Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Service - Essay Example The service learning traces its root to the mid-1980s. The mission of the program was to increase national service efforts among youth (Strom 1). As it is, the majority of colleges and universities have incorporated the program into their curriculums. In the United States, over one million students and 22,000 community organizations have taken part in the program (Strom 1). The mandatory service requirement may vary in different schools. It may entail building community support, allowing students to decide what to perform, training teachers, recognizing students initiatives as well as allowing students a chance to reflect on what they do (Loupe 1). These aspects are considered when it comes to enlisting the program into the curriculum. In some schools, the issue of mandatory service requirement has been adopted and received an acknowledgement from the students. However, in others, there is some form of resistance with no noticeable impact. As a result, this has led to a serious debat e on whether to adopt this program wholly or to shelf it for further consideration on its effects on students and schools. Therefore, the idea of having a mandatory service requirement of 30 hours needs further consideration in EFSC. The idea should not be implemented as it has failed in some schools; it is a way of forced work, substitute academic purpose, financial challenges, as well as criticism from leaders. First, it is clear that the policy of mandatory service requirements has been a failure in those schools that it has already been started. In Jefferson Parish School, the program has been implemented with dismal outcomes. In the school, the administrators viewed the program as a way of detracting students from academic achievements (Loupe 1). The detraction can occur as the students may be required to earn hours of service during class time. The effect is that a considerable amount of time will be lost that could be used for other academic activities such as

Overview of Hyperlipidemia

Overview of Hyperlipidemia Introduction Hyperlipidemia, involves higher lipids or lipoproteins in blood,is one of the most observed conditions related to cardiovascular system (Hassan, 2013). This small paper focuses on outlining the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and organs involved in the Hyperlipidemia. Further, this paper also proposes diagnosis and alternative treatment protocols and their success rate for Hyperlipidemia. The pathophysiology of the Hyperlipidemia The pathophysiology of the Hyperlipidemia can be classified into primary hyperlipidemia and secondary hyperlipidemia. Whilst genetic factors cause the primary hyperlipidemia, the metabolic disorders cause the secondary hyperlipidemia. The secondary hyperlipidemia can be caused due to diabetes mellitus, high usage of drugs such as beta blockers and estrogens, renal failure, high alcohol consumption etc. (Brown, 2003). Genetic hyperlipidemia can be categorized into disorders such as familial hypercholesterolemia, familial hypertriglyceridemia, familial dysbetalipoproteinemia and familial combined hyperlipidemia etc. The familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder caused due to high-levels of low-density lipoprotein in blood (Stang Story, 2005). On the other hand, familial hypertriglyceridemia is a highly dominant condition caused due to excess production of vey low-density lipoprotein. Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia is a condition characterized by increased low-density lipoprotein and decreased high-density lipoprotein. Finally, familial combined hyperlipidemia is a condition characterized by decreased low-density lipoprotein and increased Apolipoprotein B (Brown, 2003). The signs and symptoms of Hyperlipidemia Normally, hyperlipidemia does not show any symptoms in early ears. As days pass on, the symptoms such as manifestation of high cholesterol beneath of elbows, knees and eyes can be seen (Ankur et al, 2012). One can also observe the symptoms such as whitish rings around the eye’s iris in a person suffering from hyperlipidemia. Since the elevated cholesterol blocks the blood vessels, it can lead coronary heart disease or strokes. The frequent heart strokes can also be considered as major symptoms for hyperlipidemia. The organs and/or system involved in Hyperlipidemia Hyperlipidemia impacts cardiovascular system and leads to cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular system, also known as circulatory system, is an organ system that facilitates blood to transport oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients to organs and tissues of the body (Stang Story, 2005). The cardiovascular system helps in fighting the diseases and stabilizing the body temperature. The system is vulnerable to diseases when cholesterol accumulates the inflamed areas of blood vessels leading to reduced flow or blockage. Since cardiovascular blockage causes reduced blood flow, heart can be considered as most vulnerable organ to hyperlipidemia. Left untreated, hyperlipidemia can lead coronary artery disease and ultimately result to heart attack (Stang Story, 2005). The organ, artery, is involved in hyperlipidemia because, in most of the cases, cholesterol accumulates in artery that transports blood away from heart. Brain is another organ involved in hyperlipidemia. Since high cholesterol blocks the blood vessel that supplies blood to brain, the possibility of occurring ischemic strokes would be increased (Ankur et al, 2012). How Hyperlipidemia is diagnosed? Cholesterol test should be done to diagnose the lipid disorder or hyperlipidemia. The cholesterol test can be conducted with a lab diagnosis test called Lipid Panel. Patients should past for at least 12 hours before undergoing Lipid Panel test because it is important to clear the chylomicron from the blood; the clearance of chylomicron might take 10 to 12 hour. The laboratory testing is conducted to measure the total plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides within the blood (Brown, 2003). In order to measure the very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, the triglyceride should be divided by 5. In the same way, in order to calculate the low-density lipoprotein, it is important to subtract the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein from total cholesterol. For total cholesterol: If the results show that the cholesterol levels are 200 milligrams per decilitre or less, it is considered as a normal condition. The cholesterol levels that fall in between 201 and 240 milligrams per decilitre indicate borderline cholesterol. Similarly, greater than 240 milligram per decilitre indicates higher cholesterol levels. For high-density lipoprotein: If the high-density lipoprotein is 60 milligrams per decilitre, it can be considered as good cholesterol (Ankur et al, 2012). Since the higher levels of high-density lipoprotein are good to the body, it is recommended for people to maintain at least 60 milligrams per decilitre. If the high-density lipoprotein falls in between 40 milligram per decilitre and 59 milligram per decilitre, it is considered as acceptable cholesterol level. On the other hand, less than 40 milligram per decilitre increases the risk of heart disease (Ankur et al, 2012). For low-density lipoprotein: The optimal low-density lipoprotein for human body is 100 milligrams per decilitre or lesser. If the low-density lipoprotein level falls in between 100 milligram per decilitre and 129 milligram per decilitre, it is considered as near-optimal and does not cause any harm to individual. The low-density lipoprotein level is in between 130 milligram per decilitre and 159 milligram per decilitre, it is considered as a borderline high. Anything higher than 160 milligram per decilitre is considered as bad cholesterol (Hassan, 2013). Alternative treatment protocols and their success rate A wide-range of alternative treatment protocols is available to treat hyperlipidemia. A couple of them are mentioned below. Traditional Chinese Medicine: Three important approaches such as excretory function enhancement, tonic effect reinforcement and cardiovascular system improvement are used to treat hyperlipidemia. Though there is no scientific evidence of the efficacy of these approaches, they are highly successful in controlling blood lipid levels and adjusting bodily functions (Hassan, 2013). Acupuncture: Acupuncture helps in reducing the cellular accumulations of fatty materials and makes the individual less vulnerable to heart disease. By needling the acupuncture point located on the lower leg, it is possible to reduce and prevent the formation of foam cells in the body. With 80% success rate, acupuncture has become one of the best alternative treatment protocols for hyperlipidemia. Conclusion Cardiovascular system is highly vulnerable to hyperlipidemia when cholesterol accumulates the inflamed areas of blood vessels. Hyperlipidemia can be caused due to genetic disorders or metabolic disorders. Some of the major symptoms of hyperlipidemia are cholesterol accumulation beneath of elbows, knees and eyes can be seen, whitish rings around the eye’s iris and chest pain. In addition to cardiovascular system, the organs such as artery, heart and brain are also involved in hyperlipidemia. By carrying out Lipid Panel test, it is possible to check the lipid levels in blood. The alternative treatment protocols such as acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can be used to treat hyperlipidemia. References Brown, W.V. (2003). Cholesterol absorption inhibitors: defining new options in lipid management.Clinical Cardiology, 26(6), 259–264. Hassan, B.A.R. (2013). Overview on Hyperlipidemia. Journal of Chromatography Separation Techniques, 4 (3), 113. Stang, J., Story, M. (Eds.). (2005). Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota. Retrieved on 9th November, 2014 from http://www.epi.umn.edu/let/pubs/img/adol_ch10.pdf> Ankur, R., Nidhi, D., Seema, R., Amarjeet, D., Ashok, K. (2012). Hyperlipidemia- A Deadly Pathological Condition. International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Research, 4(3), 15-18.

Banned For Life :: Essays Papers

Banned For Life In 1989 Pete Rose became banned from baseball after an investigation suggested that he bet on his own baseball games. Now, ten years later, a part infamous, part legendary Pete Rose is trying to convince baseball to take him back. Rose’s argument is supported by his accomplishments while playing and working as a manager, his support from the fans, and his relationship with the league officials. The Hall of Fame acknowledges the greatest players in baseball. Becoming a member is the most prestigious award in the game. When one is inducted into the Hall of Fame, that person becomes one of baseball’s most elite in the history of the game. Pete Rose holds numerous records and accomplishments that would unquestionably award him acceptance into the Hall had it not been for the scandalous acts he took part in. In 1982 Rose broke Hank Aaron’s carrier hits record, one which, at the time, was legendary. He is arguable the best hitter ever in the history of the game. Rose was not a player who tried to abuse the league. He was a player who played to win, who cared for his team, and who always played his hardest. Rose also holds the record for most games played, a stat which displays his devotion to the game. Even if he did not need to play, or did not want to play, he still showed up and gave it his all. Rose was one of baseball’s greatest pla yers and played at that level for seventeen years. These accomplishments obviously qualify a player for immediate acceptance from the first time a player became eligible for the Hall of Fame. However, in 1990, Rose signed an agreement which made him banned from baseball, and therefore, permanently ineligible for acceptance to the Hall of Fame. Twelve years later, an older and more mature Pete Rose wishes to become eligible for acceptance to the Hall of Fame. In the 1980’s, Rose, a general manager of his former team, the Cincinnati Reds, admitted to placing bets on certain sporting events outside of baseball. Banned For Life :: Essays Papers Banned For Life In 1989 Pete Rose became banned from baseball after an investigation suggested that he bet on his own baseball games. Now, ten years later, a part infamous, part legendary Pete Rose is trying to convince baseball to take him back. Rose’s argument is supported by his accomplishments while playing and working as a manager, his support from the fans, and his relationship with the league officials. The Hall of Fame acknowledges the greatest players in baseball. Becoming a member is the most prestigious award in the game. When one is inducted into the Hall of Fame, that person becomes one of baseball’s most elite in the history of the game. Pete Rose holds numerous records and accomplishments that would unquestionably award him acceptance into the Hall had it not been for the scandalous acts he took part in. In 1982 Rose broke Hank Aaron’s carrier hits record, one which, at the time, was legendary. He is arguable the best hitter ever in the history of the game. Rose was not a player who tried to abuse the league. He was a player who played to win, who cared for his team, and who always played his hardest. Rose also holds the record for most games played, a stat which displays his devotion to the game. Even if he did not need to play, or did not want to play, he still showed up and gave it his all. Rose was one of baseball’s greatest pla yers and played at that level for seventeen years. These accomplishments obviously qualify a player for immediate acceptance from the first time a player became eligible for the Hall of Fame. However, in 1990, Rose signed an agreement which made him banned from baseball, and therefore, permanently ineligible for acceptance to the Hall of Fame. Twelve years later, an older and more mature Pete Rose wishes to become eligible for acceptance to the Hall of Fame. In the 1980’s, Rose, a general manager of his former team, the Cincinnati Reds, admitted to placing bets on certain sporting events outside of baseball.

Baroque vs. Modern Pop

MUSI200 27 January 2013 Baroque Vs. Modern Pop The Western music known today has its roots in the musical practices found in Europe and the Middle East over twenty centuries ago. These musical practices, in turn, have their roots in ancient Greek and Roman practices which are detailed in musical and philosophical treatises of the time. Greek civilization, with its political structures, its architectural and musical attainments, and its great achievements in philosophy and poetry, has influenced European culture and in turn American culture (Hansen, 2012).I have taken two excerpts of music, Marin Marais (1656-1728) – Pieces a Une Viole du Premier Livre (1686) and a Pop group name R. E. M and there last concert at the BBC. I have chosen R. E. M because their music is based off of the Baroque era with a modern day flare. After listen to both pieces, I was touched by the Baroque era music. I enjoyed both concerts, but I think I enjoyed the Pop concert more than the Baroque concert . The Pop concert of course had more rhythm and the difference in instruments made a difference to me.The drums where the biggest difference, had my foot tapping and my head bobbing, and the Baroque concert had me in a state of relaxation and peace of mind. The music differs from one another through the type of instruments used. The Baroque music used piano and chello unlike the modern day music using acoustic instruments and percussions. They even used electric guitars. I think the biggest difference was the singing; I stated previously that the drums were the biggest difference but the singing was definitely the biggest difference.The Baroque had no singing in the entire concert. The music was similar in the instruments told a story even though the Baroque music did not have words it still told a story, you could almost imagine or maybe even visualize the story being told and at your own words to the music. The Pop music of course had words but even then if you remove the words fr om the music it had the same effect as the Baroque music. The roles of concerts in the Baroque era I think played a role in society that we lack today.Back then in those times people went to concerts to escape the everyday life and learn something new, it was like a story being told or news being passed. Musicians were highly revered not role models like the musicians of today. Pop concerts today we attend as a form of entertainment, we go to see our favorite band or singer. We don’t attend for the appreciation of music like they did in the Baroque days. Today we have a different kind of appreciation of music, it’s whoever is hot at the time, whatever song is the big hit at the moment.There are certain types of people that attend these types of concerts. The Baroque attendees, I would say a more intellectual type a person that loves the art of music, a person that really appreciate music. The Pop attendees, I would say are more care free and just want to have fun and n ot have to worry about anything but, having fun, a person that just wants to feel good and carefree for a moment. Our experiences with music are influenced by many factors. The biggest factor is the internet. We have access to things that we didn’t have back in the days before the internet.We can easily move music around and get the sound out to the masses. In the Baroque era it may have taken a year for one composer to get his music heard by the masses. In conclusion, the Baroque era and the Pop era are so different but yet so similar, I guess it would come down to ones own opinion of each type of music. I would think that any music lover would appreciate both eras of music. Works Cited Bethanie Hansen, Cathy Silverman, and David Whitehouse, Music Appreciation, 2012. Website (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=poCRFiaoCLA) Website (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=uaYVa1r0nlA)

Reasons for Job Role Suitability

I feel that I would be ideal for this position and would fit in well into your organisation because of the relevant skills and experience that I have acquired in previous roles that I have done. My last job was dropping off and picking up disabled children to and from their school. One child is wheelchair bound and the rest have severe mental problems, (i. e. autism), therefore my driving had to be calm and stable avoiding sudden movements whilst keeping to a schedule to make sure that the children would arrive to school on time.Sometimes the children required special attention and patience for which I was prepared for and did gladly, as my character is that of being helpful and caring as I feel satisfaction from doing so. I have a lot of experience dealing with customers in previous customer service roles that I've done, sometimes having to deal with awkward and angry customers and I would try to deal with them with a positive and helpful approach not taking any abuse that I would r eceive personally and in my experience this would always resolve these types of situations well. I am able to work well in a team but I can also work well on my own initiative.I work in a responsible manner making sure all the required tasks are done to the best of my abilities and on time. I am an organised and punctual person able to work well to schedules and making sure that I pass on any required information to the relevant people. Overall I think that my strengths and skills are well suited for your organisation not only in a bus driver role but also any other position that you feel would be suitable. I am looking for a job that is permanent and think that this role would be ideal for that reason, and I am a very good driver or so I have been told by many people.

Inference Questions in ACT Reading Strategies + Practice

Inference Questions in ACT Reading Strategies + Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Questions that ask you about what infomation can be inferred from a line or series of lines on ACT Reading comprise about 15% of ACT Reading questions (based on my analysis of 4 publicly available ACTs). In order to answer these inference questions correctly, you must be able to understand what is written in the text and take one tiny, logical step beyond what is directly stated. But how are inference questions asked, and what ACT Reading strategies can you use to answer them? Keep reading to find out and prep for this important question type! feature image credit: Stevie Nicks by Trish Hamme, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Inference Questions? Inference questions on ACT reading ask you to interpret or infer the meaning (rather than function) of a phrase, line, or series of lines. Unlike with detail questions, this meaning asked about in inference questions will not be directly stated in the text, which is why inference questions use wordings like â€Å"can be reasonably inferred that† or â€Å"suggests that.† Since there can only be one correct answer, however, the answers to inference questions cannot be subjective or ambiguous. On ACT Reading, there are three main subcategories of inference questions: deduction, speculation, and examination questions. Type 1: Deduction Deduction questions are the simplest type of inference questions, because they only ask you to fill in missing information. In some ways, they are very similar to detail questions, except the paraphrasing that you must do in order to answer them requires you to make a logical deduction. Here's an example of a deduction question: It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the woman most strongly desires to attain which of the following qualities from dreaming? A. RelaxationB. Self-awarenessC. EntertainmentD. Self-control For this example, I’ll save you the work of having to go through the passage and find the relevant lines (although that’s part of what makes inference questions challenging on the ACT). Here is an excerpt from the opening of the passage with the information you need: The woman never dreams and this makes her intensely miserable. She thinks that by not dreaming she is unaware of things about herself that dreams would surely give her. She doesn’t have the door of dreams that opens every night to question the certain- ties of the day. She stays at the threshold, and the door is always closed, refusing her entrance. My thoughts: So the woman â€Å"never dreams† which makes her â€Å"intensely miserable.† Why is she miserable? Because â€Å"she thinks that by not dreaming she is unaware of things about herself that dreams would surely give her.† So she’s unhappy about not dreaming because she thinks it’s stopping her from gaining awareness about herself (self-awareness). To take a step further, then, self-awareness is something that she wants to gain. The answer to this question is B. There will be a more full walkthrough of an inference question later on in this article – the point of that was to show the itsy bitsy step you have to take beyond what is written to answer inference questions. This is not like high school English literature classes, where you’re encouraged to make any interpretation you can, as long as you can back it up with enough words/rambling; you are really only making a logical extension from things that are directly stated in the passage. Some examples of how these questions have been asked on the ACT (modified for your entertainment): â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred that the narrator’s discovery that an error has been made in programming the Mars probe is for him a source of:† â€Å"It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that before Harrison’s efforts, other individuals trying to solve the problem of space travel had failed to:† â€Å"The passage suggests that Armstrong’s most important contribution to science was his:† Type 2: Speculation This second subtype of questions ask you to speculate (hence the name) about the meaning of a statement, description, or something else in the passage. Speculation questions can be worded similarly to function questions, but the answer choices and the skills needed to answer the questions differentiate them. Example: In the context of the passage, the statement â€Å"All the guitars are made from certified wood† (lines 34–35) most nearly suggests that Gomes’s workshop: To turn this into a function question, the question would have to change to the following: â€Å"In the context of the passage, what is the function of the statement ‘All guitars are made from certified wood (lines 34-35’)." ...to which the answer would be something like "demonstrate that there is accountability at every level of the instrument making process." Instead, the question as it is currently worded asks "what does [the description] say/what’s the implication or suggested meaning of this statement/what does this emphasize about that other thing?" Here are a few more examples of how this sort of inference question is asked: â€Å"The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to:† â€Å"The paradox mentioned in the second paragraph (lines 9–14) is best described by which of the following statements?" â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred from the passage that when the narrator says, â€Å"I didn’t see the red, yellow, and purple clusters that meant flowers to me† (lines 30–31), she is most nearly indicating that:† â€Å"When the narrator says, â€Å"I began to think of the present more than of the future† (lines 80–81), she most likely means that meeting Eugene led her to:† â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred that for the narrator, the image of the diver bursting through the ocean’s sparkling membrane† (line 52) symbolizes her:† â€Å"By her statements in lines 77–80, the narrator is most nearly asserting that:† Type 3: Examination The wording of examination questions is very close to that of deduction questions, often starting with the phrase "It can reasonably be inferred that..." Rather than asking about specific facts, however, examination questions ask about the internal thoughts, feelings, or motivations of the narrator, author, or someone mentioned in the passage. Every examination question can basically be boiled down to "What would [that person] think about [this thing]?" Examination questions are the most complex type of inference question, because they ask you to get into the head of the author, narrator, character, or other person mentioned in the text. Furthermore, these types of questions often show up on paired passages, asking with the author of one passage would think about something the author of the other passage discussed. See below for some examples: â€Å"It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the narrator regards her initial discovery of the truth about the reason the Mars probe failed as:† â€Å"It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that within the scientific community the year the passage was published, the small-comet theory was:† â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred from the passage that regarding NASA, the author feels:† It can reasonably be inferred that after seeing the first man walk on the moon, compared to the narrator of Passage B, the narrator of Passage A felt: 20-Funny-Shocked-Cat-Memes-3 by Sparkle Motion, used under CC BY 2.0. As I believe I've said before, it’s a shame the answers to questions on the ACT cannot be cat pictures. Because that's probably the most concise description of how the narrator of Passage A felt. 5 Fabulous Strategies to Attack ACT Reading Inference Questions Today, I have gathered together for you five top strategies here to help you with inference questions. Some of these strategies are more useful for certain passage approaches (for instance, if you read the pasage thoroughly, you probably don't need to look for context as much as students who skim or start with the question first). Some advice, however, is useful for everyone Look For Context One weird thing that the ACT Reading section likes to do (and the SAT Reading does NOT do) is to ask you to make inferences about things from the passage...without providing any location information. I personally think that this is a pointless exercise, because all it does is give you less time to think because you're scrambling through the passage to even find the information being asked about in the first place. Although I suppose that this is a skill that could come in handy in college/university if you haven't done the reading for the class and are unexpectedly called upon to answer a question about it. In any case, even after you’ve found the thing being asked about in an inference question on ACT Reading (for instance, â€Å"the first woman to command a mission to the International Space Station†), you might find that that sentence may not contain all the information you need to answer the inference question. If you're struggling with an inference question because you need more context, the best places to look are at the sentences directly before and after the phrase, sentence, or lines you're given in the question. In those cases where you need even more context to answer inference questions, like knowing the bigger picture/main point/perspective of the text/author, I find the best strategy is to circle the question and come back to it after you’ve answered relevant big picture questions (such as questions about the paragraph/section the lines in question are in, or even questions about the whole passage). Answer In Your Own Words I believe that this is the most important strategy for answering inference questions correctly. If you can come up with the answer in your own words before you look at the answer choices, you will more easily be able to sidestep the traps the ACT has set for you. Why? Because if you answer the question using your own words, you're far more likely to only include relevant (and accurate) information. Your answer for â€Å"Garrison mentions the impact of a certain kind of meteor in order to illustrate†¦Ã¢â‚¬  will probably not be as elegant as the answer choices, but if you've done your job and only based your answer on the text, you will have a far easier time of picking the right answer (all you have to do is choose the answer choice that best matches your own). Wrong answer choices often have irrelevant information, or contain interpretations that â€Å"seem like they could be true.† This is especially annoying because, as I stated earlier, high school classes train you to see a situation from as many points of view as possible, so your impulse may be to try and prove how each answer COULD be true. No! Don't listen to it! There is only one right answer on the ACT, and even inference questions will not require you to assume much beyond what is written. If you start with your own answer in your own words, it's a lot easier to choose the right answer choice (which has the correct answer, but in the ACT's own words). Nail Down Other ACT Reading Skills As I was completing my analysis of ACT Reading sections by question type, I had this realization: inference questions are often the trickiest type of questions because you need several of the other Reading skills in order to answer them successfully. Take this question: It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the narrator thinks her hometown has: F. improved significantly over the years.G. made little genuine progress.H. remained about the same as it was years ago.J. a chance of being rebuilt as it used to be. To answer this question correctly, you need... Little Picture skills. You need to figure out where in the passage the narrator indicates she is thinking about her home town and how it has changed. Big Picture skills. You need to be able to scan passage to get a sense of the attitude of the narrator. Even if all you're able to figure out is the general tone of the passage (is it positive or negative towards her hometown? Which answers are positive and which are negative?), you might be able to get rid of some answer choices. hammer time by Seniju, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Let your will be as the hammer and the nails as the ACT Reading skills you will hammer into the surface of your brain. I don't know what your fingers are in this analogy, though. Answer ACT Reading Questions In The Order That Works For You Something that it can be hard to wrap you mind around is that you don't have to answer questions in the order of they appear on ACT Reading. Going out of order runs you the risk of accidentally skipping questions, but the time you may save from answering questions in a particular order could make up for it (since you could use that extra time to make sure you've answered all the questions and filled out the right answers). I've created three different scenarios of the order in which you could answer questions, depending on how you approach the passage. If you are a quick and thorough reader, and read each passage in full before answering questions, I recommend that you start with big picture questions before moving on to inference and function questions. The advantage of being able to read quickly (and thoroughly) is that you can answer questions about larger amounts of text while they're still fresh, so it makes sense to start out with those questions, rather than getting bogged down in detail with little picture or vocab in context questions. If you read quickly enough to get through the passage and still have plenty of time to answer the questions, going in order is possible, but as someone who reads a book every couple of days (that is, I read quickly), I would still recommend starting with big picture questions and then moving on to inference questions. If your approach to ACT Reading involves reading the questions, then going back to the passage as needed, my advice is the complete opposite: start with little picture and vocab in context questions before moving on to inference questions. The answers to those kinds of detail questions will provide more information about the author and topic being covered, which in turn will provide context that might be useful for answering inference questions. If it turns out that you need "big picture" information to answer a particular inference question, you can always mark that question and come back to it later. If you start out ACT Reading by skimming the passage, then answering what questions you can before going back to the passage, I recommend getting both big and little picture questions out of the way before you move on to inference questions. Unless the phrase, sentence, or lines being asked about in an inference question was/were in the part of the text you read in your skim-through, it's unlikely you would be able to answer it right off the bat, whereas you might have the information you need to answer big picture questions and little picture questions (because you know where those details are likely to be) from skimming. Eliminate Answers The fundamental rule to answering every ACT Reading question is that you must eliminate three wrong answers. While answering the question in your own words first can make eliminating wrong answers easier (since you're looking for answer choices that match the answer you came up with), this is not always the case for inference questions. On occasion, I have found myself frustrated with inference questions because the inference I make from the text is correct, but it's not the information the ACT is looking for. As an example, for the question "It can most reasonably be inferred that the narrator’s discovery that the last of Boston's excessive snow melted on July 14th was to her a source of:" my initial instinct was that this fact was an endless source of jokes for the narrator, when in fact the question was asking about the narrator's feelings (and so none of the answer choices matched my inference, even though it was possibly also correct). So if you are in a situation where you haven't been able to use context and answer the question in your own words in a way that matches up with the answer choices, what do you do? Going through each answer choice might seem daunting at first, since each answer is has multiple facets to it. In actuality, though, complicated answer choices are easier to eliminate, because if any part of the answer choice is false, you can cross it out. Here's an example: Each of the three projects described in the passage reveals: A. the increasing antagonism between the grandfather and grandson.B. the errors the narrator makes and the disapproval they bring from others.C. that such incidents set the stage for the Bryant family traits to emerge.D. that the narrator is determined to avoid being ungrateful, hateful, or overly fastidious. If you can eliminate any part of the answer choice, you can eliminate the whole thing. Take answer A. the increasing antagonism between the grandfather and grandson. Is there antagonism between grandfather and grandson? If not, ELIMINATE (spoiler: there is not) Is that antagonism increasing? If not, ELIMINATE Do the projects show that the antagonism between the grandfather and grandson is increasing? If not, ELIMINATE As you can see, there are many chances for elimination – it should be really hard for an answer to make the cut. For this question, the correct answer, C, passes this test: there are incidents (the three projects) and they do set the stage for Bryant family traits to emerge. Inference Questions: A Walkthrough through Real Questions Before giving you some practice inference questions to work on, I wanted to do a walkthrough of answering an inference question. I'll have way more in depth explanations in this walkthrough than you would have to justify to yourself on the test, because I want to make sure my reasoning is clear, so don't be intimidated by how detailed it gets. My internal thought process is presented in italics. Here's the question: The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: A. feel more like a patient than a physician.B. become a more important part of the real world.C. understand his patients’ illnesses better.D. see if being a naturalist is like being a physician. Rephrase the question: change it from â€Å"why does the author leave the hospital† to â€Å"what’s the main thing that leaving the hospital let the author do?† Here is that last paragraph: With this in mind, I have taken off my white coat, deserted, by and large, the hospitals where I have spent the last twenty-five years, to explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world, feeling in part like a naturalist, examining rare forms of life; in part like an anthropologist, a neuroanthropologist, in the field- but most of all like a physician, called here and there to make house calls, house calls at the far borders of human experience. Step one: Look for context Luckily, this question gives specific location information (last paragraph), so I don’t have to hunt all through the passage for the information to answer the question. magellan by fPat Murray, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Monkey and binoculars: not necessary for finding the answers to inference questions, but still adorable. Step two: Answer in my own words So the main thing that leaving the hospital to visit his patients lets the author do is â€Å"explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world,† which involves â€Å"feeling in part like a naturalist, examining rare forms of life; in part like an anthropologist, a neuroanthropologist, in the field- but most of all like a physician† Step three: Can I eliminate any answers based on my answer in my own words? The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: A. feel more like a patient than a physician. No, because it says he feels â€Å"most of all like a physician.† I can eliminate this straight off the bat! The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: B. become a more important part of the real world. Mentions something about the real world in the passage. not sure. Can’t eliminate it just yet. The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: C. understand his patients’ illnesses better. Mentions exploring his patients’ lives†¦maybe related to understanding illnesses? Can’t eliminate just yet. D. see if being a naturalist is like being a physician. Does say something about â€Å"feeling in part like a naturalist,† and â€Å"but most of all like a physician,† which I guess could be comparing them? I don’t know. Need to examine the next more closely. Let’s go back to the text again: With this in mind, I have taken off my white coat, Wait, hold up. The first sentence of the paragraph begins, â€Å"With this in mind.† NO no no no this is not how we start paragraphs. Not with an unclear antecedent! But since the author made that choice, I GUESS I need to figure out what the â€Å"this† that he’s keeping in mind is. To the previous paragraph for more context! The study of disease, for the physician, demands the study of identity, the inner worlds that patients, under the spur of illness, create. But the realities of patients, the ways in which they and their brains construct their own worlds, cannot be comprehended wholly from the observation of behavior, from the outside. Aha! So the doctor decided to visit patients at home keeping in mind that â€Å"The study of disease†¦demands the study of identity†¦But the realities of patients†¦cannot be comprehended wholly†¦from the outside.† Does the paragraph make more sense now? With this in mind, I have taken off my white coat, deserted, by and large, the hospitals where I have spent the last twenty-five years, to explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world, feeling in part like a naturalist, examining rare forms of life; in part like an anthropologist, a neuroanthropologist, in the field- but most of all like a physician, called here and there to make house calls, house calls at the far borders of human experience. Okay. So the answer to â€Å"what’s the main thing that visiting patients at home allows the author to do† is that it allows him to â€Å"explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world† because figuring out what’s wrong with them can’t be done just â€Å"from the outside† Another look at the remaining answers: The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: B. become a more important part of the real world. Seems broad. I’m already making the inference that the doctor wants to explore his patients’ lives from the inside to figure out what’s wrong with them because doing it from the outside isn’t enough – taking another leap to having him do it to â€Å"become a more important part of the real world† seems too iffy for the ACT. Tentatively cross this one out. The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: C. understand his patients’ illnesses better. Oh. Well. Yes. That is the reason, except instead of â€Å"figure out what’s wrong with his patients† the ACT is way more elegant and went with â€Å"understand his patients’ illnesses better.† I guess I’ll check the last answer, just in case. The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: D. see if being a naturalist is like being a physician. Nope, he doesn’t care about being a naturalist! It’s a red herring! The answer must be C. Red herring @ Lowestoft, Suffolk by Tim Parkinson, used under CC BY 2.0. Don't be fooled by red herring answer choices! ACT Reading Practice Questions on Inferences: Your Turn! Now that you've made it through that walkthrough of an inference question, it's time for you to practice on your own! Click on the image below for a larger version of the passage. 1. It is reasonable to infer from the passage that the narrator looks back on the dinner-dances as a time when: F. her parents were in conflict over her mother’s work.G. the entire family was filled with excitement and anticipation.H. she and her father had a much easier relationship with each other.J. her mother and father had renewed hope for the future of the family. 2. When the narrator says, â€Å"I solemnly would nod- the honored recipient of this arcane cultural wisdom† (lines 53–54), she most likely means that: A. she felt intimidated when her father was giving her information that she did not understand.B. her father was honored to be able to share personal information with his daughter.C. when her father put on his tie, she pretended to be honored, even though she thought his comment was silly.D. the information her father was giving her seemed important and made her feel valued. 3. The sentence â€Å"Like an eagle, her words slipped regally down a great distance and struck with awful ease† (lines 75–76) indicates that the narrator: F. was not sure what her mother expected of her.G. recognized that her mother was being demeaned.H. wanted to distance herself from her mother.J. was ill at ease with her position in the family. 4. Based on the last two paragraphs (lines 78–92), which of the following statements indicates what the narrator’s father and mother have in common? F. They both want control of the family finances. G. They are both fighting for their self-respect. H. They both want to teach a lesson to their children. J. They are both angry at the woman who came for the fitting. Answer key (scroll down when ready): 1. G 2. D 3. G 4. G In Conclusion... Inference questions ask you about the meaning of a phrase, sentence, or series of lines in a passage Look for context to help you answer the question Answer the question in your own words before looking at the ACT’s answer choices Nail down other ACT Reading skills to help you answer inference questions Attack questions in an order that makes sense, based on the way you read the passage/your own test-taking style Eliminate 3 wrong answers What’s Next? Want to up your ACT Reading game? Check out more of our ACT Reading Skills articles, including articles on vocab in context, big picture, little picture, function and development, and paired passage questions. For a deeper look at paired passages, also be sure to read about why ACT Reading paired passages are so difficult. Feeling overwhelmed and not sure how to read the passage? Find out the best way to practice ACT Reading and what's actually tested on ACT Reading. Worried about running out of time on ACT Reading? You’re not alone. Read more about how to avoid a time-crunch here! Do you find that breaking down questions by skill type and drilling them really works for you? Consider the signing up for the PrepScholar platform to jumpstart your test prep! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

2016 Republican Presidential Power Rankings

2016 Republican Presidential Power Rankings (Rankings Updated 1/25/2016) These rankings are not based exclusively - or even heavily - on polling data, but instead on a combination of factors including debate performances, favorability ratings, evidence of momentum, and general campaign activity. Who will move up, down, or out of this these rankings moving forward? OFF: Paul, Huckabee, Pataki, Santorum, Carly Fiorina 7. Ben Carson (Previous: 5) - Carson is just in a free-fall right now and he appears to be putting all of his eggs in Iowa. Though he had strong poll numbers, his support levels were always soft in regards to those who were definitely voting for him. They seem to have gravitated towards Cruz for the time being. Carson is still popular enough to do some damage in Iowa, but his dreams of being a legitimate contender seem over. 6. Jeb Bush (Previous: 6) - Just about everybody has written off the 100-Million-Dollar-Man, and he has outspent opponents big time with nothing to show for it. Has Jeb had a single good moment in 6 months?   His message gets lost in constant word stumbles and poor phrasing. On a stage of smooth-talkers, his ineloquence is becoming a liability. This was supposed to be the shock-and-awe campaign that scared everyone away. The opposite happened. What the polling data shows is that Jeb better find a way to start getting Republicans to really like him. Much of Trumps appeal seems to be that everyone is afraid Jeb will get the nomination. But thats starting to seem far less likely. 5. Chris Christie (Previous: 4) - Before the debate, I said this: He still has some Northeastern appeal, but he would need Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich to have serious meltdowns. Jeb Bush his flailing, and Christie probably had the 3rd best showing at the 3rd debate. Christie is a great talker, and he is reminding us of when he was a favorite a few short years ago. But there are probably still too many negatives to imagine him pulling this off. But he could spoil some things for Rubio in New Hampshire. 4. John Kasich (Previous: 8) - Kasich feels like he was plucked out of central casting as a 1990s-era Presidential candidate. Hes definitely the kind of moderate, boring candidate that the GOP is known for nominating. He has gone all-in in New Hampshire, a geographically-friendly state. He could end up second there and be the establishment pick. 3. Marco Rubio (Previous: 1) - Rubio loses the top spot and we no longer think he has the best odds at winning the nomination. His plan to surge with the help of high-powered endorsements has not materialized a week out from Iowa, and he remains in a distant third place in Iowa and in a jumble for distant second in New Hampshire. I received the endorsement of the Des Moines Register, but his lack of a lane - hes neither establishment nor anti-establishment - seems to have left him in neutral with no core base. 2. Ted Cruz (Previous: 2) - Cruz was finally forced to go after Trump after a long political bromance, but it may be too little to late, as he is a very distant second everywhere (except Texas). If anything, his actions gave Trump more power than he would otherwise have and talk radio and conservative media never had to choose between the duo. Cruz strategy of not attacking Trump was almost exclusively reliant on having the establishment do it for him, and frankly they have refused to do so. When Cruz did pivot, he simply did not get enough anti-establishment leaders to move to him from Trump. 1. Donald Trump (Previous: 2) - Trump remains an incoherent mess and, magically, 10 points ahead or more just about everywhere. The mainstream and conservative media are fueling his campaign, and he picked up an endorsement from Sarah Palin. Nobody dealt with him seriously from the start, and now he may be unstoppable. In the first debate, he praised socialized medicine and bragged about his role in buying off politicians for business favors. He threatened to run as a 3rd party candidate for leverage, and then doubled-down on his theory that the Mexican government was intentionally sending criminals across the border. In the second debate, Carly Fiorina got the better of him time and time again, and Trump continued to show absolutely no interest in developing policy positions. Does he have any campaign infrastructure? Does he really think people believe he is going to self-fund a billion dollar campaign? I long assumed that those pushing Trump would eventually pivot away to Cruz, and now that we are 1 weeks away that has not happened. (But we think this has more to do with Cruz not seizing the opportunity.) Until someone actually does damage to Trump, or unless Talk Radio backs away, hes the one to beat.

How to Explore the Great Barrier Reef 4 Best Bases

How to Explore the Great Barrier Reef 4 Best Bases SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Swimming through coral forests, coming face-to-face with a sea turtle, relaxing on powdery white beaches, being surrounded by schools of neon-colored fish: you can do all of these at the Great Barrier Reef, one of the great natural sites of the world. The awe-inspiring reef stretches roughly 1,250 miles from north to south, contains nearly 3,000 individual reefs and hundreds of islands, is home to thousands of species of coral, plants, and animals, and covers an area roughly the size of Italy. With so much to see, where should you base yourself? There are numerous cities and towns along Australia’s northeastern coast that serve as jumping-off points for exploring the Great Barrier Reef, and each offers something different. This guide explains the pros and cons of four of the reef's best bases. For each base, tour prices, marine life, and options for other activities in the area are ranked from 1-3 stars. Tour Prices refer to what you can expect to pay for a reef tour, with three stars indicating the cheapest tours and one star indicating the most expensive (all prices mentioned below are in Australian dollars). Marine Life refers to how much coral and aquatic life you can expect to see under the water and how diverse it'll be. Bases with three stars generally have the most pristine and abundant marine life, while lower rankings indicate some degradation and/or sparseness of marine species. Don't think a low ranking means you'll be swimming through an underwater desert though; you'll see interesting things on any tour. Finally, it's also important to enjoy yourself before and after your reef tours, so Options for Other Activities are also ranked. More stars in this category means you have a wider variety of things to do nearby when you're not on the reef. Below the star rankings, the base itself, what reef tours generally offer and where they go, and options for nearby activities are explained in more detail. Knowing this information will help you choose a base that fits your interests and budget, helping you have the best Great Barrier Reef trip possible. At the end of this guide is additional logistical information to help you plan your trip after you've decided on a base. Cairns Tour Prices: Marine Life: Options for Other Activities: The Base The most popular base for visiting the Great Barrier Reef is the city of Cairns, and, as such, it’s here that you’ll find the widest variety of reef tours and tour operators. Cairns is a lively city that has decades of experience as a top tourist destination. Some visitors will appreciate all the amenities and activities Cairns has to offer, while others might be turned off by the proliferation of backpacker bars, tattoo parlors, and souvenir shops. Cairns is definitely a place that knows how to make the most out of its popularity with tourists. There’s a wide variety of accommodation here, ranging from hostels to exclusive resorts, but most places are moderately-priced hotels. Despite its commercialism, Cairns is still an enjoyable place to visit and offers travelers plenty to do both in and out of the water. The Reef and Reef Tours Cairns is the city closest to the reef, so trips out to the reef here are shorter than those from many other bases. Tours go to a variety of spots, but two of the reefs closest to Cairns are Arlington Reef and Sudbury Reef. Because Cairns is the most popular base for the Great Barrier Reef, many of the reefs around it are heavily visited, and some of the reefs, particularly those closest to the mainland, have suffered significant degradation as a result. There will still be things to see, but the coral may be sparse, and there may not be as much marine life as in other places. However, this depends significantly on which reef or reefs your tour visits. Because Cairns is the main jumping-off point for the Great Barrier Reef, there are tours catering to all budgets, and if you’re willing to spend the money, you can get high-end tour experiences similar to those at other bases in this guide. However, the majority of the Great Barrier Reef tours in Cairns cater to budget travelers and backpackers. This means you’ll find the cheapest reef tours here, starting at about $100. These tours often have larger groups and visit 1-2 reef sites during the day. Additional Activities As one of Australia’s top tourist destinations, there are lots of things to do in Cairns. The Cairns Lagoon, a pool and artificial beach close to the ocean, is a popular spot for all travelers, as are the lush Cairns Botanic Gardens and the Esplanade Boardwalk winding along the edge of the water. For families with children, Cairns has playgrounds, water parks, and nearby Trinity Beach to keep them occupied. You’ll also find bike tours, hiking, whale watching tours, jetskiing, waterfalls, rafting tours, markets and several museums and galleries nearby. Cairns has probably the best nightlife scene on the coast and numerous bars and restaurants that cater to all tastes and budgets. A popular day trip from Cairns is traveling to Kuranda. Visitors can take the spectacular Kuranda Scenic Railway over treetops and past waterfalls to reach Kuranda, a cute village in the rainforest. At Kuranda there are several animal parks, a butterfly sanctuary, hiking trails, shopping opportunities, riverboat tours, and numerous restaurants and ice cream shops. Port Douglas Tour Prices: Marine Life: Options for Other Activities: The Base Another popular base for the Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas is like Cairn’s richer and more sophisticated cousin. There’s still fun both day and night to be had, but, in general, Port Douglas caters to a somewhat older and wealthier crowd than Cairns does, and it’s a favorite destination for celebrities. As a result, accommodation and dining prices are about 25%-50% higher than what you'll find in other areas. The vibe in Port Douglas is quieter and more relaxed than many other towns along the coast. The town has a few small museums and buildings of interest, an excellent market on Sunday mornings with homemade food and handicrafts, and is home to Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas where visitors can witness an alligator feeding show, view numerous Australian animals, and take a photo cuddling a koala. Four Mile Beach is the major beach in town, and it’ll do the job if you just need a place to splash around, but it’s definitely not one of the standout beaches in the area. The waves are often rough, the water is not very clear, and the sand is somewhat rocky and strewn with seaweed. The Reef and Reef Tours Day tours in Port Douglas tend to be more expensive than those in Cairns, Airlie Beach, and Townsville, but they are often higher-quality, going to the outer reef, visiting several reef sites, and having smaller boats with fewer people on board. Expect to pay over $200 for snorkeling and at least $300 for diving. Prices can be twice these amounts for the highest-end companies. A few of the biggest tour companies basing themselves in Port Douglas are Quicksilver, Wavelength, and Poseidon. Popular reef spots tours visit from Port Douglas include Agincourt Ribbon Reef, Opal Reef, St. Crispin Reef, and Tongue Reef, all located in the outer reef. While there is coral bleaching in this area, the coral is, generally still vibrant and diverse. Swimmers will often find themselves exploring massive coral forests while parrotfish, clownfish, damselfish swim nearby. This part of the reef also has some of the best opportunities for spotting mega fauna like sharks, rays, and sea turtles. Additional Activities While people who like to keep active may not find enough to do within Port Douglas, a short drive from town are some of Queensland’s most popular attractions including the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, and Mossman Gorge. These three sites are within Daintree National Park and can all be visited in a day (with a guide or on your own), although many people enjoy the seclusion and nature they offer and choose to stay longer. The Daintree Rainforest is one of the last homes of the massive cassowary, an endangered Australian bird related to the ostrich and emu. There’s a boardwalk through the forest and other walking trails. Cape Tribulation is a remote and attractive beach where Captain Cook once ran aground, while Mossman Gorge is an important Aboriginal site where visitors can explore the rainforest and wade in the Mossman River. There’s a huge amount of biodiversity in this part of Queensland, and spending the day in some of the area’s top natural spots on land can be a good change of pace from all the time you’ve spent in the water. Townsville Tour Prices: Marine Life: Options for Other Activities: The Base Townsville is one of the largest cities in the area, and it’s often considered the unofficial capital of North Queensland. Due to its size and the number of administrative buildings located within it, Townsville lacks a lot of the charm and atmosphere of other towns along the coast, and it can often feel like you're in any generic large city. However, Townsville’s not all business, and visitors to the city can still find hiking trails, animal sanctuaries, and museums to enjoy. These are discussed in more detail in the â€Å"Additional Activities† section. Also, Townsville’s size means it has numerous amenities for travelers, although the city is more focused on local business than catering to tourists. The Reef and Reef Tours While the other bases in this guide are equally suitable for both snorkelers and divers, Townsville is most popular for its Great Barrier Reef diving opportunities. The main reason people do reef tours from here is because of the wreck of the SS Yongala, a large passenger ship which sank off the coast in 19. Today the site, a three-hour boat ride from Townsville, is often described as the best wreck dive site in the world, and it is visited by over 10,000 divers each year. As one of the largest historic shipwrecks, there is a lot to explore here. Large species often frequent the site, including sharks, grouper, sea snakes, and barracuda. Because of potential dangers associated with wreck diving, only experienced divers can visit the Yongala site. However, Townsville has options novice divers and Great Barrier Reef snorkeling as well. Nearby are several reefs, including Lodestone Reef, Wheeler Reef, and Kelso Reef. These areas typically have numerous coral species and good visibility. Be aware that Townsville is farther from the Great Barrier Reef than both Cairns and Port Douglas, so it will take longer to get to the reefs, even those closest to shore. Magnetic Island is another popular place for diving from Townsville. There are day trips available, or you can choose to spend several days on the island. There are multiple dive sites around Magnetic Island, and because its waters are generally calm and shallow, it’s a popular place to take diving classes. Tour prices in Townsville are slightly higher than those in Cairns and about what you’d pay in Port Douglas. Additional Activities When you’re not on the water, Townsville has multiple attractions to fill your time. For those who want to see wildlife, the Reef HQ Great Barrier Reef Aquarium and the Billabong Sanctuary are two top places to get up-close with animals. Townsville is home to numerous museums, including the Museum of Tropical Queensland, the Army Museum of North Queensland, and the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery. Townsville also has great walking and hiking opportunities, many of which include viewpoints over the town and coast. The Strand, Castle Hill, and Mount Stuart are some of the most popular. Airlie Beach Tour Prices: Marine Life: Options for Other Activities: The Base Little Airlie Beach, with a population of less than 10,00, is the most southerly base listed in this guide, about a seven-hour drive or a one-hour flight from Cairns. Airlie Beach has primarily been a backpackers’ destination with little more than a few hostels and beach bungalows. However, as its fame increases, the town has become home to more upscale cafes, shops, and hotels. Because it is not as heavily visited as Cairns or Port Douglas, Airlie Beach has a more laid-back atmosphere, with many people content to relax on the beach when they’re not touring the reef. The Reef and Reef Tours It’s possible to do traditional day tours to the reef from Airlie Beach, but most people who visit the Great Barrier Reef from here do so on a several day live-aboard tour of the gorgeous Whitsunday Islands. This collection of over 70 islands is covered with powdery sand and palm trees, and it has some of the most pristine coral in the Great Barrier Reef. The reefs surrounding the islands are called fringing reefs, and they are particularly known for their vibrant soft coral species. Turtles and whales are also frequent visitors to the reefs surrounding the islands. The best spots for diving are in the outer islands of the Whitsundays, particularly Hook, Hayman, and Langford islands. During these live-aboard trips, which are often 2-3 days but can be longer, guests will overnight in boat cabins or a room on one of the islands (you can also travel directly to the islands and stay there). During the day, there are typically several dives as well as time for exploring the islands. Some tours also include additional activities like sailing, which is a popular activity in the Whitsundays. Live-aboards also offer the chance for night dives. These dives can give you the chance to see a lot of marine life that isn’t active the day, including many types of sharks and other large fish species. However, be aware that, although you’ll have headlights, some people find swimming in near darkness to be disorienting and unsettling. Live-aboards are generally the most expensive reef tours; expect to pay at least $500 for a two-day trip, with some tours costing significantly more. Additional Activities Beyond reef tours you’ll find a couple other things to do in Airlie, such as helicopter tours, hiking (the town is close to jungly Conway National Park), and a water park, but, in general, Airlie is famous for one thing: the gorgeous beaches, considered some of the best in Australia. In town, manmade Airlie Beach Lagoon is a pretty stretch of sand, dotted with palm trees and grassy spots perfect for picnics or relaxing. On Whitsunday Island, Whitehaven Beach is a standout in a country known for its beaches. Almost all tours to the Whitsunday Islands visit this stunner, with gleaming white sand mingling with swirls of tropical blue water. Additionally, because Airlie Beach is still a popular spot for young backpackers, there’s always something going on in the evenings at the local bars and pubs. When's the Best Time to Visit the Great Barrier Reef? The Great Barrier Reef can be visited any time of the year. However, the weather is best between June and August, when it’s Australia’s winter. During these months the water is clearest and the chance of rain is lowest. Try to avoid Queensland’s rainy season from January to March when visibility is lower, the days can be gloomy, and the chances of cyclones are highest. Stinger season, when large numbers of jellyfish come to the waters around the reef, is typically from November through May. During this time, you’ll often have to wear a stinger suit to protect yourself from jellyfish tentacles. This is not a big deal, though; the stinger suit is a lot like a wetsuit and wearing it won’t be too cumbersome or uncomfortable. It’s also important to keep in mind that, even during the height of stinger season, the chances of getting stung are still low, and your tour operator will have supplies on board to treat any stings. How Do You Get to These Bases? Cairns and Port Douglas are closest to Cairns Airport. The city of Cairns is a short drive away, and Port Douglas can be reached by frequent buses and taxis that make the one-hour drive throughout the day. Townsville is served by Townsville Airport, a few miles from the city. Airlie Beach can be reached by Proserpine Airport or Hamilton Airport. From Proserpine, there are regular bus and taxi connections to Airlie Beach. From Hamilton Airport, which is on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays, it’s a 50-minute ferry ride to Airlie. Because these are both smaller airports, flights can be less frequent and more expensive, so many people opt to drive or take a long-haul bus from Cairns or Brisbane to Airlie. Buses run daily, and the trip takes about hours from Cairns or 20 hours from Brisbane. Driving will likely get you there a few hours sooner because you won't be making as many stops as the buses. Once you get to your base, there are numerous buses and ferries to help you get around the area. Many tour companies offer hotel-pickup and drop-off on the day of your reef tour, although some charge extra for this service. How Can You Choose the Best Great Barrier Reef Tour? The Great Barrier Reef tourism market is saturated with tours, each of them claiming to be the best on the reef. Even after you’ve winnowed down your choice for a base, you’ll still have to choose between a multitude of tour operators. Ask these questions before you book a trip: What’s the Cost of the Tour? What Does That Include? For many Great Barrier Reef tours, you get what you pay for. Higher-priced tours will typically have fewer people and go to more distant parts of the reef, but it’s always smart to compare the cost of different tours with what you’ll be getting. Also make sure to ask what the price includes. Many things, like snorkel or dive gear, should be included, but you may have to pay extra for the Great Barrier Reef Tax ($6.50), extra food and beverages, seasickness pills, and photos from the day. How Many People Will Be on the Tour? How many people will you be sharing the boat and that part of the reef with? Great Barrier Reef tours typically range from 10 to over 100 people, but some especially large operators have a couple hundred people in the water at a time. Having a lot of people in the water with you can make it difficult to swim and scare away the marine life. Which Parts of the Reef Will You Visit? Tourism, development, and climate change have all taken a toll on the Great Barrier Reef, and some parts are in much better shape than others. The outer reef sites (those farthest from the coast) are often healthier, larger, and more vibrant because they see fewer tourists. Some heavily-visited reefs close to shore have suffered serious coral bleaching and death, and, unfortunately, aren’t very interesting to view. Many operators wait until the day of the tour to choose which exact sites they’ll be visiting based on the weather, but you should still be able to find out which reefs the company visits most often and where those reefs are. Additionally, if you’re prone to seasickness, you may want to visit a reef closer to shore to minimize travel time. There are numerous inner reef sites in good condition, so just make sure to do some online research on the health of the reefs after you get this information from the tour operator. How Many Other Tours Will Be There? Some of the higher-end operators have exclusive access to certain parts of the reef, while others share spots with many other tours. Ask how many other tours and people you can expect at the sites that tour will be visiting. How Many Dive Sites Will There Be? Many Great Barrier Reef tours will visit one site on the reef and spend the entire day there, while others will visit two or three sites, or even more if you’re doing an overnight tour. Some parts of the reef are large enough to justify spending an entire day at them, and you may prefer this option if you want to minimize travel time. However, if you want to see diverse parts of the reef, a tour that stops at several different places may be more enjoyable. How Long Will You Spend in the Water? The tour departure and return times may make it seem like you’re out on the water all day, but a lot of your time could be eaten up by traveling to the reef, going over safety information, getting people organized, and breaking for meals. Get specifics on how long you can expect to actually be in the water. 5 Things to Know Before You Visit the Great Barrier Reef While it’s possible to sign up for a reef tour heading out the next day, you’ll have more options and peace of mind if you book several weeks beforehand. The most popular operators can get booked well in advance, especially during Australian school holidays when Great Barrier Reef holidays are extremely popular. If you’re prone to seasickness (or think you might be), take sea sickness pills several hours before you get on the water. You can purchase medication before you leave for Australia, or you can purchase prescription or over-the-counter seasickness pills at any major pharmacy in Queensland. If you’d like pictures from your reef trip, you may want to purchase a disposable underwater camera. These are available at many tourist shops. There are also companies, mostly in Cairns, that rent underwater digital cameras by the day. Renting one costs about twice as much as buying a disposable camera, but they have higher image quality. You can also rent or buy a waterproof case for your own digital camera from many of these shops. If you don’t want to take pictures but still want some memories of what you saw in the reef, many reef companies have an employee taking pictures throughout the day. You can purchase a digital collection of these photos at the end of your trip. Always be aware of where your body is in relation to the reef. This is particularly true when you’re swimming in shallow water because the reef can be within a few inches (or less) of your kicking feet. Hitting the reef not only damages it, it can also be very painful and leave nasty cuts and bruises.

Famous Leader - Margaret Thatcher EX-Prime Minister of Great Britain Essay

Famous Leader - Margaret Thatcher EX-Prime Minister of Great Britain - Essay Example People often described Thatcher using terms such as decisive, determined, iron willed and confident. These terms typify Thatcher’s inherent leadership traits, thereby, affirming the trait theory of leadership. â€Å"Trait theory of leadership differentiates a leader from a non-leader by concentrating on the individual’s inherent characteristics and qualities† (Northouse, 2012, p. 65). Thatcher further demonstrated numerous behaviors that distinguished her from other leaders. These behaviors included a desire to lead, integrity, intelligence, job related knowledge and self confidence. Although the trait theory of leadership is a viable approach to people’s leadership attributes, the approach has certain limitations, for instance, there are no collective traits, which envisage leadership under all situations. Traits essentially foretell people’s behaviors, particularly in the context of adverse situations rather than constructive situations. Such limi tations have pushed researchers to advocate the consideration of alternative leadership theories. This paper will examine Margaret Thatcher’s leadership traits, skills and behaviors in the context of the traits theory of leadership. ... Effective leaders also have the capacity to appreciate how they can attain their objectives. Leadership traits or qualities differentiate leaders from followers. Thatcher had the aforementioned characteristics, which differentiated her as an effective leader. Some of Thatcher’s most notable leadership traits include courage and resolution, self-confidence and decisiveness. Thatcher’s courage was evidenced by her throwing herself into politics; a male dominated field in which women were not welcomed. Thatcher showed courage and resolution through her single-minded passion to fight off her opposition. Notably, Thatcher had the drive to confront her enemies. Thatcher also demonstrated exceptional conviction and confidence, which enabled her to remain in power. In the course of Thatcher’s premiership, Britain’s unemployment rates rose rapidly. However, Thatcher’s conviction allowed her to offer persuasive arguments, for instance, that a tightly-bound ec onomy would offer future benefits. The mammoth patriotic enthusiasm that followed Thatcher facilitated her persuasive tendencies. Thatcher’s conviction further exemplified her decisiveness. She did not follow multitudes but rather made her own decisions and stuck to her choices. This decisiveness is primarily notable in Thatcher’s successful repulsion of Falkland Islands by Argentina. Thatcher’s decisiveness is also evident from her introduction of an internal market to the nation’s health care sector. Thatcher was a notable champion of capitalism and free markets. Leadership Skills Thatcher had many leadership skills through which she engaged with her followers. Notably, she had transformative skills as she always engaged her followers in processes of

Economic And Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic And Management - Essay Example Elasticity is an easy way of enumerating cause and effect correlations. It is described normally as a mathematical measure of the responsiveness of one economic variable (the dependant variable) following a change in another influencing variable (the independent variable), ceteris paribus. Now we shall understand what Price Elasticity of demand (PED) is, it is the measure of responsiveness of demand for a good following an alteration in its own price. If demand is elastic, then a little transform in price will consequence in a comparatively big change in amount demanded. However, if price increases by too much and quantity demanded descends vaguely, then demand would be price inelastic. (Hubbard and O'Brien, 2008) If co-efficient of PED = 0, it means that demand is perfectly inelastic. This means that any change in price whether increase or decrease does change the quantity demanded. Hence making its demand curve a vertical line in price(x axis) to quantity(y axis) space. If co-efficient of PED is between 0 and 1, when we get values of PED between 0 and 1 than we say PED to be inelastic this means that percentage change in demand is lesser than percentage change in price. Producers know that the change in demand will be proportionately smaller than the percentage change in price. ... Producers know that the change in demand will be proportionately smaller than the percentage change in price. Therefore Demand curve will be a very steep slanting line in price(x axis) to quantity(y axis) space. If co-efficient of PED = 1, when a percentage change in price changes the percentage of quantity demanded by the same proportion the PED is said to be unitary elastic. For example a 10% rise in the price of apples causes a 10% fall in its quantity demanded. If co-efficient of PED > 1, when the value of PED exceeds 1 then demand is said to be elastic, which means that a % change in price causes the quantity demanded to change by more than proportionate. For example a 10% rise in prices of apples cause its quantity demanded to drop by 15%. (Lipsey & Chrystal, 2007; Sloman, 2006) Factors Determining Price Elasticity of Demand: Now let us take a look at the key factors that determines the PED for goods and services. They are as follows: The range of near substitutes for a product / attractiveness of the good- the more the number of substitutes of a good the more elastic would be its demand because consumers can easily turn to other alternative good. For example coke's perfect substitute is Pepsi, and therefore if coke raises its price people will turn to Pepsi instead. And the more the product is unique the more inelastic would be its demand. (Tucker, 1999; Samuelson & Nordhaus, 2001) The fee of toggling amid different products - there may be noteworthy dealings expenses caught up in changing among dissimilar goods and services. For example, mobile phone service suppliers may incorporate penalty clauses in agreements or persevere on 12-month

Infant and toddler safety at home Research Paper - 1

Infant and toddler safety at home - Research Paper Example Toddlers and infants do not seem to understand the risks that they are involved in on a daily basis (Sonna, 23). This warrants that those taking care of them need to be extra careful with them and the surroundings. Vigilant care is needed in order to ensure the overall safety of infants and toddlers. In this essay, attention will be focused on safety of toddlers and infants at home. It may be assumed by many that a toddler or an infant is at the safest place when at home (Carolyn et al, 317 – 332). The truth of this matter is that there are as many risks at home as there are anywhere else. At home, there are numerous risks that include serious injuries like falling or being hit against something causing injury, poisoning, burns and maltreatment, just to name but a few. There are various places that a toddler or an infant is unsafe (Sonna, 23). Places such as the bedroom, kitchen, living room and other common areas that a toddler can have access to can result to harm to the child. Another hazard that poses a threat to a toddler is choking. Toys that children are bought in order to keep them occupied and even obtainable and reachable items to the child are a risky. Parents and those taking care of children should ensure that they work on preventing the leading causes of harm to children like drowning, fires, falls and poisoning (Ahmann, 56). A toddler does not know that water can drown someone, nor do they know that a fire can bring burns and kill someone. It is the duty of parents and those concerned with taking care of toddlers and infants to ensure that such harm does not come to affect them. Poisoning can be in the form of medicine, like the prescriptions that are given to them. Taking care of a toddler requires one to be aware of what a toddler should take and what they should not take. Powerful medications may lead to unintended poisoning and such an accident should be prevented. Toddlers and infants should

Justification Report Part 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Justification Report Part 2 - Assignment Example Miller Park construction in Milwaukee which failed to take the equipment efficiency guidelines of OSHA seriously exceeded its deadline by one full year. Their crane collapsed killing three workers on the spot. This caused them unnecessary law suit, loss of talent, labor issues and the construction cost exceeded enormously. Miller Park projects total budget was $413.9 million. This was 28.5% higher the estimated amount due to the one year delay. The crane repair costs and compensation accounted for $100 million. OSHA has reported four potentially dangerous accidents prior to the crane fatality. But the construction company ceased to lend ears to them causing this massive loss of money and man power. Paul Brown stadium was completed in 2.5 years. Its proposed completion budget was $453 million. The project was completed within the proposed amount on the given deadline without any casualties. Construction sites being highly vulnerable places to work, the project recorded a total of 92 minor accidents, 16 of which stalled work causing delays in the building construction. But, severe implementation of strict safety measures saved them nearly $4.6 million and loss of life. The worker compensation went into speeding up the work making up for the delays. OSHA states, implementing the safety measures strictly helped the project save nearly 58% of the money set aside to handle accidents and work place injury. A common debate arouse in this comparison as to why the Millers Park project was initially assigned very little amount for construction. While both the projects involved nearly the same features, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. and Lampson International Ltd agreed to give only $322 million to the Danny’s construction company. This led to compensation in employee safety and use of age old equipments leading to massive losses. Hence, the US government fined Mitsubishi heavily than the other two companies ($240,500). This proves awareness and education

Fears Grow That Oscars' TV Allure May Be Resistible Essay

Fears Grow That Oscars' TV Allure May Be Resistible - Essay Example However, in the recent past some proponents have fronted that the popularity of the award’s ceremony has been dwindling. This argument is evident from reports, which insinuate so. For instance, in the article by Brookes Barnes and Michael Cieply, the overall assessment is that the writers are supposedly confirming the fears that the popularity of Oscars is waning away. In the proceeding part of the paper, a critical evaluation of the report provided by the two in the New York Times is given. The first analysis is on the allusion from evidence in the recent past that Oscars’ popularity is waning. The second part focuses on the imminent biases in the report by Barnes and Cieply which compromise the objectivity of the argument they front. Evidence from recent reports allude that Oscars’ popularity is waning. Barnes and Cieply (2012), in Fears Grows That Oscars’ TV Allure May Be Resistible, give written article which summarily gives the reader an overview of what has been happening. From the start, the Barnes and Cieply (2012) give like brief background on the issue. Oscars is presented from the perspective of recent reports. For instance, Nielsen ratings are quoted as having a forecast into the reducing interests in the ceremony. In so doing, the two authors provide a backing for the argument fronted. The logical expectation in every argument is that they have to be supported by empirical evidence. Giving evidence from credible sources to back up arguments confers on the arguments credibility to be accepted as empirically valid. In view of this, the article exhibits the essence of evidence in supporting empirical arguments. The report by Barnes and Cieply has obvious biases which arguably compromise its objectivity. It is also notable to highlight the biases that are imminent in the report. In as much a the tow authors have been fairly managed to front their argument without obvious biases, the argument in insisting that the popularity of Oscars

Morrisons future growth for the last few years and whats predicted for Essay

Morrisons future growth for the last few years and whats predicted for the next few years . Dalton Philips - Essay Example The Optimization Plan launched in 2006, ended up creating greater sales growth and profits higher than the market. However, more recently the December 2010 sales growth reveals only 1% increase in the sales on the occasion of Christmas which attracts far higher sales. This increase of 1% is much smaller than its rivals and point towards an alarming future of the organization (Heraldscotland, 2011). The future targets of Morrison are to expand the space of its supermarket stores up to 1.5m square feet in the coming years till January 2013. The company is spending much capital on extending its space which may be a hurdle for the future growth. The profits increased from 655m pounds in 2009 to 858m pounds in 2010 (Steiner, 2010). The profit before tax of the company has increased by 21% in 2010. The earnings per share also increased accordingly by 23% in 2010. The cash flow situation of the company is also strong if we analyze its past activities. However, the increased capital expendit ure may be questioned for the appropriateness and efficiency of such large investments. In 2009/10 the company spent 906m pounds in order to develop a new regional distribution centre and opened 45 new stores. The increased capital expenditure resulted in increased debt of the company.

Fears Grow That Oscars' TV Allure May Be Resistible Essay

Fears Grow That Oscars' TV Allure May Be Resistible - Essay Example However, in the recent past some proponents have fronted that the popularity of the award’s ceremony has been dwindling. This argument is evident from reports, which insinuate so. For instance, in the article by Brookes Barnes and Michael Cieply, the overall assessment is that the writers are supposedly confirming the fears that the popularity of Oscars is waning away. In the proceeding part of the paper, a critical evaluation of the report provided by the two in the New York Times is given. The first analysis is on the allusion from evidence in the recent past that Oscars’ popularity is waning. The second part focuses on the imminent biases in the report by Barnes and Cieply which compromise the objectivity of the argument they front. Evidence from recent reports allude that Oscars’ popularity is waning. Barnes and Cieply (2012), in Fears Grows That Oscars’ TV Allure May Be Resistible, give written article which summarily gives the reader an overview of what has been happening. From the start, the Barnes and Cieply (2012) give like brief background on the issue. Oscars is presented from the perspective of recent reports. For instance, Nielsen ratings are quoted as having a forecast into the reducing interests in the ceremony. In so doing, the two authors provide a backing for the argument fronted. The logical expectation in every argument is that they have to be supported by empirical evidence. Giving evidence from credible sources to back up arguments confers on the arguments credibility to be accepted as empirically valid. In view of this, the article exhibits the essence of evidence in supporting empirical arguments. The report by Barnes and Cieply has obvious biases which arguably compromise its objectivity. It is also notable to highlight the biases that are imminent in the report. In as much a the tow authors have been fairly managed to front their argument without obvious biases, the argument in insisting that the popularity of Oscars

Assignment and discussion forum in sociology Week 9 Part a and Part b Essay

Assignment and discussion forum in sociology Week 9 Part a and Part b - Essay Example Poverty is the immediate result of any sort of stratification, whether it is domestic or international. There have been many public and private enterprises aimed at the alleviation of poverty at the national and international level. In this respect, the contribution of micro credit envisioned by professor Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh deserves primary attention. Micro-credit aims to create economic and social development among the poor sections of the society and it is built on the awareness that â€Å"lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty† (Prof. Muhammad Yunus & Grameen Bank Awarded The Nobel Peace Prize for 2006 ). The plan of micro-credit to provide ‘loans to the poor people without any financial security’ has been beneficial not only to the people of Bangladesh but to many other poor sections of the society in other parts of the world too. Women all over the world have from this joint endeavor of Yunus and the Grameen bank as the micro-credit system has helped women empowerment and addressed, to a large extent, the question of global feminization of poverty. It has proved to be â€Å"an important liberating force in societies where women in particular have to struggle against repressive social and economic conditions† (Prof. Muhammad Yunus & Grameen Bank Awarded The Nobel Peace Prize for 2006). It is an acknowledged fact that economic growth and political democracy of a nation enhance surprisingly when women are provided equal opportunity and participation like the males. One can never think of women empowerment unless and until poverty among them is tackled. As global poverty and various social and economic problems associated with global poverty contribute to global inequality, it is high time that international organizations took effective measures to wipe out global poverty from the poor and economically backward nations. From a

SWOT Analysis of the Fashion Industry

SWOT Analysis of the Fashion Industry Conducting a SWOT analysis, that is, reviewing the strengths of an organization, its weaknesses, opportunities it can capitalize on for maximum profits, and the threats to achieving its full potential provides very invaluable information to the organization about the market and understanding the industry, as well. The analysis is used to define both the unfavorable and favorable factors and their impacts on goals of the business. The fashion industry, which is very volatile, is not an exception, it too has its own share of strengths and opportunities which once utilized by an organization can help it grow substantially and weaknesses and threats which the organization must strive to minimize to the lowest possible levels. One of the strengths of Oakley as a company in the fashion industry is the growing income levels. The growth in individual incomes increases the amount of disposable income and hence many people are able to purchase their products. Growth of sports through funding by international sponsors is also a major strength as it has led to a significant increase in the number of sportspersons who are the highest consumers of Oakley Inc products like prescription eyewear, watches, shoes and electronics. Despite the downturns, the fashion industry has continued to grow over time and is one of those industries that are far away from reaching their peak. This can be partly attributed to the ever growing population and the increase in the propensity of people to don fashion attire. With efficient management, Oakley Inc has the potential to be the leading multi-national company in the distribution of apparel, sunglasses and footwear. Oakley Inc has built a reputation and a name for itself as being a producer of high quality products and the owner of about 575 patents a figure of about 1100 trademarks. It has successfully worked on creating a large customer base and trade connections. It also has in its possession a large talent of labor which has led to the production of high quality products. This has established it as a market leader enjoying many industrial advantages over its competitors guaranteeing a higher volume of sales compared to other companies in the industry. One of the greatest weaknesses facing the company is the development of some products which do not command a large following. This leads to these products staying in the distribution outlets for a long time leading to stagnation of capital. Losses are incurred as the limited sales made are not able to meet the production costs of the product. To avert this, the company should produce a limited number of products in each line and test its appeal in the market by monitoring the quantity of sales made per unit time and then deciding whether the product is viable to the company. Another weakness in the fashion industry is infrastructural development. The development of infrastructure has been very slow thus unable to keep up the pace of growth of the sector. It is therefore, a bottleneck in the industry as it hinders efficient distribution of company products to some areas. Curving out a niche for itself in the fashion industry has not been an easy ride for Oakley Inc. Building a reputation for itself has been a major weakness as a lot of investment has had to be done in advertisements and market research to determine the best market places and consumer needs. The company has also had a hard time competing with other companies in the same industry due to the low prices attached on these companies ¿Ã‚ ½ products. To survive this, the company has had to lower its prices while ensuring that they are in balance with the returns to avoid losses. Extensive advertising campaigns on quality have also given it an edge over those companies offering their products at lower prices. Oakley, Inc has had to maintain a huge and expensive work force which is spread over an outsized ecological area and which requires constant communication and monitoring. For this to work to its advantage, extensive evaluation of the personnel is required to ensure competence and also the ability of the workers to work under minimum supervision (Montgomery pp.1-2). There are many opportunities that the company can capitalize on to reap maximum profits. Expected investment is one of the opportunities that can benefit the company. The fashion industry is ever growing, and there is an increasing number of stakeholders in the industry willing to invest fashion. The company can take this opportunity to increase its capital base so as to be able to enjoy large economies of scale. The company should monitor international barriers to trade and make a move into new areas once these barriers come down. Abolition of these barriers can also help the company acquire high quality and less costly fabrics. Development of new products and services can lead to a remarkable growth on the profits of the company. Continued introduction of new products and various designs to the market can help ensure a growth in sales. Introducing special price packages for regular buyers of Oakley products would help in retaining these customers and increasing the appeal of the business to customers. Technological advancement and investment in information technology is an opportunity that can greatly help the company to minimize its operation cost. Oakley, Inc can rely on information technology to offer more customers friendly services like informing regular customers of a new design or product. Relying on e-commerce to sell its products online can help grow its geographical market area to cover the entire globe hence higher sales. The Company should evaluate end user response to its services to gain information on what areas of its services to improve. This would go a long way in helping the organization acquire new customers as well as retain its old ones who are satisfied with the services being offered (Johnson pp.D1). The organization should also take the opportunity to expand and cover a larger geographical area. It should grow into the untapped markets and offer its products and services in these regions. Having a large customer base would increase its profits. Acquiring better supply deals, for example, a less expensive textiles supplier would greatly minimize the operation cost of the company. The company can also retain its suppliers but negotiate for better deals with the aim of increasing its profit margin. Linking up with other companies in the industry is an opportunity that should not be ruled out. Linking up with another fashion company would increase the customer volume greatly. There are many threats facing organizations in the fashion industry. Shopping for products like expensive sunglasses and footwear is greatly impacted by the global economy. A downturn in the global economy means that less people are likely to purchase these products. This leads to low income to the company during this period. To minimize the effect of this, the company should devise a mechanism of lowering its operation cost to the minimum possible levels to avert possible losses due to its operating costs exceeding income. Trade barriers are a threat to the company as it has been unable to venture into some markets due to strict market regulations. It has also hindered the company from acquiring low cost raw materials for manufacture of its products which would have increased its profit margin. Shifting trends is also a major threat to the company. A change in the fashion trend may render some of the company products useless and obsolete. The company therefore has to ensure continued development of new products to maintain its sales. Some government legislation can also be a major threat to investors in the fashion industry. Intervention by the government can come with it rules which are very costly to adhere to and also competition from unexpected quarters, for example, from multi-national fashion companies due to liberalization of the market (Leibowitz pp.22). The international sports calendar has a huge impact on the sale of Oakley products which are mainly composed of athletics products. The company should devise a mechanism of maintaining the sales even in off peak seasons. This can be achieved through having a line of brands which are not sports related. Over the next few years, huge investments are expected to be made in the fashion industry. New companies are likely to crop up and this will lead to a strain on the available labor force. This will be a limiting factor to the continued growth of the company. To prevent this, the company should start training its own fashion staff. This would in future give it an advantage over the other companies which would be experiencing a shortage of the same. The company can therefore, transform this threat into an opportunity by selling some of its staff to the other businesses for a profit. The organization also faces the threat of being vulnerable to attacks by its major competitors. It should therefore, have all the mechanisms of counteracting this in standby so that it does not fall to accusations from other fashion companies. The rising fuel prices have become a major hurdle for almost every business in the world. A huge upward surge in fuel prices can destabilize an investment. To counter this, the company should ensure that it has its own fuel reserve so that it is not immediately affected by the changes in fuel prices as it will have time to adjust while relying on its fuel reserves. With its own reserve, it can benefit from this threat by providing that much needed resource to its competitors at a large profit margin.