Monday, December 30, 2019

The First Group I Identify Myself With Is Christianity

The first group I identify myself with is Christianity. The artifacts I consider to be important for this group are God, Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection, and religious holidays such as Easter and Christmas. God, because without Him, as Christians believe, we would not be here and/or there would be no meaning to life. We believe God to be the creator of life and the author of life and without Him, our time on Earth would be meaningless. Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection is another very important artifact because without Him and these events, humans would be unable to fully devote their live to God and live their life accordingly while having a guarantee that Heaven is our final destination after death. Finally, Religious holidays are important because they help remind us of the reasons for celebrating Jesus’ life and God giving us His Son and only Son to redeem the world of all our sins and transgressions. The second group I identify wit h is my church. I helped start this church two years ago and have since moved into a volunteer that helps set up, produce, and tear down during our weekly Sunday services. Some of the artifacts that are important for this group are the church itself, the pastors, volunteers, and the equipment we use to ensure the service is set up and operates in a functional manner. I say the church because, without it, the pastors, volunteers and congregation would not be unified together on a weekly basis andShow MoreRelatedMy Cultural Identity : The Cayman Islands943 Words   |  4 PagesMy Cultural Identity I was born and raised in the Cayman Islands. Although my home is located in the Caribbean, which in itself has a specific culture, I more closely identify with the unique aspects of the Caymanian culture. Culture is defined by Juang and Matsumoto (2011) as, â€Å"a unique meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted across generations, that allows the group to meet basic needs of survival, pursue happiness and well-being, and derive meaning from life† (p. 15)Read MoreA Research Project On Christ Calls Us Essay985 Words   |  4 Pagesto the idea of Christianity. With that being said, rhetorically speaking how could an individual like myself reach the 16-29 year olds; those in my age group? Before I begin to tackle on that question, I would like to investigate the notion of how exactly this specific age group is hostile/ resistant to the idea of Christianity. According to David Kinnaman President of The Barnia Group, non- Christians aged 16-29 years old when asked ‘What is your current perception of Christianity?’ 91% said antihomosexualRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1255 Words   |  6 Pagesincorporates religious details throughout the Narrative and the appendix that lend themselves to a separation between â€Å"the Christianity of this land [America] and the Christianity of Christ.† These two distinct religious views cannot coexist in Douglass’ America, and it becomes clear that in order to abolish slavery, first one must confront these two distinct roles of Christianity. So in a way, Douglass’ religion is not just an attack on the unrighteous ways of the slave-holding Christian, but it alsoRead MoreThe Importance Of Cultural Safety For Nursing Practice Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesIn this essay I will reflect upon two of my own cultural groupings, discuss the concept of  "other†, the relevance of cultural safety to nursing practice and how I might care for someone who is culturally different from myself. Describe your own ethnicity and one other cultural grouping. I identify as a New Zealand European; I prefer not to be called PÄ kehÄ  as from personal experience this term is often used with negative connotations. My father is British and my mother is a first generation NewRead MoreCultural Autobiography : Cross Cultural1649 Words   |  7 PagesAutobiography Cross Cultural Who am I? I come from a very big, loud, joyful and loving southern family from the town of Marietta, Georgia. We are proud African Americans who embraces every piece of black beauty from our hair down to the different shades of our skin. From a very early age I was taught self -love and that it is okay to be different because God did not make us to blend in but to stand out. I was taught to never judge a book by it s cover so I don’t. Never have I ever disliked or disassociatedRead MoreHow I Changed My Life771 Words   |  4 PagesAutobiography Sociology wasn’t something that I was familiar with throughout my life. However, now that I know the basics of sociology, I can identify the various ways to study behaviors. These forces have molded who I have become as a person and how I interact with society. Understanding how I have been affected by my immediate surroundings is a significant part of a better understanding how I have been changed by the greater society. All through this semester, I have begun to reminisce back on my lifeRead MoreMy Experience At A Christian Church Camp Essay1695 Words   |  7 PagesEvery summer since I can remember always included going to a Christian church camp with my friends. Each camp had a different age group that spanned from kindergarten to high school. It was a time where I could go and play with my friends, eat a different kind of cuisine that I practically never have, swim every day, canoe across a lake, and many other fun and exciting activities. I had always gone to church wi th my friends every summer, until my eighth grade year. This year was different from theRead MoreTattoo Is Not As A Social Conflict953 Words   |  4 Pagessocial conflict. I began interviewing a friend of mine who is 22 years of age; he is a Caucasian, Christian, male who lives in the Boston area. He has lived all his life in the Boston area and moved to Ohio for school, but now he is currently in the medical field pursuing a job as a physician’s assistant. I want to focus on the age group that Alex is in and the medical field that he is pursuing and how he perceives this will affect him and how statistics believe this will affect him. I want to go moreRead MoreRichard Allen And The Stories Of Nat Turner1738 Words   |  7 PagesChristianity was new to most slaves who had been abducted from their native country and taken to the Americas. Some were hesitant to abandon their old traditions for the Christ their white captors taught of, but after several generations of slavery , most black slaves had succumbed to relentless preaching. However, the Christianity that took hold within the slave community was often interpreted differently, conveying different messages to pockets of slave population. The use of Christianity in slaveryRead MoreThe Guantanamo Bay Detention Center1262 Words   |  6 Pagestowers collapsing. As I proceed through numerous checkpoints to enter one of the most secured military facilities, many inmates, as well as America, know the compound as GITMO, but the military term for this compound is the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center. I will refer to the acronym GITMO for all intent and purposes throughout this article, as many readers will identify better with the aforementioned. The history of GITMO has a long standing in history that many are unaware so I will provide a brief

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Empowerment and Strengths-Based Perspective Social Work...

Empowerment and a strengths perspective which support the development of innate abilities and recognize differences in a positive manner are also helping social workers increase the individual client’s capacity to learn to use his or her own systems constructively More than a simple linguistic nuance, the notion that social workers do not empower others, but instead, help people empower themselves is an ontological distinction that frames the reality experienced by both social workers and clients (Simon, 1990, p. 32, quoted in Saleeby, 2006, p. 98) Introduction: This paper firstly looks at empowerment, what it is, and how it can assist social workers in enhancing their client’s competence through development of self-efficacy,†¦show more content†¦Consciousness raising is an educational outcome of empowerment, that has been tapped to combat oppression and injustice, as it enables the individual to understand the source of their powerlessness or oppression and to see that the situation is ‘not their fault’. â€Å"Critical consciousness is the key ingredient in realizing empowerment† (Carr, 2003, p. 15, referring to Freire). That is, arriving at critical consciousness enables people to act, including a possible re-creation of their identity in relation to their environment, and to reassess their relationships within that environment, which, in turn, can enable positive social change — Conscientization, or raised consciousness, is thus a mobilising force (Carr, 2003, p. 15). Psychological empowerment, according to Zimmerman (1995, p. 590), has three major components that â€Å"merge to form a picture of a person who believes that he or she has the capability to influence a given context [intrapersonal component], understands how the system works in that context [interactional component], and engages in behaviours to exert control in the context† [behavioural component], which exemplify development of consciousness. Social workers can foster the action of empowerment education by working with clients and asking them to questionShow MoreRelatedAccessing Clients Strengths : Clinical Assessment For Client Empowerment924 Words   |  4 Pages Social work is very diverse, there is not one sole solution, or strength metaphor which can cover all fields. However, there are assessments which can be applied to certain situations, given the practitioners beliefs. â€Å"Accessing Clients Strengths: Clinical Assessment for Client Empowerment† is an article written by Charles D. Cowger, and is based on a mainstream contextual understanding that the primary goal of social work is to assist individuals with their relationship to others, and to institutionsRead MoreArgumentative Essay : Generalist Social Work Practice1192 Words   |  5 PagesPosition Paper Two: Generalist Social Work Practice Dating back to the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century two women who impacted the field of social work and its beginning were Jane Addams and Mary Richmond. These two ladies pioneered something that later became one of the most influential evidence based practices that has helped to bring social justice and social support to communities, individuals, and groups. The area of social work later developed the generalistRead MoreHow Can The African American Community Survive?940 Words   |  4 Pagesdealing with oppression, exploitation, social exclusion, and injustice. As a result, this makes it hard for those same individuals to prosper. It leaves them powerless, hopeless, and at a disadvantage. It’s said, â€Å"These individuals generate a sense of blame, distrust, alienation, vulnerability, and disenfranchisement† (Dubois, Miley, O’Melia, 2015, p. 83). It is up to social workers to empower these individuals, give them a sen se of hope and bring forth their strengths that society fails to uplift. AfricanRead MoreSwot Management : Case Management1561 Words   |  7 Pages Strengths Based Practice in Case Management Mariann Lowry Case Management Social Work Dept. Introduction Case Management can be found in an abundance of different industries, including health care, the legal profession, the insurance industry, social services, investigative agencies, and much more. Often times the job description includes, however, is not limited to; completing assessments, planning, monitoring client’s progress, making referrals, and an examination to determineRead MoreSocial Theory vs. Empowerment Theory1505 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Social Theory vs. Empowerment Theory: Social theory is a systematic and specifically developed theory that focuses on the structural relationships of individuals in the society or humans as social beings. Therefore, social theory is a structure of empirical evidence that is used to analyze study, and interpret social phenomena. Social theory is considered as an interdisciplinary that combines concepts and ideas from the various diverse fields like media studies and anthropology. On the other handRead MoreEmpowerment And Symbolic Interactionism Both Have Impacted1181 Words   |  5 PagesEmpowerment and Symbolic Interactionism both have impacted the social world tremendously. The reason both have been so tremendous is because of the fact that they were both able to contribute on a global range rather than local. They can be at times be very complex, but they are quite simple. Not only are they unique, but they are unique in their own way. Both theories take a different approach and introduced something new to the field of study, but at times it is easy to intertwine the two. TheRead MoreMajor Categories Of Direct Practice1306 Words   |  6 Pagesalong with the social and political norms. Within the postmodern theories is narrative therapy and solution-focused therapy. I would say that I use the solution-focused mindset most often when working with clients. The problems are identified by the client, the Department of Child Services, myself, and the NCFAS assessment tool then we work together to solve the problem. I can competently understand and articulate the concept of meta-frameworks and their application to the social work practice in myRead MoreThe Ecological Systems Approach Is Encouraging And Facilitating The Development Of Positive Emotional And Affiliation Supports1715 Words   |  7 Pagestheir social service agency. An underlying principle of social work is the pursuit of social justice and the use of systems theory is congruent with this value as it highlights systemic inequalities. I will consequently understand that this family has to maneuver between complex and at times conflicting systems. Thompson (2014) highlights the issue that much of the discrimination and marginalisation that individuals face is generally a result of social circumstances. He would agree that social interactionRead MoreEvaluation And Theory Of The Empowerment Framework803 Words   |  4 PagesSection D Framework Theory (3) Neveah’s treatment will be approached from an empowerment framework. According to Dass-Brailsford (2011), the empowering model is a culturally sensitive and ecologically valid therapeutic approach to utilize with ethnic minority clients. This approach emphasizes the client’s capabilities, self-determination, and a positive sense of self (Logan, 2015). From a broad perspective, the empowerment framework focuses on the following themes: the client’s psychological stateRead MoreFeminist Vs. Postmodern Therapies928 Words   |  4 Pagespostmodern therapies. These two approaches give us insight on a feminist perspective and their struggle for equality, while the other focuses on client exceptions and not dwelling on the past. I felt that postmodern therapies are a real way to give the client not only hope but confidence, by allowing them to see how â€Å" instances of success† or â€Å"exceptions† allow them to overcome problems they are having. Applications Being that I want to work with Veterans in the future, the approached that seemed to have

Friday, December 13, 2019

Intro to Macro Notes Free Essays

A situation In which unlimited wants exceed the Ilmlted resources available to fulfill those wants Economics: The study of the choices people make to attain their goals, given their scarce resources. Economic Model: A simplified version of reality used to analyze real-world economic situations. Often based on unrealistic assumptions that simplify the problem at hand without substantially affecting the validity of the answer No one model can address every important topic, so we will learn diff models as we study difftopics Economic analysis may be positive or normative: Positive analysis: Analysis concerned with what is Positive statements can be evaluated as true or false using only data. We will write a custom essay sample on Intro to Macro Notes or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example, â€Å"After speeding cameras were Installed on 1-38, the average speed of motorists dec reased. † Normative analysis: Analysis concerned with what ought to be. Normative statemnts involve personal values, so they cannot be evaluated as true or flase using only data â€Å"the governemtn should install addition speeding cameras on 1-380 Economics is studied on two levels: Microeconomics: The study of how households and firms make choices, how they nteract in markets, and how the government attempts to influence their choices. Macroeconomics: The study ot the economy as a whole including topics such as Inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. Micro and macro are closely Interwlned because changes In the overall economy arise from the decisions of individual households and firms. CHAPTER 2 Trade off: The idea hat because of scarcity, producing more of one good or service means producing less of another good or service PPH A curve snowlng tne maxlmum attalnaDle comDlnatlons 0T two products tn ay be produced with available resources and current technology The PPF is an economic model used to analyze the tradeoffs that individuals firms, and countries face when deciding how to employ their scarce resources. Combinations outside the PPF are unattainable, given the available resources and current technology (scarcity) Combinations inside or on the PPF are attainable, given current shit. Inside the PPF is ineffificent, reosuces are not being used and possible for economy to produce more of one without making more of other Comibinations of the PPF are efficient because the maximum output obtained from he available resouces are current technology so it is impossible for the economy to produce more of one good without producing less of the other(Trade ofO Oportunity cost: The highest-valued alternative that must be given up to engage in an activity Every choice has an opportunity cost because every choice has a next-best alternative. In our pPF example near can use all is avaible resources and current technology to produce either 200 laptops per week or 400 tablets per week 200L=400T so 1 L=2T and IT=O. L Near’s Marginal opportunity cost of 1 laptop is constant at 2 tablets, meaning that for Near to produce 1 more laptop, it must give up producing 2 tablets; inversely, Near’s marginal opportunity cost of 1 tablet is constant at one-half of a laptop, meaning that for Near to produce 1 more tablet, it must give up producing one-half of a laptop In the same example, Far can use all resources and currnet technology to produce either 220 laptops per week or 1100 tablets per week 220L=1100T, so IL-5T and IT=. 2L Fars marginal opportunity cost of 1 laptop is constant at 5 tablets, and Fars marginal opportunity cost of 1 tablet is constant at one-fifth ofa laptop A bowed-out PPF illustrates increasing marginal opportunity costs: as the economy increases it production of one good in one-unit increments, it must decrease tis production of the other good by larger and larger amounts (see page 44 of the textbook for a numerical example) I nls occurs Decause some resources are netter sultea to produce one g ratner than the other A bowed-out PPF is more realistic than a straight-line PPF but we use straight-line PPFs for simplicity (the conclusions are the same for both) At any given time, the resources available to an economy are fixed, but over time, the esources available to an economy may increase or decrease. When an economy gains resources, its PPF shirts outward, and when an economy loses resources , its PPF shifts inward An improvement in technology makes it possible for an economy to produce more goods and services with the same amount of resources, so the economy’s PPF shifts outward when technology improves. Economic Growth: The ability of the economy to increase the production of goods and services. Outward shifts of an economys PPF represent economic growth EXAMPLES: illustrate the effect of each of the following on a bowed-out PPF for corn and computers: Comparative advantage: The ability of an individual, a firm or country to produce a good or service at a lower opportunity cost than competitors Near has the compartative advantage in the production of laptops: Far’s marginical opportunity cost of 1 laptop is 5 tablets, while nears marginial oppurnity cost of 1 laptop is only 2 tablets. Far has the comparative advantage in the production of tablets. Near’s marginal opportunity cost of 1 tablet is one-half of a laptop, while far’s marginal opportunity cost of 1 tablet is only one-fifth ofa laptop. It is possitble o have the absolute advantage without having comparative advantage n production of that good (far and laptops) It is possible to have comparative advantage without having absolute advantage too. near and laptops) Gains from trade arise form specialization and trade are based on comparative advantage. How to cite Intro to Macro Notes, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Intercultural Management-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discuss about the Case Study of Five Star Beer Brewing Company. Answer: Introduction This case is related to the Five Star Beer Brewing Company, which is a part of the ASIMCO. The president of Alliance Brewing Group and the general manager of Five Star Brewing Company Ltd decided to meet up in order to discuss about the pay for performance process that had been implemented by the general manager of the organization Mr. Zhao. The process was introduced at two breweries of Five Star Company over the previous few months. The main objective of the meeting was for Mr. McMullen to determine whether the incentive process that was introduced was constructed in a precise manner in order to make sure that the breweries would manufacture higher beer quality increasingly at a decreasing cost. The basic scope of analysis has been to determine whether the implemented process would create improve quality product at a lower cost. In case, the implemented process if not effective then the manager has the motive of transforming the processes and the systems in order to accomplish the quality and the cost objectives of Alliance Brewing. The limitations of the case has been to understand the effectiveness of the pay for performance system within the two breweries of Five Star Brewing Company. The basic assumption has been that the highest quality has been provided at the lowest cost. Critical Management Issues There are various management issues that have been discovered in the case study and it is important for the management to highlight the most significant issues that have been identified has been as follows: Decreasing Market Share Five Star Beer Company had to fight in the area of Beijing with various beer companies. The company even had to fight with companies even operating outside the Beijing region as in the earlier times, the company had achieved greater extent of market share in various areas by obtaining the agreements of licensing among them and the various other regional brewers. In the current scenario, it is seen that Five Star is not only the single company operating in the area but has many other companies that has raised their competition and has even decreased their aggregate level of market share. This issue has influenced the companies to sell their product effectively in the market. Quality Problem There was a time when ASIMCO revealed that Five Star Beer had issues regarding their quality and one of the critical management issues has been looking after the quality of the product. It is seen that quality has been core factor for the organization. On the other hand, ASIMCO discovered that there existed an extreme issue related to the quality of Five Star Beer. The main factor has been due to the fact that the organization constructed very rapidly and went in to several licensing agreements that was out of their ability. The company provided the brand of Five Star to the regional brewery company without providing them with the technical assistance and the generalized process that lead to the manufacture of products of poor quality. Now with the increase in competition there has been a concern for the organization to improve their product quality. Pay per Performance Pay per performance has been a distinct system that was introduced by Mr. Zhao and this system was introduced in order to improve the performance of the employees of Five Star and the employees of the associated regional breweries. The pay for performance system has been a success within the organization but has been ineffective for the associated organizations and therefore had an impact on Five Star. Key Issue Out of the three critical issues that have been recognized earlier, it is seen that issue related the quality of the product is the most significant. This is due to the fact that with the rise in completion and rivals in the brewery industry in China, it has become important to improve the quality of the product in order to retain the existing customers and to attract new and potential customers as well. The maintenance of efficient product quality would lead to maintenance of the existing market share and sustenance of the profit level. Key players With respect to the most critical issue discussed earlier, it is seen that there are various players associated with them. It is seen that product quality has been major issue and its maintenance is dependent on the management, employees and the regional breweries with whom the company has undertaken licensing agreement. It is the duty of the management to gain control over the supervision of the operational activities. It is even seen that it is essential for the management to appoint managers and supervisors in order to manage the production process in an effective manner. It is observed that the employees are a key player as they play a significant role in the enhancement of the product quality. The regional associated breweries even requires to be technical assistance as well as awareness about the standard procedure so that they may gain knowledge about the effective processes in order to improve the operational activities as well as the quality of the product. Cultural Dimensions The evaluation of the critical issues that have been identified would be appropriately analyzed with the help of the Kluckhohn Strodtbeck model. This model has identified six dimensions of culture. With respect to the cultures that have been identified, it is seen that the critical issues have developed due to the nature of people who are performing in the operational activity of the company. The nature of the people and their attitude towards the production quality has an impact on the organization the second issue has been the relationship with nature. It is seen that the employees does not have a positive attitude towards the responsibilities and the rights and nature around them and thereby has an impact on the operations. Finally, duty towards others and the organization where the employees operate leads to poor quality of product manufacture. Cultures and Key players From the perspective of the management it is seen that they have been ineffective in understanding the needs of the employees and the demands that were deemed by the associated breweries. The implementation of the pay for performance system has influenced the employees to concentrate on the amount of production and thereby have neglected the quality of the product and thereby had an impact on the effective product quality in the competitive environment. The associated companies were neglected by the management of the organization and they were unaware of the standard procedure and were restricted from the technical assistance, which influenced them to manufacture beer in their own way neglecting the strategies of Five Star Beer. Conclusion The analysis and the critical assessment of the case study have been helpful for the development of certain feasible solutions. It is seen that the management needs to transform their pay for performance policy as it has been ineffective in a highly competitive economy. It is even seen that the management needs to establish a cordial relationship with the associated companies and the employees working under them in order to motivate them to give out their best potential. Effective awareness programs like rewards and recognition and training programs needs to be delivered in order to create a sense of unity among the employees, associated organizations and the management. The employees on the other hand needs to develop a sense of belongingness towards the company and take adequate measures to improve the quality of the product and thereby maintain their competitive edge. A collaborative relationship with the associated companies would influence them to work harder and maintain a spec ific standard that would be influential for the maintenance of effective quality as desired by Five Star Beer. The use of the mentioned strategies would improve the product quality of Fie Star Beer and on the same hand enhance the relationship between the management, employees and other associated organizations. Bibliography Barmeyer, C., Franklin, P. (2016). Achieving Complementarity and Synergy: The Third Step to Leveraging Diversity in Intercultural Management.Intercultural Management: A Case-Based Approach to Achieving Complementarity and Synergy, 199. Barmeyer, C., Franklin, P. (Eds.). (2016).Intercultural Management: a case-based approach to achieving Complementarity and Synergy. Palgrave Macmillan. Chanlat, J. F. (2013).Cross-cultural management: culture and management across the world. Routledge. Franco, A. (2015). Caudillismo as a Business Leadership Model: A Critical Assessment.Journal submission manual-ASEAN Journal of Management Innovation,2(2), 1-12. Jiang, Z., Gollan, P. J., Brooks, G. (2015). Moderation of doing and mastery orientations in relationships among justice, commitment, and trust: a cross-cultural perspective.Cross Cultural Management,22(1), 42-67. Robinson-Easley, C. (2014).Beyond diversity and intercultural management. Springer. Romani, L. (2016). Managing Globally: Resolving Intercultural Challenges in the Management of Local Multicultural Teams in a Multinational Venture.Intercultural Management: A Case-Based Approach to Achieving Complementarity and Synergy, 300. Yacobian, M. M., Sekerka, L. E. (2014). Business ethics and intercultural management Education: a consideration of the Middle Eastern perspective.Journal of Business Ethics Education,11, 157-178.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Meet Belise - Our New Minimalist WordPress Theme for Restaurants

Weve been busy since our recent launch of Hestia, an awesome material design theme. While Hestia was an all-purpose business theme, weve gone niche with Belise, our newest addition to the ThemeIsle shop. The Belise WordPress theme is focused on restaurants, bars, and other food-related business. Its our first foray into the niche, and were excited to show you everything that this theme can do.In this post, youll learn more about the themes functionality as well as get a peek at some behind the scenes stories and thoughts from our talented development team.What is Belise and who did we build it for?In a nutshell, Belise is a premium WordPress theme for restaurants, bistros, pubs, cafes, tea housesanything related to food and drink! It has a minimalist and welcoming design, with white and beige color accents. The layout and the overall appearance are elegant and allow you to put the focus on your beautiful food and drinks.With Belise, you can show people your best food via beautiful ph oto galleries or the portfolio section, keep your customers up to date about upcoming events, allow customers to book tables online, and display your offerings in a clean and simple menu.When it comes to its design, the theme provides a full-width header with a reservation button, classy photo galleries, opening and closing hours presented in a nice table, a beautiful events list, a full-width call-to-action ribbon, and a great online store  for those who want to take orders online.You can purchase Belise directly from our  theme shop for $99, which also includes all of the other 20+ premium themes weve created.Get Belise +  20 premium themes for $89Why and how we built BeliseBelise is ThemeIsles first attempt to build something oriented towards restaurant owners, while also remaining flexible enough that it can be adapted for other uses as well (more on this later!).The idea behind BeliseOriginally born from our CEOs idea of tackling a new niche for the ThemeIsle store, Belis e is the result of four months of work from our development team. Everyone worked to make Belise a success, with Bogdan Popa heading up the overall coding process.Its worth mentioning that this theme is Bogdans first project since he joined ThemeIsle back in October last year, and he did an awesome job. We are all proud of the end product from Bogdan and the rest of the team.So, wed love to wish hearty congratulations to Bogdan for his first live WordPress theme since coming on board. He shared with me that he enjoyed working on this theme so much because he learned many new concepts during Belises development.One interesting approach Bogdan brought to Belise was to use a Jetpack module called Nova Menu for the food menu, a tool thats not very popular among the WordPress theme developers. It is actually used by one single theme (ours being the second) and he didnt have any documentation available when he developed that particular section. So he took the module and made it match the overall themes design. The result? Pure awesomeness. Heres Bogdan:Jetpacks Nova Menu seemed like a viable choice because it matched Belises design very well and it looked great too. So I customized and adjusted it a bit and you saw how it went eventually.Behind the scenes of our name choiceYou may notice a similarity between Belise the theme and the country of Belize. Thats no coincidence! We recently came across Belizes diverse and attractive food culture and thought the name will match our themes purpose perfectly.Whats more is that Belizes shore line is edged by the Caribbean Sea (and since we are the WordPress piratesyou connect the dots).Heres Wikis word on Belizean cuisine:Belizean cuisine is an amalgamation of all ethnicity in the nation, and their respectively wide variety of foods. It might best be described as both similar to Mexican/Central American cuisine and Jamaican/Anglo-Caribbean cuisine.Of course, we didnt have the chance to experiment with the traditional food of Belize, nor have we ever tasted any of their recipes. But the idea of such diversity seemed close to what we were trying to achieve  in the first place, which is why we went with it for the name.ThemeForest submissionApart from being available here at ThemeIsle, Belise is also live on ThemeForest, from where you can download it by itself for just $49. So, if you prefer to only buy Belise without the entire package that contains all of our premium WordPress themes, you can download it from ThemeForest  instead.Get Belise for $49Belises featuresLets dig a bit into Belises core to see all of the great features  that come packaged with it.Responsive design. Obviously. 🙂Elegant portfolio via Jetpack. The portfolio comes in handy whenever you want to showcase your products dishes, drinks, whatnots. The portfolio works with the help of the Jetpack plugin.Food menu integrated via Jetpack. If youre building a restaurant website then showing the menu is an absolute must, no tw o words about it. The menu page in Belise is clean and minimal, which lets you put your dishes first and foremost. The menu itself works via the Jetpack plugin and its Nova Menu module.Events section via the Events Organizer plugin. If your restaurant or pub hosts events of any kind (music, contests, art galleries, etc.) then you will surely enjoy the possibility to showcase these events with Belise. This is achieved via the Events Organizer plugin.WooCommerce ready. Maybe you dont want to just serve food at the table but also take orders for home delivery or sell other products altogether. Since Belise is 100% WooCommerce friendly, thats easy to do.Custom colors. You probably want your site to match your brands colors. Dont worry! We brought you unlimited color options, so feel free to mix/combine them the way you like no restrictions at all.Live customizer supported. Any change you make can be observed in real time, without leaving the customization page. No guesswork involved wh en customizing your website.Intuitive contact form via the Pirate Forms plugin. Offer your clients a simple and quick way to contact you. For a restaurant, customer feedback is essential to improving your service. We integrated our Pirate Forms plugin with Belises design to create a gorgeous contact page.Translation ready. Belise can be translated into any language, so youre never limited to just English.Custom backgrounds. Change your sites background to a custom color or image from your computer. Its all up to you what your site looks like in the end.A  multipurpose WordPress themeEven though weve built Belise specifically for restaurants, its by no means limited to that use. Belise has a multipurpose design and provides all the features that youd expect in a multipurpose WordPress theme. Our primary goal is always to build a product to meet all of our customers needs and give them the flexibility needed to create a gorgeous site.Bogdan emphasized this aspect himself:Belise is a theme that we present as a restaurant theme, and we did build it with this aspect in mind, but it can be adapted for any other purpose due to its great flexibility and the broad look of its interface.If you customize it, it works for almost anything. Feel free to use Belise for music bands, festivals, online shops, resume and portfolio sites, or businesses like startups or creative agencies. Or anywhere else your imagination takes you!Sites that use BeliseHere are some examples of early uses of Belise by our customers:  Ã‚  Have a cool site built with Belise? Let us know.Check out the free version of BeliseIf you like Belise, but you dont have much of a budget to invest in your next theme, weve got some great news: theres also a free version of it  available: Belise Lite.And guess what? It is nearly as feature-rich as the premium theme. We want you to get the most out of Belise, no matter what your budget is.Download Belise Lite for freeWhats next for Belise?New restaurant modu les and pluginsOn a different note, we are planning to improve Belise even more by adding more plugins, modules, and elements that will make the theme even better for restaurant websites using WordPress. We havent set a deadline for this yet, but its in our plans for the near future.And that concludes our introduction of Belise, the most recent theme in the ThemeIsle family. We would be more than happy  if youd take a look and shared your thoughts with us. Also, stay tuned for even more news and releases that are on the way.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Informative Essay Sample on Chinese Ethical Systems

Informative Essay Sample on Chinese Ethical Systems Free sample essay on Chinese Ethical Systems: Throughout the world many philosophies have been created in order to better understand the world which we live in. These philosophies are all very interesting, but all are very different. Philosophies change not only through geography, but people from the same family may have very different philosophies. The Chinese have always been admired for their diverse philosophies. Three of the main philosophies of China are Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism. Confucius was a great philosopher who came from humble beginnings, but would later change the world with his ground breaking ideas and philosophies. Confucius believed that social and harmony could be achieved by focusing on five basic relationships: ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, older brother and younger brother, friend and friend. A certain code of conduct regulated each relationship. Confucius pressed the youth to practice filial piety. Confucius’ beliefs are the basis of an ethical system called Confucianism. Another well known philosophy is that of a man named Laozi. Laozi believed that all things are guided by a mystical force called the Dao, or â€Å"The Way.† Daoism teaches that one must follow the Dao. One must let everything happen naturally, for all is inevitable. Daoism is represented by three main beliefs: Yin and Yang, Wu Wei, and The Three Jewels. Yin and Yang represent the negative and positive principles of the universe. One cannot exist without the other. â€Å"There is no good without evil.† Wu Wei is doing all things so it seems effortless. This is much like following the natural flow of nature, or following the Dao. The Three Jewels are three characteristics that Taoists cherish: compassion, which leads to courage; moderation; which leads to generosity; and humility, which leads to leadership. On the contrary, Legalists believe that an efficient and powerful government is the key to order. Rewards should be given to hard workers, and disobedient peoples should be harshly punished. In Legalism, the law is the governing power, not the ruler. This system helped China to become unified and stay unified over a long period of time, even through terrible rulers. Though Legalism may not be the friendliest of ethical systems, it has proved to succeed where others have failed, by finally unifying China. So it is easy to see the differences in philosophies of the Chinese. Strengthen your relationships, follow the natural way, or stick to the law, these thoughts are the creations of ancient China’s greatest thinkers, greatest philosophers, greatest â€Å"lovers of wisdom.† They differ in ideas, focuses, and teachings.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Death Penalty - Essay Example There are many other countries that also adhere to the death penalty, though their practices of administering the death penalty differ from the United States, as well as what constitutes a death-worthy crime. Approximately twenty-five nations throughout the world believe in and practice the death penalty. Those that do not uphold any form of the death penalty find the actions to inhumane and lacking in ethic. Most of these nations, as well as the states in the United States that do not practice the death penalty, prefer to imprison their more hardened criminals for a lengthy amount of time with sentences that usually exceed life. I believe that the death penalty is not serving the purpose that it should. People are still committing violent crimes despite its existence. Furthermore, with the amount of exonerated deaths due to inconsistencies in the criminal justice system, the death penalty is proving to be more harmful than beneficial. Not only is the death penalty condoning the acti ons of those on death row, but it is bringing about the deaths of innocent people, which is yet another flaw in the death penalty.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Efficiency of Clustering algorithms for mining large biological data Research Paper

Efficiency of Clustering algorithms for mining large biological data bases - Research Paper Example They are categorized into portioning, hierarchical and graph-based techniques. The most widely used of the three algorithms are the graph-based technique, and the hierarchical technique. However, the partitioning techniques are used in other disciplines; it is less used in gene sequence clustering and as such, there is no substantial theory of whether the partitioning methods are efficient. This study analyzes four clustering mining algorithms using four large protein sequence data sets. The analysis highlights the weakness and shortcomings of the four and proposes a new algorithm based on the shortcomings of the four algorithms. Introduction Today, protein sequences are more than one million (Sasson et al., 2002) and as such, there is need in bioinformatics for identifying meaningful patterns for the purposes of understanding their functions. For a long time, protein and gene sequences have been analyzed, compared and grouped using alignment methods. According to Cai et al. (2000), alignment methods are algorithms constructed to arrange, RNA, DNA, and protein sequences to detect similarities that may be as a result of evolutionary, functional or structural sequence relationships. Mount (2002) asserts that comparing and clustering sequences is done using pair-wise alignment method, which are of two types, global and local. Consequently, local alignment algorithm proposed by Waterman and Smith (Bolten et al., 2001) is utilized in identifying amino acid patterns that have been conserved in protein sequences. The global alignment algorithm proposed by Wunsh and Needleman (Bolten et al., 2001) is used to try and align many characters of the entire sequence. It is clear from the above that; the pair-wise alignment method is expensive when it comes to comparing and clustering a large protein data set. This is because there are very many comparisons performed during computation, since every single protein in a data set is compared to all the proteins in the data set ( Bolten et al., 2001). This brings into question the efficiency of the pair-wise alignment methods in comparing and clustering of large protein data sets. The pair-wise alignment method, both local and global, do not put into consideration the size of the data set, especially too large data sets that may overwhelm the computer memory. Han & Kamber (2000) argues that, unsupervised learning is aimed at identifying from a data set, a sensible partition or a natural pattern with the help of a distance function. Biology and life science fields have extensively exploited clustering techniques in sequence analysis to classify similar sequences into either protein or gen families (Galperin & Koonin, 2001). Currently, protein sequences can be classified in similar patterns using various, readily available sequencing and clustering methods. As had earlier been mentioned, these methods can be grouped as graph-based, partitioning and hierarchical methods. These methods, especially graph-based an d hierarchical methods, have been used consecutively or together to complement each other as argued by Sasson et al. (2002), Sperisen & Pagni (2005), Essoussi & Fayech (2007) and Enright & Ouzounis (2000). In the field of protein comparison and sequence clustering, there are very few instances in which partitioning techniques have been used. For instance, Guralnik & Karypis (2001) proposed an algorithm or sequencing method-on the

Monday, November 18, 2019

PAPER 2- for the legal environment of business and online commerce Essay

PAPER 2- for the legal environment of business and online commerce - Essay Example Thailand’s economic system is based primarily on exporting, which accounts for greater than two-thirds of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The exchange rate for exporting is Baht 33.00/USD. The GDP has an average worth of 8.5 trillion Baht, equivalent to $627 billion dollars. Thailand is classified as the second largest economic country in Southeast Asia. However, it ranks halfway in the spread of wealth in Southeast Asia, the fourth richest nation. Its economy supports neighboring, developing economies, such as Laos, Burma, and Cambodia. Thailand had a financial crisis in 1997-1998, forcing the country to depend on exports. Its economic system is influenced by the automotive and manufacturing of electronic good for exports. Thailand focuses on agriculture but has decreased due to exporting goods and services. Corporate Ownership in Thailand is established by registering as a Thai limited company. After registration, the registered applicant can acquire land. The structure of this ownership consists of a minimum of seven permanent, distinct shareholders. The director of the corporate ownership must be a foreigner. However, initially, the director is Thai because the Thai individual has to apply for a Tax ID and VAT registration for the company. In the Thai Law or Land Code, Thai nationals have at least 51% of the shares. A maximum of 49% of shares can be owned by foreign shareholders. This rule is also in the Land Code Prohibition of foreign land ownership. Since Thai Law does not restrict one share equaling one vote, the company is allowed to issue classified shares, which are the A-Shares or Ordinary Shares and the B-Shares or preferred Shares. The A-Shares or Ordinary Shares states that the holder of one share is entitled to one vote. However, the B-Shares or Preferred Shares state tha t only a shareholder of multiple shares obtains a vote. Foreign shareholders are assigned A-Shares, and B-Shares are assigned to Thai

Friday, November 15, 2019

Understanding Business Concepts

Understanding Business Concepts Unit Number Title: U35 Business and Entrepreneurship Assignment 1 Sit 1: Understanding Business Concepts Table of Contents Task A: Answer 1 Answer 1.1 Answer 2 Answer 2.1 Answer 3 Answer 3.1 Answer 3.2 Answer 4 Task B: Answer 1. Answer 2 Answer 3 References List of Figures Figure 1 SWOT Diagram Task A: Answer 1 Opportunity cost is the next highest valued alternative to one’s decision. It is the loss of potential gain from the second best alternative, once a business decision is taken. Answer 1.1 A Motor vehicle company has taken a decision to start a new production line for its vehicles with the aim of green technology. It has two options, option one is to start producing a fully electric vehicle while option two is to start producing a hybrid vehicle. If the company decides to start producing a fully electric vehicle then the opportunity cost will be the cost of producing a hybrid vehicle. A utility company supplying electricity is going to build a new power plant. It has two options, first option building a power plant using nuclear power while the second option building a power plant using natural gas. If the utility company decides to build the new power plant using natural gas, then its opportunity cost will be the cost of building a power plant using nuclear power. (Henderson, n.d.) Answer 2 Double entry system delineate that every transaction will be registered at least into two separate accounts in a companys accounting system. A simple example is shown in table below: (Averkamp, n.d.) Answer 2.1 There is more than one advantage for using a double entry system. Some of these are: There is an arithmetic check on the companys bookkeeping records as for every debit amount there is always a corresponding credit amount. This means that the total debit entries must be matched with the same amount of credit entries. Better understanding of a companys financial situation. It shows the true profit or loss of the company more clearly at any given time. Financial statements will be prepared much easier when double entry system is in place. Examples of these statements are: balance sheet, income statement and cash flow. This system also helps in detecting and reducing accounting errors. (Advantages and disadvantages of double entry book-keeping, n.d.) Answer 3 The balance sheet is one of the most important financial statements within a company. The balance sheet is a snapshot at a single point in time, (usually at the end of month or year), which gives investors an accurate and reliable picture of a companys financial position, what it actually owns and owes. The following formula is followed in a balance sheet: Assets = Liabilities + Capital (Shareholders Equity) (Balance Sheet, n.d.) Answer 3.1 The main purpose of the balance sheet is that it figures up the companys economic resources, obligations and shareholders equities at any point in time. It displays how the resources contributed by the shareholders and money lenders are used in the business. The term balance sheet is derived from the fact that at any given time, assets must be equal to liabilities plus capital hence the two sides of the balance sheet must balance out each other. On the other hand the balance has some drawbacks too. One of which is that the true value of the assets are not reflected on the balance sheet. Historical costs of the assets will not reflect the true market value since these assets may have increased or depreciated in value. Another drawback is that certain assets value are estimated thus does not reflect the true economic situation of the business. (Balance Sheet, n.d.) Answer 3.2 Two important financial statements complimenting the balance sheet are the Cash Flow statement and the Profit Loss statement. Cash flow is comprised of three components which displays the cash generated and used by the company for any given period of time. These components are operations, investing and financing activities. Operation activities measure the income and expenditure caused by the core business operations of a company. It reflects how much profit is generated from the companys products and services. Investing activities reflect the investment in purchasing of new assets such as property, land and equipment. Financing activities reflect changes in debts, loans and dividends paid. These include issue of shares and/or bonds, re-purchase of shares and/or bonds, interest paid to bond-holders. (What is a Cash Flow Statement, n.d.) The Profit Loss statement displays a companys income, costs and expenditure for a particular period of time. Normally this statement is issues quarterly or yearly depending on the companys size and directors preference. The purpose of this statement is to show investors whether the company has made or lost money during the specific period indicated in the statement. The Profit Loss statement gives a good account of the companys capabilities to increase profits and reduce costs. (Profit Loss Statement, n.d.) Answer 4 The following is an abstract from the regulations of the Malta Financial Services Authority: A private company is a company that must, by its memorandum or articles: restrict the right to transfer its shares; prohibit any invitation to the public to subscribe for any shares or debentures of the company; The minimum authorised share capital is â‚ ¬1,164.69. The maximum number of shareholders is fifty Must have at least one director A public company is a company which does not qualify as a private company. A public company may offer shares or debentures to the public but it may not issue any form of application for its shares or debentures unless the company is registered and the issue is accompanied by a prospectus. The minimum authorised share capital of a public company is EUR 46,587.47.There is no maximum number of shareholders in the case of a public company. Must have at least 2 directors In the case of a public company not less than 25%, and in the case of a private company not less than 20%, of the nominal value of each share taken up shall be paid up on the signing of the memorandum. Every Company must have a company secretary and hold an Annual General Meeting. (A Guide to the Registration of Companies, n.d.) Task B: Answer 1. The acronyms of PEST and SWOT analysis are as follows: PEST analysis Political, Economic, Social and Technological analysis. SWOT analysis Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis. Answer 2 PEST is a business measuring tool to understand the business environment growth or decline before setting up a new business or expanding an established business. It is an investigation for reviewing the external environment factors for political, economic, social and technological influences. Political Environment These are all those factors related to and executed by a government. A change in government can bring a change in laws, regulations, policies and taxes which can have an impact on the business environment. Since Malta is part of the European Union, EU regulations and new member states can have an impact on the business environment. Economic Environment This is mainly the financial system fluctuations that occur from time to time with general booms and slumps in the economy activity. A change in unemployment, interest rates and customer purchasing power can cause these fluctuations. Social Environment This is the influence on the business environment which its effects depend on religious, cultural and social trends. These effects can be either positive or negative. Education, lifestyles, career trends and demographics have influence on the social environment. If a decision from a business company have a huge impact which goes against the societal norms, it may face negative publicity and protests. Technological Environment This gathers all the technical aspects of the business environment such as automation, technology awareness, progress, research and development. Technical environment aspects can have an impact on the cost and quality of the business production. (External Environment Theory PEST Analysis, n.d.) SWOT analysis is a matrix analysis of the internal strengths and weaknesses of a company against identification of external opportunities and threats. It helps a company to uncover and exploit opportunities while understanding the weaknesses to eliminate threats. Workshop sessions and brainstorming sessions are two useful ways of completing the SWOT analysis while involving personnel from your own company. A sample table of the SWOT Matrix is shown in figure 1 below. Figure 1 SWOT Diagram Strengths are the resources and capabilities of a business or a project within a company which are used to gain a competitive advantage over other competitors. Examples of strengths are: Reputation, Superior product performance, Unique selling points, Strong brand names. Weaknesses are the absence of certain strengths on which your competitor may take an advantage. Examples of weaknesses are: Weak brand name, Limited budget, Limited personnel, Opportunities are external elements that can uncover new opportunities where a company can exploit its advantages for profit and growth. Examples of opportunities are: Changes in technology, Change in government policies on a particular area, Unfulfilled customer needs, Local events. Threats are changes in external environment and opportunities taken by other companies which can have a competitive advantage over your business. Examples of threats are: Appearance of alternative products, New legislations, Retention of key staff, Negative publicity. (SWOT Analysis, n.d.) Answer 3 SWOT analysis for Bank of Valletta plc. Task C References A Guide to the Registration of Companies. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 15, 2014, from MFSA: https://registry.mfsa.com.mt/otherPDFs/ROCGuide.pdf Advantages and disadvantages of double entry book-keeping. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 12, 2012, from Figurate Ltd Chartered Management Accounts: http://www.figurate.co.uk/2007/07/03/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-double-entry-bookkeeping/ Averkamp, H. (n.d.). Accounting Basics (Explanation). Retrieved 1 12, 2014, from Accounting Coach: http://www.accountingcoach.com/accounting-basics/explanation/5 Balance Sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 14, 2014, from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/balancesheet.asp External Environment Theory PEST Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 16, 2014, from The Times 100 Business Case Studies: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/external-environment/pest-analysis.html#axzz2qb3hjMJw Henderson, D. R. (n.d.). Library of Economics and Liberty. Retrieved January 10, 2014, from http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/OpportunityCost.html Profit Loss Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 14, 2014, from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/plstatement.asp SWOT Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 18, 2014, from Businessballs: http://www.businessballs.com/swotanalysisfreetemplate.htm What is a Cash Flow Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 14, 2014, from Investopedia: www.investopedia.com/articles/04/033104.asp

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Grotesque View of the British Society in Howard’s End and Women in Love

Grotesque View of the British Society in Howard’s End and Women in Love Eleanor Roosevelt once said that â€Å"a little simplification would be the first step toward rational living.† (Heartquotes.net) After reading Howard’s End and Women in Love, by E.M. Forster and D.H. Lawrence respectively, it has become quite clear that a little simplification could do the characters of both novels a great deal of good. In these â€Å"condition of England† novels, the ideas of love and marriage, how industrialization has affected British life and the revolution of women’s rights are all presented, analyzed, and even criticized by both authors. However, if one digs deeper, there are less obvious themes which make up the background of each story. Perhaps the most colorful background detail of each author’s portrait of England is the extreme intellectualism displayed particularly by the characters of the upper class. Through both of these pieces, it is revealed that the characters’ analytical approach to life paralyzes the ir ability to take action, has social ramifications, and has a potent effect on the attitudes the characters hold toward love. The importance of discussing how to help society is undeniable. It is fair to say that those who belong in the â€Å"haves† category have a certain moral obligation to provide some aid to those in the â€Å"have nots† category. The paradox comes in when the discussion of how to relieve the poor takes the place of taking that action. A fine example of this paralyzing intellect can be seen in Margaret and Helen from Howard’s End, as they engage in discourse regarding the poor with other members of the elite. The discussion of whether or not giving money to the poor â€Å"would be pauperizing them† (For... ... Whether the characters of Howard’s End and Women in Love have a hard time just loving another person, are paralyzed in action, or affected socially, it is clear that the new intellectualism portrayed in both novels muddles the beauty of their lives’ pictures. Instead of creating a simple, yet elegant portrait of English life, the characters of both novels allow their over-meditation to add blotches of undesirable color to their picture. Instead of a stunning depiction of England’s state, Forster and Lawrence provide the audience with a gaudy, grotesque view of British society. Though the intelligence of the upper-class may give the appearance of a more rational society, it is obvious that the characters if Howard’s End and Women in Love could live more balanced lives if they would, simply, simplify. Works Cited Heartquotes.net. HeartMath LLC. 2004.