Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER TWO MAYOR

MAYOR Branno had been waiting for an hour, thinking wearily. Technically speaking, she was guilty of breaking and entering. What's more, she had violated, quite unconstitutionally, the rights of a Councilman. By the strict laws that held Mayors to account since the days of Indbur III and the Mute, nearly two centuries before – she was impeachable. On this one day, however, for twenty-four hours she could do no wrong. But it would pass. She stirred restlessly. The first two centuries had been the Golden Age of the Foundation, the Heroic Era – at least in retrospect, if not to the unfortunates who had lived in that insecure time. Salvor Hardin and Hober Mallow had been the two great heroes, semideified to the point of rivaling the incomparable Hari Seldon himself. The three were a tripod on which all Foundation legend (and even Foundation history) rested. In those days, though, the Foundation had been one puny world, with a tenuous hold on the Four Kingdoms and with only a dim awareness of the extent to which the Seldon Plan was holding its protective hand over it, caring for it even against the remnant of the mighty Galactic Empire. And the more powerful the Foundation grew as a political and commercial entity, the less significant its rulers and fighters had come to seem. Lathan Devers was almost forgotten. If he was remembered at all, it was for his tragic death in the slave mines, rather than for his unnecessary but successful fight against Bel Riose. As for Bel Riose, the noblest of the Foundation's adversaries, he too was nearly forgotten, overshadowed by the Mule, who alone among enemies had broken the Seldon Plan and defeated and ruled the Foundation. He alone was the Great Enemy – indeed, the last of the Greats. It was little remembered that the Mule had been, in essence, defeated by one person – a woman, Bayta Darell – and that she had accomplished the victory without the help of anyone, – without even the support of the Seldon Plan. So, too, was it almost forgotten that her son and granddaughter, Toran and Arkady Darrell, had defeated the Second Foundation, leaving the Foundation, the First Foundation, supreme. These latter-day victors were no longer heroic figures. The times had become too expansive to do anything but shrink heroes into ordinary mortals. Then, too, Arkady's biography of her grandmother had reduced her from a heroine to a figure of romance. And since then there had been no heroes – not even figures of romance. The Kalganian war had been the last moment of violence engulfing the Foundation and that had been a minor conflict. Nearly two centuries of virtual peace! A hundred and twenty years without so much as a ship scratched. It had been a good peace – Branno would not deny that – a profitable peace. The Foundation had not established a Second Galactic Empire – it was only halfway there by the Seldon Plan – but, as the Foundation Federation, it held a strong economic grip on over a third of the scattered political units of the Galaxy, and influenced what it didn't control. There were few places where â€Å"I am of the Foundation† was not met with respect. There was no one who ranked higher in all the millions of inhabited worlds than the Mayor of Terminus. That was still the title. It was inherited from the leader of a single small and almost disregarded city on a lonely world on the far edge of civilization, some five centuries before, but no one would dream of changing it or of giving it one atom more glory-in-sound. As it was, only the all-but-forgotten title of Imperial Majesty could rival it in awe. – Except on Terminus itself, where the powers of the Mayor were carefully limited. The memory of the Indburs still remained. It was not their tyranny that people could not forget but the fact that they had lost to the Mule. And here she was, Harla Branno, the strongest to rule since the Mule's death (she knew that) and only the fifth woman to do so. On this day only had she been able to use her strength openly. She had fought for her interpretation of what was right and what should be – against the dogged opposition of those who longed for the prestige – filled Interior of the Galaxy and for the aura of Imperial power – and she had won. Not yet, she had said. Not yet! Jump too soon for the Interior and you will lose far this reason and for that. And Seldon had appeared and had supported her in language almost identical with her own. It made her, for a time, in the eyes of all fine Foundation, as wise as Seldon himself. She knew they could forget that any hour, however. And this young man dared to challenge her on this day of days. And he dared to be right? That was the danger of it. He was right? And by being right, he might destroy the Foundation! And now she faced him and they were alone. She said sadly, â€Å"Could you not have come to see me privately? Did you have to shout it all out in the Council Chamber in your idiotic desire to make a fool of me? What have you done, you mindless boy?† Trevize felt himself flushing and fought to control his anger. The Mayor was an aging woman who would be sixty-three on her next birthday. He hesitated to engage in a shouting match with someone nearly twice his age. Besides, she was well practiced in the political wars and knew that if she could place her opponent off-balance at the start then the battle was half-won. But it took an audience to make such a tactic effective and there was no audience before whom one might be humiliated. There were just the two of them. So he ignored her words and did his best to survey her dispassionately. She was an old woman wearing the unisex fashions which had prevailed for two generations now. They did not become her. The Mayor, the leader of the Galaxy – if leader there could be – was just a plain old woman who might easily have been mistaken for an old man, except that her iron-gray hair was tied tightly back, instead of being worn free in the traditional male style. Trevize smiled engagingly. However much an aged opponent strove to make the epithet â€Å"boy† sound like an insult, this particular â€Å"boy† had the advantage of youth and good looks – and the full awareness of both. He said, â€Å"It's true. I'm thirty-two and, therefore, a boy – in a manner of speaking. And I'm a Councilman and, therefore, ex officio, mindless. The first condition is unavoidable. For the second, I can only say I'm sorry.† â€Å"Do you know what you've done? Don't stand there and strive for wit. Sit down. Put your mind into gear, if you can, and answer me rationally.† â€Å"I know what I've done. I've told the truth as I've seen it.† â€Å"And on this day you try to defy me with it? On this one day when my prestige is such that I could pluck you out of the Council Chamber and arrest you, with no one daring to protest?† â€Å"The Council will recover its breath and it will protest. They may be protesting now. And they will listen to me all the more for the persecution to which you are subjecting me.† â€Å"No one will listen to you, because if I thought you would continue what you have been doing, I would continue to treat you as a traitor to the full extent of the law.† â€Å"I would then have to be tried.. I'd have my day in court.† â€Å"Don't count on that. A Mayor's emergency powers are enormous, even if they are rarely used.† â€Å"On what grounds would you declare an emergency?† â€Å"I'll invent the grounds. I have that much ingenuity left, and I do not fear taking the political risk. Don't push me, young man. We are going to come to an agreement here or you will never be free again. You will be imprisoned for the rest of your life. I guarantee it. They stared at each other: Branno in gray, Trevize in multishade brown. Trevize said, â€Å"What kind of an agreement?† â€Å"Ah. You're curious. That's better. Then we can engage in conversation instead of confrontation. What is your point of view?† â€Å"You know it well. You have been crawling in the mud with Councilman Compor, have you not?† â€Å"I want to hear it from you – in the light of the Seldon Crisis just passed.† â€Å"Very well, if that's what you want – Madam Mayor!† (He had been on the brink of saying â€Å"old woman.†) â€Å"The image of Seldon was too correct, too impossibly correct after five hundred years. It's the eighth time he has appeared, I believe. On some occasions, no one was there to hear him. On at least one occasion, in the time of Indbur III, what he had to say was utterly out of synchronization with reality but that was in the time of the Mule, wasn't it? But when, on any of those occasions, was he as correct as he was now?† Trevize allowed himself a small smile. â€Å"Never before, Madam Mayor, as far as our recordings of the past are concerned, has Seldon managed to describe the situation so perfectly, in all its smallest details.† Branno said, â€Å"Is it your suggestion that the Seldon appearance, the holographic image, is faked; that the Seldon recordings have been prepared by a contemporary such as myself, perhaps; that an actor was playing the Seldon role?† â€Å"Not impossible, Madam Mayor, but that's not what I mean. The truth is far worse. I believe that it is Seldon's image we see, and that his description of the present moment in history is the description he prepared five hundred years ago. I have said as much to your man, Kodell, who carefully guided me through a charade in which I seemed to support the superstitions of the unthinking Foundationer.† â€Å"Yes. The recording will be used, if necessary, to allow the Foundation to see that you were never really in the opposition.† Trevize spread his arms. â€Å"But I am. There is no Seldon Plan in the sense that we believe there is, and there hasn't been for perhaps two centuries. I have suspected that for years now, and what we went through in the Time Vault twelve hours ago proves it.† â€Å"Because Seldon was too accurate?† â€Å"Precisely. Don't smile. That is the final proof.† â€Å"I'm not smiling, as you can see. Go on.† â€Å"How could he have been so accurate? Two centuries ago, Seldon's analysis of what was then the present was completely wrong. Three hundred years had passed since the Foundation was set up and he was wide of the mark. Completely!† â€Å"That, Councilman, you yourself explained a few moments ago. It was because of the Mule. The Mule was a mutant with intense mental power and there had been no way of allowing for him in the Plan.† â€Å"But he was there just the same – allowed or not. The Seldon Plan was derailed. The Mule didn't rule for long and he had no successor. The Foundation regained its independence and its domination, but how could the Seldon Plan have gotten back on target after so enormous a tearing of its fabric?† Branno looked grim and her aging hands clasped together tightly. â€Å"You know the answer to that. There were one of two Foundations. You've read the history books.† â€Å"I've read Arkady's biography of her grandmother – required reading in school, after all – and I've read her novels, too. I've read the official view of the history of the Mule and afterward. Am I to be allowed to doubt them?† â€Å"In what way?† â€Å"Officially we, the First Foundation, were to retain the knowledge of the physical sciences and to advance them. We were to operate openly, our historical development following – whether we knew it or not – the Seldon Plan. There was, however, also the Second Foundation, which was to preserve and further develop the psychological sciences, including psychohistory, and their existence was to be a secret even from us. The Second Foundation was the fine-tuning agency of the Plan, acting to adjust the currents of Galactic history, when they turned from the paths outlined by the Plan.† â€Å"Then you answer yourself,† said the Mayor. â€Å"Bayta Darell defeated the Mule, perhaps under the inspiration of the Second Foundation, although her granddaughter insists that was not so. It was the Second Foundation without doubt, however, which labored to bring Galactic history back to the Plan after the Mule died and, quite obviously, they succeeded. – What on Terminus, then, are you talking about, Councilman?† â€Å"Madam Mayor, if we follow Arkady Darell's account, it is clear that the Second Foundation, in making the attempt to correct Galactic history, undermined Seldon's entire scheme, since in their attempt to correct they destroyed their own secrecy. We, the First Foundation, realized that our mirror image, the Second Foundation, existed, and we could not live with the knowledge that we were being manipulated. We therefore labored to find the Second Foundation and to destroy it.† Branno nodded. â€Å"And we succeeded, according to Arkady Darell's account, but quite obviously, not until the Second Foundation had placed Galactic history firmly on track again after its disruption by the Mule. It is still on track.† â€Å"Can you believe that? The Second Foundation, according to the account, was located and its various members dealt with. That was in 378 F. E., a hundred twenty years ago. For five generations, the have supposedly been operating without the Second Foundation, and yet have remained so close to target where the Plan is concerned that you and the image of Seldon spoke almost identically.† â€Å"This might be interpreted to mean that I have seen into the significance of developing history with keen insight:† â€Å"Forgive me. I do not intend to cast doubt upon your keen insight, but to me it seems that the more obvious explanation is that the Second Foundation was never destroyed. It still rules us. It still manipulates us. – And that is why we have returned to the track of the Seldon Plan.† If the Mayor was shocked by the statement, she showed no sign of it. It was past 1 A. m. and she wanted desperately to bring an end to it, and yet could not hasten. The young man had to be played and she did not want to have him break the fishing line. She did not want to have to dispose of him uselessly, when he might first be made to serve a function. She said, â€Å"Indeed? You say then that Arkady's tale of the Kalganian war and the destruction of the Second Foundation was false? Invented? A game? A lie?† Trevize shrugged. â€Å"It doesn't have to be. That's beside the point. Suppose Arkady's account were completely true, to the best of her knowledge. Suppose all took place exactly as Arkady said it did; that the nest of Second Foundationers was discovered, and that they were disposed of. How can we possibly say, though, that we got every last one of them? The Second Foundation was dealing with the entire Galaxy. They were not manipulating the history of Terminus alone or even of the Foundation alone. Their responsibilities involved more than our capital world or our entire Federation. There were bound to be some Second Foundationers that were a thousand – or more – parsecs away. Is it likely we would have gotten them all? â€Å"And if we failed to get them all, could we say we had won? Could the Mule have said it in his time? He took Terminus, and with it all the worlds it directly controlled – but the Independent Trading Worlds still stood. He took the Trading Worlds – yet three fugitives remained: Ebling Mis, Bayta Darell, and her husband. He kept both men under control and left Bayta – only Bayta – uncontrolled. He did this out of sentiment, if we are to believe Arkady's romance. And that was enough. According to Arkady's account, one person – only Bayta – was left to do as she pleased, and because of her actions the Mule was not able to locate the Second Foundation and was therefore defeated. â€Å"One person left untouched, and all was Lost! That's the importance of one person, despite all the legends that surround Seldon's Plan to the effect that the individual is nothing and the mass is all. â€Å"And if we left not just one Second Foundationer behind, but several dozen, as seems perfectly likely, what then? Would they not gather together, rebuild their fortunes, take up their careers again, multiply their numbers by recruitment and training, and once mare make us all pawns?† Branno said gravely, â€Å"Do you believe that?† â€Å"I am sure of it.† â€Å"But tell me, Councilman? Why should they bother? Why should the pitiful remnant continue to cling desperately to a duty no one welcomes? What drives them to keep the Galaxy along its path to the Second Galactic Empire? And if the small band insists on fulfilling its mission, why should we care? Why not accept the path of the Plan and be thankful that they will see to it that we do not stray or lose our way?† Trevize put his hand over his eyes and rubbed them. Despite his youth, he seemed the more tired of the two. He stared at the Mayor and said, â€Å"I can't believe you. Are you under the impression that the Second Foundation is doing this for us? That they are some sort of idealists? Isn't it clear to you from your knowledge of politics – of the practical issues of power and manipulation – that they are doing it for themselves? â€Å"We are the cutting edge. We are the engine, the force. We labor and sweat and bleed and weep. They merely control-adjusting an amplifier here, closing a contact there, and doing it all with ease and without risk to themselves. Then, when it is all done and when, after a thousand years of heaving and straining, we have set up the Second Galactic Empire, the people of the Second Foundation will move in as the ruling elite.† Branno said, â€Å"Do you want to eliminate the Second Foundation then? Having moved halfway to the Second Empire, do you want to take the chance of completing the task on our own and serving as our own elite? Is that it?† â€Å"Certainly! Certainly! Shouldn't that be what you want, too? You and I won't live to see it, but you have grandchildren and someday I may, and they will have grandchildren, and so on. I want them to have the fruit of our labors and I want them to look back to us as the source, and to praise us for what we have accomplished. I don't want it all to fall to a hidden conspiracy devised by Seldon – who is no hero of mine. I tell you he is a greater threat than the Mule – if we allow his Plan to go through. By the Galaxy, I wish the Mule had disrupted the Plan altogether – and forever. We would have survived him. He was one of a kind and very mortal. The Second Foundation seems to be immortal.† â€Å"But you would like to destroy the Second Foundation, is that not so?† â€Å"If I knew how!† â€Å"Since you don't know how, don't you think it quite likely they will destroy you?† Trevize looked contemptuous. â€Å"I have had the thought that even you might be under their control. Your accurate guess as to what Seldon's image would say and your subsequent treatment of me could be all Second Foundation. You could be a hollow shell with a Second Foundation content.† â€Å"Then why are you talking to me as you are?† â€Å"Because if you are under Second Foundation control, I am lost in any case and I might as well expel some of the anger within me and because, in actual fact, I am gambling that you are not under their control, that you are merely unaware of what you do.† Branno said, â€Å"You win that gamble, at any rate. I am not under anyone's control but my own. Still, can you be sure I am telling the truth? Were I under control of the Second Foundation, would I admit it? Would I even myself know that I was under their control? â€Å"But there is no profit in such questions. I believe I am not under control and you have no choice but to believe it, too. Consider this, however. If the Second Foundation exists, it is certain that their biggest need is to make sure that no one in the Galaxy knows they exist. The Seldon Plan only works well if the pawns-we-are not aware of how the Plan works and of how we are manipulated. It was because the Mule focused the attention of the Foundation on the Second Foundation that the Second Foundation was destroyed in Arkady's time. – Or should I say nearly destroyed, Councilman? â€Å"From this we can deduce two corollaries. First, we can reasonably suppose that they interfere grossly as little as they can. We can assume it would be impossible to take us all over. Even the Second Foundation, if it exists, must have limits to its power. To take over some and allow others to guess the fact would introduce distortions to the Plan. Consequently, we come to the conclusion that their interference is as delicate, as indirect, as sparse as is possible – and therefore I am not controlled. Nor are you.† Trevize said, â€Å"That is one corollary and I tend to accept it – out of wishful thinking, perhaps. What is the other?† â€Å"A simpler and more inevitable one. If the Second Foundation exists and wishes to guard the secret of that existence, then one thing is sure. Anyone who thinks it still exists, and talks about it, and announces it, and shouts it to all the Galaxy must, in some subtle way, be removed by them at once, wiped out, done away with. Wouldn't that be your conclusion, too?† Trevize said, â€Å"Is that why you have taken me into custody, Madam Mayor? To protect me from the Second Foundation?† â€Å"In a way. To an extent. Liono Kodell's careful recording of your beliefs will be publicized not only in order to keep the people of Terminus and the Foundation from being unduly disturbed by your silly talk – but to keep the Second Foundation from being disturbed. If it exists, I do not want to have its attention drawn to you.† â€Å"Imagine that,† said Trevize with heavy irony. â€Å"For my sake? For my lovely brown eyes?† Branno stirred and then, quite without warning, laughed quietly. She said, â€Å"I am not so old, Councilman, that I am not unaware that you have lovely brown eyes and, thirty years ago, that might have been motive enough. At this time, however, I wouldn't move a millimeter to save them – or all the rest of you – if only your eyes were involved. But if the Second Foundation exists, and if their attention, is drawn to you, they may not stop with you. There's my life to consider, and that of a number of others far mare intelligent and valuable than you – and all the plans we have made.† â€Å"Oh? Do you believe the Second Foundation exists, then, that you react so carefully to the possibility of their response?† Branno brought her fist down upon the table before her. â€Å"Of course I do, you consummate fool! If I didn't know the Second Foundation exists, and if I weren't fighting them as hard and as effectively as I could, would I care what you say about such a subject? If the Second Foundation did not exist, would it matter that you are announcing they do? I've wanted for months to shut you up before you went public, but lacked the political power to deal roughly with a Councilman. Seldon's appearance made me look good and gave me the power – if only temporarily – and at that moment, you did go public. I moved at once, and now I will have you killed without a twinge of conscience or a microsecond of hesitation – if you don't do exactly as you're told. â€Å"Our entire conversation now, at an hour in which I would much rather be in bed and asleep, was designed to bring you to the point of believing me when I tell you this. I want you to know that the problem of the Second Foundation, which I was careful to have you outline, gives me reason enough and inclination to have you brainstopped without trial.† Trevize half-rose from his seat. Branno said, â€Å"Oh, don't make any moves. I'm only an old woman, as you're undoubtedly telling yourself, but before you could place a hand on me, you'd be dead. We are under observation, foolish young man, by my people.† Trevize sat down. He said, just a bit shakily, â€Å"You make no sense. If you believed the Second Foundation existed, you wouldn't be speaking of it so freely. You wouldn't expose yourself to the dangers to which you say I am exposing myself.† â€Å"You recognize, then, that I have a bit more good sense than you do. In other words, you believe the Second Foundation exists, yet you speak freely about it, because you are foolish. I believe it exists, and I speak freely, too – but only because I have taken precautions. Since you seem to have read Arkady's history carefully, you may recall that she speaks of her father having invented what she called a ‘Mental Static Device.' It serves as a shield to the kind of mental power the Second Foundation has. It still exists and has been improved on, too, under conditions of the greatest secrecy. This house is, for the moment, reasonably safe against their prying. With that understood, let me tell you what you are to do.† â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"You are to find out whether what you and I think is so is indeed so. You are to find out if the Second Foundation still exists and, if so, where. That means you will have to leave Terminus and go I know not where – even though it may in the end turn out, as in Arkady's day, that the Second Foundation exists among us. It means you will not return till you have something to tell us; and if you have nothing to tell us, you will never return, and the population of Terminus will be less one fool.† Trevize found himself stammering. â€Å"How on Terminus can I look for them without giving away the fact? They will simply arrange a death for me, and you will be none the wiser.† â€Å"Then don't look for them, you naive child. Look for something else. Look for something else with all your heart and mind, and if, in the process, you come across them because they have not bothered to pay you any attention, then goods You may, in that case, send us the information by shielded and coded hyperwave, and you may then return as a reward.† â€Å"I suppose you have something in mind that I should look for.† â€Å"Of course I do. Do you know Janov Pelorat?† â€Å"Never heard of him.† â€Å"You will meet him tomorrow. He will tell you what you are looking for and he will leave with you in one of our most advanced ships. There will be just the two of you, for two are quite enough to risk. And if you ever try to return without satisfying us that you have the knowledge we want, then you will be blown out of space before you come within a parsec of Terminus. That's all. This conversation is over.† She arose, looked at her bare hands, then slowly drew on her gloves. She turned toward the door, and through it came two guards, weapons in hand. They stepped apart to let her pass. At the doorway she turned. â€Å"There are other guards outside. Do nothing that disturbs them or you will save us all the trouble of your existence.† â€Å"You will also then lose the benefits I might bring you,† said Trevize and, with an effort, lie managed to say it lightly. â€Å"We'll chance that,† said Branno with an unamused smile. Outside Liono Kodell was waiting for her. He said, â€Å"I listened to the whole thing, Mayor. You were extraordinarily patient.† â€Å"And I am extraordinarily tired. I think the day has been seventy-two hours long. You take over now.† â€Å"I will, but tell me. Was there really a Mental Static Device about the house?† â€Å"Oh, Kodell,† said Branno wearily. â€Å"You know better than that. What was the chance anyone was watching? Do you imagine the Second Foundation is watching everything, everywhere, always? I'm not the romantic young Trevize is; he might think that, but I don't. And even if that were the case, if Second Foundational eyes and ears were everywhere, would not the presence of an MSD have given us away at once? For that matter, would not its use have shown the Second Foundation a shield against its powers existed – once they detected a region that was mentally opaque? Isn't the secret of such a shield's existence – until we are quite ready to use it to the full – something worth not only more than Trevize, but more than you and I together? And yet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They were in the ground-car, with Kodell driving. â€Å"And yet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Kodell. â€Å"And yet what?† said Branno. † – Oh yes. And yet that young man is intelligent. I called him a fool in various ways half a dozen times just to keep him in his place, but he isn't one. He's young and he's read too many of Arkady Darell's novels, and they have made him think that that's the way the Galaxy is – but he has a quick insight about him and it will be a pity to lose him.† â€Å"You are sure then that he will be lost?† â€Å"Quite sure,† said Branno sadly. â€Å"Just the same, it is better that way. We don't need young romantics charging about blindly and smashing in an instant, perhaps, what it has taken us years to build. Besides, he will serve a purpose. He will surely attract the attention of the Second Foundationers – always assuming they exist and are indeed concerning themselves with us. And while they are attracted to him, they will, perchance, ignore us. Perhaps we can gain even more than the good fortune of being ignored. They may, we can hope, unwittingly give themselves away to us in their concern with Trevize, and let us have an opportunity and time to devise countermeasures.† â€Å"Trevize, then, draws the lightning.† Branno's lips twitched. â€Å"Ah, the metaphor I've been looking for. He is our lightning rod, absorbing the stroke and protecting us from harm.† â€Å"And this Pelorat, who wilt also be in the path of the lightning bolt?† â€Å"He may suffer, too. That can't be helped.† Kodell nodded. â€Å"Well, you know what Salvor Hardin used to say. ‘Never let your sense of morals keep you from doing what is right.'† â€Å"At the moment, I haven't got a sense of morals,† muttered Branno. â€Å"I have a sense of bone-weariness. And yet – I could name a number of people I would sooner lose than Golan Trevize. He is a handsome young man. – And, of course, he knows it.† Her tact words slurred as she closed her eyes and fell into a light sleep.

Natureview

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Thus, marketers for Interview must take this in mind when creating strategic marketing plan. Also because Interview is small, their revenues are ge nerally low. This affects Interviews abilities to attain valuation amongst venture capital firms. Noteworthiness of Interview is that their current strategy is not very flexible. It is based for denature store channel. Thus if Interview decides to expand to the supermarket channel, they williwaw to revise their entire marketing strategy. Opportunity The organic food market is expected to grow tremendously over the next few years due congressing consumer interest.This will create new opportunities for product line extensions rooter new product launches. The rise to organic foods is also why Interview an opportunity to disadvantage of this and expand their product offering and thus revenues. Threats Competition is by far Interviews biggest threat. Companies such as Horizon Organic and Brown Cow in the nature store channel are competing directly with Interview to gain a strangle hold in the organic yogurt industry. There is also competition from national brands such as Daemon and Haplo id who are rumored to be launching their own organic yogurt. Another huge threat is the possibility of nature store channel retailers increasing the demand on logistics and technology criteria.If these retailers begin demanding the use of scanning devices and automated inventory tracking systems, Interview will be hard-pressed to find the funds necessary to facilitate those demands. Financial Analyses Interviews revenues are not that bad since they do hove 24%market share to lead their competitors. However the advertising and sales expenses seem to be a little when compared to the gross profit. This is the main reason why the final net income is Just 2%of revenue. If Interview wants to gain more profits they will have to find ways to reduce expenses or increase revenue, which is the logical option since Interview wants to increase revenues to $20 million by the end of 2001. Organizational Objectives 2001 fiscal year This objective is largely due to necessity.Interview farms must be able to meet this objective if they can attain validation for venture capital firms to invest and infuse them with funds that can be used toward strategic investments. If this objective was not met Interview would have no choice but to consider being part of an acquisition. Alternatives/Options regions Option 1 is that Interview expands into the supermarket channel with 6 SKU of theist product size. This expansion will cover the west and the northeast regions. Expansion in to the west region will include the top 9 retail chains, while the northeast region will include the topple retail chains. This will equate to 20 total retail chains.The main reason why the z product was chosen for this option is because it represents a large part of the target group. The z size is the most popular and thus offers the best potential. In fact this whole option offers great potential. Expected sales are at $25. 9 million from this option alone. By choosing this option Interview will be able to gain a first move advantage on their organic yogurt competitors. Getting your foot first in the door means you will have a heads up on the market by the time the competition arrives. This is crucial for success. This option is expected to get the most unit sales out of all the options. It is expected to get 35 million units sold to receive revenue of $25. 9 million.When that is added with Interviews current revenue of $million, it will equate to $38. 9 million, well over the $million objective. Advantages Sigh potential for increased revenue Consumers in EN and W region rearmost likely to purchase organic Expected 1. 5% market share after 1st year (35 million unit sales) Disadvantages Sigh risk will increase by for sales staff,$120,OHO formatting staff Direct competition with national brands (Daemon, Haploid) This option seems to give the most potential. However it also has a lot of risks and cost associated with it. The only way this would be a liable investment would be if some of the risks were abolished. Otherwise this option seems to be too expensive and risky to pursue.Option 2: Expand into the supermarket channel with 4 SKU of jazz yogurt in all regions Like option 1, option 2 also has Interview expand their product into the supermarket channel. However unlike option 1, option 2 has Interview expand with 4 SKU of not z but the jazz of yogurt. The reasoning behind this is that there will be less competition in the category's and that the profit margin for jazz option is 63% versus 51% for the z. It is expected that a sales volume of 5. 5 million units will be sold in the first year. This will bring revenues from this opt ion alone to $14. 85 lion. When added with Interviews current revenue of $million, it will equate to $27. 85 million, well over the $20 million objective.This option will expand into all for regions, with a total of 64 retail chains. The SKU slotting fee is extremely high at $2. 56 million, but on average the trade promotion will be lower sin ce the jazz size will only be promoted twice a year, rather than the normal four times a year. Advantages Fewer competition Lower on average trade promotion expense Cougher profit margin for jazz versus Expected 1st year sales of 5. 5 million units Disadvantages None users may not want to purchase large jazz quantity of product Every difficult to achieve full national distribution within one year This option seems to be taking a differentiation approach.If this option is chosen by Interview, they would be one of only a few companies to offer the jazz size of organic yogurt in the supermarket chain. That fact that there is not many competitors is a huge advantage. However this option is also very risky and has many unknown such as whether it is plausible to distribute nationally within one year. For this option to be acceptable the risk and unknowns must be dealt with. Option 3: Introduce 2 SKU of children multi pack into natural foods channel In this option, Interview will not expan d into the supermarket channel. Instead Interview will introduce a new line of products for children in the nature foods channel.They will introduce 2 SKU off's multicasts. The multipart market was identified earlier in this analyses because of its annual growth rate of 12. 5%. Even thought multicasts are only 9% of total organic yogurt sales, the tremendous growth rate give this market a huge amount of potential without much risk. This is a huge reason why this option is valuable. Another reasons s that cost will be done since SKU slotting fees will no longer be changed. There will be a required allocation of one complementary case of product for every new SKU in the first year. This would usually equate to being less than the supermarket channel slotting fee. This option will also require a broker fee of 4%.Total revenues with this option will be about 6 million with 1. 8 million units sold at a price $3. 35 per unit. take advantage of current relationships within nature foods cha nnel Low risk factors Interview positioned nicely for option Low cost take advantage of growing natural foods channel Low expected revenue Requires R;D to develop product This option is by far the most conservative of the three. It presents the least amount of risk because the basis of this option is to stick with what is known. Interview knows the natural foods channel. They know the distributors, retailers, consumers and anyone in between. There are very few unknown variables.However because there is so few risk involved, reward is also few. The revenues from this options is the lowest of the three options. Combined with the current$13 million revenue, it equates to Just over $19 million. This is under the objective of $million. This must e taken in consideration when choosing the recommendation. Recommendation After careful review and thorough analyses of the problem, situation and available options, It is recommended that Interview Farms chooses the third option. The reason why this option was chosen was because it offered very few risk and had a vide variety of known variables. It also took advantage of the growing nature food channel and the multipart market segment.This option also did not require an entire marketing strategy change. It used the same distributors, retailers and consumers. However, because this option ends up being $1 million short of the objective, it is highly encouraged that Interview Farms invest more funds in marketing the launch of children's multipart. Interview must ensure that they can increase the expected revenues by $1 million or more in order to meet or beat the objective of $20 million. Perhaps a more intensive concentrated promotion plan would yield $1 million or more in extra revenue. If this option is followed with the suggested revisions, it has the potential to increase Interviews success tremendously.

Improve my english Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Improve my english - Essay Example Some of the types of learners include: auditory, visual, kinesthetic and tactile. I am definitely a visual learner because I tend to remember more of what I see rather than what I hear. More specifically, if there is an image drawn with the text, I tend to remember that text in association with that image. This means that I am better at grasping those difficult grammatical points which can be diagrammed or have some pictorial information written with them. I also tend to remember those grammar or language points which are available in the form of a video. Moreover, I like texts having a lot of pictures. This means that if I have to improve my English, then the dull novels would not do me any good as I would lose concentration easily. Instead I should go for magazines which are generally colorful. We all have our own learning styles and one should get accustomed to the learning style that is suitable for

Organizational Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organizational Analysis - Research Paper Example Globally, the entity is rated at the 23rd largest firm-entity in terms of composite scale measurements of assets, market value, revenues and profits. Importantly, the entity is rated as the 20th-largest mobile telecom operator globally, providing key telecommunication services to an estimated 120 million plus mobile subscribers. Throughout its years, from the initial government-authorized monopoly of phone services (the Bell System) when the entity was the largest phone company globally, to the 1982 breakup of the monopoly by U.S. regulators, it has been a force to reckon with. As Smith (2013) presents, through subsequently created subsidiaries, the entity was able to be re-founded, after the 2005 SBC acquisition of the former parent company. Further expansion has been witnessed since 2013, when the entity planned entry into Latin America through partnership with America Movil. Additionally, through agreed purchase of DirecTV in 2014, the entity further aims at widening its consumer base to include the fast-growing Latin American market arena. Further acquisition of Mexico’s Iusacell and NII Holdings is expected to solidify its presence in the wider North American frontier. Globally, the entity also offers a variety of services in different locations spread around the Asia Pacific (Smith, 2013). Human resource management (HRM/HR) pertains to the functional role-play present within organizational entities, designed specifically towards maximizing existing employee performance. As Collings and Wood (2009) portray, this is mainly in terms of service of the employer’s core strategic objectives. Accordingly, HR primarily is concerned with the manner in which individuals are managed within various organizations, focusing keenly on present systems and policies. Such responsibility falls upon existing HR departments and associate units within organizations. These are mainly tasked with a variety of core activities such as employee hiring/ recruitment, their

Nude Study of Thomas E. Mckeller by John Singer Sargent Essay

Nude Study of Thomas E. Mckeller by John Singer Sargent - Essay Example From that time, he grew up to be an accomplished in music, art, and literature. By seventeen, he was well accustomed to expansive masters of painting. He dealt majorly on portrait paintings, but he was also skilled in painting landscape and the use of watercolor (Joselit 65). He also went to study in Germany and Italy and later in Paris under Auguste Emile. Sargent also studied with Emile, whose influence changed his artistic life from 1874 to 1878. In 1879, his effort in painting the portrait of his teacher, Emile was met with approval by the public, and this gave him the future direction. He created more than two thousand watercolors, nine hundred oil paintings and countless charcoal drawings and sketches. In 1877, Sargent had a successful exhibition at the Paris salon. His travels to Holland and Spain to study fans Hals and Velazquez, visits to North Africa and Brittany inspired him in paintings. After the controversy of â€Å"Madame X,† painting Sargent moved to London whe re he had several commissions. In 1880, he tried to make up a client site in London and so experimented with landscaping and impressionism (Joselit 77). He incorporated the styles and elements of Monet and Manet in his work. By eighteen nineties, Sargent was the preferred portraitist of representation elites. As he entered sixties, he moved to landscaping turning away from trendy portraiture. Sargent never married and died in 1925. Exhibitions in recognition of his life were mounted the same year in London, Boston, and New York. The painting Thomas E. McKeller was an African American young muscular man when the image was done. He was a bellhop and Sargent considered his facial and muscular physique unique to pose for an oil painting. The acceptance of McKellar led to production of Thomas E. McKellar Nude Study. The painting exhibits Thomas kneeling on a cushion with his arms behind the body. The posture shows well-elaborated torso accompanied with a good amount of prominence and ten sion. Thomas head in the portrait has been tilted to the side and upward gazing maybe to the heavens. The success of Sargent portrait painting of the McKellar nude study depended on skilled use of visual elements and the mastery of them. In analyzing this portrait, he emphasized the physical element from the view of the portrait size and shape. The original size of the portrait is 125.73 x 84.45 cm (49 1/2 x 33 one/4 inch.) On the canvas. Considering the shape of the portrait, he painted it on distinct rectangular frame. He designed the portrait with an impressionable view of a three dimensional shape. Sargent was able to make this portrait descriptive object in that it physical characteristics are highly explicit with good visual capability. The physical depth of the â€Å"Nude study of McKellar† explores the hidden aesthetic means and value. He portrays the object clearly and openly where the physical analyses do not compromise the audience views and thoughts. The use of li nes as a main mean of painting style is well elaborated in this portrait. He makes good use of capricious lines on Thomas portrait hence his emotional intimacy can be deciphered in this work. The outer vertical lines of the frame give the portrait some calmness, nobleness, and sense of eternality. The horizontal use of line in the cushion part gives the painting indispensable visual element of calm and peace. There is also cross lines and irregular lines behind the body

Analysis of the Affordable Care Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of the Affordable Care Act - Essay Example Republicans, on the other hand, provided an alternative where employees would buy instead of employers. A stalemate arose and the bill did not pass. Obama introduced the bill again in 2009 and it stipulated a plan that would achieve the needed healthcare plan for the sake of meeting the main ideals of the organization. Universal care was one of the stated goals to assist in pushing the bill into an Act through the two houses (Barr, 2011). Opposition to the bill was overwhelming from Republicans and protests were initiated to fight against its discussion. Voting, however, made the Democrats win by 60-39 vote thereby ending the debate on the bill in December 2009 (McDonough, 2011). Nonetheless, President Obama signed it into an Act on March 2010. Many termed it as the best overhaul of the healthcare system after Medicaid and Medicare (Jacobs & Skocpol, 2010). More people were insured and subsidies lowered costs by 76% for citizens who qualified for subsidies. Insurance companies now had more clients to cater for, but the law was on guard to protect them. More were eligible to Medicaid. The Act reduced the number of uninsured by 32 million, and only 23 million would be uninsured after 2019 (McDonough, 2011). Implementation process was expensive as more people would have to get into the system and the taxpayers had to give more to meet these expenses. Complications also arose as a result of the individual mandate when it comes to the filing of taxes because of the exemption fee offered to those who can afford health coverage (Jacobs & Skocpol, 2010). Options are man but the pricing will differ amongst private companies, and that makes it difficult to equate healthcare everywhere. The tiered healthcare system would only equate healthcare to money, which is damning for the poor. Medicare payments are more for doctors than other payments, making healthcare costlier for the poor (Feldman, 2011). Partisan disagreements in the Congress have made it

Should Public Employees be Required to Pay an Agency Fee Essay

Should Public Employees be Required to Pay an Agency Fee - Essay Example Nevertheless, employers consistently infringe these laws, as the penalties are ineffective or do not exist. When working together, they bargain for better wages and improvement of working conditions to be on a position to improve their living standards and that of their life families. Union members will normally have elevated wages, promising job stability, retirement security, and availability to quality healthcare for both them and their families. It is no wonder that those who are not union members are craving to be part of one union. It is unfortunate that workers are consistently denied that fundamental rights by their employers. One out of four employers will in fact dismiss his or her workers for trying to form a union in their work place. Several employers hire expensive lawyers and anti-union consultants to interrupt and prolong the union election, occasionally for periods for more than a year. This conditions frustrate the workers often get the feeling of being defenseless People working to earn a living are aware of the disproportion of power stuck between employers and employees. With a union, the human resources win vital rights such as jobs security. Unions make it easy to remedy on biases as union contracts ensure that all employees are treated reasonably and equally by their employers. When there is a predicament in the workplace, workforce and management come together as equals to solve the problem. The conflicting parties will ascertain a schedule and length of negotiating sessions. The parties involved will agree upon time out for caucuses. The parties need to come to some understanding on the needs to be established with regard to keeping of record. They will also need to make common decisions with regard to confidentiality of the information discussed. This is the every initial meeting; in general the union brings forward all of its demands. The subsequently conference or set of meetings is where management will in turn give the

How Case Managers Benefit from Electronic Medical Records Essay

How Case Managers Benefit from Electronic Medical Records - Essay Example † from SAM Advanced Management Journal, 74, p. 54+. The paper deals with the EMR implementation in health care organizations and the way case managers would benefit from this step. In the modern globalized world high-speed development of technological innovations leads to an overall growth and expansion of computerization. Different companies, firms and organizations are looking for the most convenient ways to facilitate the work of their employees. Therefore, case managers in health care organizations underline the necessity of electronic medical records implementation. Unfortunately, it is evident that very often case managers reject electronic medical records usage. In accordance with Seeman and Gibson (2009) such kind of behavior should be analyzed in terms of Davis's technology acceptance model and Ajzen's theory of planned behavior. The first benefit for case managers when using electronic medical records is the way to costs cutting and health care industry efficiency. Th is can be explained by direct functions of EMR. This technology enables fast and efficient collection of the following data: (demographic, financial, and medical  information). The storage, transmission and processing of the collected data facilitates the work of case managers. There is no need to penetrate into useless and boring paper activities. There is a right way to process data in digital format. Consequently, it is evident that EMR implementation will change â€Å"handwritten order documentation, minimizing transcription errors, and fundamentally reducing clinical mistakes† (Seeman and Gibson, 2009, p. 54). Case managers claim that physicians are able to make more relevant and appropriate decisions in case this technology is implemented. Sometimes, such promptness guarantees lives saving. In accordance with the article, case managers underline the importance of digital data processing in the process of their performance. A possibility to save huge amounts of data fa cilitates the job of case managers in the modern world of digital age. In spite of the fact that the concept of electronic medical records was developed 40 years ago, only the modern digital age enables keeping and collecting data of patients in different amounts. Unfortunately, health care organizations do not pay much attention to implementation of EMR into practice. The article states that less than 10% of American hospitals have enabled their case managers to facilitate their work by means of EMR. Another intimidating fact is that case managers may not have such an opportunity to facilitate their job. There are some predictions that by 2014 electronic medical records are introduced across America, but these predictions can hardly be true. Therefore, the article comprises different points of technological advancement of case management. Summary of the article â€Å"Supporting Management Programs† A strong criticism is also evident in the article â€Å"Supporting Managemen t Programs† (n.d.): â€Å"The issue is one of adoption [of EMR]. Are people really ready to do this? As long as it's easier to script it out and hand it to a voice-activated nurse, that's what the physician will do† (Supporting Management Programs). Another important point, represented in the article is the fact that case managers have many other obligations and it is too hard for them

Critical review of Antonio Damasio's theory of core consciousness Essay

Critical review of Antonio Damasio's theory of core consciousness - Essay Example Each convergence zone handles a category of objects (faces, animals, trees, etc): a convergence zone does not store permanent memories of words and concepts but helps reconstructing them. Once the image has been identified, an acoustical pattern corresponding to the image is constructed by another area of the brain. Finally an articulatory pattern is constructed so that the word that the image represents can be spoken. There are about twenty known categories that the brain uses to organize knowledge: fruits/vegetables, plants, animals, body parts, colours, numbers, letters, nouns, verbs, proper names, faces, facial expressions, emotions, sounds." (Damasio, 1999). Damasio is the firm believer of the theory that the reasoning area of the brain and the area of the brain responsible for generating emotions virtually overlap each other. As a result and thus he derives the hypothesis that emotion and reason cooperate. He believes that this is the neural, or better to state physical evidence in favour of his theory. Damasio also implies that this is the proof of the brain-body communication that is so much essential for the survival of a species. In his current neurobiological work 'The Feeling of What Happens: Body, Emotion and the Making of Consciousness' Damasio states that evolution developed two different levels of consciousness. One is 'core consciousnesses and the other 'extended consciences'. "Core consciousness is what we share with some nonhuman animals - a simple biological phenomenon, the scope of which is the Here and Now. This basic, integrated representation of one moment and one place is independent of language, reasoning and memory" (Metzinger, 1999). Damasio states this as a organism builds up its memory of its biography, or in other words, a flow chart of its core self each part of this memory bank induces and enhances the core consciousness by becoming a portal of each function submitted in the autobiography of its mind. This core consciousness also enables this organism to draw reference and induce conclusion from this autobiographical memory bank. In accordance to the ability of the organism the autobio graphical memory bank stores data for an extended period of time for usage in times of need. The need can be the ability to define itself processing the collective data available or to interact with outsiders in favourable and inauspicious circumstances. The autobiographical memory bank creates a mental map where the self image of that organism is stored. But the perimeter of this core consciousness ends here. After that the domain of extended consciousness begins. Thus it is obvious to state that "active scratchpad" of mental life (Baars, 1988) is absent in this regard. It could be termed that the domain of core consciousness is specified on the usage where there is nothing called tomorrow. Core consciousness only deals with the immediate present and 'now'. It has no functionality in the hyperspace of time. It should be noted that core consciousness does not overlap the idea of space either. In other words core consciousness is not worried about what happens outside the perimeter o f its own existence it is only aware of the area where it is present physically. For core consciousness, everything is 'here' as in the context of time- 'now'. Damasio states that at this point

Organizational Design and Structure Essay Example for Free

Organizational Design and Structure Essay People are interested in great stories of great success. Lincoln Electric uses such practices as Intensive employee involvement (Advisory committee, Suggestions plan); Job security; Compensation (Piece-rate system, Bonuses, Report cards); Points for process improvements; Strong management control; No paid sick days; No paid training. General Electric is committed to equal employment opportunity, a basic of a free society. By continuing to extend equal opportunity and provide fair treatment to all employees on the basis of merit, we will improve GEs success while enhancing the progress of individuals and the communities where our businesses are located. These two companies have different structures. But they are both successful. A narrow span of control consists of only a few employees; a wide span of control includes many employees. The tendency nowadays is to flatten organizations by widening the span of control and decreasing the layers of management (hierarchy), and by relying more on employee teams to take on many of the roles formerly performed only by managers. There is a limit to number of employees any one manager can properly supervise. If a supervisor has a wide span-of-control she is supervising activities of many people. If span-of-control is narrow few subordinates report to her. Wide span-of-control is possible in most assembly line situations where each employee has only a few repetitive tasks to perform. Wide span-of-control is possible in situations where subordinates are highly educated. Narrow span-of-control is advisable when cost of making an error or wrong decision is high. History indicates that a wide span-of-control is more productive in long-run. While different, Gen X and Gen Y have some similarities. Both will demand a more innovative workplace, with flexible hours, state-of-the-art resources, cooperative scheduling and supervisors who listen. One of the reasons Gen X and Y will be so valuable is that there will be a shortage of skilled managers to replace the retiring Traditionalists and Boomers. Developing experienced and skilled young managers will become vital to any organization hoping to compete in the future. The Apprentice. I will advice for women and men to improve the following features: Leadership takes courage and initiative. (Initiative is a critical component of good leadership. ); Self-awareness and self-correcting leadership; High energy. (A great leadership rule: if you want it, model it); No direction (clarity of roles and expectations), protection or order. A successful leader with a new team needs to set the stage for success by facilitating an initial session (order) to determine how the team will work together most effectively to achieve their task or goal. A leader should inspire confidence by creating a safe container (protection) for the team to elicit the highest of collaboration, creativity and effective strategy. All components of organisational design and structure were taken up. Organizational Redesign is structuring an organization, division or department to optimize how it supplies products and services to its clients and customers. The process of organization design matches people, information, and technology to the purpose, vision, and strategy of the organization. Structure is designed to enhance communication and information flow among people. Systems are designed to encourage individual responsibility and decision making. Technology is used to enhance human capabilities to accomplish meaningful work. The end product is an integrated system of people and resources, tailored to the specific direction of the organization.

Youth Sexual Health Promotion Health And Social Care Essay

Youth Sexual Health Promotion Health And Social Care Essay This section is a systematic literature review on applications of Internet based computer-mediated technology within youth sexual health intervention. To lend credibility to this research project, all articles will be peer-reviewed. In the vain of Randolph and Viswanath and their extensive, and arguably the most definitive, review of media use in public health Lessons Learned from Public Health Mass Media Campaigns: Marketing Health in a Crowded Media World (2004) (Randolph Viswanath, 2004), I shall engage in a rigorous and complementary review of applications of IBCM youth sexual health education and sexual health promotional tools. In this literature review I will: Describe the field of youth sexual health and sexual health intervention; defines Internet based computer-mediated technology; describe how IBCM technology has been used to undergo and/or improve public health generally and youth sexual health specifically; identify what evidence we have to support the application of IB CM interventions in youth sexual health promotion; explain what is necessary for an IBCM intervention to successfully alter youth sexual health behaviors and improve their health outcomes; find out to what extent can we learn from the successes and failures of previous IBCM interventions; and lastly, unearth how we apply this knowledge to future youth sexual health interventions. Introduction Youth Sexual Health Youth are considered a high-risk group and priority in sexual health promotion and prevention. Youth here, and commonly throughout the study of sexuality, is defined as fourteen to twenty-four years of age. Sexually transmitted infection (STI) and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remain a problem among youth in the United States (Rangel, Gavin, Reed, Fowler, Lee, 2006). HIV prevalence is especially high in youth of minority groups, and epidemics of sexually transmitted HIV are gaining hold in these vulnerable populations (Eaton, et al., 2008). STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis are still prevalent in sexual and racial minority populations especially among youth (Eaton, et al., 2008). Socio-demographic youth groups are at further disproportionate risk of poor sexual health when disenfranchised. This is true for both gay bisexual and transgender (GBT), and Heterosexual youth groups (Solorio, Milburn, Weiss, Batterham, 2006; Tyler, 2008; Van Leeuwen, et al., 2006). Youth may not broach concerns regarding sexual health in healthcare encounters because of pressure on health service facilities, patientsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ and even physiciansà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ reservations about raising complex and potentially sensitive topics (Gadomski, Bennett, Young, Wissow, 2003; Merzel, et al., 2004) Intervention Strategies In person and school based interventions are the most commonly used sexual health educational intervention strategies use to promote youth sexual health (Paul-Ebhohimhen, Poobalan, van Teijlingen, 2008). These interventions have limited geographic reach, are usually relegated to parentally consented youth, and most often miss disenfranchised youth. Moreover, sexual health interventions can often be complex in both scope and execution. There are often a number of components to sexual health prevention programs, which often interact with one another to illicit a different response or address a specific concern, simultaneously at varying levels, toward a central goal (Agha Van Rossem, 2004; Paul-Ebhohimhen, et al., 2008). Research of health interventions to promote youth sexual health and increase sexual health knowledge have consistently shown that simply providing information to youth does not significant elicit positive behavior change (Catalano, Gavin, Markham, 2010; Gavin, Catal ano, David-Ferdon, Gloppen, Markham, 2010). Moreover, the components necessary to execute a successful intervention, or educe positive behavior change, have yet to be outline and systematized in a way that would suggest potential for universality (Catalano, et al., 2010). Theory supported interventions are often reported to have higher rates of efficacy(Fishbein Ajzen, 2005; Hagman, Clifford, Noel, 2007), as are interventions that are customized to address the specific concerns and needs of the target population (Fisher, Cornman, Norton, Fisher, 2006). Leveraging theory, particularly those in the social and psychological sciences, and those specific to sexuality and social behavior, has show repeated promise in strengthening the final outcome of a well developed intervention. Also important in youth sexual health promotion seems to be skills to help youth modify and improve their self-perception, often in an effort to increase self-efficacy (Ellis, Rothbart, Posner, 2004). Internet Based Computer-Mediated (IBCM) Interventions The Internet and related Internet accessing technologies (i.e. cellular and computer) are more commonly providing access to sexual health information (Della, Eroglu, Bernhardt, Edgerton, Nall, 2008; Parker Thorson, 2008). Youth are already taking advantage of the Internet as a health information resource (Pew Research Center, 2009; Skinner, Biscope, Poland, Goldberg, 2003). Computers are still the most effective way to access the Internet. Unfortunately most youth groups that are at a disproportionately higher risk for contracting HIV/STIs, such as marginalized minority groups, disenfranchised youth, GBT youth, and the socio-economically disadvantaged youth, also are less likely to have access to advanced Internet technology such as a computer (Everett, 2008; Pew Research Center, 2009). However access is increasing even among marginalized populations (Pew Research Center, 2005, 2009); thus, the potential for the wide scale and rapid delivery of sexual health promoting tools to youth through internet technology increases in tandem. Unfortunately, little is known about the efficacy and effectiveness of Internet based computer-mediated interventions designed to promote sexual health. Most traditional evaluation techniques are only moderately effective at unearthing the effects, shortcomings, and potential of such a unique method of sexual health intervention delivery. Currently unknown, it is imperative we understand what forms of Internet based computer-mediated youth sexual health interventions are most effective in addressing which specific sexual health issues and in what geographic settings. IBCM, interactive interventions are more than just feasible, and have been effective in assisting people with chronic illness monitor and modify their behavior and has also increase adherence to medication and specific health regimens (i.e. diabetes) (Jonasson, Linne, Neovius, Rossner, 2009; Lee, et al., 2009). Among adults, such IBCMs have lead to increased health literacy and knowledge, larger and more effective social support networks, noteworthy health behavior change, and very promising statistically significant clinical outcomes (Lau, Lau, Cheung, Tsui, 2008; Mimiaga, et al., 2008). Youth health promoting potential for IBCM interventions have also been implemented in combating underage drinking and early alcoholism (LaBrie, et al., 2009), youth smoking cessation and prevention (Wang Etter, 2004), and to promote nutrition and physical activity while combating early childhood obesity (Hung, et al., 2008; Maes, et al., 2008; Mauriello, Sherman, Driskell, Prochaska, 2007). There are also many advantages to IBCM interventions when dealing with sensitive or stigmatized topics. IBCM is often preferred over in person interventions because IBCM interventions can have a higher level of privacy, can be easily repeated, and administered at convenient times for the participant (Tomnay, Pitts, Fairley, 2005). IBCM interventions can also be tailored to meet individual needs, offer individualized feedback, and can promote active learning through interactive elements (Bowen, Horvath, Williams, 2007; Noar, Clark, Cole, Lustria, 2006). Though most youth sexual health interventions and programs are not pre-evaluated by control trial before use (Haigh Jones, 2005; McMorris, et al., 2009), qualitative evaluations of youth focused IBCM interventions in schools, neighborhoods, and healthcare settings indicate that users prefer the privacy, convenience, tailored design, and interactivity (McFarlane, Kachur, Klausner, Roland, Cohen, 2005; Rietmeijer McFarlane, 2009). Need for IBCM Reviews New Media technology such as the Internet offers great potential for youth sexual health promotion and HIV/STI prevention. There are no known systematic reviews of Internet based computer-mediated delivery for youth sexual health interventions. Though thorough reviews of youth sexual health interventions are available these reviews focus specifically on interventions that make use of in-person interaction and education by teachers, peers educators or healthcare providers (Paul-Ebhohimhen, et al., 2008; Turnbull, van Wersch, van Schaik, 2008; Underhill, Montgomery, Operario, 2008). It is not known whether an Internet based computer-mediated intervention is simply another delivery system of the same youth sexual health education, or whether the Internet can provide a different locus with intrinsic experiences that operate and affect the end user in a different way than in person youth sexual health education. There may also be something intrinsically positive about in person interactions that protect for human error or lends itself to a more dynamic or adjustable intervention process. There is also the potential that Internet based interventions may cause harm. Thus, a systematic review is imperative to unearth trials of Internet based computer-mediated interventions, and to assess their efficacy and/or effectiveness. Objectives The objectives of this literature review are to: Determine the efficacy and/or effectiveness of Internet based computer-mediated interventions for youth sexual health promotion, while taking into consideration behavioral, cognitive, biological and economic outcomes. Describe how IBCM technology has been used to undergo and/or improve public health generally and youth sexual health specifically. Identify what evidence we have to support the application of IBCM interventions in youth sexual health promotion. Explain what is necessary for an IBCM intervention to successfully alter youth sexual health behaviors and improve their health outcomes. Find out to what extent can we learn from the successes and failures of previous IBCM interventions. Unearth how we apply this knowledge to future youth sexual health interventions.

The True Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

Antigone: The True Tragic Hero Antigone, is the drama written by Sohpocles. There is still a great debate on who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles' Antigone, Creon or Antigone. Many people believes that it must be Antigone, herself. This is because Antigone is an outstanding example of someone who did what she thought was right, while she was among fools, many hardships, and people who were discouragingly uncourageous. When the king Creon ordered that the body of Polyneices, Antigone's brother, be left to rot unburied because he had died as a traitor, she tried to buried him even she knew that she would be punished. She believed that a dead person's soul could not rest if that person's body was not buried so she chooses to challenge a powerful Creon, the king of Thebes in order to let her brother rest peacefully. This presents a huge problem for Antigone; she feels she must obey the laws of the gods and bury her brother, but the penalty would be earthly death. To me, Antigone is a hero, what she did for her bro ther was very respectful, not many could have the strength to do so in the same situation. However, I believe the true tragic hero in Sophocles' Antigone is Creon, not Antigone. Creon, as king of Thebes, is at the top of the social ladder. Yet, not only is he king, he is also human and possesses frailties, which qualify him to make serious mistakes, and he possesses talents, which allow him also to excel. Hence, Creon is neither overly good nor bad. Appropriately, Creon's station as king place shim in a position of great power, influence and responsibility. The extent of this power was quite evident when he sentenced Antigone to death for disobeying his proclamation. Creon's tragic flaw was his hubris or his pride and arrogance in the face of divine powers. His downfall began when he denied the basic divine right of burial to Polyneices and was cemented when he condemned Antigone for her opposition to his law. When one closely examines Antigone's reasons for burying her brother, it becomes clear that she was simply demonstrating her love, honor, and loyalty to her family. However, the reason that Creon is angered is that he feels injured and insulted that Antigone flagrantly and publicly disobeyed him.

Indian Temple Mound Essay -- Essays Papers

Indian Temple Mound In the heart of downtown Fort Walton Beach, Florida lies a magnificent hill of earth created by prehistoric Native Americans as a political and religious center. Built about 1,400 AD, this structure of earth is known today as The Indian Temple Mound. This temple mound represents one of the most outstanding artifacts left by the early inhabitants of the area. Not only is it thought to be the largest mound located on saltwater, but also it could possibly be one of the largest prehistoric earthworks on the Gulf Coast. Many events that took place so long ago in the past have been discovered due to the objects found in this mound. In 1961, The Indian Temple Mound Museum was built. This museum was the first municipally owned museum in the State of Florida. Today the museum has a two-dollar charge to enter, yet it has become one of leading recreational factors in which draws people from around the world to the area of Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The museum houses interpretive exhibits depicting 10,000 years of Native American occupation. Over 6,000 artifacts of bone, stone, clay, and shell are found within this museum, as well as the largest collection of Fort Walton Period ceramics in the Southeastern United States. Although every artifact present in The Indian Temple Mound Museum offers clear evidence of cultural sophistication and artistic skill, the more interesting artifacts I encountered were the Ware Human Effigy Urn, the Buck Burial Mound Urn...

What is Plagiarism Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction Because students often are confused about what is and is not plagiarism, I have prepared this handout to help you understand what is acceptable. There are some gray areas and if you have any questions, ask your instructor. Plagiarism is very serious and it can be grounds for failure in a course. So ask first. Another important point is that as you progress in your education the standards become higher. As a College student you are expected to have your own ideas. To read information and explain it in your words. If you complete an assignment by copying material, you are not showing that you understand something. Only that you can repeat what the textbook says. This does not show that you understand. Definition Lets start with a definition: Plagiarize 'pla-je-,riz also j - - vb -rized; -riz ·ing vt [plagiary] : to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (a created production) without crediting the source vi: to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source - pla ·gia ·riz ·er n FROM: Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary 9th ed, (Springfield, Ma: Merriam 1981, p. 870). What to do Now what does this mean for you? First, it is unacceptable to copy something out of a book, newspaper, journal or any other printed source. The most blatant example of this is to directly copy something word for word. It does not matter if it is only a phrase. If it is not yours, either do not use it or...

Book Review Essay

The novel is about a wolf called Faolan that survives with a friend of his, Edme. There is another wolf called the Prophet that tries to send out wolves to kill Faolan and Edme. They try to find a shelter to try to hide but end up getting spotted by a wolf. They run away and escape from the wolf. After getting away they go out and find the Prophet. They confront him ask ask him why he wants to kill them and he jumps at them and they finally kill the Prophet. The book is associated with the other five Wolves of the Beyond books Lone Wolf, Shadow Wolf, Watch Wolf, Spirit Wolf, and Star Wolf.  I would give the book a 2 because I like the Wolves of the Beyond books. They explain how the wolves survive and how they hunt their prey. The book shows how they grow up and learn to hunt and communicate with the others. I also like how the author makes it feel like something is going to happen like a fight scene. The book also continues the story of the main character, Faolan and gives the wolf a characteristic for each book the author makes. The novel is about a wolf called Faolan that survives with a friend of his, Edme. There is another wolf called the Prophet that tries to send out wolves to kill Faolan and Edme. They try to find a shelter to try to hide but end up getting spotted by a wolf. They run away and escape from the wolf. After getting away they go out and find the Prophet. They confront him ask ask him why he wants to kill them and he jumps at them and they finally kill the Prophet. The book is associated with the other five Wolves of the Beyond books Lone Wolf, Shadow Wolf, Watch Wolf, Spirit Wolf, and Star Wolf.  I would give the book a 2 because I like the Wolves of the Beyond books. They explain how the wolves survive and how they hunt their prey. The book shows how they grow up and learn to hunt and communicate with the others. I also like how the author makes it feel like something is going to happen like a fight scene. The book also continues the story of the main character, Faolan and gives the wolf a characteristic for each book the author makes.

Standford Prison Experiment

bob February 5, 2013 Research Methods Stanford Prison Experiment 1. Prisoners were put under a great deal of stress. The prisoners were physiologically and physically harmed. Prisoners were stripped naked, chained, and was forced to wear bags over their heads. 2. Yes there was voluntary participation in the experiment, because all of the participants signed up for the experiment. But the acts committed in the experiment most likely weren’t voluntary, meaning that the prisoners did not volunteer to be treated how they were treated.They didn’t know that they would be involved in unethical acts and be treated unfairly. 3. Yes participants were deceived; an example would be that their consent forms were not complete and did not properly address all that would take place in the experiment. There was a huge invasion of privacy, not to mention the surprise arrests. The prison was supposed to be a â€Å"safe environment† to study imprisonment, but Zimbardo did not take i nto consideration that peer pressure would make it difficult to withdraw. 4.Yes I believed the participants were harmed mentally because of the physiological abuse they were taking. I found no benefits out of the harm either way. 5. Researchers try to overcome the ethical issues by saying that the prisoners were treated how real prisoners would be treated. ACJS The ACJS would apply to the prison experiment by letting the guards know that in their professional activities as guards, members of the ACJS are committed to enhancing the general well-being of society and of the individuals and groups within it.Members of the Academy are especially careful to avoid incompetent, unethical or unscrupulous use of criminal justice knowledge. They recognize the great potential for harm that is associated with the study of criminal justice, and they do not knowingly place the well-being of themselves or other people in jeopardy in their professional work. Members of the Academy respect the rights , dignity and worth of all people.

Smart Soleh Slides

STUDY SKILLS (UUB 3013) ACADEMIC ACTIVITY PREPARED FOR: MADAM SITI NOOR AMYAH BINTI KHASBULLAH PREPARED BY: AIN NADIA BINTI ZAILAN (KJC1190154) AHMAD HEIKHAL BIN AMIR HAMZAH (KJC1190261) AZUADI BIN ZAHARIN (KJC0970162) DANIAL SHAM BIN MOHAMAD SHAMIN SHARMENDRAN (KJC1080452) HAIKAL BIN MOHAMAD NAZRI (KJC1160329) MOHAMMAD SHAHIN BIN MUHAMMAD NAZIR (KJC1160277) SYED MUZAMMIL BIN SYED ROSLAN (KJC1160022) SUBMISSION DATE: 30TH NOVEMBER 2011 Contents Introduction1 Objectives2 Organizational Chart3 Details of the Program4 Tentative Activity4 Treasurer5 Progress Report6 Conclusion9 Appendix IntroductionAs we all know, for our group assignment for Study Skills subject, we need to conduct an academic activity in an education institution. The main idea is to apply our knowledge about Study Skills in our own perspective based on the different level of education. Thus, our group has chosen to execute an activity at Smart Soleh Integrated Preschool located at Kota Damansara. This particular pre-sc hool consists of 30 pupils that range 4 to 6 in years. We would like to give an honorable thanks to our lecturer and advisor, Madam Siti Noor Amyah Binti Khasbullah for advising us throughout the planning and preparation period.Also, we would like to thank Madam Nor Banum Md. Noor, as the principal of Smart Soleh Integrated Preschool for approving our proposal and allowing us to execute our academic activities. We believe that children learn well when they are happy and having fun. Through game-based activities we aim to provide an environment where all children will feel valued and happy. We encourage the children to actively participate in their own learning and where, we hope, they will want to explore and learn more.We actively encourage positive relationships where children have high levels of self-esteem and self-confidence, developing care and respect for themselves, others and their environment. Furthermore, we stresses on teamwork and toleration so that the children will le arn how to work with others in the future. During our activities, we are trying to  provide a high quality material that will develop their intellectual skills, ensuring that children are happy and involved with their own learning. We rewarded the children with useful prizes such as stationery items and goodies so that they will compete healthily with each other. ObjectivesFor this particular academic activity, there are two different sides of objectives, first is the objective for the Study Skills Assignment and second is the objective for the children in the preschool. Firstly, by doing this project, our objective is to complete our assignment for Study Skills subject as we were assigned by our lecturer to execute an academic activity at the educational institution. Therefore, we will achieve our objective as soon as this project is done. Furthermore, our objective is to practice teamwork and to tolerate with all of our team members as implementing what we have learnt in Study S kills subject in this semester.Secondly, our objective for the children in the preschool is to create fun learning for the children by conducting a game-based activities as children love to play and they actually learn from it. All of the structured activities that we planned will benefit the children at the end of the day as we focused in academic mainly. Paradoxically, the children learn new things faster than we do, therefore we have to carefully create an interesting and beneficial educational activities. We also aim to provide an inclusive, safe, caring and stimulating environment for the children.Children need those elements in order for them perfectly absorb the learning experience. Safe and caring environment are important since children are active and at their age, they do not implement safety action yet. As a matter of fact, it is our responsibility to provide safe and caring yet stimulating environment for them regardless how we do it. On the other hand, our objective is also to provide a balance, carefully structured activities for the children based on his/her individual developmental needs to foster their well-being, self-esteem and personal development.Children have different characteristics just like we humans do. They think differently, they behave differently and they learn differently. We might confront passive child whom can be characterized as aimless and lethargic. The passive child's facial expressions are dull, with little indication of alertness. Also, we might confront hyperactive child. These children would be continually moving about, exploring the environment around them and in the process creating chaos. For this reason, we have to create carefully structured activities for them to develop their personal development.Last but not least, we also aim to provide regular opportunities for communication and understand well the main of interaction with little kids and exchange and discuss information concerning the child’s develop ment. For instance, we promote teamwork and toleration to the children so that they know how to work with others in learning and everyday life. Organizational Chart Details of the Program Name of the program: Fun Learning – Alphabets ;amp; Numbers Date: 17th November 2011 Time: 09. 30 – 11. 30 am Location: Smart Soleh Integrated Preschool Ground Floor Block A,Pangsapuri Tainia 11/3, Jalan Kenyalang, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Number of participants: 30 pupils Tentative Activity Date| Time| Activity| 17th November 2011| 09. 30 am| Arrival| | 09. 30 – 10. 00 am| Introduction: â€Å"Ice-Breaking†| | 10. 00 – 10. 30 am| Musical Chair| | 10. 30 – 11. 00 am| Academic Activity: * Word Puzzle * Dot-to-Dot * Maze Game| | 11. 00 – 11. 15 am| Prize-giving Ceremony| | 11. 15 – 11. 30 am| Farewell| Treasurer Budget: RM10. 00 X 7 person = RM70. 00 Date| Place| Expenditures| Items| Total(RM)| 5/11/2011| Carrefo ur, Subang Jaya| Prizes ;amp; Goodies| * Stationeries * Goodies * Miscellaneous| 52. 05| 16/11/2011| SNY Stationers, LCS| Activity| * Sketch Book * Stickers| 6. 30| 17/11/2011| SNY Stationers, LCS| Activity| Photocopy A4| 2. 50| 18/11/2011| Hassan ;amp; Norma| Expenses – Volunteer’s Treat| Food| 9. 00| TOTAL| 69. 85 | Progress Report Academic Activity at Smart Soleh Intergrated School We were assigned to conduct an academic activity at educational institution.The venue was proposed by Azuadi Bin Zaharin, as the place is near and it is convenient for us. The activities were proposed by all of the group members while the budget were proposed by the treasurer and project director during our first meeting on the 5th October 2011. The planning took about two weeks before the paperwork was done. There were several impediments to progress such as the group members have difficulty to attend the meeting, lack of communication and been loaded with other assignments. However, we managed to reconcile and make sure that the project is going well.The requested permission letter was given to us by our lecturer ;amp; advisor, Madam Siti Noor Amyah Binti Khasbullah on the 20th October 2011. The permission letter to conduct the academic activity at the educational institution was then sent to the principal of Smart Soleh Integrated Preschool by Azuadi Bin Zaharin. The principal accepted our permission letter and approved our proposal along with fixing the date, which is on the 17th November 2011. As soon as the proposal has been approved, we made the preparation. The budget were collected by the treasurer on 10th November 2011 from all of the group members.With the budget, the expenditures were made by the project director, Ain Nadia on 15th November 2011 by purchasing all the items to be given as prizes and goodies to be given as treats to the children. The next day, the items needed for the academic activities were purchased. After everything is complete, the fi nal preparation was done by confirming our arrival tomorrow to the principal. On 17th November 2011, we departed from Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, Leisure Commerce Square at 8. 30am. The traffic was badly congested. However we managed to arrive at 9. 30am.Our arrival was welcomed by the giggles and cheers from the children before we were formally welcomed by the principal. We introduced ourself to the principal and teachers before we started the introduction to the children. The introduction began with the emcee speech by Ain Nadia, and followed by each members introduced their names and the nickname that that kids can call them. Then, all of the members, responsibled as the facilitators, chose five children to be in each group. There were six groups altogether. The â€Å"Ice-Breaking† activity was conducted by the facilitators in a two-way communication with the children.The facilitator are responsible to take care their respective group through out the activities until the e nd of the event. Moving on to the next activity, while the facilitators were busy entertaining their group, our volunteer, Kathiravan which was our photographer at the same time, helped us to prepare for the next activity which was Musical Chair. Fourteen chairs were arranged in a circle. One of the facilitator, Syed Muzammil who was in charged for the sound system, prepared the songs for the game. The six groups were divided into two, three groups to participate in the Musical Chair while another three groups to be the audience.There were two rounds of the Musical Chair game before we finally have our respective winners to compete in the final round. The winner received a colouring book with a colour pencil set while the other children received goodies for each time anyone got eliminated from the game. The highlighted activities are done in the same room to avoid confusion as our objective is to provide an inclusive, safe, caring and stimulating environment for the children. We con ducted the activities freely by sitting on the floor in groups. Each group were given a piece of activity paper.The first was Word Search, continued with Dot-to-Dot and lastly the Maze Game. The objective of the game is to find the fastest team to complete the activities on condition of teamwork. During the activity, the facilitators observed their respective groups. We found that, there were active children, less-active children and also a hyperactive child. For the active children, we encourage them to be competitive and build their teamwork. However, for the less-active children, we helped them to adapt in the activity, build their self-esteem and convinced them that they can do it.A facilitator took the responsibility in taking care of the hyperactive child while the emcee helped him to take care of his group. We hold on to our objectives which are to provide a balance, carefully structured activities for the children based on his/her individual developmental needs to foster the ir well-being, self-esteem and personal development and provide regular opportunities for communication understand well the main of interaction with little kids and exchange and discuss information concerning the child’s development.Finally, we carried on to the next event, which is the prize-giving ceremony. The fastest groups for each activity were given prizes. The winner for the Word Search game was Haikal’s group, while the winner for the Dot-to-Dot game was Ahmad Heikhal’s group and the winner for the Maze Game was Mohammad Shahin’s group. We had a special prize which was a hamper for the group with the best teamwork. After the observations and discussions with the facilitators, we awarded Danial Sham’s group the best teamwork award as we saw them highly cooperating with each other and tolerated in an impressive way.This is what Danial Sham had to say about his group, â€Å"There are types of children that I met in my team. Izah was the moth er of my team because whenever a child was crying she would go to the kid and comfort the kid. She would also arrange the â€Å"kepiah† on the boy’s head, if it’s slanting a bit then she would arrange it back. Adam who was funny, active and loving, gave me a gentle hug when we were about to leave. Sofea was the Informative one because I am not very good with names and whenever I forgot their names she would tell me their names.They do not judge or think badly of you they would just help you when you got a problem. They easily make friends; they do not choose them by his or her status. We also did an activity where we must complete a maze puzzle, connect the dots and Sahiba, my team didn’t won a single prize because we didn’t finish first in every activity, but we still had fun because I push them to finish the activity instead of moping and feeling sad. When we got the prize for most cooperative team they were happy because we finally win something . We had a photography session in the end to capture our moments together before we say farewell and as part of our assignment, we need the photos to prove that we have execute the activity. Surprisingly, right after the photography session with the children, principal and teachers, the children sang the song â€Å"You’ll Be In My Heart† from the film Tarzan. We were deeply touched, by the sincerity of the children. It was the best farewell that we had. The children lined up in two rows, boys and girls, they shook hand with all of us, and we gave them inspirational words to them.We bid farewell and thanked the principal, teachers and all of the children for the great day we had with them. The academic activity has been successfully conducted. All of the group members felt relieved and happy at the same time. The activity went well and smoothly, just the way we planned it to be. Conclusion In particular, we as a group believe that the project of ours is a big success. W ith a big help from our lecturer, family and friends, we managed to pull out a great activity with those exciting and energetic kids at the preschool.Not to forget, the principal and teachers of Smart Soleh Integrated Preschool whom has given us support and guidance in order to make this project going smoothly. At the same time, we also have encountered several problems while executing this project. For example, to handle quite a number of energetic pupils, react towards the situation when there are passive kids that can easily cry, and to understand what the kids are trying to voice out, etc. These actually become a challenge for us to conduct the ideal form of education skills and to meet up the criteria needed to deals with those kids.Dealing with that, we have to analyze back our input and try to cope back with the kids using our redraft plan and some adjustments. After the whole two hours, all of the members agreed to feel mentally exhausted. This assignment is very different t o compare with other subjects’ assignments. We learnt how to cope with the pressure, we learnt how to really be patient and we learnt to be friendly and nice despite our aggressiveness. The two hours were not easy for us, but we hold on until the end proving that all of us can actually encounter this type of challenge.In the meantime, the main plan and the designated antennary have work well with the cooperation from all the group members. Besides that, the teachers also have helped us a lot in handling the problematic kids and preparing the props. We managed to conduct several academic activities focusing on the kid’s intellectual skills and soft skills. Alongside with the activities, we also played some games and sing-a-long with those kids. Lastly, with two hours time, we believe that we gave the best activity and gained a lot of informative knowledge about kids education development.The best thing that we gained from the assignment is the teamwork. We learnt how to work with each other, how to tolerate and how to communicate with each other. Than just classmates, we became teammates and that is a good thing. We helped each other during the activity, to cover everyone’s back and to complete the task together. However, we suggest that for this kind of assignment, the university should sponsor some budget in order for us to organize a better activity.It will be convenient if we get the sponsor, we could create a better structured activities that requires a little costly budget. Furthermore, we suggest that the university can provide the transportation for us to the educational institution to avoid transportation problem. Overall, we can conclude this activity is a good and yet fun to gain and utilize the knowledge about the Study Skills subject. This kind of activity has helped us a lot to understand well about the Study Skills knowledge and how to implement it.To put icing to the cake, we felt very happy and enjoy while doing this projec t and we would love to conduct the same activity in the future again in any chance.Total Word Count : 2,774 Appendix Arrival ;amp; Preparation Introduction: â€Å"Ice Breaking† Musical Chair Academic Activity: Word Search, Dot-to-Dot ;amp; Maze Game Prize-giving Adi’s Group Shahin’s Group Ahmad Heikhal’s Group Amil’s Group Danial Sham’s Group Haikal’s Group Farewell With all the kids ;amp; teachers Academic Activity Word Search Academic Activity Dot-to-Dot Academic Activity Maze Game Receipts