Virtual Banks

Introduction Continuous innovation in technology has altered the way in which business is conducted in each industry. This is especially true for that of financial services or banking. The banking world has evolved tremendously since its inception with most recent trend being towards the development of an online platform. Most Institutions currently offer financial solutions via branches as well as over the Internet. The appeal of online activity has in turn led emergence of online only or â€Å"virtual† banks. Virtual Banks DefinedA virtual bank is one that exists online only in which nearly all financial transactions are conducted over the Internet. The differentiating factor for online banks is the absence of physical branches and ATMs. Also referred to as direct banks, these entities offer identical products and services to its compared to traditional â€Å"brick and mortar† institutions. This includes opening checking and high interest savings accounts with which b ill payments, transfers, deposits and withdrawals can be made. Client’s can access money via partner ATMs or attain cash back at point of sale at certain merchants.Deposits are made directly, by mailing a check, and partner ATMs. Moreover, investments, lending products and professional advice can be acquired through the respective website. Furthermore, most virtual banks are insured by the FDIC (Federal Depository Insurance Corporation). Brief History Banks began to move online with the commercialization of the Internet in the 1990s. Traditional brick and mortar banks were seeking ways to reduce costs simultaneously providing quality products and services. The solution was discovered by the development of an online system.Considering the success of the launch of online banking, institutions began to expand their online presence through website innovation and improvements as well as by diversifying their online product and services offerings. Following the establishment of an easily accessible and profitable online banking structure, virtual online only banks emerged. These entities were successful in overhead cost reduction having only to support the costs of a single online computer network rather than those of operating physical branches and ATMs. This enabled the provision of higher returns to their clients.The first fully functional direct bank insured by the FDIC was the Security First Network Bank, based in Atlanta, It began operations on October 18, 1995 and was eventually bought out despite having been the first to prove the viability of virtual banks. Competition The rise of online only banks has stimulated further competition within the financial industry. These institutions face heavy competition from traditional counterparts who excel in both online and personal customer service experience. Each provides respective benefits and drawbacks however; clients may choose to utilize both options and make transfers between the two.Major Players Ther e are several major players within the virtual banking segment of the financial services industry. INGDirect, is currently ranked first amongst competitors. HSBCDirect follows ranked second. Others include: Ally Bank, Banco Best, Discover Bank, First Direct etc. Use Amongst Canadians: Some Statistics Online banking is experiencing continuous and rapid growth. It has become the most popular means of conducting financial transactions. According to the Canadian Bankers Association, more than half of Canadians have used online banking within the last year.Its use is increasing amongst all age groups as the ease and convenience of these innovations is valued. ? 47 per cent of Canadians now use the Internet as their main means of banking, up from only eight per cent 12 years ago. ? 53 per cent of young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 say online is their main way of banking as do 45 per cent of those 55 or older. ? 41 per cent of Canadians report that their use of online banking ha s increased, while only four per cent say it is on the decline. (According to the Canadian Bankers Association) Benefits vs.Drawbacks of Virtual Banks Online banking websites are widely used in today’s society. The way in which individuals conduct transactions is dependent on accessibility and time constraints. One must also consider desired return and the importance of lower interest rates. Customers must weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each option using these criteria when choosing between a traditional branch system and an online only bank. There are both advantages and disadvantages in respect to virtual banks Advantages There are several benefits to using an online only bank.These include convenience, higher returns, ease of use and environmental friendliness. A. Convenience Online only banks are convenient for those subject to time constraints such as working long hours, attending school and caring for a family. Most branches are limited to open hours of between 8 a m and 5 pm, and are closed on weekends. These conflict with the work and school hours of many people. For this reason, numerous individuals are unable conduct their required banking transactions at a branch. Moreover, branches may be difficult to reach for the elderly and physically impaired.Virtual banks solve these issues by being accessible and operable 24hours a day, 7 days a week. Further, with the development of smart phone applications, Virtual banks have become even more advantageous in terms of convenience and accessibility. With the creation of a bank application the customer can easily access his bank account balance with a touch on his phone. B. Higher Returns and Lower Transaction Fees Customers can benefit from competitive rates by bringing their business to virtual banks. Lower rates are offered on loans as well as higher returns on savings accounts and investments.Direct banks can afford to provide their customers with these advantages due to the reduction of overhea d costs caused by the elimination of branches and ATMs. These institutions spend significantly less on human resources and equipment than do traditional banks. In addition to competitive rates, virtual banks do not charge fees for financial transactions. A client may conduct an unlimited number of transfers, bill payments, deposits and withdrawals free of charge creating big savings for customers in turn. Compared to traditional banks, customers will pay less for more. C. Ease of UseThe ease of use of virtual banking products and services is another major benefit. This is facilitated by the clarity, design and value added features of the respective bank’s website. Opening an account can be easily done on the institutions’ website submitting all required documentation over the net. The steps for each desired transaction are included and help is provided upon request. Once familiar with the internet and website navigation, virtual banks are extremely easy to use. D. Envi ronmentally Friendly Finally, Online-only banks prove to be an eco friendly alternative to traditional institutions.Paper waste is almost entirely eliminated as all required documents are directly uploaded and submitted through the respective bank’s website. There is no longer the need for transportation lower fuel emitted by vehicles. Also, the elimination of branches and ATMs decrease requirements for technological equipment and thus lower energy consumption. Disadvantages Although the technological advancements of virtual banks have created much needed solutions for today’s banking industry, some of its benefits are offset by several drawbacks.These include; the lack of a personal experience, transaction problems, service issues, the learning curve and online security. A. Face-to-Face Banking Relationship Virtual banks eliminate the face-to-face relationship that is created in the traditional banking environment. Building a relationship with bank representatives suc h as account managers, loan officers or tellers facilitate the process in which customers fulfill banking needs and are important to many people. Bank representatives resolve issues such as changing terms in their banking agreements or reversing undeserved fees.As well, these representatives get to know their clients better, and are able to tailor the banking services to their unique needs and personal circumstances. B. Transaction problems Complex transactions or errors may require direct and timely assistance from bank representatives. A traditional bank can be called for support or a visit to the branch can quickly solve the issue at hand. Customers of virtual banks do not have the option of attaining timely aid, as this requires waiting on the phone for a representative in hopes of solving the issue at hand.C. Service Issues Another disadvantage stems from the lack of human resources amongst virtual banks. Regardless of accessibility, certain transactions may require signatures or stamps from a financial institution in order to be processed. These are transactions, which cannot be processed through a virtual bank. As well, traditional banks thrive on the provision of excellent customer service. This is a major factor in customer loyalty and retention as well the acquisition of new long-term client relationships.Virtual banks cannot compete on this matter as only standard services are provided to all clients equally over an impersonal online venue. D. Learning Curve Most of the individuals who visit a branch regularly will find the transition to virtual banks quite complex at first. This is due to the fact that virtual banking pages can be hard to navigate and might be complicated for those who are unfamiliar with the virtual bank page or the Internet in general. Consequently, time may be required for traditional bank users to adjust to this technologically advanced service.E. Online Security As a technological society, security has become a primary concern to all Internet users across the globe. Issues ranging from fraud to identity theft decrease consumer confidence in the Internet driven services offered in today’s economy. Virtual banks are governed by the same laws and regulations implemented by the FDIC within the traditional banking sector. Online banking accounts can be subject to hackers, phishing or malware that may disrupt processes or allow the processing of unauthorized activities within these accounts.Traditional banks offer solutions such as scanned copies of cleared checks to its clients in order to prevent fraud. Virtual banks cannot offer substantial record keeping measures as such to identify and prevent such interferences. Implementation of Virtual Banks in Canadian Banking System Given the advantages that online banks provide, it is widely believed that most of retail banking operations will be done through electronic means in the near future. Does that necessarily cause established banks in Canada to look outdated and force them to go out of business?In our point of view, those banks will remain the major players in the future and the only change that we believe is going to take place is the adaptation of these banks to changes in technology and emergence trends. Let’s recall the introduction of access cards in the banking system. Though this introduction brought a large amount of advantages with it, it was still confronted with considerable resistance. Today, we are to some extent in the same position. The trend of virtual banks is inevitably coming, but it also brings disadvantages into play, as previously discussed.Since it takes time for people to get comfortable with new innovations, banks can establish a plan with short and long term goals to accommodate the changes in the industry. We believe the plan below will help modernize the big banks in Canada towards the trend of Direct Banking. †¢ Create a parallel direct bank for the sole purpose of virtual banking Our fi rst suggested step is the creation of a banking line that solely operates online similar typical virtual banks. Customers are expected to move their funds from conventional accounts to the online-only accounts because of their convenience and advantages.The cost of maintaining such virtual accounts is considerably lower; hence banks can offer competitive rates as a tangible incentive for customers to switch to direct banking. †¢ Increase the number of ATM machines Banks should make it more convenient for their customers to access and deposit cash without having to go to a teller. ATM machines should be more available to stakeholders; either through direct investment of the bank or through outsourcing to one of the established ATM Machine providers operating in Canada.This was the strategy of American Direct Banks to ameliorate their service and attract even more customers. After all convenience is a key aspect clients look for when it comes to their banking choice. †¢ Redu ce the number of branches In order to meet required profit margins, and given the incurred expenses caused by the additional benefits they will be offering (more competitive rates), banks are expected to cut their costs. Since operations will take place in a virtual environment, brick and mortar branches will become less necessary.Banks at that point can start merging their branches and close-down others. Downsizing of some locations could also be an option. For the above plan to be successful, it is essential to monitor the change in consumer preferences and implement each step accordingly. After establishing a plan, it is essential to study the feasibility of it given the circumstances. The literacy rate in Canada has been 99% in 2003 and is close to perfect score nowadays (Gordon, 2003). Moreover, In 2010, close to 80% of Canadian households had access to the Internet (Statistics Canada Web, 2011).The country possesses one of the most advanced communication networks in the world making direct banking technically easy to introduce and more importantly, logical. References Canadian Bankers Association. How Canadians Bank. November 9, 2012. http://www. cba. ca/en/media-room/50-backgrounders-on-banking-issues/125-technology-and-banking. Accessed November 18th, 2012 Canadian Internet Use Survey, May 25th, 2011. Statistics Canada Web. http://www. statcan. gc. ca/daily-quotidien/110525/dq110525b-eng. htm, accessed November 18th, 2012. Gordon, Elaine H. Gordon, Edward E. (2003). Literacy in America: historic journey and contemporary solutions. New York: Praeger. p. 255. ISBN  0-275-97864-8. Investopedia. The Pros and Cons of Internet Banks. April 14, 2011. http://www. investopedia. com/articles/pf/11/benefits-and-drawbacks-of-internet-banks. asp. Accessed November 18th, 2012 Weisbaum, Herb. Looking for Better Rates? Visit a Virtual Bank. July 29, 2009. http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/32206206/ns/business-consumer_news/t/looking-better-rates-visit-virtual-bank/#. U KRTuxzok1A. Accessed November 18th, 2012

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Six

Cautiously, Matt felt along the path with his foot until he found grass, then inched his way onto it, holding his hands out in front of him until he was touching the rough bark of a tree. There probably weren't too many people hanging around outside the main campus gate, but he'd just as soon have no one see him, blindfolded, dressed in his weddings-and-funerals suit and tie, and looking, he was sure, like an idiot. On the other hand, he did want whoever was coming to get him to be able to spot him. It would be better to look like an idiot out in the open now and become part of the Vitale Society than to hide and spend the rest of the night blindfolded in the bushes. Matt inched his way back toward where he thought the gate must be and stumbled. Waving his hands, he managed to catch his balance again. He suddenly wished he had told someone where he was going. What if somebody other than the Vitale Society had left him the note? What if this was a plan to get him on his own, some kind of trap? Matt ran his finger beneath his sweaty too-tight col ar. After al the weird things that had happened to him in the last year, he couldn't help being paranoid. If he vanished now, his friends would never know what had happened to him. He thought of Elena's laughing blue eyes, her clear, searching gaze. She would miss him if he disappeared, he knew, even if she had never loved him the way he wanted her to. Bonnie's laugh would lose its carefree note if Matt were gone, and Meredith would become more tense and fierce, push herself harder. He mattered to them. The Vitale Society's invitation was clear, though: tel no one. If he wanted to get in the game, he had to play by their rules. Matt understood rules. Without warning, someone – two someones – grabbed his arms, one on each side. Instinctively, Matt struggled, and he heard a grunt of exasperation from the person on his right. â€Å"Fortis aeturnus,† hissed the person on his left like a password, his breath warm on Matt's ear. Matt stopped fighting. That was the slogan on the letter from the Vitale Society, wasn't it? It was Latin, he was pretty sure. He wished he'd taken the time to find out what it meant. He let the people holding his arms guide him across the grass and onto the road. â€Å"Step up,† the one on his left whispered, and Matt moved forward careful y, climbing into what seemed to be the back of a van. Firm hands pushed his head down to keep him from banging it on the van's roof, and Matt was reminded of that terrible time this past summer when he'd been arrested, accused of attacking Caroline. The cops had pushed his head down just like that when they put him handcuffed into the back of the squad car. His stomach sank with remembered dread, but he shook it off. The Guardians had erased everyone's memories of Caroline's false accusations, just as they'd changed everything else. The hands guided him to a seat and strapped a seat belt around him. There seemed to be people sitting on each side of him, and Matt opened his mouth to speak – to say what, he didn't know. â€Å"Be stil ,† the mysterious voice whispered, and Matt closed his mouth obediently. He strained his eyes to see something past the blindfold, even a hint of light and shadow, but everything was dark. Footsteps clattered across the floor of the van; then the doors slammed, and the engine started up. Matt sat back. He tried to keep track of the turns the van took but lost count of the rights and lefts after a few minutes and instead just sat quietly, waiting to see what would happen next. After about fifteen minutes, the van came to a halt. The people on either side of Matt sat up straighter, and he tensed, too. He heard the front doors open and close and then footsteps come around the van before the back doors opened. â€Å"Remain silent,† the voice that spoke to him earlier ordered. â€Å"You wil be guided toward the next stage of your journey.† The person next to Matt brushed against him as he rose, and Matt heard him stumble on what sounded like gravel underfoot as he was led away. He listened alertly, but, once that person had left, Matt heard only the nervous shifting of the other people seated in the van. He jumped when hands took his arms once more. Somehow they'd snuck up on him again; he hadn't heard a thing. The hands helped him out of the van, then guided him across what felt like a sidewalk or courtyard, where his shoes thudded against first gravel, then pavement. His guides continued to lead him up a series of stairs, through some kind of hal way, then back down again. Matt counted three flights down before he was stopped again. â€Å"Wait here,† the voice said, and then his guides stepped away. Matt tried to figure out where he was. He could hear people, probably his companions from the van, shifting quietly, but no one spoke. Judging by the echoes their little motions produced, they were in a large space: a gym? a basement? Probably a basement, after al those stairs down. From behind him came the quiet click of a door closing. â€Å"You may now remove your blindfolds,† a new voice, deep and confident, said. Matt untied his blindfold and looked around, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light. It was a faint, indirect light, which supported his basement theory, but if this was a basement, it was the fanciest one he'd ever seen. The room was huge, stretching into dimness at its other end, and the floor and wal s were paneled in a dark, heavy wood. Arches and pil ars supported the ceiling at intervals, and there were some kinds of carvings on them: the clever, twisted face of what might be a sprite leered at him from a pil ar; the figure of a running deer spanned one archway. Red-velvet-seated chairs and heavy wooden tables lined the wal s. Matt and the others were facing a great central archway, topped by a large ornate letter V made of different kinds of glittering, highly polished metals elaborately welded together. Below the V ran the same motto that had appeared on the letter: fortis aeturnus. Glancing at the people near him, Matt saw that he wasn't the only one feeling confused and apprehensive. There were maybe fifteen other people standing there, and they seemed like they came from different classes: there was no way that tal , stooping guy with the ful beard was a freshman. A smal , round-faced girl with short ringlets of brown hair caught Matt's eye. She raised her eyebrows at him, widening her mouth in an exaggerated expression of bewilderment. Matt grinned back at her, his spirits lightening. He shifted closer to her and had just opened his mouth to whisper an introduction when he was interrupted. â€Å"Welcome,† said the deep, authoritative voice that had instructed them to take off their blindfolds, and a young man stepped up to the central archway, directly below the huge V. Behind him came a circle of others, seemingly a mix of guys and girls, al clothed in black and wearing masks. The effect ought to have been over the top, Matt thought, but instead the masked figures seemed mysterious and aloof, and he suppressed a shiver. The guy beneath the arch was the only one not wearing a mask. He was a bit shorter than the silent figures around him, with curly dark hair, and he smiled warmly as he stretched out his hands toward Matt and the others. â€Å"Welcome,† he said again, â€Å"to a secret. You may have heard rumors of the Vitale Society, the oldest and most il ustrious organization of Dalcrest. This is a society often spoken of in whispers, but about which no one knows the truth. No one except its members. I am Ethan Crane, the current president of the Vitale Society, and I'm delighted that you have accepted our invitation.† He paused and looked around. â€Å"You have been invited to pledge because you are the best of the best. Each of you has different strengths.† He gestured to the tal , bearded guy Matt had noticed. â€Å"Stuart Covington here is the most bril iant scientific mind of the senior class, perhaps one of the most promising ones in the country. His articles on biogenetics have already been published in numerous journals.† Ethan walked into the crowd and stopped next to Matt. This close up, Matt could see that Ethan's eyes were an almost golden hazel, ful of warmth. â€Å"Matt Honeycutt enters Dalcrest as a starting player on the footbal team after leading his high school to the state championship last year. He could have had his choice of col ege footbal programs, and he chose to come to Dalcrest.† Matt ducked his head modestly, and Ethan squeezed his shoulder before walking on to stop next to the cute round-faced girl. â€Å"Junior Chloe Pascal is, as those of you who attended last year's campus art show know, the most talented artist on campus. Her dynamic, exciting sculptures have won her the Gershner Award for two years running.† He patted Chloe on the arm as she blushed. Ethan went on, passing from one member of their little group to another, listing accomplishments. Matt was only half listening as he looked around at the rapt expressions on the faces of the other candidates, but he got the impression of a wide range of talents, and that this was indeed a gathering of the best of the best, an assembly of campus achievers. He seemed to be the only freshman. He felt like Ethan had lit a glowing candle inside him: he, Matt, who had been the least special of his group of friends, was being singled out. â€Å"As you can see,† Ethan said, circling back to the front of the group, â€Å"each of you has different skil s. Brains, creativity, athleticism, the ability to lead others. These qualities, when brought together, can make you the most elite and powerful group, not only on campus, but throughout life. The Vitale Society is an organization with a long history, and once you are a member of the society, you are one for life. Forever.† He held up one finger in caution, his face serious. â€Å"However, this meeting is but the first step on the road to becoming a Vitale. And it is a difficult road.† He smiled at them again. â€Å"I believe – we believe – that al of you have what it takes to become a Vitale. You would not have been invited to pledge if we did not think you were worthy.† Matt straightened his shoulders and held his head high. Least remarkable member of his group of friends or not, he'd saved the world – or at least his hometown – more than once. Even if he'd just been one of a team then, he was pretty sure he could handle whatever the Vitale Society could throw at him. Ethan smiled directly at him. â€Å"If you are prepared to pledge the Vitale Society, to keep our secrets and earn our trust, step forward now.† Without hesitating, Matt stepped forward. Chloe and the bearded guy – Stuart – stepped with him and, looking around, Matt saw that every one of the pledges had moved forward together. Ethan came toward Matt and took hold of the lapel of his suit. â€Å"There,† he said, quickly pinning something on it and letting Matt go. â€Å"Wear this at al times, but discreetly. You must keep your involvement with the society secret. You wil be contacted. Congratulations.† He gave Matt a brief, genuine smile, and moved on to Chloe, saying the same thing to her. Matt turned his lapel up and looked at the tiny dark blue V that Ethan had pinned to it. He'd never thought much before about fraternities, or secret societies, or any kind of organization that wasn't a sports team. But this, being the only freshman the legendary Vitale Society wanted, was different. They saw something in him, something special.

The Texas Music Educators Associate

The Texas Music Educators Associate consists of different types of bands, orchestras and choirs. Clarinet are also found in the said group. In Texas, there are 5,500 high school musicians and vocalists who audition for the TMEA All State, but only two percent make the cut. The participants become more competitive each year, for new music are expected to be learned in such short amount of time. Interested wind players are expected to learn and perfect three one-page etudes, to be played in the November auditions.In preparation for the said auditions, I used an All-State clarinet etude book, to learn the pieces and make it to the top 2% of the batch. January 6, 2008 was the day I became one of the sixty three clarinet players to be accepted in the prestigious organization. Striving to be an outstanding musician has always been a challenge. I remember my freshmen year when I was still naà ¯ve on the existence of such organization. I would regularly meet with my private tutor, who alway s believed that I had the capacity to make it big one day.As I found out about TMEA, I became encouraged to join, yet was still unaware of the difficulties I had to face in order to succeed. My initial goal was to make it to the first round sand earn an impressive score on my first class solo at the Solo and Ensemble contest. This recognition I would receive would also help me to receive a letterman’s jacket. Unfortunately, I lacked the confidence and guidance to work harder and fulfill my dream of becoming a musician. I realized that I needed to be more focused with my craft and become more determined than ever perfecting each note in order to make the clarinet produce beautiful music.The following year, I decided to change my music teacher. I wanted to learn new things, and break my old barriers in order to achieve my goals. My new teacher was extraordinary. She made me believe in myself, and made my learning incredibly fun. I was slowly recovering from insecurities, and am a fighter for all seasons. Although I was relatively busy with my extracurricular activities in school, I was able still able to manage my time and practice my music. The competition was tougher, and I was determined to make it to the final round.I was able to show the people my true emotions through the way I played my clarinet. Eventually, I was placed eleventh in the competition-two slots short of the competition for only nine were needed. Junior year was the hardest school year in high school. Time was needed to fulfill all the requirements, and impress the judges for the All-State Concert Band 2008. Although I was not able to make it to the final round, I am still proud of my accomplishments. I was able to improve my craft, and show the world that anything is possible if you just put your heart into it.

Walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Walmart - Essay Example Additionally, the shop also maintains its current clients. For that reason, in a retail shop such as Nice N Easy, broader merchandise selection contributes to 3.4 percent increase in sales. The store manager says that it has a high rate of customer inflow due to the strategy (Soverinsky 96). The broad merchandise selection elevates the number of sales; thus, leading to growth in the shop. With an increase in the number of products for sale, which also target a diverse range of customers, sales levels increase in the firm. Instead of targeting a specific section of the market population, a retailer with more products targets different people with different needs. Therefore, the number of sales increases in the firm leading to growth. For example, in Nice N Easy the number of sales increased by 3.4 percent, as a result of applying the strategy (Soverinsky 96). Broader merchandise selection acts as a form of advertisement. Advertisement and promotion of products is an essential aspect of marketing, which aids in growth of the firm. When a consumer enters to purchase a specific item, another product may attract them. When a customer identifies that a certain product exists in the same shop, there is a likelihood that he or she returns to the same shop to purchase that item or items. At Nice N Easy, regular customers come in to purchase different items due to the fact that they realize they can get that product in the same shop (Soverinsky 96). In conclusion, Walmart needs to broaden its selection of merchandise in order to increase sales, number of customers and also create product promotion. That way, the US discount unit can target a large number of customers enhancing company

Price Waterhouse Coopers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Price Waterhouse Coopers - Essay Example It is also the perspective that individuals view their organization and its environment (Baligh 7-10). The objectives of the organization determine the different ways in which an organization can be structured (Fenez 4-6). PwC organization structure is structured in a way to determine the mode in which it operates and performs. Its organization structure lets this enormous company to express the allocation of the responsibilities for different functions and processes to different entities, which involve the branch,  department,  workgroup,  and individual (Fenez 4). The following structures show the organization structure of the company depending with country. ... erience Senior partner China & Hong Kong Senior partner Germany Senior partner United Kingdom Senior partner United States Director Technology Although success has prevailed failure in PWC, the company has in several occasions been on the lime light for its actions. For instance in 1990, Internal Revenue Service seized most of the assets of Willie Nelson who they claimed that he owned $32 million in back taxes. However, this was not the case since these were disallowable by IRS and on suing PWC Willie got a fat sum for damages. Nevertheless, PWC is one firm that provides services to like Academy of Motion Pictures arts and Sciences, which makes it the tabulator and certifier of votes for the Academy awards since 1934. An article Over Cutting Corporation Tax Rate by BBC, on 8 August 2011, quotes the PwC Company explaining the various implications of cutting Scotland’s rate of corporation tax being highly complex. The article features PwC Company giving the advisory role to the government and the entities involved. In this article, the company examines the various effects of cuts in Northern Ireland where a new rate of just 12.5% was proposed (BBC News). The comments by PwC followed similar comments echoed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which argued that matching Northern Ireland's proposals could cost Scottish taxpayers about ?2.6bn a year a claim that was dismissed by the Scottish government. PwC mission statements and ideas were well communicated. The role communicated in this case was to give a sense of direction on where the country was headed to after it adjusted its corporation tax. The mission of the PwC Company is to provide intellectual expertise to the various agencies and individuals who need it (BBC News). In a second article by BBC News Company dated

Scientific Method Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scientific Method - Assignment Example The Roman Catholic Church denied the heliocentric view and suggested that people that believed this view were heretics (Young, 2006) because it contradicted some of the passages in the Bible. Many of the new scientific discoveries were thought to be at odds with the teachings of Christ and therefore were not accepted in the eyes of many Christians at the time (and some are still not accepted). This made it very difficult for scientists to publish their works for fear of being ostracized from society. Spinoza believed that there was only infinite substance, in contrast to Descartes’ dualistic view that there is infinite and finite substance. He also rejected the thought that there is a ‘thinking substance’. Protestant values are thought to have encouraged the development of scientific thought by separating Church from state and therefore allowing these ideas to be published and spread legally and politically. The Catholic Church began to have less power and therefore science had the freedom to

Service Quality of Sports Centre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Service Quality of Sports Centre - Essay Example The interview focused n 5 different factors of service quality level which are tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. In order to capture how the five different factors measure up, 21 different types of questions are generated. These questions are marked using the Likert Scale. Then depending upon the relative importance of the five dimensions, the preset 21 questions are rearranged and marked and weighted accordingly. In order to produce better statistical report, the sample composition is analyzed. In order to analyze the composition of the sample, descriptive statistics like bar diagram, cross tabulation, pie charts and correlation statistics are applied (Bailey and Pearson, 2003). These tests are applied on demographic characteristics of the respondents or the fixed factors of the respondents. The next section of the analysis reflects upon the assessment of the importance of each dimension of service quality as perceived by the customers. In order to analy ze two types of tests are conducted, one is the factor analysis or the factor reduction method and the other one is the descriptive statistics analysis (Baroudi, 2003). ...The next step of analysis involves testing the various aspects of service performance. The various aspects are measured on two different ways. One involves the direct recordings on the Likert scale and the other on is the derived rating after adjusting the readings according to the relative importance or weight (Bentier and Bonett, 2008). These two types of readings are tested using the principal component analysis. In the last stage cross tabulations are done. This cross tabulation indicates the level up to which the satisfactions vary according to the characteristics of the user. 1. Sample composition The sample composition is analyzed by using cross tabs and simple pie charts, bar diagram and correlation statistics. The pie charts are used to show the composition of the male and female and the composition of th e type of people from each subject area. Fig 1: Male and female composition Source: author’s source It is evident from the diagram that the study included more number of males and the number of females. The male percentage is 75%, while the female percentage is 25%. The next analysis is the examination of the crosstabs between frequency of use and gender. Fig 2: Bar Chart Source: author’s source The users among male students show higher frequency than the users among female. There is one very important point in this analysis. The number of non users in male is significantly more than the number of users among male. Among male most of them used the sports centre twice a month, while users among females most of them used it only once.

The Dangers of Police Work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Dangers of Police Work - Research Paper Example Most frequently, they respond to ‘unknown disturbances or problems’ whereby a person may be asking for help but the police officer does not actually know what he/she is to expect or he/she is not able to gather more information regarding the situation (Dempsey & Forst, 2007). The duties of police officers involve operating in various kinds of circumstances, with much of their work being outdoors walking the beats assigned to them or riding in patrol cars. Their work is deemed extraordinarily dangerous – while carrying out their duties, some police officers are wounded or even killed. Police work can entail horrid tasks, which expose them to dangerous, sordid or depressing situations. They may be required to deal with all kinds of people in diverse situations. These dangers are usually traumatic for the police officers as well as their family members. Generally, police work holds the potential for the unpredicted and the unknown, and most individuals who take on this job possess a strong commitment and passion for it. Police work may involve being on duty 24 hours a day – even when not on call, the law requires a police officer to respond to criminal activity or to emergencies, during which no consideration is made for time of day or night o r even weather conditions (Ferguson, 2007). Gaines and Miller (2007) explain that the dangers of police work are both physical and mental/psychological. They indicate that according to the United States’ Justice Department policing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the US with 261 of every 1000 officers’ targets of non-fatal violence annually. Between the year 2003 and 2004, over three hundred police officers were murdered in the line of duty. They further assert that police work, in addition to physical dangers, involves considerable mental stress and pressure. The United States’ Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that together with being a surgeon, firefighting, driving a taxi,

Leadership in strategy formulation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership in strategy formulation - Assignment Example .As the headline itself suggest, the article is an effort to emphasise the crucial role of leadership in strategy formulation and implementation. It has been pointed out that ‘strategy’ as such has undergone a change over the years and in today’s context the market forces play a key role in influencing strategy formulation.It has also been stated that, â€Å"†¦.Strategy must be a dynamic tool for guiding the development of a company over time†. This implies that strategist must be constantly on the watch regarding the process of implementation. In addition, in order to come out with desired results, the strategists must also monitor the policies being adopted by companies in the competition. Michel Porter, suggested that a company could gain sustainable competitive advantage provide it follows any of the three generic strategies, namely; If the company is able to become the lowest cost producer of the product or service in the industry and is able to e ffectively pass it on to the customers, then it can very well acquire the cost leadership. To support the argument Montgomery has cited the example of Ryan air, a successful low cost airline. Ryan air started off as a full service airliner priced at less than half the fares of rival companies, but soon realised that in order to make inroads into the customer base of rival companies it has to do something innovative on prices front, and thus converted to no-frills, low cost airline. Product or Service Differentiation: The article too emphasises the importance of product differentiation in order to be able to do successful business, gain profitability and establish a brand identity. Montgomery points out that this has been possible with the infusion of economics into strategy formulation. In this strategy, companies try out efforts to offer some pleasant surprises to the customer. Some innovative features are added to the product or service so that the customer could perceive some uniqueness in the product or service. Montgomery cites the example of IBM, when its CEO solicited views from the employees of IBM on; If our company disappeared tonight, how different would the world be tomorrow Is there something about our company that makes a unique contribution to the world The article further emphasises that, "It (strategy) has become more about formulation than implementation and more about getting the idea right at the outset than living with strategy over time". This statement depicts the dynamic and evolutionary nature of strategy formulation. The rapid pace, with which changes are taking place, makes it pertinent on the part of the strategists that they should formulate the strategy in such a manner that it can deliver the optimum benefits to the company the very first time itself. Because, once the strategy is known to competitors, they are bound to come out with a counter-strategy. As has been elaborated in the article itself that while gaining depth, the strategy has lost breadth, which implies that the strategy has become more focused towards its objective/s. 2. How do these three current views of strategy - the RBV(resource-based view), strategy positioning and emergent theory - fit with Montgomery's idea that strategy must be a "dynamic tool "and needs to be "lived with over time". Three current views of strategy include, the Resource Based View (RBV), strategy positioning and emergent theory. RBV is a method for analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the company. Such a view helps in explaining the competitive edge of the company based on the resources and capabilities of the company. For the purpose of RBV analysis, resources for a company can be classified in three broad categories, namely tangible assets, intangible assets and organisational capabilities. Positioning of the strategy is another crucial aspect which determines the success or failure of the strategy. It is

My interest in fashion Essay Example for Free

My interest in fashion Essay I have always been passionate about fashion. My interest in fashion led me to pursue my Bachelors in Fashion Design from Pearl Academy of Fashion in Delhi, affiliated to Nottingham Trent University in UK. I was one of the top students of my class and was given an award for the best portfolio of garments. During the course I got an opportunity for intern at Ritu garments. It was here that I developed a keen interest in Fashion Styling. After a lot of research, I found that Birmingham City University in UK was offering the course that best fit my requirements. My prime concern with any course I chose to undertake is that the programme should enable me to nurture my professional and technical skills alongside creative and conceptual initiatives through practical and theoretical assignments. I found MA in Fashion Styling in Birmingham City University to be the perfect course. I wish to handle wide spectrum of styling assignments from re-vamping a celebrity’s image or styling them accompanied by styling for magazine photo shoot and design campaign for it as well and in the future work towards being a successful Fashion stylist. I would like to have more in depth look at the rise of fashion stylist within the fashion industry and many different roles of fashion stylist today. I would also like to explore the fashion. To have hands on experience of working with professionals from the industry and to realize my ideas in an excelling way. I would like to challenge convention through the work I do in my project and break boundaries with flare. As a Fashion stylist I would like to be responsible for enhancing a product and bringing life to a photographer’s vision for layout in a magazine, music video and also deal in color and style coordination and placement of wardrobe. I would like to work on TV, films, ad agencies, fashion house, magazines as a fashion stylist. I have developed this knowledge and experience through my style of working while in my graduation and also my internship experience which enabled me to understand my zeal towards the field of fashion. Thus I would like to widen my horizons in these respective areas.

Research Questions And Hypotheses Applied When Conducting Research Psychology Essay

Research Questions And Hypotheses Applied When Conducting Research Psychology Essay Introduction Research questions and hypotheses are two internationally standard and essential components of academic research. This paper will attempt to make a distinction between the two concepts, in the process highlighting important elements within each concept. This paper will begin with an overview of the research process, explain the concepts of hypotheses and research questions and show how these two concepts are related to each other. In the second part of this paper, emphasis will be brought to bear on hypotheses and their uses in research, providing the reader some examples to illustrate. It will show how hypotheses are linked with other parts of a research study and conclude with the limitations of hypotheses. The third part of this paper examines the use of research questions in research. It offers examples of research questions, shows how they can be linked with other parts of the study and it then examines their limitations. The final part of this paper compares and contrasts hypotheses and research questions and it is from this point that the final conclusion is drawn. A General Overview of Research Research is defined as the art of scientific investigation (Kothari, 2004:p.1). It is the quest to obtain new knowledge or to extend the boundaries of that which is already known. Research, therefore, seeks to discover, explain and predict phenomena through the skilled and systematic manipulation of variables. The research process starts when the researcher encounters a question or related questions which he or she thinks could and should be answered. When a researchable question comes up in the problem area of the researcher, he or she gathers tools to find out whether the proffered solutions offered by the hypothesis/hypotheses are workable and if an intervention were to be carried out, the likely chances of its success. In academic research, the researcher is expected to link the research questions with the purpose of their study and their objectives. Explaining the Concepts The following are brief explanations of the key terms used in this paper which include hypotheses, research questions and the relationship between them. Term Definition Con Hypothesis A tentative explanation for an observation, phenomenon or scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation Research Questions Formally stated questions intended to provide indications about something of interest or relationships between variables in the research process Variable A quantity or attribute of a construct which is likely to vary What are Hypotheses? Hypotheses is the pluralized form of hypothesis. It originates from the Greek word hypothesis, which means groundwork, supposition or foundation. A hypothesis therefore from its early origins was used to mean a supposition, or unproven explanation for any given phenomenon. To the layman, hypotheses are simply conjectures which are proposed ideas to explain facts or observations, or simply stated, an educated guess. An example of this could be Dar es salaam is hotter than other cities because it has fewer trees. Hypotheses are also used to mean expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence such as when a person says thinking good thoughts can heal your illnesses, and thinking bad thoughts will make you ill. In research, however, a research hypothesis represents a predictive statement, testable by the scientific method of inquiry, which relates an independent variable/s to some dependent variable(s) (Kothari, 2004, p.201). A hypothesis is also defined as a testable proposition about the relationship between two or more concepts (Gray 2004, p.7). Another important fact about a hypothesis is that it retains the character of an educated guess until facts are found to confirm or discredit it (Mauch Park, 2003, p. 136). When hypothesis are used in research, the proposition must be testable. The following are examples of testable hypotheses: Students who study for one hour a day or more perform better than students who study less than one hour a day Students who learn using the problem based learning methodology retain knowledge for longer than students who learn using traditional methods of learning. What are Research Questions? A research question is a formally stated question intended to provide indications about something of interest in the research process. It is a statement which identifies the phenomenon to be studied. A research question, unlike a hypothesis, is not limited to investigating relationships between variables. The research question is a statement framed as a question which may ask about the relationship between variables (such as dependent and independent variables) in a research study, or which may make an interrogative general statement about the area under study. The Relationship between Hypotheses and Research Questions While a hypothesis is a formal statement about the relationship between variables, the research question is a formally stated question providing indications about concepts in the study and not limited to investigating relationships between variables. Hypotheses are often guided by research questions. While some research questions may be tested by hypotheses, others do not require hypotheses testing (see page 10 below). A well thought out and focused research question is expected to lead to a hypothesis showing relationships between two variables. Hypotheses, although they are important, are not essential for an academic study. There are studies in qualitative research which are focused on theory building which start with a mere research question and end in a series of generalizations which may be made to form a theory. A research question such as the following could fit into this category: How do members of the Ankole community experience marriage? The Use of Hypotheses in Research The researcher often hypothesizes in order to help give direction to their work. When the researcher does this, he/she makes inferences based on what is known (facts) and observed conditions in reaching a decision on how to approach a study. The researcher may come to a hypothesis from a thorough analysis of the theoretical and factual background of a research problem. For example, a researcher conducting a study on the relationship between obesity and cancer may discover a trend from reading medical reports which links the consumption of certain types of foods to the onset of cancers. From this angle, the researcher may develop a hypothesis that the consumption of the foods is related to the onset of cancer and worth studying as a specific hypothesis. Types of hypotheses A hypothesis may be classified in terms of how it is derived as either inductive or deductive. While inductive reasoning seeks to create general principles from starting with many specific observations or instances, deductive reasoning seeks to create a specific conclusion based on generalizations. An inductive hypothesis is a hypothesis formed through inductive reasoning from many specific observations to tentative explanations of the causes. An example of inductive reasoning is from observing from Christian history that leaders in the church have been violent, intolerant and prejudiced to making an inductive hypothesis that Christians are all violent, intolerant and prejudiced. A deductive hypothesis is one which is formed through deductive reasoning which starts with a premise such as a theory, and then forms a conclusion based on that premise. An example of a deductive hypothesis is using the premise all Nigerians are scammers and Niyi is a Nigerian, therefore the conclusion Niyi is a scammer. A hypothesis may also be classified on the basis of its formulation as a research hypothesis which may be directional or non-directional, the null hypothesis, and the statistical hypothesis. As mentioned earlier research hypotheses are conjectural statements of expected results. They could either be directional or non-directional. A directional research hypothesis anticipates a specific outcome and states the expected direction of the relation or difference between variables. An example is a student class using problem-based learning will demonstrate higher achievement than a student class using teacher centered instruction methods. A non-directional research hypothesis is one on which an outcome is anticipated but the specific nature of the outcome is unsure, or put simply, it only states that a relationship exists. An example of a non-directional hypothesis is there will be differences in achievement between a student class using problem-based learning and one using teacher centered instruction methods. The null hypothesis is used in statistics and it is simply a hypothesis that no difference or relationship exists between the variables under study. This does not represent the outcome expected by the researcher and is only used for statistical reasons. The null hypothesis is the opposite of the research (or maintained or alternative) hypothesis. Linking hypotheses to other parts of the study In the quantitative approach to research, hypotheses are derived from research questions and are used to link the variables of the study. Each hypothesis may be linked to a specific research question. In empirical studies, the testability (the measure to which the hypothesis may be tested) and acceptability of a hypothesis help negate or accept a theory the theory upon which the assumption is being made. For example, in a study in which the research hypothesis states that there is a significant positive relationship between lateness to work and employee productivity, if the researcher were to discover a significant positive relationship between the two variables listed through the study, it would imply that the alternative hypothesis be accepted. Therefore the findings of the research would strengthen any underlying theory linking the concepts of lateness and employee productivity. Limitations of hypotheses A hypothesis is restricted in use in empirical research to concepts which are clear and unambiguous. A hypothesis therefore helps the researcher in the formulation of clear research concepts. A hypothesis may not be used for instance to measure concepts which have different meanings for different people. That is why, for example, it is often an elusive endeavor trying to measure concepts such as intelligence which do not lend themselves to clear empirical testing. Concepts in hypothesis must have indicators with which they can be measured by. The means of measuring indicators or instruments of measurement must be valid and reliable if the results from hypothesis testing are to be relied upon. A hypothesis is also limited to testing researchable concepts. Concepts such as the will of God may not be researchable due to the difficulty of finding valid measures. Use of Research Questions in Research Research questions are used in different ways depending on the research approach. For the purpose of this paper, we shall see how they are used in quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative research Research questions could be used in quantitative studies to highlight the key variables in the research problem which need to be compared with one another in order to draw a conclusion. When they are so used they may generate a hypothesis for each question as outlined in the cases outlined below. Research questions may also be used in descriptive studies which aim to describe the characteristics of an event, region or community. An example of a research question as used in a descriptive study could be What candidate are Nigerian voters likely to support for President. Research questions, when used in quantitative research, must relate to the problem statement and outline the specific query which the researcher seeks to answer. After the research question(s) is/are stated, the resulting hypothesis is outlined. For example, if the problem of the study is related to why women have higher scores than men on an IQ test in a certain district, one of the research questions may be: What percentage of women has higher IQ scores than men in this district? Qualitative Research In qualitative research such as in Grounded Theory, or Critical Theory research, research questions usually focus on one concept or idea rather than making assumptions among groups. In this type of research, research questions also are often based on hunches or personal experience. An example of a research question in qualitative research is How do Kenyan women view domestic violence? In qualitative research, research questions may generate data which may generate a pattern for stating a generalized statement such as a hypothesis or theory. Types of Research Questions Gray (2004, p. 70) distinguishes between four types of research questions: descriptive, normative, correlative and impact research questions. Descriptive research questions are about what is happening and may show which methods are being used. An example of a descriptive research question is what proportion of private universities has a health and safety policy? Descriptive questions may be answered without the need for a hypothesis as their aim is simply to establish a frequency. Normative research questions seek to establish what is actually happening in contrast to the norm or what should be happening. An example of a normative question is to what extent are private universities complying with health and safety laws? Normative questions may be answered with a narrative rather than the use of a hypothesis. Correlative questions seek to establish relationships and are interested in the strength of relationships between variables. An example of a correlative question is what is the relationship between management style, university ranking and compliance with health and safety regulations? While correlative questions may be tested by hypotheses, they do not seek to establish causality but intend to correlate variables and show the existence or otherwise of significant relationships between them. Impact questions seek to establish causality in relationships between variables and measure the effect which variables have on one another (i.e. what impact does a change in variable x have on variable y?). An example of an impact question is does compliance with health and safety regulations have an impact on productivity? Impact questions may also be tested by hypotheses. Examples of Research Questions Research questions are derived from the objectives of the study and should help to break down the problem of study into manageable units. If the problem of the study is about the relationship between input metrics and the effectiveness of universal basic education, where input metrics are defined by: The teacher-pupil ratio Classroom availability Textbook availability Availability of audio visual tools Availability of learning materials including chalkboards, chairs and desks, and stationery Valid research questions in this scenario would include: Does universal basic education receive critical support from the government regarding its input metrics? What is the relationship between the teacher pupil ratio and the effectiveness of universal basic education? What is the impact of classroom availability on the effectiveness of universal basic education? What is the relationship between textbook availability and the effectiveness of universal basic education? Is the effectiveness of universal basic education influenced by the availability of audio visual tools? What is the relationship between availability of learning materials and the effectiveness of universal basic education? The first question does not require the use of a hypothesis but the other questions do. This is because the first question can be approached by using a narrative based on qualitative study using observation and primary and secondary data. These different variables, as mentioned earlier, should each have indicators which are measurable and attainable in order to properly use the research questions above. Linking Research Questions to Other Parts of the Study Research questions are derived from the purpose and objectives of the study and are often tied to each hypothesis, which are logical extensions of the research questions themselves. Research questions help to narrow the focus of the research on researchable areas within the scope of the study. The research questions can be directly linked with the findings of the research in qualitative studies where there are no hypotheses. In this case, questions may be used to guide the researcher and when a tangential point becomes of greater interest, new questions are used to determine the ways in which to approach the research bearing in mind the new evidence uncovered. The research questions are also linked directly to the research problem which underpins the study. The research problem may in itself be too wide in scope to be satisfactorily tackled by limited research. The research questions therefore, help to streamline the research into areas which may be studied. Limitations of Research Questions Research questions are useful inasmuch as they ask questions which can be linked directly with the objectives of the study. In quantitative studies, just like hypotheses, they help to narrow down the area of focus for the research on acquiring information which is researchable and desirable. In qualitative studies they help to set the focus for commencing discussions into the area of study in order that data may be generated. Research questions are simply statements of a focused objective of the study. They are used especially when the researcher may not want to specify the direction of the relationship among the variables, or they may be used to determine the key variables from the research objectives. Comparing and Contrasting Hypotheses with Research Questions The following is a point by point contrast and comparison between hypotheses and research questions Area Hypotheses Research Questions Use Generated from qualitative research but used in quantitative studies Used in both quantitative and qualitative research Outcome In a hypothesis, the predicted relationship between variables is either true or false With a research question, the answer to the question may be closed (e.g. a yes or no answer) or may be open and descriptive in nature. Verification A hypothesis is empirically verifiable The answer to a research question may not always be verifiable Generation Hypotheses are generated from research questions Research questions are generated from the research problem. They may or may not generate a hypothesis Intent The hypothesis helps to test a relationship between variables i.e. can be tested and verified The research question seeks to help gather preliminary data for a study In Qualitative research Hypotheses are generated Research questions are used as a guide As can be seen from the above, research questions are quite integral to the concept of research just as much as they are indelibly linked to hypotheses, in quantitative research. The two are used as an aid to delimiting concepts for empirical study in quantitative research and while research questions are used to guide qualitative research, hypotheses are products of qualitative research. Summary and Conclusion The focus of this paper has been to show the various differences between hypotheses and research questions and how these concepts are used in research. These have been highlighted starting with functional definitions, explanations and limitations of the various concepts involved. The different types of hypotheses and research questions have also been enumerated and explained while showing how they may be used in research. The paper has shown concrete contextual examples to illustrate the different concepts from a local perspective and examples of each concept have been used to aid the reader at each step. This paper has concluded with a tabular exposition of the contrast between research questions and hypotheses for validation of premises earlier outlined.

Applications Of Laser In Engineering English Language Essay

Applications Of Laser In Engineering English Language Essay Introduction: Laser has many applications in different fields especially in engineering. It is one of the most important inventions in the last century. Laser is used widely in the engineering field providing facilities while applying many engineering processes. Its applications also helped in the development of engineering. . Laser is an important instrument in engineering; that has been used widely by engineers in many aspects for its wide purpose and usefulness laser is a solution looking for a problem. This report aims to analyze the applications of laser and discuss the effect of laser on the product produced by this applications. This report gives detailed information about different engineering applications of laser. History of Laser: The first idea of using rays of light to help in exiting and changing the appearance of atoms discovered by Albert Einstein in 1917. He said that it would be possible to make an atom release light or make any unusual actions using rays by definite frequency. But he was not the one who invented laser itself; he just opened the way to other scientists to work on it. Schawlow and Townes are the two persons who first applied the idea of laser but they failed in their first experiment. In 1960 they succeeded to generate the first laser beam using a type of ruby. What Does LASER means? LASER stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation Laser is a device that emits electromagnetic waves in the form of a special type of light. It spreads as narrow coherent beams that can be turned into one using lenses. Laser has many uses in different fields so that people needed that effective invention. Laser simply consists of a narrow light beam that is produced by a process called Stimulation of atoms. This process is held by using an amplified light beam of specific frequency and intensity. That light beam is used to stimulate the atom. Stimulation of the atom means that we give it an extra amount of energy that makes in excited. That excitation makes the outer most electrons move to a higher level. Then they need to get rid of this extra energy to be back to its original and normal state, so it emits that extra energy in the form of a light beam. That light beam is laser. Thats how laser is produced. Laser solved many problems that faced engineers before inventing it. It facilitates many processes and operations for engineers. It also helps them find some information they need. As an example; before inventing laser; cutting and welding operations were very difficult. It was a problem to cut a metal, as you had to heat it up to a very high temperature then you modify its shape. Laser solved this problem and made that operation become very easy and fast. As another example; before inventing laser there were no wireless connections or laser radars. Laser also made the communication processes very fast and widely used. It made solutions for many problems that irritated engineers and people. Laser opened many knowledge and technology ways that would be impossible without it. After inventing Laser it became impossible to imagine our life without it. It became the key of many engineering operations that it will not be carried out without laser. Accuracy is one of its most important advantages that remove any doubts around it. It is expected that laser will be developed more and more in the future to provide engineers by other facilities. It can also be a reason for inventing other technologies. Again, Laser can be our gate to other inventions that could make our life easier and more comfortable. Laser Beam Welding Laser Beam Welding LBW is a contemporary welding technique used to join multiple pieces of metal using a laser. The beam provides a concentrated heat input, allowing for narrow, deep welds at high rates. This process is frequently used in many applications and develops to new industries. Laser beam welding has been extensively used in the automotive, aerospace, electronic, and heavy manufacturing industries to join a variety of materials. In the automotive industry, high-power lasers are used to weld many components such as transmissions, mufflers, catalytic converters, exhaust systems, and tailor-welded blanks.(Wikkipedia.com) Because of Laser welding advantages such as deep welding and reduced heat inputs. Profound Manufacturers sought to automate the welding process caused the expansion of the laser beam welding process to include computers sophisticated technology to increase the product quality and more accurate control of the welding process. From More than 20 years ago, when laser welding was in its early stages it was used primarily for bizarre applications where no other welding process would be suitable. Nowadays, laser welding is an imperative part of the metal toil industry. Laser beam welding has high power density (on the order of 1  Megawatt/cm ²(MW)) resulting in small heat-affected zones and high heating and cooling rates How it works: The Focal point is aimed on the work piece surface that weld is needed. At the surface of the work piece, the enormous concentration of light energy transformed into thermal energy. The surface of the work piece starts melting and steps forward through it by surface conductance. For welding process, the beam energy been maintained below the vaporization temperature of the material. In Fig. 1 the laser beam is directed on the work piece. Figure 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1 laser beam aimed on the work piece Image courtesy of NorteastLaser.com To the point that the laser beam contacts the work piece, all the components that direct it are transparent, refractive or reflective, absorbing only small amounts of energy from the ultraviolet light (www.accuparts.com). When the pulse of laser energy is focused into a small spot at the surface of the work piece, the energy density becomes enormous. The light is engrossed by the work piece, causing a keyhole effect as the focused beam drills into, vaporizes and melts some of the metal (www.accuparts.com).. As described in fig. 2. Figure 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ2 laser beam welding process Image courtesy of NorteastLaser.com In fig. 3 as the pulse ends, the liquefied metal around the keyhole flows back in, solidifying and creating a small spot weld, moving the work piece or the laser emitter along the surface of the work piece creates a series or spot-weld called a seam. Figure 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ3 the keyhole effect by laser beam Image courtesy of NorteastLaser.com Equipment The two types of lasers commonly used in are solid-state lasers and gas lasers (especially carbon dioxide lasers and Nd:YAG lasers). The first type uses one of several solid media, including synthetic ruby and chromium in aluminum oxide, neodymium in glass (Nd:glass), and the most common type, crystal composed of yttrium aluminum garnet doped with neodymium (Nd:YAG). Gas lasers use mixtures of gases like helium, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide (CO2 laser) as a medium. (wikkipedia.com) Advantages of applying Laser Welding One of the major advantages that laser welding is the low amount of heat that is used during the welding process. The process repeats the laser beam to allow for the cooling of the spot weld, resulting in a very small heat affected zone, which makes the welding process use less energy, and makes laser-welding ideal for thin sections or products that require welding near electronics faultless. In conclusion, I would say that laser beam welding process when united with robotics and computer-controlled beam movements or work piece movements make laser welding systems offer a supreme flexibility to perform a variety of operations. 3D laser scanning 3D Laser Scanning is a type of reverse engineering. Reverse engineering helps in knowing more information about any object, software, device or a system. It mainly works by analyzing any part of that object and taking it apart to know everything about it using laser. It returns that object to its origins and know how to make a copy of it without destroying the main object or modifying it. That type of engineering can be used in many fields and it can be applied on anything as it is a high quality technology. That technology depends mainly on laser and its various types. Reverse engineering analyzes objects to examine how it works or how it has been done. It also can be used to know the dimensions of a place or an object. It is mostly used on objects that it documentations are lost. 3D Laser Scanning is used to measure the dimensions of a place or a part of a place by converting physical objects or parts into data to be read on a CAD program. That measurement is done by a coordinate measuring machine that estimates accurately what are the dimensions of that part. After measuring; the CAD program draws 3D images of that part. That method helps in knowing the dimensions of the object accurately without errors or assumptions. The 3D images produced by that method are called virtual reality. Those accurate 3D images need a very large amount of data as it measures fine details of the object. Figure 2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ4 3D image drawn using 3D laser scanning The amazing thing about 3D laser scanning is that it is supposed to take a long time to measure the fine details of an object accurately then reverse it into data that can be read by CAD programs. But actually that process takes seconds. It saves a lot of time which the person can spend to draw that object or try to measure its dimensions by any traditional method. That shows how laser helped in saving much time for engineers. Laser captures every single detail in the object in a tremendously fast and accurate way. It is impossible for human to reach that level of accuracy even if he spends hours or days trying to reach it. 3D laser scanning is applied in 3D scanners, coordinate measuring machines and 3D digitizers. As we said; it is the fastest and most accurate measuring method that can analyze objects to know how it works or to know its dimensions. Also it saves effort and money. This application is such an amazing application of laser in engineering fields. People call it hard work that looks like magic. Communication systems: A communication system is designed to transmit and receive information using light beams like fibers. Laser works as a light beams which has enormous potential for data transmission with very high data rates. Laser communications systems are wireless connections throughout the atmosphere. Before using laser in communication, the Greeks used fire and smoke to transmit information, by the evolution of the technology, optical fibers and radio waves are used for the communication of information over distance. Nowadays, lasers are used in optic fibers communications, fibers optics is a medium for carrying information from one place to another in the form of light. Unlike the copper transmission lines, fiber optics is not electrical in nature. Communication systems are based on optical fiber because of its advantage over metallic transmission lines. Fiber optics is used increasingly in data and telecommunications. Optical data transmission is increasingly used in various areas, such as telephone, internet traffic, cable TV. In Japan, many internet connections are already delivered to home with optical fibers. How does laser work in communication system? Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ5 laser communication process Advantage of laser in communication system: Lasers have some special characteristic such as good directivity, polarization, monochromatic, coherent. The approach of optical fiber communications has advantages compared with systems based on electrical cables, the most important are: The losses for light propagation in fibers are very small because there is no fraction. The capacity of fibers for data transmission is huge and its also fast in the storage of data. Compared with electrical cables, fiber optic cables are very light weight, so the cost is very low. Due to the huge transmission rate of data, the cost compared by the rate of transmission is low. In fibers optic cables, the problems that arise with electrical cables such as ground loops or electromagnetic interference are eliminated. Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ6 There are several significant advantages for communication system that operate with fiber optics than systems which use radio frequency: Laser communication provides much higher data transmission rate compared to radio frequency. Small dimension light weight of components. Lower power. Application of laser in space communication: Lasers used in free space laser communication systems, its one of the most important application of laser in communication either semi-conductor laser diodes, solid state lasers and fibers amplifiers lasers. Free space optical communication is the transmission of data over long distance, e.g. between: Planets. Earth and satellites. Spacecraft and Earth based station. Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ7 laser communication between satellites Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ8 There are some advantages of the use of laser in space optical communication such as : high power, large rate of data transmission, small size and light weight, but one of the main disadvantage of using laser as a link in space communication is the interconnection only between points that have direct line of sight. The application of laser communication is discussed for a global communication system and an inter-satellites link, because laser can be directed in fibers over very long distances with very low losses and avoid atmospheric influences. CD DVD Introduction: Laser plays an important role in our life; it has a lot of applications in a lot of fields. It is used in many fields like medical, scientific, and industrial. In this part Ill talk about some industrial uses of the laser like CD DVD Holography. Figure 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ9 cdWe all know the importance of CDs and DVDs in our life. We use it in saving data, music albums, and videos. CD means Compact Disk optical media that can store data, and DVD means Digital Video Disk, and its also optical media to store data but with larger storage size, and much greater capacities. Figure 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ10cd romSo I can say that we have two types of disks and three types of drivers; for the disks we have CD and DVD, the difference between them would be in the storage size. For the drivers we have CD-ROM, CD-RW, and DVD-RW. The difference between the CD-ROM and CD-RW that the CD-RW has the ability to read and write data on the CD, but CD-ROM can only read from the CD. So its like read only memory; DVD drive can read and write on both CD and DVD disks, and has a larger storage memory than CD, so DVDs is more useful and better than CDs. Figure 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ11 Reading from CD How CD and DVD drivers work? Computer takes the data from the user through keyboard, microphone, or any input device and converts it to zeros and ones. The idea is to store the data from the computer to the disks write on the disk using a powerful laser beam that makes holes or bumps on the disk which represents zeros and grooves that represents ones, so we can write what we want on the disk. CD and DVD the both use the same method to record data on. Figure 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ12Data saved on CD To read from disk, the drive uses beam of laser that reflects back to a sensor in the drive if it hits a groove or one, but it hits a bump or zero the beam reflects with an angel and doesnt hit the sensor; through this operation the drive can read data from the disk. Differences between CDs and DVDs: We all already know that CDs have a storage size 700 Mega Byte, and DVDs have storage size start from 4 Giga Byte. Also DVDs could have multiple layers so its storage size could reach 17 Giga Byte, but CDs only have one layer. So we can say that CDs are much cheaper than DVDs, but DVDs are more useful, and have much greater storage size. So CDs are still preferred in publishing music albums, and DVDs are preferred in publishing movies. Also we can say that there is a big difference between the CD and DVD drivers. We would find that the DVD drivers use a thinner beam of laser than the laser beam of CD drive so it could make smaller grooves and bumps than CD drives, so it could write on both CDs and DVDs, but CD driver could only write on CDs and cant write or read DVDs. Figure 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ13 cd writing process Figure 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ14 Cd writing process Applications of laser in communications: Laser radar (LADAR) or (LIDAR): Laser radar (LADAR) or (LIDAR) (Light Detection and Ranging) is similar to millimetre radar but it uses laser beams to find its target. The (LADAR) processor looks for familiar patterns in the scenes. The processor continuously compares the scenes taken with the 3D files stored in the radar memory. It can scan large areas with very high precision and its ability to build a detailed picture of the area. The (LADAR) sensor can look at the target from different angles. Laser radar seeker can detect objects features with very high definition up to 15 cm resolution from about 1000 meters. After the radar identifies the object it takes a 3D picture. Laser diode: Laser diode is a diode where the active medium is a semiconductor similar to light emitting diode; this diode is used to produce n-p-n or p-n-p transistors that are used widely in electronic systems, these diodes are sometimes called injection laser diodes to distinguish between optically diodes. A laser diode is formed by doping a very thin crystal wafer on its upper surface using laser beam to produce a n type region and a p type region results in a p-n junction which is called a diode Laser fibre: A laser fibre is a glass or a plastic fibre that carries light through it. These fibres are used widely in fibre-optic communications which permits transmission over long distances and at higher bandwidth than other forms of communications. Fibres are used instead of metal wires because signals travel across them with less loss and they are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Fibresare also used for illumination and sensors. Laser microphone: The laser microphone is a device that uses a laser beam to detect sound vibrations in distant objects. The device takes vibrations as a pressure waves created by objects in the room (like person or an object), the laser beam is directed into the room from a window that hits the object then it returns back to the receiver that converts it to an audio signal. The minute differences in the distance travelled by the light as it reflects from the vibrating objects (are detected interferometrically is a technique used for diagnosing two or more waves by studying the pattern of interference created by their superpositions). A new type of laser microphones that uses laser and a smoke or vapour to detect the vibration waves in the air. Applications of laser in computer: Laser barcode scanner: The laser beam bounces off a rotating mirror and scans the code, sending a modulated beam to a light detector and then to a computer which has the product information stored. Semiconductor lasers can also be used for this purpose, laser barcode scanners are the most common used barcode scanners, laser barcode scanner doesnt need to be in contact with the barcode to read it, it can read barcode 6-24 inches away from it. Laser printer: A laser printer is a type of computer printers that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on a plain paper. It is a computer printer that uses laser beam to produce an image an on a rotating drum before transferring it to the paper. As with digital photocopiers and multifunction printers, laser printers employ a xerographic printing process but differ from analogue photocopiers in that the image is produced by the direct scanning of laser beam across the printer photoreceptor. A laser beam projects an image of the page to be printed onto an electrically charged rotating drum coated with selenium. Photoconductivity removes charge from area exposed to light, the drum then prints the image on a paper by direct contact and heat. Laser printers have many advantages than other printers like the speed of laser printer can vary widely, it can print 12000 pages in one hour. Conclusion: This report has discussed the applications of laser in our daily life. We have shown the different applications of laser in communication compared with different systems that operate with electrical cables radio frequency. The application of laser in computer represented in each aspect in our daily life as laser printers, DVD and scanners. The use of laser in mechanical engineering such as welding and cutting. It is also used in measuring dimensions and analyzing object by using 3D scanning. After listing all this application and advantages of lasers. We can not neglect the present of laser in our life. By the end of the report, the benefits of laser and its applications is clear.

Hitchcock, The Artist :: essays research papers

Hitchcock, The Artist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Shadow of a Doubt† was one of those movies I would flip right past if it happened to be on television. If I knew that it was a Hitchcock film, perhaps I’d pause for a few seconds to see if it looked scary. If it didn’t captivate me within those few seconds, I’d cruise right by until I found MTV. But, being somewhat forced to watch â€Å"Shadow of a Doubt† in class, I had no choice other than to buckle down and pay attention. I was pleasantly surprised. I expected some twists and turns, since it is an Alfred Hitchcock film. I didn’t expect the suspense or the romance. It was surprisingly entertaining in both plot and dialogue. I could tell by the many different film elements that this was a trademark Hitchcock film. â€Å"Shadow of a Doubt† is an Alfred Hitchcock work of art, because of its originality, openness to interpretation, and different approach to suspense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A work of art† is defined by Encarta Encyclopedia Online as â€Å"something made or done exceptionally well.† This film was unquestionably done well, if not exceptionally well. But, what does â€Å"done well† mean? I think it means that the work is completed fully with the best efforts of everyone involved. Not only is it fully researched, but meticulously planned and painstakingly designed. Therefore, the work in question is more like a child to those who created it, rather than a work of art. It contains their blood, sweat, and tears, and maybe a little insight into their minds. So, in the case of â€Å"Shadow of a Doubt† it is a work done well, by Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock was quoted in a 1998 review of â€Å"Shadow of a Doubt†, by Ted Prigge as saying â€Å"he enjoyed playing the audience like a piano.† Hitchcock did this almost effortlessly in this film (1). He had the ability to scare people, without shoving horror down their throats. It's what separated him from any other director of suspense: he knew the secret to scaring people was preying on real human emotions (1). His subtlety is what took â€Å"Shadow of a Doubt† from an everyday movie to an intricate thriller.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Movies of the past had a different approach to scaring the audience. In the 20th century, scary movies were more than entertainment. They were designed to lure the viewer into buying the action figures and tee shirts that the movie had spawned.

Set Theory in the Flesh :: Numbers Mathematics Essays

Set Theory in the Flesh The idea of infinity has been around for thousands of years. It it impossible to even conceive of this number or anything that pertains to the infinite. There is always one more. A billion is a fairly large number, 1 with 9 zeros after it. If one counted by seconds without breaks, it would take over 32 years to reach it. A Google, is a number written as 1 with one hundred zeros after it. One couldn't even count the number of lifetimes it would take to count to this number. Yet there are even much higher numbers such as a Googleplex. This number is one with a Google zeros. It would take far far too long to even write out the number. If the entire known universe was packed with quarks, the smallest known material, the number of quarks would not add up to a Googleplex. Compared to infinity, though, this number is as far away as the number one. Set theory is an area of mathematics that deals with inconceivable numbers, and bottomless concepts such as infinity. As it turns out there are many different kinds and orders of Hartmann 2 infinity that were documented by George Cantor, who opened up this area of math for the world. One way of describing these different levels of infinity is with Cantor's theoretical "Hotel Infinity" which is also an Allegory of his work and struggles in set theory. The story is interesting and also explains the fundamentals of infinity. Cantor and his assistant built a wondrous hotel that was made in such a way that there are infinitely many rooms. When he makes this hotel, his enemy Mr. Kronecker, criticizes itsaying that it's impossible and breaks the material of logic and should therefore be destroyed. Kronecker was a real person who criticized Cantor's works from the start trying to get it dismissed as not real mathematics. However, Cantor was able to publish his works, and in the story, his famous hotel was able to be printed in news paper advertisements. When the hotel finally filled up with an infinite number of people, Cantor's assistant didn't know what to do. Finally, Cantor told him to make everyone move from their room to a room that is numbered one higher than the previous one they were in. By doing this, Cantor was able to make room for one more person.

Theme in Housman’s “to an Athlete Dying Young”

? Theme in Housman’s â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† By Genea Cannon Dr. A. Kantor English 1302 6 March 2009 â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† by A. E. Houseman The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market-place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high. Today, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town. Smart lad, to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay, And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose. Eyes the shady night has shut Cannot see the record cut, And silence sounds no worse than cheers After earth has stopped the ears: Now you will not swell the rout Of lads that wore their honors out, Runners whom renown outran And the name died before the man. So set, before its echoes fade, The fleet foot on the sill of shade, And hold to the low lintel up The still-defended challenge-cup. And round that early-laureled head Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, And find unwithered on its curls The garland briefer than a girl’s. Thesis and Outline Thesis: Housman uses visual imagery, double-meaning words, and life cycles to develop a theme of fading glory. I. Visual Imagery A. Presence B. Effect II. Double-meaning Words A. Presence B. Effect III. Life Cycles A. Presence B. Effect Genea Cannon DC English 1302 Dr. A. Kantor 3/6/09 Theme in Housman’s â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† In Alfred Edward Housman’s â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young†, the theme of fading glory is evident throughout the piece. Knowing and comprehending the theme is important to understanding the poem. Housman uses visual imagery, double-meaning words, and life cycles to develop a theme of fading glory. Visual imagery is used in many ways to present the theme. In the first stanza, the narrator is remembering the day that the runner won a race for his town. When Housman states that â€Å"Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought we brought you shoulder-high† (Housman Lines 3-4), it is obvious that the athlete was praised because â€Å"he was placed on an emotional/psychological pedestal as well as a physical one† (Napierkowski 230). Next, Housman states that Today, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town. (Lines 5-8) These lines vividly paint a picture of the athlete being carried high again, but this time the athlete in his own casket on the way to his grave. The saying â€Å"The road all runners come† expresses the â€Å"speaker’s awareness of the mortality of all people† (Napierkowski 230). The story is continued in line 7 by burying the body at his â€Å"threshold†. â€Å"The ‘threshold’ may literally be the physical edges of a grave, but it could also refer to the boundary between earthly reality and the world of the dead† (231). This shows that all people will die and that this particular athlete was held high even though he was on the way to the grave, because he died young and was still remembered for what he had done in his life. Another use of imagery is shown in lines 11 and 12, when Housman says â€Å"And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose. † This is showing that the athlete gets his fame early in life, but just like the laurels, his glory fades quickly. â€Å"The idea of a laurel leaf representing the brevity of physical beauty and strength is furthered by its comparison to the feminine and delicate rose, which grows early in the season and withers and dies quickly (but not as quickly as the laurel)† (231). In the last stanza of â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young†, the image of the dead athlete having already passed through the threshold and existing in the world of the dead is presented. The athlete is wearing the victory wreath made of laurel. The only difference in the wreath of laurel in the world of the dead and the wreath of laurel on earth is that the laurel does not ever fade in the world of the dead. â€Å"The garland is expressed as ‘unwithered,’ reiterating Housman’s theme of the permanent victory an early death might provide† (232). These are a few of the ways that imagery shows up the theme of glory fading throughout the piece. Not only does visual imagery present the reader with the theme, words that have double-meaning also play an immense role in the poem by Housman. One instance of double-meaning words is in the fifth stanza when it is said: â€Å"Now you will not swell the rout Of lads that wore their honors out, Runners whom renown outran And the name died before the man. † (Lines 17-20) These lines strengthen the observation made by the speaker that at some point all athletes will fade in their ability to make such a performance and win. Glory is fleeting. The only way a person can capture it and make it last is to die young after achieving greatness† (Cummings). â€Å"Their ‘renown’ eventually outruns them: because they can no longer uphold their athletic reputation by sustaining their peak performance, their reputation, or ‘name,’ dies before they do† (Napi erkowski 231). And the name does not actually â€Å"die† it actually fades from people’s memories, whereas the person dies. This is where the double-meaning comes into play. Since the hero-athlete of this poem has died while at his peak, he will not have to become part of this ‘rout’ (crowd) of has-been athletes† (231). Words that have double-meanings play a big role in the production of the theme in poem written by Housman. In addition to visual imagery and double meaning words, life cycles have an important effect on the theme of the poem. Lines 9 and 10 of Housman’s poem say â€Å"Smart lad, to slip away From fields where glory does not stay,† These lines are saying that glory does not remain upon the earth long; after a while the accomplishments you achieved will be forgotten. The speaker suggests that the athlete was â€Å"smart† to die and leave the natural world, where â€Å"glory does not stay† (Napierkowski 231). Had the athlete grown older, the townspeople would have forgotten his accomplishment when other runners replaced him, meaning other runners would steal the spotlight when the athlete was no longer the best. This shows that heroes cycle through our lives like people who cycle through our lives. Alfred Edward Housman’s â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† has an interesting theme of fading glory. This theme is presented through visual imagery, double-meaning words, and life cycles. These three things used in the poem vividly paint a picture for the reader’s mind presenting the theme in a way that the reader can not miss. Works Cited Cummings, Michael J. â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young†. Cummings Guides. 27 Jan 2009. 3 March 2009. . Housman, A. E. , â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young. † The Collected Poems. London: Jonathan Cape, 1939. Napierkowski, Marie Rose, and Mary K. Ruby, eds. â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young. † Poetry for Students. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale, 1998.

My Christmas 2008

When I woke up early morning Friday 19. December the first thought that crossed my mind was that finally, today we were getting free from school! This holiday was going to be amazing! Time went on and suddenly I got home from school and the days without homework, early mornings and tired hours were finally over! What a relief†¦ I started these days by just sleeping. I slept for a very long time the first nights. I didn't really do anything special the first weekend. I was rested and ready for a new week full of Christmas, friends, family and fun! Christmas Eve was really good. My aunt and my grandfather visited us and ate dinner with us. I just love the dinner on Christmas Eve! My neighbour, a good friend of mine also showed up late at night, and he stayed with us a little while we watched a movie and talked. At the first day of Christmas my whole family, including my uncles, aunts with their family. My cousins are so fun to be around, so I had a really good day. Christmas is the best holiday. At least that's what I think. Next day I went shopping with two of my friends. Of course this trip went no longer than Sweden. We ended the day by watching movies and eating a lot candy. Not very healthy though, but we had a good time that day. The days went faster then ever, and suddenly it was new years eve! I spent this night only with my family. We ate good food, and the night turned out to be real nice. After this night the holiday was going to an end, and before we knew it, suddenly it was Monday and back to school. I really loved this holiday. I had a good time with my family and my friends that I care about a lot. They're the best. Hoping it will be just as good next year.