Drama Essay: A Review of “Spring Awakening” Essay

I will be reviewing the play titled, â€Å"Spring Awakening† by Fred Wedekind. This play was produced by The Department of Performing Arts and Humanities of the School of Liberal Arts at and directed by Robert W. Oppel. I saw the play on March 20th Q Building Theatre. The play was excellent and exceeded all expectations due to the professional way the story was presented. â€Å"Spring Awakening† is a musical concerning teenagers who explore their individual sexuality while living in an oppressive culture. The setting takes place in a religious, rural town in Germany during the late 19th century. It contains issues of sexuality, religion, and education, but also exposes the barriers between adults and children. Parents are supposedly religious; however, they mistreat their children. In addition, they make puberty more confusing by forbidding their children to ask questions about their sexuality or discuss sex in general. Other topics included shame, gender, and authorities. The play also shows the consequences for rebelling against what society considers moral and acceptable. There are three main actors playing principle roles. Sinead Fahey, a newcomer to the Theatre at CCBC, played the part of Wendla. Her overall performance was terrific. She sang beautifully, moved gracefully, and gave a strong performance throughout the play. Sinead was well cast and believable in her role. James Baxter, who played the part of Melchior, is a returning performer at CCBC. James played his part well, but seemed slightly reserved in his character. It appeared he was not quite as passionate as he could have been. However, he moved and sang well and still delivered a solid performance. James was fairly well cast and somewhat believable in his role. The character Moritz was played by Christopher H. Zargarbashi. He graduated from Towson University with a degree in acting. Christopher’s performance was excellent and thoroughly entertaining to watch. Christopher was accurate in the way he conveyed Moritz’s intense and nervous personality. He was well cast and extre mely believable while playing his part. The play contains an edgy, noteworthy innovation. Mixing the late 19th century era with modern day features appears fresh and original. For instance, when the performers speak in the play, they are in character during the late 19th century, yet become modern day singers during the musical numbers. Additionally, all the characters in the play dress in the appropriate 19th century attire, whereas the ensemble dresses in modern day clothing. Furthermore, the proper diction is a contrast to the music which exhibits profanity and modern day themes. It is a unique and creative way to express the story. Robert W. Oppel, did an adequate job of directing the play. This is evident in the way that the performers methodically, yet naturally move. For example, when the characters touch or interact physically, it is not done in an awkward style, but gradual and relaxed. Even when they remove their microphones from their clothing, it is executed in a natural manner. There are many times when the characters remain perfectly still and do not move at all during a scene. It was an amazing and genuine display of talent. Certainly, the theme of â€Å"Spring Awakening† could be relevant to anyone. Oppression and topics such as child abuse, rape, suicide, abortion, and homo-sexuality will always exist. Hence, the play evokes the audience’s empathy by depicting these personal struggles among the youth living in the 19th century. In essence, I definitely enjoyed the play and was thrilled with the overall experience of live theater. I was skeptical at first about whether I would like the story, but was pleasantly surprised and blown away by what I saw. I would highly recommend this play to others, especially young adults and adults who are looking for a mature storyline. I would most certainly say I gained a respect for live theater. I give credit to everyone involved, especially the actors and actresses. They have only one chance to get it right and hold the courage to perform in front of a live audience.

Importance of Oedipus and Teiresias’ Conversation Essay

Oedipus Rex, a classic Greek play, was written almost 2500 years ago by a famous playwright named Sophocles. The play focuses on finding Laius’ killer but through the process, Oedipus finds out who he truthfully is. In Scene one lines 284-448 Oedipus is speaking to Teiresias a blind prophet, he asks Teiresias to reveal Laius’ killer. This passage has defining characteristics that are important to the play as a whole, which can be simply conveyed on stage. This passage helps develop and make the play more intriguing by showing how blind to the truth Oedipus really is. Before the beginning of the play Oedipus saves the people of Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx and becomes king virtually overnight. He proclaims his name proudly as though it were itself a healing charm â€Å"I have come myself to hear you-/ I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name.†(Prologue 9-10) what Oedipus does not realize is that he had killed Laius son of Labdakos on the way to the Sphinx. The play is based on finding the killer of Laius. Oedipus wants justice done and for the murderer to be banished from Thebes. Oedipus does what he can to make this happen. This includes a conversation with Teiresias. The passage starts off when a boy leads in the blind prophet Teiresias to Oedipus. Oedipus then begins to beg Teiresias to reveal who Laius’ murderer is, but Teiresias answers only that he knows the truth but wishes he did not. Puzzled at first, then angry, Oedipus insists that Teiresias tell Thebes Thebes what he knows. Provoked by the anger and insults of Oedipus, Teiresias begins to hint at his knowledge. Finally, when Oedipus furiously accuses Teiresias of the murder, Teiresias tells Oedipus that Oedipus himself is the curse on Thebes that he is in search for. Oedipus dares Teiresias to say it again, and so Teiresias calls Oedipus the murderer. Oedipus criticizes Teiresias powers wildly and insults his blindness by saying â€Å"You child of endless night! You can not hurt me or anyone who sees the light† (Scene I, line 359-360), but Teiresias only responds that the insults will eventually be turned on Oedipus by all of Thebes. Driven into a fury by the accusation, Oedipus proceeds to concoct a story that Creon and Teiresias are conspiring to overthrow him. The leader of the Chorus asks Oedipus to calm down, but Teiresias only taunts Oedipus further, by saying † I can say that you, with both your eyes, are blind: You can not see the wretchedness of your life, Nor in whose house you live, nor with whom. Who are your father and mother? Can you tell me? You do not even know the blind wrongs that you have done them, on earth and the world below.† (Scene I, line 399-404) This statement both infuriates and intrigues Oedipus, who asks for the truth of his parentage. Teiresias answers only in riddles, saying that the murderer of Laius will turn out to be both brother and father to his children, both son and husband to his mother. Teiresias is then led out by his page and Oedipus enters the palace. Oedipus remains blind to the truth until he can deny it no longer. As Teiresias told Oedipus: â€Å"To the children with whom the murderer lives now he will be/ Brother and father-the very same; to her/ who bore him, son and husband- the very same.† (Scene 1, line 441-444) When it became evident to Oedipus that he had killed Laius his father and married his mother Jocasta his life took a turn for the worst. It is at this point in the play where Oedipus learns that knowledge and a vision of his past, which brings evil, pain, and suffering into his life. Oedipus is not worried just for himself but also for his children who will now have to live in shame of their father. In the ending scenes of the play Oedipus takes Jocasta’s broach and punctures his eyes making him blind to all that was around him. This is ironic because in the passage in scene two Oedipus could see with all his eyes, but his mind was ignorant to the truth, and even though Teiresias was physically blind, he was always able to see what Oedipus refused to. The incident involving Oedipus and Teiresias shows how the power of ones mind can far exceed any physical ability of knowing the truth. Within this scene there are many different ways the script can be interpreted. Sophocles is not to explicit with written stage direction so  there is room for some  imagination. The scene starts off with Oedipus in centre stage and Teiresias being led to him by a page. Oedipus costuming is elaborate and of many colours, while Teiresias is a simple man dressed in brown, with a cane used to help guide him. Oedipus is higher on stage then Teiresias it is almost as if Oedipus is speaking down to Teiresias. During their conversation, Oedipus becomes desperate to find the murderer of Lauis and slowly comes down from the stage closer to Teiresias. As Oedipus is doing this his fate is slowly being diminished. He is slowly walking towards the truth that Teiresias holds. When Teiresias tells Oedipus the truth that he is in search for Oedipus becomes upset and says to Teiresias â€Å"Damnation/ Take you! Out of this place! Out of my sight!† (Scene I, line 418-419) Oedipus would start to show his power at this point by forcing himself on Teiresias and throwing his hands in the air displaying his anger. Teiresias being blind would not see all of this anger. As Oedipus gets fed up with the situation he asks for Teiresias to leave and enters the palace. Even though this play was written 2500 years ago, Oedipus Rex is still a play in which one can relate to. Many people in society today are blind when is comes to their past and to certain events which affects them in a negative way. People think that the only was to conquer this blindness is to seek out the truths that they are looking for, whether it is in their past or their present. Oedipus’ conversation with Teiresias has the defining characteristics of blindness and sight that help develop the play as a whole. The script does not give much stage direction which leaves room for the reader to use their imagination. All these components of the passage add to the understanding of the passage and the play as a whole.

Apush Notes: Conquering a Continent 1861-1877 Essay

* Essential Question: What factors helped advance the integration of the national economy after the Civil War? Section 1: The Republican Vision: * Integrating the National Economy: * Reshaping the former Confederacy after the Civil War supplemented a Republican drive to strengthen the national economy to overcome limitations of market variations that took place under previous Democratic commands. * Failure to fund internal improvements left different regions of the country disconnected, producing the Civil War, Republicans argued. * During the Civil War and after, the Republican-dominated Congress made strong use of federal power, passing protective tariffs that gave U.S. manufacturers a competitive advantage against foreign firms. * Republican administrations would strengthen the economy through a massive public-private partnership that modern historians argue represents a turn away from a laissez-faire or â€Å"hands off† approach of previous administrations towards the economy. * Railroad developments in the United States began well before the Civil War but peaked after the Civil War. By 1900, virtually no corner of the country lacked rail service. * Railroads transformed American capitalism by adopting a legal form of organization, the corporation, enabling them to raise private capital in large amounts. * Along with the transformative power of railroads, Republicans’ protective tariffs also helped build thriving U.S. industries. A Civil War debt of $2.8 billion was erased during the 1880s by a $2.1-billion-dollar income from tariffs. * Fierce tariff debates marked American politics in the 1880s and 1890s. Democrats argued that the tariff had not slowed poverty in the United States. * Protective tariffs had also helped to foster the growth of trusts, giant corporations that dominated whole sectors of the economy and wielded monopoly power. * The rise of railroads and trusts prompted a pushback by companies against new state and federal regulatory laws. In Munn v. Illinois (1877), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states possessed the right to regulate businesses, but not at the expense of fragmenting the national marketplace. * In the Southwest, federal courts promoted economic development at the expense of racial justice. Although the United States had taken control of New Mexico and Arizona after the U.S. Mexican War of 1848, much of the land still remained in Mexican American hands by the 1870s. * As the post–Civil War years brought railroads and Anglo-American settlers, Mexican Americans lost 64 percent of their lands through special courts that ruled on land titles. * The Santa Fe Ring was a notorious group of politicians and lawyers who conspired to defraud Mexican Americans of their lands. * After the Civil War, U.S. and European policymakers attempted to transform their economies to the gold standard. But basing money supplies on gold was a divisive issue that framed U.S. politics for a generation. * In 1873, Congress directed the U.S. Treasury, over a six-year period, to retire the greenback paper dollars issued during the Civil War and replace them with notes from an expanded system of national banks. After 1879, the Treasury exchanged notes for gold upon request. * Silver adherents received a modest victory when Congress passed the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, requiring the United States to coin a modest amount of silver. * Republican nationalist policies fostered rapid economic growth in the form of an expansion of telecommunications, corporations, and capital, making the United States a mighty industrial power by 1900. * The New Union and the World: * Following the Civil War, the United States achieved greater leverage with foreign nations like Britain. American expansionists expected to add more territories to the nation. The use of the Hawaiian Islands and the invention of steam transportation facilitated expansion off the continent to places like Japan in the 1850s. * Union victory also increased trade with Latin America. Mexico freed itself from French rule in 1867, but risked economic manipulation by its larger northern neighbor, the United States. * International trade became a new model for asserting power in Latin America and Asia. Under the leadership of Secretary of State William Steward (1861–1869), the United States embraced China and Japan, forcing the Japanese to remain open to trade. * Seward also advocated the purchase of strategic locations for naval bases and refueling stations, such as land in Nicaragua for a canal, Hawaii, and the Philippines. * In 1868, Seward achieved a significant victory with congressional approval of the Burlingame Treaty with China, regulating immigration. The same year, Seward also purchased Alaska from Russia, further establishing the United States as a global power. Summary: * Essential Question: What factors drew homesteaders to the Great Plains, and what role did they play in the Republicans’ vision for the post-Civil War nation? Section 2: Incorporating the West: * Cattlemen and Miners: * Conquest and development of the American West became the domestic foundation for national supremacy in the late 1800s. Farm development was as vital as factory development to Republican policymakers. * Republicans sought to bring families to the West by offering 160 acres of land through the Homestead Act. * Innovative federal policies, such as the U.S. Geological Survey, helped in 1879 to open up western lands managed under a new Department of the Interior. * Federal policies helped to incorporate the trans-Mississippi West. As railroads crossed the country, thousands of homesteaders filed land claims. * To make room for cattle, professional buffalo hunters eliminated the buffalo. * Texas ranchers inaugurated the famous Long Drive, hiring cowboys to herd cattle hundreds of miles north to the railroads that pushed west across Kansas. * As soon as railroads reached the Texas range country during the 1870s, ranchers abandoned the Long Drive. Stockyards appeared beside railroad tracks in large Midwestern cities like Chicago. These places became the center of a new industry, meatpacking. * Sheep raising also became a major enterprise in the high country of the Rockies and the Sierras. * In the late 1850s as California gold panned out, other mineral discoveries helped to develop the Far West in places like Nevada, the Colorado Rockies, South Dakota’s Black Hills, and Idaho. The Comstock Lode in Nevada was a major silver discovery. * At some sites, miners found copper, lead, and zinc that eastern industries demanded. The insatiable material demands of mining triggered economic growth at many far-flung sites, such as Pueblo, Colorado, which smelted ore. * Remote areas turned into a mob scene of prospectors, traders, gamblers, prostitutes, and saloonkeepers; prospectors made their own mining codes and often used them to exclude or discriminate against Mexicans, Chinese, and blacks. * California created a market for Oregon’s produce and timber. * Homesteaders: * Upon first encountering the Great Plains, Euro-Americans thought the land barren, and referred to it as the Great American Desert. * Railroads, land speculators, steamship lines, and the western states and territories did all they could to encourage settlement of the Great Plains. * New technology—steel plows, barbed wire, and strains of hard-kernel wheat—helped settlers to overcome obstacles. * Between 1878 and 1886, settlers experienced exceptionally wet weather, but then the dry weather typical of the Great Plains returned, and settlers fled recently settled land. * â€Å"American fever† took hold in northern Europe as Norwegians and Swedes came to the United States. * For some southern blacks known as Exodusters, Kansas was the Promised Land; by 1880, 40,000 blacks lived in Kansas—the largest concentration of blacks in the West aside from Texas. * By the turn of the century, the Great Plains had fully submitted to agricultural development. In this process, there was little of the â€Å"pioneering† that Americans associated with the westward movement; farming required capital investment and the willingness to risk boom and bust cycles just like any other business. * Although miners, lumber workers, and cowboys were overwhelmingly men, many women accompanied families as homesteaders. * The Republican ideal of national economic development through farm building supported the cultural value of domesticity. Spread widely before and after the Civil War, domesticity held that it was a man’s devotion to his wife and childr en that caused him to work hard and be thrifty and responsible. * Domesticity produced a political clash with the Mormon Church, whose adherents practiced polygamy. Along with voting rights, this issue framed gender political controversies during Reconstruction. * Women’s rights expanded when Wyoming granted women the right to vote in 1869. Towns in Kansas in the 1880s elected women as mayors and as city professionals. Women were increasingly leaving the home to work. * Yet the majority of rural women lived under harsh frontier conditions. Rolvaag’s contemporary work, Giants in the Earth portrayed the fear and isolation of Norwegian immigrant women on the Dakota vast prairie. * Debt and Aridity: * Farm prices dropped in the late 1800s as technological innovation and global expansion glutted markets for wheat, cotton, and corn. * Farmers also faced the problem of being small producers in a marketplace that rewarded economies of scale, giving large corporations the advantage of undercutting farmers. In the 1880s, farmers would launch one of the most powerful protest movements in the history of American politics. * A hostile environment existed on the Great Plains in the form of grasshoppers, prairie fires, hailstorms, droughts, tornadoes, blizzards, the lack of water, and minimal wood supplies. Many families built homes made of sod. * By the late 1880s, over 50,000 homesteaders had fled the Dakotas and many others gave up their settled lands. Dry farming techniques helped to alleviate some of the challenges of Great Plains farming. But it favored the growth of large corporations. Family farms required over 300 acres to survive low prices and harsh weather conditions. * By 1900, about half of the nation’s cattle and sheep, one-third of its cereal crops, and nearly three-fifths of its wheat came from the Great Plains. But environmental costs multiplied as wasteful anti-biodiversity agricultural practices continued. * Encouragement from experts like John Wesley Powell, a geologist who explored the West, to infuse federal funding into western development ignited a debate over corporate versus small family farms. * Rampant overdevelopment led to a preservation movement by Congress. In 1864, Congress gave 10 square miles of the Yosemite Valley to California for public use. In 1872, Congress set aside 2 million acres of Wyoming’s Yellowstone Valley as a public park for tourism, a new western industry on the rise. * Indian eviction accompanied land preservation. In 1877, the Nez Perce under Chief Joseph and the Bannock tribe of Indians utilized Yellowstone for survival as they fled forced reservation life by the federal military. * The military decided that killing buffalo would help reduce resistance of the Great Plains tribes. They had signed treaties in 1867 and 1868 to ceded vast tracts of land and remain on reservations. Whites now wanted Indians to cede more lands. Summary: * Essential Question: How did the federal government’s relationship with Native Americans change in the decades following the Civil War? How did they stay the same? Section 3: A Harvest of Blood: Native Peoples Dispossessed: * The Civil War and Indians on the Plains: * Before the Civil War, Congress gave the Great Plains to Native Americans because they thought it could not be farmed. But railroads, steel plows, and the desire for land reversed that decision. * The Sioux and other tribes fought against federal government attempts to place them on reservations. In 1862 in Minnesota, the Sioux responded by massacring white settlers. President Lincoln hanged the leaders and exiled the remainder from the state. * The Dakota Sioux uprising escalated tensions elsewhere between whites and Indians. In 1864, Col. Chivington led his troops to commit the Sand Creek Massacre of Cheyenne in eastern Colorado. * The Sioux and Arapaho responded with more attacks. In December of 1866, the Sioux wiped out eighty men under Captain Fetterman and successfully closed the Bozeman Trail. * By 1869, public opinion had turned against warfare as an effective means to subdue Indian tribes. Congressional leaders searched for other options to deal with the â€Å"Indian probl em.† * Grant’s Peace Policy: * Christian reformers heavily influenced the Grant administration’s peace policy. Reformers argued that Indians could be transformed into whites through education and religious indoctrination, particularly of Indian youth in boarding schools. The first boarding school opened at Carlisle in 1879. * Corruption, racism, and denominational in-fighting reduced the effectiveness of the boarding school campaign. To Indian leaders, reformers became just another interest group. * Indian tribes were forced by political circumstances to accommodate. In 1871, Congress abolished further treaty-making with Indian tribes. * The Supreme Court further eroded tribal power in Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock (1903), stating that Congress could make any policies it chose and could ignore existing treaties. * In Ex Parte Crow Dog, the Court ruled that Indians were not citizens unless approved by Congress. Indians would remain wards of the government until the 1930s. * Another assimilation measure attempted to free Indians from their tribal past, this time through land taking. The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 held that all Indians would receive allotments of reservation land and the remainder would be sold to non-Indians. * The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ carelessness, corruption, and greed doomed the act. Fifteen million surplus acres alone were taken from tribes in Indian Territory by 1894, facilitating the birth of the state of Oklahoma. * Before Dawes, Indians had held over 155 million acres of land; by 1900, this had dropped to 77 million. By 1934, native peoples had lost 66 percent of their allotted lands. * The End of Armed Resistance: * By 1873, only Sitting Bull, the great Lakota Sioux leader, openly refused to go to a reservation. * A crisis came on the northern plains in 1876 when the Sioux refused to sell the Black Hills as demanded by the federal government. * On June 25, 1876, George A. Custer pursued a reckless strategy and suffered annihilation by Chief Crazy Horse’s Sioux and Cheyenne warriors at the Little Big Horn. This was the last victory of the Plains Indians against the U.S. Army. * The Apache hated their reservation, so they made life miserable for white settlers in the Southwest until their chief Geronimo was finally captured in 1886. The United States had completed its military conquest of the West. * Strategies of Survival: * Despite living on reservations and halting armed resistance, most native people continued to practice traditional languages, ceremonies, and arts. * Most native people also selectively adopted white ways such as use of the English language and skills such as agriculture. Most native people blended old and new ways. * One of the most famous native people who assimilated during this era was Dr. Charles Eastman, a Dakota Sioux boy trained in white schools to become a medical doctor. * The Ghost Dance movement symbolized the syncretism, or blending together, of white and Indian ways. The dance drew on Christian and native elements, spreading from reservation to reservation across the West and alarmed many local whites. On December 29, 1890, at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, U.S. Army soldiers massacred 150 Lakota Sioux people. The soldiers feared that the Ghost Dance would provoke war uniting Indian communities. * By 1890, the United States included forty states, an industrial economy that rivaled Britain and Germany, steady immigration, and inklings of becoming a major player in foreign places. A new American empire was forming abroad.

Critical Thinking 2 Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Thinking 2 - Speech or Presentation Example All the sectors are related and affect each other. a) For each unit change of an independent variable, the change in the quantity of Chevys sold or demanded is equivalent to the coefficient of the variable. Therefore; a unitary change in the following independent variables will cause a corresponding change in quantity demanded by; The increase in the price of tickets resulted into increased profits in the short-run. However, in the long-run, profits declined owing to the fact that in the long-run, the customer is not willing to purchase the ticket at an increased price. a) These goods conform to the law of demand. This is because the law of demand states that an increase in the price of a commodity would lead to decrease in its demand as consumers would be less willing to purchase the commodity at a higher price, thus leading to a negative price elasticity of demand. On the other hand, an increase in consumer’s income would lead to an increase in demand of the commodity as consumers are able to consume more of the commodity, thus leading to a positive income elasticity of

Improvement for Students Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Improvement for Students - Assignment Example Current practices in universities for seminars are that they invite guest speakers and they deliver briefly about the topic. Universities can improve the pattern of conducting seminars as seminars are fruitful in providing knowledge of the actual corporate world which is totally different from the student life (Education system 'needs urgent improvement'_(News) Article from Cape Times (South Africa) HighBeam Research). Normally, guest speakers in the seminars are at the leading post in the leading companies. An interactive session of seminar can improve the standard of seminars which can also help students when they enter professional lives. Interactivity in seminars can be created by not only delivering what speaker knows but also by giving them real life examples and situations to think how to act on those. Graphic novels are kind of comic books which have text based on the likings of teenagers and youngsters (Graphic Novels). Such novels can also be considered as literature as they have stories similar to the novels but are presented in a different writing style. These novels are considered as literature as it consist text related to literature as it has the written composition and has its own importance.

Business Report for Radisson Hotels and Resorts Case Study

Business Report for Radisson Hotels and Resorts - Case Study Example Additionally, Carlson and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) are equity holders of the Rezidor Hotel Group (Forbes); thus giving the name "Radisson SAS" outside the United States(Forbes). Moreover, it has established partner networks with more than 20 worldwide airline programs (Radisson SAS) as well as with major financial companies such as American Express, Diners Club, Discover Visa and Mastercard to provide their customers with special offers and promotions (Radisson SAS). Its vision is: "We want to be the most admired company in London and in Manchester"(Radisson Edwardian), while its mission is to provide 100% guest satisfaction (customers are able to report to the company if any dissatisfaction occurs and Radisson will take corrective action or guests are not required to pay that particular service), 100% employment engagement (i.e. full staff empowerment) as well as acquiring a positive cash flow (by keeping every customers and employees satisfied) (Radisson Edwardian). The hotel industry is facing many established competition, such as Four Seasons, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, Le Meridien, Marriot, etc. Thus to make itself outstanding and unique, providing quality service is a strategic action. Radisson's service guarantee statement should include a promise of providing only the best service, experienced and skilled employees to ensure customer satisfaction. If the company does not fulfill its commitment, hence the business promises to repay for its mistake. It should make it acknowledged by stating it in its business plan, code of conduct, in all of its hotels (in all rooms, at the lobby, etc.), in employee's and franchisee's contract as well as in its media, website, catalogues, brochures, email newsletters, etc; to make all of its employees, customers, franchisees aware of its commitment. Technological advancements have been developing very fast in recent years. Radisson should make use of this enhancement. The business could place a customer survey questionnaire at its website or send them via email. This action will allow the company to analyze and evaluate its customer opinion around the world and thus Radisson will be able to take corrective action to ensure that its commitment of providing 'customer satisfaction' is fulfilled. By having the internet available, the communication process between the company and its customers is enhanced; customers are able to contact Radisson and receive replies from the company more rapidly. This system reduces the possibility of not responding to certain customers and also reduces time delays. In order to guarantee employee and customer satisfaction, monitoring is essential. This can be done by undertaking performance appraisals, where employees fill out a form regarding their performance as well as complaints; with this the company is not only able to know its employees' dissatisfaction but how it has affected its performance. Feedback from performance appraisals will provide information for planning in training, recruitment, selection, development, rewards and separation. Radisson should also perform a grievance procedure (2-way communication system), where employees are able to communicate their complaints and employers are able to reprimand staff for conducting unsatisfactorily performance. The 2-way communication system enables an equality of power, a better relationship

Business Ethics Case Study, Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Ethics Case Study, Accounting - Essay Example The general manager identified the current hazardous waste disposal produce as an area in which the company could save money. Mr. Hendricks identified equipment that would give the company the capacity to recycle the solvents. He consulted two industry experts to estimate the cost savings the company would obtain by acquiring the equipment. The experts disagreed on the amount of savings to the company. The lower estimate of cost savings would increase the net income of the company, but the decrease its return on investment due to the high acquisition cost. The greater cost saving estimate increased both the net income and return on investment of Tie Chemicals. Mr. Hendricks is responsible for presenting the proposal to the general manager for approval. He must follow the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) concerning this area of accounting. A key GAAP concerning estimates is the principle of conservatism. This principles states that accountants are required in their work to make estimates and evaluation, deliver opinions, and selecting appropriate procedures. When they are realizing this type of work they must do without neither overstating nor understating the affairs of the business or the results of operation. â€Å"If a situation arises in which there are two acceptable alternatives for reporting an item, conservatism directs an accountant to choose the alternative that will result in less net income or less asset amount† (AccountingCoach). The cost accountant is concerned with all the stakeholders involved. He wants to do what is right for the environment, thus approval of the project would help the environment. The stockholders and the board of directors want to receive the maximum profits and return on investment. There is a direct relationship between the manager’s year end bonuses and the net income of the company. There is decision to be made

Product development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Product development - Assignment Example Product development process is basically an introduction of a new product which every company has to go through at a certain point of time. Individual’s needs and wants change with time, therefore it is essential for the organization to tailor an existing product or develop a new product in accordance to those needs. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the research would be to find out whether product development is the best way to gain competitive advantage and in doing so achieve the following objectives: Impact of product development in the current fast-moving environment. Identify how product development can result in higher market share. Background and Methodology Presently, competition has increased so much that it has become essential for every company to gain a competitive edge over its competitors by adopting various strategies and methods. The purpose of this study is to find out the role of product development in achieving competitive advantage and increasing companyâ⠂¬â„¢s market share. This research will be based on secondary data, where I would be going through various research reports, working papers and publications on product development. Literature Review: Though developing a new product is not at all an easy task to do, but to succeed and maintain your position in the industry, it is essential to build up a new product line. To do this, it is important to conduct a detailed survey in order to come up with a product that perfectly meets the requirements of your target market. Mark Abraham has defined product development as a process of creating and altering products delivered to the consumers and doing variations that are significant and demanded by the customers. He further said that an item can never be considered a product until it is not delivered properly. Therefore, the process of product development also includes various departments like marketing, testing, technical, quality service and many others within the organization. As ment ioned earlier product development is a complicated process and the positive result can only be achieved if this process is broken down into various steps and each step is successfully completed. New product development not only helps meet the needs and wants of an individual which in turn increases company’s overall sale but also helps maintain its competitive position. (Mark Abraham, 2011) In another study which was conducted by Khade and Alan it is said, companies in order to gain competitive advantage should offer customers with what they demand and at a cost they are willing to pay for it. Competitive advantage can be gained by different means but two most feasible methods include: utilizing experience curve and through product development or innovation. The intelligent use of both these methods can help in achieving a competitive advantage. When does a company have competitive advantage? It is when a company is ahead of its competitors in terms of quality products, profi t and attracting consumers. This can be done by producing superior products, providing excellent customer service and attaining lower cost. All this come under the process of product development. In today’s fast changing environment, it is difficult for the organizations to cope up with the growing needs of the people. Therefore, only organizations that are successfully able to meet these needs by developing new products are able to sustain their position in the market. (Khade, Alan S,2003) Presently, there are so many companies in a single industry that it has become difficult to compete. Competing on services and price is not enough in current

Critically analyse financial statemebt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critically analyse financial statemebt - Essay Example c. Cash Flow - cash flows provides the business’ operating, investing, and financing cash flows over a specified period. It reconciles the changes on the cash on hand at end of a period with the beginning balance by including the income derive from non-cash revenue and expenses â€Å"by adjusting net income for non-cash revenues and expenses† (Tempte, 2005). d. Statement of Changes in Owners’ Equity – the change in owner’s equity happens when a business profits, its asset value changes and when its owners adds more capital or made withdrawals against the business (McGrann, 1998). Sole trader or single proprietorship is a business owned solely by an entrepreneur where owner assumes all responsibilities pertaining to the business and do not distinguish between the owner and the business. In effect, he or she also carries the whole burden of the business’s liability. In the event that loss occurs, the liability will affect and extend to the owner’s finances. With regard to its income statement, a sole trader has to pay tax on the business net profit and in the event that the net profit is over a certain threshold, the owner has to pay the Value Added Tax (VAT) of 17.5%. This VAT rate however has been decreased to 15% in consideration of the recent financial crisis. With regard to reporting for taxation purposes, a complete income statement and balance sheet should be submitted to HMRC. The owner is responsible for keeping all the expenses for a certain tax year. The financial statement of a sole trader is straightforward where accounts are simpler compared to limited companies where entries vary due to the complexity of the business. It involves deduction of expenses from sales to arrive at the taxable net profit or loss (which of course not taxable anymore because it is a loss). Limited companies are also called as Joint stock companies or partnership where owners or

Advanced Manufacturing Processes I( Laser Manufacturing ) Assignment

Advanced Manufacturing Processes I( Laser Manufacturing ) - Assignment Example This is in the aim of supporting the dental prosthesis i.e. denture, bridge, crown, or facial prosthesis in addition to acting as an orthodontic anchor (Graf, 2014). Usually made of titanium, these are implanted through the biological process of osseointegration, aiding in the formation of an intimate bond to the bone. In general, such a biomedical implant usually comprises of a metal base structure, and a deposit (comprising of a first metal and an anti-microbial material) formed onto a metal base structure wherein the formed deposit is not derived by either electro-plating or anodization. Apart from titanium, the metallic dental prostheses are also made of platinum, stainless steel, gold, tantalum and cobalt-chrome amongst other alloys (Pompa, et.al 2015:1). Typically, implants and dental prostheses consist of a titanium (tooth-root resemblance) screw, having either a smooth or a roughened surface. Notably, most of the dental implants used are manufactured using commercially unalloyed titanium that is available in four different grades. The grades are differentiated by the amount of iron, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon contained. The cold work toughened CP4, containing maximum impurity levels of 0.50% of Fe (Iron), 0.40% Oxygen, 0.015% Hydrogen, 0.10% Carbon, and 0.05% Nitrogen, is the most widely utilized titanium for various bio-medical implants. An auxiliary component such as the Grade 5 Titanium (6AL-4V), which is a bit harder than the CP4; contains 4% vanadium alloy and 6% aluminium. It is mainly utilized in the manufacture of abutments and abutment screws that aid in the implantation process, as well as holding the prostheses in place. The importance of Titanium in bio-medical dental prostheses amongst other functionalities is influenced by core characteristics, which make it highly durable (Gu, Meiners,

Bruce Feilers Walking the Bible Essay Example for Free

Bruce Feilers Walking the Bible Essay Bruce Feiler gives his readers new perspectives on the background of the events told in the Five Books of Moses, and on the Bible itself. The book is concerned with how the land itself had a deep influence (and still has a deep influence) on the bible and the spiritual culture of the people, and the author attempts to demonstrate how the bible is still relevant today. The book is an attempt to provide a cultural and historical context for the Bible. It is peppered with the authors thoughtful insights on the relationship of the land and its people, and relates the path of (re)discovery of faith as a result of the journey, while also providing a good starting point for anyone desiring to travel through the Middle East. The book, of course, is not an objective, scholarly work, and should not be taken as such. Although scholarly views of the events outlined in the five books and of the land and culture relevant to these events are presented, it is by no means a scientific work, as obvious from the religious theme of the book. Feiler takes the reader on a two-year exploration of the first five books of the Bible, by actually trekking through the land in which the events in the five books occur. The land itself is the focus of the book. He provides his insights on the effects of the land of the people, ancient and modern, and relates the views of the Jews on the relationship between god and the people. He describes the wilderness as instrumental in uniting the ancient Israelites as a people. He describes his experience in the desert, the journey through which Feiler states is the core of the first five books. It is in the desert where he experienced the â€Å"raw human emotion involved in being in a stark place, confronting the limitations of ones upbringing, and trying to forge a new identity in the midst of a difficult, transforming journey. † Feiler did not have a strong motivating purpose at the start of his journey, but he relates the significant change in attitude that the journey brought to himself. His initial intention was merely to be a tourist of sorts, using the Bible as a travel guide to experience and appreciate the land in which the events in the first five books of the Bible occur, but when he starts his journey, he finds out that there is a palpable â€Å"connection† between the land and the people, and he stops seeing the Bible as merely a travel guide. Through his journey he develops insights into himself concerning his faith, particularly on his identity as a Jew. Feiler â€Å"rediscovers† his faith as a result of this journey, and provides some unique perspectives on the five books of Moses. Of course, as it focuses on the land, the book is also a travel memoir, a travel guide of sorts, providing useful tidbits for readers intending to journey there as well. Through his gustatory descriptions of geographical features, he manages to convey his impression of the sacredness of the land. He provides some background on scientific and historical arguments that have concerned the authenticity of the bible, but ultimately demonstrates that such concerns on empirical facts have little bearing on faith. He also outlines the influences of Israels relationships with neighboring lands, particularly Egypt and Mesopotamia, and how the culture of Israel was deeply connected to the land itself. The book focuses on faith, on history, and on travel, all in the context of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. As a work of literature, it is not outstanding. As a travel memoir, it provides some useful and entertaining facts about the geography and culture of Israel. But the book is mostly focused on the author himself, on his views and insights gained from his journey; the book succeeds ultimately as a spiritual undertaking.

Creating a database Essay Example for Free

Creating a database Essay Introduction RS Supplies in London is a small business which specialises in the import and export of specialist medical equipment for hospitals as well as for other independent businesses. At the moment all orders have to be processed manually including invoices as there is no order processing system. However, the clientele is growing and Mr Parkes wishes to have a computerised order processing system. He has a computer which is used for typing up and storing invoices, but feels that a computerised system for processing orders and producing invoices is needed. User Requirements. Specifically he would like a system which will:   Hold details of customers and stock;   Process and calculate orders;   Print and store invoices;   Hold and check customer payment details ANALYSIS Initial Investigation Mr Parkes was interviewed to find out more detail about the proposed new order processing system. Payments Any orders for i 10,000 or less will have been paid in advance by customers, and an invoice will follow the payment. Orders for more than i 10,000 require instructions from the customer, therefore in invoice will be sent to the customer and the payment will follow this. Supplier orders and payments. The ordering of products (stock), and payment for them, will not form part of the new system. This will be handled manually by the user. Integration with existing system Each month a record of all payments from customers (in the form of invoices) will be stored in an archive file. This file will be deleted after being copied to an archive file in the existing system. This process will be repeated at the end of each month. Hardware and software Mr Parkes currently has a Pentium 3 500MHz PC with 64MB RAM, 10Gb hard disk and an inkjet printer. He uses Windows 98 as the operating system and has Microsoft Office XP installed on the system. This hardware will be sufficient enough to implement a system. The new system will be developed on a college network and on a desktop similar to the one described above. All files will need to fit on a 31/2 floppy disk for easy transportation between home and college, and some files may need to be compressed. The college network uses 800MHZ Pentium Dell PCs with 128MB RAM and are connected to both a laser and inkjet printer. A comparison of available solutions and software packages can be found in the Design Section. Users skill level Mr Parkes uses his PC for word processing and calculating orders as well as using the internet and E-mail. He is familiar with Internet Explorer, Word and Excel, but has never encountered Access. Data flow diagram The following data flow diagram illustrates the process of entering orders, invoicing and payments Objectives of the new system The system must perform the following functions:   Allow customer details and orders to be entered and edited easily and quickly   Allow invoices to be calculated, created, stored and printed Allow payment details to be entered and stored   Security of data via passwords and backup of data   Allow the user to search for specific products Performance Indicators The following are performance indicators: 1. The system must be flexible and versatile enough to hold any number of orders/invoices for a particular client. 2. Invoices should be calculated and printed in under 2 minutes. 3. The system should backup the information quickly and must be accessible easily. 4. It must take no longer than 10 seconds to search for a particular product. 5. It must not take longer than 5 seconds to search for the details of a particular customer. 6. The system must be able to allow the user to contact a client for any purpose by phone or e-mail. DESIGN Consideration of solutions There are a number of methods of developing the new system. 1. Manual system. This would be very tedious as invoices have to be word processed, printed and then kept in a folder for future reference. Clients would have to send an order by fax only and not over the phone, which means that the user would have to look up products and their prices in catalogues which would be very time-consuming. The calculation of invoices would be a lengthy process and there may be a lot of errors. 2. Spreadsheet system. This would allow Mr Parkes to keep details of customers, products and payments on separate sheets. The calculation of invoices would be made easier to some degree. However, it would take a long time to enter data and the format of reports is much harder in Excel as well. 3. A purposely designed system. This would obviously have a lot of advantages as the system would cater for every aspect of the business activities and functions. However the cost of this kind of package is very high and Mr Parkes would have to think twice before going ahead with this. 4. Existing system. The existing system doesnt have the ability to calculate, store and print invoices and consists of a very lengthy procedure (as stated in Manual system above), so it would not be appropriate. 5. Access database. The new system can be developed using Access, as it is a relational database which is currently installed on the users computer and on the college network. Final choice software This system will be implemented using Access XP. This package is suitable as it has many features which can be used in developing the system, such as:   The ability to link tables via a primary key and foreign key;   The ability to create a menu by using the switchboard function;   The use of macros to automate certain tasks;   The use of mail merge to create standardised documents; The ability to set a password to prevent unauthorised access;   Facilities which allow the creation of reports which can be formatted as required, and previewed before printing. Database design Entity-relationship diagram There are four entities in the database related as follows: Table design The four tables are defined as follows: CUSTOMER TABLE Field Name Data Type Description/Validation CUSTOMER ID Text (5) Primary key CUSTOMER NAME Text (20) ADDRESS Text (50) TELEPHONE NUMBER 1 Number Long Integer TELEPHONE NUMBER 2 Number Long Integer MOBILE NUMBER Number Long Integer FAX NUMBER Number Long Integer. Text (40) PRICE Number Long Integer, Currency QUANTITY Number Long Integer TOTAL Number Long Integer, Currency Form Design There will be four forms for data entry: CUSTOMER FORM This form allows the user to add, edit and delete customer details, as well as allowing the user to contact a customer using an AutoDialer. PAYMENT FORM This allows the user to import customer details from the Invoice form, enter the total amount of a customers order, and store the data in the Payment table. INVOICE FORM This allows the user to enter the details of a customers order(s), such as the product and its price etc. It also allows the user to create and print an invoice for any customer. The user can contact customers via e-mail through the use of a hyperlink to the e-mail client. PRODUCT TABLE This allows the user to add, edit and delete products. FORM Query design All processing of data will be carried out using queries which are run by macros on specific forms as described below: 1. Query1 When an order is entered through the Invoice form, the data is stored in Invoice table. From this table, the data is sent to the query, which allows the user to search for a specific order and check the details. This is possible because an expression is entered in the criteria section of the Customer ID field in the query. Invoices are created and printed from this form via a report with the same name as the query. 2. ProductQuery The user can search for specific products using the PRODUCT CODE. The following expression will be entered into the criteria section of the Product Code field of the query: [ENTER PRODUCT CODE]. When the query is opened, a dialogue box will appear asking the user to enter the product code, after which the query appears displaying the relevant data. 3. PAYMENT This allows the user to search for the payment details of QUERY specific customers using their CUSTOMER ID. The expression: [ENTER CUSTOMER ID], is entered in the Criteria section of the Customer ID field in the query. This displays the total amount of the order. 4. CUSTOMER QUERY This query uses the same expression as that for Payment Query to display the contact details of a specific customer. Report design Reports are used to produce the invoice as they can be customised by the user. Query1 This report is used to create the invoice. It is made from the query of the same name. The invoice structure consists of the records for each product a customer Macro design Macros are used for opening and closing forms, queries and reports, as well as importing data from one form to another, backup of tables, message boxes and record navigation. QTYmacro This is a macro which imports the Customer name and ID from the Customer Order Form to the Payment Form. (This is run when the user clicks on IMPORT CUSTOMER DETAILS on the Payment Form, but only runs when the Customer Order Form is open and minimised) MSG11 This macro displays two dialogue boxes when certain conditions in the design of the macro are satisfied. This macro is attached to the Total field on the Payment Form. (This macro is run when the user enters an amount in the Total field, which is less than i 10,000 or greater than i 10,000 and then clicks on CHECK PAYMENT) BACKUP INVOICE TABLEmacro This macro is used to backup data from the Invoice table to a database on a floppy disk. (This macro is run when the user clicks on BACKUP INVOICE TABLE on the Backup Form. There are three more macros like this which copy the tables in Table design above to the floppy disk) Menu design The menu will be created manually. Below are the notes on the implementation of the menu: There will be six buttons on the main menu which open the following forms: The main menu will appear automatically when the database is opened, and the main database window will be hidden. The application will show the company name and logo in the top left-hand corner (Title bar) of the application window. This will be done using TOOLS, STARTUP. Security The database will be password protected as it is vital that only authorised personnel have access to the database. All printed invoices will be stored in a separate file and kept safely in an archive, therefore fraud/tampering with documents can be avoided. Test Strategy The test strategy will include the following:   The testing of each form, macro, report query;   Testing the functionality of the system i. e. each menu item, command button;   Checking the system by running through a series of tests;   Establishing whether or not the system meets the end-users requirements. Test plan Test No. Test Expected result 1. Test password/startup Only 147 accepted and Main menu opens with company logo and name 2. Test Main Menu options All forms open correctly, Application closes when CLOSE selected. 3. Delete customer record for DJ001 Record deleted 4. Check that totals are calculated correctly by opening Query1 for AP001 Query opens showing all records for AP001 with correct totals 5. Check Invoice details for AP001 Invoice opens in print preview showing all records for AP001 6. Check Print Invoice function for AP001 Invoice prints correctly 7. Check AutoDialer for D. JACKSON Number dialled correctly 8. Check E-mail hyperlink Correct web page (www. hotmail. com) opened 9. Check Backup of Invoice Table The backup is successful and no error messages appear 10. Check Import of customer details for AP001 Details imported successfully 11. Check CHECK PAYMENT function for AP001. Dialogue box appears displaying the message CONTACT CUSTOMER FOR INSTRUCTIONS 12. Test Quit Application Application closes when CLOSE selected Test data set 1: Customer Table Test data set 2: Invoice table Test data set 3: Test data set 4: User testing The system will be tested by the end-user. This testing may reveal some functions and features of the system which do not work as the user would have liked them to. IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING Test results Test 1: Test password/startup (Only 147 accepted) (Main menu opens after correct password is entered, displaying company name and logo on title bar) Test 2: Test Main Menu options. (All forms open, application closes when CLOSE is selected see screenshots in User Guide. ) Test 3: Delete customer record for DJ001 (Record deleted after DELETE RECORD was selected) Test 4: Check that totals are calculated correctly by opening Query1 for AP001 The invoice is calculated by selecting the required products from the combo boxes, entering the quantity required of each product, then clicking in the Total field to calculate the total for that record. Each successive product is entered by the same procedure, except that a new record has to be added for every new product which is to be entered. Below is a screenshot of the Invoice form from which the details of AP001 will be imported. The Invoice form is minimised and the IMPORT CUSTOMER DETAILS button on the Payment form is selected to perform the operation, as shown on the next page. The above screenshot shows the imported details for AP001 (The details were imported successfully) Test 11: Check CHECK PAYMENT function for AP001 The above screenshot shows the dialogue box PAYMENT CHECK. (The dialogue box appears displaying the message CONTACT CUSTOMER FOR INSTRUCTIONS) Test 12: Test Quit Application (Application closes when CLOSE is selected and the above screen is displayed. ) EVALUATION Performance criteria 1. The system can hold any number of orders for a particular client because each client has a unique CUSTOMER ID which distinguishes one customers order from another customers order. 2. It takes around 1-2 minutes to calculate, view and print a customers invoice. 3. The system is able to backup the tables, which hold important information, easily and can be accessed quickly as well. 4. It takes a maximum of 5 seconds to search for a particular product. 5. It takes around 5 seconds to search for the details of a customer, whether its payment details or contact details. 6. The system allows the user to contact a customer by both telephone and e-mail. USER MANUAL Introduction This application is designed to:   Hold details of customers and their orders;   Hold details of products;   Create and print invoices;   Allow the user to search for both customers and products. It is designed to run on a PC with Windows 98 as its operating system and needs Access XP to be installed. It requires around 2 Mb of disk space to store the application and at least the same again to store data. Starting the system Load Access XP and from the menu select File, Open. The database is called RS Supplies. Security and passwords You will be asked to enter the password on opening the database. The password is currently 147, but you should change this immediately by opening the database in OPEN EXCLUSIVE mode, then select Tools, Security, Unset Database Password. The main menu When the correct password is entered, the main menu will open, as shown below: The Invoice Form The Backup Form The Product Query (Product Query for product code C5073) The Payment Form The Customer Form Invoice Form Selecting this form will bring up the following: Calculate and print invoices The following steps are used to calculate and print invoices:   The combo boxes on the right-hand side are used to enter information in the corresponding text boxes on the left-hand side;   The quantity of a product is typed in manually;   Once all data has been entered, click on the TOTAL text box;   This calculates the total for the chosen quantity and adds VAT at 17. 5%; If more products need to be added, simply click on NEW RECORD and enter the CUSTOMER ID, then carry on as above;   Once the order is complete, go back to the first record and click on MAKE INVOICE. You will be asked to enter the Customer ID. After this, the query opens, check the data, then close the query.   You will return to the Invoice Form, where you click on V  Enter the total amount of the order in the TOTAL field;   Click on CHECK PAYMENT to determine whether or not a payment has been made for that order. Quit Application This is done by clicking on CLOSE on the main menu. However, this doesnt close Access. Backups You should backup the database to a floppy disk at regular intervals, and store the disk in a safe place. TECHNICAL MANUAL This manual is for more experienced users of Access as this allows the user to maintain or enhance the system. Macros The screenshot of the macro MSG11 gives an overview of the message box macro: This macro is attached to the On Click event property of the CHECK PAYMENT button on the Payment form The above two screenshots show the macro MSG11 in design view. There are two different conditions which display two different messages. The screenshot of the macro QTYmcr gives an overview of the SetValue macro: This is a SetValue macro which imports data from the Invoice form to the Payment form. This screenshot of the BACKUP INVOICE TABLEmacro gives an overview of the copy object macro: This macro is used to copy the INVOICE TABLE from the database RS Supplies.

Music Production

Music Production Music Production: 1.What are the issues concerning file formats, size and quality when exporting a finished track from Logic/Cubase? There are several issues to consider when exporting a finished track from a DAW, the major one being the destination of a piece of music. Be it CD, Vinyl or I Tunes they all have their own format issues. To store digital audio the audio voltage is sampled which, on playback, corresponds to a certain levels of signal in an individual channel, with the resolution (sample rate) you chose to use. This data can then be stored uncompressed or compressed to reduce the size, naturally even though a huge 94khz 32 bit file would sound amazing, it would be huge and for stuff like websites or for people to store on their I tunes the size needs to be compressed. DAWs like Logic or Cubase have options when you export as to which format you want. For mastering for vinyl there are many issues, lets start with the basics. The volume of your record is directly linked to the total time of each side. This means if you intend to have it played in clubs by DJs, the most time per side should be around 12-13 minutes for 12† records. When the side length is less than 9 minutes, the loudness will be at the maximum for 33 1/3 rpm cuts. However for every minute over 13 minutes per side, you lose about 1 db in volume on the side in most cases. This is noticeable when a vinyl is pressed with two tracks on each side therefore comprising on volume and you also get the so-called â€Å"S† distortion (sibilance). When the master has too much high frequency on vocal â€Å"S†, â€Å"T†, and â€Å"F† sounds, it will end up overloading on playback, causing noticeable distortion. This also happens when hi-hats, cymbals, and any high frequency sounds that are in your mixes are too hot. This can also mean the louder yo ur record is cut, the worse the problem will be. The same applies for bass and if you have a track with heavy sub bass that has been mastered badly the bass can eat up all the headroom in the mix and also heavy bass cuts a bigger groove into the vinyl taking up more space. So you can have all the fun you want for compact disc mixing. But for vinyl mixes, its suggested by mastering companies to not add compression or any digital processing, leave the mix for vinyl production as untouched as possible. For CD the issues are that you need stereo 16 bit 44.1 kHz files (the format for CD audio) they require about 5 MB of disk space per channel per minute. So for example, 2 minutes of CD audio requires 20 MB of disk space. 2 channels times 5 MB times 2 minutes = 20 MB. Using a greater bit rate or sample rate will increase the disk space required, and will also increase demands on the computers hard drive and processor. CD mastering engineers recommend they will need a mix that peaks at -3dB. The whole mix should not be compressed, unless by a very experienced engineer using a very good compressor. Too many mixes are submitted to that have been over-compressed using a cheap plug-in. This cannot be removed. As far as archiving and storing your completed project safely and properly, first of all back up your project on to external hard drives being sure to collect all the samples and consolidate each time you save. As far as which file format to use there is one major uncompressed audio format, PCM, which is usually stored as a â€Å".wav† on Windows or as â€Å".aiff† on Mac OS. WAV and AIFF are flexible file formats designed to store more or less any combination of sampling rates or bitrates. This makes them suitable file formats for storing and archiving an original recording. By storing your project in this format you can load it up again and export a compressed or mastered version for different destinations. References: http://www.wikirecording.org/File_formats#Audio http://www.urpressing.com/advice.php http://www.littlebazaar.co.uk/pages/digital-audio-cd-mastering.php 2.Use an imaginary budget of  £3000 for each, put together an equipment list for two possible computer based recording setups: a permanent PC based studio/home setup for an artist/producer working largely alone, and a mobile Mac based setup for recording bands. Evaluate the software and hardware options for each, and the specifications and performance of the desktop/laptop you choose. Portable I have gone for the cheapest macbook in the â€Å"pro† range as it offers better performance and room to upgrade, (the basic macbook doesnt even come with firewire!) I chose the Focusrite soundcard as I know there stable from my research and there reasonably priced. For software I chose Logic Pro as it goes hand in hand with the macbook and offers many recording features and easily handles recording multiple channels and can be used to mix a track without the need for a desk. For microphones I have chosen the best for the money and tried to cover all recording needs. I have also selected some good quality budget headphones for the engineer and the band as well as all the necessary leads I could think of and still come under  £3000. 1 x 13-inch Macbook Pro: 2.26GHz =  £918 Intel Core 2 Duo 2GB Memory 160GB hard drive SD card slot Built-in 7-hour battery NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card. 1 x Focusrite Saphire Pro 24 Firewire Soundcard =  £250 FireWire Interface Excellent routing flexibility and rock-solid driver stability. Two award-winning Focusrite pre-amps JetPLLâ„ ¢ jitter elimination technology I/O options: Two additional analogue inputs, six analogue outputs, ADAT inputs (for expanding the interface with, for example, Focusrites OctoPre), stereo SPDIF I/O and 2 virtual ‘loopback inputs Front panel 5-LED metering Zero-latency 18 x 8 DSP Mixer/Router software provided with Saffire PRO 24 Software: Logic Pro =  £150 Mics: 1 x AKG D112 =  £115 (The D 112 can handle high sound pressure levels making it perfect for Kick Drum recording) 2 x Shure SM58 =  £192 (classic industry standard used for all sorts of situations) 1 x Rhode NTK =  £379 (Valve Condenser Microphone for high-end recording applications, great for vocals) 1 x AKG C414 =  £525 (quality mic especially used for accurate, beautifully-detailed pickup of any acoustic instrument) Headphones: 1 x Sennheiser HD 25 Mk2headphones (for the producer/engineer) =  £150 â€Å" probably the most popular Pro headphones on the market. The HD25 Mk2 headphones have high quality closed cups help reproduce a superb all round sound. Features detatchable lead and comfortable headband† decks.co.uk 3 x AKG K99 =  £105 (less expensive so there are plenty to go around for band members etc.) Leads: 10 x XLR to XLR Microphone Lead. XLR male connector to XLR female connector. Two core screen cable 6mm diameter. Length 6M =  £8.12 each Top of Form 5 x XLR Jack Mic lead with XLR and 6.35mm jack connections. 10.0m length =  £9.45 each Bottom of Form Total =  £2912.45p References www.dv247.com www.akg.com www.store.apple.com/uk-storehttp://tweakheadz.com/ Permanent PC Based Studio/home setup for an artist/producer working largely alone For this setup I have focused on the idea that if the artist/producer was largely working alone at home, the best solution would be the sort of deal they offer at â€Å"Sonica Labs† one of the biggest retailers of high end custom built PCs designed to the best specifications (money permitting). If I had  £3000 to spend on a setup for home that would sound superb and enable me to do professional quality mixes and tracks I would go for this which is the cheapest option of this model from the Sonica Labs website, I know a lot of big producers use these and coupled with the RME Firewire soundcard, the UAD plugins card and Pro Tools you would have more than enough to keep you going. Although the  £3000 didnt allow for any monitors which if your serious can cost another  £3000 so I didnt even go there which I appreciate might be wrong but I really feel this deal would be the one to go for in the circumstances. 1 x Sonica Labs 19† Rack Mount HUSH-QXR / XLR8 Workstation (including all the components listed below) Intel Quad Core / Core i7 920 2.66GHz 6GB DDR3 triple channel (3 x 2gig) Seagate 500GB, 32MB cache, 7200 RPM, SATA II 2 x Seagate 1000GB, 32MB cache, 7200 RPM, SATA II Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit (or 32bit) Blu-ray disc burner HD DVD-ROM / DVDRW / CDRW RME Fireface 400 Firewire Soundcard Universal Audio UAD-2 Solo plug in card Protools M-POWERED 8 for M-AUDIO music systems Total =  £3004 References www.shop-sonica.com 3.Research and write an analysis of how networking practices can impact on the process of music production? The creation of networks has been a massive development in the process of music production. It has meant the use of small networks in studios or offices where computers on a network can all access a server where they can have shared hard drives. This sort of networking is extremely useful in such situations like in an audio for media editing studio where a whole group of people working with a huge library of sounds that would never fit on one computer can all access it with optical leads and run the samples from the networked hard drive. However, the topic of networks also covers the biggest network in the world, which is the Internet. Since its creation, which was originally an idea by the American military to transfer secret information and later for some universities in America to have a way to share information between separate universities, the Internet has boomed to say the least. It now means that networks our part of all of our day to day lives. The Internet is a hot topic in the music industry and the idea of everyone with an Internet connection being able to access files and share information with everyone in the world and cover more territories than an old record label or shop could ever of dreamed of has caused the sale of physical mediums like CD and Vinyl to drop, and meant a lot of independent record shops and big chains having to shut down, alongside I tunes announcing in April 2008 that; â€Å"The iTunes ® Store (www.itunes.com) surpassed Wal-Mart to become the number one music retailer in the US, based on the latest data from the NPD Group*. With over 50 million customers, iTunes has sold over four billion songs and features the worlds largest music catalog of over six million songs.† Along with this in 2010 they announced the 10 Billionth download! It is clear to see that the Internet isnt going to go away and the thing that scares the record companies when it comes to illegal downloads is that its so hard to police, it is now the case that people will use file sharing networks online to share files that can include illegal content such as musicians albums, singles and even vocal accapellas. It can even be a case of an artist completing an album that has taken years to produce only to have it leaked a month before the official release. It can mean huge problems for artists and they will employ people to search the Internet for these very leaks. I think the future for me and my independent label is bright and that has a lot to do with the internet as we hold the view that if we release our stuff digitally for free then bring out select tracks that people like to mix on vinyl we can focus on getting income from the live shows we get booked for, it is nice to have a physical CD but the idea of digital and using social networking a nd forums along with our own website to promote and get our music out there is the best way for us. References http://www.apple.com http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/resources/guides/g2/s2.htm

Carl Brashear Essay -- Essays Papers

Carl Brashear If it is difficulty that shows what men are, there should be no doubt about what kind of man Carl Brashear is. The Navy's first African-American Master Diver, Brashear faced difficulties that would have defeated most people. His spirit and determination resulted not only in his overcoming great odds to become a U.S. Navy diver, but also in his surviving the loss of a leg in an accident on the USS Hoist in 1966 - and more amazingly - in his attaining the rank of Master Diver. In the fall, Twentieth Century Fox will release The Diver, the story of Brashear's struggle. Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as Brashear. The film also stars Robert DeNiro as Billy Sunday, a senior officer and Master Diver who is at first another obstacle, but who ultimately helps Brashear overcome his crippling injury, as well as racism, bureaucracy. Brashear joined the Navy in 1948 at the age of 17. The film follows his acceptance into dive school, his training in the Mark V gear, and the accident that could have ended his career. Brashear's struggle to convince the Naval Bureau of Medicine and Surgery to allow him to continue diving is an integral part of the story. Carl Brashear was born in rural Kentucky in 1931. His family moved to Sonora, Ky., when he was only two weeks old. He grew up swimming in creeks and rivers near his home, but there was nothing to indicate that his life would take the twists and turns that eventually resulted in his spending almost 32 years in the U.S. Navy. Becoming not only the Navy's first African-American Master Diver, but also its first amputee diver. Brashear joined the Navy as a steward. He was sent to a Beach master’s unit in Florida, and there he first saw divers in Mark V gear. He was hooked. In 1949 he qualified using the Jack Browne rig, then progressed to the Mark V in 1953. Gaining official diver status was in itself quite an achievement at the time. Brashear attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer E7 and worked successfully, but relatively uneventfully, until March 26, 1966, when the determination that he had originally called upon to help him become a Navy diver would seem almost feeble in comparison to the tenacity that he would need in order to stay a Navy diver. On January 17, 1966, a U.S. Air Force B-52G bomber carrying a hydrogen bomb collided with a KC-135 refueling tanker off the coas... ...nstrated his ability to climb ladders and to dive. On the surface, he had to walk at least 12 steps, wearing the 290-pound helium/oxygen rig. He was also required to dive in scuba gear and engage in physical training with other dive school students. That physical training included calisthenics and running. When Brashear ran, scar tissue would break loose and blood would leak into his artificial leg. To prevent infection, he would remove the prosthesis and soak his leg in warm water laced with hydrogen peroxide or Betadine. He never told his doctors about the problem because, "I hadn't made Master Diver yet." That goal kept him going. In March of 1967, doctors finally Okayed his transfer to Second Class Diving School in Norfolk, VA. In April 1968, he was restored to full active duty and full diving status, the Navy's first amputee diver. Bibliography: MLA Citations Carl Brashear’s Story, http://www.discovery.com/stories/history/reelhistory/menofhonor.html Master Chief Carl Brashear http://web.usna.navy.mil/~finlayso/symposium/newpage10211112.html Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Carl Maxie Brashear, USN http://history.navy.mil/faqs/faq105-1.htm

My Philosophy of Education :: Teaching Teachers Educational Essays

My Philosophy of Education Mrs. Carson stands at the front of the classroom explaining the homework she had just assigned. She hears a few muffled voices in the back and directs her attention to those students. One of the boys raises his hand in a nervous manner wondering if he should follow through with the question. Mrs. Carson calls on him to speak and he asks, "When are we ever going to use this in the real world?" This question is one that every teacher hears his or her students ask. The question for me is, Should we change the curriculum of the school so students won't be able to ask that, or should we change the method of teaching in the classroom so the students won't want to ask that question?" In my opinion, the answer lies in the philosophical approaches of behaviorism and progressivism in the classroom. There are different aspects of behaviorism in which B.F. Skinner noted, that I would like to take into my class. I am a big advocate of positive reinforcement. I see where rewarding the students for doing something correctly and doing it well encourages them to continue in that like manner. In this approach, the students will learn the material even if they are not sure what effect it will have on them in their future. The goal in this philosophy is to turn the extrinsic rewards I give the students into intrinsic rewards, over a period of time. when I was in elementary and junior high school, the only reason I wanted to make good grades was for gifts (mostly money) and praise given by my parents and teachers. As I got a little older and went into high school and later college, I started wanting to do better because of the satisfaction I would find with myself. The philosophy of behaviorism also deals with the big role environment plays in a student's academic career. I completely agree. Throughout junior high and most of high school, I had the worst science teachers anybody could possibly imagine. In the ninth grade, my teacher was always preparing a lab for us...but during out class period. Amazingly, we never did anything because he could never find the right materials.

Evaluating Three Cell Phone Websites :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

Evaluating Three Cell Phone Websites Today, almost all people use cell phones. After buying a cell phone, people will choose which plan they will use. Now, there are many cell phone service companies in the US, so the cell phone users have to be careful when they choose the plans. Many cell phone service companies provide websites in order to give information to the cell phone users. The ease of use of the website, the information that it gives, the design and the organization of the website are the factors that will influence cell phone users in choosing their plan. In this paper, I will compare three different websites that contain information about cell phone plans. I chose T-mobile, Verizon and Sprint for comparisons. I chose T-Mobile because I am currently using T-mobile as my cell phone plan. I selected Verizon and Sprint because they are the leading competitors of T-mobile. The first website is T-Mobile. The T-Mobile website is owned by T-Mobile Company. This website is made to help their old customers to control their accounts and to get new information about T-Mobile. It is also made for the new customers, so that they can get information about T-mobile. Then, they can compare T-Mobile plans with other companies. The T-Mobile website is very simple and easy to read. It provides two choices, personal and business customers. For the personal choice, there are two options, individual and families, friends and couples. For the business choice, customers can learn and shop their products and services. These will make customers easier to use this website according to their needs. It is also completed with facility for the existing customers to log in into their accounts, so that the customers may check their accounts anytime. The T-Mobile website contains more information about coverage area and switching plan. The customers also can check the status of their order when they buy the product from T-Mobile. T-Mobile website offers opportunity for the users to find career in T-Mobile. It is such an advantage for the T-Mobile users. Besides those mentioned, this website provides information for the job seekers and the developers. This website also gives information about where the customers can find their store and how they can reach and contact them. Besides that, it also contains T-Mobile company information, so customers can know more about their company. This website is not only for United States users, but also for international users because it provides some sites for other countries like Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Russia and United Kingdom.

Prosecuting Cyber Bullying

Technology is frequently being used to display personal Information on social networking sites for everyone In the world to see. With this Instantaneous technology, the school bully has access to an easier, more harmful, and anonymous way to intimidate their victim. Cyber bullying has become a form of harassment that is creating a myriad of problems for teenagers and, therefore, needs to be dealt with properly.The sense of anonymity and the ability to disguise ones identity online increases Weber bullying activity by â€Å"making fun of, telling lies, spreading rumors, threats and sharing private Information or pictures [online]† (Lulls lines 31-32). In spite of the recent technological advancements, problems with bullying has existed for generations. At the click of a button, the threatening information that can be posted online can be seen throughout the world for anyone to see.Because more people have access to someone's private or embarrassing information, â€Å"an increa sed audience can often lead to more harmful bullying Incidents† (Macaque 27). Cyber lulling can be committed any where and at any time, therefore â€Å"the cyber bullies may not fully understand the Impact of their behavior on their victims† (Lulls line 9). Cyber bullying can negatively affect an individual and even lead to depression and thoughts of suicide. There are many well known stories of teenagers compelled to desperate, even suicidal acts after having been exposed to recurrent harassment by others online.For Instance, the devastating and well-known case off 13-year-old girl named Megan Meier, committed seclude allegedly due to cyber bullying (Macaque 141 After coming friends with a boy she met online, Megan, who had a lifelong struggle with weight and self-esteem, finally met a boy she thought she could trust. After weeks of friendly conversations online Megan was eager to strengthen their relationship by finally meeting each other in person. Flirtatious messag es from her online boyfriend â€Å"Josh† suddenly turned into disturbing and confusing remarks such as â€Å"the world would be a better place without you† (Macaque 16). Josh† even began to post spiteful comments on his site about Megan. Megan committed seclude to escape the main and humiliation she was put through (â€Å"Social Networking Web Sites† 3). Investigators soon discovered that the profile of â€Å"Josh Evans† was created by a 48- year-old woman named Lori Drew. Loris's intentions were to tease and embarrass Megan, her next door neighbor and a former friend of Loris's 13-year-old daughter (Macaque 28). This case brought national attention to the dire consequences of cyber bullying. The community was outraged and demanded charges to be brought against this mother.Lori went to court but was never convicted because there was no law against cyber bullying. Another instance of the horrific effects of cyber bullying is portrayed in the tragic s tory of 18-year-old Tyler Clementine. Tyler started his freshman year with a big future ahead of him and a great outlook on life. Invading Teller's privacy, his college roommate streamed private footage online from a WebMD that he held In their dorm (â€Å"Key Events in the History of Prosecuting Cybernetics† 8). Comments about his sexuality flooded through his inbox that night.Days after the video went viral, Tyler could not handle the embarrassment and committed suicide by â€Å"Jumping off of the George Washington Bridge† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 1). These are two highly publicized and tragic cases resulting from abuse online. There are thousands of other people that are being threatened and bullied through technology every day and no one knows about it. There is nothing positive that results from bullying, but some people still believe that cyber bullies should not be prosecuted because it is not a crime.Critics say that cyber bullying is not an issue that should have legal attention, â€Å"but a dilemma best solved by schools and parents† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 2). Many school districts throughout the country are attempting to educate their students about online safety and protection. In order to solve the problem of cyber bullying, the critics believe that schools should concentrate on â€Å"spreading messages of tolerance and civility to all young people† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 2). Another point that critics stress is that prosecuting cyber bullies violates â€Å"the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech† (Hayward 21).Opponents to the prosecution of cyber bullies need to take into account the innocent people that are being terrorized online ND their rights to protect themselves. Supporters of the prosecution of these online abusers agree that cyber bullying leads to many emotional problems for the victims. Cyber bullies purposely â€Å"target their vict ims, revealing personal information on the Internet or harassing them through frequent or threatening messages† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 16). More often than not, school administrators and parents fail to identify and stop cyber bullying before it is too late.Prosecutors need to take action in order to protect students online. Students are apprehensive to tell an adult about abuse online because they fear the bullying will only get worse. Victims feel that they are on their own in the endless abuse and â€Å"allegedly saw no choice for escape except to kill themselves† (Lulls 22). Historically, a person repeatedly bullied is not only a danger to themselves, but may even have the urge to harm others. For example, in the article â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics†, research has determined that â€Å"perpetrators of school violence?such as the two students who went on a shooting rampage at ColumbineHigh School in Colorado in 1999?often have a history of both bullying and being bullied themselves† (par. 31). Even though the cyber bully is not physically shoving the victim around, they are still able to instill a sense of fear and hopelessness in their victims. In order to punish cyber bullies for their conduct, new, up-to-date laws need to be passed for the protection of the innocent victim. With technology being the most popular form of communication, it is important to establish a law to â€Å"deter future bullying with a legal means to punish those who cause harm†.

New Jersey corrections officer

Paul Leaders has been a New Jersey Department of Corrections Officer (NJDCO) for over ten years.   As a NJDCO, Paul’s role and responsibility is to â€Å"ensure the custody, safety and care of criminal offenders confined in state correctional facilities† (www.state.nj.us/corrections).  Ã‚   It is his duty to â€Å"ensure the safety and welfare of the staff and inmate population, assist in the rehabilitative efforts for those incarcerated individuals returning to the community and promote public support for the operation and objectives of the Department of Corrections† (www.state.nj.us/corrections). At the age of 25, Paul began his career with the Department of Corrections.   Before he became a full-fledge corrections office, he had to go through a screening process.   The pre-employment screening is a four phase process that includes filling out an application, taking a video test, completing a computer background assessment, a general and intensive background check, a drug test, a written psych exam, a medical exam and a psych interview.   If an interviewee gets through the screening successfully, next comes a 14 week training course at the academy and then an on the job test period (www.state.nj.us/corrections).   The pre-employment screening is vigorous to discourage those who are not serious about making the Department of Corrections their career of choice. Once Paul successfully completed his screening, his on the job test period began in a youth facility.   His eyes were opened to the harsh realities of his position when he was attacked by a 15 year-old inmate. Although, he was not seriously hurt, his perspective changed. Paul realized that to do his job to the best of his ability and to protect himself and his co-workers, he had to treat all inmates as dangerous, no matter what their age.   Throughout the years, the dangers associated with his career choice were clearly seen.   NJDOC’s are often put in a variety of sticky situations. The ratio of officers to inmates is 1 to 3 (www.njpp.org/rpt_moneyfornothing).   Since they are out-numbered, a NJDOC’s goal is to stop potentially harmful situations before they happen.   Paul learned many valuable techniques in his psychology classes during his 14-week training process. (www.state.nj.us/corrections).   It is so much easier to prevent situations from happening than to try to de-escalate a situation once it has started. Paul has found the most challenging aspect of being a NJDCO is the personal standard necessary.   An NJDCO must have a higher set of standards when the bars clang shut.   A daily part of the job includes being taunted, called out of your name, and possibly attacked.   Through all this, a NJDCO cannot retaliate.   It is not the correction officer’s place to get angry or respond in kind.   They must turn away when an inmate is purposely trying to rile them.   If an officer hurts an inmate or is caught abusing their authority, they will be fired.   The duty of a NJDCO is to uphold the laws of the penal code and treat inmates with respect. NJDCOs’ spend time at lease forty hours a week with inmates.   Officers get to know the inmates extremely well and see facets of the human psyche many people are unaware of.   â€Å"40% of NJDOC offenders were convicted of a violent offense such as homicide, sexual assault, aggravated or simple assault, robbery, kidnapping and other personal offenses (terrorist threats, coercion, larceny from a person, death by auto and negligent manslaughter)† (www.state.nj.us/corrections). Dealing with inmates intimately is no walk in the park.   Officer relationships with inmates have gone from one extreme to another.   Some officers have been charged with bringing inmates contraband and others have been charged with assault on an inmate.   The key to survival is finding the balance – living in the middle is an NJDCO officer’s way. The department of corrections has a code of ethics that must be adhered to if an officer is to last on the job.   It is necessary to hold in confidence all information gained on the job, no gifts or services can be accepted from inmates or family members and no personal or financial gain is to be made that is in conflict with duties or will impair objectivity or judgment (www.state.nj.us/corrections).   To sum it up, be honest and do your job.   Unfortunately, for some, that’s easier said than done. The Department of Corrections has a Hearing Appeals Section and an Administrative Law/Civil Employment Litigation Section that handles employee discipline/grievances and resolves cases against employees (www.state.nj.us/corrections).   Whenever a corrections officer is facing an ethical issue, representation is provided so that the officer’s rights are not violated. Of course, there are specific laws correction officers must obey and if they knowingly exceed the extent of their power then they can face a judge and possibly go to jail.   The added stress of the job decreases the correction officer’s life span to 59 years (www.jrank.org).   Therefore, it is necessary to have your guard up continuously if you want to make wise choices, get through the workday with your personal honor intact and live longer than what some researchers have predicted. The stress of the job has caused Paul to think thought about moving into a different area of law enforcement but this might require more training and schooling.   As a corrections officer, his high school diploma was all he needed, along with being a US citizen, having a valid New Jersey driver’s license, speaking English well and being able to handle the job physically and psychologically.   Although he took extra courses during training, he does not believe that will be enough for a transfer to a different department.   Paul has not investigated the move and after an especially hard day with the inmates, he promises himself that he will. Prolonged contact with inmates is the main difference between NJDCO positions and other law enforcement positions.   Policemen and detectives, for example, investigate crimes and track criminals.   They may have to face the individuals in court, but once they are locked up, their contact with the criminal is over.   A NJDCO’s contact with the criminal begins after the other law enforcement officers’ contact has ended and that contact lasts as long as the inmates’ sentence. For the first few years of his career, Paul found fulfillment on his job.   He is serving his state, providing a needed assistance, protecting the residents of New Jersey and helping his fellow officers.   Now, he can’t say that.   The stress of not knowing what will happen from day to day is extremely hard and the last few years have been a struggle.   The constant hassle of the job has become overwhelming and is causing a strain on his marriage of 2 years.   The fact that he cannot express why he dissatisfied and he does not want to talk about the job increases to the couple’s frustration. Add the fact that he cannot talk about confidential information and the situation gets dangerous.   Communication between Paul and his wife has gone from bad to worse.   Because they are planning to have children, Paul recently transferred from the youth facility to a minimum security prison.   They are hoping this change will decrease his stress and ease the strain in their relationship.   Paul believes the transfer will make a big difference in his attitude and stress level, increasing his job satisfaction. In New Jersey, the Department of Corrections is made up of minimum, medium and maximum-security prisons.   With 14 major institutions, including 8 male prisons, 3 youth facilities, 1 female prison, and one prison for sex offenders, there were plenty of facilities for Paul to choose from.   Moving to a maximum-security prison would have meant an increase in pay but for Paul, added money would have brought added stress.   This wasn’t the case when Paul’s career began but today, the salary for a corrections officer is $43,000.   The max amount for a senior corrections officer is $65,000, achieved in nine step increments (www.state.nj.us/corrections). There are over ten different promotions available to senior corrections officers, which include, Central Transportation, Correction Staff Training Academy, Critical Incident Negotiation Teams, Custody Recruitment Unit and SRP Boot Camp.   These are just some of the positions available to Senior Correction Officers (www.state.nj.us/corrections).   Although, all officers go through rigorous training that includes coursework, most officers who move into higher positions have additional schooling.   If things go well in his new position, Paul believes that one day, he may be ready to interview for one of the promotional positions. Paul believes the key to a successful career in the Department of Corrections is to walk on the job daily with a mindset of integrity and tactfulness mixed with firmness.   Inmates are people, just like you, no matter what they’ve done.   An officer cannot take their crimes lightly but an officer must, to the best of their ability, treat them with respect.   Then, do your job, have a life outside of work, leave your job at the door and choose to be happy.   That may be the key.   Paul hopes it will be the key to his future happiness and the future happiness of his family. References 2006.   Retrieved April 3, 2007 from http://www.jrank.org. Forsberg, Mary E.   Money for Nothing?   The Financial Cost of New Jersey’s Death Penalty.   November 2005.   Retrieved April 6, 2007 from http://www.njpp.org. New Jersey Department of Corrections.   1996.   Retrieved April 3, 2007 from http://www.state.nj.us/corrections.