Monday, December 30, 2019

Online Universities Essay - 1603 Words

There has always been a conflict on whether or not online universities are a legitimate form of an education. From its unconventional style to internet scams nowadays, it is clear why people feel a sort of skepticism when online universities come to mind. There are over 200 online universities on the World Wide Web, but how can it truly be discovered whether or not these online institutions offer viable forms of education? I will attempt to draw a conclusion to this question by the end of this research paper. In order to do so, I will be focusing on how online universities came to be, the people who are enrolled in them, the pros and cons and some background information on America’s number one Online University. History There are nearly†¦show more content†¦The average student enrolled is around 33-36 years old, meaning the student population is based mainly around adults going back to get a degree they could not or chose not to attain as a young adult. 2/3 of this population are made up of females; some of these being expecting mothers, single mothers and even working women that have little time to attend an on-campus college. Online education is also very useful for those in the military; there are even online universities that focus all their degrees on pursuing a career in the military. Such universities include The American Military University, which offers over 75 degree programs all accessible via the internet. Institutions such as these have been considered a precious gift for those currently serving their country, unable to attend a traditional university; these soldiers now have the recourses to obtain a degree. Those in the military also receive benefits in order to make their studies more affordable for themselves. Those with physical and learning disabilities also often find benefits from online universities. Most of these universities are prepared to cater to their disabled students. Race wise online universities generally seem diverse, in some cases more than on campus universities. Taking Phoenix University as an example, 25% of their student population is of African American descent and 13% of those students are of Hispanic origin. OnlineShow MoreRelated A Comparison of Online Universities to Traditional Universities440 Words   |  2 Pages Online Universities and Traditional Universities Traditional universities are a wonderful way to study for students who have the time and patience to deal with teachers and classmates. In contrast, online universities are the ideal way to study for students who do not have the time to go to school and those who enjoy working at their own pace. Some students enjoy traditional universities while others prefer online universities. If someone chooses a traditional university and then realizesRead MoreOnline And Face At University Lectures1434 Words   |  6 PagesOnline and Face-To-Face Educating Now we live in an interesting time: we get more opportunities, the information becomes more accessible and easy to obtain. Continuous improvement, training, and expanding of personal borders became one of the ways to be happy. Many people get the second and even third higher education with the hope to understand them better and to be more adapted to the rapid changes of life and professional activity. In other words, training and learning now should be a continuousRead MoreUniversity Of Florida s Online Program863 Words   |  4 PagesUniversity of Florida’s Online Program The University of Florida’s (UoF) realization that brick and mortar schools no longer serve as the only means to attaining a higher education established an institutional paradigm shift (Kuhn, 2012) on education delivery. The university’s evolution of an online education developed alongside the growth of technology (Blocher, DeMontes, Willis, Tucker, 2002) and the needs of the community (University of Florida, Distance Learning, 2016). For the UoF, onlineRead MoreThe Necessity of an Online Degree Program for Colorado Generic University1400 Words   |  6 PagesThis proposal considers the necessity of an online degree program for Colorado Generic University. The proposal will address the components and costs associated with creating an online degree program along with the benefits gained. It will also look at the most comprehensive model to follow in this recommended action plan. Needs Analysis Student demographics and needs have changed dramatically. An increasing number of students attending universities today are working adults who desire a flexibleRead MoreAustralian Universities Should Adopt Online Learning Procedures1022 Words   |  5 PagesExpansion in the Australian universities has been among the key issues that have been a subject of discussion for a long time. Such expansions would facilitate improvement in the learning institution and encourage further research in the country. Australian universities constitutes among the topmost universities across the globe and increasing opportunities and avenues for more students to learn would lead to expansion and introduction of more learning programs into the system (Ayoubi Massoud,Read MoreOnline Computer Games : The University Of Adelaide1374 Words   |  6 Pageslecturer in media studies’ at the ‘University of Adelaide in South Australia’ from 2009 (The University of Adelaide, 2015). He p ublished mass of journal articles about communication and media studies from 1997 to 2015, such as Postfeminist inflections in television studies (Humphreys et al, 2014), and Grassroots creativity and community in new media environments: Yarn Harlot and the 4000 knitting Olympians (Humphreys, 2008). His research focuses on digital games and online social networking sites. He worksRead MoreEssay about The Benefits of Online Universities3156 Words   |  13 Pagesthe classroom, I could pass my exams successfully. So, I came to the conclusion that online education may easily surpass the traditional, classroom-study one. However, there are some people who believe it is impossible . I have compared both pros and cons of 2 education styles, and detected in which field they will be beneficial, and in which their implementation will cause harm. It is fair to assume that online education is more accessible, less expensive and more democratic than classroom studyRead MoreCauses of Understaff ing at the Online University1035 Words   |  4 PagesUnderstaffing at the Online University Causes of understaffing at the Online University Understaffing is a serious issue in any company or organization. It means that the company or organization lacks the necessary human resources to cover the workload in the organization and to complete the tasks available efficiently and effectively. There are many reasons that lead to understaffing in any organization. It can be intentional or unintentional. Intentional is when the company institutes cost-cuttingRead MoreTuition Free Online University Essay1691 Words   |  7 PagesSkip to main content Tuition-Free Online University You are logged in as Brandon Bair (Log out) Home About Us Policies University Catalog Student Handbook Study Process Support Student Portal My Courses Page path Home /My courses /Current Term (Term 2, 2016-2017) /UNIV 1001B - AY2017-T2 /17 November - 23 November /Written Assignment Unit 2 /Assessing submission Written Assignment Unit 2 Assessed submission Companions in Artificial Intelligence submitted on Saturday, 19 November 2016, 6:37 PMmodifiedRead MoreBenefits Of Online Learning At A University1902 Words   |  8 Pagesenrolled in college (â€Å"Fast Facts†). Of the 20 million, 5.8 million are enrolled in at least one online class (â€Å"Report†). With that said, one can conclude that face to face learning at a university is the popular choice among students in the United States. It is the most familiar way of learning, and for most students it is the best choice in order for them to succeed. The rate of students choosing to learn online is on the rise though. Many view it as the better choice of the two options because it is

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Teaching Critical Thinking For Young Learners Essay

The purpose of this research is to show how teaching critical thinking to young learners result in higher level critical thinking adults. Critical thinking children become critical thinking adults. Critical thinking, itself is a multi-faceted, multi-concept, multi-discipline process, that is skilled and accuracy-based. According to Paul, critical thinking involves an abundance of elements including clarity, relevancy, precision, and consistency. Critical thinking is full of sub-categories, where processes and concepts differ on the account of motive. (Paul M. S., 1987) Defining critical thinking is not simple, it is more complex, but should be implemented especially at a young age. We will cover critical thinking as it pertains to business, education, and technology and its plausibility to each discipline. Critical thinking, like interdisciplinary is an ever-evolving process. It can only be expanded upon with will and determination. They are alike and can be used upon disciplines, subjects, and everyday life. During this research, we will cover the complexities of critical thinking, compare them at different levels, and show how attacking critical thinking at a young age will help aid in the use of critical thinking as an adult. Adults tend to lack â€Å"normal† critical thinking abilities resulting in situations that seem to make them ill-prepared, confused when they don’t need to be, and un-relatable to those that are capable of Critical Thinking. We first take a gander atShow MoreRelatedThe Science Behind Learner Motivation And Its Connection With Gamification Essay952 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction During Jane McGonagall’s 2010 TED Talk video â€Å"Gaming can make a better world†, she states â€Å"the average young person today in a country with a strong gamer culture will have spent ten thousand hours gaming by age 21†. Such numbers alone should pique the interest of every educator in our country. Young people today spend the same amount of time learning at school as they spend gaming (TED Talk, 2010). Many people view video games as fun, exciting, and adventurous outlets where they canRead MoreCritical Thinking And Problem Solving Skills1648 Words   |  7 PagesCritical thinking and problem solving skills have epitomised education throughout history. As time has passed; the education system has become increasingly complex with the integration of learning theories, pedagogies, transformative learning spaces, behavioural management and most importantly; the evolution and role of technology. Learners within the 21st Century are experiencing an education w here they are taught to collaboratively communicate and construct new understandings, while acquiring higherRead MoreThe Standards Movement : Developing High Quality Early Childhood Programs958 Words   |  4 PagesThe standards movement plays a critical role in developing high-quality early childhood programs. According to Freeney, Galper, and Seefeldt (2009) â€Å"the standards movement is one of the most influential trends in all of education in the last few decades† (p. 260). The main goal of creating standards in early childhood education was to prepare all children to start school ready to learn. However, there was much debate about what and how readiness was determined. This brief dissertation describes theRead MoreTeaching English For Young Learner815 Words   |  4 PagesAfter going through the program of Teaching English to Young Learner (TEYL) course for one semester, I could realize that I have been acquiring positive inputs for my self-development. Those inputs are mostly obtained from the way the lecturer set up the learning activities and from the learning materials including journal articles and any reading materials, uncovering the concept and the issues on the practice of TEYL in Indonesia. Given those inputs during the course period, the improvement takesRead MoreSelf-Directed Learning1036 Words   |  5 PagesSelf-directed learners according to Knowles, Holton Swanson (2005) stated, â€Å"adults generally become ready to learn when their life situation creates a need to know† (p. 194). This has some grounded facts because most adult learners do not go back to school without a pre-determined purpose and/or desire to improve on personal or professional set skills. Learning for adults most times have different motivational reasons, which reflect in their learning style and the research on the relationship betweenRead MoreApplication For Teaching And Nutrition Essay851 Words   |  4 Pages I am applying for programmes relating to teaching and nutrition because I see positively my career in the education sector. I would like to become a qualified English language teacher. I believe that I am able to explain not only grammar rules to children and adults but also to communicate with them paying an attention to their individual needs. During my high school years, I supported my school fellows in learning English language. I affords me a great pleasure to educate people. ThroughRead MoreLesson Plan: Critical and Response Perspectives1164 Words   |  5 PagesI gained many valuable insights about how to create a literate teaching and learning environment. It not only enables me to get to know more about my literacy learners but also how to select appropriate texts, include interactive, critical and response perspective in my literacy instruction. Moreover, I gain insightful feedback from my supportive colleagues by sharing my presentation with them. I. Getting to Know Literacy Learners, P–3 By taking the time to get to know your student, his interestsRead MoreThe Theoretical Construct Of Self Regulation1218 Words   |  5 Pagesinvestigated the development of four male Chinese English language learners use of self-regulated learning strategies. Their case study participants were students at an elementary school in the United States. The focus of this qualitative study was on how SRL strategies were learned and used across home-based and school-based contexts by the learners. Findings from multiple sources of data showed that these young English language learners employed more strategies in reading activities compared to writingRead MoreLiving in the Aftermath of the Apartheid Regime876 Words   |  4 Pages: 1. Social Transformation 2. Active and critical Learning 3. High knowledge and High skill 4. Progression 5. Human Rights, inclusivity, Environmental and Social Justice 6. Valuing indigenenous knowledge systems 7. Credibility, quality and efficiency 1. Social Transformation This principle focuses on remedying the imbalances of the past in terms of education. It also seeks to give every person an equal educational opportunity. I would imagine that Learners will receive education that will be tailouredRead MoreThe Center Of My Research Interest1100 Words   |  5 Pagesthe development of pedagogy and the amalgamation of certain tools to improve the practice of teaching and learning English as a foreign language, predominantly, on the teaching of reading and writing. Over the past 7 years, through collaborative and individual efforts, I have developed two areas of research to investigate the methods and the cultural tools that teachers may use to improve their teaching practices and students in learning foreign languages. The first area explores the classroom interactions

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Casestudy of admin user Free Essays

The system to be implemented will be an arsenal system of SC Officers (SIT Student Council) containing all information regarding SC officers, task , schedules of duties, projects update, announcement and Adman messages for members and accomplishment report. The main functionality of this system Is to make It easy to distribute and view Information needed with Just a few clicks. 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Casestudy of admin user or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2. 1 General Objective To provide services appropriate related to the priority of each task of officers. It may be important to ensure consistent service over a set of tasks. Member’s schedules, personal information, task etc. Will be updated. 2_2 Specific Objectives The specific objective of the project is to support every member’s need for real time information. By using a system like this, the members can easily view their specific task and important matters. 1. 3 Significance of the Study This will allow users to have a tool to access related Information that will help them In viewing their schedule and task, announcement and project updates. This can also help Adrian and president In monitoring the members progress. Members will also has a benefit from this system in terms of getting the information, announcements ND other concern of the adman. This tool will also help adman in assessing their members’ standings and performing quick resolutions to augment their performance when they view their account from the scheduling system. 1. 4 Scope and Limitations This project will help the members view the following Information. Schedule Task Announcement Messages Project Updates This tool should be updated so that the members and adman can get accurate and credentials form to access the system, same with the adman for security purposes. This system is for the SC Officers only. This system cannot be access using mobile. . 0 Methodology of the Study The education sector is playing a vital role in shaping how the next generation of information technology market will lead with more advances to streamline every rules and specification process. School universities and colleges have adopting the aspect of developing systems and program applications for the advancement of opportunity for improvements. Like every other school instit ution SIT has also its own student organization that design to help other student of different level and courses address basic issues and encores. The organization comprises with selected students with dedicated and have a high sense of responsibility as a student from workplace and with the co- students. Our project team is composed of five members and one of the developers is an officer of SIT Student Council that initiates to propose and established a tailored and custom desktop application called â€Å"Scheduling System† that would benefit and streamlined its current process for (SC) SIT Student Council as our end user target client. The software like Visual Basic. Net as one of the in demand cutting edge littoral technology of Microsoft is the team choice to use by its advantages. With this kind of software and its capability it can create a more flexible user design and user experience as the front end leverage in working with different type of back end databases. However, team decide to use the Myself software as our database where we connect the tables and query we have created as our data source. It has different type such as the log in form where registered user can only access like Adman and officers. Next form is where you can see the personal information, schedule task, ember’s logs, announcement, messages, password reset and projects. Next form can be seen each account of every officer, their task and schedules, announcement from the adman and projects. Next form is where can be seen project proposal and messages. The system designed to create a centralize information for each member to manage their workloads, task, events, and other assigned roles. Advantages: Officers can view listed task Officers can view scheduled events Adman can managed collaborative information of officers task Adman can view logs for attendance officers The system is windows base and hosted only at school Can be use for present and future batch of student council The system is limited for student council only Members can view at the school only The system cannot be implemented online Tailored desktop application implemented where the local server is hosted within the school infrastructure only. Maintenance is administered with the help of school staff and member of the council. The project development has its few high lights such as closely working with the team, scheduled a weekly meetings over nights, create a well documented task and to co’s, dig the research and development, learn the team collaboration, increase technical expertise. 3. 0 Data Gather and Procedure and Output The team agreed to use the personal interviews by getting their statement and opinions from its current process with an opportunity of improvements. Provide like a survey form or questionnaires with some set of specific questions considering related concerns to the organization. The close coordination with the clients that help us gives the precise insights of how we are going to start the design, development, and implementation. The more important aspects are to ensure the well documented of every detailed business rules and specification requirements gathered from the end user. Project milestone and timeliness are closely monitored to meet the target deliverable of the project. An established high level to low level diagram process flow help sustain the development stage of the software life cycle. User acceptance testing is the crucial part by working closely with the client to ensure in meeting all the requirements upon deployment. Final implementation and deployment is happen after user acceptance testing provided with team maintenance and support. How to cite Casestudy of admin user, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Constitution Paper free essay sample

The United States has operated under two constitutions. On March 1, 1781 the Articles of confederation was in effect. On June 21, 1788 the Constitution came into effect. These two constitutions have a lot in common but, there are more differences then there are similarities if one looks at the details. The Constitution addressed the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation by allowing the government to take on certain powers. The delegates did not want the power to be controlled by one man. They did this so there would be little jeopardy of tyranny or dictatorship. The group decided to separate the government into branches of three, the judicial, executive, and legislative branch. The executive branch is controlled by the president. This allows the leader to carry out federal laws and also allows him to recommend new ones. The authority contains directing government, commanding the armed forces, acting as chief law enforcement, dealing with international powers, and vetoing laws. The judicial branch is controlled by the Supreme Court. Its authority allows the Supreme Court to review laws, interpret the Constitution, and decide cases involving states rights. Lastly, the legislative, controlled by Congress, which includes House of Representatives and the Senate, has the power to pass laws, originate spending bills, impeaching officials, and approving treaties. Also in order to stop one from receiving too much power the delegates created a â€Å"check and balances† system into the Constitution. One example of how the checks and balances operate is â€Å"the president may veto a law passed by Congress. Congress can override that veto with a vote of two-thirds of both houses† (The Congressional Center, 2008). With all of this the Constitution was sent off to the states for ratification but was not approved until there was a â€Å"Bill of Rights† included. The â€Å"Bill of rights† was a listing of individual rights for all citizens. A Bill of rights was promised by the Convention when the final version was done. There were 12 amendments written by James Madison when Congress met in 1789. These amendments were presented to the states and 10 of them were approved and those 10 make up the Bill of Rights (The Congressional Center, 2008). The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents that have ever been written by our four fathers of the United States. This document was written to declare our independence from Great Britain. Before the Declaration most human beings lived under Kings or some kind of dictatorship. There are five parts to the Declaration of Independence, they include, the Preamble, the Statement of Human Rights, Charges against Human Rights, Charges against the King and Parliament, and the Statement of Separation and Signatures. The reason for this document was to proclaim that the colonies were now separated from England. â€Å"The Declaration of Independence expresses that we are all created equal and are permitted to liberty, life, and the pursuit of happiness† (The Congressional Center, 2008). The Declaration of independence announced to the world that the United States was an independent country while the Constitution put into place guidelines and rules for the way the Country should run. The Declaration also states that the government does not have the peoples consent and it also lists a serious of charges against the King, while the Constitution declares that there will be a Congress, Supreme Court, and a President (Hornberger, 2001). On July, 4, 1776 the church bells rang out and the United States of America was born and was officially an independent country. The Great Compromise worked out for all of the states because of the two-house legislature plan. The delegates had different backgrounds and also had diverse political views at the Constitutional Convention. The delegates disagreed about how many representatives each state should have. There was a Virginia plan and a New Jersey plan. Based on the New Jersey plan, which the smaller states favored, in this plan the number of representative would be the same for each state. Based on the Virginia, which the larger states favored, in this plan each state would have a diverse number of representatives based on the state’s populace. Roger Sherman, was a representative from Connecticut, he suggested a two-house legislature. The legislature consisted of a Senate and House of Representatives. To satisfy the smaller states the Senate would have an equal number of Representatives from each state. To gratify the larger states the House of Representatives would contain one delegate for each 30,000 people in a state. The two-house legislature that Roger Sherman came up with worked for all of the states and it is now known as the Great Compromise (Congressional Center, 2008). In conclusion, the United States became a free country when the Declaration of Independence went into effect. The Constitution is the highest law and gives us rules and rights to live by, and the Great Compromise created the federal government that exists today. These three documents all have had a significant impact on the United States of America in the past and now in our future. References: The Congressional Center, (2008). Constitution. Retrieved from http://www. congressforkids. net/Constitution_billofrights. htm Hornberger, J, (2001). The Declaration and The Constitution. Retrieved from http://www. fff. org/freedom/0501a. asp The Congressional Center, (2008). The Great Compromise. Retrieved from http://www. congressforkids. net/Constitution_greatcompromise. htm

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Political Violence Essays - Crime, Psychiatric Diagnosis

Political Violence Political violence is like a festering wound, in that, without the aid of antibiotics the wound has the potential to depress the immune system and eventually overwhelm the individual, leading to death. In this analogy, antibiotics could represent forces that are always looking for the rogue virus's bent on the destruction of the whole body (society). I often wonder why people resort to violence, of any kind, to solve a particular problem. Questions can be asked of the individual(s) involved in carrying out the attacks, but the questions never seem to be answered in a way that will show why violence is needed to resolve conflict. Rather, excuses are rendered in the hopes that by the logic used in explaining why conflict must be resolved, this will justify the actions. This leads, though, to a sort of circular argument. For example, in the case of Saddam Hussein (put aside the fact that he is the president of a nation) is an idiot. Why exactly he felt it was justifiable to invade a country, who at the time had an OK relationship with the United States, and then think the US and/or other countries would allow him to forcibly occupy that country. Whatever his logic, his actions were not justifiable. I believe his logic was as follows: Something happened to his country (economically, socially, politically etc.) that he did not like or want to happen. Hussein decided to adopt the "eye-for-an-eye" approach to conflict resolution. Except he changed the rules and instead of responding in a like manner consistent with "eye-for-an-eye", he went over board with his reaction. He forcibly invaded a country. I use the Persian Gulf War as a recent example of reasons for why people resolve conflict not through peaceful means but through violent actions. Iraq is not the only country in the system to use this type of logic when tackling an issue that is perceived to have only one avenue of approach to resolution: war. It seems that every, or nearly every, state in the world will resort to brute force to make a point. This then begs the question of, why? I will explore some of the popular assumptions for why people act as they do and try to come to some sort of agreement which we may all universally agree upon. Sederberg explains four of the most popular explanations for violence and revolution and points out some of the flaws in the arguments. The first explanation I will talk about is the "Killer Ape Thesis", which basically states that humans are biologically programmed toward violence and that because we are programmed in this way, this is an explanation for the cause of violence. Sederberg also points out that certain questions need to be answered before anything else can be argued, such as "what causes discontent?" In the killer ape thesis discontent is a moot point. If we are in fact programmed toward violence than discontent should not be an issue. To say that hereditary genes toward violence are passed from one generation to another is to say we have no choice in the matter of violence. We would, simply, all be vicious killers with no way of not being otherwise. Discontent, however, is something humans can turn on and off, like anger, sadness, or happiness. The killer ape thesis is great in explaining violence but not in explaining "the inclination toward violent expression" (Sederberg 102). Clearly, biological factors do not incline us towards violence, but the "Cherry Pie Thesis" does in some way explain why we are violent. Sederberg describes the cherry pie thesis as one where biology or heredity may play no part in trying to explain why humans are prone to violence. He says that we are violent because of our culture. That is, we are violent because of, say, where we live or the era in which we grew up or the economic status we hold. This thesis though, like the killer ape thesis, is circular in its logic. Society may cause discontent among citizens but only with respect to history. For example, England and Ireland have been at war with each other for some time now; each fights the other because of some injustice. This injustice occurred in the past so it will occur in the future; again, as in the killer ape thesis, there is circularity of thought in what causes violence. The cherry pie thesis does, however, explain the question of "what inclines the discontented to violent expression?" People are not happy; why, who knows.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Leadership, Reward Systems, and Training in Volunteering

Leadership, Reward Systems, and Training in Volunteering Introduction Volunteering is common in the contemporary world whereby individuals offer their time and efforts for a good cause. Usually, volunteers do not get monetary rewards, but they get an opportunity to explore their talents, develop new skills, and have various gainful experiences as they make a difference to other people’s lives. Volunteering helps to save resources, bring people together, and promote personal growth and self-esteem.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Leadership, Reward Systems, and Training in Volunteering specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organizations that have financial constraints can also benefit from free services offered by volunteers, thus facilitating operations despite the underlying challenges. Sound leadership is paramount for the implementation of successful volunteering programs since volunteers have to be motivated in a bid to remain enthusiastic in their endeavors (Co nnors, 2011). Failure to manage volunteers in an efficient way may lead to understaffing, thus interfering with the execution of an organization’s projects. This paper will analyze the causes of understaffing and the importance of compatible leadership styles for efficient management and motivation of volunteers at the broadcasting station of the Online University. Additionally, the paper will focus on the various reward systems, communication strategies, and training programs that would alleviate understaffing at the broadcasting station. Analysis of the causes of understaffing at the Online University Volunteers are expected to beef up the human resource aspect of an organization. However, factors such as poor office layout, weak leadership or supervision, ineffective communication, working conditions, and interpersonal relationships may cause the volunteers’ resignation. The departure of a program director and the volunteers at the Online University may have been at tributed to the factors mentioned above. This assertion holds because volunteers offer their free services willingly with the aim of creating desirable change to others coupled with benefitting in terms of skills and experience. The orientation and training of volunteers is a significant aspect of ensuring successful volunteering programs. Volunteers should be well oriented to fit into the values and mission of the organization as their roles are defined (Stevenson, 2013). Failure to conduct effective orientation and training programs to volunteers may have led to the situation of understaffing at the Online University.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Poor orientation may inhibit the compatibility of the organization’s goals with the roles played by volunteers. The training phase is also vital for instilling the roles expected of a volunteer. Poor instr uctions given to volunteers may trigger the performance of wrong tasks at the broadcast station, thus causing incompatibility of roles with the organization’s mission. Volunteers need to receive clear communication from the management for the effective execution of tasks (Connors, 2011). In the case of the Online University, online communication platforms such as e-mails could be used to disseminate information to volunteers in a bid to assign tasks and facilitate healthy interaction. The program director is expected to observe a two-way traffic communication system that enhances the interaction between the volunteers and the management of the broadcasting station. Additionally, the program manager should seek feedback from the volunteers as they enquire about their progress. Therefore, failure to observe these aspects of communication may have triggered the exit of volunteers from the broadcasting station, thus leading to understaffing. Successful organizations uphold team b uilding in all departments for streamlined operations. In this sense, interpersonal relationships play an integral part in enhancing synergy among the volunteers and other staff members in the organization. The program director should have encouraged interpersonal relationships to make the working environment friendly to all the staff members including the volunteers. Poor formal and informal relationships may have caused dissatisfaction among the volunteers, thus forcing them to resign. Effective leadership styles spearhead the attainment of organizational goals. Factoring in the presence of volunteers within an organization implies that leaders need to pay particular attention to the group since they provide their free services in a bid to create a difference to others as they improve their skills.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Leadership, Reward Systems, and Training in Volunteering specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn Mor e Poor organization of activities, poor communication, and lack of the volunteers’ participation in decision-making can make the volunteers feel neglected, thus compromising their performance. In the long-term, this aspect may lead to their resignation due to lack of support from the leaders. In the broadcasting stations case, the program director may have lacked essential leadership skills such as communication, creativity, intuitiveness, transformational skills, and respect for volunteers, thus causing their departure. Importance of a compatible leadership style that would motivate and manage the volunteer staff The success of an organization is usually credited to effective leadership styles that mobilize resources towards the attainment of the set targets. Managers need to practice a leadership style that cultivates motivation among the members of a particular organization. Therefore, leaders should adopt leadership styles that are compatible with organizational g oals. A leadership style that fosters teamwork is beneficial to both the organization and its members (McCurley Lynch, 2007). In the case of the Online University, the program director should have employed a leadership style that enhances synergy within the volunteer team. This assertion implies that all volunteers would work together collaboratively in the cause to provide quality services at the broadcast station. Transformational leadership entails influencing quality team relationships and meaningful work processes, hence affecting volunteer satisfaction. Leaders using this style tend to transform volunteers through interactive processes that have positive implications to their mindsets. Intellectual stimulation as an element of transformational leadership motivates members to challenge the status quo, hence taking part in problem-solving (Stevenson, 2013). The Online University program director ought to have implemented transformational leadership techniques to enhance the vol unteers’ esteem in the provision of their valuable services at the broadcast station. The Laissez-faire style of leadership allows followers to make intuitive decisions on their own in a bid to reach certain goals. In this case, emphasis should be put on the maintenance of the acceptable norms and values as defined by the organizational culture (McCurley Lynch, 2007).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This aspect implies that volunteers could work with strategies that work best for them as they observe values such as ethical behaviors and right attitude at the broadcast station. Therefore, the volunteers would initiate working plans bearing in mind that they are responsible for their actions. Rewards systems Volunteers need to be motivated to facilitate their commitment to the volunteering program. The Online University’s management could devise systems that seek to reward top performing volunteers to raise their enthusiasm and that of other team members. Consequently, rewarding volunteers would make them stay longer and even attract more individuals to volunteer for the organization (McCurley Lynch, 2007). The Online University could provide fees for education or self-improvement programs to deserving volunteers. This move would help them to advance their skills and facilitate personal growth thereby motivating them to deliver quality services. Recognizing the exceptiona lly performing volunteers elevates the levels of enthusiasm. A monthly newsletter or an e-mail blast could be used to bring the attention of other team members as a way of showing appreciation. The names of top performer could be listed so that motivation can crop up amongst the volunteers and other workers. The Online University’s program director could be taking note of dedicated volunteers before awarding them with â€Å"Volunteer of the Month† title. The provision of meals and refreshments can also build the motivation of volunteers during events. Despite the financial constraints that the Online University is experiencing, budgetary allocations could be made for refreshments and meals that would provide energy and induce enthusiasm amongst the volunteers. According to Connors (2011), volunteers’ free services should at least be boosted by small rewards such as meals and drinks so that they are not drained by their duties. Volunteers can be given small incen tives and tokens of gratitude like the provision of simple gifts or even rental vouchers. Consequently, this aspect would boost their morale since the organization shows appreciation for their efforts. Additionally, ‘thank you’ cards can be sent to volunteers to show gratitude for their continued commitment towards offering their free services to the organization. Featuring the volunteers’ personal stories on the organization’s blog or website is another effective reward system (McCurley Lynch, 2007). The program director can interview the dedicated volunteers personally and publish their inspiring stories on the Online University’s website. In so doing, both the volunteers and the organization benefits, since the former will have a platform to share their experiences, while the organization can attract more volunteers. Appropriate communication or training program An effective training program facilitates the volunteers’ commitment to a cau se. The Online University’s management team could have devised a curriculum that aims at training volunteers what they need to know about the organization in terms of its mission and vision. Developing a working training curriculum entails the following Developing a work plan The Program director could have selected individuals to be in the training development team and assign tasks to them. Part of the volunteers could be members of the development teams in a bid to provide leadership skills. Determining tasks and priorities then follows whereby a list of tasks is provided to each volunteer to foster responsibility. Prioritization is essential at this phase so that volunteers can perform urgent tasks in real time. Subsequently, an analysis of the prioritized tasks should be done to determine their accomplishment (Stevenson, 2013). Structuring the training program should then follow after an analysis of the prioritized tasks is done. This aspect should comprise the modules, topics, a timeframe, and learning objectives. Methods and materials needed for training should then be developed. In the case of the broadcasting, the method of training could be delivered in person or online. The trainer then prepares training materials that suit the chosen method. An orientation should then be done to trainers in a bid to familiarize them with the method and materials developed for training coupled with how they operate. Piloting and revising the training course should then be done to ensure that weak points are identified and worked on to ensure that the volunteers are satisfied with the training program. Finally, the course should be presented and evaluated after the revision to ensure that volunteers are learning from the training program. Feedback from evaluation should be taken seriously since it reflects the volunteers’ view of the training programs, which reflects on its success or failure (Stevenson, 2013). Conclusion Voluntary services to an organ ization should be managed properly through effective leadership to boost motivation amongst the volunteers. Fostering enthusiasm through various reward systems is a good way of showing appreciation for the free services. Failure to provide excellent leadership and reward systems to volunteers could lead to the resignation of volunteers like in the Online University’s broadcast station department that resulted in understaffing. Therefore, an efficient training program is essential for the empowerment and retention of volunteers. References Connors, T. (2011). The Volunteer Management Handbook: Leadership Strategies for Success. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. McCurley, S., Lynch, R. (2007). Keeping Volunteers: A Guide to Retention: The Art of Volunteer Retention. Liverpool, UK: Directory of Social Change. Stevenson, S. (2013). Volunteer Training Primer: Principles, Procedures and Ideas for Training and Education Volunteer. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Managing A Law Firm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing A Law Firm - Essay Example Strategically located: Most of the time, the structure, location, and appearance of the office makes a lasting impression on potential clients. The law firm should consider the appearance as not â€Å"too intimidating† to clients. It should have a cozy but professional atmosphere which would be inviting and stimulating to conduct business transactions. Appropriately promoted: Several marketing strategies to promote law firms are easily available depending on the budget and the objectives of the firm. The build a good image, the following marketing strategies could be of assistance: â€Å"a. Identification of the firm name and that the firm is a "full service" law firm. b. Publication of articles both in legal and trade magazines. c. Participation by attorneys in positions of authority and leadership in civic, social and religious organizations and bar associations. d. Develop firm stability, public concern, and a sense of paying "civic rent" by financially supporting, or offe ring pro bono services to, worthy community activities as a firm, where appropriate. e. Each member of the firm was sensitized to become increasingly aware of the use of the media. f. Institutionalizing the name of the firm by use of stationery that increases the emphasis on the name and changes the emphasis of listing individual attorney's names by seniority. In the age of technological developments, the internet is suggested as an innovative marketing tool to promote the image of the law firm to a wide range of potential clientele.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Reaction Paper - Essay Example For example, an increase in revenues translates to the decline in the average unemployment rate. Next, the economic environment indicates an increase in the employment statistics translates to higher demand for houses, raising the average price of houses. Two take-aways. I have gained a firm inside on the economic principle of supply and demand. As the demand for the company’s products increase, the company can hire additional employees to fill the needs of the growing customers. As the employment increases, there is a corresponding increase in the demand for several goods and services. To supply the increasing demand, more news companies crop up. Further, my thoughts focus on the economic principle of supply and demand. To set up a business, I must first find a demand. Next, I will supply the products or services that will fill the customers’ requests. As the sales catapult to more profitable levels, I have to hire more workers to fill the increasing customers’ needs and wants. This is the essence of the economic supply and demand theory. A company that does not generate profits will be forced to close shop. Consequently, the retrenched employees will join the current long line of unemployment list. Reading 2: Shelley Kimelberg, â€Å"Inside the growth Machine: Real Estate Professionals on the Perceived Challenges of Urban Development Shelley McDonough Kimelberg , City & Community, 20 (2011): p 76-99 Reference Summary. The above article states that the growth machine framework proposes that the cooperative efforts of the elites significantly contribute implementation of policies and processes that contribute to the local community’s economic growth. The research focused on the real estate professionals. The findings include some constraints to full economic development. The constraints include reelection of the local politicians, municipal development officers’ economic priorities,

Monday, November 18, 2019

Career Planning and Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Career Planning and Development - Research Paper Example As such, the topics which will be analyzed relate to performance evaluations, successful management, treatment of difficult situations, employee retention, and issues relating to recruiting and compensation. When one considers the importance of career planning, several prominent factors immediately spring to mind. Whereas there are many things in life that require instantaneous and responsive decisions in order to maximize the utility of the individual, the path that one will pursue to provide for oneself and their loved ones is not something that should be a spur of the moment decision. Rather, it is something that should necessarily integrate with a degree of planning and consideration due to the fact that it is one of the most important decisions that one will ever integrate with. Ultimately, such a choice has far reaching impacts based not only on the ability of the individual to earn a living but also the ability of the individual to experience a degree of success, satisfaction, and happiness with their chosen path. As a function of such differing aspects of personal well being and growth, this brief analysis will consider a few of the reasons why career planning is essential to ma ximizing success and satisfaction in life. In order to accomplish such an analysis and/or investigation, this author will integrate with career planning based upon the following determinants: the necessity of performing career planning in order to define and differentiate what actions must be accomplished in order to direct ones path towards the ultimate goal as well as the necessity of career planning in order to maximize satisfaction. Firstly, the reader can and should integrate with an understanding of the fact that it is necessary in order for the individual to make something of a road map of future actions that must be completed in order to realize the

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Impact Of A Korean Wave

The Impact Of A Korean Wave Today, a concept is becoming increasingly popular in the world scientific community, according to which all the people are the citizens of one global society that consists of a number of local societies of individual countries. This concept simplifies the consideration of the globalization processes, which in this case turn into the usual social transformations in the global society. The main consequence of globalization is the international division of labor, migration (and, as a rule, concentration) of capital of human and industrial resources throughout the world, standardization of legislation, economic and technological processes, as well as convergence and fusion of cultures of different countries. As a result of globalization, the world becomes more connected and more dependent on all its subjects (Soleymani 2010, pp. 104-110; Keohane 2002). It causes an increase of both the number of common problems for groups of countries, and the number and types of integrating subjects. According to Szeman (2003, p.94) Globalization is the moment of mass, migration, muticulturalism, and cosmopolitanism. Globalization is closely linked with the process of centralization of control subjects. In politics, globalization means weakening of national states, it changes and reduces their sovereignty. On the one hand, it happens because modern states delegate increasingly more authorities to influential international organizations such as UNO, WTO, EU, NATO, IMF, and World Bank. On the other hand, due to reduction of government intervention in the economy and tax cuts the political power of enterprises increases (especially of large transnational corporations) (Hays 2009, pp. 17-24; Keohane 2002). Easier migration of people and the free movement of capital abroad also decrease the power of states over their citizens. The interdependence of the economies of different countries increased immeasurably in comparison with the integration (Keohane 2002, p.15). The increasing globalization of the economy reflects in the sharp increase of scales and rates of capital movement, in the faster growth of international trade if compared with GDP growth, in the emergence of 24-hour working global financial markets. The information systems created over the past decades raised the movement ability of financial capital, which contains, at least potentially, the ability to destroy sustainable economic systems (Castells 2000). Globalization of the economy is a complex and contradictory process. On the one hand, it facilitates economic interaction between states, creates the conditions for countries to access the advanced achievements of mankind, saves resources, and promotes global progress. On the other hand, globalization has negative consequences: setting a peripheral model of the economy, loss of resources for countries outside the golden billion, ruin of small businesses, spreading of global competition to the weak countries, declining living standards, etc. (Hays 2009, pp. 17-24; Giddens 2000). In general, the costs and benefits of globalization are extremely unevenly distributed among the participants. Increase of productivity, reduction of costs, growth of income and wealth at one pole is achieved at the cost of increasing uncertainty, risk, inequality, and poverty on the other. Individual countries cannot afford to separate from the world market system without paying a high price. At the same time, globalization inevitably strengthens the role of national governments in the domestic economics and in interaction with the outside world. This makes it possible to reduce vulnerability and minimize the social costs associated with globalization, to reach agreement with international capital in terms of achieving a more equitable distribution of gains from trade, foreign investment and other transactions. Cultural globalization is characterized by convergence of business and consumer culture among different countries and the growth of international communication. On the one hand, this leads to the popularization of certain types of national culture around the world (Regev 2007, pp. 125-28). On the other hand, the popular international cultural phenomena may displace national ones or make them international. Many perceive this as a loss of national cultural values and fight for the revival of national culture (Langman 2003, pp. 223-30; Ossewaarde 2007, pp. 170-79). Modern movies are released simultaneously in many countries around the world; books are translated and became popular among readers from different countries. Enormous role in cultural globalization is played by the ubiquitous Internet (Castells 2000). In addition, international tourism is becoming increasingly widespread. In 19 out of 25 countries, most respondents reported the expecting benefits from the expansion of globalization. The highest support was recorded in the Netherlands, where 87% of respondents expressed pro-globalist views, followed by Venezuela (82%), India (79%) and Qatar (78%). In Argentina and Turkey, which are experiencing serious financial troubles, the respondents showed the most negative attitudes towards globalization. According to WEF, from a total of 25 000 respondents, six out of ten believed globalization to be positive, while one in five considered it negative (Soleymani 2010, pp. 109-113). Globalization is often equated with Americanization due to the increase of US influence in the world in the 20th century. Hollywood produces most of the movies for worldwide distribution. The USA is the home of global corporations: Microsoft, Intel, AMD, Coca-Cola, Procter Gamble, Pepsi and many others. McDonalds because of its prevalence in the world has become a symbol of globalization (Szeman 2003, p.101-5). Comparing prices for BigMac in different countries, The Economist examines the purchasing power of different currencies (Big Mac Index). Other countries also contribute to globalization. For example, one of the symbols of globalization IKEA appeared in Sweden; the popular instant messaging service ICQ was first released in Israel, and the well-known software for IP-telephony Skype was developed by Estonian programmers (Regev 2007, pp. 129-33). One of the results of globalization is the Korean wave a phenomenon penetration of the Korean mass pop culture into other countries, primarily of South-East Asia. The first country swept by this wave was China. The term Korean Wave is widely known as Hallyu introduced in China in mid-1999 by the Beijing journalists describing the fast popularization of South Korean pop-culture and goods in China (Jeongmee 2007, pp. 47-48). It all began with a huge success of TV show What is love, after which many more shows and songs were a huge success in the Chinese public (Kaori 2009, 341-43). Currently, the Korean wave has spread to more than 60 countries, mostly in South-East Asia: Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, etc. Gradually the Korean culture goes further and begins to gain popularity in the Middle East and even parts of Africa. Korean TV shows, such as Autumn in My Heart and Winter Sonata, Korean cuisine, taekwondo, and even the interior of apartments in the Korean style are gaining increasing popularity in these countries (Kaori 2009, 341-43). South Korea is in the top ten cultural exporters in the world. In the streets you can often see Korean cars, and many people use Korean cell phones. Many Korean actors are becoming popular outside Korea; some of them (e.g., Pi) even appear on the screens of Hollywood. Korean Culture and information Service (KOCIS) under the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Korea holds festivals of Korean culture in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in order to improve the image of Korea by promoting its traditional culture. With its rich natural resources and high growth potential, the Central Asian region is becoming increasingly important in the international arena (Lee, Hobday 2003, pp. 503-5). This region also has close ties with Korea, because 320 000 Korean immigrants live there. Central Asia is an important region for the spreading of the Korean wave. It is believed that the Silk Road, passing through the Asian continent, plays an important role in spreading popular East Asian cultural trends to Europe (Lee, Hobday 2003, pp. 503-5; Jeongmee 2007, pp. 49-53). According to KOCIS, the Central Asian region would be a great place to connect the Korean culture with the cultures of the Middle East (Ghani Anand 2009, pp.24-27). New research confirms that the popularity of Korean cinema and music in other Asian countries has a positive effect on the image of the country in general and opens the way for cooperation not only in culture but also in many other areas, particularly in the economic sector (Jeongmee 2007, pp. 49-52). The report of the Korean-Thai center of communications states that since 2002 the three largest TV channels in Thailand have broadcasted over 180 Korean TV shows. And 118 of them were shown in the period from 2006 to 2009. Asked about the image of the Republic of Korea, 97% of the interviewed citizens of Thailand noted that in recent years it improved greatly, and 62.2% believed that the positive impact was made by the TV shows in the first place. Another 20% suggested that it became possible due to the promotion of Korean quality products on the market. The number of tourists from Thailand arriving in the Republic of Korea increased from 73,900 people in 2002 to 190,000 in 2009. During the first half of 2010 more than 120.000 Thais visited Korea (Sang-Yeon 2010, pp. 25-45). The 2010 work plan of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism of Korea provides further efforts aimed at reviving the popularity of Korean culture in foreign countries. In particular, it was decided to establish by 2013 at least 30 high-value contents, each bringing the $ 100 million revenue and competing in the global market with contents from other countries (Sang-Yeon 2010, pp. 25-45). By content we mean popular TV shows, movies, software and games. Until now, only three South Korean cultural contents brought such an income: the TV show Winter Sonata, a cartoon character Pororo and online game Lineage (Dator Seo 2004, p. 33). To perform this task, the government plans to provide financial support to relevant sectors of the economy and optimize the legal framework. Therefore, attracting interest to Korean culture in foreign countries is one of the main tasks of the Korean Government (Dator Seo 2004, p. 36-40). Cultural contents are the intangible values, but their producers can get virtually unlimited incomes. This can be possible in the case of a successful combination of technology with creativity. The Republic of Korea possesses advanced information technologies and unique cultural traditions, both attracting the attention of the world (Jeongmee 2007, pp.52-59). Consequently, the revival of Hallyu or Korean Wave is an achievable goal. The complex process of globalization, which has been gaining speed for thousands of years, is irreversible through many aspects. The global economy is integrated to the extent that the stakes are too high for everybody. The optimism of millions in Asia and in the fastest growing economies (Ireland, the former socialist bloc, Africa and Latin America), and the desire of ordinary citizens not to miss their chance in the conditions of open economy thats the reality of the globalized world (Ghani Anand 2009, pp.19-23). But the flip side of it is the disturbance of American and European middle class, grinding poverty and despair of those who stayed behind (Giddens 2000). The question is whether anxiety and fear will prevail over optimism or not, and whether they will turn the world back, for another dark period of isolation. Never before, since the formation of the Western alliance in 1949, the international balance of power has undergone such major changes. Among the issues that have appeared on the agenda in recent years are the emergence of new powers in Asia, the new balance of power in Eurasia, the Middle East problem and transatlantic moves, new challenges to the traditional forms of statehood and the general feeling of insecurity, including the threat of terrorism (Giddens 2000). The scale and speed of changes caused by globalization, regardless of the nature of these changes, will be a characteristic feature in the next 15 years. The appearance of China and India, as well as other countries such as Brazil and Indonesia, as the new actors on the world scene is possible. The basis of anticipated rapid growth of economic and political power of these countries lies in the combination of sustained strong economic growth, increasing military power and huge population. According to projections, by 2020 the GNP of China will exceed the GNP of the developed Western powers separately; excluding the U.S. Indias GDP will also surpass the GNP of European economies (Soleymani 2010). With the appearance of newcomers on the world stage, the picture of the world will radically change by 2020, which will in future contribute to the annihilation of the usual characteristics of East and West, North and South, affiliated and non-aligned, developed and developing countries. Traditional geographic groupings will no longer share old values in international relations. A world divided by states, and the world of mega-cities of telecommunications, trade and financial flows will exist in parallel. The fight for the allies will be more open, and the unions themselves will lose their traditional strength. We view globalization as the growing increase of interdependence in the flow of information, technology, capital, goods, services and people throughout the world, as an overarching mega-trend significant influencing the formation of the major trends in the world. However, the future of globalization is ambiguous, till states and independent players, including private companies and nongovernmental organizations, will fight for the right to define its contours. Thus, if the era of globalization doesnt end with the collapse as a result of a catastrophic war and global crisis, we can suppose that the world economy is likely to expect continued impressive growth by 80% in the next 10 years, while the average income per person will get approximately 50% higher (Soleymani 2010). Most countries around the world both developed and developing will benefit from the participation in global economic processes; and Asia, having the fastest-growing consumer markets, a growing number of companies that have become truly global players, and growing scientific and technological potential, will be capable of succeeding Western countries in the role of the region with the most dynamic economy (Dator Seo 2004, pp. 33-35; Ghani Anand 2009, pp.19-23). In the international context, states should advocate for the mitigation of the adverse effects of inequality, asymmetry in the interdependence. This calls for more fair and democratic rules of the game in international relations. The role of individual countries must be viewed from the perspective of the external opportunities and challenges arising from the emergence of new areas of relationships due to the globally integrated production, TNC, various types of capital movements, more close relationships in trade with goods and services, and cross-national information flows. In general, cooperation between countries and international organizations could be useful for solving a number of global issues, including management of globally integrated capital markets, trade information services, as well as the labor market, cultural heritage and tourism.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

College Admissions Essay: Teaching Wisdom :: College Admissions Essays

Teaching Wisdom Every morning in my homeroom, my principal performs the announcements. In his announcements, he updates the school on the activities that are going on that day. After his update, he continues on the intercom system to do the "Words of Wisdom" (Project Wisdom). This has made a great difference in my life. During the [Project Wisdom] program, my principal tells us a quote then he goes on to explain it. For example, he would say, "Danny Thomas once said, 'Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." This quote hit me like a thunderbolt. I was constantly thinking about it. Then I saw homeless people while I was walking home from school. I thought of nothing but the quote, so as I got closer to the homeless people, I pulled out my wallet and gave them a ten dollar bill. The feeling I got when the homeless people looked at me is indescribable. After this experience, almost every time someone is in need of something, I give or at least try to give them what they need because of the self-content it brings me. The "Words of Wisdom" program made a difference in my life by helping me discover that it feels good to serve others. Another example is when my principal was doing [Project Wisdom] and he said, "'The position of the earth is changed by the weight of a tiny bird resting upon it,' said the famous Leonardo da Vinci." The first thought that entered my mind was, "What was the point of that quote?" But the more I thought about it the more I began to realize what da Vinci was saying. If a little bird - a small portion of mass - can change the position of the earth, then little things can make a difference. For example, I used to always be selfish. I mean, when I opened the door to enter or exit a building I would let the door slam on the other person's face. I had a total disregard for other people. Now, I am nice. I care a lot about others. When I enter or exit a building now I hold the door open for the next person to enter or exit. There was this one woman who seemed like she was always in a bad mood.