Applications for Christian Counseling Essay

In McMinn’s 1996 book Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling, the author goes into detail about the theoretical and technical applications and interventions involved in the practice of counseling from a Christian perspective. McMinn discusses bringing religion into the counseling office. He asserts that religion is always addressed in counseling, in a variety of ways. Religion is either presented as a negative force which should be removed from a client’s life, as a positive force in which God is a helpful support in the life of the client, or as a negative force in which religion takes on a shaming role. McMinn calls the reader’s attention to the psychological and spiritual health of the client as being interwoven. From a Christian perspective, psychological and spiritual health is a given, an essential gift from God, and it is up to the client with the help of the counselor to find the path towards recognizing and appreciating spirituality as an element of psychological health. Prayer serves to bring God closer to people personally, and clients can be aided in their goal to reach spiritual enlightenment by praying to God to help them find solutions. Scripture can also be helpful in the lives of people wanting to find a deeper meaning and purpose in their lives, as the path to happiness is clearly explained within the Bible. However, it is not always appropriate to discuss religious ideals with clients. It should be up to the client whether or not he or she feels comfortable discussing particular aspects of religion. Although people are disturbed by sin, suffering from personal decisions to break away from God, it is important to recognize that sin can only be overcome by acts of love and kindness. Recognizing sin is important, but it is not up to counselors to point out the sins of their clients, and it does not serve any purpose for clients to fall into the gloom of guilt and shame. In regard to the benefits of confession, it can be immensely helpful and relieving to share one’s sins with another person, to give voice to the things one has done wrong. However, it is also important to forgive and move forward in figuring out ways to make amends and rectify the situation as best as possible. McMinn covers all of the basics in regard to how counselors should and need to address psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Religion is always a topic of any counseling session, and it is up to the counselor to decide the best ways in which to address the ways in which God is present in the lives of clients. McMinn offers a wide range of ideas and suggestions in response to people who are searching for an answer about how to address Christianity in the counseling office. Response In reading McMinn’s chapter entitled Toward Psychological and Spiritual Health, I was reminded of one of my own road trips with my family as a child. My sisters and I were making too much noise in the back of the van, and my father pulled over, opened the back of the van, and slapped me, shouting at us to be quiet. This is one of my most disturbing memories, and it made a profound impact on my life. Having experienced a situation such as this was a learning experience for me, and it took a while for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I was not guilty, my father was. My father was the one who sinned, not I. He was the one who was raising me, and he made mistakes. It was wrong of him to yell, to hit, to manage his own anger so poorly and to react to me in violence. I think it’s important that sin be treated seriously, as it is an act which fragments tender social and familial relationships. I think that it is important to feel remorse about sinful situations and to regard the incidents with honesty. As a child, I felt guilty, as if I did something wrong. I carried this guilt, which was also sinful, into my life as a young adult, until I finally recognized that I was not to blame. My father was the one to blame. And now, I feel comfortable in knowing what is wrong and right for me as a parent. I feel liberated by seeing the sinful situation clearly and through forgiveness of both my father and myself. I forgive him for hitting me, for yelling at me, and I forgive myself for feeling guilty and ashamed for so long for something which was not my fault. Reflection In reflecting on McMinn’s book, I think it is highly important for Christian counselors to keep in mind the importance of attributing sin to the precise people and situations. McMinn addresses how it is important to regard oneself with respect to one’s own sins. However, given the relational nature of human social interaction, it is highly significant to discuss the ways in which the sins of others have an affect on the personal lives of clients. Many people have problems in their lives, and many times, people are feeling guilty and ashamed, down trodden and helpless, because of the sins of other people (Isay, 2008). It is important for counselors to see the world clearly, especially the ways in which family relationships create specific relational responsibilities. One of the most important elements of the counseling relationship is to help clients figure out how sin, personal sin and sins of other people, are affecting their lives. Without being precise about who, what, where, and when sin has occurred, there can be no honest step forward into forgiveness. Action In my own professional life as a Christian counselor, I want to be able to help people to honestly be able to recognize and attribute sin to the problems in their lives, whether the sin is their own or the sin of another person. Most problems in the world are relational, and it is nearly impossible to consider oneself outside of the realm of how one is relating to others. I want to be helpful in asking questions and guiding clients in their search to figure out the ways in which sins are affecting their lives. When the sins of the client and the other people in the client’s life are clearly described and honestly voiced by the client, only then it will be possible for the client to move forward in forgiveness and reconciliation, and be enabled to move closer in a relationship with God. References Isay, J. (2008). Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship between Adult Children and Parents. Random House, Inc. McMinn, M. (1996). Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Interview with Grandparents Essay

The concept of marriage has changed over the years, the definition has not. When interviewing Dante (sr. ) and Joanne Zarlenga, both had much to say on the topic. Dante, a retired engineer, navy man, and company owner, said â€Å"I feel as though the sanctity of marriage has diminished over the years. † With this being said, the definition of marriage is the formal union of two persons, recognized by the law and oftentimes the church. The concept of marriage has radically changed. In the days when Dante and Joanne were married, 60+ years ago, marriage was the ultimate form of commitment, meant to last a lifetime. In today’s society, marriage is simply another level of commitment, ready to be terminated at one’s wish. Parenthood is often considered the most difficult journey in the life of a person. When one becomes a parent, whether or not it is within marriage, he/she becomes responsible for the life of another. Joanne said, in a humorous way, â€Å"I think the most difficult aspect of parenthood is giving birth†¦.. your father might have been the most painful. † Dante then interrupted by saying, â€Å"there are many ups and downs about parenthood, but a good parent never quits.† These are words to live by. The sheer concept of being responsible for the life of another person is difficult and often terrifying, but watching that child blossom that makes parenthood so fulfilling and rewarding. By anyone’s standards, there are many rewarding aspects of parenthood. As Joanne stated, â€Å"it’s hard to pinpoint one moment of parenthood that has been the ‘most’ rewarding. † She continued by saying, â€Å"from the moment my first child was born to the moment I take my last breathe, that is the most rewarding part of parenthood. † This statement says so much. Joanne is simply stating that every aspect of parenthood is rewarding, not just one particular moment. â€Å"There are so many things to be proud of my children for. They’ve all grown into such wonderful adults,† said Dante. It is parents like Joanne and Dante who prove that even difficult task can be rewarding. As everyone knows, becoming a parent changes every aspect of one’s life, especially personal and work. When Dante and Joanne had their first child, Joanne missed a lot of work. She was the type of mother who wanted to be there to raise her child instead of hiring a nanny to do it for her. Because she was taking so much time off work, Dante began to work longer days to compensate for the lack of a second income. Like all parents, Dante and Joanne did what they could to create a comfortable life for their children. The change of parenthood was â€Å"a breath of fresh air,† said Dante. â€Å"It was nice to know I was capable of more than creating parts or taking orders,† he continued. Parenthood is not for everyone because of the changes that occur in one’s own life. As far as changing the past, both Dante and Joanne agreed that although they might not have been perfect parents, there was nothing they would do to rewrite history. Whatever their means of parenting, it must have worked because they raise four children into four successful adults. There are so many things parents-to-be should know. As stated by Dante, â€Å"the one thing I wish I would have known prior to becoming a parent is just how hard parenthood is. † There is not one single piece of advice the Zarlengas would give because there are so many lessons better learned through experience. â€Å"The one thing I will tell anybody considering becoming a parent, be ready to give your life for someone else,† said Joanne. Parenting and grandparenting are separated by a generation. Grandparenting comes in many different forms. Some grandparents co-raise their grandchildren, some just babysit occasionally or when they are needed. â€Å"There is only one wrong form of grandparenting, trying to raise grandchildren as your own,† said Dante. Oftentimes grandparents used grandchildren as a way to correct there mistakes when they raised their own children. As said by Joanne, â€Å"grandparenting is like a second chance at parenting. It is also the best way to share the wealth of knowledge with my children.† She acknowledges that there are certain lines not to be crossed by a grandparent. Throughout the many stages of parenthood, there are many challenges to be faced and many rewards to be reaped. In the eyes of Joanne, one of the hardest parts of parenthood is not knowing how to calm your child down as a new parent. â€Å"there were nights when Joe(the oldest) wouldn’t stop crying and it killed me inside because there wasn’t anything I could do about it,† said Joanne. Dante agreed adding, â€Å"it was difficult when the kids were learning things that I could no longer help them with. I felt incompetent.† Both agreed that the most rewarding part of parenthood is looking at who their children have become and the wonderful things they have accomplished. After interviewing Dante and Joanne Zarlenga, my grandparents, I felt a sense of hope for the future. I realized that there are many things to look forward to in the future. There was nothing that I was too surprised by. Getting married and raising a family is one of the most challenging endeavors, but the rewards are unmatched by anything else. There are many aspects I would deem necessary to be a good parent. One of the main qualities would be patience. I can only imagine the difficulty of raising a child and then letting him go. I often feel that being a parent, in certain ways, is similar to being a manager of a big corporation. Both involved a great deal of responsibility to be accountable for other people’s lives. I know my grandparents very well and know that their children are their pride and joy and their grandchildren are a close second. They would do anything for anyone in their family and not expect anything in return. The Zarlengas are truly selfless which makes them the best type of parent and grandparent.

Promotional Process for the Fire Department Essay

Promotion process is an activity that is conducted in a given frequency in order that individuals in the fire department will qualify for promotion and allow taking of the testing for these individuals. Most of the fire departments require that before an individual is promoted in the rank do an exam. Most of the professional fires fighting departments require professional qualifications like a bachelor’s degree. In order to qualify for a promotional process in the fire department, one may require to have been employed in a good length of time, training and certification to the subjects related to the fire fighting, and educational requirements. Such eligibility is communicated for example prior to the date of the beginning of the promotion process. Usually, the evaluation procedures will also be published and the scores communicated. The written examination and subjective evaluation are administered for a particular rank the promotion process includes administration of the examination and the evaluation, and posting of the scores and determination and posting of the seniority and ascertained merit scores. The passing score is the aggregate score for all the components tested or examined. The score may be announced prior to the date of promotion. The law may stipulate that the components of the written exam reflect the issues related to the duties to be performed in the rank expected for that examination. The appointing authority may appoint agents to administer the examinations, and will test a written exam based on the material which they identify and make available to the potential examinees at least 90 days before administration of the examination. Grading of this written exam is done at the examination site on then examination day after completion of the test in front of observers. If done offsite by an agent, the observers will be expected to observe sealing and shipping and the opening latter upon return from the agency. T6ehre are bases for awarding ascertained merits based on education and training, certification which may be published earlier on. Subjective evaluation may include an oral interview, tactical evaluation, performance evaluation, or other components based on the subjective evaluation of the person. Applicants will be notified of the component prior to application of it. The examinee may be assessed to determine their leadership, communication, interpersonal, incident command and judgment. Significance of Problem This paper will seek to discuss issues related to and answer the following questions related to the issues in the fire departments. †¢ Why is the test generated from an outside party with no fire dept. ties? If the department are fare enough should the agencies still be used and the necessity of it. †¢ Why is the cut-off grade not given until the test is completed? †¢ Why is the passing cut-off grade lower than normal academic requirements? †¢ Is the test politically based or is it set for all to succeed? Studying these issues would help one to know the effects of the tests and their impact. Research on these and related issues would reveal irregularities existing, and look for ways to mend the holes. Source Review Tests for promotion in the fire department involve written and evaluation test. In a writing test for uniform fire department personnel, bonus points are assigned so that a third of the group will receive a minimum of 75%. Except for the position of a fire captain where three quarter of the participants is allowed to achieve this. A passing score for the next evaluation is a 75% mark. A second written test would be conducted if only one or none passes since the requirement for further evaluation except for the only one that passes alone who has the chance to choose when to take the next evaluation. He may also stand with the previous mark or sit for another one. Some of the things that may be tested in an evaluation are cooperation, initiative, personal effectiveness, attitude towards others, use and delegation of authority, organization and planning, persuasive ability, training and utilization of the subordinates, integrity and loyalty on the part of the leadership ability. They may also require knowing the health and physical fitness of an individual which may entail scrutiny of frequency of accidents while at job, physical condition of the individual, sick leave activity, attendance and ability to perform all duties physically. According to Spielman (1996), firefighters were proposed to wait a minimum of five years before qualifying to take promotion examinations, and proposal by the Union Local 2 added that the seniority and education points be awarded in a weighted process which also factors in test scores and in-person interviews. The committee which recommended changes to the Chicago fire department and handed the report to the then, Mayor Darly, called for oral portions in exams to consist a greater percentage of testing knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the job . Irregularities in the tests The fire fighting departments has not been without complains. Cheating in the promotional examinations has been reported in the fire service for example in Boston, MA where cell phones were used by FFs to text answers to their friends; in Baltimore, MD where top scorers had questions from 2001 examinations that were reused and in Chicago, Illinois where FFs cheated on EMT training examination (Bellenger, & Dean). Thus their administration should be carefully checked to make sure that such incidences do not occur. Exams for promotion have also been dogged with issues of discrimination of people with their races. For example, in the 1990 exam, out of the 117 who qualified for promotion, there were only 17 black. In a memo to city officials in the 2000, the Madison Fire fighting Department was accused of being discriminatory and unfair by the city’s affirmative director, Kirbie Mack. The department, according to The Capital Times (Shepard, 2000) had promoted no person of color since 1996, out of a total of 47 people. The fire Chief Amesqua had argued that the reasons people of color had not been promoted to lieutenant position was because a few had applied and that seniority had placed them low on the list for selection. Data however had indicated that such low applications were real and in the then three recent promotional cycles, 14 people of color out of 150 had applied and three had failed to show up for the written exams while five failed it. Only six made it to the final position out of the 100. He latter in January 12, 2001 (Judith, 2001) denied this allegation that his department was discriminatory and unfair, and presented figures to show that the diversity in the department mirrored the larger community: the people of color made 9 % of Dane County’s population and 16 % of employees in the fire department. In the Chicago Fire Department , only less than 5% of the department in 1970s composed of the blacks and the Hispanics and the Justice Department sued the city; the case which was settled by the court orders requiring hiring and promotion of more minorities in the department. The city is said to have responded by stopping to hire for years (Judson Miner-an attorney representing the black fire fighters and the city’s corporation counsel in 1980s). There was a strike that followed and a contract to affirmative action was settled on till 45% were employees in the department. In 2004, according to out of the total of the uniformed department, about 31% represented the minorities. There are whites who have raised issues as being passed over in favor of the minority groups and view it as unfair. Wherever the truth lies, firefighters feel the heat when they go out and do their jobs. Causes and reduction of irregularities Irregularities may occur as a result of delayed time which could allow manipulation of the results to favor some candidates. The cut off grade is delayed so that there will be regulation of the number qualifying. If everybody was to qualify, then there would be a problem in choosing the person to occupy the position. Usually, the examination should be set free of political influence. There have been claims of bias towards some of the races who have been said to be discriminated against. Reduction of irregularities can be achieved by a careful selection of an unbiased agent to administer the test. The process should be as open as possible to avoid bias and arising of complains. If the tests are not conducted in an open way it is difficult to avoid problems and claims. Conclusion/Recommendations There are laws as discussed regarding promotion process in the fire department. Requirements include academic qualifications, work experience and personal abilities to do the job. All these can be proved when one passes examinations that are administered for promotion in the field. These include the written and evaluation tests. Cases that are received of allegations should be addressed a proper means sought to reduce such occurrences. There are issues that have been raised in the past concerning issues of promotion that needs to be addressed and a long lasting solution sought. Promotion process itself ought to be a fair, open and a clean process. The problem underlying could be as a result of the process itself; the delays and issues to do with the agents. The fire department must ensure that current stringent measures are put in place to allow only agents who qualify to standards administer the examinations so as to minimize cases of complains. Since affirmative actions have raised issues, they should be scrutinized and offered at an open way where everybody will understand and know. The process should be kept as open as possible. Reference Baker Bill. Policy 12-1 Promotion system for uniform fire department personnel. 1 March 2000. Fire Department. Retrieved from http://www. cityof. lawton. ok. us/CityCode/Administrative_Policies/Section_12/1. html on 9 October 2008. Bellenger, B. L. and Dean C. R. Cheating on promotional public safety examinations: Strategies for responding to a widespread test scrutiny compromise. Personnel Board of Jefferson County. PDF. Retrieved from www. ipmaac. org/conf/08/bellenger. pdf on 9 October 2008. Fire promotion assessment package. Fire & Police Selection Inc (FPSI). Retrieved from http://www. fpsi. com/fire_promotional. html on 9 October 2008. Jason Shepard. Bias Alleged in fire promotions. (Front). The Capital Times (Madison, WI). November 11, 2001. Judith Davidoff. Amesqua: No bias in promotions. (Local/State). The Capital Times (Madison, WI). January 12, 2001. Spielman Fran. Panel offers Fire Dept. promotion proposals. September 13, 1996. Chicago Times.

Expensive college tuition worth it Research Paper

Expensive college tuition worth it - Research Paper Example However, the increasing cost of education makes it difficult for a large majority of people to pursue their higher education in better universities and colleges. This paper will evaluate the American scenario of college education focusing the students as audience while analyzing the actual situations to prove whether the rising tuition fee actually add value to the higher education outcome in the country. Education at a higher level is surely meant for a rewarding purpose; therefore it incurs cost at a reasonable proportion. The term tuition fee refers to the amount required to be paid by the students for continuing a learning course in a college or university. The education institutions providing higher education looks for imparting training at international levels. The stakeholders of this process includes several aspects like state government funds, material and human resource requirements, employment agencies and supporting organizations etc. Majority of these factors are subject to changes with the economic conditions in the respective states. Rising cost of education has been a tremendous challenge before the universities and education departments in the country and it affects the number of qualified candidates in the employment market with considerable impacts. The uncontrollable increase in tuition fees poses a threat to the enrollment rates in colleges, which is an indicator of declining quality of human resources in the future years of the productive economic sector across the country. The total picture of the education system in the country shows the students as the players of a borrowing-repaying process alongside their education. At one side they are given extended loan facilities by several financial enterprises towards education; and at the other side, the educational institutions engage in a cost-shifting process in which the increasing cost of education

Sampling Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Sampling - Coursework Example lting in the auditor’s conclusion becoming dissimilar from what would have been attained if the entire population were examined (Guy, Carmichael & Whittington, 2002). As a result, sampling risk may result in two other forms of auditing risks: a. Alpha Risk (Risk of incorrect rejection), arising due to the sample indicating higher error levels than the actual case, and the risk affecting the audit efficiency. It can be resolved through the performing of additional audit work (Guy, Carmichael & Whittington, 2002). b. Beta Risk (Risk of incorrect acceptance), which arises due to the failure to detect a material error in a population due to the insufficiency of selected sample items containing errors. As a result, the audit effectiveness is affected, and the risk can be quantified by using statistical sampling procedures and detected by using other audit procedures that are complimentary (Gray, 2007). Second, there is a non-sampling risk that results from factors that cause the auditor to make erroneous conclusions for reasons not related to sample size. Subsequently, the risk can arise due to the failure of the auditors to recognize the errors of individual items in a sample. Nevertheless, the risk can be minimalized through the ensured proper audit planning, supervision and review by the auditors (Gray,

The Importance of Phonetics & Phonology in English Assignment

The Importance of Phonetics & Phonology in English - Assignment Example These distinctions usually go unnoticed within the community if they occur regularly, but can attract attention by those of the non-English speaking community, or those learning English. The effect of delay on articulator movement can be seen in English words such as more and now, where the beginning of the vowel is nasalized, partly because of the delay in raising the velum at the end of the nasal consonant. The nasality of the initial consonant thus overlaps onto the following oral vowel. A similar effect tends to nasalize the voiced fricative following [n] in such words as burns and bronze. In most varieties of English, this occurs in particular before // and (in rhotic dialects) before coda /r/ (that is, /r/ followed by a consonant or at the end of a word); it also occurs, to a lesser extent, before tautosyllabic // and /g/. Some examples of neutralization of // to /e/ before // are beg, egg, Greg, keg, leg, and peg's coming to rhyme with Craig, Hague, plague and vague. Some varieties (including most American English dialects) have significant vocalic neutralization before intervocalic /r/, as well.

Training and development management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Training and development management - Assignment Example is different from the traditional view because it entails the thorough scrutiny of the candidates of the intended succession process before they are allowed to take their respective positions. The skills and competency they possess in leadership is assessed and analyzed fully, and recommendations are made on the areas the new leadership team will focus on like continuous improvement and total quality management. Traditionally the entire process is conduct in secrecy in order to impose bad leadership on the stakeholders. This culminated in the selection of incompetent and novice workers hence compromising leadership transition process. However, in the contemporary performance consultancy, talent assessment is carried out based on the previous performance assessment and the multi-source reports, in order to obtain specialized personnel in the leadership realm. This selection emphasizes on quality and informed leadership. The best individuals in leadership are cleared to take part in underway duties on leadership whereby they are closely monitored and supervised in order to explore their full potential in service. After the exercise is over, they are ready to take on various leadership roles within the organizational chart. In the performance consultancy, the candidates for the new leadership roles are required to undergo career development training in order to be proficient in the tasks they will perform. This will be done through employment of coaching and group discussions, engaging in cross-functional projects and having secondments within and outside the organization. The candidates can also have international tours in order to have exposure on their role within an organization setting. The Authority can also offer challenging tasks to the candidates in order to test their aptitude ability to tackle challenging issues within the organization. A job description should be prepared prior to the identification of talented individuals. This will assist in the

History of the Middle East Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

History of the Middle East - Research Paper Example The increased developments in Middle East had been pronounced since early decades, and can be traced back in the second half of 1500s when Ottoman Empire started expanding its domain (Fischbach 2013, 56). From inception, Islam had shaped politics in regions where it dominated, especially in Middle East. Despite the fragmentation of the political authority in Muslim land, Islam continued to be powerful and had a strong political solidarity bond. Collapse of Ottoman Empire facilitated the entry of Europeans in Middle East who aimed at colonizing them. British domination of local politics remained effective until early 1970s. Emergence of independent and sovereign states between 1940s and 1050s altered traditional foundations and domestic power equations in state-society relations. The modern states were unprepared for any competitive international environment and offer substantial support to the growing nationalist aspirations. Such aspirations appeared in response to political develop ments and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts that served as the catalyst for regional instability and conflict. This led to the political environment in 20th century characterized by political turmoil, extremism and conquests. Therefore, this paper investigates why the creation of the state of Israel failed to solve the Jewish problems (Gettleman 2012, 145). Creation of state of Israel The creation of state of Israel was predicated on the constitution of Jews as people of special identity and placed the nation on specific territory, as well as the juridical and territorial independence of the nation in modern country. The formation of state of Israel was enhanced by Zionism and deliberated by articulation from individuals who set to revive the ancient kingdom in a modern approach. This called for territorial and political independence for it to be successful. Soon after the end of World War II, the British evacuated Palestine and recommended partitioning of the Palestine into two states. Arabs rejected while Jewish accepted, though they advocated that they be given more than 55 percent of the land. This facilitated the War of control during which Israel declared its statehood in 1948. Such victory over the Arabs facilitated an influx of Jewish refugees from Europe and other Muslim word and outflow of fleeing Arab Palestinians (Klieman 1990, 63) One year after the partition plan by the general assembly, the resolution 94 was issued to offer right of return of the Arabs to the post-mandate Palestine. However, UN possessed no powers to enforce such resolutions since Israel was determined to prohibit Arabs to return to their homes after fleeing. Such unresolved problems remain the major source of conflicts for quite some time. In 1950, Israel’s parliament passed the law of return (Gettleman 2012, 148). Partition Plan Most states in UN General Assembly voted in the partition plan for the Palestine in 1947. Such a resolution called for the termination of the manda te by Britons and created two states; one for Arabs and the other one for Jews. City of Jerusalem was entitled to the enjoyment of special status under the international administration. The resolution was voted in by thirty one countries while seven voted against the resolution. Zionists accepted the resolution while Arabs opposed it since it advocated for a single state dominated by Arab majority. Traditionally, the twin objectives of the foreign policy in Israel of

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Entrepreneurial Journey of Oleg Tinkov According to Paul Burns (2001), personal characteristics and traits, societal culture, antecedent influence and situational factors are the strongest influencers on entrepreneur (Burns, 2001). Thus, it is important to note that Oleg Tinkov’s journey towards becoming an entrepreneur started at his childhood itself due to his father’s influence. As he grew old, cycling became one of his favorite leisure activities. Entrepreneurial analysis with respect to personal traits and characteristics suggests that entrepreneurs possess similar characteristics to those of sportsmen. Therefore, it is implied that his passion for cycling also has led him forward in his journey towards entrepreneurship. As challenging moves for Oleg Tinkov during his start ups, situational factors played an important role too. The micro-environment factors were prevalent within the country such as that of changes in perception, mood and meaning of the societal com munities. Oleg Tinkov challenged the macro economic factors such as economic changes within the country and market structure. His challenge was initiated by his motive of grasping the first mover advantage in the market generated after the disintegration in the Soviet Union. He held extremely strong instinct of defeating any challenge and every time evolved as a winner and this trait has been activated upon him through his immense interest in cycling (Tinkov, 2006). Entrepreneurial Opportunity for Oleg Tinkov Oleg Tinkov is a constant seeker of business opportunities and it is his search for the best which has never allowed him to remain stiff to a single... This editing researches an entrepreneurial background of Oleg Tinkov, his entrepreneurial opportunities and its transformation into business, business strategies and decisions of Oleg Tinkov, challenges and remedial actions to those challenges by Oleg Tinkov, his entrepreneurial network and role of luck and fortune. From the overall analysis of entrepreneurial traits of Oleg Tinkov, it can be stated that there cannot be the most appropriate ingredient for the best entrepreneur blended with certain portion of characteristics and certain portion of luck or fortune. Conversely, it is a combination of various factors which can only be enhanced by the entrepreneur himself. The entrepreneurs, who realize the importance of the most appropriate factors, ultimately become successful. However, at the same time, the entrepreneurs can conduct an in-depth analysis of the situational factors for interpreting the entrepreneurial traits and strive towards adopting those traits. It has also been foun d out from the entrepreneurial analysis that people who are more indulged in challenging activities such as that of sports and hold strong notion of winning each of the game are more likely to become a successful entrepreneur. Above all these facts behind becoming a successful entrepreneur lay the capability of identifying opportunities in the market and grasping each of the opportunities. Change identification and adaptation to changed environment are undeniably the most important characteristics of an entrepreneur.

Acheivements of Women in the US Army Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Acheivements of Women in the US Army - Essay Example When the government of the United States declared war on Germany during World War I in 1917, more than nine million men took up military jobs, and by the end of the war more than two million had been deployed outside the country. With such deployments, the impact of the country’s resolution to get into war was quickly felt by women, who then stepped in to fill the openings left in offices, factories and shops. With a steady increase in their numbers in the industries, women eventually made up over 20 percent of the workers during the war period in manufacturing of airplanes, electrical machinery and food. In the same period, they dominated jobs that were formerly the preserve of men (Earley 12). In that respect, this paper will describe the achievements of women in the United States Army from World War I to present. In 1916, the Women’s Naval Service organized the National Service School to offer training to women for national duty (Earley 21). The Army, Marine Corps an d Navy worked together to train women in their thousands for roles in times of national disaster and war. They learnt skills in food conservation, military drills and aerobics, telephone operations, signaling and manufacture of bandages and surgical dressings. The Army Signal Corps had more than 200 female telephone operators, christened the â€Å"Hello Girls†, who were deployed for overseas duty. ... They often found themselves in the warfront and lived in makeshift tents or bunkers that offered little or no comfort. They went through the horror of continuous artillery bombardment and mustard gas while caring for both civilians and soldiers. At the end of the war and after lengthy deliberations, Congress, in 1979, granted the operators of the Signal Corps military status (Earley 37). In World War II, more than 150,000 American female soldiers were serving in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Apart from nurses and other noncombat female workers, the WAC members were the first women to serve within the United States Army ranks, even though both the public and army initially did not accept the concept of uniformed women (Weatherford 42). To the women’s achievement, military and political leaders realized the potential of the women to provide the desperately needed additional resources in the military sector. Given the opportunity, the women seized it and by the time the wa r ended, their contributions were acknowledged. Congresswoman Edith Rogers introduced a bill in 1941 to institute an army women’s corps that was distinct from the Army Nurse Corps. It was intended to extend to women serving in the war similar disability benefits, pensions and legal protection as the male soldiers. With the army’s reluctance to directly have women in its ranks, they settled on a compromise bill and established the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) to work alongside the army. Their only mandate was to provide the national defense with special skills and training of the nation’s women (Weatherford 46). No female officer could command men. WAAC’s Director was allocated the rank of

Jazz Dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jazz Dance - Essay Example Jazz dance hasgreatly been affected by communal dance and common music. This paper is intended to describe history and development of jazz dance. Rhythms and movements that were brought to America by African slaves have come upon the origin of jazz dance. The style of African dance is all natural; low, knees bent, vibrating body movements emphasized by body isolations and hand-clapping. As slaves immigratedto America, starting during the 1600’s, Africans from different cultures wereseparated from their families, languages and tribal traditions. This resulted to merging of African cultures that created a new culture with both European and Africancomponents. The Slave Act of 1740 intended to prohibit slaves from performing African dances, but that did not hide their wish to grip to those parts of their cultural identity. African dance involved movements and rhythms which includedhand-clapping,foot stamping and tapping, and currentlythis is known as a jazz dance. The term "Jazz" was initially related to a genre of music dance during World War I. Jazz in a dance form, however, emerges from the parlanceAfricans’ dances when they were being brought to the Americas on slave ships. This form of dance emerged together with jazz music in New Orleans at the beginning of 1900s. From 1930s to 1960s, Jazz dance changed from this body of parlanceinto a theatre-based performance form of dance that needed a much trained dancer.During this time, dancers from the ballet and modern dance worlds experimented with the jazz dance style. All of these dancers affected jazz by wanting many trained dancers to perform a given set of movements, which was very different from the informal form of New Orleans back in the 1900s. Also, during this span of period (circa. 1950) jazz dance was intensely affected by Caribbean and other Latin American dance styles which were established by anthropologist and dancer Katherine Dunham. Jazz is also like choreography too. Jazz dance throughout

Understanding Non-verbal Communication Essay Example for Free

Understanding Non-verbal Communication Essay Communication has always been an integral component of accomplishing goals and objectives of any institution and organization. It is used as a tool in conveying information and promoting the values, principles and objectives of any institution. Likewise, non-verbal communication is also a process deemed vital in the interplay of individuals within an organization or group. Seeing this, by adequately understanding the different ways that people can communicate, individuals can harness the needed boost towards better facilitation, management, and cooperation needed. In the end, by boosting the skills needed to maximize non-verbal communication, each one can extract new approaches to make practice more effective and efficient. Understanding Non-verbal communication Before elaborating on the relevance of non-verbal communication, it is essential that people understand the meaning of the concept. By grasping this concept, each one can effectively apply the strategies and methods of intensifying and providing the needed avenues for change. With these, the term refers to the imparting of messages to parties via other channels other than words (Fowler, 2006). This method can be considered innate in our biological makeup as humans. â€Å"Non-verbal behaviour predates verbal communication because individuals, since birth, rely first on non-verbal means to express themselves† (Besson, et. al. , 2005, p. 1). At the same time, this process comprises of different parts and revolve around (1) visual, (2) tactile, (3) vocal, and (3) use of time space and image (CBA. edu, 2006). These things in turn are manifested by using different practices such as facial expression, body language, etc. (BOMI, 2006). All these actions seek to relay information and denote a particular meaning in the action given or imparted to the receiver. Seeing this, it is then essential to underline the ways that people interact non-verbally. By doing this, there can be better avenues for increased understanding among the speaker and receiver engaged in a conversation. Intonation and Tone of voice The use of intonation and tone of voice are relevant ideas to consider as far as non-verbal communication is concerned. The firs concept involves deciphering the â€Å"end of an entity of information, which – in written communication – is shown by means of a comma, semicolon, point, exclamation mark or question mark† (Besson, et. al. , 2005, p. 3). Comprehending this can benefit the individual in actively determining the mood and feelings of the speaker. On the other hand, tone of voice is another essential component of non-verbal communication. In this process, it seeks to connote the attitude of the speaker towards a chosen area or topic being discussed (Fowler, 2006). This is essentially vital for listeners to decipher because it can give them the idea surrounding the overall intention of the speaker is relaying to its target audience. Gestures and Facial Expressions Another significant element that individuals should understand is the relative message that gestures and facial expressions can give to the overall idea that the speaker wants to imply. Looking at it, these two ideas revolve around the body movements that are aligned with the verbal component (Your Communication Skills, 2007). These things in turn also cater to express the feelings, sentiments and opinions of individuals towards a specific issue being discussed. Seeing this, by carefully observing the speakers and listeners, one can effectively decode their responses towards the information conveyed to them. Interpreting Non-verbal Communication Interpretation remains an essential element in creating proficiency and better insight in the practice of non-verbal communication. In here, the individual must carefully observe and look into cues that can cultivate and supplement their verbal responses on a given issue or subject. These things can then eliminate areas of confusion, conflict and disagreements between individuals and groups. One important way to practice non-verbal communication is by engaging in face-to-face interaction. This practice can help one individual to actively observe and apply the related components of the idea. â€Å"Face-to-face communication provides immediate feedback and is the richest information medium because of the many information channels available through voice, eye contact, posture, blush, and body language† (BOMI, 2006, p. 1). Seeing this, listening and observation are the key elements to make this endeavor successful. In addition, face-to-face interaction can enhance new principles and objectives that can create and establish strong relationships among actors within a particular group/organization. This process can in turn provide the needed outcomes in achieving potential benefits for all individuals involved. â€Å"It is the appropriate medium for delegating tasks, coaching, disciplining, instructing, sharing information, answering questions, checking progress toward objectives, and developing and maintaining interpersonal relations† (BOMI, 2006). Looking at the listening component, this is relevant in better comprehending the term because of its ability to infuse better appreciation and understanding of the topic. This practice can create sensitivity not only in the verbal component but also cater towards extracting verbal cues if properly coordinated with the proper observation skills (Giddens and Griffiths, 2006). Moreover, â€Å"when one listens they have to hear the emotion in the words and read between the lines of the words to get the full meaning of a transmission that is received† (Your Communication Skills, 2007, p. 1). Thus, it is essential for these two actions to be properly incorporated when one engages into dialogue with others. Looking into cultural differences Since communication is a social construct, another essential element that should be looked into is the occurrence of cultural differences among people/group engaged in conversation. With the increasing diversity and interaction within different environments, it is possible that individuals interpret actions in different ways. Seeing this, â€Å"a successful interpretation of non-verbal elements conveyed by the speaker requires the same understanding of the symbols shared between interpreter and speaker† (Besson, et. al. , 2006, p. 1). Realizing this situation, it can beneficial if people can take into account the relevance of cultural background in communication practices. One thing to determine these non-verbal cues is becoming aware and sensitive to these things and uses them as an instrument for interpretation and analysis (Fowler, 2006). Rather than seeing this as a barrier of conducting effective communication and interaction, culture must be used as a medium of increasing competence and correctly interpret the cues and symbols given (Giddens and Griffiths, 2006). Opening up avenues for feedback Like any other social construct, communication should also try to reach out and open up new avenues for change and improvement. This then entitles a particular organization/group to come up with new ideas aligned on creating better understanding on the interaction process and take into consideration the impact of non-verbal communication in the achievement of goals and processes (CBA. edu, 2006). Likewise, it opens up the potential of filling in the gaps within the communication process and extracts newer outcomes in the process. Seeing this, instead of correcting and finding fault in the shortcomings of many individuals in such process, constructive feedbacks can then be applied to create a renewed understanding and commitment. Under this procedure, several methods can be introduced to extract opinions and facilitate the needed avenues for development. Conclusion To conclude, non-verbal communication remains to be an important component to consider as far as communication and dialogue is concerned. This allows individuals to effectively and efficiently decipher the needed information that can support the essence of interaction and exchange of ideas. Due to this, careful considerations must be made in order to fully comprehend the impact of the concept. By taking account the factors that affect non-verbal communication and creating a feedback mechanisms, better outcomes can be administered and enhance interpersonal relationship among individuals/groups involved. References Besson, C. , Graf, D. , Hartung, I. , Kropfhausser, B. and Voisard, S. (2005) The Importance of Non-verbal communication in Professional Interpretation in aiic. Retrieved March 27, 2009 from, http://www. aiic. net/ViewPage. cfm/page1662. htm#2 BOMI (2006) Effective Communication in the Workplace. Retrieved March 27, 2009 1-5. CBU. edu (2006) The importance of effective communication. Retrieved March 27, 2009 from, http://web. cba. neu. edu/~ewertheim/interper/commun. htm Fowler, K. (2006) Communicating Effectively – Why you need to get your message across. Retrieved March 27, 2009. 1-4 Giddens, A. and Griffiths, S. (2006) Social Interaction in Everyday Life in Sociology. (US; Polity) Retrieved March 27, 2009. 133-139. Your Communication Skills (2007) Communication skills. Retrieved March 27, 2009 from, http://www. yourcommunicationskills. com/nonverbalcommunicationskills. html

The Impact Of The Complex Interdependence Politics Essay

The Impact Of The Complex Interdependence Politics Essay As we all know , complex interdependence is a concept developed by Robert keohane and Joseph Nye in order to demonstrate that states are completely tied together in various aspects of their national resources , whether they be economic , military , agricultural , o political amongst others. The main characteristics of Complex Interdependence are three , in first place multiple channels , because these facilitate actions between communities either they be interstate or transnational. In second place low salience , this shows the use of force as a non viable tool in international relations and offers diplomacy and policies as substitute routes , and finally in third place we have issue areas and regimes , which show us a wide agenda of topics that link states together in order to reach their objectives , in other words the line between domestic and foreign policy becomes blurred in this case, as realistically there is no clear agenda in interstate relations.. If we analyze these three points we can see this as an attempt to synthesize elements of realism with liberalism. For millennia, a large and well-equipped army was all that was required to make ones voice heard and power felt on the international scene. As technologies evolved , the possession of a powerful economy and the threat of retaliation have proved as effective , if not more effective than the exposure of weapons and the threat of war. With the growing complexity of interdependence, fewer and fewer goals are achieved by relying exclusively on military threats but also on raw economic incentives. The utility of hard power methods has in general shrunk , as it is less likely than in the past to produce the desired outcomes. The current definition of International Relations is the study of human interactions through national borders and the factors that affect those interactions. But if we look back at the origins of International Relations as a field of study in the early 20th century we can see that it was mainly centered on Great Britains affairs. After the first world war International Relations appeared as a field of study in order to understand the war , its main causes and consequences. In the early 1920s universities across Great Britain and the United States founded faculties and departments devoted on this new and vital subject that was International Relations , because experts saw the dawn of a globalization and the future ties of the states with each other , this was conceived as liberal internationalism. The first academic institution dedicated to the study of international relations was Aberystwyth University founded in 1919 in Wales. The concept of complex interdependence was created in 1977 , after the world had seen two world wars and a number of conflict situations between nations , the devastating consequences that these acts of violence left on mankind where proof of the intrinsic connections one state has with another , even if they are from different religious or political backgrounds , or if they are located on the other side of the globe. The truth is that we are all linked with each other one way or another, and that is what complex interdependence made emphasis on. This opened up a whole new world in the study of international relations , showing how dominant nations such as United States , Great Britain , and Russia where involved in interdependent relations with under developed nations. The growing rate of transnational flows and the increase in channels of communication are creating an uprising in interdependence between states and nations , these relations influence them in many ways not only referring to material needs or objects but also in political and ideological concepts. Todays complex interdependence has become a multifaceted interdependence , one that includes a diversity of issues from cultural problems to environmental concerns , far from what it used to be , solely dependant on economic objectives and the support of military strength. This in terms of international relations shows us that the evolution of international relations has gone from military and economic dominance to an environment of general concern referring to as much aspects of one notion as possible ; everything, from the strength of our economy to the safety of our cities, to the health of our people, depends on events not only within our borders, but half a world away. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ ] We must see the opportunities and the dangers of the interdependent world in which we are clearly fated to live President of the United States Bill Clinton during a press conference in 1999 -. Environmental issues are becoming very important in transnational relations today , further more than any other issue contemplated by complex interdependence. For example the biological problems we have nowadays with bacterias , viruses , and other living organisms that can have disastrous consequences to the nation that receives them. Like the A1H1 virus , that spawned in Mexico and shortly after it spread throughout the globe causing thousands of deaths and creating a tense situation for Mexicos leaders , because they were held responsible for allowing the exit of such virus to rest of the world. In the twenty-first century, British foot and mouth disease or the SARS disease originating in Hong Kong cause fear the world over , precisely because of bacteriological interdependence and the speed at which the diseases propagate through out the planet with incredible ease. Another aspect that is going through everybodys minds as far as international relations goes is ecology and all topics related , ecological interdependence is only now taking on its current importance as a result of the major advances in technology , manufacturing , transportation and mass consumption during the course of the twentieth century. One result of these qualitative changes is that any alteration in a local environment can have both major ecological and political repercussions on a global scale , creating a conservationist mentality across the globe. For example, the deforestation of the Amazon jungle has had serious repercussion as far away as Italy and Japan as well as more locally in Brazil. As a result of phenomena such as this , environmental interdependence is having increasing political impact on national societies. Japan is sponsoring tree reforestations worldwide , providing governments with monetary incentives to plant trees and creating awareness within the popul ation to help with these issues. The complex interdependence has created a major boost in international relation in the 21st century , by creating better and deeper relationships amongst nations , but certain academics have seen a growing problem in international relations in the new millennia ; while the central problem of international relations in the 20th century was states that were too strong like Germany , Imperial Japan , and the Soviet Union , the primary problems of international relations in the 21st century are states that are too weak for example Afghanistan , Pakistan , Mexico , amongst others said Thomas Friedman , of the New York times. This is mainly because these states are going to need more detailed and consistent help from the global community , this is a positive aspect for these developing nations , but it could be seen as a negative for stronger states , because of the setbacks these relations can create in their domestic economies and issues. Todays international relations experts fully understand that globalization has taken over , and that the only way nations are going to improve their qualities of life , improve their domestic economies , and be seen as a strong and potential hot spot for external investments is to create deep rooted bonds with states worldwide. Nations used to have pretty much basic foreign policies , mostly limited to imports and exports , but thanks to the breakthroughs in international relations , most foreign policies have expanded exponentially in the matters of agriculture , fiscal aid , terrorism , the environment , health , and education. After the world trade center attacks on September 11 , 2001 , the world realized that terrorism is a major threat for everyone , because it can happen to anyone , anywhere , at anytime , therefore it became a top priority topic in international relations , leaded almost entirely by the United States and Great Britain , these new alliances wanted to create a worldwide network of nations fighting against terrorism , in order to avoid such regrettable acts such as the ones lived the citizens of New York City. Another topic created taken account in recent years is the war on narcotics processing and international distribution. One clear example is the agreement between drug enforcement agencies form the United States of America and Colombia , also known as the plan Colombia which basically consists in D.E.A cooperation with police training and financial aid. Without complex interdependence international relations would never be as important and as relevant as it is today , because without it nations would still be focused on domestic issues , and wouldnt be as concerned of other aspects of nations problems , because if it wasnt for the current interdependence situation states would only be interested in military power and economic benefits they could obtain from other nations. The 21st century is only beginning and the problems that the world and its nations are going to face to face are only revealing their selves, this is going to mean more work for embassies , consulates , diplomats , and heads of state worldwide in order to join together in search for the greater good. WHICH IS THE IMPACT OF COMPLEX INTERDEPENDENCE ON THE EVOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AS A DISCIPLINE AND WHICH ARE THEIR THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY? INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ESSAY JULIO URIBE RESTREPO #200710122002 UNIVERSIDAD EAFIT MEDELLIN 2010

Solvent Extraction of Eu(III) from Nitrate Media

Solvent Extraction of Eu(III) from Nitrate Media Non fluorinated ionic liquid was used as a solvent of by bis (2-ethylhexyl)diglycolamic acid (DEHDGA) to investigate the extraction of Europium (III) various parameters: extractant concentration, pH, concentration of the salting-out agent and concentration of the europium(III) ion in the aqueous feed. The efficiency of extraction was enhanced by increasing the pH of the feed solution (aqueous) upto its maxium range pH 5, that subsequently decrease at high pH values [1]. Room temperature ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4mim+][PF6−]) was applied for the extraction of Eu3+ Th4+ from nitrate medium using tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) as an extractant the results were compared with extraction method of dichloro methane. Both methods involved solavation mechanism by forming [Eu(TOPO)33+](NO3−)3species. Another outcome was elucidated that the method also involve cation exchange mechanism by formation of [Th(TOPO)34+](NO3−)4 in dichloro methane, while Th4+ and Eu3+ not effected by presence of TOPO in ionic liquid method. So it can be concluded that formation of [Th(TOPO)4+](NO3−)(PF6−)3 invloves that mixed ion exchange –solvation mechanism for the extraction of Th4+ ion [2]. various substituted diglycol amide (DGA) solvent extractants: N,N,N†²N†²-tetra(2-ethylhexyl) diglycolamide (T2EHDGA); N,N,N†²N†²-tetra-n-octyl diglycolamide (TODGA); N,N,N†²N†²-tetra-n-hexyl diglycolamide (THDGA); N,N,N†²N†²-tetra-n-decyl diglycolamide (TDDGA) and N,N,N†²N†²-tetra-n-pentyl diglycolamide (TPDGA) for the investigation Eu3+ ion transport property in nitric acid solvent extraction and supported liquid membrance (SLM) methodology. Slope analysis method was utilized to determind the nature of extracted species. By using DGAs various parameters like effect of phase modifier assay on extraction of Eu 3+ ion and effect of feed acidity were investigated [3]. Alok Rout et al prepared the ionic liquids, tri-n-octylmethylammonium bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate ([A336]+[DEHP]−) and tri-n-octylmethylammonium bis(2-ethylhexyl)diglycolamate ([A336]+[DGA]−) and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy. The extraction behavior of europium (III) in the solution of these ionic liquids present in different molecular diluents was investigated using in variation of different parameters like pH, nature of diluent, concentration of ionic liquid. The data obtained were compared with those obtained in a solution composed of the precursors of ionic liquid. The extraction of europium (III) in [A336]+[DEHP]−and [A336]+[DGA]−ionic liquids showed a strong dependence on the nature of molecular diluent used. The distribution ratio of Eu(III) increased with increase of pH; at pH>2, the distribution ratios obtained in ionic liquids were much higher than their precursors. The effect of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) on the extraction of Am(III) and Eu(III) at a fixed pH was studied to separate europium (III) from americium (III). Superior extraction of the target metals and excellent separation factors achieved with the use of these ionic liquids in conventional diluents indicates the feasibility of separating lanthanides from actinides [4]. W. Wang et al. was studied the extraction of europium by using an anionic surfactant. The influence of concentration of anionic surfactant, extraction temperature, pH, concentration of co-surfactant, salting out agent and aqueous- microemulsion ratio on extraction yield were studied by using sodium oleate (NaOL)/pentanol/heptanes/NaCl system. The extraction yield (E%) was found above 99%, when the R=8, Probably Europium was extracted in form of Eu(OL)2Cl into the microemulsion phase. The back-extraction was performed by using hydrochloric acid (0.8mol/L), back extraction resulted the yields 95.15% [5]. Extraction equilibrium constants were investigated by using nonlinear least squares method and a chemically based model was also developed. In the suggested model the salvation extraction and cation exchange reaction occurs in high and low acidity regions respectively. The non-ideality of aqueous phase and (HR)2 were adjusted and corrected by complexation of metal with chloride ion and (HR)2 replacing by using efficient concentration. The model verified by finding the close results of calculated metal distribution ratios and experimental results. E. Makrlà ­k et al has been investigated the micro-quantity of europium and americium by using nitrobenzene solution of hydrogen dicarbollylcobaltate (H+B) in presence of 1,2-(diphenylphosphino)ethylene dioxide (DPPEDO, L). The values of stability constant of both complexes are comparable in water saturated nitrobenzene. Stability of the complexes HL+org and HL+2;org in nitrobenzene saturated with water increases in the series of DBDECMP DPPEDO DPBCMPO‘‘classical’’ CMPO, whereas the stability of the EuL3+n;org and AmL3+n;org (n = 2, 3, 4) complexes in the mentioned medium increases in the DBDECMPDPPEDODPBCMPO‘‘classical’’ CMPO order [7]. The extraction of Eu(III) was investigated by Awwadet al, from nitrate medium by CYANEX921 (C921). It was found that the chemical formula of the main extracted species in the organic phase is Eu(NO3)(3).3[C921] for extraction by C921. It was found that the Eu(III) percent extracted from toluene, n-hexane, cyclohexane and kerosene was nearly similar but with faster phase separation in favor of toluene. The relation between the shaking time and the percent of extracted C921 (%E) was studied at different pH. It was found that the best shaking time is 20 min at pH between 0.5-1.0, whereas at pH 2.0 the best shaking time is 15 min. The maximum extraction of Eu(III) was found to be after 5 min at pH 3.0. The extraction of Eu(III) increase with increasing of pH, however, the extraction precent increase from 28.5% at pH 0.5 to 98% at pH 3.0 The calculated average for the extraction constant is 6.58 at pH 3.0 under various C921 concentrations. From the data obtained, it was found that arsenaz oIII (AIII) is a good stripper for Eu from organic phase which reach to 65% at pH 2. The stripping of Eu decreased from 57% to 2% when rising the pH in range of 0.5 to 11 (10). Ohashi et al investigated the extraction of lanthanoids(III) (Ln(III) =, Eu(III) , La(III) and Lu(III) by using techniques cloud point extraction in presence and absence of di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid with triton X-100 and suggested that the extraction of Ln(III) into the surfactant-rich phase in absence of chelating agent was occurred due impurities existence in Triton X-100. The extraction yield was obtained more than 91% for all Ln(III) metals by using 3.0 x 10(-5) mol dm(-3) HDEHP and 2.0% (v/v) Triton X-100 (11). Solvent extraction of Eu(III) from nitrate media with 4-acyl-isoxazol-5-ones and 2-acyl-5-diluents has been studied by Jaoval Arichi. Due to competitive complication of Eu3+ by NO3 in the aqueous phase, the extraction from nitrate medium is less effective than from per chlorate medium [12] Synergic extraction of Eu (III), Tb (III), with 2-thenoyltrifluoroactone and tribenzyl amine as neutral donor from chloroform from per chlorate media at lower pH was reportedly M. M. Saeed et al. The effect of temperature on extraction has also been studied [13] F.A. Shehata investigated the synergic extraction of trivalent Eu, Gd and Am from aqueous per chlorate medium using mixtures of thenoyl trifluoroacetone (HTTA) and 15-Crown-5 or 18-Crown-6 in chloroform at (25  ± I) (slope analysis of the M (TTA)3. (CE)2 for extracted species. The stability order took the sequence Eu(TTA)3. (CE)2>GA(TTA)3. (CE)2 with 18C6 [14]. A. Ali suggested the synergic extraction of, Eu (III), Ce (III) and Tm (III) w ith a mixture of tributyl phosphine oxide Picrolonic acid in chloroform. Picrolonic acid acted as a chelating agent and tributyl phosphine as a metal legend in chloroform. Among the anions fluoride, oxalate citrate and cyanide ions masked the extraction, whereas Fe (II), Cu (II) and No(II) reduce the extraction [15]. Extraction of Eu (III) and Tm (III) with picrolonic acid in MIBK was investigated by A. Ali. The buffer solution of pH was used. The composition of organic addict responsible for extraction of these material ions have been calculated by slope analysis method. Among the anions, citrate, fluoride, oxalate and cyanide ions masked the extraction, when the, Cu(II), Ni(II), Fe(III) and Co(II) minimized the extraction. D.F. Peppard compared the liquid liquid extraction behaviour of Eu(II) and Eu(III) [16].

My Friend Essay -- Friendship Essay Personal Narrative

Have you ever wondered why your best friend is actually your best friend? Is it just because you have known them all of your life? Or is it simply because you just like to hang out with them? My best friend is as unique as they come. I have watched and admired his way of life over the past eight years. My friends' name is Mike Linn. Mike and I met in the sixth grade. He immediately stood out to me. There was just something about him that caught my eye. He had short messy brown hair as if he had just rolled out of bed and he was wearing a yellow Nautica t-shirt that glared at you as if you were looking directly into the sun. He had on a pair of cream colored cargo shorts and a pair of sneakers from Wal-Mart. He was the typical sixth grader everyone could imagine. From that moment on we have had many great and memorable times. Today Mike’s look is very unique. Over the years he has changed it dramatically. He has realized that the way he looked was not the way he wanted to look. It was the way his parents and friends wanted him to look. In middle school he was always wearing bright polo’s, cargo sorts, and K-Swiss sneakers. He had short dirty blonde hair that he always spiked. Today you will see him wearing all black pretty much. Most people would say he’s gothic or emo. There totally wrong. He is nowhere near gothic or emo. He is always wearing black t-shirts that have some sort of design on them. His pants are usually black and for some odd reason he loves to wear black cargo pants, not those skinny jeans or denim jeans; but black cargo pants. He has an obsession with love so occasionally he wears weird pants with hearts all over them just to catch peoples attention. Most people call him gay but he has had the same girlfriend f... ... her and how much I truly missed being with her. Mike’s right, love isn’t a game. It’s a gift, a privilege, an honor. His friendship and passion for others make me a better person everyday. I have learned so much from him by watching and observing his actions over the years. He has helped me in so many ways. He helped me learn the value of life; and he helped me put my relationship with the love of my life back together. So many teenagers today are too busy trying to fit in; worrying about what people think of them. He doesn’t care what people think. He just wants to be him, he wants to be different, and he wants people to acknowledge him BECAUSE he is different. Like I’ve said before, he really has made a positive impact and influence on not only my life, but our friendship as well, and I will always appreciate him for who he is and everything he has done for me!

Karma Essay -- Spiritual Religion Philosophy Essays

Karma The doctrine of Karma is a spiritual doctrine based on the theory of cause and effect. Although Karma does not exactly fit the definition of supernatural phenomenon it is a spiritual doctrine based on the philosophy that God is not responsible for the happiness or failure of an individual, rather, we as individuals are solely responsible for the consequences of our own behavior. The concept of Karma has two major interpretations; the most common approaches are to the idea of reincarnation, particularly in the West where the idea has almost no existence. In the East, people believe in reincarnation and hold a fatalistic idea of Karma. I favor neither westerner nor easterner extremist approaches to Karma Doctrine. I on the other hand favor only the basic concept of the Karma, since it has gradually inspired me to become a better person. It has motivated me to neglect the satisfaction of my enlarging ego and instead it has encouraged me to take responsibility for my actions; hoping that with this attitude, I might one day achieve peace of body and mind. The West shows almost no interest in the law of Karma. This is due to its strong links to reincarnation. Most westerners refuse to believe in the transmigration of souls. Believing that you could be a human being in one life and an animal in the succeeding life, is a basic idea of reincarnation that some of us refuse to accept. For example, the act of swatting a fly could be perceived as killing a person, perhaps your mother in a past life. I myself have a hard time believing in such occurrence. If in fact westerners show interest in reincarnation, it is only with a skeptical curiosity of knowing who they were in previous lives. In the west, no serious research is done ... ...can deal with his own Karma. It is not until we find the right relationship with each other, with ourselves, nature and with whole of which we are a part, we will go on making bad Karma. Learning about the Karma doctrine has brought nothing but positive effects in my life, it has slowly enhanced my desire to become more spiritual and at peace with everyone and everything around me. "My belief is correct for me-you have to find the belief that is correct for you and it will not necessarily be the same as my belief." www.etext.org. Works Cited Ajayi, J.F ADE. "On the politics of Being Mortal" in Verdug, Carol (ed.) Making Contact: Reading from Home and Abroad. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997 Chakravarti, Siddhanta.Karma. Netscape Navigator. http://www.sconline.com. Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Reincarnation. Netscape Navigator. http://www.etext.org/

United States

The Golden Gate Bridge (California) The Golden Gate Bridge was named one of the â€Å"Seven Wonders of the Modern World† by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The Golden Gate Bridge was built in 1937 to connect the city of San Francisco to Marin County across the Golden Gate Strait. Chicago (Illinois) Welcome to Chicago, America's third largest city and one of its best tourist destinations! Chicago's skyline is quite impressive. Indeed, the city is famous for its architecture. Atlantic City (NEW JERSEY) Atlantic City is a resort town located in South Jersey, New Jersey, USA. The town is famous for its gambling casinos, its boardwalk and its beach. Las Vegas (Nevada) Are you interested in gambling, seeing a show, or perhaps exploring the Hoover Dam and Red Red Rock Canyon? Want to see more of this famous desert city ? Mount Rushmore (South Dakota) Mount Rushmore is located in South Dakota. Carved into the granite wall of Mount Rushmore are the faces of 4 presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. These presidents symbolize the United States ideals: Washington standing for independence; Jefferson for democracy; Lincoln for equality; and, Roosevelt for the role in world affairs. The Statue of Liberty (New York) The Statue of Liberty is one of the best known American landmarks. It was a gift to the United States from France to commemorate their alliance during the American Revolution. It is located in the New York harbor near Ellis Island. The statue welcomed new immigrants to the United States who entered the country through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. The statue is 111 feet, 1 inch tall and made from 225 tons of copper. It was given to the people of the United States by France on July 4, 1884 to commemorate the 100 anniversary of the American Revolution. It was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Liberty Bell – Philadelphia, (Pennsylvania) Also in Philadelphia is the ever popular Liberty Bell. Once housed in Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell now has its own home in a safe building right across the street on the lawn at Independence Mall. Entrance to the hall is free, but all visitors must go through security before entering. The Liberty Bell is open every day except Christmas. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) The Grand Canyon is one of the top natural wonders in the world. Nothing compares to seeing it in person, but on the following pages, I will try to impress you with the pictures I took while visiting this National Park. Sedona (Arizona) Sedona is renowned for its beautiful Red Rocks that seem to change color and hue each time you glance their way, and its mystical Vortexes where the soul and energy flows flourish. Big Sur (California) If you want to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco (or vice versa), you should drive along Highway 1, a road with the most awesome coastal views in the United States. San Francisco (California) For a better understanding of San Francisco's uniqueness among North American cities, let's take a Photographic Tour of a few points of interest which can define it: Fisherman's Wharf, the Union Square, the Civic Center, the Financial District, North Beach, Chinatown, and last but not least, Pacific Heights. Los Angeles (California) The second biggest city in the US is worldwide famous for its attractions. Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Long Beach, Downtown. San Diego (California) The second largest city in California is famous for its nice weather, the Sea World, its Zoo, and its nice beaches. Yosemite National Park (California) Yosemite National Park, Central California, is famous for its granite cliffs, its waterfalls, its streams, its giant sequoias groves, and its bio diversity. Washington, D.C. Landmarks The city of Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. The Whitehouse The Whitehouse, located in Washington, D.C., is the home of the United States president. It has been the home for every U.S. president, except George Washington. Construction was started on October 13, 1792, on a site selected by George Washington. The house was not completed until 1800, when President John Adams moved in. The original home was burned by the British in 1814, during the War of 1812. The house was rebuilt and painted white to cover its fire-blackened walls. This is how it got the name the Whitehouse. The Washington Monument The Washington Monument is the tallest structure in Washington, D.C., The Washington Monument was built to honor George Washington, first president of the United States. The monument was completed and dedicated in 1885. It is a white marble structure 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches tall. The Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial, located in Washington, D.C., was built to honor Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. Inside the monument is a 19 foot white marble statue of Abraham Lincoln. On the walls are etched the words of his Gettysburg Address calling for unity of the country, â€Å"that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.† The Capitol Building It is located in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill. The Capitol Building is the home of the United States Congress. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives, to make laws that govern the country. The Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution is the largest museum in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian Institution consists of several museums including: the National Museum of Natural History; the National Air and Space Museum; the National Museum of American Art; and, the National Museum of African Art. War Memorials Washington, D.C. is home to many of the nations war memorials such as the Korean War Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., make sure you see these monuments. They are even more impressive in real life. Iwo Jima The Iwo Jima Memorial honors the U.S. Marine and Navy corpsmen at the battle of Iwo Jima at the end of the Second World War. Vietnam Memorial The Vietnam Memorial was built to honor the soldiers who died in the Vietnam War. It is a large black stone wall. On the wall are etched the names of all the United States soldiers who died in the Vietnam War.

How health care has changed Essay

With about 10 years of experience, as a secretary, in healthcare industry, I’ve noticed a multitude of changes within the medical field. On many levels, the medical system has changed, from paper charts to computerized patient files, the way prescriptions are handled and distributed, to file and/or medical documentation; even the paging method has found its place in a new technical era. Email, and employee intranet, has made communication between employers and employees, department to department, even employee to employee much easier and effective. The only thing that hasn’t made too much of a noticeable change is the employee time clock, and even that has managed to find itself an upgrade. Nonetheless, a host of inevitable changes, given the social status of technology, and the best service available by healthcare standards and expectations, it’s easy to see where the future of healthcare and technology lie. Given the past 10 years, technology has gained its own credit in the advancement of the medical industry. Robots have become the gateway to a better healthcare. I feel that within the next 10 years, we’ll begin to see a great deal of technical influence. In a field, where there are already advancements in technology, and its uses, it is fair to say that we could gradually become an almost ‘hands free’ industry. Medical advancements, in general, seem to have been primarily in the use of technology, and/or going green. Therefore the next 10 years, may still prove to be a breeze for the development of a relationship between medicine and technology. Even from my position, the change has been constant and obvious. Having been a secretary, since high school, I am currently in pursuit of my associates in medical administrations. My contribution to the industry has always come through my capabilities with a computer, and over the phone. Staying technically savvy, certainly is carrying its perks in weight with me. Within my experience, the secretary is the ‘go to’ person to get something to work proper y, or for better understanding of a technical meltdown, and if not the person to fix it, certainly the person to find the one who can. From nurses, doctors, patients, and parents, the secretary is the most knowledgeable resource, with a friendly face. As secretaries, we practically hold the key within the medical field. Always there to offer a helping hand, we operate behind the scene in some cases, having my own experience of pulling off many last minutes miracles. In medical terms, we’re essentially the central nervous systems of any and many departments operations. Though, now, being on my path to higher learning, in addition to, my contributions are becoming much greater, and giving my future the fuel to go much further. Like many jobs, the growth of change is inevitable, so to make sure this change is effective; insuring that employees are kept up to date with the latest in changes, adjustments, and updates is key. Having worked within the healthcare industry, I’m aware of the time and efforts invested into insuring that their employees are knowledgeable and capable of managing through company changes. I’ve had the opportunity to take a course or two, in order to insure I’m working at my fullest potent; cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses, to employee safety/self defense classes, system program changes, and new program usage. With my efforts, and the aid of my employers, my skills will remain polished and productive. Putting forth my best efforts and keeping the thirst for being successful in all my endeavors, along with the assistance provided through my employer; I will always be able and capable to perform all duties expected of me. With the growth of the medical industry, its employees have to be resourceful and reliable. Furthermore, within this growth, my perceptions haven’t changed, more they’ve evolved. The time within my courses have given me the opportunity to research and better understand the work and efforts that go into running a successful medical establishment. Watching the change over the past decade, leaves me no choice, and certainly gives me the advantage at being a highly adaptable candidate within my position. Growing with the industry, as a secretary I’ve learned so much, and watched a lot change for the better. In turn, my perceptions remain optimistic about the direction myself and healthcare or headed in. In a nutshell, any perception of an ever changing industry is certain to change. In any case, healthcare is changing for the better and the sake of providing the best, quickest, most effective ways to treatment and cure. In a sense, this change is creating a glimpse in the future of healthcare along with its and human longevity. With the healthcare industry taking on the demands of a modern day society, technology has a great deal to do with its future. Technology is set to play such a huge role in the development of healthcare. With the demands on the healthcare industry to offer the most effective methods of diagnosis, and treatments, along with healing time, the approach to technical advances are highly beneficial. Androids that perform, and aid in performing surgeries, the development in medical equipment and their advances/upgrades, the renewal of how patient charts are stored are all evolving, along with many more aspects of the medical industry. Leaving such a wide variety of development in just about every department, looking into the next 10 years of medicine vs. technology, the combinations are endless and sure to be exceptional. Though, with any development and need for change, there’s a cost to be paid. Given the state of a slowly stabilizing economy, the future of all the developments depends on the availability of funds, and people in need of care. Though, very beneficial, the cost of accurate medical attention can come at a higher cost, and at a time when finances are scarious and rising, some are unable to afford the best in healthcare. With the benefits of insurance, there is still only so much that can be covered.

Etourism – “Global Distribution Systems †Going, Going, Gone”

Global Distribution Systems – Going, Going, Gone? | Table of Contents Introduction:2 Timeline3 Airline Reservation System3 Computer Reservation Systems (CRS)3 Global Distribution Systems (GDS)4 Who uses GDSs? 5 GDS – Through the years:5 The Future of GDS:6 What should they do? 6 What is the role of the global distribution system in today’s travel agencies? 6 The Internet7 Conclusion8 References9 Books:9 Articles:9 Websites:9 Introduction: GDS – Going, going, gone? Well, certainly Global Distribution Systems have been going for a while but are they yet gone?This paper is on the history, present time and the questionable future of Global Distribution System (GDS). Firstly I go through each stage of their timeline: – Airline Reservation Systems began in the 1960s and is a computerized system is designed to control flight inventory, maintain flight schedules, seat assignments and aircraft loading. It’s used to store and retrieve information and c arry out transactions associated to any air travel. The modern airline reservation system is comprehensive suite of products to provide a system that assists with a variety of airline management tasks and ervice customer needs from the time of initial reservation through completion of the flight. – Computer Reservations Systems (CRS) began in the 1970s. These types of systems charge other travel suppliers for the right to market their products and services through these systems. ‘The computer reservation systems are completely keyboard driven and you must learn the formats in order to operate it efficiently. The web based booking engines are the point and click environment. ’ Travel Agent Training Centre, (2011). Global Distribution Systems (GDS) began in the 1980s and refer to the booking tool travel agents use when making an air, hotel, car or other travel service booking. They provide pricing, availability and reservation functionality to many online travel ag encies. There are currently four major GDS systems: 1. Amadeus 2. Galileo 3. Sabre 4. Worldspan Hotel-ICT, (2011) – The Internet has become the main sales channel and customer interface for low-cost airlines because of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Timeline The timeline stages of CRS/GDS according to Werthner & Klein (1999), is as follows: ———————————————— Time1965197519851995 SystemAirline ReservationCRSGDS Global Travel & FocusSystem Tourism Information Airline Reservation System Airline Reservation System was one of the earliest modifications to improve on efficiency. It’s a moderately simple standalone system that controls flight inventory, maintains flight schedules, seat assignments and aircraft loading. ‘It provides a system that assists with a variety of airline management tasks and service customer needs from the time of initia l reservation through completion of the flight. Videcom, (2006). ARS contain airline schedules, fare tariffs, passenger reservations and ticket records. Airline Reservations Systems sooner or later evolved into Computer Reservation Systems (CRS). Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) ‘A Computer Reservation System (CRS) is a computerized system for saving and retrieving information when needed related to air travel. CRS were created and used by airlines and at a later point they were finally used in tourism intermediaries like travel agencies. ’ marcelvacek. logspot (2010)   An airline's direct distribution works within their own reservation system, as well as pushing out information to the GDS. The second type of direct distribution channels are consumers who use the internet or mobile applications to make their own reservations. Travel agencies and other indirect distribution channels access the same GDS as those accessed by the airlines' reservation systems Well known CRS operations that book and sell tickets for multiple airlines are known as global distribution systems (GDS).Airlines have separated most of their direct holdings to devoted GDS companies, who make their systems available to consumers through Internet gateways. Modern GDSs naturally allow consumers to book hotel rooms and rental cars as well as airline tickets. As well they provide access to railway reservations in some markets although these are not always integrated with the main system. CRS and GDS seem to have the same functions but the major difference between these two systems is that CRS only provide information about airlines whereas by using GDS you can reserve a ticket, a room in a hotel and also a rental car.This is why they are called Global Distribution Systems because you can use GDS to reserve basically everything. Global Distribution Systems (GDS) ‘The term GDS (Global Distribution System) describes a network of one or more CRS for distributing product offer s and functionalities of the participating networks in different countries of the world. In addition to the airline product also other products such as accommodation, car rentals, cruises, or tour operator products are included. Werthner & Klein (1999) Today the travel marketplace is a global arena with hundreds of thousands of buyers (travel agents) and sellers (hotels, resorts, airlines, car rental companies) working together to reserve and deliver the services to the buyer – the traveller. Increasingly Global Distribution System is known for a Global Electronic System, which connects users and suppliers. GDS offer instant access to the supplier's information (i. e. hotels) with immediate function. Many main web portals are also associated to  GDS, including Expedia. com, Orbitz. om, Travelocity. com and priceline. com to name a few. For many years the GDSs had a dominant position in the travel industry. To bypass the GDS and avoid high GDS fees, airlines have started to distribute flights directly from their websites. Another possibility to bypass the GDS is direct connections to the Travel Agencies. According to ITSA there are currently four main GDS companies in operation, these are Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. These are by far the most used systems, comprising the vast majority of the global bookings in the GDS industry. The Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), a development from the Computer Reservation Systems (CRSs), were for a long time the most important distribution channel for airlines. They were effectively developed as travel supermarkets in the pre-Internet era and their primary objective was to connect travel agencies with airlines (Buhalis, 2004). GDSs are still a vital element in the light of the huge variety of tariffs to be administered. GDSs are the main link between airlines and intermediaries, such as tour operators and travel agents.They are also empowering Internet transactions by providing the background link be tween electronic travel agencies and airlines. ’ (Egger ;amp; Buhalis, 2008) There is one downside of using GDS and it is the fact that it costs airlines money to go through a GDS process. Airlines complain that the prices are too high and therefore some poorer airlines have decided to post their best offers by using their own websites instead of the global distribution system so that they do not go bankrupt. CRSs (Computer Reservation Systems) and GDSs were the most important facilities of change in the tourism industry before the arrival of the Internet, as they were established as a comprehensive travel marketing and distribution system and were often called travel supermarkets. The need for GDSs arises from both the demand and supply sides as well as from the expansion of the tourism industry in recent decades. ’ (Buhalis,2003. ) Who uses GDSs? A majority of travel agents (worldwide) and travel websites use the Global Distribution System (GDS) to book their air, ho tel and car reservations. There are currently over 600,000 travel agents worldwide who have access to  GDS. On top of that, there are hundreds of thousands of web portals that use  GDS  to provide information on hotels, airlines, car rentals,  etc. ’ According to 1Hotelsolution, (2009). GDS – Through the years: There have been 3 stages of evolution the first reservation system was called an Airline Reservation system, the second a Computer Reservation System (CRS) and the third evolution is today’s Global Distribution System (GDS). The establishment of the Computer Reservation Systems (CRSs) in the 1970s and Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) in the 1980s, followed by the development of the Internet in the late 1990s, have transformed the best operational and strategic practices in the industry dramatically. ’ Buhalis ;amp; Laws (2008) The big winners here are the airlines, followed by the GDSs. The carriers' major concern was to overhaul their di stribution economics and they did that – reducing the fees they pay the GDSs by about 33 per cent per segment.And the airlines, with assistance from the GDSs, did it on the backs of travel agencies. Travel agencies bear about 80 per cent of that reduced airline payment to GDSs through the incentive cuts the agencies agreed to, while the GDSs foot about 20 per cent of the lost revenue themselves. With travel agencies already under financial pressure, the 80-cents incentive cut they agreed to could mean the difference between profit and loss, survival and bankruptcy, according to the article Airlines the big winners in ‘the GDS wars’ Schaal (2006). For the amount of contestable market share is limited given high load factors. Worse this is not going to get any better due to the constraints on supply due to the high price of fuel. If  we look at the market share of the 3 major alliances they now occupy more than 50% of total traffic. When you then remove the Low C ost carriers out of the loop as they don’t participate in the GDSs the amount of neutral traffic unaligned falls significantly. Perhaps for this reason we see traditional unaligned airlines like Virgin Atlantic starting to evaluate their options seriously.   4Hoteliers, (2011). The Future of GDS: Over the last 10 years, the Internet has proved to be a crucially successful platform for selling travel, appealing to a vast group of suppliers. According to Breaking Travel News (2004), the number of travellers booking airline tickets, hotel rooms and other travel services online continues to grow. The GDSs were actually among the first e-commerce companies in the world as early as mid 1970s. Earlier before the beginning of the GDS, travel agents spent huge amounts of time manually entering reservations.The airlines realised that at this point they could make travel agents more productive and essentially re-invent them as an extension of the airlines sales force. It is these orig inal legacy GDSs that provide the strength to the Internet Travel distribution. While online commerce was growing at a fast pace, agents are more and more facing a new reality whereby customers are finding the cheapest fares for themselves on the Internet. The airlines can no longer afford to put fare content through GDSs and are complaining that the prices are too high.The low-cost airlines have added to this pressure, having found an alternative form of distribution that bypasses the GDSs, as stated by Breaking News Travel, (2004). In an attempt to cut their own costs, traditional airlines have started to make their best fares available on their own websites alone. Although GDSs are still a very useful distribution tool, at this stage it is crucial that they reduce their distribution costs in order to restore profitability and ensure the airlines survival (none of the GDSs are now owned by airlines). This is no doubt leading to the volume of the GDS transactions diminishing.What s hould they do? Moving into a de-regulatory environment will change the rules for GDSs, meaning a shift in focus creating new opportunities. They really need to concentrate on value, content and pricing as priorities in moving ahead. They should also re-evaluate their costs and agent incentives. British Airways (BA) has recently negotiated a deal with Amadeus, Sabre and Galileo, which gives them full access to BA’s fares as indicated by Breaking Travel News, (2004). What is the role of the global distribution system in today’s travel agencies?With the dramatic expansion of the Internet and the proliferation of new sources offering bookable travel content, GDSs are still the primary, most comprehensive and reliable platform for travel agencies and their corporate clients to access, shop and book travel. It is also through GDSs and their rich portfolios of travel planning and management tools those agencies and corporations reconcile and manage daily travel business. Due to their range, extent and supplier relationships, GDSs are also fundamental to the supply of travel products to retailers in the online channel according to Travelport, (2011). The InternetThe Internet has become the main sales channel and customer interface for low-cost airlines because of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The most recent stage of distribution system increase happened in the mid-1990s and counterparts the fast growth of the Internet and its widespread penetration into households by the end of the decade. The internet gave rise to alternative booking channels. ‘ Instead of going to the travel agent to pick up brochures, customers will request details of holidays over the Internet and watch video pictures of the accommodation before booking with the swipe of a credit card. Morgan, (1996). ‘Airlines have a number of options for Internet distribution including airline-owned websites, alliance sites, electronic intermediaries and other forms of sales i ncluding electronic auctioning of unsold seats. A major advantage of these types of services is the ability to offer 24-hour, 7-days-a-week service that in the near future will include bookings via cellular phones using Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) technology. ’ Buhalis & Laws, (2001). By combining the simple protocol of the Internet with a user-friendly interface it represents the main â€Å"vehicle† for creating a worldwide electronic community, integrating research institutes, private companies, public organizations and, most important, private households. ’ Werthner & Klein, (1999). Conclusion The questions are if there is a concentration of power in the hands of the airlines and the intermediaries, is there really a need for a neutral distribution system? What if there was no GDS? If this were the case – would the prices of the products go down or stay the same?From the research in this paper I believe that GDS today is costing us more . As 4Hoteliers stated previously in the paper, the market share of the 3 major alliances they now occupy more than 50% of total traffic. When the Low Cost carriers are removed out of the loop they don’t take part in the GDSs the amount of neutral traffic not united falls considerably. I would agree that the GDS has over time restrained competition and indeed cost the consumer more. GDS – Going, going, gone? They did indeed lasted many, many years but yes I believe they are on their way out.A new generation of people are coming in with more knowledge about technology than the last. They have more of a grasp about computers and the workings of the Internet therefore they will not need GDS, thus, will not need to use travel agencies who are the main users of GDS to book their air, hotel and car reservations. Once travel agencies are out, Global Distribution Systems will no longer be needed. They are soon to be gone. References Books: * Buhalis, D (2003). eTourism. Harlow , England: Pearson Education Limited. P93-94. * Buhalis, D. & Laws, E. (2001).Tourism Distribution Channels-Practices, Issues & Transformations. Cornwall, UK: TJI Digital. P221 * Egger, R. & Buhalis, D. (2008). eTourism Case Studies. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann P264 * Morgan, M. (1996). Marketing for Leisure and Tourism. Hertforshire, UK: Prentice Hall. P263 * Werthner, H. & Klein, S. (1999). Information Technology and Tourism – A Challenging Relationship. Austria: Springer-Verlag Wien. P79 * Werthner, H. & Klein, S. (1999). Information Technology and Tourism – A Challenging Relationship. Austria: Springer-Verlag Wien.P185 * Werthner, H. & Klein, S. (1999). Information Technology and Tourism – A Challenging Relationship. Austria: Springer-Verlag Wien. P188 Articles: * Breaking Travel News (2004) The Future of the GDS. Available from http://www. breakingtravelnews. com/news/article/btn20040216144254916/ [accessed 8th Oct 2011] * Buhalis, D. & Laws, E. (2008) Progress in Tourism Management: Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the Internet—The state of eTourism research. Available from http://www. sciencedirect. om/science/article/pii/S0261517708000162 [accessed 7th Oct 2011] * Schaal, D. (2006) Airlines the big winners in ‘the GDS wars’ in International News. Available from http://0-web. ebscohost. com. ditlib. dit. ie/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=5&hid=8&sid=562024d9-8116-4049-8ab3-6bb0295294dd%40sessionmgr13 [Accessed 7th Oct 2011] Websites: * Hotel-ITC, (2011). GDS (Global Distribution System) – Connect to the world. Available from http://hotel-ict. blogspot. com/2011/04/gds-global-distribution-system-connect. html [Accessed 8th Oct 2011] (Image) * ITSA – GDSs and LTDs http://www. nteractivetravel. org/IndustryBackground/Attachments/GDSs_and_LTDs_FAQs. pdf [accessed 8th Oct] * Marcelvacek. blogspot, (2010). Touri sm & Hospitality Business Applications. Available from http://marcelvacek. blogspot. com/2010/10/what-is-crs-and-gds. html [accessed 7th Oct 2011] * Travel Agent Training Centre, (2011). Computer Reservation System Training Available from http://www. travelagenttrainingcenter. com/Computer%20Reservation%20System%20Training. htm [accessed 8 Oct] * Travelport, (2011). What do travel agents