Benefits of a College Degree Essay Example for Free

Benefits of a College Degree Essay After high school, a choice that many students have to make is whether to go to college or not. There are many factors that go into one’s decision. There are pros and cons to going to college and also there are pros and cons for not going to college. But the decision that will give someone the better opportunity to have a more successful life is to go to college. The money that one will earn after getting a college degree will be more than the money a person will make without getting a college degree. As our society has continued to evolve, education has become the optimal route to professional success: pursuing a degree is the best way to receive training, to gain expertise in a given field, and even to guide you and help you make choices about your career (Value†¦). Money is one of the most important reasons that a person goes to college. On average, a person that has just a high-school diploma earns $30,400 per year while a person that gets a bachelor’s degree will earn on average $52,200 per year (Value†¦). A master’s degree on average will get a person a yearly salary of $62,300 (Value†¦). Based on the numbers, a formal education is an essential ingredient in today’s society. Going to college and getting four more years of schooling may not be the fun thing to do, but it is a wise choice to help lead one to a more successful life. Some people may say that even though that someone will earn more money by getting a college degree, the cost of college does not equal out the amount of money one will make. While the cost of college is expensive, the difference in money made from a college degree will be able to cover the cost of college over time. The average cost of college tuition plus expenses per year is between $20,000 and $35,000 (U. S. News Staff). Of course that is quite a bit of money that would go into paying for college, but even if a person cannot pay for it at the time or did not get a scholarship, someone could always get a student loan so they can pay for college in that way. While if a person chooses to not go to college, that person can get a full-time job that one may focus heavily on. Although a person in college can have a job, that person cannot work as much as someone who is not in college. At first this is a positive for not going to college because that would mean more money for the people not going to college. That is true but over years; the people with a college degree will end up with more money because of the higher annual salaries. The benefits of a college degree are not just for money, but also a college degree will also give a person more career options. A person with a college degree will have more career options than someone without a college degree because employers will see that one has a college degree and think that person knows what to do and can do the job well. Employers want the best person for the job and a college degree looks really good on a person’s resume (Ten Great†¦). In a survey that was casted to see what employers look for, those employers said that they wanted people that have dependability, reliability, a good attitude, the ability to read comfortably, the ability to think more consciously, computer skills, and the ability to communicate clearly whether it be spoken or in writing (Knowledge and†¦). Along the path of getting a college degree, one will also learn these skills and attributes. Not only does a college degree increase one’s chances of getting a job, but it can also get a person employer-paid health insurance and pension plans. That is great considering that the amount of employers that are offering health insurance and pension plans are going down. Also, if in the town or state that a person lives in hits a recession, if one has a college degree, then that person is more likely to keep their job. Plus, even if that person does get fired, that person will still be more likely to find a job somewhere else because of the college degree (Ten Great†¦). College is not just a place to get a degree, but it is also a place to make connections and lifelong friends. Making connections is creating relationships with those that are further along in their career. One’s professors will enjoy helping out their students because they would not be professors if they did not care about helping out others. In college, a person will meet many people from many different places. The people that someone is with can listen to people’s stories about their backgrounds, experiences, and cultures. This will be an advantage because meeting a diverse range of people will give one a broader view on the world and cultural understanding (The Benefits†¦). Being in college will help one learn more about themselves. While one is in college, a person will figure out more about their likes and dislikes (The Benefit†¦). College is a time when one is starting to prepare for a career that one will enjoy doing that job for the rest of their life. Hopefully a person in college will find a career that one will enjoy and also be able to perform that job well. The time spent in college will help one become more satisfied with their career choice later on in life. Of course, the obvious benefit of going to college is the education and the knowledge that one will learn. In whatever major that a person takes while in college, one will get a higher understanding of what the class is about. Having the knowledge in a certain area will make a person better at their job. The knowledge that one will gain in college will help that person doing what is needed to get done every day. Plus, with a college degree, one will not need as much training as someone who did not get a degree. The benefits of going to college outweigh the possible negatives of going to college. While there is a chance of someone being very successful in life with only a high school diploma, the odds are just better if one has a college degree. There are many benefits of going to college so that one can earn a college degree. One can get a higher annual salary than someone that does not go to college. Having a college degree with give a person more career choices and also improve their chances of being hired by an employer. One will learn the skills that employers are looking for like knowledge, dependability, computer skills, and much more. A person that goes to college will develop great friendships and make a real connection with people. While in college, one will learn more about themselves, find out more about oneself, and hopefully be able to realize their dreams. There is no correct way to live life, but when someone is trying to figure what path to take so that one can fulfill their dreams and be as happy as possible, the signs point that going to college and getting a college degree is the smarter choice. Works Cited Gill, Deanna. â€Å"Negative Effects of Not Exercising. † n. p. HubPages Inc. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 3Nov. 2012. Wiley, Blackwell. Regular Exercise Reduces Large Number of Health Risks Including Dementia and Some Cancers, Study Finds. ScienceDaily, 16 Nov. 2010. Web. 3 Nov. 2012. CourseAdvisor. â€Å"Benefits of a College Degree. † Washington Post Company. CourseAdvisor Inc. 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Knowledge and Skills Needed to Succeed in the 21st Century Workplace, National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, June 2000. â€Å"Ten Great Reasons to Get a College Degree. † n. p. Yellow Page College Directory. 2011. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"The Benefits of a College Degree. † n. p. Hobsons. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"The Real Benefits of a College Degree. † n. p. RightFitDegrees. com, Inc. 2009-2012. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. U. S. News Staff. â€Å"The Average Cost of a U. S. College Education. † n. p. U. S. News World Report. 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Value of Education. † n. p. 2003-2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2012.

History of Accounting Standards in the UK

History of Accounting Standards in the UK Accounting norms and standards, applicable for companies in the UK, emanate from the Companies Act, 1985, amended later by the Companies Act, 1989, and by subsequent statutory instruments. While the Companies Act lays down minimum reporting requirements, such as filing of accounts with the Registrar of Companies, other agencies like the Accounting Standards Board, (ASB) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, (ICAEW) are responsible for laying down accounting standards, and for the development and regulation of the accounting profession. The ICAEW, the English and Welsh accountancy body for accountants and auditors plays a major role in controlling the accountancy profession, and the conduct of its members. Accounting standards, known as Financial Reporting Standards, (FRSs) are issued by the ASB and form the guidelines for preparation of accounting statements. The Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, known as UK GAAP, governed the preparation of accounts, in the UK, until 2005. Most countries, in the past, had their own national GAAPs, each being quite different from the other. The international initiative for harmonisation of accounting practice has led to the adoption of International Financial reporting Standards, (IFRSs) by all listed companies in Europe. Listed companies in the UK have to prepare accounting and financial statements, in line with IFRS requirements, from 2005. Unlisted companies can continue to prepare their accounting statements under UK GAAP, and can switch to IFRS standards with more comfort. Accounting methods, in the UK, have traditionally depended upon accepted accounting principles, rather than a body of rules. Accounting statements aim to â€Å"portray the nature of accounting entities operating in a free economy characterised by private ownership of property†, (Principles based or rule based accounting standards, 2006) and depend upon concepts like those of ownership, entity and funds. The objectives and concepts of accounting resulted in the establishment of widely accepted accounting principles, namely (a) cost principle, (b) revenue principle, (c) matching principle, (d) objectivity principle (e) consistency principle, (f) full disclosure principle, (g) conservatism principle, (h) materiality principle (i) uniformity principle and (j) comparability principle. (Riahi-Belkaoui, 2004) With time, these principles led to the development of techniques, and rules, to facilitate functioning, and ensure uniformity of treatment, on a large scale, by professionals an d companies. In the US, where accounting developed parallely to the UK, accounting standards were also based upon established principles. However, over time, the demands of the business environment in the US led to the creation of voluminous rules that dictated the preparation of accounting statements. The major reasons for this were easier enforceability, better comparability and consistency, usefulness in situations that were complex and needed sophisticated interpretation, control of earnings management and creative accounting, and resolution of inconsistencies in existing standards. While there is some truth in these assertions, (with rules undoubtedly developing because of the demands and challenges faced by the accounting and business fraternity), this enormous body of rules grew into a multi headed hydra that worked against the basic reasons that had necessitated their creation. The increasing complexity and sheer volume of successive rules led to their adherence becoming more important th an the underlying principles. This, in turn, led to a number of undesirable results including the development of a box ticking approach, the usage of the wording of rules, by unscrupulous manipulators, for window dressing and creative accounting, overloads and delays in preparation of accounting statements, delays in framing of new rules in response to changes in the marketplace, and the propensity for professionals to take refuge in rules rather than in representing difficult and uncomfortable realities. A significant body of opinion relates the numerous frauds that emerged in the US in the late nineties, and the early years of this century, notably the Enron and WorldCom episodes, to the rules based accounting system of the United States. Many experts feel that the accounting system of the UK, based upon adherence to accounting principles rather than rules, has helped in protecting the British economy from such disasters. Principle based accounting standards arise out of a conceptual and theoretical framework of transparency and simplicity with a hierarchical and overriding position of principles in the determination of accounting decisions. Principle based accounting requires three elements (a) overarching concepts, (b) principles that reflect these overarching concepts and (c) limited guidance. Guidances are necessarily limited, in principle based accounting, and apart from a small number of interpretations on major issues, are built in, by way of small explanations, in the standards themselves. Usage of this approach naturally requires much greater involvement and responsibility on the part of the directors of companies, as well as from professional accountants and auditors, and enjoins them to ensure the presentat ion of accounts in strict accordance with principles. The adoption of IFRS, since 2005, has led to the usage of new Financial Reporting Standards in the preparation of accounts in the UK. While some changes have been necessary, especially in the treatment of goodwill and other intangibles, the number of commonalities between UK GAAP and IFRS, (primarily because the IFRS also follows a principle-based approach) have helped in making the change smooth and trouble free. IFRS 1 illustrates the commonality shared by UK GAAP and IFRS on principles. The key principle behind IFRS 1 is full retrospective application of all IFRS, in force at the closing balance sheet date, for the first IFRS financial statements. It provides guidance in the use of hindsight and the application of several versions of the same standards. While it works on principles, with companies given significant flexibility in their reporting, it expects companies to maintain transparency and achieve comparability. The principle-based approach is also the base for the code of ethics governing accounting professionals, and the code of corporate governance in the UK. Over the past fifteen years, the UK government has initiated a number of studies into improving corporate governance by eminent and experienced individuals. The Greenbury Report (1995), the Hampel Report (1998), and the Turnbull Report (1999) followed the Cadbury Report of 1992. The Cadbury report stands out, not just because it was the first of various studies that helped in the development of corporate governance in the UK but also because it was clear in adopting a principle based approach that originated a self regulatory approach â€Å"whereby reporting of compliance (became) part of the listing requirements for public companies.† (Jones and Pollit, 2003) The emphasis on the board as a focal decision point could be said to be led by Cadbury, as could be the emphasis on appropriately constituted board sub-committees (remuneration, audit and nomination), independent non-executive directors and the separation of chairperson and chief executive positions. Many of the recommendations of the Cadbury Code have been incorporated into the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (OECD, 1999) and into other national Corporate Governance Codes (Cadbury, 2000). (Jones and Pollit, 2003) These various studies, as well as a long running Company Law Review, carried out at the instance of the UK government, led first to the formulation of the Combined Code of Corporate Governance, 2003, and then to its replacement, with the Combined Code of Corporate Governance, 2006, applicable for reporting years beginning on or after November1, 2006. The combined code stresses the primacy of principles, and self-regulation, by company boards. The code contains principles, and supporting provisions, with listing requirements making corporate governance disclosure statements, prepared in two parts, mandatory. While the first part requires companies to report on the application of the principles contained in the code, the second part requires them to confirm compliance with the code’s provisions, with appropriate explanations if they do not. The â€Å"comply or explain† approach helps both companies and investors, and allows shareholders to make their own judgements. Some of the main principles embodied in the combined code require (a) every company to be headed by an effective board, collectively responsible for the success of the company (b) clear division of responsibilities at the head of the company, between the running of the board, and the executive responsible for running the company’s business, (with no individual having unfettered powers of decision), (c) a balance between executive and non-executive (in particular (independent non-executive) directors, (d) formal, rigorous and transparent procedures for appointment of new directors, (e) the provision of information to the board, in a timely manner, and of quality appropriate for it to make proper decisions, (f) the need for the board to evaluate its own performance, as well as that of its directors (g) the regular re-election of directors and planed and progressive refreshment of the board,(h) a remuneration policy, (sufficient but not excessive), and structured to link remuneration with performance, for the executive directors, (i) transparency in fixation of remuneration, with directors not to be involved in fixing their own remuneration, (j) the presentation of a balanced and understandable assessment of the company’s position and (k) a sound system of internal control for safeguarding investor wealth and company assets. While the combined code contains a number of other principles, the ones illustrated above emphasise that company boards are enjoined to act responsibly, and with common sense, be transparent in their actions, and adopt a principled and virtuous path in corporate action. The principle-based approach ensures freedom and flexibility in operations while necessitating the highest codes of corporate conduct. (The combined code on corporate governance, 2006) The code of ethics adopted by the ICAEW, effective September 1, 2006, requires adherence to five key principles, namely, integrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care, confidentiality and professional behaviour. The code, which has three parts, establishes the five fundamental principles that govern professional ethics and provides a conceptual framework for applying these principles. â€Å"It provides examples of safeguards that may be appropriate to address threats to compliance with the fundamental principles and also provides examples of situations where safeguards are not available to address the threats and consequently the activity or relationship creating the threats should be avoided.† (Code of Ethics, 2006) The code elaborates that threats could arise from self-interest, self-review, advocacy, familiarity and intimidation. It is exhaustive in the treatment of fundamental ethical principles, the threats that may arise and compromise these principles and the approach best suited by professional accountants in facing and overcoming these threats. The guidance provided is more than adequate for trained and committed accountants to conduct themselves in the best traditions of ethicality even without having to follow voluminous and complex rules. Shaken by the Enron and WorldCom affairs the American establishment pushed through the Sarbanes Oxley Act (Sox) in 2002, aiming to increase transparency, and rid the US corporate world of potential conflict-of-interest issues between a broad spread of parties, including clients and auditors. Sox has some distinctive features, namely rigorous new reporting requirements for all listed companies, sharply enhanced responsibilities for senior management in the presentation of accounts, (including the spectre of long jail terms for offences like fudging figures and misreporting), and restrictions on auditors dealing with clients for long periods. â€Å"Sox is the most important piece of accounting and corporate governance to have come out of the US since the Great Depression.† (Holliday, 2003) Apart from laying down much greater responsibilities for members of top management, it has also opened a great debate in the USA on effecting a changeover from rule based accounting to princip le based accounting. It does this first in section 108(d), which requires the SEC to study the accounting system to ascertain the extent to which it is principles-based, as opposed to rules-based, and to tell us how long it will take for us to achieve a principles-based system; and second, in section 108(a), which requires the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and any other approved standards-setting body to adopt procedures ensuring prompt consideration of new rules reflecting international convergence on high quality accounting standards. (Bratton, Abstract, 2003) While significant change on this front is yet to happen, US GAAP and IFRS practices are converging with each other. The IASB and the FASB are working together, since 2002, to reduce and eliminate differences between IFRS and US GAAP. IFRS 3, for example, provides a good example of how IFRS has moved substantially towards US GAAP. The phasing out of the â€Å"pooling of interests† method, under IFRS made it mandatory, from March 31, 2004, for companies in the EU to identify the acquiring entity, adopt the purchase method of accounting, and replace amortisation of goodwill with the impairment method. While the calculation of impairment of goodwill differs under US GAAP, the principles, in both cases, remain the same. IFRS 5, one of the more important standards deals with non current assets held for sale and presentation of discontinued operations. Non current assets need classification as â€Å"held for sale† subject to certain conditions being met, and income statements need to disclose a single amount on the face of the income statement that includes details of profits, capital gains and cash flows from discontinued operations. While the move to reclassify non-current assets appears to be unquestionable, the stripping out of all commercial effects of discontinued operations is sensible and based upon the business entity principle. It will provide a much clearer vision of current economic performance. (Kirk, 2006) As the countries of Europe, along with New Zealand and some other states, move towards adoption of IFRS, the global movement towards implementation of principle based accounting is becoming stronger. Adoption of common standards becomes feasible only if they work upon principles and not rules. It becomes well nigh impossible to find commonality between two sets of voluminous rules that arise out of location and situation specific circumstances. Principles, on the other hand, represent globally common moral and ethical values, and provide opportunities for common grounds for discussion and decision. This is also the main reason why accountants in the UK have found it comparatively easy to adopt IFRS practices. Bibliography Approach, Scope and Authority, 2006, Code of Ethics, ICAEW, Retrieved April 23, 2007 from www.icaew.com/index.cfm?route=143703 Bullen, H, and Cafini, R, 2006, Accounting Standards Regarding Intellectual Assets, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Retrieved April 16, 2007 from unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/ia10.pdf Bratton, W, 2003, Enron, Sarbanes-Oxley and Accounting: Rules Versus Principles Versus Rents, Abstract, Villa Nova Law Review, Retrieved April 23, 2007 from papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=473242 FASB: Financial Accounting Standard Board, 2006, Retrieved April 16, 2007 from www.fasb.org Code of ethic, 2006, ICAEW, Retrieved April 23, 2007 from www.icaew.com/index.cfm?route=143703 IFRS and US GAAP, 2005, IAS Plus Deloitte, Retrieved April 16, 2007 from deloitte.net/dtt/cda/doc/content/dtt_audit_iasplusgl_073106.pdf Higson, C and Sproul, M, 2005, Coping with IFRS, London Business School, Retrieved April 16, 2007 from www.london.edu/assets/documents/PDF/Chris_Higson_paper_IFRS.pdf Holliday, I, 2003, Why these folks mean business, Financial World, Retrieved April 23, 2007 from www.tavakolistructuredfinance.com/FWOct03.pdf Intangible assets: brand valuation, 2004, IFRS News Brand Valuation, Retrieved April 16, 2007 from www.pwc.com/gx/eng/about/svcs/corporatereporting/IFRSNewsCatalogue.pdf Jones, I, and Pollit, M, 2003, Understanding how issues in corporate governance develop, University of Cambridge, Retrieved April 23, 2007 from www.cbr.cam.ac.uk/pdf/wp277.pdf Kirk, R, 2006, IFRS 5, Non current assets held for sale and presentation of discontinued operations, Financial reporting, Retrieved April 23, 2007 from http://www.cpaireland.ie/UserFiles/File/AccPlus%20IFRS5.pdf. Lycklama, M.P., 2005, Goodwill and value creation of acquisitions, Retrieved April 16, 2007 from www.bedrijfswetenschappen.leidenuniv.nl/content_docs/PDF/goodwill_and_value_creation_of_acquisitions.pdf Nobes, C. and Parker, R., 2004, Comparative International Accounting (9th edition), Prentice Hall Radebaugh, L.H., Gray, S.J., Black, E.L., 2006, International Accounting and Multinational Enterprises, 6th edition, John Wiley and Sons, inc., USA Roberts, C, Weetman, P, and Gordon, P, 2005, International Financial Reporting: A Comparative Approach, 3rd edition, FT Prentice Hall, USA Similarities and Differences, 2005, A comparison of IFRS, US GAAP and Belgian GAAP, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Retrieved April 16, 2007 from www.pwc.com/extweb/pwcpublications.nsf/docid/74d6c09e0a4ee610802569a1003354c8

Comparing One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich and The Shawshank Redemption :: Comparison Compare Constrast Essays

One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich and The Shawshank Redemption A parent chooses the punishment to correct the child for his or her wrong. The child though is the person that decides whether the punishment will convict and transform him. The child has the power to choose how the punishment will affect them. In both the novel One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn and the movie The Shawshank Redemption (1994), punishment is given to a person who did not deserve it. Both Ivan Denisovich Shuhkov and Andy Dufresne are found guilty of a crime they did not commit. The prison tries to punish Shuhkov and Dufresne. However, Shuhkov and Dufresne were able to surmount the prison's attempts. Through their mind they were able to weather the guards' futile attempts at breaking them down. In the Russian GULAG (Chief Administration of Correctional Labor Camps), Shuhkov was treated in comparison to an animal. He was fed little and worked hard. The GULAG system did not want the prisoner to have a higher thinking, or purpose. Shuhkov tells the reader, "Yes you live with your feet in the mud and there's no time to be thinking about how you got in or how you're going to get out" (Solz 55). A few prisoners were able to overcome the labor camp's control; Shuhkov and Aloysha the Baptist were two. Shuhkov, a concrete thinker used tangible items to survive the harshness of the GULAG. Aloysha the Baptist, on the other hand, is an abstract thinker. He used his religion to reduce the bitterness of camp. Shuhkov knows little of science or textbook education. For example in his discussion with Buinovsky about the moon, Shuhkov shows he knows very little about astrology, but he knows how to use every resource possible. He says, "'God crumbles up the moon into stars'"(Solz 90). In this passage Shuhkov shows his nature to not waste anything. Shuhkov used everyday to the fullest. All that was thought about was that day, no past and no future. He was supposed to be being punished for military actions. The only thing being punished was his body. His mind was his key to survival of the punishment.

Is Heathcliff a typical literary hero? Essay -- English Literature

Is Heathcliff a typical literary hero? Heathcliff is introduced to the reader as anything but a hero in the beginning. He is bullied by Hindley and looked down upon by the rest of the household, including Cathy and Nelly to start with -"hardened, perhaps, to ill-treatment: he would stand Hindley's blows", "spitting at the stupid little thing;". Heathcliff does not show himself to be terribly helpful, kind or brave although he does seem to show an air of strength and resilience when Hindley decides to throw a heavy weight at him. But instead of throwing it back or running away he just picks himself up and carries on with what he was doing- "and down he fell, but staggered up immediately,...". As a child Heathcliff was quite patient and irritable and did not have any real background or education. He is supposedly handsome and loyal (to Cathy) but has very low morals (he tried to kill Isabella's dog when they ran off to Wuthering Heights)- . He is strong and athletic but is in no way good-natured as the way he acts throughout the whole book shows you; like- "Don't torture me till I am as mad as yourself!" The heroic qualities we see today in our popular super heroes and other more original characters like Sherlock Holmes, all originated from Greek legends like Hercules and Perseus and from Bible stories like David and Goliath. Heathcliff does not seem to follow any of the patterns in these other heroes or act like them, but more like the opposite. Heathcliff could be analysed as a anti or Byronic hero; Heathcliff does show himself to have the same qualities as a Byronic hero because he is wild and passionate and has many dark qualities, Heathcliff is very remorse-torn and moody; these qualities may have ... ... without any emotion in his life. She shows this when she talks of Heathcliff and contrasts the both of them- "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire." Both Edgar and Heathcliff do not have what it takes to be a heros, Edgar is too nice and emotionless and Heathcliff is too full of emotion, anger and hate. Together their qualities could make a hero, but on there own they are two different things. Heathcliff's qualities show him to be the opposite to a classic literary hero, so he could be the Byronic hero who is wild, passionate and possesses many hidden darker qualities. Heathcliff is passionate, he is slightly evil and he does represent the opposite side of a hero, he possesses all the bad qualities and mysterious qualities that make him a Byronic hero.

Focus Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Focus Everyone has problems concentrating once in a while, moments when the words on the page don't seem nearly as interesting as one's own thoughts. Most everyone has days when they feel an unexplained burst of exuberance or restlessness . Maybe it was a promotion or a messy break up, but the work just wouldn't get done and not for lack of trying. Now imagine everyday like this, every day filled with frenetic energy that cannot seem to be channeled into anything productive. Sure it might be fun for a while, but what about when you really need to get something done and it doesn't happen. You go to clean your room, and six hours later there are still piles of clothing on the floor. You can't recall what it is that you've been doing all afternoon. All you know is that nothing got done. You go to read a book, but the words dissolve into marks on the page, patterns which make no logical sense, providing only the background for another means of staring off into space. You go to visit a friend, but she quickly tires of the way you seem to constantly interrupt her. You were listening to what she said, but you just got ahead of her somehow and started talking over her. You find yourself depressed and isolated. This is the world of someone who suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. (1,2) According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association as the main set of guidelines for diagnosing mental disorders in the USA, there are four main subtypes of ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, combined, and not otherwise specified. The symptomology of each include: 1. ADHD-Inattentive* : a. Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mi... ...s not necessarily all bad. By entertaining a greater range of stimuli, ADHD can make the person seem more creative and free thinking. Nevertheless, lacking the ability to properly focus one's attention, the sufferer will also find him or herself at a serious disadvantage on a very fundamental level, which can effect his or her social, scholastic, and emotional life. Thus drug and behavioral therapies are a god-send to many families. Ritalin, as well as Dexedrine and Cylert, etc., should be carefully considered, then carefully monitored if the decision is made to try them. Attention deficit is not an easy thing with which to live, but if found and treated, the person can lead an entirely normal and happy life. Sources Consulted: http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-r03.html http://www.newideas.net/p0000409.htm http://www.breggin.com/ritalinbkexcerpt.html

Becoming Literate

From Spanish to English: Becoming Literate Mark Twain once said, â€Å"The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read. † It was in first grade when I first learned how to read. Mrs. Garza was my teacher and I will never forget her because she is the one that taught me how to read, write, and speak English. If it was not for her encouragement and push she gave me I would not have been where I am today. It was a book that contained a collection of short stories. Words like ‘mat’ and ‘hat’ were in this book.After that year my mom was so happy and proud of me that she bought that book from the school. To this day I still have that book and I look at it from time to time. I was born and raised in McAllen, Texas but the weird thing is that I am the only person in my whole family that was born in the United States! My parents are from Monterrey in Mexico so of course they speak only Spanish with a little bit of English. My first lang uage was Spanish and I did not start speaking English until the end of first grade.I had already learned my English alphabet in kinder but I never wanted to speak or use English for some reason. Mrs. Garza would have to force us to speak English but my friends and I never wanted to! One day, after trying so many methods, she put little jars in each of the groups in the class. She told us that for every person that she would hear speak Spanish, she was going to place a marble in the jar. At the end of the week whoever had the least marbles would get rewarded with either a candy or and item of some sort. That is how I was forced to speak and write English.It was then that I started talking to my friends in English as well. At home, I was still speaking Spanish with my parents and siblings. I already knew my alphabet so I began to read, write and speak English. To this day, I thank my parents for teaching me Spanish first because it has been very useful. I have never really liked writi ng. I am in a way kind of like Junot Diaz, I'll be writing and I will not think it is good at all and will just doubt myself. Being a successful writer does take a lot of thinking, years of hard work and dedication, and of course the passion you have for writing.The words just do not come to me as easy as other people and that frustrates me. I have to really think about it and re-read and re-write it many times before I have a finished product. When it comes to people like Malcom X, he did of course have all of this dedication to learn new words. He did not grow up with all the resources that maybe Junot Diaz and Stephen King did so that pushed him even more to teach himself. These three writers help you realize that these famous authors also have struggled to have a finished product.They helped me realize that doubting yourself and trashing the first, second, and even a third draft always come before you have it almost perfect. â€Å"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body,† said Richard Steele. This has always been one of my favorite quotes because unlike writing, I have a passion to read. I have always loved to read especially a series. The first series that I ever read was the Junie B. Jones during my elementary years. I would check one out in my school library, return it by the end of the week and quickly get the next one.To this day, I still consider myself to be an active reader and ever since I got an Amazon Kindle, I read much faster. It is easier for me to take it to anywhere and anytime. I enjoy mostly fiction books but do read other genres from time-to-time. I have memories of being so excited to add new books to the list whenever I completed them. I always challenge myself to read as many books as I can in a week because of the rush I get after finishing another book. I still read every single day and often cannot put down a book once I start it.My older sister loves to read as well. We have the same taste in books and I love it because whenever she reads a book she will tell me to read it because she knows I will enjoy it as much as she did. Since she also has a Kindle, we can share the eBooks electronically so I will not actually have to buy a book. She is also in a book club, which sounds nerdy, but she has a lot of fun. They read a different novel every single week and then they meet on Fridays. She loves being in this club because it gives her a chance to talk about the novel to her friends.I know I am not the only person to say this, but I hate it whenever I read a novel and I immediately want to talk to someone and share my thoughts about it but no one that has read it! My sister has convinced me to join a book club sometime because it is a great way to have fun and enjoy reading even more. Although I love to read, whenever I am assigned a novel it is so hard for me to read it! Last year in my AP English class, my teacher Ms. Grace would assign us a reading list with novels we had to read by specifi c dates. Some were good but some I was just not interested in so it was very hard to pick up the book and start reading.For some reason, whenever I am assigned a novel to read and finish it by a specific date, I cannot get myself to read it. Whenever I choose a novel that I want to read I will finish it the very next day, which I find very ironic. I am thankful that I had the resources to become literate. Life would not be the same if you do not have that skill. I cannot even begin to imagine not being able to read or write. I am glad that I had such a wonderful teacher for first grade because without her encouragement I would not be here today reading, writing, or speaking English.

Write a Set of Instructions Explaining in Objective Terms

It is very important to pass down the formal rituals of the town to next generations. In order to pass down the ritual, the community will need a large black box to keep the folded papers together when the lottery starts, one folded paper with large black dot on, a stool to put the large black box on, and piles of stone. Remember the ritual might vary slightly from other communities, but the ritual is an important part of our society's history and its present. In our society, a lottery will be held every year, on July 27th at noon, since there are only 300 people; it is possible to finish the lottery before the late lunch.The ritual of the society is not only a tradition, but also a ritual to guarantee our success every harvesting season. Remember the quote â€Å"lottery in June, corn be heavy soon†. Steps in the ritual process are shown below. The lottery can be divided into a preparatory stage, lottery stage, and finishing stage. A preparatory stage takes a day or more. A ni ght before the June 27th, the lottery official should make a list of the heads of the families, and the members of each household in each family. Second, based on the number of the people on the list, the lottery official has to make lottery ballots.Remember, one ballot should be marked with a black circle. All ballots must be same size, and are folded in a same way. Third, if all the ballots are done, put the ballots inside the black box. On the following day, before the lottery starts, lottery official has to gather up the children and make them to collect stones and put it in a pile next to the town square where the lottery is held. After telling children, remind the people about the lottery through the announcements. Then, when everyone has gathered, the lottery official enters with a wooden black box, followed by a postmaster carrying a stool.Place the stool at the center of the square and put the black box on it. Second stage is before the lottery stage. After everyone have ga thered, remind people about the rules of the lottery; wife draws with the husband’s family, if there is somebody in absence, a substitute will choose the ballot to fill in the missing person, and everyone takes only one folded paper. The third stage is Lottery stage; when the lottery official had finished going over the rules of the ritual, proper swearing-in by the postmaster takes place; the official starts the recital of perfunctory tuneless chant.After all the perfunctory steps of the lottery are done, start the lottery immediately. The lottery official should read the names of the head of the families. When their family name is called, representing one's family, a head of the household approaches the black box and chooses one folded paper from the box. When every man representing each family had drawn, open the paper and check which family has won the first-round lottery. Check the number of family members of the the family that had drawn the paper with the black dot.Aft er counting the number of the family members, make a set of ballots just for the family that had drawn the paper with the black dot (make sure every member of the family would pick one folded paper from the box, and one of the folded papers inside the box is marked with a black dot). When the lottery official had finished making new sets of ballots for the second round lottery, call each member of the family into the box, and make everyone take one folded paper from the box.Remind each family member to not open the folded paper until everyone had finished choosing the folded paper. After every member of the family had picked their choice of folded paper, tell the participants to open the paper. Announce the winner of he lottery. The last step is finishing stage. Start the ritual of the lottery. Use stones that boy had gathered up. Stone the winner till the death. Announce the end of the ritual lottery, and dismiss the crowd. The lottery official takes the box and put the box away un til the next lottery in the next year.