Moody was physically abused because of the color of her skin, â€Å"then the mob started to smear her and others with ketchup, mustard, sugar, pies, and everything in the counter† (p.45). This was just for sitting at the counter in a restaurant. In the midst of all this chaos, African Americans took action to combat all the racism they were facing and unjust laws that in order to get to a solution. There were many strategies that civil rights activist proposed and practiced that were put on the table in order to find solutions. One of these influencers proposed to have a unification of all black people. â€Å"Keep our religion between ourselves and our God, but when coming out here, we have a fight that is common to all of us against an enemy who is common to all of us,† expresses Muslim and civil rights leader Malcolm X (p.72-73). This a time where everyone must put their beliefs and differences aside in order to progress. At the end of the day, they all have the same goal and the same foe to fight against. This is a call to action where they must gain control of their own fate but in order for that to happen, they must invest in their own self. One of Malcolm's main objectives to combat the oppressive system black people were living in was different to King's method. King's method was a non-violent one and have all people, no matter the color, come together to erase the racism between people. Malcolm was more having only black people come together as a community to help one another in order to progress. Muslim speaker states, â€Å"The community in which you spend your money becomes richer and richer. The community out of which you take your money becomes poorer and poorer† (p.74). Malcolm wants black people to stop spending their money in communities they are not part of. He insists that it by spending money in your own community, it becomes richer and in then being able to prosper. This was just one of the few things that he proposes to during this time period. The 1960s was another major time period for African Americans to fight for equal rights in this country. This time period is a big turning point for all people of color. It signifies that by uniting everyone for a cause, situations can be changed for the better no matter how difficult the obstacle. It was the fight to change the social, political, cultural, and laws that cast a shadow on the people of color by discriminating them. The civil rights movement gave birth to different many leaders on how to solve this issues that were happening at that time. With many people taking action and finding solutions, also came a lot of misfortunes that brought many difficulties in the fight for equality. Many discrimination acts were against African American that they had the courage to unite for a better tomorrow. It was all about getting equality for every single person. Although today our world is not completely equal as we want it to be, there is no doubt that we have made some remarkable advancements in our society. Looking back at the history of the civil rights movement there's for sure something that we learn from and use today to solve our current issues. Civil Rights Movement CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT The civil rights movement in America had a wide variety of successes over time. As successful as they were, all went through their share of hardships and struggles. Major desegregation acts in history include Brown vs, Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Civil Rights Act of 1957. These events changed life for African Americans to come. In the early 1950's, racial segregation in public schools was the norm across America. Although all the schools in a given district were supposed to be equal, most black schools were inferior to their white counterparts.Brown vs. Board of Education was a decision of the US Supreme Court in 1954 that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students was unconstitutional. It was a giant step towards complete desegregation of public schools. However, even partial desegregation of these schools, was still very far away. Started by the arrest of Rosa Parks on 1 December 1955, the Montgomery bus boycott was a 13-month protest that ended with the U. S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses is unconstitutional.At one point in time, 90 percent of African American bus riders were choosing to walk. The bus boycott demonstrated nonviolent protest to successfully challenge racial segregation and was an example for other campaigns that followed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , being the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, spoke to many about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, commonly expressing that, ‘‘I want it to be known that we’re going to work with grim and bold determination to gain justice on the buses in this city†.The bus boycott was followed by a similar judgment concerning interstate buses. However, states in the Deep South continued their own policy of transport segregation. The 1964 Civil Rights Act made racial discrimination in public places, such as theaters, restaurants and hotels, illegal. It also requ ired employers to give equal employment opportunities. The Civil Rights Act also attempted to deal with the problem of African Americans being denied the vote in the Deep South.The legislation stated it must prevail for establishing the right to vote. Schooling to sixth grade constituted legal proof of literacy and the attorney general was given power to give legal action in any area that they found resistance to the law. These three things impacted American history and all strengthened a complete integration that many during this time were moving toward. Without these, who knows where the U. S. would be at, in terms of racial issues, today? Civil Rights Movement CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT The civil rights movement in America had a wide variety of successes over time. As successful as they were, all went through their share of hardships and struggles. Major desegregation acts in history include Brown vs, Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Civil Rights Act of 1957. These events changed life for African Americans to come. In the early 1950's, racial segregation in public schools was the norm across America. Although all the schools in a given district were supposed to be equal, most black schools were inferior to their white counterparts.Brown vs. Board of Education was a decision of the US Supreme Court in 1954 that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students was unconstitutional. It was a giant step towards complete desegregation of public schools. However, even partial desegregation of these schools, was still very far away. Started by the arrest of Rosa Parks on 1 December 1955, the Montgomery bus boycott was a 13-month protest that ended with the U. S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses is unconstitutional.At one point in time, 90 percent of African American bus riders were choosing to walk. The bus boycott demonstrated nonviolent protest to successfully challenge racial segregation and was an example for other campaigns that followed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , being the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, spoke to many about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, commonly expressing that, ‘‘I want it to be known that we’re going to work with grim and bold determination to gain justice on the buses in this city†.The bus boycott was followed by a similar judgment concerning interstate buses. However, states in the Deep South continued their own policy of transport segregation. The 1964 Civil Rights Act made racial discrimination in public places, such as theaters, restaurants and hotels, illegal. It also requ ired employers to give equal employment opportunities. The Civil Rights Act also attempted to deal with the problem of African Americans being denied the vote in the Deep South.The legislation stated it must prevail for establishing the right to vote. Schooling to sixth grade constituted legal proof of literacy and the attorney general was given power to give legal action in any area that they found resistance to the law. These three things impacted American history and all strengthened a complete integration that many during this time were moving toward. Without these, who knows where the U. S. would be at, in terms of racial issues, today?