Financial Statements and the Monetary Situation of Morrisons Essay

Financial Statements and the Monetary Situation of Morrisons - Essay Example The report is aimed towards guiding interested shareholders to rationally invest in Morrisons Supermarkets. Morrisons is one of the largest chains of supermarkets located in the U.K. The firm has their headquarters located in Bradford, England. Morrisons is counted amongst the big four supermarkets in the U.K, after Tesco, Sainsbury, and Asda. Currently, the company holds approximately 11% market share in the supermarket sector of the U.K. The company had initially begun as retailers of butter and egg in the year 1899. However, the firm has remained successful in expanding itself and presently it has 515 superstores and 113 local stores spread across the U.K, England, Wales, and Scotland. The U.K supermarkets are highly competitive and also possess the ability to earn a very high level of revenues. Consumers, in general, are seen to gain benefits from such high competition as they are able to procure goods and services at reduced prices. The purpose of the paper is to understand how analysis of financial statements facilitates better investments decision making. Income statements are prepared to estimate the level of profitability existing in a firm. They also indicate the efficiency with which an organization performs and earns revenue. Investments decisions are crucial as they may either cause a shareholder to earn adequate profits or lose earnings on the capital invested. Shareholders face the risk of losing their savings if financial statement interpretations are not carried out effectively. The income statement is essentially a summary of the incomes and expenses of a firm presented in a summarised form for a particular period. By analyzing the incomes, expenses and the profits of a number of years, investors can understand how effectively a firm manages their internal operating expenses so as to earn sufficient profits.

Motivation Letter Essay Example for Free

Motivation Letter Essay I am new to this forum. While searching for samples of motivation letters, I came across many threads on this forum regrading this issue. I am a Syrian student, and this scholarship is so important for me because I can no longer complete my studies in Damascus. In the ranking criteria of this scholarships, the motivation letter has 20% of the application grading scheme. For this reason I need to make it as good as possible. Unfortunately I am new to writing this kind of letters, so I hope for some help. To make my letter clear, I just want to tell that the host university I chose is Technische UniversitÃÆ' ¤t Berlin. I am allowed to write up to 4000 characters. Here is my letter, â€Å"Where there’s a will, there’s a way,† one of the best proverbs I follow to achieve my goals and ambitions, starting from my early teenage. Since I was a student in the intermediate school, the major of study I wanted to take after high school was clear to me. Many difficulties faced me, but I could overcome all to achieve my dream in studying the major I want, Computer Science. I used to live in Lebanon during my childhood and teenage, but in 2006 the war obliged me to leave and move to Syria, my homeland. It was quite difficult to complete studying in the Syrian schools because of the huge differences between the Syrian and Lebanese curricula. Yet I succeeded, and graduated from high school with an average of 99.16 percent. In Syria, it is well common that the higher the student’s average is, the more probability the he/she chooses the faculty that requires high averages in high school, usually regardless what the student’s dream is. According to my average and this tradition, I was supposed to get into the major with the highest average, medicine. Yet I chose to get into the faculty of Information Technology Engineering, as the closest major to Computer Science (because this major is not found in Damascus University), ignoring all criticisms and oppositions I received. During the last three years of my study in this major, I gave very hard efforts. But unfortunately as the revolution started, its consequences had a negative affection on my studying and thus my average. Because of the absence of safety and stability, this academic year seems to be impossible to complete. I can hardly and sometimes never able to reach my faculty and attend the lectures; in addition to witnessing an hearing the sounds of explosions during all the studying hours in the faculty. For this reason, I had to look for a solution for this huge problem. The first step to take was improving my skills to raise my opportunities. I started to take intensive lessons in German, since most universities in German-speaking countries require a certain level of German proficiency for undergraduate programs. Still the bad conditions obliged me for about two months to stop the lessons. The second step was searching for convenient universities that offer the best opportunities and fit best to my needs. Through the search, I came across the announcement of Erasmus Mundus Program, which seemed to be the outlet I was looking for. Reading about all partner universities, the options were few because I was seeking a university that offers scholarships for degree seeking students, not just exchange students. Technische UniversitÃÆ' ¤t Berlin was the best choice for me because of the scholarships it offers and my knowledge of German language. Through further search, I found that TU Berlin has a very good rank in world ranking of universities in the major of information technology. All these reasons together made TU Berlin my number one priority among all universities. I want to study at TU Berlin because of its outstanding educational system, focus on gathering relevant work experience, and its excellent facilities. So I am confident of my decision. With many distinguished scientists as professors, I know that I will gain expert knowledge at the forefront of discovery. Further supporting professors lectures are the universitys use of advanced. All these strong positives allow me to pursue my dreams and ambitions. Given my past history of commitment to achieve my dream, I am confident that I will exceed the expectations, because of both my academic and interpersonal skills. I will enrich the program by enabling fellow students and professors to benefit from my ambitious and open nature. Furthermore, my international background will add more diversity to your program. Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to your positive reply. Sincerely, Luna I like your essay, I can see the determination and will power you have in you. There are just a few grammatical errors which need to be corrected. â€Å"Where there’s a will, there’s a way,† one of the best proverbs I follow to achieve my goals and ambitions, starting from my early teenage. Since I was a student in the intermediate school, the major of study I wanted to take after high school was clear to me. Many difficulties faced me, but I could overcome all to achieve my dream in studying the major I want, Computer Science. â€Å"Where there’s a will, there’s a way,† Personally, one of my favorite proverbs and one which I have always followed to achieve my goals and ambitions? Ever since, I was a student in the intermediate school (do you mean secondary school?), the major of study I have wanted to pursue after completing high school was clear to me. I have faced many obstacles, but fortunately I overcame all of them to achieve my dream in studying the major I want, Computer Science. I used to live in Lebanon during my childhood and teenage, but in 2006 the war obliged me to leave and move to Syria, my homeland. It was quite difficult to complete studying in the Syrian schools because of the huge differences between the Syrian and Lebanese curricula. Yet I succeeded, and graduated from high school with an average of 99.16 percent. I lived in Lebanon during my childhood and teenage until the war in 2006 obliged us (you and your family?) to flee (or you can use the word return) to Syria, my homeland. I was struggling in high school because of the vast differences between the Syrian and Lebanese curricula. Yet, I managed to succeed and graduated from high school with an average of 99.16 percent. - In Syria, it is well common that the higher the student’s average is, the more probability the he/she chooses the faculty that requires high averages in high school, usually regardless what the student’s dream is. According to my average and this tradition, I was supposed to get into the major with the highest average, medicine. Yet I chose to get into the faculty of Information Technology Engineering, as the closest major to Computer Science (because this major is not found in Damascus University), ignoring all criticisms and oppositions I received. In Syria, it is a trend is/ usually/ etc/use something other than well common, that the higher a students average is, the higher the probability he/ she chooses the/a faculty (field/ major) which requires high averages in high school, regardless of what the students dream is. According to this tradition and my average, I was supposed to pick the major which requires the highest average, medicine. Yet, I chose the faculty of Information Technology Engineering, as the closest major to Computer Science (.), ignoring all the criticisms and oppositions I received.

Essay :: essays research papers

Unit 1: Narrative Essay Feeling complete with your own personal mental and physical standpoints is essential if you ever want a fulfilling relationship. Knowing your own ability to live vigilantly day to day, being gratified with the prospects of how you are living your life up untill this point. This is what determines wether your ready to take the step into entering a relationship. Every point in ones life is a learning experience. Treating past relationships as learning experiences help to better your understanding of what your really looking to gain out of future relationships. The following paragraphs discuss a story of my past. This story revolves around a relationship taking place at a negative point in my life. So my lesson to you is one I learned the hard way. Being happy with yourself is vital before attempting to by happy with someone else. To mentally set the scene for my story, I will give some background into my mental and physical standpoint. During the time of this story, I was under a lot of stress from various circumstances. I had just recently lost my job at Subway and had no source of income. Becouse I lost my job, I had no longer the money nor the resources to continue with athletic training. Taking the three months off from athletic training had a negative effect on my physical appearence. With a noticable loss of physical appearence, my self esteem began to drop slightily. So all together, threw one run of bad luck into another, i was spiraling down into a depression like state. It all started the first week of grade 10. I was walking to math class and i met up with a few of my lunch crew friends. I noticed my friend Ashlea talking to Erin Berring. Erin was an attractive, smart and fashonable girl. I always had a thing for smarties. In school she had straight A's, and was also the leader of the female wrestling team. I felt a little up on myself that day for some reason. I figured there was no better time then the present to chat it up a little. The conversation went quite well, which was different from what I expected. She even asked for my number so we could continue our talk later that night. "Why would she be interested in me?," I said to myself. After all, she seemed way out of my league.

“Broken Lives” By Estelle Blackburn Essay

The chapter â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† is a chapter from Estelle Blackburn’s expository text Broken Lives. This chapter focuses on one night of Eric Edgar Cooke’s murderous sprees where he steals a rifle and shoots a baby sitter, once again leaving the city of Perth in the hands of fear and danger. The purpose of this chapter is to fight for Cooke’s guilt. It shows that he had no fear of being caught and was a devious man when it came to him stealing, killing and the plans he came up with. Through particular aspects of its construction including point of view, structure, language, personality presentation and tone, our response to the ideas conveyed are able to be shaped and moulded to the ideas that are presented The point of view in â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† is from a third person omniscient view, looking in on the world surround Cooke. However the point of view is no ordinary third person point of view, it is in fact shifting, jumping from one character to the next so that we can get into the minds of all the characters and the emotions they are experiencing at the time of the ‘gunman’s rampage.† The point of view is shifting as to present the views of the many characters we come into contact with throughout the chapter. All people views on Cooke come to fruition and to our realisation. The fear that Cooke spread throughout Perth is exposed and our response to him and our feelings moulded. He shoots an innocent girl studying, through the point of view we can look in on his emotions and thoughts and the evil side of him. â€Å"†¦ He had a rifle and was in a killing mood †¦Ã¢â‚¬  This suggests that Cooke had been in this mood before when he has killed people previously and asks us the question, what sort of man is he if he gets in a killing mood. If Broken Lives was written from a first person point of view, we would not see the same emotions and feeling that we do from a third person omniscient view. The language goes hand in hand with the point of view. The sort of language that is used in â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† is one to convince people of Cooke’s guilt when it comes to these murders and shows how much of  a crazed killer he really was. It also proves how he enjoyed the fear of being caught and the fear that someone could see him. â€Å"†¦ He could see a short woman sitting in the lounge. He loved the risk†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What is this saying about Cooke? That he is a quiet, well-mannered, law abiding citicen? Or that he is a crazed madman that enjoyed the risks of robbing people and killing them without any remorse. The language even describes the look on Cooke’s face or the way in which his heart was beating. Even though some of this is fictionalized, it has been incorporated to shape our response towards Cooke so that we feel the same way in which Blackburn does about him. â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† is structured in such a way so that many points of view and characters are presented. The chapter jumps from one character to another, which results in many feelings and attitudes being presented. Through the numerous amounts of characters being presented we are able to see that it was not only a handful of residents of Perth that feared for their lives, but it was all people, ranging from the better off people to those that weren’t as well off. Through the way she has structured â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† Blackburn has successfully conveyed many ideas into one small section. By structuring the chapter in this way, Blackburn can also select the details that she wants to include, those that will support her view, and exclude other, those that will contradict her view. By selecting certain details from certain characters, Blackburn’s point can be made stronger without her need to fictionalise or fabricate some of the ‘facts’ that she is presenting to the reader. The way in which the characters are presented in â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† shapes our response and how we react when Cooke take the lives of people. When we are first introduced to Shirley Martha McLeod we are told of how she is a hard working science student at St Catherine’s College. She is presented in such a way that sets visual pictures in our  head of just what McLeod would have been like. â€Å"†¦ She had a satchel of books with her and told Dowd how she planned to work very hard for The rest of the university year†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This sets up an image of a young girl who concentrates on her school work and is well mannered and polite. â€Å"†¦ Dowd felt comfortable leaving baby Mitchell  in her care†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The way in which McLeod is presented sets up the fact that Cooke stole the lives of innocent, caring people that he did not know and had everything going for them. This proves that it was a case of wrong place, wrong time. By giving us this information, Blackburn can shape our response by playing on this. Blackburn can emphasise how much of a caring young lady McLeod was and ask us to question how Cooke could take the life of a person so innocent. Then there is also the way in which Blackburn portrays Cook’s personality. She describes him as a monster that was only out to kill and nothing else. â€Å"†¦ The feeling of power began to come over him as  ran his fingers along the barrel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is describing the feeling that Cooke got when he found the .22 rifle that would eventually lead to his demise. Through describing Cooke like this, Blackburn is reinforcing her previous opinion of Cooke’s personality. By doing this we are once again being shaped into responding in a particular manner. Does Blackburn know how Cooke felt or has she once again fictionalised sections to fight for the innocence of John Button? By putting a serious mood and tone to â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† Blackburn is setting up the fact that this was all real and it was not something she made up. Some sections of Broken Lives have a good-natured feel about them, especially when they are speaking of John Button. An example of this is â€Å"Life’s a Ball† where the tone is less serious as Blackburn is describing John Button and how he was a fine upstanding member of society. However by using a more serious mood and tone when speaking of Cooke, Blackburn is shaping our response to the ideas she presents. If â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† was presented in a lighter mood such as â€Å"Life’s a Ball† the chapter would not be as effective in proving Cooke’s guilt. Seeing as the purpose of Broken Lives is to assure us that Cooke was guilty and Button innocent, Blackburn would not go and put a humorous tone on something as serious as a young girl being murdered, especially when it was Cooke that murdered her, the one she is trying to prove guilty. â€Å"Another Gun, Another Unlocked Door† succeeds in it’s purpose of assuring us of Cooke’s guilt. Blackburn does this be presenting particular characters in particular aspects. Or including certain information that supports her argument or even just through the language she chooses. This chapter argues for Button’s guilt and just proves what type of a man Cooke really was. These particular aspects of narrative construction all shape the way in which we respond to the ideas the Blackburn is presenting.

Go Glow Grow Essay

Go Glow Grow is a nutrition curriculum developed for preschool children. In conjunction with the book Go Glow Grow: Foods for You, children learn about healthy eating, exercising and the importance of hand washing. Using a simplified version of MyPlate, children learn the connection between healthy foods and what they do for the body. †¢Grains are Go foods, they help you run, jump and play all day. †¢Fruits and vegetables are Glow foods; they help you have shiny hair and sparkly eyes. †¢Milk and meat & beans are Grow foods, they help you to grow big and strong. Each lesson includes teacher background information, two activities, snack recipes, and review questions. There is also a take home letter telling parents what their child learned along with an activity and snack recipe to make at home. Glow Foods Apple- Vitamin C Grapes- A, C, B6, Antioxidant Chico-Vitamins, Minerals Pechay- Vitamin A, C, Calcium, Phosphorus Monggo- Protein and Dietary Fiber Malunggay- Iron, Vitamin B, Calcium, Vitamin A Potato- Carbohydrates, Vitamin C, Iron, Fiber Vitamin B-6 Squash- Beta-carotene, Vitamin A and C, magnesium, fiber, folate, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium and Vitamin B6 Grow Foods Fish- Protein, Zinc, Calcium Chicken- Zinc, Protein, Iron, Vitamins, Minerals 1. Go: Carbohydrates Foods rich in carbohydrates, or â€Å"Go† foods, provide healthy energy. â€Å"Go† foods include bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes and rice. Carbohydrate-containing foods are often high in B vitamins, fiber and other essential nutrients, and are a vital source of energy for the brain. An athlete might eat a plate of pasta before a competition to provide her with  the energy to compete at her best. According to the Food Pyramid, developed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), a healthy diet includes six to eleven servings of breads/grains per day. 2. Grow: Proteins Foods rich in proteins, or â€Å"Grow† foods, are foods essential for growth and healthy body development. These include milk and dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, nuts, beans and avocados. Proteins strengthen the bones and build healthy muscles. â€Å"Grow† foods keep the heart strong, and help repair and fortify body tissues. Protein foods are often rich in vitamins and minerals. For instance, salmon is high in calcium, magnesium, Vitamins D and E, and Omega-3 fatty acids. The USDA Food Pyramid recommends two to three servings of dairy foods, and 2-3 servings of non-dairy proteins per day. 3. Glow: Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and vegetables, or â€Å"Glow† foods, enhance the glow of skin and hair. Glow foods such as spinach, broccoli, oranges and plums are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Soluble fiber such as prebiotics help nourish the friendly bacteria (probiotics) in the intestines to encourage healthy digestion. â€Å"Glow† foods are also rich in valuable antioxidants. Antioxidants include vitamins E, A and C, and minerals such as selenium. These help fight cell damage to keep the immune system healthy.

The Federal Government in the United States

The Federal Government in the United States Federalism and policy development The federal government has some powers over the States in the United States (Dye, 2010). In this regard, it makes choices on a range of aspects.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Federal Government in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The idea that the federal government has far-reaching powers over a number of issues raises questions regarding the extent to which the government should interfere with some aspects. Once the federal government decides on issues, in a way, it influences the behavior or the rights of individual citizens. Based on this, it is noticeable that federalism heavily influences policy making in the United States. Using the same line of thinking, the federal government sets the underlying regulations regarding public policy making. It is evident that the federal government decides the procedures or the rules that State governments have to observe regarding some activities. As an illustration, the federal government sets the percentage of revenue that the State governments retain as well as that that they remit. It is clear that the amount of revenue that States collect influence the level of development that States are able to carry out. As such, when the federal government policy puts demands that certain percentages be remitted to the national budget, it influences the developmental agenda of the States. If this holds, then it should also be noted that the State governments are in charge of certain functions at State level. These developmental activities affect the lives of the citizens at the State level. Since the federal government influences the activities, the States engage in, it also affects the lives of citizens. It is thus reasonable to conclude that federal policy activities affect the rights of citizens. Public Policy and Opinion Polls Political processes influence public policy in different ways (Dy e, 2010). Political processes may include elections, campaigns for elections, opinion polls, constitution making, etc. These political processes have varied effects on the policy making process although in unexpected ways (Gray, 2004). Regarding elections, it is noticeable that political parties give clearance to individuals who seek political office (Brown, 2009). As a rule, each political party has its policy agenda.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By way of illustration, the conservative party leans towards American conservatism as reflected by its pragmatic approach to several issues. Concisely, each party has a policy line it seeks to implement upon assuming office. Additionally, upon winning elections, political parties appoint senior office holders in the country. Although, the leaders or office bearers run offices using set procedures, political affiliation may influence the decisions they make. Based on this illustration, it is discernable that the election process may influence policymaking. As presented in the case regarding political processes, public opinion is unstable. Public opinion changes within short spells and may have various degrees of influence on policymaking. As an illustration, it is established from the above point that public policy is a function of elections and the election process. It is noticeable that public opinion heavily influences elections. As an example, when the United States is at war, the public may hold a certain perception regarding the government. Such wars as the one against Vietnam led the public into holding divided views on the role of the government. If the public holds the view that the government is unjustified in engaging in a war, it is likely that the government would be voted out in the subsequent elections. Concisely, it is noticeable that public opinion affects the election process. In turn, election outcomes influence policy making as illustrated above. Reference List Brown, E. (2009). Public opinion and penal policymaking: An examination of  constructions, assessments, and uses of public opinion by political actors in New York State. State University of New York at Albany: ProQuest. Dye, T.R. (2010). Understanding public policy (13th ed.). Longman: Pearson Prentice Hall.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Federal Government in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gray, J. (2004). Public Opinion and Polling Around the World: A Historical  Encyclopedia. New York: ABC-CLIO.

Conventional Media and the New Media Environment in Modern China

Conventional Media and the New Media Environment in Modern China Introduction With the emergence of telecommunication technology, the world is experiencing a major revolution in the communication sector. Theoretically, people are able to communicate with one another regardless of the distance separating them (Zhang, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conventional Media and the New Media Environment in Modern China specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After several years of market reforms and development, China’s media had big changes in terms of communication models, management philosophy, and ownership. More importantly, however, these changes have also drastically altered the way in which the government, media, and the public interact. This paper looks at how the Chinese state is dealing with the ever increasing adoption of new media and what the state is doing to control the way citizens communicate and receive news whether local or international. Various situations are examined to help understand how the relationship between the Chinese state and the media has changed over the years as a result of development and reforms in the communication sector that has led to the expansion in the number, variety and ownership of media outlets (Shirk, 2011). The Impact of New Media To better understand the impact of new media on the Chinese state and how this has been and continues to be dealt with, different avenues of access to information will be examined to determine their effect. Specifically, Citizen News, Official Television News and Newspaper and the Internet use will be discussed. Citizen News In 2003, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Hu Jianto announced set of guidelines requiring that any news reporting be as close as possible to reality, close to livelihood, and close to the people. CCP further published a report that suggested a decreasing level of coverage on leaders’ activities (Hewitt, 2010). Unanimously, Chinese media researchers agree that innovations such as Citizen News and telling people’s stories are in line with CCP’s approach to propaganda. Citizen News later received recognition as a permissible type of news reporting for local Chinese television stations.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While some communications researchers feel that Citizen News is helpful in reinforcing the credibility of television news reporting, many do not believe it. These critics assert that Citizen News is full of trivial coverage such as family disputes, neighbor’s arguments, and cases of vandalism and cheating. Furthermore, critics are convinced that content that may be regarded as newsworthy is rarely covered by Citizen News. Despite the lack of attention to significant political news and social injustice, Citizen News programs do offer the general public a view of re al life, as well as an opportunity to speak out about different issues. Through the kind of news programs presented on Citizen News, mainstream propaganda and commercial culture are combined to create an atmosphere of caring about people’s livelihood and nurturing a harmonious society. As a result, sensors tend to be tolerant of such programs. In a similar manner, some audiences have gradually become dissatisfied with such comparatively shallow news coverage and are disheartened by their inability to find any serious news reporting on local television (Midford, 2011). Official Television News Official television news is news as represented by Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) news. All television stations in China are required to broadcast CCTV news on their main channels simultaneously. For example, cable television users in the Beijing area receive about fifty channels but more than thirty of them broadcast CCTV news from 7.00 to 7.30 pm every night. This central monopoly on national news coverage is generally well established. During the Cultural Revolution, the only news resource for the general public was the official media. National news was primarily reported on China National Radio every night at 8.00 pm and many people were regular listeners to the program. In the year 1982, the central government declared that any important news should be released first on CCTV news at 7.00 pm before being aired on any other media.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conventional Media and the New Media Environment in Modern China specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apparently, the rule is still being in force. (Bittner, 2008). With the growing popularity and availability of television sets, more people tend to pay close attention to CCTV news. The results of a survey conducted in the Beijing area indicated that only 8.8 percent of the people said that they almost never watched CCTV news, 30.5 percent watched it at least three times per week, 30.7 percent watched it at least four or five times per week, and 25.7 percent watched it six to seven times per week (Shirk, 2011). Clearly, the requirement by the state that official news first be aired on CCTV news was a means of putting measures in place to control how citizens interact with media and to ensure that traditional media remained the only popular means of receiving news both locally and internationally. Newspaper and Internet Use In urban areas, newspapers are seen to be one of the most popular sources of news, ranking second after television. In Beijing, for example, about 80 percent of the residents read newspapers (Shen Breslin, 2010). Given that reading requires literacy, those who do not read any newspapers also indicate that they do not have the time to read newspapers and they already feel sufficiently informed by electronic media such as television or radio broadcasting. Generally, the Chinese citizens read newspap ers in the late afternoon or evening. Most people spend about forty two minutes reading newspapers on a daily basis (Hsing Lee, 2010). Considering that only a minority of Chinese readers subscribe to newspapers, most people usually get to read the newspapers at work or purchase them at a newspaper stand. Apparently, this habit makes it possible for Chinese readers to switch very frequently between newspapers and read a greater variety of them. Average readers peruse two newspapers but some report reading as many as ten different papers per day. While most readers have a clear preference for non official papers, only 36 percent of readers choose reading official newspapers (Shen Breslin, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As far as using the Internet is concerned, the Chinese citizens connect quite freely to the Internet within China despite being very much aware that their activities and messages may be monitored by the government (Scotton Hachten, 2010). Some researchers inside China, however, claim that the government is very effective in ensuring that foreign information does not reach its citizens. It is generally believed that the Chinese government is capable of blocking access to outside sites rather easily since all international traffic must pass through a small number of state controlled backbone networks. The government also has the technology in place that blocks web pages and cancels links that would lead to unacceptable sites ranging from pornography to international news (Scotton Hachten, 2010). Quite a number of people believe that Chinese Internet controls can easily be evaded. As the censors work in China to limit access to the Internet sites although individuals and teams overse as are determined to frustrate such efforts. Some Chinese researchers argue that due to social pressures and technological development, it is simply impossible to hide on the Internet. Another problem faced by censors is the lack of a clear policy regarding what is banned from the Internet. The speed of communication via this new media also makes it difficult for the Chinese government to execute any form of control on information flying around. The presence of the Internet and mobile phones in hands of the citizens facilitates a faster transfer of information making it difficult for the government to control what eventually is available to people. Media experts believe that official newspapers in China publish propaganda while non official papers publish what is regarded as real news. To media specialists, propaganda is based on subjective opinion aimed at guiding the reader in a certain direction and often omits important facts, while real news provides the audience with the compl ete story and includes negative aspects. To stay safe, the state is forever suppressing the efforts of the non official papers that are always making attempts to push the boundaries set by the state (Yu, 2009). Official media sources are considered to be experts on the position of the state and are aimed at manipulating public opinion. On the contrary, non official media sources are seen as reporting from the perspective of the public in a less biased way. Taking into account that media credibility requires high levels of both expertise and objectivity, official sources tend to rank lower in terms of credibility than non official ones. Unlike newspapers, however, the Web is a less popular information source. In the year 2009, less than 30 percent of Chinese citizens had access to Internet. The number is, however, growing at a very rapid pace. In the year 2008, for example, the number of Internet users grew by 41.9 percent. Most urban Chinese consent to the fact that their own lack o f skills and access to facilities constitute to the two main reasons for not being able to surf the Web. In addition, access to the Web requires a computer, which is still costly and unreachable for the majority. As a result, the proportion of the population who use the Internet is still quite low. However, reading the news is the second most frequently used online service. Currently, two important alternative means exist that allow citizens to go online. While some people would access the Web at work, others would do so through cyber cafes. Still others would use both alternatives depending on where one would be at a certain time. Effects of Operating Based on CCP’s Guidelines As the primary television propaganda machine, CCTV news has always adhered to the principle of publicizing the policies of the CCP and the government. Its reports focus on the activities of the Chinese leaders and political conferences. They are full of meaningless content and presented in an inflexibl e style. Rarely will information of real interest be aired through CCTV news. According to a survey undertaken by Professor Zhou Xiaopu of Renmin University in Beijing, political news coverage accounted for 52.3 percent of the program and it mostly involved CCP leaders’ activities, propaganda campaigns, and political announcements. International news on the other hand accounted for 7.3 percent and was always placed at the end of the program. In addition, studies have shown that, on average, events are reported on CCTV news two days after they actually had happened. State Controlled Transparency Controlled transparency is one of the tactics which for a very long time has been employed by the Chinese government to guarantee the continued existence of traditional Chinese media. By ensuring that citizens are mostly confined to state controlled media, the penetration of new media in the China is certainly suppressed. Over the years, senior court officials have repeatedly emphasize d the importance of greater transparency in China’s courts. As noted by the Supreme People’s Court, there is need to police the courts. Every single court is required by the state to voluntarily release information about important cases, cease being passive in response to media coverage, and strengthen their propaganda systems so as to lead the media to report positively about the courts (Yu, 2009). Similarly, his predecessor spoke of the importance of courts opening themselves to media supervision and balancing legal outcomes with the needs of the nation and the CCP. In May 2009, the Supreme People’s Court issued directions to lower courts concerning implementation of the concept of justice for the people, calling on courts to respond quickly to negative reporting, in order to improve relations with the media and to voluntarily provide tips to the media with the intention of encouraging positive coverage. These comments and rules reflect two strategies that hav e been used by courts in response to increased media pressure. Courts have spoken of the importance of supervision and have publicly welcomed greater coverage. At the same time, however, courts have stepped up efforts to manage information flow to the media, attempting to control access to the courts as well as the content of news reports about the courts. Regulations adopted by the Supreme People’s Court in 1999 state that most cases should be made open to the public and the media but also include numerous vague exceptions and require reporters to obtain advance permission from the court hearing the case. Practically, the regulations give judges and courts significant discretion to deny access to the media. Courts have also become proficient when it comes to encouraging positive media coverage. They frequently draft articles for the media or provide details about cases to journalists. Courts reward judges with praise and bonuses for obtaining positive coverage or for authori ng articles that help to strengthen the courts’ public image. Many courts also require local media to seek approval of articles from either court propaganda officials or the judges hearing a particular case prior to running a report (Reilly, 2008). Failure to seek approval can result in journalists being barred from further reporting on the court. In 2006, the Supreme People’s Court also announced that it was creating an official press secretary and that judges were henceforth forbidden from speaking to the media without prior approval. In solidarity, local courts also implemented the same. This has, however, not been received well by media commentary which has portrayed the system as an effort to restrict critical coverage as it stops other judges from speaking to the media. As such, the courts have been criticized as being afraid of media scrutiny. Although the media are allowed to cover cases once they have been decided, regulations strongly oppose reports that diff er in opinion from the courts and in effect banning criticisms of decisions made by the court. In 2005, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Broadcasting prohibited television and radio stations from reporting on cases while they are still pending and forbid local media from covering events outside their home jurisdiction. Repeatedly, the Supreme People’s Court officials have stated that in sensitive or high profile cases, the courts speak with a unified voice and only official spokespeople are allowed to talk to the media. In support of all these regulations, judges argue that controls on media coverage are extremely necessary so as to prevent biased reporting. On the other hand, however, journalists complain that judges are increasingly using the rhetoric of judicial independence to prevent media oversight of the courts. Although numerous defamation related cases have been presented before Chinese courts, a significant portion were against the media. To the media, i t appears that defamation litigation is being used as a new form of control to ensure that media practitioners are forced to toe the line. According to Shirk (2011), there are four trends that can help to explain the impact of defamation litigation on the Chinese media. First, both anecdotal and empirical evidence suggest that the media often lose the majority of cases brought against them. The vagueness of Chinese defamation law is blamed for facilitating decisions against the media and for allowing the courts to find the media liable for even very small errors. Second, defamation litigation is now a significant means of retaliation by targets of public opinion supervision. This is well reinforced by making sure that numerous cases are brought by officials or state or CCP entities in response to critical coverage (McCargo, 2003). Individuals and corporations have been made to bring suit in response to critical reports that are designed both to retaliate against the media and to blo ck further reporting. Courts and judges themselves have brought a small number of defamation cases in response to critical coverage. Despite the different perceptions of media credibility, it is important to note that most Chinese citizens widely accept the need for propaganda for the collective benefit. The widespread acceptance of the propaganda has drawn together people with divergent and possibly incompatible positions on media control but willing to accept it for the sake of ensuring social stability. Similarly, it would be wrong to conclude that official media sources do not serve an important function in Chinese society (Thorburn, Jenkins Seawell, 2004). Although it is common knowledge that official news organs aim to manipulate public opinion, they are useful for learning the goals and policies of the government. The cost of obtaining official news is also comparatively low for individuals given that they have access to such information sources at the workplace. Furthermore , ordinary citizens will also prefer such sources when they have incentives to seek out information about the position of the government. The utility of official sources does not, however, imply that they are perceived as being credible. Nevertheless, the credibility issue is of great concern to the officials spreading propaganda, who are worried about their credibility to guide public opinion thorough the media. Chinese political leaders continue to regard the news media as a necessary instrument to hold China together and to push forward reform policies. Chinese communication researchers have, therefore, been hesitant to report public opinion data that suggests the low credibility of official media sources (Mansell Raboy, 2011). Although official media still give non official media a sense of direction for news reporting, non official media still prevails in terms of the ability to influence public opinion. This notwithstanding, non official media outlets are always regarded as t roublemakers by the Chinese officials rather than as useful tools to guide public opinion. Officials have become particularly concerned about the role of the non official media in challenging the official line of the state and serving as catalysts of public opinion crises (Reilly, 2008). However, it is the perceived disassociation from the government that lends credibility to the nonofficial media, improving their ability to influence public opinion. Ironically, media challenges to state control can boost the ability of the state to manipulate public opinion as long as the state retains some control over news content and can deter media outlets from deviating too strongly from the official line. Citizens’ Views on Restrictions Placed on News Content Studies by Waldman (2011) indicated that public perceptions of media outlets matter a great deal to the Chinese government and especially when a person’s beliefs strongly diverge from the official line of the state. As poin ted out earlier, despite their lower levels of credibility, official sources still remain useful to individuals who need to know the official position of the government regarding different national issues. It may appear that this is an approach taken by the government to see to it that control systems put in place function effectively. Conclusion State control of Chinese media is nothing of a secret. Despite the commercialization of media in China, journalists and editors claim that all news media are owned by the state and have not brought any form of independence. There is nothing like fully commercialized or private media in China. As a way of ensuring that traditional Chinese media is not swallowed by the new media the Chinese government has had to make radical decisions that have made it possible to keep the activities of the private media under check. Through discussions presented in this paper, one can clearly notice that to a great extent, the Chinese government has been abl e to ensure that traditional media remained relevant to its people in the presence of stiff competition in an environment filled with incredible new technology (Waldman, 2011). Even though China’s courts are not unique in restricting media coverage and that many Western countries impose significant limitations on coverage of pending cases, such restrictions may be quite damaging in China, given the very limited history of transparency in the legal system and the numerous problems that continue to undermine the authority and the ability of the courts (Gascoyne-Cecil, 1912). Efforts to restrict media coverage are just one example of the general attempt by the China to create a system of controlled transparency. Like other state actors, China’s courts claim that they are open to scrutiny and are thus deserving of the public trust, while at the same time they are restricting and manipulating the information available to the public. Reference List Bittner, F 2008, Advertisi ng in a Changing China. Books on Demand, Tennessee, USA. Gascoyne-Cecil, W 1912, Changing China. Daniel Appleton and Company, New York. Hewitt, D., 2010, Getting Rich First: Life in a Changing China. Random House, New York. Hsing, Y. Lee, C. K 2010, Reclaiming Chinese Society: The New Social Activism, Taylor Francis, New York. Mansell, R. Raboy, M 2011, The Handbook of Global Media and Communication Polic,. John Wiley Sons Inc, Malden. McCargo, D 2003, Media and Politics in Pacific Asia. Routledge, New York. Midford, P 2011, Rethinking Japanese Public Opinion and Security: From Pacifism to Realism? Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. Reilly, J. M 2008, The Role of Public Opinion in Chinas Japan Policy: 1997- 2007. ProQuest, Seattle. Scotton, J. F. Hachten, W. A 2010, New Media for a New China. John Wiley Sons, Malden. Shen, S. Breslin, S 2010, Online Chinese Nationalism and Chinas Bilateral Relations, Lexington Books, Maryland. Shirk, S. L 2011, Changing Media, Changing China. Oxford University Press, Inc, New York. Thorburn, D., Jenkins, H. Seawell, B 2004, Rethinking Media Change: The Aesthetics of Transition, MIT Press, Massachusetts. Waldman, S 2011, Information Needs of Communities: The Changing Media Landscape in a Broadband Age, Diane Publishing, Darby. Yu, H 2009, Media and Cultural Transformation in China, Taylor Francis, New York. Zhang, X 2009, Chinas Information and Communications Technology Revolution: Social Changes and State Responses, Taylor Francis, New Delhi, India.

Download the Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments

Download the Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments, written by Robert Brent and illustrated by Harry Lazarus, is a 1960s childrens book that tells kids how they can set up a home chemistry lab to conduct simple chemistry experiments. The first edition of the book was printed in 1962. A second printing was released in 1962 and a revised edition was printed in 1963. Supposedly the US government had the book removed from libraries and banned for sale on the grounds that the projects were too dangerous for kids. According to the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), only 126 copies of the book are available in libraries. The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments remains one of the best do-it-yourself chemistry experiment books around. This book is now available to the public. You can download the pdf of The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments to save on your computer, print, or distribute. Find Home Experiments

Dells Online Competitve Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Dells Online Competitve Strategy - Essay Example The objective of this paper is used Dell computers as a case study to explain how information systems can be used as a competitive strategy to respond to competitive forces, to improve its competitiveness, to achieve and sustain competitive advantage. The literature review is divided into 3 parts. The first part explains Porters competitive forces model. The second explains briefly the competitive strategies. The third part is used Porters value chain, model. The threat of new entrants depends on the degree of the barriers to entry. If the barriers to entry are high, the threat of entry will be low and vice versa. Consequently, in order to deter new entrants from coming into an industry, firms cultivate unique or capital-intensive resources that new firms cannot easily duplicate (Shin, 2001). The threat of substitute goods depends on the availability of alternative goods or services in the market. The more alternative goods or services in the market, the higher the threat of substitute good and the lower the market share and total revenue ascertained by the firms in the industry and vice versa. Therefore, in order to increase revenue and market, products will have to be unique and well differentiated. This force determines the level of control a supplier has over the price of its product. Since, the more alternative suppliers in the market, the lower the bargaining power of the suppliers and vice versa. Thus, in a market with few suppliers, a supplier is able to achieve the desired level of profit due to a significant

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statement Essay

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statement - Essay Example In the statements of financial position, the Johnson’s Company is kept separately from its owners. The owners’ equity is made as an independent entity in the statement of financial position and classified under liabilities. In the year ended 2003, the Johnson’s Company had total stockholder’s equity worth $900,082. Among this were 7% preferred stock worth $300,000, common stock worth $400,000 and additional paid-in capital worth $737,500. The going concern concept states that the firm remains in operation till the future. The business will continue running for a fairy long time and that it has no intention of scaling down its operations. Therefore, preparation of statements of the financial position of The Johnson’s Company is made under this concept. It is against this concept that it justifies charging depreciation over the entire life of an asset. The total accumulated depreciation of plant, property and equipment for The Johnson’s Company in the year ended 2003 was worth $634,600. There is also the monetary measurement concept. This concept states that accounting should be done only to those items that are measurable in monetary terms / monetary value can be attached. The Johnson’s Company follows the monetary measurement concept by recording all its transactions and assets in monetary terms. This makes it easy to calculate profits and show the financial position of a business. The historical cost concept assumes that assets are entered in books of accounting at the cost at which they were initially acquired. The Johnson’s Company records its transactions while following the historical cost concept. All the assets are entered in the statements of financial position in their initial cost of acquisition. According to the accounting period concept, business life is divided into segments in order to study the results shown in financial statements after

The Role of Trade Unions in the United Kingdom Essay

The Role of Trade Unions in the United Kingdom - Essay Example The conditions in these factories were harsh and the employees worked for long hours for very low pay. The workers did not accept these conditions and this resulted in trade dispute. The workers came together and resolved the one-off problems at work. This gave birth to trade unions. However, one of the challenges that are being faced by the 21st century trade union is redefining and reviving the traditional roles of trade unions. For instance, the UK has almost 200 certified independent trade unions, although the members have been reducing due to recent amalgamations. Howell (2009:19) defines a trade union as an organization that is comprised of members who are workers whose main aim is to protect the interests of its members. The trade unions core priority is protecting and enhancing people pay packages as well as the conditions of employment. Moreover, they are also tasked with campaigning or laws and polices that would be beneficial to the working people. Trade unions have been i n existence since an individual worker has very little power to affect the decisions that are made in relation to his or her job. Therefore, by combining with other worker there is a more chance of a significant voice and influence. The paper is going to critically discuss the changing trade union agendas and priorities. The major services that are provided by trade unions to its members are representation and negotiation. However, they are other benefits that individuals are accrued to from being members of trade unions which include provision of information and advice, and member services. Discussion Emerging trends and trade unions agenda Trade unions as noted by Wrigley (2002:82-90) play a number of roles including negotiating pay and employment conditions, offering advice and information such as financial and legal advice, defending the rights of the employees, negotiating bonuses for attaining set targets, resolving conflict, accompanying the union members to grievance and dis ciplinary meetings and lastly, offering services to members. In the last two decades trade unions have been faced with major political and economic change. There also have been a dramatic change in the in the type of jobs that people perform and the kind of industries they work in have also changed. The manufacturing sector which traditionally used to be the most crucial industries has shrunk tremendously translating in low union membership. On the other hand, new sectors like finance and voluntary sectors have become important to the global economy (Undy, 2008). Traditionally trade unions were shaped by existence of a normal employment relationship that involved a full-time job with a particular employer and typical degree of long-term stability. However, due to globalization and industrialization of economies, in cases that previously cushioned from external shocks, have now become subject to the fluctuations of the global markets (Checchi & Lucifora, 2002). People are now being e mployed on part-time and contractual basis thus has no way of joining trade unions. Furthermore, in some countries there has been a growing unwillingness from the employers to accept trade unions as collective representatives of their employees. With the recent changes in the labour market, trade unions in order to survive and thrive have reasserted the rights of labour in ways which let them to recapture the advantage in the battle of ideas. Since organizational strength without ideology is like form without content, numerous trade movements are suffering organizational weakness,

Political Science Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political Science Reflection Paper - Essay Example king is naked, and hence, Kingdon is liable to be beheaded by the American capitalists who, for years, promoted the idea that America has the best form of government. Evidently, there are many people in the American society like me who are made to believe for years that the American public policies are unique and the best in the world. This is all the more so because of the concept of liberalism, that means one is allowed to decide ones own destiny. In other words, the nation does not interfere in the lives of people as much as other nations do. This is a stunningly attractive proposition considering the fact that the tax American people pay is much less than the amount people in industrialized nations pay. However, Kingdon points out that the founders of the nation have done a dubious job by crafting the policies of government with ideologies of distrust in government, thus preferring a limited government. In addition is the check and balance among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. In sharp contradiction with my view that this check and balance will help the nation continue with its great unique features of less governmental intervention, Kingdon has shown how tricky it was from the part of the nation builders to develop such a system. It, in practice, ensures that even if American people or the leaders they elect want to make radical changes in the policies, it becomes a difficult task because of the burdens involved in passing laws and policies of reformation in the existing check and balance system. Evidently, the ones who are eager to make changes like the Native Americans and the African Americans will never be able to make radical changes in the governmental policies, and this is the uniqueness many people including me believed the best in the world. In addition, Kingdon points out how greatly the myth of equal opportunities has affected the public policy system in America. It is pointed out that this equal opportunity proposition also

Industry Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industry Analysis - Essay Example One of the things which I would like to achieve in the future is the ability to understand how each impact is measured in relation to critical success factors for a certain industry. This is because some critical success factors are more important than others in any industry. Additionally, I would like to measure how each of the critical success factors relate to a certain business individually. Within every industry, each and every individual firm is affected by critical success factors in different ways. Being able to rank these factors for each and every business would be more important since every business relates to these factors in a different way. In future, I would like to be more accurate in knowing how the success factors for the related industry affect the success factors in the main industry being analyzed. This would help in making sure that everything has been taken care of and that there is enough analysis in determining the success factors in the industry. The research approach I used was qualitative with regard to looking at the factors which can hinder or support the growth of a firm in the cosmetic manufacturing industry. What I was looking for is any factor which may indicate that the firm will have any challenge. In this regard, I was looking at regulation issues, cultural issues and market visibility issues. One major factor that came up as a success factor in the industry was the regulation of the industry by the government. Lintner (2009) was one author whose work I read and he was discussing the regulatory factors in the cosmetic manufacturing industry, not only in Canada, but actually around the world. Malkan (2013) was also looking at some of the main issues which the cosmetic industry faces. In her book titled Not Just a Pretty Face: the Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, she looks at the internal

Applied Statistics for Finance and Economics Project

Applied for Finance and Economics - Statistics Project Example The two will guide the analysis of the rest of the analysis. The first section of the project focuses on the brief description of the two variables representing the log return series. It will apply various statistical approaches including the descriptive methods and graphical methods. Consequently, it will conduct the test for normality to ascertain whether the mean difference and median difference really exist, as well as confirming the randomness and volatility of the stock distribution. The project culminates in the analysis of the capital calculation through the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) as well as the OLSE (Estimation of the Ordinary Least Squares, in order to test relevant observations concerning the Bata estimation. The figure above shows the summary of the descriptive statistical techniques, for all-important information on the log return on stock value series as well as the log return value of the sap series (Standard and Poor). This is based on the 252 observations forming the entire dataset. The log return of the stock series (lsap) shows a mean of the distribution to be 7.14367. It also gives the standard Deviation of the distribution to be 0.0502348 while the variance of the distribution is 0.0502348. In this regard, the standard deviation of the sample mean can be calculated as 0.0953768 / √252 = 0.006008. The Skewness of the distribution is a positive value of 0.148524 while the nature of Kurtosis is described by the positive coefficient of 2.175841. This according to Tinsley and Brown (2000), indicates a right-skewed distribution with a positive skewness. The lowest quartile is 3.462919; the median value is 3.615367 while the highest quartile is 3.827336. The log return of the stock series (lsap) shows a mean of the distribution to be 3.62903. It also gives the standard Deviation of the distribution to be 0.502348 while the variance of the distribution is 0.0025235. In this regard, the standard

Industry Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industry Analysis - Essay Example One of the things which I would like to achieve in the future is the ability to understand how each impact is measured in relation to critical success factors for a certain industry. This is because some critical success factors are more important than others in any industry. Additionally, I would like to measure how each of the critical success factors relate to a certain business individually. Within every industry, each and every individual firm is affected by critical success factors in different ways. Being able to rank these factors for each and every business would be more important since every business relates to these factors in a different way. In future, I would like to be more accurate in knowing how the success factors for the related industry affect the success factors in the main industry being analyzed. This would help in making sure that everything has been taken care of and that there is enough analysis in determining the success factors in the industry. The research approach I used was qualitative with regard to looking at the factors which can hinder or support the growth of a firm in the cosmetic manufacturing industry. What I was looking for is any factor which may indicate that the firm will have any challenge. In this regard, I was looking at regulation issues, cultural issues and market visibility issues. One major factor that came up as a success factor in the industry was the regulation of the industry by the government. Lintner (2009) was one author whose work I read and he was discussing the regulatory factors in the cosmetic manufacturing industry, not only in Canada, but actually around the world. Malkan (2013) was also looking at some of the main issues which the cosmetic industry faces. In her book titled Not Just a Pretty Face: the Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, she looks at the internal

Global Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Global Operations Management - Essay Example As manufactured products are tangible, customer demand can be anticipated and products may often be produced, transported, and held win inventory until customers need them. This allows manufacturers flexibility in deciding when to produce products. Inventory can be used as a buffer between a stable production capacity and a highly variable customer demand. This means that when production levels are held constant, in periods of low demand inventory levels of finished goods will climb, and in periods of peak demand inventory levels of finished goods will fall. This is not to say that all manufacturers inventory finished goods, because some manufacturers choose to wait until products are demanded, then produce the products and ship them directly to customers. Services cannot ordinarily be produced in advance of customer demand and must be delivered to customers at the time of demand or later. This means that service operations must ordinarily plan production levels to approximately equa l customer demand. With manufactured products, customers do not ordinarily intrude into the manufacturing process. In fact, customers have little contact with the manufacturing system in most cases. In service operations, however, customers are routinely involved in the production process. In such service operations such as hospitals, restaurants, and banks, the customers enter the production process, are routed to the necessary service operations, and exit from the service system. In almost all services, operations personnel need training in people skills because the key element of quality control is the way in which operations personnel conduct their transactions with customers. Service characteristics include: Intangible outputs Outputs cannot by inventoried Extensive customer contact Short Lead times Labor intensive Services quality subjectively determined Manufactured product characteristics include: Tangible products Products can be inventoried Little customer contact Long lead times Capital intensive Product quality objectively determined 2. The six major components of operations strategy include: 1 Positioning the production system 2 Product/service plans 3 Outsourcing plans 4 Process and technology plans 5 Strategic allocation of resources 6 Facility plans Operations strategy is a long-range game plan for the production of a company's products/services and provides a road map for what the production or operations function must do if business strategies are to be achieved. Operations strategies include decisions on such issues as what new products or services must be developed and when they must be introduced into production, what new facilities are required and when they are needed, what new technologies and processes must be developed and when they are needed, and what production schemes will be followed to produce products/services. 3. Competitive priorities can be thought of as the things that customers want from products/services; thus, they can be used s tools to capture market share. But, all of these competitive priorities cannot ordinarily be used for a single product. Once the competitive priorities are set for a product or service, operations strategy must then determine the required production system needed to provide the priorities for the product or service. The

Review of Literature Essay Example for Free

Review of Literature Essay According to the World Health Organization, â€Å"Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health† (2014). It is no surprise that a large cause of death in the United States is often a combination of genetic and environmental factors, as well as lifestyle choices (Chiverton, Votava, Tortoretti, 2003). Health promotion has always been apart of the nursing profession, but the push toward health promotion is larger now than ever before. In regards to health promotion, this essay will examine the purpose of health promotion in nursing, the evolving roles nurses will take on and how nurses can effectively implement teaching of health promotion in patients. Purpose of Health Promotion In light of the new health care reforms, preventative care is becoming the new gold standard of health care. Community-based care has much more emphasis than it ever has in the past. As patient acuity continues to rise, the need for better community-based care and health prevention education has never been clearer. Promotion of wellness is one of the main curriculum taught in nursing education and is also built into the job description of the nursing profession. Nurses are able to have more interactions with patients than any other health care discipline, which helps provide the opportunity of forming a trusting relationship with the individual. Creating this type of relationship gives nurses the opportunity to teach patients important health promotion strategies that are tailored to each individuals needs. The main goal of health promotion is to help promote a long healthy life free from preventable diseases. Read more:  Assess Individual in Health Care Essay Nursing Roles and Responsibilities Evolving in Health Promotion Due to many changes in health care over the years, nurses do their best to  keep up with the many demands of their job description. Unfortunately, a lot of the time this means health promotion education does not get the deserved attention it should. New care models must focus on keeping individuals healthy to avoid getting caught up in the vicious cycle of managing and treating illnesses, which leaves no time for health promotion (Chiverton et al., 2003). In the past, nurses have educated patients on how to manage illness once the illness has been diagnosed. The new goal of nursing is to assess patients for risk factors, identify and then educate patients on how to transform their lifestyle to lower their risk of being susceptible to identified illnesses. In order for nurses to become successful in health promotion, they must first become an effective educator. One part of becoming an effective educator is being able to evaluate the retention of information by the individual. If information is not being retained, the nurse then needs to reevaluate teaching methods and create a new plan centered on the patients needs. Making sure patients understand information is a vital part of a nurse’s job, this ensures patients have the knowledge needed to lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid illness. Implementation Methods for Health Promotion When implementing health promotion it is necessary to set objectives through clear communication. Using medical jargon when teaching someone with little health care background knowledge may lead to ineffective teaching and poor patient outcomes. Once the objectives of teaching are clear and information has been taught to the individual, the nurse should then assess if the individual was able to retain the information. Teach-back method is a positive way to evaluate if the individual was able to understand what the nurse has taught. Health promotion teaching should not end with the initial teaching. Follow-up conversations should be had between the nurse and patient to evaluate positive or negative outcomes since first teaching sessions. From there, the nurse can then provide feedback and reinforcement of initial teaching if necessary. Continual monitoring and encouragement may be needed from the nurse in order to reach set health promotion objectives. Levels of Health Promotion Prevention Within the realm of health promotion there are three levels of prevention; primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Primary prevention is used before there is any disease present in individuals and focuses mainly on health promotion. Examples of primary prevention could be visiting a primary care physician regularly, receiving immunizations and becoming educated about physical activity. The main goal within this level of prevention is to create awareness within individuals and decrease vulnerability to illnesses (Edelman, Kudzma Mandle, 2014, p. 11). Primary prevention is most likely to produce positive outcomes if education is started at a young age (Doering, et al., 2014). Not all illnesses are preventable, and that is where secondary prevention plays a key role. A common example of secondary prevention includes regular health screenings to promote early detection and treatment of illnesses such as breast cancer. Secondary prevention can also be used for those with illnesses th at could have been prevented at the primary level like a heart attack. The goal of this level of prevention is early detection of illnesses to limit the amount of disability the illness may cause (Edelman, et al., 2014, p.15). Secondary prevention is pivotal in the adult population, and for this reason has become highly studied by nurse scientists (Tingen, Andrews, Stevenson, 2009). Finally there is a tertiary level of prevention, which is used when there is permanent disability or damage from an illness. An example of tertiary prevention could be regaining mobility to a livable level of functioning in an individual who has suffered from an amputation secondary to uncontrolled diabetes. The goal at this level of prevention is to rehabilitate a person to a â€Å"useful place in society† (Edelman, et al., 2014, p.15). Tertiary prevention usually includes a combination of self-help and professional help (Quick, Wright, Adkins, Nelson, Quick, 2013). Providing the disabled individual with resources and services is essential to help enable them to reach their highest level of recovery and functioning. Conclusion Health promotion will continue to be an important role in the nursing profession. Being able to effectively educate patients and create individualized plans will help each patient reach optimal outcomes. Finally,  understanding the different levels of health promotion, and starting education at a young age is ideal for positive patient outcomes. References Chiverton, P. A., Votava, K., Tortoretti, D. M. (2003). The future role of nursing in health promotion. American Journal Of Health Promotion, 18(2), 192-194. Doering, N., Hansson, L. M., Andersson, E., Bohman, B., Westin, M., Magnusson, M., Rasmussen, F. (2014). Primary prevention of childhood obesity through counseling sessions at Swedish child health centres: design, methods and baseline sample characteristics of the PRIMROSE cluster-randomised tri. BMC Public Health, 14(1), 1-24. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-335 Edelman, C., Kudzma, E., Mandle, C. (2014). Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span, 8th Edition [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-0-323-09141-1 Quick, J., Wright, T. A., Adkins, J. A., Nelson, D. L., Quick, J. D. (2013). Tertiary prevention for individuals: Healing the wounds. Preventive stress management in organizations (2nd ed.). Washington, DC US: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/13942-012 Tingen, M., Andrews, J., Stevenson, A. (2009). Primary and secondary tobacco prevention in youth. Annual Review Of Nursing Research, 27171-193. doi:10.1891/0739-6686.27.171 World Health Organization. (2014). Health promotion. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/topics/health_promotion/en/

Reducing the Risk of HIV Among Adolescent Girls :: essays research papers

According to the CDC, the majority of female adolescents will have had at least one sexual partner by the time they reach the age of 18. Once reserved for high school students, sex ed is now being introduced in junior high and even elementary schools. It is undeniable that our teenagers are becoming sexually active earlier and inevitably, are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and HIV. While it is impossible to alter the choices of sexually active teens once they have been made, it is a mandate for those who interact with them to equip teens with the proper resources to make smart choices and offer suggestions to modify risky behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The aim of this particular study was two-fold. First, the authors studied the possibility and practicality of reducing the HIV risk among adolescent girls through the utilization of a small group, community-based setting. Secondly, the effectiveness and usefulness of such an intervention was determined and further analyzed using a controlled design. In the examination of statistical conclusion validity pertaining to this study, one threat that is imperative for the reader to consider lies in the low statistical power of the study. With 129 girls recruited, less than half (62) attended either the HIV or control intervention groups with only 48 completing the three month follow up session. Polit and Beck states that studies with low statistical power may not succeed in establishing a relationship between the variables. As a pilot study, it is hardly dismissive and worth noting that, at best, a relationship may be present or could be present between the two variables, however, the low statistical power causes me to hesitate to assign an irrefutable relationship between the intervention group and reduced risk behavior as demonstrated by the behavioral changes (decreased substance abuse, increased knowledge on HIV prevention, fewer engagement in risky sexual behavior). The authors acknowledged this threat to the statistical conclusio n validity but also noted that outcomes were â€Å"encouraging†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attrition presents a threat to both statistical conclusion and internal validity. In the aforementioned statistics, it is obvious to deduce that attrition was a direct result of the unavailability of many girls, which consequently resulted in low statistical power. The attrition rate in this study can be considered random as it was blamed on work schedules and inability to form contact and did not alter extraneous characteristics of those remaining in the study.

Contemporary Music and the Effects It Has on Youth Essay -- Essays Pap

Contemporary Music and the Effects It Has on Youth In a book written on Abraham Lincoln, the author states, "Who writes the Nation’s songs shapes the nation’s souls." (1) This statement is true. A quick look back at the music of the 1960's and 70's and the effects it had on society proves the statement. The question then arises, how does contemporary music effect modern society? More importantly how does it effect the most easily influenced group, the youth? There is no doubt that much of the popular music in 90’s culture has a negative message. The rise of rap, especially gangster rap and the continual popularity of heavy metal are major contributors to the negative message. The message in turn has a very negative effect on children. The language and actions described in this music gives kids a false perception of what the world is truly like. It also portrays to them that the actions are socially acceptable or good. Youths of the present have a much more difficult path to adulthood then the youth of the past. On a regular basis they are subjected to violence, drugs, and sex. Often times they are faced with making a decision for or against one of these vices. The majority of children will do what they think people they look up to will do. Often times the people they look up to are celebrities in music who send out a negative message. These celebrities often glorify sexism, violence, and drug use. 2-Live Crew was one of the first controversial rap groups to integrate itself into the public eye. Their lyrics, which are tame by today’sstandards, are sexually explicit and objectify women. "Their lyrics not only fail to satirize the myth of the hypersexual black, they also commit the moral blunder of sexualizing the vi... ... End Notes and Bibliography 1.)U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs. Subcommitte on Oversight of Governmental Management, Restructuring, and the District of Columbia. Music Violence: How Does it Affect Our Children. 105th Congress, 1st Session, 6 November 1997. Pg. 1 2.)Epstein, Johnathon S. ed. Adolescents and Their Music: If It's Too Loud, You're Too Old. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994. Pg. 172 3.)Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 1994. Pg 128-129 4.)See Epstein, Pg. 175 5.)See Congress, Pg. 1 Additional Works Potter, Russell. Spectacular Vernaculars. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995. Ro, Ronin. Gangsta. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996.

Poverty essay

It has been said that â€Å"Poverty is functional to society today†, the extent to which this is true have been explore by theorists of the cultural, Marxist, and functional perspectives and can be examined SSI Eng countries of the Caribbean such as Trinidad and Tobago. To begin, in the late sass, Oscar Lewis, an American anthropologist created t he culture of poverty ideology. It is in this ideology that he states that there are t here levels in the culture of poverty . The first being the individual level.Here the poor feels helpless, inferior to those around him and marginal's from society. The individual De plops a sense of acquiescence and fatalism. He goes to say that the individual desires immediate ratification even through expedient means as the are unable to delay gratifier action. Secondly, the family level. On this level, there exist consensual marriages or FRR e runs, a high rate of divorce and a significant number of matriarchal families. Lastly, the community le vel in which most people are fatalistic therefore leading to mini mum effectual corporation in the major institutions.There is non membership in try add unions and other homogeneous organizations. Not to mention, that little use is made of banks, hospitals, museums and other indistinguishable institutions. Lewis concluded his concept y suggesting that the culture of poverty emboldens poverty as the preceding characteristics of poverty act as vehicles to ensure the continuation of poverty If this is applied to the country of Trinidad and Tobago, it can be said that those e Of the Beta residence formerly known as ‘shanty town' may experience pope rotor each level.Individualistically, persons of the Beta residences and surrounding areas are often marginal's and are left to feel helpless and inferior to those belonging g to other areas in Trinidad and Tobago. Most have given up on finding a way out of poverty a ND has turn o illegal means for immediate gratification. On the family level there are ma NY common law marriages along with a high rate of divorce and separation between couple sees, therefore contributing to the existence of a notable number of matriarchal households.Also there is little participation in institutions such as schools whether as a teacher or stud antes suggested by Lewis the persons belonging to this region may never find their way out of poverty as all the aforementioned characteristics encourages poverty to be c intended . Thus, it can be said that Lewis does not believe that poverty is functional in s society. Though Lewis held great views, Critics have argued that in many countries, t poor has found ways of improving their life situation. These include, participate Ins In community groups and politics and also by maintaining strong family units.A Iso other researchers have insisted that the behavior of the poor is not culturally est. Wished but instead is due to ‘situational constraints'. For ex underemployment, unemployed m eet low income and other related factors. Conflict theorists put forward the idea that poverty is a result of the state's fail ere to allocate resources equitably. They examine poverty from different angles inch ding that of the labor market, stratification system and capitalism. They state that in the I Barbour market, there is an increasing demand for skilled workers in industrialized societies. Hose who are unemployed and underemployed are most likely unable to meet the require meets and are unable to secure high wages on the labor market,thus, remaining in poverty. A great example of this can be seen in Trinidad and Tobago where a person is now ex pecked to have at least three SEC passes in order to work as a cashier in a grocery or in KEF. Alternatively, there is a dual labor market, consisting of the primary labor racket and the secondary labor market. The primary labor market is found in large e profitable companies with job security, high wages and training opportunities.Whi le the secondary labor market is found in small companies with little job security low wages a ND few training purport nineties. Conflict theorists suggests that women and those of et hon. minorities are concentrated in the secondary labor market and take low paying jobs. T his too, can be seen in Trinidad and Tobago where the primary labor market is official go Vermont offices or non governmental organizations and the secondary labor market would be irking in hairdressing salons, hardware, groceries, in the market, CHEEP, et c.It is in most of these organizations Women and the ethnic minorities are heavily me played. In addition, Marxist theorist explores poverty from the angle of the stratification system. They indicate that this system relates poverty to class. They believe the at the ‘underclass', namely the retired elderly, the physically disabled and single par .NET families lack prestige and wealth and that their low position is a result of their low sat tutus. They go on to say that it is because of their low wages that opportunities for better pap d jobs are limited. Equally important is the angle of capitalism.It is here that Marxist states that the existence of poverty is in favor of the owners of production, as it allows the m to maintain the capitalist system and maximize profits . It is important to realism that me embers of the working class only owns their labor which is sold at a wage and for those who SSE labor is not in demand, wages are low. Therefore competitions among workers arise which keeps the wage levels in check. The conflict theorist says that the state will act in FAA our of the ruling class and therefore, the government would do little to reduce poverty.From this it can be said that Marxist view poverty as being functional in society but to non e other than the upper class or owners of production while exploiting the working class. There are researchers who disagree with the Marxist point Of view reason bee Eng, the Marxist view has failed to clearly states what causes certain groups in society to become poor, also the perspective does not distinctly distinguish the poor from other members of the working class, and therefore fails to offer an explanation for their poverty. Not to mention that the theory does not explore the income variations existing with n the working class.Another Perspective taken on poverty is the Functionalist or conservative app roach led by Herbert . J Gangs. He argues that poverty persists because it IS beneficial to certain non poor and affluent groups in society. Functionalist theorists including Gangs argues that there are certain functions of poverty.

As Said by Mark Twain

Eiffel Tower, built in 1889 and named after its designer and engineer Gustave Eiffel is one of the most famous architectural structure in the world. ————————————————- Eiffel Tower is observation & radio broadcasting tower, it is 324 meters tall, and tallest building in Paris, also second tallest in the whole of France. It was also tallest man-made structure of the world from 1889 to 1930. Stonehenge, United Kingdom Stonehenge is an amazing structure built of standing stones in a circular form.It is one of the most ancient structures of the world, believed to built before 2000 B. C. Stonehenge has been destroyed several times, and the present day structure is believed to be remains of the structure built in 1600 B. C. ————————————————- Stonehenge is owned by Th e Crown and is also a  UNESCO  World Heritage Site. It is managed by English Heritage and National Trust. Saint Basil's Cathedral, Russia Saint Basil's Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox Church built in 16th century in Moscow. It is operated as State Historical Museum and is a property of Russian Federation.The design of the building forms a shape like that of flame of bonfire rising to the sky. ————————————————- Saint Basil's Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy Leaning Tower of Pisa is a unique structure, leaned at one side. It is campanile in the Italian city of Pisa. ————————————————- The Tower is 56. 70 high, 4. 09m wide and leaned at 3. 99 degrees. The construction of the tower started in 1173 and was completed in 1372. T he tower has eight stories, including chamber of bells.It was not planned originally as a something like this, but during the construction it started leaning, and today although it weighs more than 14,000 metric tons, miraculously and proudly stands as one of the most beautiful structures of the world. Statue of Liberty, United States of America The  Statue of Liberty  is a sculpture of Libertas, Roman Goddess of Freedom, situated in United States of America. The statue designed by Frederic Bartholdi, was a gift from People of France to USA. The statue was inscribed on July 4, 1776, on the date of American Declaration of Independence.There is a broken chain at the feet of the statue, representing icon of freedom of United States. ————————————————- The statue is 93 meters high and has more than 3 million visitors annually. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Christ The Redeemer, Brazil Christ The Redeemer, located in Brazil, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it is also the fifth largest statue of Jesus Christ, and largest Art Deco statue in the World. ————————————————- Built between 1921 and 1931, The statue is 39. 6m. tall, 30m wide, and weighs over 600 tonnes.

How to Learn English

How to learn English effectively Do you want to know how to learn English effectively? If so, you are not alone. In fact, there are many people out there today who are working to learn English as a second language. No matter what the reason is that you are learning English, you want to make sure that you can learn it quickly and effectively as well. Whether you are learning English in a class, on your own, or with language teaching software, there are certain things that you can do to make sure that you learn the language effectively. So, here are a few tips to keep in mind that will help you on your journey towards learning the English language. Tip #1- Make Sure You WANT to Learn One of the first tips that can help you out if you want to know how to learn English effectively is to make sure that you really want to learn this language. If you really don’t want to learn, there is no book, no class, and no tips that are going to make it simpler for you. Make sure that you ask yourself whether you really want to learn English. If not, then it’s not for you. However, a real desire to learn the language can go a long way. Tip #2 – Figure Out What Motivates You If you want to learn English effectively, you need to figure out what your motivation is. Why do you want to learn English so badly? Do you want to improve your current learning, get a better job, attend university, or enjoy your life in an English speaking country? No matter the reason you are motivated to learn this language, you need to understand what motivates you so you can use it as encouragement as you learn the language. Tip #3 – Decide on Some Goals It is very important that you have goals in mind if you want to know how to learn English effectively. Setting goals will help you to know where you want to be and it will you to actually see your progress as you learn the language as well. Decide what your goals are, whether you want to improve your vocabulary, pronunciation, or even if you want to comprehend when you’re listening better. Once you know your goals, make sure that you are working to achieve them. Tip #4 –Be Sure to Practice Practicing is probably one of the most important tips if you want to know how to learn English effectively. The more you practice your English skills, the better you will become at it. You can practicing by reading English, by writing emails and letters, by listening to television or the radio in English, or even by taking time to speak to other people who speak the English language. The more you practice, the fewer mistakes you’ll end up making over time, and you’ll become more effective with your English skills. Tip #5 – Work on Vocabulary Development No matter what language you’re learning, a large vocabulary is going to be very important. This is especially important when you are learning the English language. One of the best ways to learn new vocabulary words is to start reading and you can also learn more by listening to the radio or watching television. Playing word games and doing word puzzles can also help you out when you are trying to enhance your English vocabulary. Tip #6 – Study on a Regular Basis If you plan on learning a language, you are going to have to make studying a priority. It’s not just something you do every now and then, but it should be done every single day. When you study each day it is easier to retain the new things that you learn. You’ll also find that you can review easier every day and you’ll definitely remember what you learn a lot better as well. So, if you want to know how to learn English effectively, then you need to make studying a priority. Tip #7 – Make it Enjoyable When you’re having fun, it actually makes it easier for you to remember things that you learn, so make sure that you make learning English fun. Take time to do puzzles and to play games, even if it does seem a bit childlike. They really can help you as you learn English and provide you with excellent practice. Ref : http://www. learnenglish-a-z. om/how-to-learn-english-effectively. html Rules for Writing Formal Letters in English In English there are a number of conventions that should be used when writing a formal or business letter. Furthermore, you try to write as simply and as clearly as possible, and not to make the letter longer than necessary. Remember not to use informal language like contractions. Addr esses: 1) Your Address The return address should be written in the top right-hand corner of the letter. 2) The Address of the person you are writing to The inside address should be written on the left, starting below your address. Date: Different people put the date on different sides of the page. You can write this on the right or the left on the line after the address you are writing to. Write the month as a word. Salutation or greeting: 1) Dear Sir or Madam, If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, use this. It is always advisable to try to find out a name. 2) Dear Mr Jenkins, If you know the name, use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms, Dr, etc. ) and the surname only. If you are writing to a woman and do not know if she uses Mrs or Miss, you can use Ms, which is for married and single women. Ending a letter: 1) Yours Faithfully If you do not know the name of the person, end the letter this way. 2) Yours Sincerely If you know the name of the person, end the letter this way. 3) Your signature Sign your name, then print it underneath the signature. If you think the person you are writing to might not know whether you are male of female, put you title in brackets after your name. Content of a Formal Letter First paragraph The first paragraph should be short and state the purpose of the letter- to make an enquiry, complain, request something, etc. The paragraph or paragraphs in the middle of the letter should contain the relevant information behind the writing of the letter. Most letters in English are not very long, so keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on organising it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much. Last Paragraph The last paragraph of a formal letter should state what action you expect the recipient to take- to refund, send you information, etc. Abbreviations Used in Letter Writing The following abbreviations are widely used in letters: †¢asap = as soon as possible cc = carbon copy (when you send a copy of a letter to more than one person, you use this abbreviation to let them know) †¢enc. = enclosure (when you include other papers with your letter) †¢pp = per procurationem (A Latin phrase meaning that you are signing the letter on somebody else's behalf; if they are not there to sign it themselves, etc) †¢ps = postscript (when you want to add something after you've finished and signed it) †¢pto (informal) = please turn over (to make sure that the other person knows the letter continues on the other side of the page) †¢RSVP = please reply Outline: A Covering Letter A covering letter is the one that accompanies your CV when you are applying for a job. Here is a fairly conventional plan for the layout of the paragraphs. Opening Paragraph Briefly identify yourself and the position you are applying for. Add how you found out about the vacancy. Paragraph 2 Give the reasons why you are interested in working for the company and why you wish to be considered for that particular post. State your relevant qualifications and experience, as well as your personal qualities that make you a suitable candidate. Paragraph 3 Inform them that you have enclosed your current CV and add any further information that you think could help your case. Closing Paragraph Give your availability for interview, thank them for their consideration, restate your interest and close the letter. Outline: A Letter of Enquiry A letter of enquiry is when you are approaching a company speculatively, that is you are making an approach without their having advertised or announced a vacancy. Opening Paragraph Introduce yourself briefly and give your reason for writing. Let them know of the kind of position you are seeking, why you are interested and how you heard about them. Paragraph 2 Show why their company in particular interests you, mention your qualifications and experience along with any further details that might make them interested in seeing you. Paragraph 3 Refer to your enclosed CV and draw their attention to any particularly important points you would like them to focus on in it. Closing Paragraph Thank them, explain your availability for interview and restate your enthusiasm for their company and desire to be considered for posts that might as yet be unavailable. Ref : http://www. usingenglish. com/resources/letter-writing. html