Featured Post

A clean well-lighted Place

Hemingway's short story Clean and Bright Places was held late at the bistro. The two servers are watching their last drawn out clients, ...

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

College Interview vs. Job Interview

If youre like most people, the thought of going in for an interview probably makes you nervous. After all, youll be spending anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more being closely examined by one or more interviewers. Of course, interviews are also an opportunity to make a great impression and can make you stand out from the rest of the field. If youre getting ready to go in for an interview as part of the college application process, there are some distinct similarities and differences with job interviews that are worth studying and understanding. Unlike the somewhat generic essay prompts youre forced to use when writing college application essays, an interview allows you to be your fluid and dynamic self. Similarities Between Job Interviews and College Interviews There are a number of similarities between a job interview and a college interview. Here are a couple: Perhaps the most important similarity between a job interview and a college interview is the importance of properly preparing for the interview ahead of time. You should be prepared for common types of questions that you might be asked based on the college or company you are trying to become a part of. Another similarity is that there is a significant advantage to researching the company or college ahead of time, so you can make meaningful insights and ask nuanced questions to the interviewer. Showing that you have a legitimate interest will make you stand out. Finally, its important to follow up with the interviewer the next day in order to thank them for the opportunity. Often, interviewers see a dozen people a day or more, so it helps to stand out in this way. Differences Between Job Interviews and College Interviews Despite those similarities, there are also differences worth noting: When interviewing for a college, the interviewer will be looking for things like GPA, extracurriculars, volunteer hours and other education-related elements. On the other hand, job interviews are more focused on your experience. Put another way, having a degree is important for many job interviews, but your GPA wont matter as much as the other relevant experience you have. Another difference is who youll be interviewing with. In a college interview, youll probably never see the admissions officer that administers it once youve been accepted to the school. On the other hand, the person you interview with at a job could very well be your boss, so its even more important to make a great first impression. Finally, it is imperative that you keep your social media pages clean when going in for a job interview. With a college interview, chances are they wont be doing that level of research for every applicant—after all, they are going to be accepting hundreds, if not thousands, of students alongside you. For a job, however, they are probably only hiring for one or a few positions, which means theyll have the resources, and interest, to do some background checks on you. While there are significant similarities and differences between both college interviews and job interviews, both types will help prepare you for the other. Even if a particular interview goes poorly, the experience will be a learning opportunity for the next one. Ultimately, being prepared will help you land you in your dream college or, eventually, your dream job. Just make sure to keep working at it!

Sunday, November 24, 2019

AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa and in San Francisco

Key Drivers of HIV/AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa and in San Francisco Introduction HIV/AIDS continues to be a leading cause of alarm globally. New infections and deaths due to HIV/AIDS related complications are major issues that need to be dealt with urgently. It is particularly alarming in the sub-Saharan Africa where an average of 10% HIV prevalence in adults has been recorded. This is very high compared to the global average of 1%. The Southern Africa region accounts for about 40% of the global population living with HIV.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Key Drivers of HIV/AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa and in San Francisco specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the female gender is more affected by the pandemic with women and girls accounting for about 60% of this population. Although the records indicate optimistic results, there is still need to enhance the campaign. In San Francisco, the new infections and death tolls may be on a down slope but the marginalized groups are still at a risk and this needs to be addressed. In this paper the key drivers of HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa and San Francisco will be discussed. HIV/AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa The extent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the region can be attributed to such things as; Sexual behavior-many men and women in the region have different sex partners concurrently; these may be in cases of polygamy, small houses (side partners apart from spouse) and prostitution. Many of them do not use condoms consistently meaning that safe sex practice has not been cultivated in them (Jana et al, 13-16). Secondly, male circumcision is practiced in very low levels and as we know, male circumcision is a major boost in the prevention efforts so lack of it is on the contrary. A third driver is the stigma associated with infection. This lack of acceptance by the individual and the community forces an infected person to keep their status secret which leads to further spread of the virus. In some cases some people d o not want to know their status for fear of stigmatization and this brings down the efforts of treating the infected persons. Also many sexually transmitted infections go untreated mainly due to this fear and they are a factor that encourages HIV infection. Male attitudes towards gender related issues such as reproductive health is also another contributing factor. Men do not involve themselves in such issues and therefore many of them lack the knowledge to curb the pandemic. They involve themselves in intergenerational sex, gender based violence and sexual violence. This means that the women and girls are the major victims of the men’s ignorance hence the high number of infections in females (Expert Think Tank Meeting on HIV Prevention in High-Prevalence Countries in Southern Africa 5-7). HIV/AIDS in San Francisco In San Francisco, the efforts of prevention and treatment have born fruits since the number of new infections and HIV/AIDs related deaths is on a downward trend. T he reduction in these numbers can be highly attributed to the change of sexual behavior in heterosexual men and women and non-injecting drug users.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cases of new infections in these groups of people are very rare. However, there are still other driving forces in the spread of the disease and these include; Homosexual behavior; men who have sexual relationships with other men are at a major risk of infection. Transfemales are also another group of people who are on the higher side of the risk and hence their behavior is a key driver for the epidemic. Injection drug use is another major driving force. HIV transmission among this group of people is very likely and so the risk of new infections is unacceptably high. Disparities and unequal treatment for different groups of people may have been a major drawback on the efforts but it is now on the downward slope. This is as a result of the efforts by different care groups to involve representation of all the communities; including the marginalized groups, in the decision making process (San Francisco HIV Prevention Plan 1). Comparison between the key Drivers in the two regions The driving forces in these two regions are very different since they are driven by the people’s lifestyles which in these cases are worlds apart. As a comparison of the key drivers in these regions, we look at the drivers the way they affect the efforts made to eradicate the disease. As we have seen in the discussion earlier, the major driving forces in the sub Saharan Africa can be attributed to the regions position in terms of development. Most countries in the region are developing countries; and factors such as gender and sexual violence, poverty which leads to intergenerational sex and prostitution especially in women are inherent in these countries. This makes the prevention and treatment processes very hard since some people are driven to the wall by circumstances; meaning that they may be willing to change their ways but the situations they are in cannot allow that. In San Francisco however, the major driving force is the sexual orientation of individuals as well as drug and substance abuse. These can not be attributed to under development, therefore, the efforts to curb the epidemic can only be strengthened by the people’s willingness to change their ways. If the high risk groups of people are willing, they can put in their efforts; for instance, the gay community can accept to learn and use preventive measures, the drug users can accept rehabilitation plans or in extreme cases they should take precautions in their sharing.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Key Drivers of HIV/AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa and in San Francisco specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Response o f the Church to the Key Drivers of HIV/AIDS The church has made a lot of efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDs; However, this has not prevented the spread of the disease. This continued deterioration can be attributed to the churches ethical, liturgical and ministerial practices. These have encouraged the spread of the disease both passively and actively. These factors include the lack of an open, realistic way of involvement due to the shyness in addressing sex education and sexuality issues which are involved in prevention of HIV spread. Exclusion, theological interpretation of scriptures and definition of sin have contributed to increase stigmatization and suffering. A plan has been put forward to add an ecumenical dimension to the church’s effort and if implemented, it is bound to yield better results (Global consultation on the ecumenical response to the challenge of HIV/AIDS in Africa 9) In the US, the church’s involvement is mainly through faith based organizati ons. These have continually offered support to the infected and affected in terms of medical care, food supplies, cancelling and the general support needed morally and spiritually. They have also offered care to the care givers and education to the communities on the risk factors and prevention services. The government has since supported these organizations through federal funding. Laws have also been put down to prevent discrimination against such organization, the beneficiary or volunteer on the basis of religion. Also, it ensures that nobody should be forced to get involved in any religious activity involuntarily. These partnerships ensure that the church’s efforts are delivered painlessly and the beneficiaries are satisfied. Conclusion From these findings, we can conclude that the spread of HIV is highly dependent on a people’s lifestyle. This covers the level of development, the cultural beliefs and religious beliefs. The Church and the various arms of government can play a major role in the effort to curb the pandemic especially when they work together. Expert Think Tank Meeting on HIV Prevention in High-Prevalence Countries in Southern Africa. SADC 2006: 5-10. Web. â€Å"Global consultation on the ecumenical response to the challenge of HIV/AIDS in Africa.† The Ecumenical Response to HIV/AIDS in Africa 2001: Web.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Jana Mere, Nkambule Paul and Tumbo D; One Love: Multiple and concurrent Sexual Partnerships in Southern Africa: A Ten Country Research Report. 2008:13-36 Web. â€Å"San Francisco HIV Prevention Plan.† San Francisco HIV Prevention Planning Council 2010: 1-3. Web.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Knowledge based systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Knowledge based systems - Assignment Example Having a clear understanding of this technology poses a challenge given the fact that the term has been used to mean different things for different scenarios. An example is the fact that experts systems has been defined by some people as computer programs which make use of knowledge and inferences to solve a problem which could have been regarded as difficult if it was to be solved by human beings; perhaps difficult enough to require significant expertise (Martin, & Hoover, 2008). Yet others have defined as software which is created by bringing together and codifying the knowledge used by one or more experts and also which is also designed to perform a task which could require special expertise under normal circumstances. The last definition, at least for this paper, gives experts systems as programs which have reasoning by use of information which is symbolic in nature and use heuristics approach as opposed to algorithmic approaches; they are flexible at both runtime and design leve l. These definitions give a consensus which is broad in nature but gives us an ample scope for discussion as to the meaning of very key terms A knowledge base is special database that is used primarily for management of knowledge. It thus provides a means for the collection, organization, and retrieval of knowledge in a computerized manner. It also represents a collection of data which have related experiences and their results are related to their problems and solutions. This is a subset of the experts systems.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Organizational Behavior & Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Behavior & Leadership - Essay Example The other feature is that these leaders promise rewards as a way of motivation for a desired performance (Schein, 2010). Contrary to transactional leadership, transformational leadership is proactive and always forms new expectations in surbodinates.Leaders also have good visioning abilty, manegement and rhetorical skills and develop strong bonds with the followers. These kinds of leaders inspire subordinates to work for goals going beyond self interest. On the other hand the level five leadership qualities which have been mainly exhibited by leader A includes, self confidence, humility and modesty and unwavering resolve in them. They directly participate in work and gives credit to others for their achievements. To them, success is not attributed to personal might but good luck (Schein, 2010). Leader B to a larger extent identifies with transactional style of leadership. He puts great focus on rewards for tasks successfully accomplished. The visioning aspect he portrays in his leadership style is an influence from the outgoing Chief Executive Office which he is likely to shade off when he takes over. One demerit to his kind of leadership to employees is that this type of leader may become unpredictable and instill fear of being held hostage for their actions. His subordinates feel less motivated to go beyond self interest.Surbodinates feel some sense of freedom when this leader is away and they fear taking up new challenges for fear of the consequences if at all they

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The History of Investigative Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The History of Investigative Journalism - Essay Example Some of the important scandals and incidents that have been covered through this form of journalism in history include the Watergate scandal and the Helen Jewitt Trials. More regarding the same has been discussed in this paper. Keywords: investigative journalism, scandal, information. Investigative Journalism Analysing documents and facts require a different kind of expertise; not something that most reporters and journalists may be engaged in doing. Such finding of facts and closely examining them, in the past, gave way to a new branch of journalism altogether known as investigative journalism. Newspapers, services on the internet as well as freelance journalists carry out the practice of investigative journalism in the modern day and age. This is based on researching and making reports regarding incidents and happenings with a view to make the public understand important events better. Today, this form of journalism has become very important and many universities are even teaching the same as a course. This is because in the rapidly growing and developing world that we live in, corruption and illegal activities are widespread to a very vast extent. In the field of crime and politics, investigative journalism has been used the maximum in order to uncover the truth about what exactly happened and the exactitude of facts presented for cases that affect many people and society. According to De Burgh (2009), â€Å"â€Å"An investigative  journalist is a man or woman whose profession it is to discover the truth and to identify lapses from it in whatever media is available. The act of doing this generally is called  investigative journalism  and is distinct from apparently similar work done by police, lawyers, auditors and regulatory bodies in that it is not limited as to target, not legally founded and closely connected to publicity.† Thus, an investigative journalist might spend a number of months reading, researching and trying to understand and kno w more about the topic that he has been investigating and writing about. That is why, they are also referred to as watch dogs because they keep their eyes and ears open at all times in order to unearth absolutely any kind of information that they might need in order to write about the particular events that they have been searching for. An investigative journalist needs to have certain qualities of courage, fearlessness towards dangerous situations that he might be thrust into due to uncovering the truth about certain events, commitment towards his work, and the power to let people remain in anonymity if they wish to, after delivering certain kinds of information. Presently, investigative journalism can be seen through the famous Julian Assange’s Wikileaks, through which he aims to uncover the truth about governments and economies all around the world, curb corruption and other illegal happenings and provide to the public all the information that they need to know about whate ver is happening to the people in power and how they are sweeping secrets under the rug. (Lloyd, John) Various sources have been known to provide information to the renowned website which are then scanned for proof and typed out after research by other qualified investigative journalists, after which the information is presented to the public. In history, the first ever piece written with respect to investigative journalism was the criminal case about Helen Jewett’s Trial. As the murder of the young woman took place in a rather sinister

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Lord of The Flies | Analysis

The Lord of The Flies | Analysis Lord of the Flies by William Golding is one of the most popular and endearing books of the twentieth century.   In part a morality tale, in part an analysis of the human psyche, it is also a supremely interesting and exciting adventure story.   All of these combined elements make the book a true classic and a perennial audience favourite.   The book also demonstrates its significance to today’s audiences via the many references made of it in popular culture.   Artists as divergent as U2, who named a song after one of the book’s chapters, through to the creators of cult TV drama ‘Lost’ pay testament to the value and resonance of William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’. Within its pages we see drama, tension, horror, cruelty and the extraordinary complexities that can occur when people are forced into unique situations.   This encourages the audience to philosophically engage with the book and look more deeply into it to find answers to the questions it poses â€Å"That work was Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. The book was the first novel that caused me to reflect for longer than I read† (Dalrymple, T, 2005) A plane crash strands a group of British schoolboys on an unknown island. In a society now shorn of traditional authority figures, it is up to the abandoned boys to establish some kind of working system to guide them through the dangers, inevitably inherent, in their new, unchartered existence.   The difficulties they encounter lead to violence and separatism and death.   At the beginning of the novel we are introduced to the key characters Ralph, Piggy and Jack.   Ã‚  Ralph and Jack are almost immediately engaged in a struggle for power thus emphasising one of Lord of the Flies’ key features, which is its ability to effectively mirror adult situations.   In this case it can be seen as indicative of a wider human inclination to become ‘top-dog’. Lord of the Flies is a novel that is filled with tension and drama. Defeated by Ralph in the election battle, Jack instead turns his attention to other, more dynamically fierce pursuits and becomes in charge of an almost-crazed hunting division of boys, thus finding a way to both proclaim his importance and issue a challenge to the incumbent as he satisfies his thirst for power in gradually more ominous and violent ways. The mandate for the group is created and the boys immediately decide to get on with the business of having fun and keeping the signal fire burning.   Therefore, this child-like perspective of leadership values and what is important in society is a fascination component of Golding’s work and accounts for much of its popularity and subsequent critical analysis due to its deft mirroring of many of today’s mores and traditions. A seemingly simple tale of schoolboys marooned on an island, Lord of the Flies has proven to be one of the most enigmatic and provocative pieces of literature ever published Olsen, K (2000). The other early principal character Piggy is almost immediately discounted by the boys due to his demeanour and appearance.   This further emphasises the plot’s reflection of ‘real-life’ patterns of behaviour and attitude where the ethos is often seen to be ‘survival of the fittest’ as Piggy, less physically impressive and worldly-wise than the power brokers now operating on the island,   is rejected â€Å"He is lacking in aggression, unwilling to adventure, cries easily, is not interested in competing .. As a result of his shortcomings, he is more than at the bottom of the hierarchy of the boys stranded on the island† (Berseka, T, 2003).   Once more, this facet of Golding’s work will engage with those who perceive contemporary society has an increasing penchant for populism and the triumph of aggression over civility. Already made to feel anxious by the inherent aggression in Jack’s leadership style and his bloodthirsty   proclivity for hunting pigs, the   younger members of the fledgling society are also made to feel insecure by the rumours of a ‘beast’ stalking the island.   This feral clamour for blood ultimately culminates in Piggy’s demise. Violence is shown to be a significant strategy in gaining power and influence, again echoing many such instances in the ‘real’ adult world. Although based on the dynamics of a group of schoolboys, the novel confronts profound questions of innocence, evil and the fall of man, casting doubt on the possibility of any lasting social progress Carter, R MacRae, J, 2001 This bloodlust reaches its nadir when one of the few left serving under Jack’s more traditional leadership, Simon, is savagely murdered by Ralph’s off-shoot ‘tribe’ in an almost ritualistic fervour.   This group are now distinctly separate and wilder than the others and are intoxicated by their own power.   As Ralph himself is about to become the third victim, the boys’ fire is spotted by a patrolling British Navy ship which effects a rescue. The somewhat ambivalent ending of Lord of the Flies further engages the audience by leaving them with unanswered questions and moral dilemmas. The leadership contest, the struggle for survival, the corrupting rush of power, the use of violence as a means to an end and the descent of the human species into an almost animalistic state raises questions relating to the very basic foundations of the human condition.   What do their actions tell us about notions of respect for one another?   How delicate is the balance between civilisation and savagery?   How damaging is their loss of innocence?   All of these questions serve to engage the reader in Golding’s classic text. BIBLIOGRAPHY Berseka, T, T. (2003), The Changing Boys World in the 20th Century: Reality and Fiction, The Journal of Mens Studies, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 157 Carter, R. Macrae, J.(2001), The Routledge History of Literature in English: Britain and Ireland, Routledge, London Dalrymple, T. (2005), Desert-Island Reading, New Criterion, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 1. Olsen, K. (2000), Understanding Lord of the Flies: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents, Greenwood Press, Westport, CT.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

“The Singer Solution to World Poverty”

World poverty has existed for many centuries and still exists today, gradually expanding and intensifying. This is the topic that Pete Singer, a professor of bioethics, calls attention to in his article â€Å"The Singer Solution to World Poverty. † Singer claimed that the solution was simple; â€Å"whatever money you’re spending on luxuries, not necessities, should be given away. † Considering Singer’s â€Å"solution† a controversial point arises between an idealistic, utopian, and morally just point of view and a realistic, pragmatic, and plausible point of view.Singer’s solution, although righteous and ethical, is not probable and thus would not be effective in curing world poverty. The few pros of Singer’s proposal are, at first glance, important and convincing. The money, prospering individuals are spending on luxuries, can total to a great amount, which can help pay for food and medical aid for the poor. With an increase of food a nd medicine, the rate at which children and adults die due to starvation and lack of medical help, can quickly decrease.Nations will less frequently struggle with high mortality rate among newly born and children as well as among adult people suffering from curable diseases. In addition, the donated money can allow for the improvement of educational opportunities for all individuals, which can result in advanced technological, scientific and humanities-focused research and discoveries. Ultimately, Singer’s utopian idea of a cure for world poverty, promises a developed, healthy, and educated world.Although Singer deals with morality and righteousness, one cannot help but criticize Singer’s idealism and naivety and resort to realism, practicality and plausibility. The first issue that comes to light when attempting to execute or enforce this â€Å"solution† is the unknown borderline between luxury and necessity. In reality, it would be impossible for every prosper ous person to agree upon what is and what is not a necessity, and if it were decided, for example that microwaves were a luxury, would the microwave manufacturers go out of business?A large percentage of companies and factories are dedicated to manufacturing luxurious items, however, if people no longer continued to buy these items and instead donated to the poor, this would be at the cost of the factory workers’ jobs; therefore, creating a cyclical effect and intensifying the issue of world poverty. Accordingly, Singer gives a highly idealistic and utopian theory and when we evaluate both pros and cons, it becomes obvious that the obstacles outweigh the advantages.His approach in curing world poverty is not only too extreme, but brings about cyclical and unsolvable issues. It is important to consider and apply this method to real life and then reflect upon all the possible consequences. Singer’s cure fails to provide a realistic solution and promising outcomes. A diff erent approach, or rather first step, to solving world poverty can be keeping to a minimum expensive worldwide projects. For example, millions of dollars are spent on the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics, World Soccer Cups, etc.If instead the total money dedicated to these celebrations were to be saved and donated to the needy every few years, progress would certainly be a result. Moreover, the ceremonies can be replaced with simple, yet entertaining concerts performed by artists willing to volunteer and help fund-raise money for the poor. Ultimately, Singer’s â€Å"simple formula† for world poverty in reality is a naive and idealist theory, and most importantly an ill-considered and unfitting solution to one of the 21st century’s greatest issue: world poverty.