Thenile Essay Example For Students

Thenile Essay Without the Nile, the great Egyptian back in the Ancient Times would have been nothing, except for an empire filled with sand. But the gods were with Egypt that time, and gave Egypt the only hope of surviving The Nile River. The Nile is the longest river on Earth. But now Egypt has started developing and changing, let alone mention that it is worldwide known. In Egypt, people have both adapted to their environment and changed their environment. One thing the Egyptians havent changed much is the Nile River. After they found out that farming could not be done in deserts, they soon found a use for the Nile River. They started farming there, realizing that there was fertile land by the river. Unfortunately, there was not enough land for more than 53,153,000 people, so they adapted to it, and started to use diesel pumps, to lift irrigation water from the Nile. Since they were too tired to cultivate land all day long, they took camels, buffaloes, goats, and cattle for granted, and used the m for cultivating land. Every year, they lay more pipes ; dig more ditches to reach water. A very important change the Egyptians have done is that they discovered that the Nile could also be a power source for hydroelectricity. Soon after, the Aswan High Dam was built up. The Egyptians also built the Suez Canal, the most important canal in the world; it helps ships sail to Asia from Europe in a fast way. Bibliography:Encarta We will write a custom essay on Thenile specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Professional Resume Writer Wants to See Clients Land Their Dream Jobs

Professional Resume Writer Wants to See Clients Land Their Dream Jobs This past Sunday, thanks to the hard work of my publicist Scott Becher, I was featured in the â€Å"Executive QA† section of the Wisconsin State Journal. I invite you to take a look and find out more about how I got to where I am today. Some teasers on what you will discover: Why transitioning from a lawyer in NYC to a resume writing business owner in Madison, WI was not as huge a leap as it might seem Why I made that leap and why I’m glad I did What the story is with certified resume writers What makes Madison, WI an ideal place to live and to start a business Why job seekers will benefit from hiring a professional resume writer How I helped an executive land a job as a sorority house mother What success means to me What’s coming next for The Essay Expert (stay tuned for my New Year’s Ressaylutions for more on that topic)! Please enjoy the read, and share with anyone in your life, especially those at an executive career level, who would benefit from an expertly written resume and LinkedIn profile. This is college admissions season as well, and deadlines are approaching, so if you know someone who is struggling with an application essay, send them my way! As the holidays approach, I also recommend you check out an article I wrote last year on how to increase your happiness by giving gifts. Have a wonderful start to your holiday season! Save Save Save Save

Film Analysis and Breakdown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Film Analysis and Breakdown - Essay Example The long shots zoom in and out of the various people in the clip, enabling the viewer to see their facial features and the emotions that they exhibit. Shot 3: Sound: The soundtrack was infamous Jazz music common to the New Orleans area, with no talking, to contrast the irony between the Big Easy of old, and the reality of the destruction facing the area today. Shot 4: Image: The Depth of Field was quite wide as the director was trying to capsulate the mood of the time and the breadth of emotion that the film was designed to attract. The camera angle casts a wide panoramic view of the destruction left in the aftermath of the hurricane. Images are quite horrific as we see the sheer volume of water the descending upon the region. Shot 5: Sound: There was no narration in this shot; rather, only music was employed as a means to draw in the viewer to the message of the film. The music depicts the heart and sole of the region, while the images in this shot cast a different tone. Shot 6: Ima ge: Finally, in this shot, we notice a diegetic sound as we are left with a vision of what the destruction must have felt like and the voices of the people as they realized what had become of their lives. Part Two: Individual Analysis When the Levees Broke is a documentary film developed to contrast the two images we have of the Gulf region. On the one had, we have an area that is fun-loving and associated with a party type atmosphere. Gaining the nickname ‘The Big Easy’, we have visions of Jazz music, racial diversity, coupled with racial divisions. This understanding is contrasted with the destruction experienced during Hurricane Katrina, the feeling of despair and neglect that was felt, and the seemingly hopeless feeling that the people had and continue to have to this day. This emotion is all bought out in the very first sequence of the film. The sequence I chose is the very opening footage of the movie. I chose this sequence because the message portrayed in the ope ning six shots contains the heart and the purpose behind the documentary. The filming is a spectacular mix of close up and panoramic shots that encapsulate life before and after the Hurricane. No shot is wasted during the opening sequence, as the view is taken on a journey through two different time periods. Documentaries are often designed to elicit emotion and to tell a story. This opening sequence certainly accomplishes this aim. In shots one and two, while there is nothing spoken, the music tells the story. There are great editing features employed here that cut between the massive flooding that occurred when the levees broke, yet we are then cut back to an earlier time when the area was beautiful and life was good. Shots three through five employ an editing technique that provides us with a comparison and contrast that make the film effective in communicating its intended message. The camera in these shots cut to close ups of people in various states. After the hurricane, the i mages are horrific and the viewer can feel the pain. During the cuts to an earlier time, that is contrasted with images of excitement and a better time. These shots give us a picture of the before and after of the Gulf Region and set the tone for the rest of the film. The music itself appears to be carefully chosen as well. Rather than shifting its message and tone, the jazz played during the opening sequence is a consistent representation and reminder of what the Gulf Region was, and hopes to once again become.

Proposing a Solution on Gas Prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proposing a Solution on Gas Prices - Essay Example We are currently in the middle of a similar crisis as the national price of gasoline is currently at $3.86 a gallon (Gasbuddy). Due to the problem Americans must find solutions to save money on gasoline. Issues The use of an automobile has become a social norm that many Americans are finding very hard to give up. An automobile gives a person a sense of freedom and it allows the user to be able to transport long distances in relative short periods of time. The normal driving speed in a highway is about 60 miles per hour. Due to the culture of driving is going to be hard to change the culture of America to give up driving. The cost of gasoline is on the rise. We have already reached very uncomfortable levels and the predictions are the prices are going to continue to rise. By the summer of 2012 the price of crude oil might reach $200 a barrel. The price of gasoline is going to continue to go up in the near future. Problem Statement The rise in the price of gasoline is an imminent threa t and the most likely scenario is that gasoline will continue to steadily increase every month through 2011. A problem statement that summarizes the problem is: Americans need to find long term solutions to reduce their dependency on gasoline. Alternative solutions An alternative solution to the problem could be finding a way to reduce the miles per gallon consumption of your current automobile. When cars are not well tuned their mpg rating can be reduced by 15% to 20%. Giving your car proper maintenance can help improve the efficiency of an automobile. A good tuned-up can do wonders to the mpg rating of a car. A second alternative solution is to lower the consumption of gasoline by changing your consumption patterns. Reducing the driving around and staying home more can help a family reduce their monthly gasoline expenses. Changing patters implies making life changes. A good way to lower the usage of gas is by car pooling to work with other colleagues. If five people get together a nd create a car pool system the five individuals could save about 75% in gasoline expenses related to their daily commute to work. A third alternative solution is to purchase a new energy efficient vehicle commonly referred to as a green car. There are two primary options which are to purchase a hybrid vehicle or to purchase a fully electric vehicle. A hybrid vehicle can give upwards of 40 miles per gallon. A unique model that is capable of greater mpg efficiency is the Chevy Volt. The Chevy volt has different driving modes one of them is capable of giving 230 miles per gallon. Nissan Corporation recently released an electric vehicle called the Nissan Leaf. The Nissan Leaf has a battery capable of driving a 100 miles range at speeds of up to 90 miles per gallon. Optimum solution The optimum solution selected to reduce the dependency Americans have on gasoline is to purchase a green vehicle. The alternative that truly enables a person to eliminate gasoline from their lives is to purc hase an electric vehicle such as the Nissan Leaf. The Nissan Leaf cost $32,780, but after tax savings the car has a net value of $25,280 (Nissanusa). The Leaf is an electric car which implies that if a person only used the Leaf to drive they would spend cero money on gas. Based on the average yearly driving of Americans of 15,000 miles per year at a price of $4 gallon a person could save upwards of $2,500 a year. The best way to implement this solution is to have a secondary car such as an old Nissan Sentra that gives a

Sports nutrition -cyclists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sports nutrition -cyclists - Essay Example During an athlete’s activity, the body uses stored carbohydrates which raise epinephrine and norepinephrine level which causes glucagon to increase. Increase in glucagon converts glycogen into glucose which is supplied to the blood stream for use in the activity. Carbohydrates are stored in the form of simple sugars (glucose, fructose, and galactose) in the body which makes it easier for absorption. A gram of carbohydrates is equal to four calories of energy, and an athlete can store up to 1200 grammes of glycogen (4800 calories) for an activity (Seebohar, 2004). The amount of time an athlete can rely on stored carbohydrates will vary with various factors such as the weather and the intensity of the activity. Protein anabolism refers to development of complex protein molecules from simpler ones. It occurs after hard work or after the body does vigorous activities to build or repair body tissues and also to restore broken down tissues. Anabolism sees to it that amino acids, which form proteins, are broken down to form final protein. Proteins help in enzyme and hormone formation and production which help in body functions and reactions, this plays a key role in the body such as protection against diseases, and also can be used to produce energy if insufficient carbohydrates and fats are available. Catabolism of proteins is the process of breaking down proteins and its components to simpler ones. During exercise, protein catabolism is an inevitable process in the body, and this is as a result of strain of muscles, tissues and organs. The body is in turn expected to repair the damaged areas in the body so as to reduce breakdown. Protein catabolism occurs during strain, hard work and may also occur during damages or injuries to the body. Fat as another nutrient required by the body can also be used as fuel by the body, and this varies with the activities in the body. Although fats produce low

Case study of General Electric Co

Case study of General Electric Co General Electric can trace its roots to the founding of the Edison Electric Light Company in 1878. By 1890, Edison had organized his various businesses into the Edison General Electric Company. The Thomson-Houston Company and the various companies that had merged to form it were led by Charles A. Coffin. In 1892, these two major companies combined to form the General Electric Company. GE is a global manufacturing, technology, and services conglomerate, formed in 1892. Today, GE is made up of six businesses, each of which includes a number of units: GE Commercial Finance provides loans, operating leases, financing programs, commercial insurance, and an array of other products and services aimed at enabling business worldwide to grow. GE Healthcare is a leader in the development of a new paradigm of patient care dedicated to detecting disease earlier and helping physicians tailor treatment for individual patients. GE Industrial provides a broad range of products and services throughout the world, including appliances and lighting; plastics and silicones products; and equipment services. GE Infrastructure is one of the worlds leading providers of fundamental technologies to developing countries, including aviation, energy, oil and gas, rail and water process technologies. GE Money, formerly known as GE Consumer Finance, is a leading provider of credit services to consumers, retailers and automotive dealers around the world. NBC Universal is one of the worlds leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. As per their last annual report at the end of 2008,at the end of the year they employed in total globally 323000 employees. $797,769 millions in assets 182,515 millions in revenues. Stakeholder Relations GE is a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and incorporated in the State of New York. The company is managed by a 16 member Board of Directors, of which 13 of the directors are independent. Directors are chosen annually at the annual meeting of shareholders. Four committees assist the Board: the Audit Committee, Management Development and Compensation Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and the Public Responsibilities Committee. The Public Responsibilities Committee oversees the companys position on corporate social responsibility. GE also has a team of Corporate and Business Executives who lead GEs many corporate functions and businesses. GE has very strong equitable shareholder control. Each share of the common stock is entitled to one vote. Shareholders are able to nominate and elect candidates for the Board of Directors through a majority. Also, GEs code of conduct, The Spirit and The Letter enables shareholders to initiate a process of dis missal of Directors. Within Organisation External Employees Customers Senior Management Shareholders Board Of Directors Suppliers Shareholders Government Representatives Audit Committee Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Management Development And Compensation Committee Industry And Financial Analysts Nominating And Corporate Governance Committee Environmental Advocacy Groups Public Responsibilities Committee Media Environmental, Health And Safety Committee Community Leaders Citizenship Executive Advisory (CEA) Council Ecomagination Advisory Council Investors Investors Table Key Stakeholders GEs Board of Directors and GEs Risk Committee play vital roles in the oversight and management of the Company. From this senior leadership they are held with great accountability. The primary role of GEs Board of Directors is to oversee how management serves the interests of shareowners and other stakeholders. To do this, GEs Directors have adopted corporate governance principles aimed at ensuring that the Board is independent and fully informed on the key risks and strategic issues facing GE. This is dictated by two-thirds of its Board be independent under a strict definition of independence. The GE Board held 13 meetings in 2007 and outside Board members visited at least two GE businesses each in 2007 without senior management present in order to develop their own view of the Company. The Board also meets periodically without management. The Board and its Committees focus on the areas that are important to shareowners strategy, risk management, and people and in 2007 received brief ings on a variety of issues, including: controllership and risk management, compliance and litigation trends, U.S. and global tax policy, environmental risk management, social cost trends, acquisitions and dispositions, intellectual property and copyright protection, global trends, the reshaping and broadening of GEs businesses, and productivity. At the end of the year, the Board and each of its committees conduct a thorough self-evaluation as part of their normal governance cycle. Table Power v Influence MatrixKeep Satisfied Employees CEA Environmental, Health and Safety Committee Public Responsibilities Committee Ecomagination Advisory Council Manage Closely Senior Management Board of Directors Management Development and Compensation Committee Audit Committee Monitor Media Government Representatives Non-Governmental Organizations Community Leaders Keep Informed Investors Shareholders Industry and Financial Analysts Environmental Advocacy Groups Suppliers Power Influence Low High High Low Senior GE officers, including the Citizenship Executive Advisory (CEA) council, are regularly involved in reviewing stakeholder feedback. This group meets at least quarterly and reviews summary stakeholder feedback and issues important to the Companys citizenship efforts to ensure that the appropriate actions and resources are in place. The CEA is comprised of five senior GE executives. GE makes a commitment to transparency in its citizenship reports where the Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and the General Counsel ensure transparency of non-financial information. GE provides training on transparency to all employees as part of induction training as well as e-learning training that deals with compliance to policies and integrity. The citizenship reports are widely disseminated and translated to further encourage participation of its stakeholders. GE makes commitments to engaging with external stakeholders in its citizenship reports, which outline the types of engagements the company undertakes. They started the reports in 2005 and are now into their fourth. GE is currently developing a company-wide approach to stakeholder engagement called, materiality. Stakeholder engagement depends on the functionality of a department, for example, with citizenship-related engagements (i.e. NGOs or public policy groups) the Vice President of Corporate Citizenship over sees external stakeholder engagement. GE provides training to managers and executives on how to interact with stakeholders as part of the business Management and leadership classes. They have formalised engagement where they have institutionalized external stakeholders involvement in corporate decision making on environmental and social issues. GE has an Ecomagination Advisory Council comprised of a Board of 6 to 8 industry thought leaders with expertise in energy and environment. The Council guides the company on technology research and investments, provides new ideas on its environment strategy, helps generate or review white papers, and participates in GE sponsored events. GEs Ecomagination business strategy guides the companys evaluation of its environmental impact. The strategy aims to achieve energy-efficient, less emissive products, and achieves this through the use of the Ecomagination Product Review score card. The score card quantifies a products environmental impact relative to other products. Ecomagination product revenues increased from $12 billion in 2006 to $14 billion in 2007, which as a percent of overall company-wide revenue is 23% in 2007. In the current discussion global climate change, the environment is a hot topic now and will for the forseeable future for stakeholders. The main stakeholders that can be linked with this are the ecoimagination, environmental organizations, EHS. They will increasingly expect policies and strategies with real results and commitment to reduce detrimental environment impacts. They will therefore have a great deal of influence currently and will do for some time. They can increasingly apply pressure on the company to materialize its efforts. No doubt he GE is already tackling these issues but with these external stakeholders great power will arise as they influence employees to take responsibility and increased products on the ecomagination scheme. GE already state they have increasing product line in the pipe line. This is also a media frenzy topic which is reported on daily, environmental issues can see a hole host on stakeholders mainly external influence the the senior management and BOD, these include the media, government representatives, which will influence the community and thus individual shareholders and investors. Not only will they influence the internal operations of the company but in tern the GE will guide its suppliers so no conflict of interest if they are not doing all they can to alleviate environmental issues and are seen to be responsible. GE also has the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Policy, which ensures consistent global standards for evaluation methods. GE provides training to operations leaders on the overview on EHS policy through Plant Manager Training. Of the Ecomagination and EHS policy are both widely circulated, but Only Ecomagination material is translated. However of the mechanisms to facilitate the sharing of lessons learnt from evaluations is not in place and thus contradicts the approach of external stakeholders to lead the environmental issues. GE has the Statement on Principles of Human Rights, which commits the company to monitoring its suppliers adherence to EHS standards in emerging markets, prohibitions against forced and child labor, local wage and hour laws; evaluating human rights issues; and assessing the impact of major infrastructure project financing on local communities. The Vice President of Corporate Citizenship oversees the reporting and evaluation of GEs social impact while different leaders have varying responsibilities depending on the issue. For example, the General Counsel has the responsibility for compliance, governance, and ombudsperson. GE does not provide training to staff on evaluation of social impacts of their activities. Companies like GE with global supply chains face significant challenges in order to ensure that their suppliers make safe and quality products, and that they are produced on time and at competitive prices. In addition, stakeholders increasingly expect companies and their busine ss partners to respect and implement national and international labour and environmental standards in their workplaces. This challenge becomes even greater when companies source suppliers from countries without adequate government enforcement. While the policing model of the past has made some positive improvements, it has been relatively unsuccessful at identifying the core issues. This has created a duplication of efforts, contributed to a proliferation of codes of conduct that create confusion, and has largely been an ineffective use of resources. Adding to the dilemmas are some unanswered questions, including: How will competing companies in the growing economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China manage their supply chains in relation to international labour standards? Do consumers see the value of investing in supply chains and, if so, are they willing to potentially pay more? Todays leading companies and multi-stakeholder initiatives are changing tack and beginning to focus their efforts on five areas: Improving management systems Developing effective complaint mechanisms and workplace remediation platforms Evaluating internal purchasing to determine how their own actions may negatively impact the workplace Increase supply chain transparency Creating incentives for their buyers and suppliers based on social and environmental performance criteria This shift in approach requires collaboration from a broad set of stakeholders because no one sector can effectively achieve this alone. Companies should learn from the hard lessons of the past, avoid the pitfalls that others have experienced, and consider targeting resources on building internal capacity to work in partnership with NGOs, trade unions, multilaterals, peer companies, and industry and trade associations to tackle these complex issues together. Moreover, companies and their stakeholders should collectively engage governments and encourage them to enforce their laws in order to make decent work a reality and to create a level playing field for multinational companies and for those suppliers competing for their business. GE has the code of conduct called The Spirit and The Letter, which guides the handling of internal complaints. GE also has a Global Ombudsperson system where ombudspersons are placed in every business and country where GE operates to facilitate compliance and the complaints process. The Spirit and The Letter have the commitment to ensure mandatory discipline for anyone found to have retaliated against a whistleblower. The Corporate Ombudsperson has the overall responsibility to oversee compliance with the code. GE provides all ombudspersons with training on receiving concerns, initiating investigations, and monitoring case progress and closure. Employees receive compliance training through the intranet. This also encompasses complaint and response procedure for external complaints. GEs 2007 proxy statement highlights a mechanism that exists for external stakeholders to lodge complaints directly to the Board of Directors. The Corporate Ombudsman also oversees compliance with commitmen ts made in the proxy statement, and will pass any concerns to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. Ombudspersons are trained on receiving and handling concerns from external stakeholders. GEs code enables any stakeholder to report concerns of corporate policies and strategies directly to the Board of Directors. With the many commitments and programs and committees in place GE keep their stakeholders mainly employees informed with reports. They have proxy statements, citizen reports, annual reports which are widely disseminated and translated. They also have key policies that are made easier accessible such as human rights statements. Not all endeavours are translated and circulated but the majority are. Environmental and social aspects are reported on and also compensation of the senior management and executive directores, CEOs are all transparent. If this was not the case this could easily alienate lower level employees and other stakeholders. With the information available stakeholder board have also been issued the task of evaluating report writing on annual and citizenship reports. They concluded in the 2008 citezen report that GE utilized a Stakeholder Review Panel to assess and comment on report quality. Ongoing stakeholder engagements have enabled the Company to determine the impact and influence of its corporate citizenship efforts. The Panels commentary is intended to inform and guide report readers, as well as GE. Six people were invited by GE to join the Panel, identified in discussion with AccountAbility, the latter acting as the Panel Convener. Panel members were selected for their interests and concerns, their expertise and their knowledge of GE. Panel members were asked to participate as individuals, not as representatives of their organizations, Environment Social Development Department at the International Finance Corporation, HSBC Climate Change Centre of Excellence. The Panel provided feedback to GE based on a draft report, and the commentary based on its view of the final report. The Panel focused on the quality of the report, although members raised some performance issues in discussion with GE. The Panels commentary, presented here, is intended to inform and guide the report readers, as well as GE. Use was made of the AA1000 Assurance Standard, but the Panels work is not a formal assurance exercise. Background to the 2008 Convenings This year we sought to reflect on our progress concerning the implementation of our Statement of Principles on Human Rights as well as our broader ecomagination and development efforts, and further explore the links between GEs operations and the broader human rights agenda. In particular, we convened experts and stakeholders in three regions to discuss: à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ How can GE further advance the implementation of the Companys global Human Rights Policy, and in particular in relation to our role as a global Olympics sponsor at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games; in other words, What does it mean to be a good global citizen? (Geneva) à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ How can GE further embed its environmental stewardship work within the core of its strategy and practice, expanding its efforts outside the United States and also connecting its efforts to the broader development agenda? (Washington, D.C.) à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ How can GE advance an effective approach to serving communities in the developing world in light of the Companys unique position in providing infrastructure solutions to the private and public sectors? (Delhi) To learn more about GE and stakeholder participants for these convenings, please visit www.ge.com/citizenship/processes. Insights from the 2008 convenings GE greatly appreciated the honest and open discussions at the three convenings. Valuing the counsel and advice we received, we would like to share a summary of the key opportunities and challenges the convenings helped us identify and explore. We discuss many of these opportunities and challenges within this years report and are looking forward to further engagement over the coming year to help us inform and guide our citizenship approach and efforts. To provide the reader with a flavor of the discussions at the convenings, this report also features a number of (unedited) expert perspectives authored by participants of the convenings. Insights include: Climate change public policy Clear and consistent communication, including recommendation and clarification of effective and credible global policy frameworks, engaging in national and local debates on trade policies, and customer engagement on clean technology (Washington, D.C.). Company-to-country investment Leveraging innovation and product adaptation driven by local culture and context (Delhi). Customer product-use issues Clarification of GEs approach to client responsibility of GE products, including increased engagement with society on key concerns such as dual-use technology and post-sale management (Geneva, Delhi, Washington, D.C.). Expanding boundaries Engaging experts as GE continues to operationalize its Statement of Principles on Human Rights and consider a life-cycle approach for GEs products as GE applies its efforts to help reduce CO2 emissions within its supply chain (Geneva, Washington, D.C.). Human rights Increased public positioning on business issues associated with the emerging and ongoing human rights discussions and proactive engagement as they arise, e.g., 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (Geneva). Localizing engagement Greater understanding of the implications arising from GEs unique position as a business-to-business company providing infrastructure solutions to countries (from technology development to local implementation) (Delhi, Washington, D.C.). Strategic collaborations and partnerships Leveraging of GEs core competencies and strengths (commitment to innovation and ability to scale projects and programs) in strategic collaborations and partnerships to ensure acceptance and sustainability (Delhi). The Panel encourages GE to continue innovating in its reporting, and we challenge it to strive for leadership in promoting meaningful transparency across the global business community. à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ Injecting sustainability into financial reporting: This years Citizenship Report has demonstrated the strategic relevance of GEs programs for its long-term business performance. These material aspects of sustainability management and innovation should be incorporated into regular investor disclosure, including quarterly and annual reports as well as in proxy statements. à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ Embedding citizenship within operations: We would welcome transparency on how sustainability performance is brought to life for individual GE employees through performance evaluation and compensation. à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ Matching global reporting with national level data: Utilize GEs Web site to provide country-level performance data and information for global stakeholders, including insights and outcomes from key stakeholder and business engagements, especially in high growth regions such as Asia. à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ Discussing public policy engagement: Further strengthening of disclosure on GEs public policy activity and lobbying on key citizenship issues at the global and national level, including membership organizations that represent GE. Consider making all submissions to governments available on the Web site. à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ Exploring human rights: Shine a brighter spotlight on GEs human rights approach and practice, and illustrate its thoughtfulness in approaching challenging dilemmas. As operationalizing GEs human rights policy around the globe is particularly complex, this area does not lend itself to quantitative goals, but to case studies and an active discussion of the dilemmas and nuances central to the human rights challenges the Company faces. For example, the illegal use of GEs ultrasound equipment for sex-selection by practitioners in India or application of GEs global labour rights standards within its supply chain in challenging environments like China. Further information on steps the Company has taken to align its performance with its human rights policies would enrich the Report. à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ Progressing the Energy and Climate Change Agenda: Deepening of reporting on the Companys contribution to the U.S. Climate Action Partnerships commitment to 60-80% reduction in U.S. emissions by 2050 how, on a practical level, GE plans to help achieve these goals via technology adaptation or expansion of ecomagination. à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™Ã… ¾ User-focused reporting: Experiment and explore how best to reach and communicate with the companys diverse range of stakeholders, especially those with particular, set interests or those who may have limited access to the Web. ge Public responsibilities Companies confront many dilemmas when conducting business, in rich or poor countries alike, when defining their role in communities: understanding the proper role of governments and the right level and quality of influence from companies that are sometimes larger than governments themselves; the need to respect different cultures but still make sure that the same values are applied all around the world; the need to have an educated workforce that fits in the companys processes while trying not to change local cultures; expectations that companies will provide for all; and disappointment when companies need to close plants or leave communities. Much has been written and discussed about the impact of multinationals on communities. Stakeholders have many different views and perceptions, and there is little agreement about how to measure impacts, both positive and negative. I think, however, that there are two basic questions that companies need to answer: 1. Are we really listening to the stakeholders who are actually impacted at every step of the value chain of our business? 2. What are communities going to be like when our company leaves? Many stakeholder dialogues are going on around the world, and it is certainly a remarkable and great step to have companies like GE whose sheer size allows them to have significant positive impacts when defining their course of work listening to diverse views and exchanging ideas with non-business partners. They are, however, mostly focused on stakeholders who speak English or belong to organized groups with some international affiliation. Maybe it could be good to actually exchange ideas with the impacted communities themselves to form a more complete picture. Companies should come into communities planning for the time when they leave, be it two years or 70. Hopefully, that way one can avoid creating dependency and promote ownership from day one. It is probably more complex to start and carry business with this view, but it is surely better to prevent risks than to manage crises. Public Policy GE has increasingly focused on deepening and improving its ability to work effectively with governments throughout the world. We firmly believe that a better understanding of GEs vision and business activities and governments impact on those pursuits will serve both parties well. Moreover, we have made a concerted effort to enhance our working relationships with government officials. The rules governing governmental transactions and advocacy activities differ from country to country, and can be varied and complex. Our total commitment to integrity has led us to continuously educate GE leaders on changes in the rules and regulations governing interactions with government officials. The Public Responsibilities and Audit Committees of the Board are briefed regularly on our government relations and compliance activities. I spend much of my time travelling internationally and meeting people at every level within and outside GE. Our strong commitment to corporate citizenship makes GE a very attractive place for lawyers to work. My ability to attract the best lawyers and maintain the legal teams strong internal sense of community is greatly assisted by the fact that the Company is committed to promoting the Rule of Law and is actively working with governments and communities to promote ethical behaviour. GE lawyers are inspired and motivated knowing that such a strong commitment runs through the veins of the Company. Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism In 2006, the U.S. and Russian governments launched the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. As a global citizen, GE is deeply concerned that every safeguard be taken to ensure that legitimate commerce in nuclear materials is not exploited by terrorist organizations. As a global producer of nuclear power plants, nuclear fuels, radioactive isotopes for healthcare applications, and radiation detection equipment, GE has the experience and expertise to make a substantial contribution to this goal. In 2007, GE worked with the U.S. Department of State to express support for the Global Initiative, and in 2008, we will participate actively in several projects, including the development of a model national nuclear detection architecture document; international cooperation in developing technical approaches to remotely detect radiological materials; and minimizing the use of highly enriched uranium in the production of medical radioisotopes. Countries of concern GE devotes significant resources to ensuring that business activities are in compliance with all applicable laws, that they are conducted with integrity and achieve value for our shareholders worldwide. While our policy has always required that our businesses follow U.S. sanctions and other applicable laws, in 2008 we adopted a policy that goes beyond what current laws require. In light of reputational and business risks associated with doing business with countries designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism by the U.S. Department of State (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria), the Company will not accept business in these countries except activity that is authorized by the U.S. Government for humanitarian or public policy purposes. This approach augments a policy adopted in 2005, when GE and its board decided it would no longer do business in Iran because of developing conditions in that country. The exceptions were to run down existing commitments and humanitarian activity authorized by U.S. Government licenses. Since then, GE has done everything it said it would do in 2005. As of the end of June 2008, the preexisting commitments with Iran have been completed. At all times GEs policy was fully compliant with U.S. and all applicable laws. In fact, GEs policies have been more restrictive than U.S. law. Recent sales to Syria have been very small, involving healthcare products as well as non-U.S. origin power, oil and gas, and lighting. In recent years, GE has had very little activity in the Sudan, almost all involving the sale of healthcare products. GE has not had any sales to North Korea in the past three years. Since 1996, GE has not accepted business in Myanmar (Burma). Recommendations GE is

Summary Report: Strategic Alignment: Leveraging Information Technology for transforming Organizations :: essays research papers

Strategic Alignment: Leveraging Information Technology for transforming Organizations Based on the paper of J.C. Henderson, N. Venkatraman (1993) by Philipp Maderthaner A. Summary Henderson and Venkatraman proposed a model for business – IT alignment; it was intended to support the integration of information technology (IT) into business strategy by advocating alignment between and within four domains (see figure 1). The inter-domain alignment is pursued along two dimensions: strategic fit (between the external and internal domain) and functional integration (between the business domain and the IT domain). The objective of this model was to provide a way to align information technology with business objectives in order to realise value from IT investments. The authors argued that the potential strategic impact of information technology requires both an understanding of the critical components of IT strategy and its role in supporting and shaping business strategy decisions and a process of continuous adaptation and change. Hence, they presented a model that defines the range of strategic choices facing managers. Figure 1 Strategic Alignment Model Two main imperatives for managers are pointed out by Venkatraman and Henderson: First, similar to business strategy, IT strategy has to consider both internal as well as external aspects. Second, both internal/external alignment as well as functional integration must be taken into account. Only one of them is not sufficient. Overview about the four dominant alignment perspectives: 1. Strategy execution This strategy assumes that an articulated business strategy is the driver of both organizational design choices and the design of IT infrastructure. The alignment is said to be the most common and widely understood perspective, as it corresponds to the classic, hierarchical view of strategic management. Driver:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business Strategy Role of Top Management:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strategy Formulator Role of IT Management: Strategy Implementer Performance Criteria: Cost/Service Center 2. Technology transformation This alignment involves the assessment of implementing the chosen business strategy through appropriate IT strategy and the articulation of the required IT infrastructure and processes. This strategy is not constrained by the current organization design, but instead seeks to identify the best possible IT competencies through appropriate positioning in IT marketplaces. Driver:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business Strategy Role of Top Management:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology Visionary Role of IT Management: Technology Architect Performance Criteria: Technology Leadership 3. Competitive Potential This perspective is concerned with the exploitation of emerging IT capabilities to impact new products and services (business scope), influence the key attributes of strategy (distinctive competencies) and develop new forms of relationships (business governance). Driver:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  IT Strategy Role of Top Management:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business Visionary Role of IT Management: Catalyst Performance Criteria: Business Leadership 4. Service Level The service level alignment perspective focuses – as the name shows – on how to build a world-class IT service organization.

AIDS 3rd revision

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS as we commonly know it, is a life threatening condition a person wouldn’t want to be caught into. It was discovered in the United States way back in 1981.   Since then, it has been a major problem of the world.Until now, there is no known cure for AIDS, a very alarming fact because anyone could get infected. AIDS is caused by a virus know to kill or damage cells of the body’s immune system.That virus is what we commonly know as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Because of its destructive behavior against the cells of the immune system, HIV disables the body’s capability to fight infections and cancer causing agents.When a person has AIDS, he or she is prone to getting life-threatening ailments because their bodies cannot fight the build-up of infections (â€Å"Women, Children and HIV†, 2006).Reports show that dating back to 1981, there has been more than a million cases of AIDS recorded. Statistics show that 2 5% of these people are unaware of the HIV infection. Because of this, they are likely to infect other people and transmit the virus (â€Å"HIV infections†, 2006).Symptoms of HIV InfectionIf not diagnosed early, HIV is hard to detect. Upon infection, you will not experience any symptoms. But it is possible to feel a flu-like ailment after 1-2 months of exposure to HIV. It could include fever, headache, enlarged lymph nodes and a certain feeling of tiredness.These symptoms are gone after one week to one month and are usually associated with other diseases. At this time, people can easily infect others, and the virus is greatly concentrated in the genital fluids. This is a very critical time for infecting other people because you don’t know that you have the disease.And when you have multiple sexual partners, it is likely to infect them with the virus. This is the period where you need to wear protection, in order not to infect others. The next set of symptoms may not sur face for 10 years or more after you first got infected with the virus. This is varying for some people.Some may experience these symptoms just after a few months while others may not and continue living normally for more than 10 years. This is known as the asymptomatic period.During the asymptomatic period,   the cells of the immune system are slowly being killed by the rapid multiplying and infecting of the virus.   Infected cells serve as hiding places of the HIV and lays there for some period of dormancy.The most evident outcome of the viral infection is a decrease in a component of the blood, the number of CD4 positive T cells drastically decreases. These cells are the immune system’s infection fighters. These cells are destroyed slowly without any symptoms. Because of this, the situation of the immune system gets worse, where various complications begin to surface.The primary signs of infection are swollen lymph nodes all over the body lasting for about three months. Other symptoms that occur before the onset of AIDS include lack of energy, weight loss, frequent fevers and sweats, rashes, flaky skin, memory loss and inflammation of the pelvis in women.   Others could develop sores in their mouth, sex organs or in their anus.Raising Doubts against AIDS and HIVNot everyone is convinced about the HIV/AIDS theory. The explanation was HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and then matures into AIDS, thus further destroying the immune system until there is nothing left to destroy.Some researchers question the credibility of this theory on many accounts. One of them is Peter Duesberg, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley. He is concerns are on the field of virology and wrote about HIV/AIDS in 1987. As these issues continued to shock and amaze the world, Duesberg was unmoved.He accepts the fact that HIV is real, but poses no real harm on people, and that AIDS is caused by some other factors which are not infectious and cann ot be contacted to other people. There are also other people that rebuke the theory about HIV/AIDS. They are known as denialists by their enemies.These people include a group of medical scientists and researchers from Australia known as the Perth Group. They claim that nobody has yet discovered any proof for the existence of HIV, so there is basically no foundation on claims that HIV causes AIDS.Defining AIDS: What is and what is notAIDS doesn’t show specific symptoms. There is only a distinct characteristic of the human body when it has AIDS. It lacks a certain type of white blood cells, which is very important in order to live a healthy life. These white blood cells are the ones responsible in fighting infections off the body.Normal people usually have around 600 to 1,500 CD4+ Cells, or the helper T cells, per cubic millimeter of blood. People with AIDS have much lower levels of these helper T cells in their blood, causing immune deficiency, responsible for their vulnerabil ity to ailments.Way back in the 80’s, no one knows what really caused AIDS. They based their definition on the findings of one of 13 diseases of high rarity, which is connected to immune deficiency.As years passed, the definition was sharpened by thousands of similar occurrences that have been recorded, though sometimes it involves other ailments, but are related thru the same immune deficiency.

Tejano Music History.

Tejano Music History. While researching the definition of Tejano music for this paper, the first descriptions that appeared in print were "contagious" and "makes you want to dance" with "diverse influences" that make up the style. After listening to recordings for the class, on the internet, and from the library, the claims of Tejano music being "contagious" and "diverse" are well-substantiated. Though a further examination of the extensive literature reveals the origins and more precise description of the style, undeniably, the initial impression one gains from the writings is one of extreme excitement and contentment. Listening to only a small fraction of the recording collections, what is written about Tejano music holds true. Today, Tejano music is popular not only in Texas and Mexico, but throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Surprisingly, some of the most popular Tejano groups are not even from the Texas-Mexican border; La Sombra and La Mafia hailed from Chicago, Illinois, and Hous ton, Texas (San Miguel Jr.Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume ...2002). Tejano music, nearly a century old, continues to be a booming industry, serving the cultural needs of both Latino and non-Latino listeners.Translated literally, Tejano means "Texas-Mexican". Indeed, the origin of the past and present phenomenon is uniquely Texas-Mexican. A brief excursion to grade school world history will enumerate the geographical origin of Tejano music. After Cortez conquered the Aztec empire, the Mexican population struggled to regain independence from the thievery and tyranny of the Spanish government. Mexico became a Spanish colony for the next 300 years, while Spain continued to conquer new ground. The area now known as Texas was settled by Spain in the late 1600's. San Antonio, located midway between Mexico and the east Texas Missions, was founded in 1718. As of today, San Antonio remains the capital of the Tejano music movement. Later,

“Costa Rica Dance and Music” Essays

â€Å"Costa Rica Dance and Music† Essays â€Å"Costa Rica Dance and Music† Essay â€Å"Costa Rica Dance and Music† Essay In Costa Rica, dance is a very popular past time Costa Ricans find themselves doing throughout the year. The dances and type of music performed depends on the many cities you’ll find yourself in. Each region has its own popular dance; from traditional folk dance to current American influenced dances like pop and disco music. In the city of Guanacaste, it is found that traditional folk dancing is more popular. Traditional folk dancing is a type of dance in which is a heel and toe stomping dance for couples. The people love dancing and dressing up. The women wear colorful wide skirts with ruffled shirts while men usually wear white button shirts and black pants. Old traditional songs like De la cana se hace el guaro, Amor de Temporada Luna Liberiana and Patriotica Costarricense are very popular. The sparkling Punto Guanacaste is the most popular of regional dances. These dances are performed throughout the year at local festivals. In the month of March for a couple of weeks, the people of San Jose, Costa Rica gather together at a grand festival known as the International Arts Festival . During this time many different types of dances are performed to the people. Dances such folk dancing and art shows are explored by the people of San Jose and the many tourist from around the world that come together to enjoy the festival. The city of San Jose is also known for its variety of dances and music individuals from all ages and classes can choose from.

No topic Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

No topic - Personal Statement Example Lastly, I was a cheerleader for our voluntary team especially in various communal activities aimed at dealing with poor dental clinical health matters. Being a patient is very disastrous. I have encountered this ever since I was ten years of age. Dental infections caught my intellectual attention back then and still do to-date. Firstly, pain caused by dental infections distracts various activities of individual patients. Secondly, being a dental patient damages a patients’ self-image. These individuals may not openly interact with others because of bad breath or colored teeth, which easily distort self-image. Concisely, as an aspiring dentist since when I was ten years old, I began by helping my uncle sterilize used blankets for new patients. Yes, this may sound uncultured or uncouth way of handling patients clinically, but in Cuba, everything is a waste. Most blankets in this country are passed to several generations. This left us the mission of clinically and cautiously cleaning these blankets to remove the adhesive and molar bands. My reasons for wanting to undertake clinical dentistry course: Healthcare professionalism in the current world has emerged to be one of the well-paying fields of professionalism. Dentistry, as a part of healthcare professionalism in the contemporary society, gives individual professionals a wider view of the clinical care system in a more evidence-based way throughout the world. I was a bit hesitant because of the mess I left behind after helping my uncle in his dentist staff. Additionally, the Cuban employment domain was not motivating at all. Most professionals back then were paid meagre salaries. This killed my dream of becoming a dentist. My parents resorted into changing my career aspirations from becoming a dentist to being a mere artist. This was my worst nightmare so far. As an artist, my parents believed that my life would be better some days in the future.

Short reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Short reflection - Essay Example Immediately after the function we students of the senior classes divided into groups of 5 each and visited the communities nearby for direct interaction with the members of the community. The security guard at the entrance gate of the community was very cooperative and he took permission from the Community management for our house to house contacts. We were received warmly by most of the residents and they liked our presence for the great cause. We had a printed handout for distribution and the main points covered in it were: 1. Plant a sapling on your wedding anniversary and birthday celebrations of your children. Keep a small identification tag near the sapling and the child should be encouraged to water the plant daily. This is the sure step to make the children love greenery. 2. A sticker with the following message printed in bold letters was given at each house with a request to fix it at a conspicuous place. The messages were (a) Save water and energy (b) Donate school books for the needy. We toured the community for about four hours and covered most of the houses. The underlying principle behind our efforts was to generate awareness amongst people to live in harmony and develop love for