American Government: U S Democracy

Democracy is a system of governance whereby power vested on leaders is held by the population and leadership is through an accountable and transparent electoral system that respects the choice of the majority while listening to the views of the minority. The path to democracy has been long and vibrant with stiff obstacles that have had to be evaded or crushed in order for equality and equity to prevail under a democratic system of governance that promotes respect for individual and collective rights and freedoms.A radical shift from hereditary and monarchial leadership was necessary since this unitary holding of power vested too much privilege and power upon an individual leading to abuse due to self interest. However though democracy is perceived to exist in some regions due to a free electoral system, the process though accountable may bring about individuals who renege on their promises and completely disregard the pillars of democracy leading to a dictatorial regime that is unjus t and oppressive and does not respect the will of the masses.There are some countries that have endeavored to be a model of democracy by striving to grant all citizens an equal status and ensuring that a supreme constitution exists on which fundamental rights and freedoms are anchored. This is not to say that the democratic records of these countries are clean. For any monumental success on democracy to be achieved, society must be prevailed upon to discard certain moral and legal evils to ensure that freedom and equal opportunity thrives.On this front it is safe to say that the United States of America is a true democracy whereby all citizens and visitors coexist peacefully and all disregarding race are guaranteed equal rights and freedoms in the pursuit of their dreams and aspirations (Miroff, Seidelman, & Swanstrom 2007). The American constitution was formulated on the basis that power must always rest upon the people and so provided that all state and national representatives mu st be elected by the people through a fair and transparent election.The constitution further sought to limit the terms of office of a certain government to ensure that a regime may not abuse its authority to disregard the will of the people in order to selfishly retain power. A democracy is characterized by a view for fair representation and a prudent understanding that a separation of power is important to prevent a conflict of interest that might contravene the intentions of a true democracy.Where such separations do not exist or where those divisions are superficial, rule of law becomes geared toward promoting the will of the ruling minority and justice becomes fleeting since there usually results in a breach of the rights and freedoms of the populace. In this respect it becomes important to have three important branches of government whose mandate is clear and there exists clear guidelines on the powers vested upon each arm of government.In any democracy there should be a legisl ative arm whose mandate comes directly from the people and their primary role the formulation of law to act as a basis for unity, growth and oversight. Secondly a judicial system that is impartial and independent for the proper dispensing of justice and the protection of individual rights and freedoms. Lastly an executive is important to represent the sovereignty of a nation and lead the process of protecting the people and service provision. The United States of America has come a long way to reach democratic maturity.This process was full of radical actions by people like Martin Luther who felt that racial segregation was uncharacteristic of a democratic nation. The civil movements of the 60 have brought equality that was important to propel the nation to great social, economic, political and military dominance. Further more women lobby groups that relentlessly advocated for gender equality saw the broadening of democratic space and women have continued to reach influential politi cal and business positions and prospects are there on the possibility of a woman president in the country.Critics to this notion would need to be reminded that a few decades ago the prospect of a black president would have been unimaginable but 2008 brought a new dawn in American politics and democracy in general with the election of Obama as president. This is a result of a fair and accountable electoral system that ensures that the choice of the American people is respected. Miroff, Seidelman, & Swanstrom (2007) adds that the United States continues to ensure that individual rights and freedoms are respected and several bills have been passed by congress to ensure that .Some include the freedom of movement, information, privacy and expression. A robust security system continues to safeguard the rights of citizens to be protected from harm with strict laws enforced to protect property both tangible and intellectual. American government consists of the national federal government an d the state governments. While these states are subject to national legislation by congress, they however retain the power to make decisions that are of interest to these states on issues ranging from education, health, security and the administration of justice.National government consists of an executive, congress and the judiciary. The power of the executive is vested upon the president who may delegate such powers to the vice president and his cabinet for the smooth execution of government functions. The president is also the commander in chief of the armed forces but is also subject to consult with congress over the deployment of soldiers to wars. The executive can also enter into international treaties with approval form senate. The president is also responsible for signing bills into law and retains to an extent the power to veto certain bills.Executive power in the States is held by an elected governor who is responsible for providing leadership in the state and signing bill s into state laws. The most important arm of government is Congress which is granted several powers by the constitution. Congress however works hand in hand with the Senate but the constitution clearly spells out that congress is supreme in law making. Congress has oversight powers over the executive in issues ranging form taxes, military and security, provision of services, providing guidelines to the administration of justice among others.Lastly the last arm of government is the Judiciary whose core function is the administration of justice and the interpretation of the constitution to ensure that law passed by the legislative and executive arms of government do not contravene the constitution. There are federal courts charged with administration of federal laws and state courts subject to state laws. The highest court in the land is the Supreme Court and its decisions are binding upon all subordinate courts whether federal or state.These courts try both criminal and civil cases t o bring redress where violations occur. There have been this believes through out American politics that there is a great influence of a small minority of rich individuals in the outcome of American elections and in the way that elected leaders make their decisions. It is widely accepted that these individuals who are the core contributors in campaign funding will choose individuals whom they feel will contribute towards continuing with policies that will benefit their causes and make them wealthier.This greatly contravenes what the American constitution envisioned since it takes the power of the greater masses to decide elections since the choice of candidates in the primaries is greatly influenced by minority rich and influential individuals. Therefore Americans simply endorses one of the fronted candidate who is simply one of the two fronted by two different rich factions and the notion that Americans choose a president is jus a sham.It is my opinion therefore that we need to inc rease public funding to parties and independent candidates to counter the effect of the rich on Americas politics. It is also important that we see an entrance of more parties to give Americans more choice during elections to improve democracy. References Miroff, B. , Seidelman, R. , &Swanstrom, T. (2007). The Democratic Debate: An Introduction to American Politics. 4th. ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

The Evolution Of Leadership Example

The Evolution Of Leadership Example The Evolution Of Leadership – Coursework Example The Evolution of Leadership Leadership has been thought of as a concept or phenomenon that is not static but to change on a constant basis. Most often than not, changes in leadership takes place as a result of two main factors. First is the kind of leaders in position and second, the pressing and present needs of society at the time of leadership. It is for this reason that there have been great leaders with different leadership styles over the centuries like Napoleon, Margaret Thatcher and Kofi Annan. When there is a change in the style of leadership, we say evolution of leadership has taken place (Gardener, 2009). Specifically it can be said that the era of Napoleon was an era that was characterized by fierce territorial battles as the only way to gain national supremacy. For this reason, the kind of leadership practiced in those days was that of combative military charisma. But coming down to the days of Thatcher, much of the talk of global supremacy had turned into economic power and market force (Diole, 2011). For this reason, it was just prudent that leadership would revolve around strong economic prudence and pragmatic fiscal charisma rather than physical charisma. For this reason, much of the leadership style of Thatcher was that, which was focused on making her people become a global dominant on the economic and political front. Then came in Annan who believed so much in peace dialogue as the best way of achieving world peace and so as the United Nations Secretary General, adapted various strategies of peace talks (Gardener, 2009). To a large extent therefore, leadership has undergone evolution over the years and will continuing evolving, depending on the personality of leaders in place and the present situations that confront them.REFERENCE LISTDiole T. F (2011). Change and Leaders. Omega Press Series: LondonGardener G. D (2009). Leadership through Evolution. PrintMark Publications: Texas

Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule Essay Example

Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule Essay Example Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule Essay Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule Essay Introduction Melatonin ( N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine ) is a omnipresent molecule, synthesised chiefly in the pineal secretory organ, secondary beginnings are in the retina, the GI piece of land, tegument, bone marrow and lymphocytes.1 It was foremost characterised after its isolation from bovid pineal secretory organs and structurally identified in 1958 by Lerner et al.2 The construction of melatonin ( Fig. 1 ) explains its diverseness with respects to its maps. The two functional groups define the molecule s amphiphilitic nature and specificity of receptor binding.3 Due to melatonin being both lipid and H2O soluble, it is non confined to one cellular compartment. Exogenously added melatonin can readily go through through the blood-brain barrier and be easy distributed to all subcellular compartments, which makes this molecule really versatile.4 Melatonin has assorted maps ; it is of import as an index of clip and day of the month and is considered to be the organic structure s chronological pacemaker.1 It is besides known to be a really effectual antioxidant, has immune-enhancing belongingss, is cytoprotective, has anti-apoptotic signalling map every bit good as oncostatic properties.1 The engagement of melatonin in such a wide scope of critical maps in the organic structure makes it pharmacologically a really interesting compound, but melatonin is sold as a nutrient addendum and is non-patentable harmonizing to the US FDA as a consequence. Therefore melatonergic agonists or melatonin parallels that are patentable are of greater involvement to the pharmacological industry.5 Pharmacological and/or biological activity Overview In pinealocytes ( cells of the pineal secretory organ ) tryptophan is converted to serotonin via 5-hydroxytryptophan after which it is acetylated to organize N-acetylserotonin by arylakylamine N-acetyltransferase ( AA-NAT ) . By the action of Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase ( HIOMT ) N-Acetylserotonin can be converted to melatonin.1 Alternatively, melatonin can be formed by N-acetylation of 5-methoxytryptamine. In most articles AA-NAT is said to be the rate-limiting enzyme3,7,8, but it is suggested that HIOMT might be a rate restricting enzyme in some cases6. Melatonin biogenesis is mostly regulated by the light/dark rhythm via the suprachiasmatic karyon ( SCN ) in the hypothalamus. Specialized nerve cells in the eyes respond to visible radiation and reassign the message to the SCN. The message is transduced in a roundabout tract to the pineal secretory organ. Melatonin synthesis is triggered by darkness. Norepinephrine is secreted during nighttime and twosomes to beta-adrenergic receptors. This consequences in camp formation and finally stimulation of arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase ( AA-NAT ) .7 Extrapineal melatonin is non regulated by circadian beat, nevertheless and it is hypothesised that it is produced as a agency of protection in response to certain stressors, eg. Ultraviolet radiation, pollutants, infections etc. that may ensue in oxidative emphasis or inflammation.6 Go arounding melatonin is chiefly metabolised by cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP1A2, CYP1A1 and CYP2C19 in the liver or CYP1B1 at extrahepatic sites.6 Resulting 6-hydroxymelatonin by CYP1A, CYP1A2 or CYP1B1 can be conjugated with sulphate ( and glucoronide to a lesser extent ) to organize a more hydrophilic compound, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin ( aMT6S ) , which can be excreted in piss by the kidney.1 CYP2C19 or CYP1A2 are cytochromes involved in the demethylation of melatonin to N-acetylserotonin. 6-Hydroxymelatonin is non merely formed through enzymatic agencies as stated above, but besides through the interaction of melatonin with reactive O species ( ROS ) and reactive N species ( RNS ) .6 Melatonin has the ability to neutralize free groups, ROS and RNS every bit good as stimulate antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) , catalase ( CAT ) , glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-Px ) and glutathione reductase ( GSH-Rd ) .4,9 Other metabolites of melatonin include 2-hydroxymelatonin, which is postulated to be a merchandise of melatonin s reaction with ROS/RNS,6 every bit good as cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin ( C3-OHM ) , N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine ( AFMK ) and N-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine ( AMK ) . The parent endocrine, melatonin, and its metabolites are of import in protecting cells from harm by free groups and reactive O and reactive N species. Melatonin metamorphosis by cytochrome P450 enzymes Pineal melatonin is metabolized to 6-hydroxymelatonin chiefly and it was found that CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1 and CYP2C19 are the enzymes responsible for the production of this metabolite.1,6,10 Melatonin can besides be converted into N-acetylserotonin which is besides a precursor for its synthesis ( fig.1 ) 1. Both 6-hydroxymelatonin and N-acetylserotonin can be excreted in the piss after junction with sulfate and/or glucoronide. A survey conducted by Facciola et Al. ( 2001 ) 11 determined CYP1A2 to be the chief cytochrome P450 enzyme responsible for 6-hydroxylation of melatonin. In a survey that was conducted by Ma et Al. ( 2005 ) 10, melatonin 6-hydroxylation and O-demethylation rates were measured to measure the possible function of 11 cDNA-expressed human cytochrome P450 enzymes in melatonin metamorphosis ( figure 2 ) 10. It was found that 6-hydroxylation was chiefly carried out by CYP1A2, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 and to a lesser extent CYP2C19 ( fig.2 A ) wherease O-demethylation occurred about chiefly due to the action of CYP2C19 and to a minimal grade by CYP1A2 ( fig.2 B ) . Inhibitory action of melatonin on human cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 In a recent survey by Chang et Al. ( 2010 ) 12 the hypothesis that melatonin inhibits catalytic activity of CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 along with CYP2A6 was tested, along with its consequence on the change of human CYP1 cistron look and on the activity of the human aryl hydrocarbon receptor ( AhR ) . A important consequence could turn out utile during malignant neoplastic disease therapy since these enzymes were found to be procarcinogen-bioactivating enzymes of benzo [ a ] pyrene or 7,12-dimethyl-benz [ a ] anthracene. Inhibition of look or decrease in catalytic activity of these cytochrome P450 isozymes may cut down the production of carcinogenic metabolites from these substrates. As described in the old subdivision, melatonin is metabolised by CYPs 1A1, 1A2 and 1B1. Therefore, its repressive consequence may be due to it viing with the procarcinogenic substrate for the enzymes active sites, although the exact mechanism of suppression is ill-defined. The survey mentioned that endogenous melatonin does non exercise repressive effects and resultingly a pharmacological potency in developing parallels of melatonin that could potentially suppress these enzymes and prevent CYP1 mediated carcinogenesis is created.12 Activity of melatonin with AhR and melatonin s consequence on CYP1 cistron look was found to be undistinguished. Fluvoxamine and melatonin Fluvoxamine ( FLU ) , an antidepressant, was found to increase serum melatonin degrees and a survey was conducted by von Bahr et Al. ( 2000 ) 13 to find whether citalopram ( CIT ) besides affects these degrees. The article concluded that CIT in fact does non hold the same consequence as FLU does. It did nevertheless set up a clear relationship between the degrees of melatonin and concentrations of FLU in the plasma of the subjects.13 FLU is an inhibitor of CYP1A2 and CYP2C19 and thereby prevents these enzymes from metabolizing melatonin into its metabolites ; resultantly an addition in the degrees of serum melatonin was witnessed. Melatonin as a free extremist scavenger and antioxidant Melatonin and its metabolites have the possible to move as free extremist scavengers and can neutralize reactive O species ( ROS ) and reactive N species ( RNS ) every bit good as up-regulate antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) , catalase ( CAT ) , glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-Px ) and glutathione reductase ( GSH-Rd ) .4 The free extremist dioxide ( O2- ) can be generated due to cellular respiration, due to environmental factors or oxidative explosion of macrophages. The toxicity of the O2- is considered to be low 9 but if it reacts with azotic oxide ( NO ) it can bring forth ONOO- capable of making molecular harm. SOD converts dioxide to hydrogen peroxide ( H2O2 ) which is non genuinely a free group, but if non catabolised to organize H2O and O2 via CAT or to H2O via GSH-Px, can be metabolised to the highly toxic hydroxyl extremist ( OH ) . As can be seen in the figure, this free group can bring on DNA harm, lipid peroxidation or make harm to proteins. Melatonin can be converted into a metabolite cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin when it reacts with two hydroxyl groups, which has been found to be excreted in the urine.1,9 An AFMK tract ( figure 5 ) 1 besides exists that is evident capable of scavenging up to 10 ROS/RNS.6 AFMK and AMK are powerful free extremist scavengers and defenders against oxidative emphasis, but besides has anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects by suppressing tumour mortification factor-alpha ( TNFa ) and interleukin-8 formation ( IL-8 ) and synthesis of prostaglandins.6 The chief metabolite of melatonin, 6-hydroxymelatonin, can besides be generated in melatonin s reaction with ROS/RNS, every bit good as another melatonin metabolite, 2-hydroxymelatonin.6 Melatonin and its chronobiotic effects Melatonin is a major regulator of the circadian beat and acts via the suprachiasmatic karyon ( SCN ) in the hypothalamus. Melatonin acts through MT1 and MT2 receptors in the SCN and MT1 is associated with repressive effects of electrical activity in SCN nerve cells, whereas melatonin s actions on MT2 are involved with the ordinance of the circadian rhythm.5 Melatonin synthesis extremums during the dark stage and is inhibited by visible radiation. Exogenous melatonin disposal at certain clip periods consequences in displacements in the circadian beat. It is hence considered to be utile in the intervention of jet slowdown and in publicity of reposeful slumber, although melatonin is likely non a direct hypnotic.7 Decision Melatonin is a compound with so many diverse maps in the organic structure, for illustration its regulative function in circadian beat, antioxidant and oncostatic belongingss. This compound is of pharmacological significance, but is besides sold amp ; lsquo ; over the counter A ; rsquo ; as a nutrient addendum and is resultantly non patentable. This restricts pharmacological involvement to a certain extent, although the development of melatonin parallels that are more efficient in its capableness to exercise these maps, for illustration increased half life with retension of consequence, may be of important value for research workers and the pharmaceutical industry. Melatonin is besides involved in the protection against neurodegenerative diseases, depression and immune map. There is no uncertainty as to how of import melatonin is with respects to physiological operation is in populating beings. It is critical for our perceptual experience of clip and day of the month and is protects us from risky environmental agents every bit good as from ourselves ( eg, the free groups produced via natural O metamorphosis with which we can non be without ) . More research into the mechanisms by which melatonin exerts its antioxidant effects and how extrapineal melatonin can be induced or inhibited every bit good as drug-drug interactions would be of great benefit when developing curative schemes in the combat of diseases, such as Alzheimer s Disease, Parkinson s Disease, insomnia, diseases of the immune system, malignant neoplastic disease and many more. Mentions Pandi-Perumal et Al. Melatonin: Nature s most various biological signal Lerner A.B. , Case J.D. , Takahashi Y ( 1958 ) Isolation of melatonin, a pineal factor that lightens melanocytes. J.Am.Chem.Soc. 80: 2587 Hardeland R. , Pandi-Perumal S.R. , Cardinali D.P. ( 2006 ) Molecules in focal point: Melatonin. The International Journal of Biochemistry A ; Cell Biology 38: 313-316 Reiter R.J. ( 1995 ) Oxidative Procedures and Antioxidative defence mechanisms in the aging encephalon. FASEB J. 9: 526-533 Pandi-Perumal S.R. , Srinivasan V. , Poeggeler B. , Hardeland R. ( 2007 ) Drug penetration: usage of melatonergic agonists for intervention of insomnia focal point on ramelteon. Nature Clinical Practice Tan et. Al ( 2007 ) One molecule, many derived functions: A ceaseless interaction of melatonin with reactive O and N species Reiter R.J. ( 2003 ) Melatonin: clinical relevancy Best Practice A ; Research Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism Vol. 17, No.2. pp. 273-285 Claustrat et. Al ( 2005 ) The basic physiology and pathophysiology of melatonin Sleep Medicine Reviews 9: 11-24 Reiter R.J. et Al ( 2000 ) Actions of Melatonin in the Reduction of Oxidative Stress. J.Biomed.Sci 7: 444-458 Ma. et Al ( 2005 ) Metamorphosis of melatonin by human cytochromes P450 DMD 33: 489-494 Facciola et. Al ( 2001 ) Cytochrome P450 isoforms involved in melatonin metamorphosis in humanliver microsomes Eur J Clin Pharmacol 56: 881-888 Chang et Al. ( 2010 ) Inhibition of procarcinogen-bioactivating human CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 enzymes by melatonin J. Pineal Res. 48: 55-64 von Bahr et Al. ( 2000 ) Fluvoxamine but non citalopram additions serum melatonin in healthy topics an indicant that cytochrome P450 CYP1A2 and CYP2C19 hydroxylate melatonin

Full Review Stanford Online High School

Full Review Stanford Online High School SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're reading this article, you've probably heard of Stanford Online High School, but you may not know that much about it. In this guide, you'll find information on what Stanford Online High School is, who it's meant for, and some of the pros and cons of attending. What Is Stanford Online High School? Stanford Online High School, or Stanford OHS (formerly Education Program for Gifted Youth Online High School at Stanford University, or EPGY OHS) is an accredited, independent school for students seventh through twelfth grade, founded by Stanford University. As its previous name suggests, its target audience is gifted youth- those who excel far beyond what their local schools can offer. The curriculum is extremely rigorous in keeping with that mission: the school offers a high number of accelerated, AP, and university-level courses. There are approximately 650 students, 44% of whom attend full-time.The intention is that students will attend at least four years, though there are exceptions to the rule. The price tag is nothing to scoff at: $19,950 for full-time enrollment. The teaching is, by all accounts, top-notch: over two-thirds of Stanford OHS teachers have doctoral degrees, and many of them formerly taught as university professors. Classes are available to students around the globe and are conducted online, in a virtual classroom, in real time. It's a little like a group Skype session, only with more features (like electronically raising hands). You can see and hear the teacher, and you turn your own mic and video on when it's your turn to address the class. You can also message the other students in the classroom as you go. Stanford OHS offers academic advising, counseling, and college counseling to its students. There's also a number of other features presented either online or in-person. Certain academic clubs and extracurricular activities are conducted over the web, like the Ethics Bowl and the Tolkien C.S. Lewis Club. Students are also encouraged to make use of the activities offered locally to them, ranging from club sports to in-person meet-upswith otherstudents attending Stanford OHS. There's even an optional two-week, in-person session at the campus of Stanford over the summer. Students may, as I mentioned before, take classes at Stanford OHS full-time, or they can take classes part-time or on a single-course basis. In this article, we're mostly going to look at full-time students who expect to graduate with a Stanford OHS diploma. And "full-time" here meansvery full-time. More on that below. Who Is Stanford Online High School For? According to the Stanford OHS website, the school seeks "intellectually curious and motivated students with a record of achievement inside and outside the classroom." That's all well and good, but it's pretty vague- let's take a look at what that means in a practical sense. To accept or reject an applicant, Stanford OHS looks at a student's transcript, test results, teacher recommendations, work samples, and personal essays, as well as parent questionnaires. In other words, it's almost like a college application, and the school is looking for the same qualities that colleges are: the desire, motivation, and skills necessary to excel in advanced academics while also maintainingwell-balanced personal development. That being said, that acceptance rate was 70% as recently as 20, according to the New York Times' website- perhaps the result of the schoolnot yet being very well known. Stanford OHS's excellent track record is a testament to the caliber of students it attracts. That excellent track record involves a 2175 mean SAT score and a 32.5 mean ACT score for the class of 2015 (a mere 49 students). Not to mention, 89% of students who took AP courses passedthose courses with a 4 or 5. In other words, Stanford OHS caters to students who are willing and ready to put in the work it take to see results. Students attend Stanford OHS for a variety of reasons. For some, their living situation makes it difficult or impossible to attend a brick-and-mortar high school (one student on the website mentioned living in a houseboat in the middle of the ocean). Others have alocal high school that is not a good fit- perhaps they experience bullying or other social problems. For many, it's a matter of seeking the extreme rigor that Stanford OHS provides. For students whowant a real challenge, Stanford OHS may be the answer. What's It Like to Attend Stanford Online High School? Every student at Stanford OHS adheres to a slightly different schedule. Classes are seminar-style, with groups of roughly 15 students meeting twice a week for 75 minutes. There are a few exceptions to this rule; languages, for instance, meet three times a week. Courses are offered anywhere from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Pacific time, and there's no class on Fridays. The gist of the number of hours of academic work required of students is relatively stable. High school students take, on average, five classes, each requiring eight to ten hours of time a week between attending class, watching recorded lectures, and doing several hours of reading and writing assignments. The average student is expected to put in 40-50 hours of work a week. There are also things like assemblies and homeroom to attend, though these do not add significantly to the workload. All classes are conducted online, as mentioned earlier, and students need to find approved proctors to oversee their testing in person. Some students report that this online experience makes it difficult to get time to chat with classmates outside of school activities, though the hope is that students will get more deeply involved in their own communities to resolve this social deficit. Who has time for forming human friendships when you're doing 50 hours of schoolwork a week? Pros of Stanford OHS Stanford OHS, by all accounts, does an excellent job of preparing already-stellar students for college. Remember the test results I quote earlier? They're not a fluke. Classes are designed to recreate college as nearly as possible, and they cover some very advanced topics. The school is flexible for those who live around the globe or who are farfrom a school with rigorous academic options. If you're living in the middle of the woods, that's fine, as long as you have internet access. The school provides a platform for high-performing students to gather and feed off each other's skills and inspiration. "By far one of the most important aspects of OHS," says an anonymous reviewer on quora.com, "is- other OHSers! If you're the smartest one in the room, you need tofind another room. OHS is an awesome answer to that call..." The school is well-loved by attendees, earning ratings of 4.9 out of 5 on multipleschool-rating websites for parents and students. Cons of Stanford OHS At $19,950 a year, full-time tuition is prohibitive for many students. At $4,150 a year, even single-course tuition can be out of reach. (About 15% of students do receive financial aid.) Additionally, despite the school's best efforts to make sure students get appropriate social interaction, this doesn't change the fact that students are dedicating roughly50 hours a week to school and only ever interacting with classmates online. The same anonymous reviewer quoted above says, "My impression is that useful and deep social interaction at OHS is pretty difficult for many (maybe most) students," and, "My impression is that not enough OHSers (me included, last year) get outside or exercise or interact socially..." Also, Stanford OHS is currently a school with low visibility and low recognition. One student expressed that many college admission officers were skeptical at first, though it also turns out that this point was a good conversation-starter. Finally, courses are extremely rigorous which can add a lot to a student's stress level. In many ways, attending Stanford OHS islike starting college early.That's a great way to be prepared, but you also lose the days of your high school experience, and that only comes around once. Is Stanford Online High School Right for You? Stanford OHS is a great option if you are unable to attend a brick-and-mortar high school for reasons ranging from your living arrangements to the difficulty of navigating the peculiar social world of your local school. It can also be agreat optionif you want anunusually rigorous experience to prepare you for the demands of college. If IB and AP don't sound like enough, Stanford OHS may be the way to go. That being said, you need to have a good session of soul-searching before you apply to Stanford OHS. Ask yourself some tough questions.First, can you afford the high tuition costs? Are you going to become socially isolated without daily in-person interaction with classmates? Are you, quite honestly, disciplined enough to deal with the relative flexibility of a Stanford OHS schedule and the lack of constant supervision? Are you earnestly excited by the prospect of Stanford OHS, despite the cons discussed above? Really think about your answers before you begin the process of applying. Stanford OHS is a great path to learning, but it's not the only one. Find what's right for you. Conclusion Stanford OHS is a rigorous independent school with a number of great features. By all accounts, it does an excellent job of preparing outstanding students for topuniversities around the world. That being said, there are some downsides, including the cost, the possibility of social isolation, and the stress of taking on so much so soon. Stanford OHS is an excellent option for students who are fully committed to getting everything possible from their academic careers (and who have already proventhemselves to be academically gifted). It's less ideal for students who enjoy the full experience of socializing with classmates in the halls, playing school sports, and enjoyinga few last years at a relatively slower pace before the pressures of adulthood take full hold. What's Next? If you're pondering whether online high school is the right option for you, read our article on that very topic. If you're going for an IB education, you may also want to read about the possibility of taking IB classes online. On the other hand, if you're going the AP route, we've got information on taking AP classes online. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The Marketing Challenge Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Marketing Challenge - Assignment Example Carrying out marketing planning and operations strategies assist the marketing managers of GM to be innovative, challenge, authenticate their decisions and benchmark their organization so as to create operational marketing activities and compete effectively with other competitors in the market. Strategic marketing operations equip the marketing managers with operational intelligence that assist in making tactical and strategic decisions. The report comprises of marketing audit, marketing planning and marketing mix that should be adopted by any marketing executive. Contents Executive summary 2 Marketing Audit 5 Marketing plan 7 P.E.S.TE.L ANALYSIS 11 Marketing mix- The 4Ps 11 Business lifecycle 13 B.C.G Matrix 13 Conclusion 13 Reference list 15 Introduction The increase in gas and oil prices, continuous decline of mortgage/housing/credit sectors and the reduced consumer confidence for the last few years have greatly reduced the volume of sales of the automobile industry. This has left the strategic planners of several leading companies in dilemma on how to increase the sales and win the customer confidence. In today’s complex marketing environment, true strategic marketing managers should be equipped with expertise to capture critical messages that are sent by very essential yet mostly non-controllable external factors in the market and continuously using information as a way of changing the essential controllable internal factors of the business to effectively and strategically position the company towards achieving its objective (Solis, 2012). Furthermore, identifying external threats and opportunities by firms could put managers in a position of controlling these factors. Careful analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats will enable managers to position their organization for future success. In order to meet the change in market, shift in liestyles, shift in customer loyalty of GM, I recommend the following strategies to be implement ed by the newly appointed manager in the GM company. Identify what competitive position GM MOTORSÂ   Before doing anything as a newly appointed marketing manager, he should identify what kind of competitive advantages that the company has. For instance how competitive is the company as compared to other competitors in the same market? Is it a market leader or price setter? The manager has to come up with competitive strategies to outdo other companies like Toyota which have designed gas electric vehicle. Marketing Audit This is the process of analyzing and evaluating marketing activities, approach, aims and results of a firm. The process help GM marketing manager to determine new neglected or unknown markets focus their right messages to intended customers and to refine their plans and strategies to assist in increasing market share. In order to carryout effective market audit, the following processes should be adopted by the manager. 1. Assemble of the overall overview of GM compa ny The newly appointed manager has to understand the overall overview of the company may include the location of the company, sales history, date of establishment, key personnel, number of employees, and company’s chronology of events like divestitures, mergers and acquisitions. He should also know the history of the company since its inception 2. Describe the marketing goals and objectives

The history and importance of swimming Research Proposal

The history and importance of swimming - Research Proposal Example Swimming evolution throughout time reflects a spirit of creative and significant renewal from the technical and sportive points of view. Everything changes in life so it is not unusual that swimming has undergone many changes along the passage of time. Nevertheless, these changes haven’t affected the benefits that anybody can experience with the practice of swimming. To have a clearer idea of those changes it is helpful to study the history of swimming.Swimming have been practiced since prehistoric times. There are accounts of this activity in the Bible (Isaiah 25:11; Ezekiel 47:5; Acts 25:42) and the Greek poems â€Å"The Iliad† and â€Å"The Odyssey† by Homer. There have been found â€Å"Egyptian clay seals from 4000 BC showing four swimmers doing a version of the crawl (Weil, 1996-2008a). But â€Å"the most famous swimming drawings were apparently found in the Kebir desert† (Weil, 1996-2008a). They are dated around 4000 BC. These facts show that swimmi ng has been around since ancient times.Some archeological findings have discovered mosaics and drags from early Middle Easter cities and Pompeii that show men swimming with the dog stroke. Even though the ancient Olympic Games didn’t include swimming, â€Å"the Greeks practiced the sport, holding it in high regard, as they did all athletic endeavors. In fact, one of the most biting insults one Greek could unleash on another was to discuss him as a man who "neither knew how to run nor swim." Plato considered a man who didn't know how to swim uneducated. (†¦) ) There are frequent representations of swimmers in the Vatican, Borgian and Bourbon codices, and the murals of the Tepantitla House at Teotihuacan (near Mexico City) showed men splashing about the waters of "Tlalocan," paradise of Tlaloc, the god of water. () Both Julius Caesar and Charlemagne were known as great swimmers, and Louis XI frequently took swims in the Seine (USS Swim Fact Pact, n.d.). The Encyclopedia of Tradicional British Rural Sports contains books related to swimming from the Middle Ages. Some scholars believe that the first book about swimming was Colymbetes authored by Nicolas Wynman in 1538. The widely-recognized book entitled De Arte Nantandi by Everard Digby was published in Latin in 1587. That encyclopeidia records the fact that swimming was a requisite for knights and that Romans were used to building bathhouses and pools as they conquered new lands in order to use them as social clubs and exercise places (Weil, 1996-2008a). Moreover, organized swimming had its beginning in the 1800s and 1990s when swimming associations and clubs were founded. The Amateur Swimming Association was established in 1886. So these kinds of clubs spread in England, France, Germany, and the United States. Some North American Indians (Flying Gull and Tobacco) invited to participate in the Swimming Society in England had a strong impact on Londoners due to their innovative swimming technique. But their technique was not copied at that time. After 40 years the Europeans adopted it and revolutionized the world of swimming with the newly-born crawl. Indeed, the crawl was not new at all since the old inhabitants of the Ameritas, West Africa and some Pacific islands were used to swimming that way for generations (USS Swim Fact Pact, n.d.) Another cause for the growing popularity of swimming was the high-profile events that took place during that period such as the feat accomplished by Matthew Webb when he swam across the English Channel (Weil, 1996-2008). "On August 24, 1875, Captain Matthew Webb slipped into the water at Dover, England, and 21 hours and 45 minutes later touched land at Cape Gris Nez, France, becoming the first man to conquer the English Channel. Relying mainly on the breaststroke, he swam some 38 miles in covering a straightline distance of about 20 miles. It wasn't an uneventful trip. Along the way, Captain Webb sang, sipped coffee and beer, ate steaks, was stung by a jellyfish and had to fight his way through a nasty

No Child Left Behind Policy Making Process in Florida Research Paper

No Child Left Behind Policy Making Process in Florida - Research Paper Example Other analysts pose the question of whether it is justifiable to punish the schools that do not conform to the standards of the policy, and if the policy has contributed positively towards minimizing the gaps between the rich and poor in terms of accessing proper education. However, the policy has also been implemented in Florida State following the procedure of setting the agenda, decision making, implementation and evaluation of the policy. This is line to Shafritz, Russell & Borrick’s (2011) argument that indicates for all policies to be formulated, it is compulsory that the concerned stakeholders adhere to the process of policy making. Agenda setting The main agenda behind creation of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ policy in Florida was to come up with standards that would allow creation of a curriculum that would direct learners towards having a system that would make them useful even after their education, in terms of joining institutions of higher learning or w hile selecting their careers. Shafritz, Russell & Borrick’s (2011) indicate that setting the agenda cannot be alienated from creation and implementation of policies in the educational sector. The concerned stakeholders were concerned with ensuring that all American children are directed towards proficiency in terms of education, as well as attaining the basics of education that would be useful in the future careers. Decision making In the policy making process, decision making entails coming up with the most appropriate solution towards making the right decision from the proposed recommendations by the concerned parties. In the case of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ policy in Florida, various debates came up both for the policy and against the policy. Some analysts and researchers argued that the conditions in the policy would simply regarded as a fallacy, while on the other hand, another group of individuals in the policy making process argued that the policy would be a success if only the terms and conditions would be adhered. In the long run, the group of stakeholders came to a conclusion that the basics of the policy would be beneficial to the American children, and undertook a move to implement the same. Implementation process In an attempt to put the policy in practice, there was need for government intervention in the entire process. On February 2012, Obama’s ruling came up with a decree that declared that all states inclusive of Florida were to embrace all the aspects of improvement of education by raising the standards of education being offered in schools as well as increase the effectiveness of teachers in the entire educational system. In this case, it is warranted to argue that implementation process is inevitable in the policy making process. In the state of Florida, it was required that all the educationists undertake moves of ensuring that student achievement is on the forefront, though it would be extremely difficult to ensure that complete proficiency in the learners. Additionally, it was required that the school systems in Florida embrace accountable systems of performance in schools so as to differentiate between high performers and low performers. In the case of