Napster Essays (685 words) - Metallica, Napster,

Napster The Napster Revolution Have you ever listened to your favorite song on the radio and recorded it? I remember when I would sit next to the radio and listen to it for hours at-a-time, just so that I could record my favorite songs off the radio. Now with computers and the Internet, I would go all over the Internet to look for songs, but only some of the time I was successful. Then I ran into a program called Napster, which made my music search much easier. Have you ever download free music off the Internet? Statistics say that 59% of people that download free music from the Internet, end up buying the music. Recently, there was a lawsuit made by the Recording Industry Association of America towards Napster concerning copyright issues, which in return had Napster rethinking its principles. Then in July of this year, a federal court judge ordered Napster to halt the trading of copyrighted material, but the decision was stayed. Napster has responded by saying that it is supporting music by bringing together more than 6 million users a day, whom all support Napster .By downloading free music over the internet, people support artists by liking their music. How Internet music sharing works. In order to start downloading music, people first must start by getting the program Napster. When this program is installed in the computer, its starts working by connecting to the Internet and creating a list of mp3 files available in the users computer, which in return sends it to the main Napster computer. When someone searches for a particular song the list of that song comes up with all available matches, and then the person can choose the one to download. After this, the users computer then connects to the other partys computer and commences the transfer. To what extent does music sharing break the law? The real theft is taking place when people sell discs online that they have made of bootlegged songs, not when someone listens for his own enjoyment. The issues surrounding digital music to swipe or not to swipe are not legal or even technological so much as they are ethical. So what if Napster is shut down? Tons of new schemes have already come online that allow people to trade songs pretty easily and unlike with Napster, there is no one to sue. There's even a promising underground technology called Aimster that allows the 61 million users of AOL's Instant Messenger to swap music, only untraceably, with the people on their buddy lists. How much of a crime can it be if you're doing it with a buddy? Why we should use it? When we buy a Compact Disc, we own it, we are free to do whatever we like with it, and it can be shared with our friends; so why cant we share our favorite songs with the world. Using Napster supports many artists who believe that this is an innovative way to share music. Here is what artists think about Napster: I believe that artists should welcome Napster. We should think of it as a new kind of radio a promotional tool that can help artists who don't have the opportunity to get their music played on mainstream radio or on MTV. CHUCK D Why aren't record companies embracing this great opportunity? Why aren't they trying to talk to the kids passing compilations around to learn what they like? COURTNEY LOVE In the end, when downloading music, a person is not doing anything illegal, just sharing his/her favorite music with the world. While at the same time supporting the artists by having their music. OUTLINE: Napster Revolution THESIS: By downloading free music over the Internet, people support artists by liking the music. I. Introduction II. How Internet music sharing works a. Getting the program b. Using the program c. Searching for music III. Is it illegal? a. Recording bootleg CDs and selling on the Internet b. Other ways/programs IV. Why we should use it? a. Free to-do-so b. Supported by artistes i. Chuck D ii. Courtney Love V. Conclusion Social Issues

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism America and Other Countries

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism America and Other Countries Nowadays, our world consists of so many different societies, with their own preferences, interests, customs, and traditions. Culture of every society is unique indeed; it is a set of own values and goals, which characterize the society as a whole and separate institution. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism: America and Other Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The representative of each society lives with his/her own ethnocentric attitude, the belief that his/her culture is much more superior than any other. In order not to become self-absorbed, it is necessary to train the sense of cultural relativism in the society and make certain differentiations between the idea of cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is a tendency, when a person uses the cultural norms of his/her own society in order to judge some other culture and its representatives. In addition, ethn ocentrism underlines the superciliousness of one culture among the others. Cultural relativism is another tendency, according to which personal beliefs and preferences are relative to another culture. Cultural relativism shows that there are not right and wrong standards with the help of which cultures may be compared. Taking into account such simple and comprehensible definitions, it is possible to say that the ideas of cultural relativism are rather opposite to the ideas of ethnocentrism (Ned-Seelye and Seelye-James, 1995, p 70). Without any doubts, ethnocentrism affects considerably the international affairs. Lots of people truly believe that America is one of the countries with too high idea of ethnocentrism. Of course, American ethnocentrism is known to many countries: some countries admire America’s power and abilities, however, some other countries cannot still understand what makes this country so powerful and dislike it a bit. â€Å"The image of the ugly American pr evalent in the 1960s has become increasingly rare. Although an occasional traveler still behaves as if the world owes him or her tribute as an American.† (Stewart Benneth, 1991, p 161) It is quite possible that Americans can do certain things better than the other countries. The Americans believe that they are able to do everything better: make films, create songs, dance, communicate, carry wars, etc. Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Of course, it is cool than the country is so sure about personal abilities and effects on other countries. However, it is necessary to remember about such a simple thing as cultural relativism in order to learn something new with the help of other countries and develop more and more. Let’s compare America with some other countries in a certain sphere of life, cuisine, for example. Americans can hardly boast with their own c uisine. In Italia, it is tasty macaroni and pizza, in France, it is croissants and brains of numerous animals, and, in Japan, it is rice and sushi. Of course, American McDonalds is something really amazing and attractive, however, it is not a kind of cuisine, but only a type of establishment, where fast food is presented. Another sphere that may be compared is dancing. Not every American can easily dance waltz or tango without any practice. For Austrians or Argentine, it will be rather easier, because these dances are in their blood. They just born to do unbelievable things during these dances and attract viewers’ attention. â€Å"Cultural relativism is a way of viewing the world in terms of the relevant culture, that is, in terms of the culture in which one finds oneself.† (Grulan Mayers, 1988 p 24) This is why America should take into account the ideas of cultural relativism and be ready to respect the other countries, at least in order to learn more, enlarge its ow n level of knowledge, and be open to other countries. With time, such intentions will probably help to amaze the world and even conquer it. Reference List Grulan, S. A. Mayers, M. K. (1988). Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective. Zondervan. Ned-Seelye, H. Seelye-James, A. (1995). Culture Clash: Managing in a Multicultural World. McGraw-Hill Professional. Stewart, E. C. Benneth, M. J. (1991). American Cultural Patterns: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Intercultural Press.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism: America and Other Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Accounting - Assignment Example The company Gulf Craft is engaged in the production and export of sea based vessels such as ships and speed boards. Their fixed cost includes rent for factory and building and salaries paid to staff members who take care of the maintenance of their buildings. Their variable cost comprises of materials used for manufacturing of boats such as cloth and riggings. Their mixed costs includes the cost of transportation that varies depending on the amount of miles that the product needs to be moved and the cost of commission that is paid to middlemen for helping the company sell their products. The company Evian is involved in the production and sale of bottled water. Their fixed cost includes the salaries paid to those who maintain the bottling plants as well as salaries paid to individuals working in finance department. Variable cost includes cost of obtaining or producing more bottles and labels for these bottled with changes in production. Mixed cost includes minimum plus extra money paid for utilization of electricity and cost of commissions paid to employees who are paid a basic minimum salary and commission for their sales. The company named Ircon International Limited is indulged in the activity of engineering as well as constructing the infrastructure and the company specializes in developing transport based infrastructure. The fixed cost of the company includes salaries paid to permanent employees such as employees of human resource department and rents that the company pays to the owner of its offices. The variable costs include the cost of raw materials used in construction such as steel and concrete. The mixed costs include the salaries that the company pays to consultant if consultants are paid on the basis of minimum wage plus consultancy fee paid per hour. The second mixed cost may include the equipment is obtains on rental basis for construction if the equipment owners are paid on the basis of basic fee as

Worldviews and Its Formation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Worldviews and Its Formation - Research Paper Example One of the areas of contention is religion and the belief in God. In the world, there are thousands of distinct religions, each purporting to follow a certain faith. However, all these religions can be grouped into seven major categories, which include all the dominant worldviews. These worldviews include Monotheism, Deism, Naturalism, Nihilism, Existentialism, Pantheism and New Consciousness. This paper will thus discuss all the major worldviews, and compare and contrast them with a Christian Biblical worldview. Worldview and its formation Generally, a worldview is a group of presuppositions that people hold concerning the basic setup or makeup of the world. Specifically, it is an explanation of the divergent views of the people concerning the makeup of the world. People try to apply these views in their day-to-day existence. Some authors go further to suppose that a worldview is a model of the world that is used to guide the various assumptions of a set of people (Futrell, 2006). H owever, not all presuppositions of the people consist of a worldview, as the assumptions have to pass certain tests. The first test is rationality, in which case people should not be asked to believe contradictory events. The second test is that there should be enough evidence to support the theory, mostly from the things that are observable. Another test is that of reality, as it should be able to provide a comprehensive explanation of the way things are. This explanation should be satisfying to those who believe in it. Lastly, the worldview should be in a position to provide a purpose for life. People should not borrow elements from other worldviews to explain their purpose on earth (Solomon, 2001). A worldview is formed by joining certain components together, which serve as self-evident. Infants have no worldview, and the perception of life for everyone takes shape as the he grows and develop. The surrounding environment shapes most of the components of individual worldviews (Sir e, 2009). This environment starts to take charge at an early age, when the infant is under the care of the parent. Parents are the one who shape the first perception of the infants (Futrell, 2006). As the children grow, they develop their unique worldview based on the four fundamental components. The first component is the belief that something exist. This is because the experiences of the people have causes and effects that must be in existence. The second component is the belief that all people have absolutes, which serves as a reference point for their existence. Some people take God as their reference point, while others take love or power (Solomon, 2001). Another component for the formation of a worldview is the belief that two contradictory statements cannot both be right. In this regard, the basic law of logic applies as only one worldview can reflect the reality of life. For a worldview to be formed, it must thus have a unique belief from the others. The last fundamental com ponent in the formation of a worldview is the belief that all people exercise faith. Everyone in the world must assume at one point that certain things or events happen without absolute proof. One of the common beliefs in many worldviews is that a personal God exist (Solomon, 2001). Comparison and contrast of the seven worldviews with a Christian biblical worldview Monotheism The Monotheistic worldview is based on the people’s belief that there is only one God. This personal God has a distinctive personality and not just a divine power. In addition, there is a belief that humankind is a special creation of God in His own image. God manifests Himself though revelation and the truth about Him is beyond all rational

Managing Creativity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Creativity - Essay Example I have been always a lover of art and thanks to my older sister I grew up by going as often as we both could go to the High Art Museum of Santiago, Chile. She loved to take me to this rather small museum if we compare it with some of the European ones, but loaded with some extraordinary paintings that till today are some of the best to me. We were then delighted with the works of such talented Masters as Pedro Lira (1845-1912), Camilo Mori (1896-1973) and Alberto Valenzuela Llanos (1869-1925), among so many other ones. Lately, in 1994, the Museum showed for the first time an exhibition that made us to be breathless with the perfection of paintings from Claudio Bravo (born in 1936). I was living in Spain at that date, but she told to me about this great exhibition and I immediately took interest by knowing more about him through the newspapers and related literature I was able to get. I must admit that I have always consider myself with a much more classic and conservative tendency th an modern on art feelings. It is still somehow difficult to me to understand the so called beauty of avant-garde or ultramodern paintings with abstract figures that symbolize whatever the viewer wants to see. However, my husband had reason when telling me about the great artist I could found on the non-classic but surrealist Master Salvador Dali (1904-1989). Even though I lived for 3 years in Spain, I never really took the trip to Figueras, to his Museum and natal city in the province of Gerona. But today I live in USA and knowing how famous Dali has always been and loving the idea of a small trip from our home in Greenville (SC) to the Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg (Fla), we prepared ourselves for this adventure on art. It was then and there, three years ago when my eyes were opened to his work. I was tremendously impressed with his paintings. I truly never expected I was going to fall in love with them. They are not the classic style I am always looking for. The subject of his paintings is not obvious to my eyes and senses as the ones I know what I am seeing at the first sight of them for the first time. In contrast, they are very liberal figures and shapes, colors, symbols, several paintings and ideas in one canvas, but mixed in a way that captivated my full attention till today. Since then I cannot ignore how splendid this eccentric artist was. He was eager for the new, not only for the subjects that he picked up to paint, but for the new ways of presenting them to the world. Always using different tools, from brushes to everything else that could allow him to accomplish what he had on mind at the time he was painting (Descharnes and Neret, 1998). Creativity and Business At this point you might be wondering what this brief talk about my personal feelings on art has to do with business. But believe me, it is related. According to Wikipedia, the free web encyclopedia, creativity by definition is a mental process that involves the generation of new beliefs, ideas, observations, or new associations between existing ones. And Dali is just one

Analysis Of Malasias Foreign Policies Since Independence Politics Essay

Analysis Of Malasias Foreign Policies Since Independence Politics Essay The Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Wisma Putra as it is commonly known has been mandated to pursue the nations foreign policy in accordance with the Federal Constitution of Malaysia with the objective of protecting and promoting the nations interest at the international level. Malaysias foreign policy is premised on establishing close and friendly relations with countries in the community of nations.   It will continue to respect the internal affairs of other nations and advocate a policy of non-interference recognizing the sovereignty of nations. Since Malaysias independence in 1957 till today, the vision of our foreign policy remains consistent that is to safeguard Malaysias national interests as well as contribute towards a just and equitable community of nations.   This is achieved through upholding the countrys sovereignty and promoting universal peace; fostering friendly relations with foreign countries and protecting Malaysias interests in the regional and international arena.   In other words, Malaysia will continue to consolidate its relations with other countries and international organisations, both at the regional and international level. In line with the objectives of promoting and protecting Malaysian national interest abroad, the Ministry has established a total of 105 missions in 83 countries and appointed 53 Honorary Consuls who provide support and assistance in promoting Malaysias interest abroad. Since the independence of Malaya in 1957, the nations foreign policy has gone through several phases of significant transition with different emphases under five previous premierships.   The policy has been largely determined by the established national characteristics and succession of political leadership as well as by the dynamic regional and international environment. Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia held a markedly anti-Communist and pro-Western posture as the era saw the country threatened by the Communist insurgency.   The foreign policy during Tunkus time had to take into consideration the bipolar power struggle between opposing ideas of democracy and communism. Under the stewardship of Malaysias second premier Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysias foreign policy began to shift towards non-alignment and internationalism with Malaysia joining the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). A period of consolidation ensued under Tun Hussein Onn with ASEAN becoming the cornerstone of Malaysias foreign policy following the collapse of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975, the withdrawal of the US military presence from Southeast Asia and the invasion of Kampuchea (now Cambodia) by Vietnam. During the premiership of Tun Dr. Mahathir in 1981, Malaysia began opening its doors to foster relations with more nations and became a symbol of a rising developing country.   Under Tun Mahathirs tenure, the nations foreign policy began adopting a much greater economic orientation in the countrys external relations while championing the rights, interests and aspirations of developing countries.   This approach led to the advocacy of the South-South Cooperation, a more proactive role in the G-77, the establishment of the G-15 and saw the Look East Policy being instituted.   This shift to the East greatly influenced Malaysias economic development.   Malaysia became the voice of the developing world and was a role model for many developing countries as it become well known for its active stance at the UN and other international conferences.   Malaysias participation in peacekeeping missions under the UN is also a testimony of the nations seriousness in instilling the will of the international community.   Since 1960, Malaysia has committed troops to Republic of Congo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Western Sahara, Iraq, Timor Leste and Lebanon. The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi continued to ensure that Malaysia was active in the international arena.   During his tenure, Malaysia played an instrumental role in the formulation and adoption of the ASEAN Charter which has been ratified by all ASEAN member states and subsequently entered into force on 15th December 2008.  During this period, Malaysia was also active in expanding the focus of OIC from being an organisation focused solely on political issues into one which focuses on the socio-economic development of Islamic countries.   The Islam Hadhari concept which promotes a form of civilisational Islam was also introduced by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and was accepted and recognised by the OIC member states at the 3rd Special Summit of OIC at Makkah in December 2005. Under the leadership of Prime Minister YAB Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak, Malaysia will continue to project a forward-looking and pragmatic foreign policy whilst continuing to facilitate trade, attract foreign investment as well as project Malaysia as a stable and peaceful country. Upon taking office in April 2009, the Prime Minister also stressed that Malaysias foreign policy under his administration would be shaped significantly by the 1Malaysia: People First, Performance Now concept. Among the key elements of the 1Malaysia concept is in realising the strength of Malaysia lies in its diversity.   This concept bodes well with the main vision of Malaysias Foreign Policy that is to protect and promote interests abroad and at the same time responsibly and effectively contribute towards the building of a fair and just world.   Dato Sri Najib believes that the interconnectedness of nations in the world means that Malaysia would benefit in applying 1Malaysia in its efforts in diplomacy and foreign relations. Synonymous with the 1Malaysia concept, Malaysia will continue to maintain close relations with all countries in the world and will continue to work with like-minded nations in pursuing national interest. YAB PM also introduced the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) that identified Key Results Area (KRAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the Ministry as a promise of commitment by the Government to the rakyat.   In line with this, the Ministry has identified 14 Key Performance Indicators to measure the success of the Ministry. The KRAs of the Ministry are as follows: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Protection and promotion of Malaysias interests bilaterally, regionally and internationally through proactive diplomacy; b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Realisation of an ASEAN Community by 2015 via the ASEAN Political Security Community Blueprint, ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint and ASEAN Social Cultural Blueprint; c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enhancing Malaysias standing in the international community particularly in the framework of 1Malaysia in an ever changing geopolitical scenario; and d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Provision of prompt and effective services locally and abroad. Malaysia has also maintained excellent relations with other countries, bilaterally and multilaterally through existing regional and international mechanisms of ASEAN, UN and other organisations which we are a member of. Malaysias foreign policy is structured upon a framework of bilateralism, regionalism and multilateralism where its outreach is likening to a pattern of concentric circles.   ASEAN forms the core priority of Malaysias current foreign policy, in consideration of our neighbours as our closest allies.   Looking further afield, as a country with a strong Muslim majority, Malaysia also gives importance to the solidarity of the Ummah and the spirit of cooperation among the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).   Malaysias status as a developing nation makes it imperative for the country to engage actively in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Commonwealth, Group of Seventy Seven (G77), Developing Eight (D8), Asia Middle East Dialogue (AMED), Far East Asia Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).   No less important is the countrys continued active participation in the Commonwealth, the United Nations and other international organisations.   Through these organisations, Malaysia has sought to promote the South-South Cooperation among the developing countries and the Muslim world.   Malaysia also advocates the Prosper thy neighbour policy to enhance economic relations and cooperation with its neighbouring countries through Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMTGT) and other entities. Malaysia will continue to play a significant role in the various multilateral issues that affect our interests.   These issues include disarmament, counter terrorism, trafficking in persons, climate change and environmental issues.  Ã‚   As a member of the UN, Malaysia is a firm believer of international peace and security and an upholder of international law.   Malaysias election as the President of United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2010 and the Chairmanship of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were a further testimony of Malaysias positive international image. Malaysia will also continue to engage with like-minded nations, both in the region and beyond in ensuring its sovereignty and economic well being are preserved and protected.   Malaysia will continue with the principles of engagement and cooperation rather than isolationism and unilateral action.  Trade and investment opportunities will continue to be explored with our traditional trading partners and at the same time to develop strategic partnerships for trade and investment with countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and other parts of Asia. In the decade leading up to 2020, Malaysia would have to deal with great changes in the global environment whilst improving and upgrading the countrys domestic conditions.   In recognising this challenge, it is vital that Malaysias foreign policy continues to focus on protecting national interests while responsibly and effectively contributing towards the building of a fair and just world. The fundamental principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect for territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes as well as mutual benefit in relations are the guiding principles that would continue to guide Malaysias relations with other countries.   Ã‚  These principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia a credible image in the eyes of the international community. OBJECTIVE   Implementing foreign policy is a complex and challenging task. With the dynamic environment of world politics, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to be constantly aware of changes and be able to effectively respond to ensure that Malaysias sovereignty and national interests are adequately protected and Malaysias views and positions are duly articulated in the international arena. The Ministry will coordinate and work closely with relevant Ministries and Agencies to establish workable terms of reference in implementing Malaysias national interests and to coordinate marketing and branding strategies for Malaysia abroad. In the formulation of foreign policy, every country has its own objective. In the case of Malaysia, it is as simple as the pursuit of Malaysias national interest at the international level. The Malaysian government will strive to ensure that Malaysia continues to play an active role in international relations for the benefit of the country. Principal emphasis in the pursuit of Malaysias foreign policy objectives include: Maintaining peaceful relations with all countries regardless of its ideology and political system; Adopting an independent, non-aligned, and principled stance in regional and international diplomatic affairs; Forging close relations and economic partnerships with all nations, particularly with ASEAN and other regional friends; Promoting peace and stability in the region through capacity building and conflict resolution measures; Playing an influential leadership role as Chair of the ASEAN, Non-aligned Movement (NAM) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) (As we did in the last few years); Participating actively and meaningfully in the United Nations, especially in the efforts to end injustice and oppression, and to uphold international law; and Projecting Malaysia as a leading example of a tolerant and progressive Islamic nation. FORMULATION OF FOREIGN POLICY    Malaysias foreign policy is basically an extension of Malaysias domestic policy. It is designed to defend and promote the countrys national, political, security, economic and other vital interests. It is geared towards promoting a peaceful regional and international environment, which would give Malaysia space to achieve all its national objectives without disruption from external threats.    Despite the diversity of views regarding the perception and explanation of foreign policy, no foreign policy can be formulated in a vacuum. It must serve to function in a dynamic environment. Malaysias foreign policy is no exception. Various geographical, historical, social and political determinants contributed to shaping the nature of Malaysias foreign policy and the conduct of the countrys international relations.    Our foreign policy seeks to promote mutual tolerance and cooperation amongst all countries that make up the fabric of international community. To this, Malaysia pursues an independent, principled and pragmatic foreign policy which rests on the values of peace, humanity, justice, and equality. Malaysias foreign policy is also premised on the principles of respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the affairs of other nations, peaceful settlement of disputes, peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit in relations. Due to globalization and the rise of powerful non-state actors, such as Multinational Corporations (MNCs), non-governmental organizations, and a variety of transnational groups, it is imperative for small nation states to cooperate even more closely. To this, Malaysia maintains friendly diplomatic, and trade relations with many countries throughout the world.    As a trading nation, we advocate a multilateral rule-based global trading system which would promote and safeguard the interests of all countries, whether developed or developing, in a fair and equitable manner. In this respect, Malaysia has long advocated the economic principle of prosper-thy-neighbor and not beggar-thy-neighbor. We believe that the global economic infrastructure should be that prosperity will beget prosperity. CRITERIA AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MALAYSIAS FOREIGN POLICY   Malaysias foreign policy is guided by three criteria: a) First, it must be a CREDIBLE policy: Exudes trust and confidence from other nations. In this regard, it has to be based on certain  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   internationally cherished principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Serves the countrys best interest and remain a responsible member of the international community.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Second, it must be an ENLIGHTENED policy: Takes care of the interest of its citizens above all else.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Brings international recognition and admiration for Malaysia and   allows Malaysians to be good citizens of the     Ã‚  Ã‚   world. c) Third, it must be a CONSISTENT AND COHERENT policy:   Makes Malaysia an acceptable and reliable partner in interstate affairs. Succeeds in making Malaysia the preferred brand name in international relations. EVOLUTION OF MALAYSIAS FOREIGN POLICY    Foreign policy is not static. Its formulation is essentially a dynamic process. Hence, over the years, our foreign policy has evolved, taking account of the change in leadership as well as developments in the ever-changing global political and economic landscapes. Moreover, the advent of globalization and the transformation of interstate relations brought about by new and rapid changes in information technologies necessarily means that our foreign policy has to be adjusted and fine tuned to meet new challenges in a globalised world. The style and approaches in enunciating Malaysias foreign policy may differ in keeping with the personality of each past and present prime minister of Malaysia. A critical examination of Malaysias foreign policy since 1957 would show its steady evolution characterized by notable changes in emphasis, which took place with the change in Malaysias political stewardship. Briefly;   a) In the period 1957-1969, our country has just gained its independence. During this post independence period, under our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, our foreign policy was geared towards the survival of our newly independent nation. Our foreign policy then was markedly anti-Communist and pro-western in posture with close links to the Commonwealth. We were also a strong opponent of apartheid. Our posture towards regional cooperation also began to take root with the birth of ASA (1960), MAPHILINDO (1963) and ASEAN (1967). b) In the period 1970 -1976, under Tun Abdul Razak, as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Malaysia began to identify itself as a Muslim nation. The search for new friends substantially increased the importance of NAM to Malaysia. We became markedly non-aligned and postured towards neutrality, peaceful co-existence and independence. We also began to distance ourselves from major powers, put strong emphasis on regionalism and developed contacts and diplomatic relations with communist countries. Investments from other than British sources began to be also welcomed.   c) A period of consolidation ensued under Tun Hussein Onn (1976-1981) with ASEAN becoming the cornerstone of Malaysias foreign policy following the collapse of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975, the withdrawal of the US military presence from Southeast Asia and the invasion of Kampuchea (now Cambodia) by Vietnam. The First ASEAN Summit was held and Malaysia signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Bali in 1976. Further emphasis on independence, non-alignment and equidistance from the major powers was also made. d) A more dramatic shift in emphasis occurred when Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad took over as the fourth Prime Minister in 1981. Malaysias foreign policy stance began to take a much greater economic orientation than ever before, coupled with a strong and nationalistic defence of the rights, interests and aspirations of developing countries and the advocacy of south-south co-operation. Tun Dr. Mahathirs premiership saw the pursuit of numerous new initiatives such as: Antarctica as the Common Heritage of Mankind. The Look East Policy (LEP). Championing of the cause of developing countries on major social issues like environment, human rights and democracy. With the advent of globalization, Malaysians identified both the beneficial and adverse impact of globalization to the developing countries. Pro-active and passionate approach on Apartheid and Palestinian issues. Islamic Unity Chairmanship and hosting of the 10th OIC Summit, hosting of 1st Expo OIC, formation of D-8. International peace and security Malaysias membership in UNSC, peacekeeping role in a number of countries such as Cambodia, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Namibia and East Timor. Malaysia also actively championed against selectivity, double standards and pre-emptive action outside the ambit of the UN. Terrorism Malaysia forged strong regional and international cooperation in combating terrorism, strongly advocated against profiling by religion or ethnicity, proposed multifaceted approach in combating terrorism including identifying and eliminating the root causes, hosted OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting on Terrorism in 2002, established SEARCCT to primarily focus on training and capacity building. Opening of New Frontiers: Active bilateral engagements with African, Latin American and Eastern Europe countries, particularly in trade, investment and transfer technology in the spirit of South-South Cooperation. Includes opening of Diplomatic Missions and extension of Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP) in these countries. Economic Orientation: East Asia Economic Cooperation (from EAEG to EAEC to ASEAN +3). Regional Development Cooperation Growth Triangle concept such as IMTGT, IMSGT, BIMP-EAGA. Group of 15 (G15) first advocated by Malaysia. Economic diplomacy reverse investments prosper thy neighbors, South-South cooperation, MIGHT, Langkawi International Dialogue (LID), South Africa International Dialogue (SAID). e) In the period 2003   and onwards, under the leadership of Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, foreign policy initiatives were further refined and fine- tuned to project: Pragmatic response in meeting the current geopolitical and economic challenges. More sophisticated articulation of Malaysias views. Substance as a dynamic extension to existing policies. Influential leadership role as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and ASEAN; and Malaysia as a leading example of a tolerant and progressive Islamic Nation Islam Hadhari The evolution of the countrys foreign policy under successive prime ministers reflects a pragmatic response to the geopolitical and economic changes of their times. To be continually relevant to the countrys needs, foreign policy cannot remain static. But whilst changes in emphasis have become a general feature of Malaysian foreign policy, continuity has also been evident. Both the change and continuity mark a higher level of confidence and maturing of the country in the conduct of its international affairs. Indeed, in many ways Malaysias leadership role has been recognized on several issues of deep interest to the developing world.    As a trading nation, we are very much dependent on a peaceful international environment for our well being. Naturally, our foreign policy has to be oriented to allow for a greater focus on economic diplomacy. In the past, when we were producing mainly raw materials for the world, Malaysia had to compete with only a handful of countries. But now, when we have become an industrialized trading nation, we have no choice but to work harder, to compete better and to find new markets for our goods and services. We must find better ways to do business with the outside world. We need to find niches in which we have a competitive edge.    Towards this end, Malaysia has implemented a number of policies that have a strong foreign policy component that will contribute to the creation of a strong, dynamic and resilient economy. These policies include amongst others: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢LookEastPolicy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ReverseInvestment-ProsperThyNeighbour à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢MalaysiaIncorporated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢South-SouthCooperation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢MalaysianTechnicalCooperationProgramme(MTCP) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Langkawi International Dialogue CONLUSION   One significant phenomenon that will impact strongly on Malaysias foreign policy as we move forward is globalization. Our greatest challenge would be to extract the best from the process of globalization and to give our best to the system. And in return to contribute towards making the world a much more peaceful and equitable place to live in, to provide leadership within our region and to demonstrate exemplary and responsible membership of the international community. On the political front, we see the end of the cold war. Yet the world today is no safer than we had been led to believe. The so-called friendly global village has not come about. Old conflicts either refuse to die or simply have a way of coming out of their graves to haunt us. In the meantime, new conflicts, at times much bloodier and brutal than the old ones, continue to emerge and rage or remain unresolved. Added to this, two other issues of great concern also remain, namely terrorism which continue to threaten Terrorism which continue to threaten the lives and property of innocent victims; and The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction which brings fourth the prospect of nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare. It is important; therefore, that our foreign policy be geared towards ensuring that more and more nations sign and ratify the relevant international conventions such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the Convention on Land Mines (CLM). The economic dimension of globalization has been even more disappointing. The financial crisis that descended upon East Asia in 1997 brought about not only social misery and economic disaster but political instability as well. Massive Unemployment, negative growth, stock market crashes and severe currency devaluation have pulled down millions of people below the poverty lines. And now, we are anxiously watching the effects of the possible economic meltdown following the global financial crisis. The severity of the situation calls for the whole business of economic globalization and financial and trade liberalization to be seriously addressed. This is another biggest foreign policy challenge for Malaysia. Malaysia will continue to press for the reforming the international financial architecture that is so prone to speculative manipulations and frequently excessive fluctuation. Malaysias activism at the international front has of course attracted attention and reaction from various quarters. Until recently, Malaysia had been the target for criticism for being too vocal. But this is something that we need to take in our own stride if Malaysia is to be proactive at the global level. Our foreign policy principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia certain credibility in the eyes of the international community. Malaysias initiatives at various regional and international fora have put the country on the world map. Increased economic prosperity and political stability has in fact enabled Malaysia to carve its own niche in the international scene. Making its presence felt has allowed Malaysia to exercise some influence in setting the international agenda. Being less dependent on foreign aid and assistance, Malaysia has been able to speak up on issues that other developing countries feel constrained to voice for fear of retribution by the major, particularly western, powers. The years ahead therefore would see our foreign policy specially oriented towards not only ensuring Malaysias domestic success but also internationally, as a geopolitical and economic player at the global level.

Graduation Speech: Building County High School :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

When I first began school in this district at County Junior High in seventh grade, I had no idea that I, along with my classmates, would have the privilege of building the New High School. Of course I don't mean the physical, brick-by-brick building; I mean the building of High School's spirit, the tradition of pride and achievement that permeates every brick, every part of our school. I had no idea what impact we would have in both the academic and athletic realms. Our group activities have fought for and won honors that can be envied by every other school. Whose football team broke another school's six year winning streak? Whose debate team is now known nationally as one of the best affiliate teams in the country? Whose band marched for President Clinton's inauguration? Yes, it was County High School's teams that accomplished these and other noteworthy feats. But I believe it was we, the first class to spend four years at County, who played a large part in these accomplishments. We came here as eager freshmen, bringing our energy and ideas to this school. I remember all the - glitches and gremlins that plagued us, how History class was as hot as Death Valley and English class colder than Siberia. But we survived. Sophomore year saw the graduation of County High School's first class. And last year, we said goodbye to the class of '11. Many of us had role models amongst them, yet more of us had friends. But as last year drew to a close, we realized that this year would be our year. It was our turn to lead Neda, it was our turn to shine. And shine we did, with a brilliance enriched by our four years of experience in this school. I cannot attempt to list the awards and honors earned by our class, but I can try to express the immense pride I feel when I realize that I belong to County High's class of 2012.

Popul Vuh

There are many stories that talk about the creation of the earth and have been passed from generation to generation. However, each culture and each region has its own stories about the creation. They are unique in some way but still share the same themes that are universal to many civilizations. Almost all the themes talk about how we and everything on earth were created or how the universe and humanity developed. Two of the most popular creation stories are the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh.While the Genesis and Popol Vuh are different in the way God created iving things and their explanation of creation, their similarities are important because they tell us how everything come from and the people's belief in Gods. First of all, the Genesis creation myth is known as one part of the Hebrew Bible that explains how God created human and living things. Therefore, their entire traditional stories seem as the views of a monotheistic world, praising one, all-perfect deity.Genesis focus es mainly on the relationship between God and humans beings in the earth. While the Popol Vuh is one of the Maya creation stories and also showed the perspectives of a polytheistic culture, believing and living under various Gods. In this story, the Gods tried to create something that would praise them and thanks to them. In Genesis myth, God created man and woman to live and love each other. However, one strict rule that Gods did not want them to violate was not to eat an apple from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat: but one of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou halt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. † (Genesis 67). Meanwhile, in the Popol Vuh, Gods did not create human at first. Instead, they created animals first and then they created mud people and wood people secondly. Gods finally created humans who made from the corn and have the shape exactly like wha t human nowadays beings. Unfortunately, in both stories, the creation did not satisfy their creators. They did mistake and fail to meet the Gods' expectations.For the Genesis, Adam and Eve were nticed by a serpent and ate the fruit anyway even though they were warned before by the God. Feeling angry from their mistake, God forced them out of the Garden and began to be multiplied and full-filled in the earth. From another part of the Genesis, God was unhappy from what he created because the humans at that time were very greedy and did not follow God's expectations. Therefore, he created a great flood on the earth, destroying everything and killing everyone from this flood. â€Å"l will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth,†¦ or it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 70). In contrast, in the Popol Vuh, when animals, mud people and wood people could not reach Gods ‘expectations because they did not praise the creators as they wanted them to do . Therefore, Gods made a flood to kill all the mud and wood people. â€Å"The manikins, woodcarvings were killed when the Heart of Sky devised a flood for them. † (Popol Vuh 82). While God in Genesis gave humans a second chance to live by saving life for Noah's family after destroying everything, Gods in Popol Vuh began to create the corn people after a flood to serve for their desire because they could praise the Gods and did everything that they wanted. as created and how it was ended. Gods in both stories created humans on the earth, gave them food and shelters but also destroyed humans by a great flood as a symbol of their anger when they failed to their expectations. One more similarity between two stories that all Gods were selfish and being scared when people gain too much knowledge. For example, in the Genesis, God did not want Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit because they will know everything about the nature as the Gods were doing.While in the Popol Vuh, when the Gods saw the corn people were very intelligent and perfect after created, so they felt threatened by the corn people as they would be more powerful than them. miet they'll become as great as gods, unless they procreate, proliferate at the sowing, the dawning, unless they increase. † (Popol Vuh 85). In order to solve this problem, Gods took away some In conclusion, even though the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh were written by wo different cultures, they also have some similarities in general such as the creation of the flood and human's knowledge.However, their myths were also different in some way. For the Genesis, God Just wanted people to live happily and healthily on the earth while the Gods in the Popol Vuh stories want people to praise for their merit and keep their day together. Therefore, as we can see that the differences between two stories are very important because they showed us how different cultures and regions affect human's life and thinking about their cr eation.

How to Cram for the ACT 10-Day, 4-Point Prep Plan

How to Cram for the ACT 10-Day, 4-Point Prep Plan SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’ve found this article, I assume it’s crunch time, and your ACT test date is in the next couple weeks. If you do not fall into this category (you have a bit of time- one month or more- before your test date), you can still read this guide for some study strategies, but I recommend you take advantage of all the time you have by spreading your ACT preparation out. Don'twaituntil the last 10 days to cram. Thoughquality matters in your ACT prep, quantity is also important: you have to invest a lot of time if you want to see big improvements. You can make a lot of progress in 10 days, butyou need to dedicate the necessary time to improve your ACT score.In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to raiseyour score by up to four points in just 10 days. WARNING:Don't use this rushed studyprogramunless absolutely necessary. If you have time to take the ACT again,doquick basic preparation for this test date and then follow a more extensive study program for the next test date. Consider trying PrepScholar or another ACT preparation program before your next ACTtest date. This guide on how to cram for the ACT outlines a very challengingplan that requires a lot ofdedication to work. You'll have to be seriously committedto see major improvements. All that being said, if you do decide to follow this plan, I've outlined two preliminary steps below, followed by the ACTcram plan itself. Get Your ACT Practice Materials Make sure to order a copy of The Official ACT Prep Guide, also known as the Red Book. It’s relatively inexpensive (around $20) and vital to your preparation. You should probably get it overnight shipped to you. The book has three real ACT tests for your practice. If you can’t afford the book (and even if you can), then you should print yourself copies of these free ACT PDFs. I’ll tell you how and whento use them below. Create an ACT Study Schedule Make a strict study schedule and don’t stray from it. You only have 10 days to jump four points, so 30 minutes per day of preparation is not going to be enough. At PrepScholar, we recommend fitting in about 40-80 hours of ACT preparation for a four-point score improvement. You need to fit that study schedule into 10 days. While completing 80 hours of preparation in 10 days will be basically impossible (even more so if school’s in session), you also won’t need 80 hours of studying since, in this shortened time frame, you’ll have the advantage of not forgetting any test technique. I’ve created a sample ACT study schedule below that fits in about 60 hours of prep into the 10 days before the test. Day # of Hours to Study Wednesday 5.5 Thursday 5 Friday 5 Saturday 10 Sunday 10 Monday 5 Tuesday 5 Wednesday 5 Thursday 5 Friday 5 Saturday 0- Take the Test! If you’re doing this ACT cram plan during summer break, great! You’ll have tons of time to dedicate to this schedule. If you’re attempting this schedule during the school year, you’ll need to put your ACT preparation before all else. Remember, it’s only 10 days! I’ve outlined the ACT study plan for each day below. 10-Day ACT Study Plan Before you dive into the waters of ACT cramming, look over each day of this plan to make sure you have all the materials you'll need handy for each day. There's nothing worse than sitting down for an intense study section only to realize you needed to print something out and you're out of paper. Note: This study plan is designed for students who are taking the Saturday ACT. If you're taking the ACT on Sunday or during the week, you may have to adjust some of the timing a little bit so that the 10-hour study days fall on weekends and not weekdays. Day 1: Wednesday- 5.5-6 Hours Learning Objectives: Get familiar with the test format, pick an ACT target score, and take a practice test. Get Familiar With the ACT Format- 20-30 Minutes If you’re familiar with the test format, you’ll have a huge advantage over other test-takers. Read these guides for an overview of ACT format: What is the ACT? A Complete Explanation of the Test What Is the ACT Out Of? How Do You Calculate ACT Score? Raw and Scaled ACT Rules and Regulations: What You HAVE to Know You should read these guides so that you’ll know what’s tested on each section of the test and how your final score is calculated. Both of which are important to know so you understand ACT strategy. Pick Your ACT Target Score- 30 Minutes If you don’t already have an ACT target score, you need to pick one. I won’t go into depth about this process here because we’ve already got another great article on determining the right target score for your dream school. However, the brief summary of how to choose a target score is to aim for a number at or above the 75th percentile score for admitted students at your target college. Why pick a target score? Picking a specific score will help you stay motivated during your ACT cram session. Write down your target score somewhere you’ll see it every day (like on your desk), and tell your parents the number. Seeing it every day and telling other people your target score will make you more motivated to reach it. Take a Practice Test- 3 Hours and 35 Minutes If your copy of The Official Prep Guide hasn’t arrived, you can take a practice test using these free ACT PDFs.Read the rules on how to get the most realistic practice test experience before getting started. You want realistic practice so that you’re prepared for what the conditions will be the day of the test. You don’t want to be surprised the day of the test. Review and Analyze Your Practice Test- 1 Hour When you’re done, review your practice test following the steps outlined in our other guide and review your essay using the ACT Writing rubric. NOTE: I’m having you take and review your ACT Essay for this first practice test. After this test, if you scored an 8 or better, I’d encourage you notto waste your time with any more practice essays. Your ACT Essay is not factored into your overall composite score. Your composite score is what colleges typically look at on your application. Since the ACT Essay does not affect this score, it’s a waste of your limited time to keep practicing it. However, if you’re not getting your score up to 8 or above, you may want to keep practicing it. While it doesn’t affect your composite, a very low essay score (at or below 4 or 5) may worry admissions officers that your writing skills aren’t up to their standards. Once you’ve completed your basic review, analyze your results: Which section was your weakest? Why was it your weakest? Were your issues mainly not understanding the content or did you make more careless errors? Did younot understand the questions? Did you run out of time? If you can’t easily determine which is your weakest section (if your four section scores- English, Reading, Math, and Science- were all similar), try to pick the section in which you answered the most questions incorrectly because you didn’t understand the information necessary to answer the question (e.g. youdidn’t know the formula you needed for a Math question). I suggest this method to determine which is your weakest section because information issues are impossible to fix without studying. However, they’re also the easiest kind of problem to fix because all you need to do is learn the necessary material. Determining your weakest section is important because it tells you what to prioritize in your prep. Don’t worry: you’ll still learn the techniques/strategies for the other sections, but you’ll start with your weakest section. Day 2: Thursday- 5 Hours Learning Objectives: Learn the strategies for your weakest section and apply them to a practice test. Now that you’ve determined which section is your weakest, you’ll learn the strategies for that section and practice applying them. NOTE: I’m providing links to all of the guides you should read to help with strategy and content knowledge for your weakest section. It’s a lot of material, so try to prioritize the topics within each section that you need the most help in. If there's a topic you aren't missing any questions on, don'tworry aboutreading that guide. For instance, if youaren't missing any inferencequestions, you should notread theinference questionguide. Prioritize the guides: start with the overall strategies, then check out guides on your weakest content areas (forinstance, if you got all of the slopequestions wrong in the Math section, start by reading the guide to slopes). Try to read the guides for all of the topics within each section if you have time. If you don’t have time to read it all in these two hours, don’t worry, simply bookmark the articles you didn’t get to read. I set aside time another day in the schedule to review the rest of the articles. Learn the Strategies- 3 Hours NOTE: The Ultimate Guide articles below reference other articles you should be reading. You should read every article mentioned within each Ultimate Guide. However, I've also highlighteda few key articles that youcannot miss. Reading The Ultimate Prep Guide to ACT Reading: Strategies, Tips, and Practice ACT Reading: The #1 Critical, Fundamental Rule The Best Way To Approach The Passage On ACT Reading Stop Running Out Of Time On ACT Reading 4 Top ACT Reading Strategies English The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT English: Tips, Rules, Practice, and Strategies The Top 9 ACT English Strategies You Must Use ACT English Prep: The Best Methods and Strategies The 8 ACT English Tips You Must Use in Your Prep Full Analysis of ACT Grammar Rules: Which are most important? Math Overall Strategy How to Actually Use Your ACT Math Formulas The 31 Critical ACT Math Formulas You MUST Know Plugging in Numbers: A Critical SAT/ACT Math Strategy Plugging in Answers: A Critical SAT Math/ACT Math Strategy Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra Complete Guide to Integers on ACT Math (Advanced) The Basic Guide to Integers on ACT Math Complete Guide to Fractions and Ratios in ACT Math Single Variable Equations in Algebra: ACT Math Strategies Probability Questions on ACT Math: Strategies and Practice Statistics on ACT Math: Strategies for Mean, Medium, Mode Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry Algebra Functions on ACT Math: Lesson and Practice Questions Lines and Slopes: ACT Math Geometry Review and Practice Systems of Equations on ACT Math: Algebra Strategies and Practice Problems Sequences on ACT Math: Strategy Guide and Review Algebraic Operations on ACT Math: Strategies and Formulas Plane Geometry/Trigonometry Triangles on ACT Math: Geometry Guide and Practice Problems Circles on ACT Math: Geometry Formulas and Strategies Lines and Angles in ACT Math: Review and Practice Reflections, Rotations, and Translations: ACT Geometry Strategies and Practice Polygons on ACT Math: Geometry Formulas and Strategies Solid Geometry on ACT Math: The Complete Guide Science The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT Science: Tips, Practice, and Strategies The Best Strategies for Reading ACT Science Passages The Only Actual Science You Have to Know for ACT Science Time Management Tips and Section Strategy on ACT Science The 9 Reasons You Miss ACT Science Questions Essay How To Attack ACT Essay Prompts and Raise Your Score ACT Writing Rubric: Full Analysis and Essay Strategies Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours Whichever your weakest section, sit for a 35 to 60-minute practice section (varies by section). You can either print out one of the sections from these free ACT PDFs or use the Official ACT Test #1 if the book has arrived. After you’ve taken the section, review usingthe steps outlined in our other guide that you used for your first practice test.See what areas you’ve improved in and what still needs work. Day 3: Friday- 5 Hours Learning Objectives: Learn the strategies for another section and try to apply them to a practice test. Learn More Section Strategy- 3 Hours Pick between your other three sections (English, Math, Reading, or Science) and read all of the articles listed above for that section. If you’re doing extremely well in the section you’re choosing to focus on today (you scored at or above 32 on your first practice test), I’d encourage you to use one of the following guides for your study instead of the other guides: How to Get 36 on ACT Math: 8 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT Reading: Strategies from a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT English: 9 Strategies from a Perfect Scorer The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours For the section you’ve chosen, sit for a 35-minute to 1-hour practice section (varies by section). Use the corresponding section from the same test (Red Book test #1) you did a section from yesterday, so you can save your complete practice tests for use later on. After you’ve taken the section, review using the steps outlined in our other guide. Day 4: Saturday- 10 Hours Learning Objectives: Complete your strategy learning by studying the remaining two sections that you haven’t covered. Take and review practice sections for each. Learn the Third Section Strategy- 3 Hours Choose between your remaining two sections (English, Math, Reading, or Science), and read all of the articles listed above for that section. As I said above, if you’re doing extremely well in the section you’re choosing to focus on today (you scored at or above 32 on your first practice test), I’d encourage you to use one of the following guides for your studyinstead of the other guides: How to Get 36 on ACT Math: 8 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT Reading: Strategies from a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT English: 9 Strategies from a Perfect Scorer The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours Take a 35-minute to 1-hour practice section with realistic testing conditions. Again, use the corresponding section from the same test you did a section from yesterday and the day before (Red Book test #1). Conserve your full-length practice tests for later in the week. Again, review using the steps outlined in our other guide. Learn the Final Section Strategy- 3 Hours Whatever remaining section you haven’t covered (English, Math, Reading, or Science), and read all of the articles listed above for that section. As I said above, if you’ve scored high in that section (at or above 32 on your first practice test), use one of the following articles for your studyinstead of the other guides: How to Get 36 on ACT Math: 8 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT Reading: Strategies from a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT English: 9 Strategies from a Perfect Scorer The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours Take a 35-minute to 1-hour practice section with realistic testing conditions. Again, use the corresponding section from the same test you did a section from yesterday and the day before (Red Book test #1). Conserve your full-length practice tests for later in the week.Again, review using the steps outlined in our other guide. You’ve now completed a second entire practice test (broken up over a few days).Compare your second test scores to your scores from your first test. Where did you improve? Where did you make the same mistakes? If you have time, go back and re-read the appropriate articles to help you learn from your mistakes (for example, if you got a few ACT Math Triangle questions wrong, make sure to reviewthat article). Day 5: Sunday- 10 Hours Learning Objectives: Complete your second practice test, review, and determine where you still need improvement. Take Your Second Full-Length Practice Test- 3 Hours and 45 Minutes Make sure to use a new (not partially used) full-length practice test from the ACT Red Book or these free ACT PDFs. If you have the Red Book, use test #2.As you did for the first test, copy the real testing conditions. Review and Analyze Your Second Practice Test- 2 Hours As always, review your answers and your mistakes. Take the time to compare the results to your other tests. Did you improve? In which areas are you still struggling? Topic Refresher- 4 Hours Go back to the articles listed above and re-read those for the topics withwhich you’re still struggling.Create flashcards if you need more help learning grammar rules or math formulas and test yourself with them. If you’re close to mastering all of the sections (scoring at or above a 32),and you haven’t read the below guides yet, checkthem out now: The 21 Hardest ACT Math Questions Ever The Hardest ACT Reading Questions Ever The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them The Most Common Mistakes You Make on ACT English Day 6-10: Monday-Friday- 5 Hours Per Day Learning Objectives: Take and review a practice test each day. If you have the Red Book, use test #3 on Monday, then use the free ACT PDFs for Tuesday-Friday.Keep using the real testing conditions. Spend three hours taking the practice test (without the essay) As always, do detailed reviews using our other guide. Spend about two hours reviewing and referring back to our other articles listed above if you’re not seeing improvement in certain areas. Your race is over! Day : Saturday- 0 Hours It’s ACT test day! Go to bed early the night before, so you get a full eight hours. Pack your test ticket, calculator, pencils, erasers, extra batteries, snacks, water, etc. the night before, so you’re not rushing to find it all in the morning. Set your alarm for at least an hour before you need to leave for your testing center. That’ll give you time to eat a big breakfast and wake up. Read a newspaper article or chapter from a novel to get your brain going. Relax! You’re going to do great! What’s Next? Not sure where you want to go to college? We willhelp you do college research the right way. Do you know where you want to go to college? Figure out what ACT score will give you the best chance of admission. Trying to figure how you will afford college? Check outour complete guide to paying for college. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points?We have the industry's leading ACT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and ACT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

The Ultimate Prep Guide to ACT Reading Strategies, Tips, and Practice

The Ultimate Prep Guide to ACT Reading Strategies, Tips, and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips This is the best study guide to ACT Reading out there. No kidding, no exaggerating, and no doubt about it. We've read many ACT prep books, studied ACT, Inc’s resources, and taken the best aspects of each to combine into this magnificent patchwork quilt of a guide. Each question type is covered in detail, organized not by how the questions are asked, but by the essential underlying skills the questions are testing. We cover the best ACT reading tips and strategies and how to get the most out of your ACT Reading practice and prep. Looking for a comprehensive guide to ACT Reading and how to improve your ACT Reading score? Want to master the important concepts, grapple with practice questions from ACTual (I will probably never stop doing this) ACT Reading tests, and make sure you're taking the most away from questions you miss? This is the ACT study guide that will help you improve your ACT Reading score dramatically by focusing on all those areas (and more!). I've divided this guide into three sections, based on level of information. We'll start with understanding the ACT Reading section at a high level, move on to the ACT reading test and the different question types therein (divided by the underlying skills that are tested), and end with study plans and how to maximize your study time for score improvement. I suggest reading all of the articles below in order to start off, then using this guide as a reference page to come back to as you progress in your test prep. feature image credit: Big trouble by jakerome, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. High Level Guidance for ACT Reading Read through the articles listed below to begin your entry into the world of ACT Reading. Learn about how you should approach ACT Reading and the high level strategies that you should always have at your (metaphorical) fingertips. ACT Reading: The #1 Critical, Fundamental Rule Were you hoping that there'd just be one simple rule you could follow and drastically improve your ACT Reading score? It is your lucky day (or night, depending on when you're reading this)! If you only read one article about ACT Reading, it should be this one. What's Actually Tested On The ACT Reading Section? You'll need to insure you understand the way the ACT Reading section is organized and the format of the ACT Reading section. Plus, get a good overview of the different types of questions that are asked on ACT Reading. The 4 Types Of ACT Reading Passages The same four types of passages appear on each ACT Reading test. Learn about what these types are and how you can focus in on your weakest passage types with logic and MATH (bonus extra practice)! The Best Way To Approach The Passage On ACT Reading There’s no one size fits all approach to the ACT Reading passages, but some strategies are better than others. Read this article for descriptions of different ways to read the ACT passages that you can then try out. Excel On ACT Reading: For Science/Math People A lot of people don’t realize that getting a high ACT Reading score is just as dependent on your logical reasoning abilities as it is on your â€Å"reading† abilities. If you’re more of a â€Å"science person" or "math person† this article will help you figure out how to apply the skills you already have to ACT Reading passages ACT Reading vs. SAT Reading: Which Is Easier? While the ACT Reading test and the SAT Critical Reading section test similar skills, there are some important differences to keep in mind when considering which test will showcase your abilities best. Will you do better on ACT Reading than on SAT Reading? Find out by examining the differences between the tests. How To Get 36 On ACT Reading: 11 Strategies From A Perfect Scorer PrepScholar resident perfect scorer (and co-founder) Allen Cheng tells all [about his experiences mastering the ACT] in this article. Check it out for tips for increasing your ACT Reading score, keeping motivated, and studying effectively. Keep It Up Sign Card Motivation 2012 Girls on the Run Grand Rapids Montessori February 22, 2012 8 by Steven Depolo, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. ACT Reading motivation secret: you can't disappoint a small child with an index card. ACT Reading Skills These guides break down every single question type in the ACT Reading test. Learn about skills each question type is testing, strategies for developing and honing these skills, walkthroughs of questions, and practice questions of your very own. Understanding ACT Reading Question Types Little Picture Questions Being able to scan through a passage and find the details that are being asked about in a particular question is the most important skill for ACT Reading. If you can't find the relevant information, after all, how can you begin to figure out its meaning or its function? Big Picture Questions You'll need to be able to read a large amount of text and distill it down into a main point to answer big picture and main point questions on ACT Reading. It's also a skill you’ll need for college (and beyond), so it's even more important to make sure you know the best strategies for answering these questions. Vocabulary In Context Questions Just because ACT Reading doesn’t have any â€Å"fill in the blank† or sentence completion questions on it doesn’t mean you won’t be tested on vocabulary by the ACT. You need to get good at figuring out the contextual meaning of words. Inference Questions Inference questions can be the most difficult questions to wrap your head around, because it seems as if the ACT is asking you to answer questions based on information not located in the passage. Don’t be fooled! You’ll need to practice inferring meaning from context. Function And Development Questions Some ACT Reading questions move beyond merely asking about meaning and, instead, ask about how certain words, phrases, or lines function in the overall structure of the passage. You'll need to be able to figure out not just what the author is saying, but what she/he does to convey that meaning as well as the role certain paragraphs play in the passage as a whole. Special Guides Why Are ACT Reading Paired Passages So Hard? Questions that ask about multiple passages have only been appearing on the ACT Reading section since June 2014. What difference does this make to you and how should this change the way you practice for the ACT Reading section? Read this article to learn more about paired passages on the ACT and what, exactly, makes questions that ask about multiple passages so difficult. How To Attack Paired Passages On The ACT Reading Test: 4 Key Strategies Now that you know what paired passages are...whatcha gonna do about it? This article goes into more depth on paired passages and strategies you can use to help with those tricky multipassage questions. The Vocab You'll Need For ACT Reading Studying how to answer vocabulary in context questions is obviously the most important part of being able to answer those questions, but what if you just don't have a large (English) vocabulary? The answer is not to read the dictionary page-by-page; instead, focus your studying on these frequently-appearing ACT vocabulary words. The Super Dictionary by Joel Kramer, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Think of this article as your very own super dictionary. ACT Reading Strategies and Tips We've gone through an overview of ACT Reading and some of the deeper skills you'll need to master to truly conquer this test. What's left? Using the guides below to pull it all together. Hone your skills by creating a structure for your ACT Reading practice and focusing your studying, so that you can do your best on test day. The Best Way To Practice ACT Reading Unless you are Hermione Granger and own a time turner, you have a limited amount of time to spend on ACT Reading practice. Make sure that you are using your time wisely by following the strategies contained in this article. The Best ACT Reading Practice Tests And Questions There's no point in spending hours and hours on ACT prep if you don't use high quality materials. Find out what the best resources for realistic ACT Reading practice tests and questions are by reading this article. Stop Running Out Of Time On ACT Reading Even if you’re great at reading comprehension, ACT Reading can still trip you up because of the short amount of time (35 minutes!) you get to read 5 passages and answer 40 questions. You'll need to plan ahead to avoid falling behind during the test. 4 Top ACT Reading Strategies We’ve compiled the four strategies that will have the biggest impact on the way you approach the ACT Reading section. Figure out which strategies work best for you and use them early and often. The Hardest ACT Reading Questions Ever Over the years of ACT Reading, there have been some truly terrifying questions. So naturally, we’ve gathered them into this article for you to try out (happy early Halloween!). Challenge yourself! The Top 10 ACT Reading Tips: Use These And Improve Your Score Need a quick fix to raise your ACT Reading score? Or even several quick fixes? We've sifted through our expert ACT Reading knowledge to come up with these ten tips to boost your ACT Reading score. boost? by insertnamehere.99999, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. What’s Next? There’s a lot to read to prepare for the ACT...Reading (which makes sense, I guess). But reading these articles is just the first phase of your test prep: there's work yet to be done. After reading the articles included in this guide, you should... Go forth and hunt down high quality study materials - make sure to place real ACT tests at the forefront of your studying regimen! Diagnose your ACT Reading problems and review your mistakes. If you don't figure out where you're going wrong, it'll be very difficult to avoid repeating your errors. Stay motivated! Preparing for the ACT can be challenging, and you won't get through it without motivation. Our article on getting a perfect 36 on the ACT has some great tips for this. We also have a list of links to ACT Prep info. If you're feeling overwhelmed by all this information and are concerned about being able to prep for the ACT Reading test all on your own, it’s worth checking out our ACT test prep platform. Built by Harvard graduates, our program learns your individual strengths and weaknesses through statistical analysis, then uses that information to create a customized prep program for you to help you achieve your best score possible. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Financial Management Fundamentals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Management Fundamentals - Essay Example The company may face problems in meeting its short term obligations. The company has not raised long term debts and its long term liability is only pension liability. Accordingly the company is very low geared. Earning per share and dividend per share are so attractive that company will get oversubscribed whenever the company will go public. The detailed financial analysis follows: Profitability of Nichols Plc. have been analyzed from three angles, namely, Net Margins, Return on Assets(ROA) , and Return on Equity (ROE). Financial statements for Nichols Plc. have presented the profitability for 2006 (and restated figures for 2005) before and after taking into account exceptional items. Accordingly the profitability analysis have been made from both angles, i.e., before and after the exceptional effects on profitability. The following ratio calculations have helped in reaching an investigative analysis: Net profit margin â€Å"also called the Return on sales ratio, it shows after tax profit(net income) generated by each sales dollar by measuring the percentage of sales revenue retained by the company after operating expenses, creditor interest expenses, and income taxed have been paid.†(BDC)1. Net Profit Margins have shown a tremendous jump from 7.37 % to 10.01 despite the fact the sales revenue has been reduced from 63.336m in 2005 to 52.296m in current year 2006. That means Nichols has worked on some strategic issues and kept the qualitative business alive that generates the real profits for the company. This fact is clearer when a reference is made net profit margins after the exceptional adjustments; the increase in net margin is by huge 5.54%. Also the Chairman’s Statement makes the issue of profitability absolutely clear when it states that, â€Å"the progress made in underlying profitability is actually much greater than the headline figures suggest, due to di storting effects of Balmorals disposals completed in January 2006.† As

Economic history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Economic history - Essay Example setting up policies like maximizing the use of domestic resources, limiting wages, export subsidies, all aimed at accumulating monetary reserves (Brue & Randy 42). David Hume disagreed with mercantilism on their trade restrictions by stressing that trade restrictions are restriction of innovation, and so these opened avenues for uniform market competition. Physiocrats stressed the importance of agriculture in the economy; he proposed that agriculture is a vital organ in the development of any economy. He suggested an economic environment free of government restrictions when it comes to transactions between two private parties; the only regulations he proposed are those that protects property rights. Since individuals have a natural right to freedom, it should be understood that nature is a self-regulating system and harmonious so human control should never be factored in. Adam smith proposed the idea of artificial stimulation of manufacturing and trade; he made it clear that real wealth of a country not only consist of gold and silver, but also in its houses, lands and consumable goods of all different kinds (Brue & Randy 45). He fueled foreign trade by recognizing that it could explore the overseas markets and largely promote development of production capabilities of the nation and consequently lead to a rise in real wealth owned by a country. He also contributed to the idea of a free market by proposing to the government to reduce and abandon control over foreign trade, and he suggested for the implementation of free trade policies. David Ricardo shed light on the importance of agriculture, by analyzing the importance of diminishing returns. He postulated that a utility is mandatory for exchange values, but does not determine it. He promoted extreme industrial specialization by proposing that a nation should put more efforts on industries in which it is more internationally competitive. Ricardo suggested trade with other countries to obtain goods not produced