Knowledge acquisition Essay Example for Free

Knowledge acquisition Essay Jegrins Insurance Company is one of the largest insurance companies. Jegrins Company is a group of six other companies that deal with life insurance, property insurance, insurance exchange, property insurance and management. Jerkins Insurance Company is one of the largest casualty or property insurers and has so many policies. It deals with life insurance, asset management and casualty and property Insurance. Insurance companies have to maintain a competitive advantage in order to ensure growth. Jergins is one of those insurance companies that need to maintain a competitive advantage. The company has a very stable financial condition, works towards superior targets hence attains the aim of providing superior services. The employees of Jegrins Insurance Company are a very committed group who work towards the success of the company and ensure that the company grows. Jegrins Company has policy holders too that always set specific targets to be met by the company. They either set long term targets or short term targets depending on what they want to accomplish, agents of the company work hard in order not only to meet these targets but also to exceed them as a challenge to their policy holders. This company uses all these to ensure growth in the market as well as maintaining a competitive advantage. The company uses the capitalizations risk adjustment as one of the ways of ensuring growth. It has a unique solid operating performance system as well, that it makes use of and views this as very important in the growth of the company. Another design in place for the Jegrins Insurance Company is the availability of the regional market that is well established. The advantage of the regional market, the employees attitude towards working hard, the adjustment of risk capitalization and the policies of the company that have to be met, place the company in a very high class among other insurance companies and enables it maintain a competitive advantage apart from just company growth. There are other factors that contribute to the growth hence high rating of the Jegrins Insurance Company. These are factors such as improvements on technology which has enabled the company growth on performance and service offering, low operating costs, a solid income investment, an increased sophistication on pricing and a well organized and well mannered underwriting. Jegrins Company cannot only depend on the already mentioned factors to be successful and to maintain a competitive advantage. It has to look for knowledge and how to manage it for the benefit of the company. The company therefore tried to change or implement ways of getting knowledge which it realized was a very important factor in maintaining competitive advantage. The company realized that by gaining knowledge from outside about other companies or competitors, it would be better placed, and apart from that, internal knowledge was noticed as essential for the general growth of the company. The company manager therefore decided to implement knowledge strategies to use for the companies benefit and be well informed about competitive advantage issues. The knowledge strategy of a company is the approach the company gives to the knowledge capabilities and knowledge resources to the companys strategy in order to achieve what the company targets are. A knowledge strategy enables the company to increase its knowledge in a specified area be it internal or external knowledge of a company. Companies choose from the knowledge sources which are either internal or external or can choose to use both. Jegrins Company decided on a knowledge strategy that uses both the internal knowledge sources and the external knowledge sources. Jegrins company internal knowledge sources are those that the employees have in their minds, that is, in their behaviors, the duties and procedures they conduct everyday, the company equipments and the software of the company that they handle. Jegrins internal knowledge sources also lay in the various documents that the company has, the databases and the on line repositories. The external knowledge sources that Jegrins decided to use are such as consultants, from brokers of knowledge, universities, publications, personal relations and from professional associations. Jegrins company manager found out that internal knowledge source could be used to prevent imitation by other companies and to maintain the required level of knowledge requirement for executing the companys strategy and maintaining its current position. The manager then decided to go to an extent of looking for external knowledge sources to avoid being beaten by competitors since competitors too have knowledge levels. The company has to ensure the gap between the competitors level of knowledge is closed down to ensure it is not down and cannot be out done at any time. Jegrins also creates new knowledge to keep in pace and to maintain a competitive advantage position. This extra knowledge, the manager feels is very important since the company will be better placed that the other companies. The company exploits knowledge to keep pace by looking for more information that is relevant. Jegrins insurance Company Internal knowledge management and knowledge acquisition: Without a knowledge strategy, the success of a company can be jeopardized. The company has since implemented a strategy of knowledge acquisition. This strategy has various processes that the company follows. The knowledge of the company since it was initiated was made available to the company employees for them to get to know more about the company. In knowledge management, employees are very important. Jegrins encourages its employees to get the information about the company and perform there duties on the basis of knowledge that they have gained. Internal knowledge is based on the employee knowledge, about their experiences, the soft ware in the company and other company documents. Since the company already had these, it was easy for the manager to go through this step of knowledge acquisition because the employees already had knowledge about the company, the software and had experiences in vast areas of the company. On the basis that this is a large company that provides services to other members and has so many policies, Jegrins has a lot to be termed as internal knowledge. It is therefore an important task to take a long term plan to ensure knowledge acquisition is not stopped after a short time but is continued over a long period of time. Jegrins made this decision just based on the nature of the business or company that does not go for days then close down. The manager decided on long term plans to avoid failure during operations in the future. Apart from the company knowledge that was readily available, the manager still implemented ways to encourage the employees to share the experiences they had and other organizational issues as a way to improve the companys operational system. By this he encouraged learning through experience hence acquiring more useful knowledge to what his targets of the company are knowledge. External sources of knowledge: Jegrins acquires knowledge too from the external environment as has been stated. It gets information from consultants about the companys operation steps whenever the manager feels there is a point where consultation is required. The company has evolved to an extent of looking at the other companys successful methods and learning about them for the benefit of the company and to bridge the gap between the competitor and the company itself. When the company manager does this, he realizes that the other companies do not have more knowledge than the company does, and therefore are at almost the same level of knowledge and not left out yet the company still ranks above the competitors. This he realizes is important in maintaining a competitive advantage since knowledge about other companies is available to him and he knows the steps to make to avoid problems or going down the competitive advantage. The manager also involves the company in looking for information about the environment to which the company operates apart from the competitors information. The market is very important to the management of the company since the basis of the company being set up is to provide services to a specified market. Jegrins manager encourages research on the market for the advantage of the company. This though has been the company norm even before the manager decided on taking to knowledge strategy since it offered a lot of information about the steps to be followed for the success of the company. The manager realized that there was need for a strategy or method to be used to acquire just more information relevant for development. This kind of information gaining was meant for the purpose of just keeping in pace with others or being ahead of them which would be to the advantage of the company. The company therefore looked for external sources of information from universities, publications about the successful insurance companies, and other related information professional sources. Jegrins Information distribution: The manager of Jegrins Insurance Company adopted a system in the company that stored valuable information in an order that could be easily retrieved for reference. He also adopted the system of allowing information to be shared among the employees depending on the ranks and area of work so that when an employee does not accept an issue, he/she can explain it to others, discussed and a conclusion made. All these steps the manager considers as a good knowledge management strategy that has shown great success to the company after implementation. After knowledge acquisition, distribution, interpretation and general storage, the company’s knowledge management can be discussed. The manager so far has used this strategy to manage the company knowledge and is able to realize some bit by bit improvements from the previous level in which the company was before. The company though was at a high level, the manager had intentions of improvement and not just sticking to one level forever that may fall down in one time. The manager decided therefore to implement the knowledge management strategy to improve company performance and maintain competitive advantage. In all the knowledge management procedures, the manager had to take time to make sure that strategic knowledge creation is correctly done. He had to make the short term decisions in some cases and long term decision in others to make sure that there is a balance. This is because in some cases like the maintenance of the competitive advantage by the company, the manager had to decide on long term strategy since the future of the company has to be considered. After implementing a knowledge management strategy, the company has come to realize that knowledge is the key issue in the basis of competition. The company is always aware of any competitor steps that are relevant for the company in order not to be beaten by the competitor. Additional knowledge places the company at a higher class since more improvements have been made based on the acquired knowledge. Internal knowledge proved to be very advantageous to the company since it made the employees share the ideas out of the strategy that the manager created that allowed them to share ideas on the companies operations and make corrections and improvements where it was necessary. The result of these steps by the manager was tremendous, easy maintenance of the competitive advantage, noticeable growth, and increased class when compared to other companies and just being informed in terms of knowledge. It was success for Jegrins. Jegrins manager feels that knowledge strategies that suit respective companies are one of the ways to maintain competitive advantage in insurance companies since knowledge is the basis of competition and improvement. According to Jegrins manager, when the company has knowledge from the external environment, there are very high chances of improvement and maintaining a competitive advantage. Internal knowledge also contributes to the improvement and competitive advantage too since the main subject here is the employees and the employees have a big role to play in the company. They are the one who run it through their routine duties and experiences.

The Race Relations Act 1976

The Race Relations Act 1976 Introduction A major factor affecting the delivery of the curriculum in Further Education is rooted in the inequalities resultant from perceived racial and ethnic differences. These are very often based on preconceived notions, usually ill informed, about the beliefs and practices of different racial and ethnic groups. Over the past few years there has been a small but sustained increase, year on year in the racial mix of potential learners applying to start engineering courses. My practice involves the delivery of the engineering curriculum to learners at levels one to three; the make-up of all these groups reflects the general trend in the increase in racial mix. Therefore, the primary reason for investigating this topic was to discover the real impact of the increasing diversity and how the legislation is being used to underpin the values described in the Race Relations Act 1976, how they affect College operation (in respect of Oaklands College) and how teaching practice is affected. In this report, the intention is to set out the background to the Act and investigate its effect on the further education sector with particular reference to Oaklands College and then to discuss the implications for the teacher in the classroom or workshop. The Policy The Race Relations Act 1976 (RRA) and the Race Equality document that supports this and how Oaklands College is implementing it. Values behind the Policy The Race Relations Act came into being in 1976, when it was recognised that the existing legislation was weak and had little beneficial effect on the lives of racial minority groups. The underpinning values of the new regulations were, the elimination of racial discrimination, the promotion of equality of opportunity and the promotion of harmonious relations between peoples of different ethnic and racial groups. These are the values, which the majority of British people purportedly avow allegiance; however, they are very much tested by the strength of popular perception which is, as always far more powerful than the truth. A situation not aided by the popular press who take every opportunity to terrify the population by visions of the impending end of the British way of life, overwhelmed by a tsunami of immigrants from all parts of the world. Thus the need to overtly promote the values is even more heavily underscored and even more necessary. To understand how legislation affects operations in Further Education, it is essential to understand some definitions of aspects of discrimination as described in the Act. The 1976Act divides discrimination into four broad areas; direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Below are some examples and definitions, which illustrate the meaning of each of these categories. An example of direct discrimination would be to set tighter assignment deadlines to black learners only. A good example of indirect discrimination is the enforcement of a no headgear rule; this could be seen to exclude Sikhs, who wear turbans, Jewish men wearing yarmulke or Muslim women wearing the hijaab. In practice, if a class contains one or more learners in these groupings plus learners from a majority group who insist on wearing baseball caps, the law would apply if only the baseball cap wearers were asked to doff their headgear. Harassment on racial grounds is treated the same as direct discrimination because there is a detrimental effect on the victims dignity or it creates an intimidating or hostile environment. Victimisation concerns people whom have made or intend to make a complaint in respect of racial discrimination and includes any person supporting the complaint. The Act forbids any unfavourable treatment of people in either of these circumstances. The Commission for racial Equality (CRE, which in 2007was incorporated into The Equality and Human Rights Commission.) issued a Code Of practice (COP), which placed specific duties on schools, colleges and universities. These duties primarily required colleges to publish a policy statement, which actively promoted racial equality. Guidance from the CRE included a number of points, which the college policy was bound to address: Arrangements to assess the impact of the policy on staff as well as learners. Ongoing monitoring of the effects of the policy in terms of admissions. The progress and success rates from differing ethnic and racial groups. Arrangements to publish the findings of the ongoing monitoring on an annual basis. Implications for Institution and professional practice 1. The Institution In 2004 Oaklands College issued an Equality and Diversity Policy (EDP) in which it corporately â€Å"Welcomes diversity, recognises values, celebrates and respects the many different contributions and needs of our learners, staff and the communities we serve† (i) As required by the Act, the policy sets out a strategy, operational outcomes and responsibilities for implementation and lists supporting policies and procedures. The Race Relations Policy (RRP) is named as one of these supporting policies. Included is a means of ongoing review, which is the work of the Equal Opportunities Committee of the Academic Board. The committee reports to the board on a termly basis and produces a report of its machinations annually. (ii) Data included in the report is produced retrospectively and is usually only available until after a whole year is passed. The broad thrust of the Race Relations Policy is to promote inter-racial awareness, mutual respect and the valuing of the diverse ethnicity of all staff and learners. The policy includes a requirement for all staff to be trained and be made aware of the methods of implementation of the Policy. It was anticipated that initially such training would be provided at induction and thereafter be refreshed at regular intervals. This is, however, not mandatory after the induction training and though training sessions are provided, these are not compulsory and attendance is very much at the whim of the individual. In terms of promotion of the values, much college material is created to take into account the differences in its audience. This is also true in the way that the college advertises to the general public, in a way that hopefully attracts a widely diverse learner body by projecting the image of a multi-cultural establishment in tune with modern, diverse communities. The main page of the College has easily accessible links to an overview of learner support available, including ESOL and the International page also has links leading to information essential to the potential overseas learner as well a guide to the local area. All in English. 2. Professional practice The effects of racial legislation in the classroom or workshop are best examined by illustration using two real scenarios. Firstly, a level one group, fifteen strong, is undertaking a largely practical course in engineering fundamentals. Three learners in this group are of the Muslim faith. Their backgrounds are racially diverse, one black of Ugandan origin, one is Bangladeshi and the third is a Lebanese from Beirut. All three have vastly different characters due partly to the natural diversity of human beings, their common Muslim faith and their national origins. Secondly, a level three group, also fifteen strong is engaged on a level three national Diploma course has a very broad racial and ethnic diversity. The group includes the following. An Israeli, an Afghan refugee, a Ukrainian, a Romanian, four Afro Caribbeans and the remainder white-British. Immediately we see racial differences that have the potential for giving rise to tensions or even conflict. In dealing with the three Muslims in the level one group, their needs are very much governed by their racial and faith backgrounds. The society values of each individual within the group will be quite different. Think of the Ugandan, the Bangladeshi and the Lebanese, all Muslim yet all quite different with different individual needs. Yet the Race Relations Act of 1976 demands that each group or individual within a majority group must be given equality of opportunity. Here also there is a case for differentiation extending beyond that required in terms of learning styles alone. The big danger here is the perception of the majority grouping that another individual or minority group is receiving preferential treatment and is thereby gaining an unfair advantage. (Outside the education world a similar principle is bringing about the rise of the BNP in some working class communities) The majority group could realistically argue that the differentiation applied to the minority group, could be contrary to the principles of the RRA, paradoxically just what the strategy set out to avoid. The level three group is potentially more volatile in terms of possible conflict, although to date no problems of this nature have been encountered. More to the point are the strategies that can be employed to promote good relations and equal opportunities, since these two values do not always sit happily together. With such a diverse group, it could be envisaged that language would be the primary barrier to equality of opportunity. The quietness of the Romanian learner at first gave rise to some doubt, but rapidly dispelled on the production of assessable work. The Ukrainian, although born in that country has spent the majority of his life in this country, the Israeli likewise. The only issue in this regard concerns the Afghani refugee. This learner has fairly fluent spoken English and reasonable command of the written. However, this learner does have some difficulty with certain specialist, technical terminology. Support in this regard is provided upon request and ESOL type support is being provided via the International Office. In general, the College calendar is constructed with the major Christian festival in mind as well as conforming to the traditions of the British academic year. With the annual rise in ethnic diversity, it is now important to recognise the festivals and observances of other religions. A Muslim learner, for instance who is not available for college on a Friday, could be provided with personal support, guidance and of course will have access to any learning materials placed on the VLE. Another possibility is that the date of an assessment could be adjusted in order that Muslim learners are not assessed during Ramadan. An ideal time to promote racial and ethnic harmony is the tutorial session, which the majority of learners have allocated. Unfortunately support materials for the specific purposes of supporting racial equality sessions are limited to two activities only. Conclusion. Oaklands College is bound by law to implement the requirements of the RRA1976. However, the advantages are manifold in real terms. If equality of opportunity is achieved, then it naturally follows that success rates will improve and with it the reputation of the college as an excellent place to learn. None of this can happen without compliance. A foundation block of this is the classroom or workshop, where finely tuned strategies are essential for the promotion of racial harmony. Teaching staff, who are the main point of contact for the student, must therefore be cognisant of the requirements of the Act, which places a very pertinent emphasis on ongoing training. For prospective students especially those from minority ethnic groups, it is essential that their first impression of the College is of a place where they will receive absolute equality of opportunity. Experience has shown that that race relations and observance of the requirements of the RRA1976 is no longer only a question of colour, the recent influx from eastern Europe brings with it further challenges, in respect of language, customs and religious observances. Though many come skilled into the British workplace, retraining to British standards (here we think of electricians) will mean that there will be an increasing number of students for whom language could present a barrier to their opportunity. It can be seen that while Oaklands College implements the letter of the Act in many ways, there remain several areas where the spirit of the legislation is forgotten, or at least relegated to insignificance. In view of investigations, it is recommended that the following points be addressed The college pays more real attention to the requirements of the act in that it makes the RRP more accessible. Currently the RRP is only listed in the EDP and only accessible via the quality folder on the Curriculum drive. Staff training should become more regular and mandatory, that is, positively timetabled for every member of staff. Changing the college calendar in recognition of festivals and observances of religions other than Christian. (Days off for the Sabbaths of all Abrahamic religions?) Making available more, relevant support materials to promote racial equality of opportunity for use in tutorial sessions. References: Oaklands College Equality and diversity policy, Oaklands College, issued 2006 http://intranet.oaklands.ac.uk/docs/CorpPil-EAD%20-%20Equality%20%20Diversity%20Policy.doc 24/10/2007 at 0915 Annual report on Equality and Diversity Oaklands College Curriculum drive, Quality, All Staff only Bibliography 1. The Race Relations Act 1976 http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/legResults.aspx?LegType=All+Legislationtitle=Race+Relations+ActYear=1976searchEnacted=0extentMatchOnly=0confersPower=0blanketAmendment=0TYPE=QSNavFrom=0activeTextDocId=2059995PageNumber=1SortAlpha=0 Accessed 17/11/2007 at 1500 2. The duty to promote race equality A GUIDE FOR FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (Non-statutory) http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/Documents/Race/Education/The%20duty%20to%20promote%20race%20equality%20a%20guide%20for%20further%20and%20higher%20education%20institutions.rtf Accessed 25/11/2007 at 0730 3. Statutory CODE OF PRACTICE ON THE DUTY TO PROMOTE RACE EQUALITY http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/Documents/Race/Public%20sector/Race%20equality%20duty/Specific%20duties/Code%20of%20Practice%20on%20the%20Race%20Equality%20Duty.rtf Accessed 18/11/2007 at 2315 4. Race Relations Act 1976 and the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 http://ljmu.ac.uk/EOU/EOUDocs/summary_Race_Relations_Act_1976_and_the_Race_Relations_Amendment_Act_2000.doc Accessed 18/11/2007 at 2130

Distance Education Essay -- Essays Papers

Distance Education Distance learning is a form of education in which the instructor and student are separated. As advances in technology rapidly progress, the interest in distance education has grown as well and has thus become more common. Technology has given this kind of learning numerous possibilities. There are various forms of distance education used alone or in combination. These technologies provide many opportunities for education, but not with out a few restrictions. There is a wide range of technological options for delivering information to the distance learner. There are many different forms of communication and media to contain course material and to overcome physical distance of the teacher and student. These methods include various types of voice, video, data, and print. Instructional audio tools include audio-conferencing, tapes, and radio. Instruction is delivered through lectures and discussions. Tapes and radio allow the student to listen to lectures one way, whereas audio-conferencing allows students to participate and interact with others. Audio tools allow access to the learner from their choice of location; however, with audio-conferencing there is usually a scheduled time for discussions. Another form of distance education is visual learning. This includes broadcast television and compressed video systems. â€Å"Broadcast television delivers distance education by sending analog or digital audio and video signals by microwave relay over short distances or by satellite over longer distances† (Ludlow and Duff 13). Television broadcasts can be used for one-way video and audio presentations. This can also be used in conjunction with by audio conferencing in which the stude... ...cators and institutions to examine the positives and negatives involved (Ludlow and Duff 10). Works Cited Clark, Tom and David Else. Distance Education, Electronic Networking, and School Policy. Bloomington, Indiana: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. 1998. Cox, Lois. â€Å"A Descriptive Analysis of the Opinions of College Students and Faculty Toward Distance Learning.† Diss. U of Dayton, 1997. Feyten, Carine M. and Joyce W. Nutta. Vitrual Instruction: Issues and Insights from and International Perspective. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. 1999. Ludlow, Barbara L. and Michael C. Duff. Distance Education and Tomorrow’s Schools. Bloomington, Indiana: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. 1998. Mood, Terry Ann. Distance Education. Englewood, Colorado: 1995. 3 Nov. 2001. http://emedia.netlibrary.com/reader.

Characters’ Transformation Essay

Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular novels written by Jane Austen which was first published in 1813. It is more than a story of love which revolves around the lives of the Bennett family and the wealthy male visitors of Hertfordshire. The wide variety of personalities in the story contributed to the novel’s attractive and compelling features to date. However, the novel apparently portrayed several transformations in relation to the main characters. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy were clearly different kinds of people who later proved themselves to be the ideal match for each other. Clearly, the transformation of Elizabeth and Darcy’s characters were made possible by their own pride and prejudices against each other. This fact, therefore, illustrates the idea that the character transformation would most likely not occur without the shortcomings and hasty judgments of the two main characters of the Jane Austen’s famous novel. Character Transformation Thoroughly reviewing the whole context of the story, the diverse personalities of the characters are what made it possible to arrive in a certain character transformation. Each character is provided a characteristic that is distinct to other characters. Elizabeth Bennett, an interesting character indeed, possesses traits which are very much different from her sisters. Here is one of her statements to Darcy included in Chapter 19 where she rejects him the first time he proposed to marry her and considered to be one of the pivotal turns in the story which caused the change in both Elizabeth and Darcy’s character: I do assure you, Sir, that I have no pretension whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and again for the honor you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart (Austen 97). Elizabeth Bennett’s character speaks much of a strong personality which is extremely opinionated and bold. Unlike her younger sisters, she does not allow social status and wealth to interfere with her standards for love. However, in her statement, prejudices toward Darcy are evident for she has already judged him without knowing him well first. However, at the end of the story, she regrets having misjudged the man upon knowing the real Fitzwilliam Darcy. On the other hand, Darcy’s character also reveals pride and prejudice on his first impression towards Elizabeth. His statement where she declared Elizabeth as tolerable but not beautiful enough to interest him because of her poor social status discloses how proud he was to avoid being acquainted with such a woman (Austen 9). Similarly, he took back his word when he found out how interesting and intelligent Elizabeth was which led him to confess his feelings and offer a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, his first proposal was rejected. Upon the end of the novel, it is reasonable to conclude that Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy actually have similar characteristics which can be considered ironic. Both are intelligent, witty, opinionated, and proud. There are also instances when they have exposed acts of prejudices towards some characters in the story, primarily themselves. Elizabeth deemed Darcy to be an extremely arrogant and proud man when she accidentally heard him say that he was not interested in her due to her poor status in the society. She thought him to be a spoiled wealthy man who is unsociable and selfish. In return, Darcy also showed his prejudices towards her by thinking that she was not right for him because she belonged to the lower class part of the society. Hence, the situation indicates how their impulsive and superficial judgments of each other led them to take back their words and eradicate their pride and prejudices towards each other. They gradually transformed into humble beings who were capable of admitting and accepting their shortcomings. According to Christopher Booker, author of The Seven Basic Plots: What we see here is a story completely shaped by the underlying form of Comedy, but in a new kind of treatment where the conventions about misunderstandings, disguises, failure to recognize identity and ‘dark’ figures getting caught out are no longer presented in the terms of the old stage devices, but rather more subtly, in terms of the gradual revelation of people’s true character from behind first mistaken impressions, and the discovery of true feelings, in a way which corresponds more to our experience of life (Booker 134). Thus, two people, even with similar characteristics may not have similar outputs and can still be regarded contradictory in terms of beliefs. Like the characters in the story, all have distinct personalities which enabled them to decide the way they did. If Elizabeth did not hastily judged Darcy in the first place which led her into rejecting his first marriage proposal, Darcy would not have humbled himself into further pursuing Elizabeth despite her initial rejection. He would not have rescued her family from social disgrace and reveal his true nature. Simply put, Elizabeth would not have change her opinion about Darcy and most probably reject him still. She would not have fallen in love with him and change her ways of being filled with prejudices. The following scenarios created a huge impact in the maturity and development of the characters in the story which proves that the transformation is indeed dependent on the characters’ actions and decisions. According to Nhu Le’s online article entitled, The Individualization of Elizabeth Bennet, she points out that: Although Elizabeth comes to agree that Darcy’s previous actions were indeed justified . . . this transformation â€Å"disables† Elizabeth’s capacity to arrive at, and act upon, her own judgments. On the contrary, Darcy’s letter strengthens Elizabeth’s independence of mind. By accepting the fact that she has misjudged Darcy, Wickham, Jane, and Bingley, Elizabeth sharpens her ability to discern character. In turn, she develops a solidly based self-confidence (Le). As one critic puts it, â€Å"Both Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy develop an awareness of their place in the community and a recognition of the effects of their own speech† (Colebrook 158). Conclusion Clearly, the arguments stated above identify the concept that Elizabeth and Darcy’s character transformation would not have been possible without their mistakes and initial false impressions of each other. This validates the fact that their development as individuals is highly rooted from their decisions and hasty judgments—or rather their own pride and prejudices. Works Cited Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice: A Novel. London: R. Bentley. 1853. Booker, Christopher. The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. Colebrook, Claire. Irony. London: Routledge, 2004. Le, Nhu. The Individualization of Elizabeth Bennet. 16 December 2008.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Used as Evidence in Solving Criminal Cold Cases Perry Hawn

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Used as Evidence in Solving Criminal Cold Cases Imagine it is a beautiful spring morning and you are walking along when suddenly a man wearing a ski mask and gloves jumps out from behind the bushes and your life is forever changed after this man drags you by your hair, behind the bushes, and proceeds to violently assault you. By some miracle you survive the attack and call the police. However, because this man was wearing a mask and gloves the police have no way of immediately identifying the perpetrator. You are taken to the nearest hospital where they take swabs from your vaginal area in hopes to collect enough Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) to create a sample that can be added to the â€Å"Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)† (May & McIntyre, 2002, p. v). A few years have passed and you hear a knock on your front door. It is a police detective who has come to your home to tell you that an arrest has been made in your case based on a DNA match made from a mouth swab taken from a man who was arrested a few days earlier for robbery. The purpose of this paper is to provide an argument in favor of the June ninth United States Supreme Court decision where five of the nine justices sitting agreed that taking DNA samples collected from those who are suspected of having committed a crime does not violate the fourth amendment of the constitution protecting Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures (Kirkland, 2013). The decision opened the door for police and other authorized law enforcement agencies to collect D. N. A. samples from suspects at the time of arrest so that the suspects D. N. A. can be used to possibly solve cold cases (St. Martin, 2013). Additionally, this paper will argue that using D. N. A. as evidence has multiple benefits like it is infallible because each person’s D. N. A. is unique with the exception of identical births(May & McIntyre, 2002). Further, DNA evidence has been used to solve crimes such as rape, robbery, and homicides. Additionally, D. N. A. offers law enforcement agenc ies new ways of looking at old crimes through the use of advanced technology, international and national databases (Hampikian, 2013). Deoxyribonucleic Acid Deoxyribonucleic Acid more commonly known as DNA is the building block of all living beings. In humans DNA is inherited from your ancestors and determines your hair color, eye color, height, bone structure, blood type and other personal attributes (Van der Sijde, 2013). DNA can be collected from any biological sample like bodily fluids and tissues (What, n. d. ). With the exception of identical births like twins each person’s DNA is as unique as his or her fingerprint (May & McIntyre, 2002). Infallible Evidence D. N. A. rovides foolproof evidence for several reasons including the one made by May and McIntyre cited above referencing the fact that each DNA sample is unique to its owner (except for identical births). Other arguments in favor of D. N. A. being sound evidence include the fact that new ways of collecting, storing, and analyzing D. N. A. have increased the lifespan of the collected samples making those samples viable â€Å"†¦years, even de cades, after it is collected† (May & McIntyre, 2002, p. 3). Furthermore reliable DNA samples can be taken from any type of biological sample including deceased victims (What, n. . ). Uses of D. N. A. Evidence D. N. A. evidence can be used to solve a multitude of crimes, incarcerate the guilty, and free the innocent. In one such case the perpetrator of an aged woman’s rape and attempted murder in North Carolina was arrested because of the criminals D. N. A. having been collected from multiple victims at differing crime scenes. Ten years later a D. N. A. match was found after the criminal had been arrested for an unrelated crime, as a result of D. N. A. evidence. This criminal nicknamed â€Å"the Night Stalker† (May & McIntyre, 2002, p. ) is currently on death row after being â€Å"†¦indicted for three counts of first degree murder, three counts of first degree rape, three counts of first degree burglary, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, first degree arson and burning of personal property† (State, 2003, pp. 2-3). New Way to Solve Old Crimes Use of advanced technologies that allow smaller samples of DNA to be collected for analyzing has made use of DNA to solve crimes more palatable. You can read also King v Cogdon What once to take a sample â€Å"†¦the size of a nickel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Temple-Raston, 2008, p. 1) now only needs to be â€Å"†¦the size of a pinprick†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Temple-Raston, 2008, p. 1) offers a new way of looking at long-standing criminal investigations. Use of robotics to handle DNA samples allows for more rapid processing of samples creates a more favorable environment for solving cold cases (Temple-Raston, 2008). Further, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is responsible for the creation of CODIS which is â€Å"†¦a roster of prior criminals into a national data database†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Temple-Raston, 2008, p. ) CODIS links the DNA of prior offenders on a local, state, national and in some cases international level available to law enforcement to help unravel unsolved cases (Combined, n. d. ). Right to Privacy Opponents argue that the taking of DNA from alleged suspects at the time of arrest violates his or her intrinsic right to privacy or that the police will use the ruling to arrest anyone for minor infractions of the law just to get a DNA sample for a possible match (Flock, 2013). In the dissenting opinion Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia wrote â€Å"†¦Make no mistake about it: because of today's decision, your DNA can be taken and entered into a national database if you are ever arrested, rightly or wrongly, and for whatever reason†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Flock, 2013, p. 1). However, Maryland District Attorney, Douglas F. Gansler, disagrees pointing out that law enforcement cannot arrest someone without probable cause and further states â€Å"if police are genuinely interested in someone's DNA, they could just go pick up their Diet Coke can at the McDonald's† (Flock, 2013, p. 1). Moreover, the majority of justices on the Supreme Court ruled that D. N. A. sample collection via mouth swab does not violate the fourth amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures (St. Martin, 2013). Innocent Until Proven Guilty Let’s face it folks who are going through the court system are there because the evidence pointed to him or her as a probable suspect. In actuality, because you can’t argue with D. N. A. , D. N. A. swabbing has done more to convict those who are actually guilty of committing crimes. Additionally, according to numbers gathered by the innocence project D. N. A. wabbing conducted after conviction has freed over 300 inmates who have been wrongly convicted by the court system under due process (DNA, 2013). Storage and Collection Methods Opponents of D. N. A. collection would argue that the storage and collection methods of D. N. A. are outdated and unreliable. However, proper training and new technology allow for D. N. A. to be collected and stored without danger of contamination. Training forensics experts to wear and change his or her gloves after touching each item prevents contamination. Additionally, storage of DNA samples in a cool, dry environment is another technique used to preserve D. N. A. samples. Other methods used to prevent the samples from becoming contaminated include use of separate storage envelopes for each sampling (What, 2013). Also, with the use of cutting edge technology like barcoding DNA samples (Hampikian, 2013) the storage and collection methods used for crime scene DNA are constantly improving and becoming more secure. Conclusion â€Å"Technology is neutral: It convicts and finds innocents. We must make it a regularized part of the system, giving defendant ’s access to DNA testing and evidence whenever it might be relevant† (Spitzer, 2013, n. ). Law enforcement needs a way to protect society from the criminal element who are becoming smarter and advancing their aptitudes for breaking the law through the use of technology. The Supreme Court’s ruling which allows for the swabbing of those arrested will help in solving crimes and exonerating the innocent. New and innovative technologies are making the collection and storage of DNA nearly fail proof. The modernization of the ways in which DNA is used in the criminal justice system is an ever evolving process that seems to be leading us to a more fair and just society.

George W. Bush more like T. Roosevelt as opposed to Taft and Wilson Essay

President George W. Bush’s post September 11th policy certainly shows great resemblances to President Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy more than that of Taft or Wilson. Roosevelt had a more stern policy, encouraging the forceful defense of the nation and the spreading of democracy and Christian ideals to less fortunate countries. This was very much so a direct correlation to what Bush tried to do Taft’s policy emphasized economic ideals in that he argued the US should lend out money and help countries elevate their economic status in order for the promotion of peace and prosperity throughout the world. Wilson’s policy emphasized morality, and the â€Å"nice guy† standpoint of how the US should carry out obligations. Consequently, President George Bush’s policy is a better reflection of President Theodore Roosevelt’s policy more than Taft’s or Wilson’s policy because of the military and political ideals that the two pol icies share. President Bush’s post September 11 policy reflects Roosevelt’s is because of the swift, stern actions that Bush’s administration took after the attacks on the nation. As Bush sent the troops over to Iraq quickly and in great numbers, the administration sent a candid and stern message. The United States would not stand for an attack on its soil, and those who did so would receive grave punishment for their actions. This message echoes the morals behind the â€Å"big Stick† policy. Just as Theodore Roosevelt once said, â€Å"Speak softly and carry a big stick.† Theodore Roosevelt believed that power was an important and unavoidable thing in foreign affairs. He also noted in his addition to the Monroe Doctrine (called the Roosevelt Corollary) that if any nation in the Western Hemisphere appeared in a political or fiscal situation that would allow for European control, the US should intervene. With an imperialistic outlook on the world, Roosevelt made the US a nation that constantly intervened and helped Latin American countries avoid European interference in the Western Hemisphere. Examples of this lie in Theodore Roosevelt actions when he made Cuba a protectorate, took Guam and Puerto Rico, as well as when he ventured out and involved the United States in the counterinsurgency of the Philippines all in order to fortify the existence of democracy and Christianity and help the individuals of the nations govern themselves. These ideals and policies were mirrored in Bush’s actions when the US troops inhabited the Middle East, and the Bush administration took it upon itself to take advantage of their occupancy of the lands by spreading its ideals of democracy and ‘correct’ political procedures. By doing this, the Bush Administration had essentially identified these locations in the Middle East as lesser fortunate nations, deemed themselves fit to help these regions, and force their ‘help’ past the governments of the regions and to the people. This decision and series of actions greatly resembles the actions and opinions of Roosevelt’s Corollary. Taft’s policy by contrast, was more of the United States venturing out to foreign land allowing for each foreign nation’s gradual acquiring of political and economic power through US investment in the countries’ infrastructures, which has little to do with Bush’s initial choice to attack the Middle East after September 11. Taft used â€Å"Dollar Diplomacy,† instead of military force. He wanted control and to aid businessmen in the US, and was in strong favor of solving problems via economic means rather than militarily. He saw his policy as humanitarian, for stabilization improved the living scale and conditions. For instance, in Nicaragua during 1912, the government would default on its debts, which might mean European intervention. The US offered to loan money (by private men) if the US could have some supervision over Nicaraguan finances. Bush’s post September 11 policy does not mirror this because he was in favor of military force and making it known militarily that the US could not be attacked without grave punishment. Wilson however based his policy on Morality. Bush’s post September 11th policy did not wholly reflect Wilson’s policy because Wilson’s Missionary policy aimed more in the direction of seeking peace and prosperity by means of creating pathways for institutions to branch out globally while Bush’s aim after the September 11 attacks was to retaliate forcefully and brutally (neither of which was peaceful). For instance, when the Japanese attempted, in the notorious Twenty-one Demands (1915), to reduce China almost to the status of a Japanese protectorate, he persuaded them to modify their conditions slightly. The ‘Twenty-One Demands’ required that China immediately cease its leasing of territory to foreign powers and to ascent to Japanese control over Manchuria and Shandong (Shantung) among other demands. Such persuasion as opposed to attack and forcefully making the US point reveals the difference between Bush’s and Wilson’s policy. Consequently, it is evident that President Bush’s post September 11 policy best resembles Roosevelt’s â€Å"big stick† diplomacy. Roosevelt’s policy was based on pragmatism as well as the idea of the nation’s obligatory retaliation to threats and attacks on the nation’s soil. His belief in the United States’ obligation to help foreign nations in need of political/military assistance is also a part of his policy. After the September 11th attacks, each of these ideals was echoed in President George W. Bush’s new foreign policy in that he reacted to the tragedy through military retaliation and force. Additionally once occupying the lands, the Bush administration chose to assist the Iraqi people and help them acquire the democratic ideals the US holds so dearly.

Amur Leopard Facts

The Far Eastern or Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is one of the worlds most endangered cats. It is a solitary, nocturnal leopard with a wild population estimated at over 84 individuals who mostly reside in the Amur River basin of eastern Russia with a few scattered in neighboring China and in a relatively new refuge established in 2012. They are particularly vulnerable to extinction because Amur leopards have the lowest levels of genetic variation of any leopard subspecies. Fast Facts: Amur Leopard Scientific Name: Panthera pardus orientalisCommon Names: Amurland leopard, Far Eastern leopard,  Manchurian leopard, Korean leopardBasic Animal Group:  MammalSize: 25–31 inches at the shoulder, 42–54 inches longWeight: 70–110 poundsLifespan: 10–15  yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat:  Primorye region of southeastern Russia and northern ChinaPopulation:  More than 80Conservation  Status: Critically Endangered Description The Amur leopard is a subspecies of leopard with a thick coat of long, dense hair varying in color from creamy yellow to rusty orange, depending on their habitat. Amur leopards in the snowier Amur River Basin of Russia develop lighter coats in the winter and tend to have more cream-colored coats than their Chinese kin. Their rosettes (spots) are more widely spaced with thicker black borders than other subspecies of leopards. They also have larger legs and wider paws than other subspecies, an adaptation that facilitates movement through deep snow.   Both males and females range in height between 25 to 31 inches at the shoulder and are typically 42 to 54 inches long. Their tales measure approximately 32 inches in length. Males are typically heavier at 70 to 110 pounds while females typically weigh 55 to 75 pounds.   Thomas Kitchin Victoria Hurst​/Getty Images Habitat and Range Amur leopards can survive in temperate forest and mountain regions, keeping mostly to south-facing rocky slopes in winter (where less snow accumulates). Individuals territories can range from 19 to 120 square miles, depending upon age, sex, and prey density—the latter of which has greatly diminished in recent years, though they are on increase in protected areas. Historically, Amur leopards have been found in eastern China, southeastern Russia, and throughout the Korean Peninsula. The first known documentation was a skin found by German zoologist Hermann Schlegel in 1857 in Korea.  More recently, the few remaining leopards are scattered throughout approximately 1,200 square miles in the area where the borders of Russia, China, and North Korea meet the Sea of Japan. Today, Amur leopards are increasing in numbers, due to the creation of protected areas and other conservation efforts. Diet and Behavior The Amur leopard is a strictly carnivorous predator that primarily hunts roe and sika deer but will also eat wild boar, Manchurian wapiti, musk deer, and moose. It will opportunistically prey on hares, badgers, raccoon dogs, fowl, mice, and even young Eurasian black bears. Reproduction and Offspring Amur leopards reach reproductive maturity between the ages of two and three years. Females estrus period last from 12 to 18 days with gestation taking approximately 90 to 95 days. Cubs are typically born from the end of March through May and weigh a little over one pound at birth. Like domestic cats, their eyes remain closed for about a week and they begin to crawl 12 to 15 days after birth. Young Amur leopards have been reported to remain with their mother for up to two years. Amur leopards have been known to live for up to 21 years in captivity, though their lifespan in the wild is typically 10 to 15 years. Kuzmichstudio/Getty Images Conservation Status According to the World Wildlife Fund, Amur leopards received a safe haven in 2012 when the government of Russia declared a new protected area. Called Land of the Leopard National Park, this marked a major effort to save the world’s rarest cat. Extending nearly 650,000 acres it includes all of the Amur leopard’s breeding areas and about 60 percent of the critically endangered cat’s remaining habitat. In addition, conservationists have been successful in reducing illegal and unsustainable logging practices and facilitating trade between companies committed to responsible forestry practices. In 2007, WWF and other conservationists successfully lobbied the Russian government to reroute a planned oil pipeline that would have endangered the leopards habitat. The IUCN Species Survival Commission has considered Amur leopards  Critically Endangered (IUCN 1996)  since 1996. As of 2019, more than 84 individuals remain in the wild (mostly in protected areas) and 170 to 180 live in captivity. The primary causes for their low population are habitat destruction from commercial logging and farming from 1970 to 1983 and illegal poaching for fur over the last 40 years. Fortunately, conservation efforts by organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) are working to recover the species from extinction. Threats Although human interference plays a key role in Amur leopards endangered status, their low level of genetic variation due to recent dwindling population size has led to many health complications including reduced fertility.   Habitat destruction:  Between 1970 and 1983, 80 percent of the Amur leopards habitat was lost due to logging, forest fires, and agricultural land conversion projects (this loss of habitat also affected the leopards prey species, which have become increasingly scarce as well).Human Conflict:  With less wild prey to hunt, leopards have gravitated to deer farms where they have been killed by farmers.Poaching:  The Amur leopard is illegally hunted for its fur, which is sold on the black market. Habitat loss has made it easier to locate and kill leopards within the past 40 years.Small Population Size:  The Amur leopards critically low population is at risk from disease or environmental catastrophes that could wipe out all remaining individuals.Lack of Genetic Variation:  Because there are so few individual leopards left in the wild, they are subject to inbreeding. Inbred offspring are prone to health problems, including reduced fertility which further reduces the populations cha nce of survival. Though these issues are being addressed and the number of Amur leopards has increased, the species is still considered to be critically endangered. Amur Leopards and Humans The Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) works in close cooperation with local, regional, and federal organizations to protect the regions biological wealth through conservation, sustainable development, and local community involvement. They maintain four anti-poaching teams with a total of 15 members in the Amur leopard range, monitor the Amur leopard population through snow track counts and camera trap counts, restore leopard habitats, support ungulate recovery, and run a media campaign to create awareness about the Amur leopards plight. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has established anti-poaching teams and environmental education programs to increase appreciation for the leopard among local communities within the leopards range. WWF also implements programs to stop the traffic in Amur leopard parts and to increase the population of prey species in the leopards habitat such as the 2003 Forest Conservation Programme in the Russian Far East Ecoregion Complex, the 2007 lobbying effort to reroute a planned oil pipeline, and the 2012 establishment of a large refuge for Amur leopards, tigers, and other endangered species. Sources â€Å"About the Amur Leopard.†Ã‚  About the Amur Leopard | Russian Geographical Society, www.rgo.ru/en/projects/protection-endangered-species-amur-leopard/about-amur-leopard.â€Å"Amur Leopard.†Ã‚  WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/species/amur-leopard#.â€Å"Amur Leopard-Worlds Rarest Cat-Doubles in Population.†Ã‚  WWF, World Wildlife Fund, 23 Feb. 2015, www.worldwildlife.org/stories/amur-leopard-world-s-rarest-cat-doubles-in-population.

How To Say Lets in Spanish

Spanish has two main ways of making suggestions or commands to a group that includes the person speaking. Both of them can be used as the equivalent of the English lets in a sentence such as Lets leave. Imperative Mood The most straightforward way is to use the first-person plural imperative mood, which takes the same form as the first-person plural form of the subjunctive mood. In regular -ar verbs, the ending is replaced by -emos, and in -er and -ir verbs, the ending is replaced by -amos: Bailemos un vals. Lets dance a waltz.Compremos una casa en Espaà ±a. Lets buy a house in Spain.Hagamos un trato. Lets make a deal.Tratemos de ser felices. Lets try to be happy. If youre using the imperative form of a reflexive verb, the -emos ending becomes -à ©monos, and the -amos ending becomes -à ¡monos. In other words, the -nos ending is added to the verb, but the -s is dropped before the pronoun: Levantà ©monos a las seis de la maà ±ana. Lets get up at 6 a.m.Lavà ©monos las manos. Lets wash our hands.Rià ¡monos un ratito. Lets laugh a little bit. (Rà ©irse is an irregular verb.) In the negative form, however, the pronoun comes before the verb: No nos mejoremos. Lets not improve ourselves. Using Vamos A Probably more common than the imperative mood, and even easier to learn, is to use the first-person plural form of ir followed by a, i.e., vamos a, followed by the infinitive: Vamos a nadar. Lets go swimming.Vamos a casarnos. Lets get married.Vamos a estudiar. Lets study.Vamos a viajar a Italia. Lets go to Italy. You may note that vamos a infinitive can also mean we are going to infinitive, so the first sample sentence above could also mean We are going to swim. Indeed, ir a infinitive is a very common substitute for the future tense in Spanish. In the first-person plural, then, context will determine what is meant. It is not uncommon when meaning lets to replace vamos a with simply a. For example, a ver is a very common way of saying lets see. Another Meaning for Let Us When translating from English, do not confuse lets as a suggestion to the group with let us as a way of asking for permission. For example, one way you might say let us help you would be Permà ­tenos ayudarte, where the verb permitir is used in the third person (the person being addressed) rather than the first person (the people who want to help).