How to Answer Brainteaser Interview Questions and Wow Hiring Managers

How to Answer Brainteaser Interview Questions and Wow Hiring Managers If two trains leave the station at 11:30, with Train A traveling at 75 miles per hour and Train B traveling at 52 miles per hour, what kind of hat is the conductor of Train A wearing? You may think you left these kinds of word problems behind when you finished school, but think again- you may very well see this style of brainteaser question pop up in a job interview. Like you don’t have to do enough preparation already for the regular types of interview questions. But don’t worry- like every other interview question, the trick to rocking your answers to these brainteasers lies in being prepared. And that’s something we can help you do.What Are Brainteaser Interview Questions?These are interview questions, asked either verbally or in writing, that give you a situation and ask you to come up with a specific (if often ridiculous) answer. These kinds of questions are often used for highly technical or analysis-based jobs. Tech companies in particular love brainteaser s for job candidates: Google, IBM, and Facebook have been known to pick the brains of their interviewees.Brainteaser questions are less about getting an exact answer than about showing how you got there. So while you may be sweating bullets about whether you got the decimal point right, or whether you know enough about the price of tea in Hong Kong to make an educated guess about annual revenue, the interviewer is more likely interested in the way you tackled the question. It’s a test of your problem-solving skills, which you probably listed proudly on your resume.These brainteasers usually fall into several different categories:The â€Å"How Many Marbles in the Jar† BrainteaserThese estimating/quantifying questions ask you to figure out how many (or how much) of something there is in a particular place or scenario. Guaranteed, it’s something you never even thought about before you set foot into your interview.Examples:How many street lights are there in New Yor k City?How many golf balls are there in Florida?How much annual revenue does the Time Square Starbucks bring in?How many potatoes does McDonald’s sell each year in the UK?For these, logic is the key over accuracy. You won’t know the information ahead of time, so you’ll need to take information you do have (or can infer) and just wing it.For instance, looking at the streetlight example above, you’d take the number of approximate blocks in Manhattan, pick a probable number of streetlights per block, and multiply by 5 to arrive at an overall number for all five city boroughs. The interviewer knows you don’t know how many streetlights are in the city. But what he or she is looking for is that you can take an insane problem, reduce it to manageable parts, and then attack it.The â€Å"Dust Off the Math Skills† BrainteaserThese are much like the math word problems of yore, where you would apply specific math concepts/skills to arrive at the answer. Examples:A car travels a distance of 60 miles at an average speed of 30 mph. How fast would the car have to travel the same 60 mile distance home to average 60 mph over the entire trip?What is the sum of numbers from 1 to 100?You are given a 3-gallon jug and a 5-gallon jug. How do you use them to get 4 gallons of liquid?For these, there’s no way of getting around the math part- you’ll need to remember as best you can how to determine probability, angles, algebraic formulas, etc.The â€Å"Teach Me† BrainteaserThese are designed to get you to communicate complex information in a straightforward way.Examples:Explain the Internet to someone who has been in a coma for 30 years.How would you direct someone to make an omelet?Explain a complex database to your 8-year-old nephew.These are usually based on practical information, something you would normally face in everyday life, but would not necessarily be accustomed to describing. The best way to tackle these is to tak e a moment, think clearly about the steps (or the main points), then describe them as simply as possible.The â€Å"Kids Ask the Darnedest Questions† BrainteaserThese are questions that are designed to make you think about something you probably never pondered until someone asked you about it: why something works the way it does, why we do something in a particular way, etc. They’re the kind of questions that kids ask because they genuinely want to know how the world works. For an interviewer, it’s more about getting you to think about large, unwieldy concepts and break them down into manageable information.Examples:Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?Why are manhole covers round?These are questions where you’ll think about the motivation or design behind some common object. The good news is that you can wing it a little on this one- if you’re not up on the civil engineering concepts, you can still come up with an answer about manholes if you think about it logically. Manhole covers are round so that they fit into manholes, right? You don’t need some deep-seated soliloquy about the history of manholes in the continental United States†¦you just need a reasonable answer, presented quickly and simply.The â€Å"Ridiculous Scenario† BrainteaserThese are oddball questions that thrust you into an unfamiliar situation and ask how you’d (hypothetically) handle it.Examples:How would you kill a giraffe?How would you fight a bear?These questions usually require a little creativity. â€Å"I would never do that† is not the game here, so you should play along with the concept. You’re being tested on your creative problem solving skills, so rather than getting caught up in thinking about, say, what circumstances would put you in a boxing ring with a bear, use the same kind of logical, step-by-step thinking you’d apply to any process.Why Would Brainteasers Ever Come Up in an Interview?You’re applyin g for a job, not applying for college or auditioning for a game show. And quite frankly, brainteaser questions are never going to replace classics like â€Å"tell me about yourself† or â€Å"what can you bring to this position that no one else can?† Brainteasers are designed to throw you off your game, and get you out of your groove of resume talking points and rehearsed anecdotes. They’re a test of your critical thinking and problem solving skills.How Do You Tackle Brainteasers?The bad news: you’re never going to be able to prepare for specific brainteaser questions ahead of an interview. They’re meant to be curve balls, and see how you think and communicate in the moment. What you can do before an interview that might contain a brainteaser or two is practice your thinking-on-your-feet responses.Have a friend lob some questions like the brainteasers above to you. Practice explaining complicated processes in simple terms, either to yourself or love d ones.And in the interview itself, you can take some of these strategies in with you, no matter what crazy question your interviewer tosses your way.Always bring paper and a pen or pencil with you. This is good practice for an interview anyway, because you can jot down notes, contact information for thank you notes, etc. If you get in the habit of bringing a notebook with you on interviews, you’ll have scratch paper at the ready if you need to figure out how many gallons of ice cream the Titanic could have held.Take a moment to breathe and think. Before you dive right in with an answer, pause for a moment or two to gather your thoughts. (Within reason- you’re probably not being timed, but this is a conversational interview, and your interviewer will be waiting.) And if the question is one you don’t feel capable of answering, this moment can help tamp down any panic you feel. Think about how to approach the question (whatever it is) logically and clearly. Focus on the process, not whether the specific answer is absolutely correct.Talk it out. Again, this is a conversation with your interviewer, not the SATs, so it’s okay to talk through your rationale for your answer. The interviewer is mostly interested in how you’re arriving at your answer, so this helps them see what you’re getting at, and how.Ask questions. Not only is this a good stalling tactic while you think about what to say, but it can also show the interviewer that you’re not afraid to ask for clarification when necessary. You want to make sure you understand the question, and the interviewer might be able to provide helpful information (like what flavor of ice cream you’re trying to fit on the Titanic).So while these brainteasers might not be orthodox interview questions, and you may not come across them in every interview, it’s worth coming up with a game plan. And not only might you get a new job out of it when you wow them with your brainy answers, but who couldn’t use a battle plan in case you do happen upon that fighting bear?

Advice on Writing an Effective Personal Statement

Advice on Writing an Effective Personal Statement Definition A personal statement is an autobiographical essay that many colleges, universities, and professional schools require as part of the admissions process. Also called a  statement of purpose, admissions essay, application essay, graduate school essay, letter of intent, and goals statement. The personal statement is generally used to determine a students ability to overcome obstacles, achieve goals, think critically, and write effectively. See Observations and Recommendations below. Also see: Compose a Narrative Essay or Personal StatementCritical ThinkingIllustrationNarrationPersonal EssayPersonal LetterRevision and Editing Checklist for a Narrative Essay Observations and  Recommendations Get good advice[T]he essay or personal statement began as a gauge of student enthusiasm (Why in particular do you wish to attend Bates College?). Over the years, it has been called upon to do other work: to capture how the applicant thinks; to reveal how he or she writes; to uncover information about values, spirit, personality, passions, interests, and maturity. . . .Admissions officers, counselors, teachers, and students in my survey rated what matters most in an application essay. All four groups agreed that the most important criteria are correctness, organization, specific evidence, and an individual style. . . .As an applicants best chance to plead his or her own case, the essay is a valuable piece in the admissions puzzle. Students need the advice of someone who knows them well to put together a convincing case, and parents are great resources, with their firsthand information about and commitment to their children.(Sarah Myers McGinty, The Application Essay. Chronicle of Hig her Education, January 25, 2002) Get startedIts difficult for most people to write about themselves, especially something personal or introspective. The following suggestions may help your creative juices to flow.Consult friends and relatives for ideas. . . .Take inventory of your unique experience, major influences, and abilities. . . .Write an experimental creative essay in which you are the main character. . . .Assemble your applications and determine how many essays you must write. . . .Get feedback from others before completing your final draft.(Mark Allen Stewart, How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement, 4th ed. Petersons, 2009) Keep it realAuthenticity is what matters in personal statements, in my experience. Strong writing and scrupulous proofreading are essential, but most of all, the topic and the expression must bring alive in the minds and hearts of the readers some aspect of the real teenager writing the statement. . . .Writing a strong personal statement calls upon you to observe your real life, a s it is, and get it on paper. Your best writing will emerge when you slow down to notice and record not just what happened, but also the small sensory details that make up the important and challenging events of your life. In a nutshell: Keep it real; show, don’t tell.(Susan Knight, director of college placement at the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice in Brooklyn. The New York Times, September 11, 2009) Make it relevantWith so many students getting similar grades, personal statements are often all that universities have to go on, says Darren Barker of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas). That’s why we advise applicants to take them seriously. . . .â€Å"You need to express yourself concisely and give thought to what universities are likely to regard as relevant, he says. If you have done work-shadowing in the field in which you have chosen an academic course, that’s obviously a plus. But even extra-curricular things on your CV can be worth including. . . .Personal statements are just that, personal. . . . This is about youwho you are, where you have come from and where you want to go. Bluff, spin a line, pretend you are something you are not and you will be found out.(Julie Flynn, Ucas Form: A Very Personal Statement of Intent. The Daily Telegraph, October 3, 2008) Be specificA possible area of discussion in your personal statement might be around what led you to pursue medicine as a career. You could discuss the courses, people, events or experiences that have influenced you and why. Discuss your extracurricular activities and why you participated. Tell about your educational experiences and summer internships. When doing so, write chronologically. . . .Be specific and do not exaggerate. Be philosophical and idealistic, but be realistic. Express your concern for others and share your unique experience that had a profound effect on your career choice. Express all of these things, but show your sense of value, partnership, independence and determination.(William G. Byrd, A Guide to Medical School Admission. Parthenon, 1997) FocusStatements may be weak for several reasons. The most foolish thing you can do probably is not to proofread what you write. Who wants to hire someone who turns in a statement with spelling, grammatical, or capitalization errors? An unfocused statement is also not likely to help you. Hiring institutions like to see focus, clarity, and coherence, not a stream-of-consciousness approach that seems incoherent to the reader, however coherent it may seem to you. Also, do not just say what you are interested in. Say what you have done about your interests.(Robert J. Sternberg, The Job Search. The Portable Mentor, ed. by M. J. Prinstein and M. D. Patterson. Kluwer Academic/Plenum, 2003) Know yourselfAdmissions officers say the most successful essays show curiosity and self-awareness. Says Cornells [Don] Saleh: Its the only thing that really lets us see inside your soul. While theres no one right formula for soul baring, there are many wrong ones. Its disastrous to write, as a Rice applic ant did, of what he could bring to the University of California. A self-absorbed or arrogant tone is also a guaranteed turnoff. Exhibit A: a Rice essay beginning, I have accumulated a fair amount of wisdom in a relatively limited time of life. Exhibit B: a Cornell applicant who set out to describe the indescribable essence of myself.(Jodie Morse et al., Inside College Admissions. Time, October 23, 2000)

Final examiantion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final examiantion - Essay Example A failed marketing campaign has the potential to sink a small business, whereas a large business can write it off as an acceptable loss. The second biggest difference is in the form of staff. Large business have the luxury of many different departments, with each manned by a number of individuals. In smaller business, the manager of the firm may have to take on several key roles, thus limiting his or her ability to be effective in the marketing role. Finally, the last difference in marketing centers on creativity. Large business often have a lot more contacts in the industry, so their marketing campaigns are more likely to be effective with the market. On the other hand, small businesses do not have the leverage to be creative and often have to design unimaginative yet effective marketing campaigns. 3) Marketing strategies that engage with the customer are the most effective for improving service quality for a small business. Small businesses often do not have large marketing budgets , but that is no excuse for not trying to make a connection with the customer. The great thing about small businesses is than customers often gravitate towards them because of the increased face-to-face interaction. The product or service on offer does influence the marketing strategy to be used. Products or services that require technical expertise will often need to have extensive instruction manuals or allow the customer to inquire further. 4) Social media is a great way for any business to make use of technology to better market itself. There are many benefits to a company being actively involved online, such as the low cost associated with it and also the potential to reach a wide market. Consumers prefer marketing that meets them at a place where they feel comfortable with, and many younger people spend hours on social media sites each week. For a company looking to promote itself, the use of social media is a great way to do so because much of the work can be done by customer s of the brand. For example, on Facebook getting comments or likes on company status updates can attract new customers who are friends with people who like the brand. The potential for businesses to use social media is almost endless. 5) The term customer lifetime value (CLV) refers to the monetary value that a company can gain from a particular customer over the course of their lifetime. Measuring CLV can be a difficult procedure over many years due to inflation and changing customer spending power. Comparing data over many decades presents its own challenges because there is no one way to correlate the data over time periods. Firms use CLV in order to determine if it is worth it to spend heavily on consumer marketing campaigns. If there is very little to be gained from capturing a customer, then it would not make sense to pursue that customer through marketing campaigns. Instead of treating customers like people, the CLV thinks of them as assets and determines debits and credits o n both sides of the equation. Despite this, it is an important part of any business because of the need to weigh up the costs and benefits associated with maintaining a relationship with a loyal customer. 6) 7) When determining how a product reaches a customer, it is important to consider the effectiveness of it and also the costs involved. Customers appreciate a timely delivery once they have ordered a product, and their reaction to it will determine whether they will be a returning customer or not. A

Financial products in banking sector Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Financial products in banking sector - Thesis Example ATM and Locker Services are mostly provided to deposit holders or account holders of a bank. They can store their valuables in lockers guarded by the bank’s own staff and can deposit and withdraw money using the ATM card provided by the bank. Similarly, Home Loans are provided on an application from the bank’s customers and same is the case with study loans. Credit Cards are not usually provided by banks. They are issued by international carriers like VISA and MasterCard with commercial banks only acting as intermediaries. (Randall, 1994) Corporate Banking is where the bulk of the bank’s money is invested. These are large loans and LC services. LC services are provided to exporters and importer and are also known as documents of exchange. However, these are not funded facilities with banks only acting as a guarantor. These become funded facilities when the bank’s party or customers fail to meet what is expected of them. References: Lipsey, Richard and Chry stal, Alec. (2003). Economics. Oxford University Press. Randall, Harold. (1994). Accounting. Letts Educational.

Ludwig van Beethoven Essay Example for Free

Ludwig van Beethoven Essay Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer who brought about gigantic alterations in the nature and techniques of music—an achievement matched by few other artists. He found music a rococo-dramatic art, the orchestra a relatively small ensemble, and the piano a newly established successor to the harpsichord. By his aggressive, iconoclastic, even egotistic nature, and by his huge ability to manipulate and balance musical ideas and forces, Beethoven marked his later creations with his own stormy, tender, lyrical, and intellectual character. By employing text less music to communicate philosophical ideas and to serve as autobiography, he pushed music far along the road toward 19th century romanticism and bequeathed to his successors the portrait of the great creator as culture hero (Bekker, 2005). He expanded the size of the orchestra and the possible length of orchestral compositions, preparing the way for Schubert, Berlioz, Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler, Anton Bruckner, and Richard Strauss. He is considered one of the greatest composers of all time. Beethoven has been called the â€Å"Shakespeare of Music† for the manner in which he combined mastery of technique with depth of feeling and variety of form. Beethoven’s composing was slow and painstaking. He had to revise, polish and work. His life was plagued by family problems and ill health. He was totally deaf in the last years of his life, yet this did not stop him from composing. Beethoven was a temperamental man and often quarreled with his associates. He had tempestuous love affairs but never married. He went far toward establishing the piano as the foremost musical instrument. Not a great craftsman when handling the human voice, Beethoven excelled in all other branches of music. The taste of the 20th century inclines to call Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven the greatest of all musical creators (Bekker, 2005). Thesis Statement: This study scrutinizes the life of Ludwig van Beethoven and be aware of his unusual or significant contributions to music. II. Background A. Early Years Beethoven was born at Bonn, probably on December 16, 1770, and was baptized on December 17. Of Flemish-German descent, he was the second of seven children of Johann van Beethoven, who sang tenor in the chorus of the elector of Cologne. Ludwig’s mother was Maria Magdalena Laym. The boy demonstrated musical talent as early as his sixth year, and his father tried to develop him into a child like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. At 10, Ludwig was sent to study with Christian Gottlob Neefe, the elector’s court organist. Neefe nourished him on Johann Sebastian Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier and wrote in 1783: â€Å"If he goes on as he has started, he will certainly become a second Mozart. Young Beethoven later studied under several court musicians, who helped him master the violin, organ, and piano. In 1787 he went to Vienna and there met Mozart, who was impressed by his piano improvisations. Beethoven returned to Bonn when his mother became ill. After her death, his father became an alcoholic and Beethoven helped support his younger brothers. In the following years, Beethoven held several important music posts at the court and also gave private music lessons. In 1792 he moved to Vienna, probably at the request of Haydn, who was Beethoven’s teacher for a time, but the two composers did not get along well and Beethoven continued his studies with Johann Schenk and Antonio Salieri. Beethoven began to play at private musical soirees given by the Viennese aristocracy and quickly won fame as a virtuoso pianist. He gave his first public concert in 1795, performing his Piano Concert No. 2 in B flat and soon became well known as a composer. Except for occasional trips, Beethoven spent the rest of his life in Vienna. There he enjoyed both artistic and social success, as noblemen became both his patrons and his friends. Beethoven first noticed a hearing loss in the late 1790’s. As the condition grew worse he became irritable, suspicious, and quarrelsome. He continued to compose, however, and wrote his final compositions, including the magnificent Ninth Symphony â€Å"Choral†, while totally deaf. Scholars disagree on the cause of his deafness. It may have resulted from a childhood illness, from syphilis, or from otosclerosis, a condition in which bony growths form between the inner ear and the middle ear (Grove, 2003). Beethoven’s music forms a transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in music. He is most famous for his symphonies, sonatas, concertos, and quartets but also composed songs, cantatas, masses, and incidental theater music. Beethoven used the Classical forms but enlarged their formal structure and enriched their emotional content with a personal expressiveness (Grove, 2003). III. Discussion A. His contributions †¢ Middle Period Beethoven’s personal eccentricities, his proud boorishness, and even his lack of personal cleanliness were accepted as the marks of the genius he was. A short, muscular, stocky man, he had a bush of wild hair and fierce, piercing black eyes in a notably ruddy face. His upper-class friends suffered at his hands but stubbornly remained faithful to him. They supported him by providing comfortable lodgings, by giving him money, and by patronizing his concerts and publications. By 1804, he was composing such of his great piano sonatas as the Waldstein and the Appassionata, and probably had embarked on his only opera, Fidelio (Newman, 2004). Meanwhile, by 1805, Beethoven had begun to sketch his Fifth (C Minor) Symphony, his Fourth (G Major) Piano Concerto, and the first of his Rasoumovsky string quartets. In 1806, in the midst of the Napoleonic disorders, he composed his only violin concerto, first heard on December 23 of that year. While Beethoven worked on the concerto, his desk was littered with advanced sketches of his Fourth Fifth, and Sixth symphonies. The Fourth was first heard in the spring of 1807; the Fifth (C Minor) and Sixth (Pastoral, F Major) were played at a concert on December 22, 1808, which included half a dozen others of his works (the premieres of the Choral Fantasy and the Fourth Piano Concerto)(Grove, 2003). On completing his Third (Eroica) Symphony, in E Flat, in 1804, Beethoven had inscribed it to Napoleon, thinking of him as a democratic liberator; this inscription he later angrily struck out. Nevertheless, he seriously considered, as late as 1808-1089, an offer from Jerome Bonaparte, king of Westphalis, to become his Kapellmeister at Kassel. Hearing of this, three of Beethoven’s Viennese patrons, including the young Archduke Rudolf, joined to offer him a yearly income, and he decided not to emigrate (Anderson, 2001). †¢ Last Works Between 1817 and 1823, Beethoven completed the last 5 of his 32 piano sonatas. In 1818, he began a mass intended for use at the installation of his friend Archduke Rudolf as archbishop of Olmutz (Olomouc). He did not complete it until February 27, 1823; the Missa solemnis was first sung at a private performance in ST. Petersburg on April 6, 1824. Beethoven had planned a symphony in F minor. He worked at it desultorily in 1823, when he seriously set to work to complete it. He decided to make its last movement a choral setting of Friedrich von Schiller’s Ode to Joy and pronounced the Ninth Symphony complete on September 5, 1823. He had accepted 250 from the Philharmonic Society of London in return for a promise that it would receive his new symphony in manuscript. But he had also promised the premiere to Berlin and had dedicated the symphony to the King of Prussia. When his Viennese patrons insisted that it be heard in Vienna first, he yielded, salving his conscience by sending the actual autograph score at London. The first hearing of the Ninth Symphony occurred in Vienna on May 7, 1824. When the audience broke into frantic applause, the deaf Beethoven was unaware of the enthusiasm until someone turned him around so that he could see the demonstration (Anderson, 2001). IV. Conclusion As a conclusion, custom long has divided Beethoven’s numerous works into three periods. These inexact, overlapping categories represent actual changes in styles. The first period shows Beethoven as the direct heir and imitator of Haydn and Mozart. Opening about 1800, the second period, far more idiosyncratic, includes the majority of his most popular works: symphonies Nos. 2 to 8 inclusive, Fidelio, the last three piano concertos, the violin concerto, the Leonore, Egmont, and Coriolan overtures, the Rasoumovsky string quartets, other chamber music, and 14 of the piano sonatas. The third of the Beethoven periods, one of distillation and summation, encompasses the Ninth Symphony, the five final string quartets, and the Missa solemnis (Anderson, 2001). Critics still discuss whether or not Beethoven’s deafness influenced the special character of his later works. Reference: 1. Anderson, Emily. (2001). The Letters of Beethoven, 5 vols. Pp. 23-27. London and New York. 2. Bekker, Paul. (2005)Beethoven, tr. By M. M. Bozman, pp. 114-116, London. 3. Grove, George. (2003). The Life and Works of Beethoven, pp. 24-36, New York. 4. Newman, Romain. (2004). The Unconsciousness Beethoven, pp. 67-68, London and New York.

John Smith and William Bradford :: essays research papers

John Smith and William Bradford were both leaders who established colonies. They both established a colony and they attempted to attract settlers with writings. Their writings were intended for different audiences and they both had different purposes. John Smith's writings were different than William Bradford's. John Smith had a different purpose and his writings were intended for a different audience. John Smith's purpose was to bring people to the new world. He wrote a pamphlet to the people in England and told about all the good things about New England. In his pamphlet he tried to persuade people to join him in the new land. John Smith wrote about how he promised New England was better than England. John Smith's audience was intended for people from England, and possible settlers. John Smith said, "What pleasure can be more than in planting vines, fruits, or herbs, in contriving their own grounds to the pleasure of their own minds, their fields, gardens, orchards, buildings, ships, and other works†¦." William Bradford's writings were intended for different audiences and he had a different purpose than John Smith. William Bradford's audience was intended for the future generation. His writings were intended for the future generation. He wrote a diary about his actual experiences in Colonial America. Bradford discussed in his diary about the many hardships he faced. Bradford said, "But that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in two or three months' time half of their company died†¦" Though Bradford talked about the bad things, he also talked about the goods things that occurred during the first Thanksgiving. William Bradford said, "And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides

Short Notes

â€Å"Two gentlemen of Verona† & â€Å"An Irish Rose† are the two heart touching stories written by A. J. Cronin. In an Irish Rose, the 14 year old Rose plays the central character of the story. She sacrifices her life to look after her baby brother who lost his mother when he was just one month old. In the â€Å"Two gentlemen of Verona † we find the touching story of Jacopo & Nicola ,two brothers aged 12 & 13 who do odd jobs and live a hard life themselves to sustain and treat their elder sister Lucia who is suffering from tuberculosis of spine.Both stories of A J Cronin are heart touching. In an analysis of the characters portrayed in both the works we can find certain similarities. As stated above we can see the characters themselves in a moral and sacrificial light wherein they are not thinking or living for themselves but for their respective siblings. If we go into the actual character portrayal too, we can find how the characters are dressed in rags to sav e even the smallest penny for their siblings comfort.They do not even eat or dress well lest they have to spend any money, which can be found to have a better use for their siblings. In the Irish Rose as well as the Two Gentlemen of Verona, we find that the author finds hope for a better future of the world after meeting Rose, Jacopo and Nicolo. Never thinking for themselves, all three of his characters have fought to better the lives of their loved ones in every way possible. In both the stories the plot is set in a rousing manner and giving a detailed and graphic expression till the climax.In the Irish Rose, the main character Rose Donegan has to earn for the family, buy milk for her youngest brother Michel. She had to cook, attend to the children and father. With a slum child’s elemental knowledge she had to do everything, even she would bargain the baker to extend her credit for an extra loaf. As in the case of the Two Gentlemen OF Verona, the writer himself becomes a cha racter in the plot of Irish Rose. Along with the writer the rest of the characters too play a significant role in the plot to finally bring out the actual sacrifice of the three children.In both the stories the importance given to the children’s attitude towards work, love and responsibility shows how important the said characters are in the view of the author too. Herein we find the hope for a better world when these children grow up rather than the war ravaged time frame in which the stories are set. It was W. B. Yeats who said that, â€Å"Too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart†. But through these stories Cronin has endeavored to prove Yeats wrong, as nicely as possible. He was also able to teach us the value of not running away from our responsibilities.

Elderly Healthcare Limitation

While there were many provision s of the act, there were specific amendments and legislation focused on healthcare delivery to t e costliest and most inefficiently serviced population which is the elderly population. Statistics Let's analyze the current numbers really quickly: The U. S. Population is aging r vapidly. At the same time, the life expectancy of seniors is extending, and they will place a significant strain on the health care system in coming years. Medicare, the U. S. Federal govern meets health care program for Americans 65 years or older, provided coverage to an estimated 54. Million seniors in 2014 (Plunked Research, Ltd. 2014). National expenditures on Medicare of r fiscal 2014 were projected to be $615. Billion, including premiums paid by beneficiaries. By 2 030, the number of people covered by Medicare will balloon to about 81. 4 million due to the mass Sieve number of baby boomers entering retirement age (Plunked Research, Ltd. 2014). While it is true that the hea lth and lifestyle of people at the age of 65 is very different than it was in g enervation past, the reality is that chronic conditions continue to plague this population.Multiple s tidies declare that of the total outlay for all Medicare costs, [email  protected]% occur in the last year of life f or beneficiaries (Giovanni, 2012 ppup29). Most of these beneficiaries being chronically ill are b eiEwingoorly medically guided and managed in the last year of their life. Now that we have a better idea of how the elderly, primarily the chronically ill account for such high expenditures and healthcare cost, we must ask ourselves a few simple but important questions: How do we better manage the elderly population?How do we better deliver care in the last years of an elderly person's life? How do we provide a better q ualaityf life? But the single most important question we must ask is: should health care for the elderly be limited? When seniors reach a phase in life where their life expec tancy is limited, shshould we really spend a high amount of money in order to keep them alive for a limited amount of titite; whether it be a few days, a few weeks, or a few months? Does the 92roadsideatient who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer really need aggressive chemotherapy and radiation?Ho w do they benefit? Will they survive the cancer treatments? What chances do they stand or have for recovery? While the answers are complex, we do know that we cannot go about apapplying aggressive methods to elderly patients without a proper cost and quality of life benefits a a aylistsNow that we have a better understanding of costs associated with care of an elderly person in the last year of their life, we have to come up with solutions to help cut spending and to provide a better quality to a seniors life; particularly the last year ofoffbeatife.While we face moral and ethical dilemmas on how to better approach care for the elderly, ththere are two initial approaches that can be used to better drive outcomes: the introduction of ad vaVanceirectives early on in a disease process and shifting care to more transitional care prpriormampshat reduce ossotsnd focus stronger education with patients and families in regards to fuifile care. Advance Directives An advance directive, also known as a living will, is a legal document that exexpertssees person's wishes for the type of care they would like to receive should they bebeckmmomnable to 2 make such decisions themselves.They allow patients to document their wiwishes, whether they want all lilibertarianismeasures to be taken or if they'd prefer to avoid such p roreoccurredGordon, 201 1). EnEndocrineare accounts for more than one quarter of MeMedicare spending in a patient last year of life (PlPlunkedesearch, Ltd. 014). Many patients are illeperared to deal with their enendocrinerocess. Many patients come into hospitals unprepared to understand the impact of heroic measures, invasive treatments, and aggressive medic ine has on their disease process. Many of them do not have an understanding for what an advanced d irreceives.No one has had a conversation with them or if they have, it has not been emphasized enough. Educating elderly patients early on in their disease process helps them better prepare to understand resuscitation, inintubationsartificial breathing, transfusion, feeding tubes, and r etturno acute measures. Having a thorough understanding of what each of these processes entails for the purpose of lilibertarianismr quality of life, is important. While advances in me didicingnd technology can help people stay alive longer, it does not necessarily give them a better quality to their life.At many points, it only further prolongs a person's suffering. That is why introducing advanced directives early helps better prepare for enendocrinerocesses and popopssibylelp reduce unnecessary costly aggressive treatments. Transitional Care Model In the last several years transitional care models ha ve been introduced into h alaltercates a way to help reduce costs, provide more effective care and help keep patient s, more specifically, the elderly and chronically ill out of hospital settings. These models are used t o manage the chronically ill, frequently hospitalized, and terminally ill population.These pop ulululationsave the highest utilization rates and longest length of stays of inpatient bed days at h oscapitalsationally. 3 Transitional care programs identify and target these populations with the use of mid level practitioners, nurse case managers, ancillary service providers and paparticipate of primary care physicians and outpatient clinics. They deliver timely and necessary services t o patients who can be better managed in a more supportive way in their home setting or in sesettingsgasway from the hospital (NaAnally1990). Ambulatory care also assists in the management of ththe chronically ill population.Health managed systems use telephonic case managers and med ickc altaff to ensure patients are being reached out to in their home setting and make sure patient s are following up with their visits to their primary care physician, checking for medical and non medical needs, ndNDnsuring patients are communicating issues and medical problems that may arise so support is given when needed. Due to higher use of these types of programs, patients are getting more care away from the hospital, lessening the need for them to be in an acute set ting which helps drive down cost.Within the use Of transitional care models, the disciplines in t heHessodels focus on having discussions with families and patients to better understand what fuifile care is. Futile Care How or when do we know when an illness is not curable or no longer best to be treatable in a heroic or aggressive manner? What ethical or moral principles do we apapply in order to find better understanding and find resolutions to this issue? According to WiWisped, futile medical care is the cocontain eduerovision of medical care or treatment to a patient whwhew there is no reasonable hope of a cure or benefit.Medical futility is also described as a pr opopposedherapy that should not be performed because available data has shown that it will not imIMrove the patient's medical condition (MeNetscape2007). Futility is used to cover many situations of predicted improbable outcomes, improbable success and unacceptable benefit burden atotioseBeBà ©chamel 4 ChChildless2013, ppup170). Educating a patient and family on what takes place c an be difficult; much less a conversation about how certain interventions are deemed to be useless or medically inappropriate.A good example of futility is as follows: If a patient has died, but remains on a respirator, cessation of treatment cacanttoarm him or her, and a physician has no obligation to continue to treat. However, some religious and personal belief systems do not consider a patient dead, according to the same criteria healthcare instituti ons recognize. For example, if there is a heart and lung fun ctactionsome religious traditions hold that the person is not dead, and the treatment is, fro m his perspective, not futile even if healthcare professionals deem it on useless and wasteful (BeBà ©chamel ChChildless2013, ppup69). We understand that futile care is the most important Issue in helping to cocontactn healthcare costs. Addressing futility as a valued choice to patients is important. There mumumtSSTe an educational understanding that death is a natural part of life and should not be extended with aggressive medical interventions or heroic measures. Aging is not a curable didideceasein fact aggaggEngs not a disease at all. Discussions that providers need to have, must be early on in a patients disease process in order to better provide them with a better quality to their lilieefee/p>Example Scenario In order to better understand futile care in relation to quality of life quality of I iffifeone must also understand scenarios where futile care is considered but not appaperrprivateHere's an example: a 91earldomemale who has been considered a frequent flyer in a h oscapitalmergency room gets admitted after a few stints in a nursing home. This poor ununfortunateelderly woman was admitted with a diagnosis of sepsis, extremely low blood pressure, and s hohormonesf breath. This lady was bed bound, suffered from dementia, she was never lucid or con sccouscousand she was very frail.She had several ununstableedeciduousounds all over her body. H ererrrotein levels were really low upon lab draws, which indicated she had suffered from very p ooorutrition. The 5 only family this patient had was a husband who was very loving according to s taTaftbut rarely visited his wife at the nursing home. Her husband was power of attorney and made all her healthcare decisions. Every time she visited the hospital, her husband wanted her to be aggressively treated, he wanted her resuscitated.She was known as a full cod e patient. When she coded in the hospital, her husband wanted all aggressive and heroic measure s to be applied including inintubationsnd artificial respiration. When asked as to why he was d oiowingt seeing his wife suffer, he merely stated that he believed in â€Å"divine intervention†. The her measures applied would require her to be inintimatedon a ventilator, treated with fluids and antibiotics. She would also require surgery for a feeding tube in order to make an attempt at proving her nutrition.As you read this scenario, questions come to mind: Is it right to agagarsexcessivelyreat this 91 year old lady, who has a poor prognosis, because her husband believes in something miraculous? This unfortunately is morally and ethically inappropriate trtreatmenttNTBefore identify how my personal code of ethics informs my perspective in rereeltactiono this topic, let's first look at the functional utility of the principles of justice, autautnanomynomalefactionand beneficence as the y apply to this issue. Respect for Autonomy Having respect for person's autonomy is probably the single most important riRenvillender the four ethical lenses.This principle supports a person's ability to mamake their own decision. Autonomy can only occur when there are no other factors that ininternre with the ability for a patient to make decisions. The only factors that can interfere with auautumnmmomre cognitive impairments such as dementia, AlAlchemist'sloss of orientation and any other illnesses that limit dedecommissioningMany patients, in particular those with lack Of advanced care planning, such as 6 having an advanced directives in place, are illapidarieso understand how her directly impact their enendocrinerocess.In these cases, respect for autonomy r eqsquireshat a patient's values and goals are set and balanced with the goals Of care to accacheeeve better outcome. Because so many scenarios are very complex, the reality is that patient's auto noanomyan only be respected w hen proper education about possible medical treatments, patient goals, and values are understood and leveraged with goals of effective care and outcomes. The plplanninningnd incorporation of advance care planning also known as advanced directives is a very important factor with respect to autonomy.Forming an advanced directive allows papatientsTTSo form a value aseasedpinion on the future of their care. It gives the patient full control over how patient would like any healthcare provider to apply decisions regarding aggressive medicine, heroic measures and any other forms of invasive treatment. Nonetheless, the advanced didirecteeves a valid way for competent persons to exercise their autonomy (BeBà ©chamel ChChildless201 3, ppup189). It simply allows them to live their last year of life with some dignity.Beneficence BeBeneficences to contribute to a person's welfare; it is the action that is done for the benefit of others, not merely refrain from harmful acts (BeBà ©chamel ChChil dren, 2013, ppup202). It attends to the welfare of the patient, it's not merely avoiding harm; it emmobies medicinal goals, rational thinking, and any form of justification. Beneficence is embrace d in preventative medicine; and in this case preventative medicine being applied to elderly paPattin.NETho should no longer seek aggressive treatment because it's considered futile.PhPhysiciansn.NETelationship is vital in principle of beneficence. Only a physician can help relate with an elder lylayatient who is in their last year of their life. Only then, with clear communication and proper education towards end of life treatments; can beneficence truly apply. PhPhysiotherapistselations hip has to embody values of honesty, integrity, and consideration. In today's age, a good phphysician is considered a physician that puts their patient first by taking positive steps towards helping their patients by being caring, open, honest, and empathetic.NoMalefactionuality of life judgments are very important when discussing limitations of ca re for the elderly. The principle of nomalefactionays that we should avoid causing ha rmarmo others (BeBà ©chamel ChChildless201 3, ppup150). So how do we avoid harm? In the siispamplestorm for physician; avoiding harm is to introduce early education, early goal oriented d isconcussionsand most importantly set up an advanced directive. In many ways nomalefactionverrides beneficence.There is a moral and ethical obligation to not harm others, which is greater than the obligation to help (BeBà ©chamel ChChildless201 3, ppup150). When we see a pat ieintentf elderly status at the end of their life's term suffer, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually; it is important that any healthcare professional protects them from further harm. The only rational ay to practice this with a patient who is alert, oriented, and competent is to be honest, forthright, and to have a goal oriented discussion ababouthe potential harm a procedure might cau se vsvs.heHeuality and quantity of life they may have left. Justice The final principle is justice. Justice can be defined as an act of fairness, hahaving a sense of entitlement, fair, equitable, and appropriate treatment in light of what is du e(BeBà ©chamel ChChildless2013, ppup250). The use of medical resources to intervene when car e is deemed futile 8 can directly affect the poor quality of life and in essence may not be what's jujug for all elderly in the same end of life situation.We have a responsibility to treat the elderly in a way that their choices are absolutely important, honor their wishes, maintain their respect, and their dideignersonal Perspective My personal perspectives are formed around the basis of honesty, being fort hrWrightand responsible. For me honesty is essential in helping someone make a proper d ecsessionSometimes honesty can be brutal, and for the elderly at the late stage of life, can be the dididfpreferenceetween living a dignified life or a life o f suffering. elLivehat being forthright is also mpimportantMedical professionals should have clear and opopenediscussions as to the value of pursuing treatments that are no longer considered beneficial to an elderly patient and ensure that the drive and persuade their point There are so many instances in my professional car eeerehere I run into scenarios where families and patients are not given a thorough explanation a ndNDr education about what's happening in their disease process.

Hand Sanitizers vs. Soap and Water

Hand Sanitizers vs. Soap and Water Antibacterial hand sanitizers are marketed to the public as an effective way to wash ones hands when traditional soap and water are not available. These waterless products are particularly popular with parents of small children. Manufacturers of hand sanitizers claim that the sanitizers kill 99.9 percent of germs. Since you naturally use hand sanitizers to cleanse your hands, the assumption is that 99.9 percent of harmful germs are killed by the sanitizers. Research studies suggest that this is not the case. How Do Hand Sanitizers Work? Hand sanitizers work by stripping away the outer layer of oil on the skin. This usually prevents bacteria present in the body from coming to the surface of the hand. However, these bacteria that are normally present in the body are generally not the kinds of bacteria that will make us sick. In a review of the research, Barbara Almanza, an associate professor at Purdue University who teaches safe sanitation practices to workers, came to an interesting conclusion. She notes that the research shows that hand sanitizers do not significantly reduce the number of bacteria on the hand and in some cases may potentially increase the amount of bacteria. So the question arises, how can the manufacturers make the 99.9 percent claim? How Can Manufacturers Make the 99.9 Percent Claim? The manufacturers of the products test the products on bacteria-tainted inanimate surfaces, hence they are able to derive the claims of 99.9 percent of bacteria killed. If the products were fully tested on hands, there would no doubt be different results. Since there is inherent complexity in the human hand, testing hands would definitely be more difficult. Using surfaces with controlled variables is an easier way to obtain some type of consistency in the results. But, as we are all aware, everyday life is not as consistent. Hand Sanitizer vs. Hand Soap and Water Interestingly enough, the Food and Drug Administration, in regards to regulations concerning proper procedures for food services, recommends that hand sanitizers not be used in place of hand soap and water but only as an adjunct. Likewise, Almanza recommends that to properly sanitize the hands, soap and water should be used during hand washing. A hand sanitizer can not and should not take the place of proper cleansing procedures with soap and water. Hand sanitizers can be a useful alternative when the option of using soap and water is not available. An alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol should be used to ensure that germs are killed. Since hand sanitizers dont remove dirt and oils on hands, it is best to wipe your hands with a towel or napkin before applying the sanitizer. What About Antibacterial Soaps? Research on the use of consumer antibacterial soaps has shown that plain soaps are just as effective as antibacterial soaps in reducing bacteria related illnesses. In fact, using consumer antibacterial soap products may increase bacterial resistance to antibiotics in some bacteria. These conclusions only apply to consumer antibacterial soaps and not to those used in hospitals or other clinical areas. Other studies suggest that ultra-clean environments and the persistent use of antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers may inhibit proper immune system development in children. This is because inflammatory systems require greater exposure to common germs for proper development. In September 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the marketing of over-the-counter antibacterial products that contain several ingredients including triclosan and triclocarban. Triclosan in antibacterial soaps and other products has been linked to the development of certain diseases. More on Hand Sanitizers vs. Soap and Water Hand Sanitizers No Substitute for Soap and Water - Purdue NewsTop Five Reasons to Wash Your Hands

Tips for breaking through the barrier - Emphasis

Tips for breaking through the barrier Tips for breaking through the barrier You probably have something in common with everyone else whos ever had writers block: you eventually got going. The problem is, that may well have been because your report was due first thing the next morning and the alternative was the Job Centre. But imagine if something other than blind necessity could break through that wall of fear. If only there was something you could do to stop yourself spending the entire night before the deadline writing in a cold sweat and submitting something substandard. There is, says Emphasis CEO Rob Ashton. The key is to make the act of writing seem less threatening. In the writing process there comes a tipping point where the pain of not doing it outweighs the perceived pain of doing it, says Rob. The key to overcoming writers block is to bring forward that point to now, rather than midnight before its due in. Try these strategies to help you break through the barrier and youll be finished before you know it. Trick yourself Its actually possible for one part of your brain to fool another that it isnt afraid, according to Mark Forster, author of Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management. Forster suggests using the technique of telling yourself, Im not really going to write the [piece in question] now, Ill just and fill in the blank with an easy beginning task. For example: Ill just launch Microsoft Word, or Ill just get the research folder out. This simple act can be a breakthrough. Once youve taken that first action, you will have got over the initial step, says Forster. You may well find that you are hardly even aware that you are moving on to take some additional action. Map it out Facing down a whole unwritten document may be sending chills down your back, but the process of getting on with it can easily be broken down into non-threatening actions. One of these drawing a mind map is also a useful tool to make sure youve covered every who, what, when, where and how. Know your reader The best writing knows its audience, and realising how much you do know about your reader is a great motivational tool as well as helping you to write a document that will do its job. Filling in a reader profile questionnaire is another safe as well as highly effective place to start. Work in bursts When breaking through the block, youll feel less overwhelmed if you know youre going to stop at a certain point. Set a timer with an alarm for a short period of solid work, followed by a few minutes break, then a slightly longer stretch of work and so on. The more stressed you feel about the task, the shorter each burst of work should be. Gradually increase the work time between breaks until you reach your optimal length of time generally this will be no more than about 40 minutes. Stopping at the alarm even in mid-sentence may actually give you the urge to return to your writing. The mind craves completion and will want to get back to the task, says Forster. This helps you to build up a strong momentum. Listen to the Audio Tips interview with Rob Ashton here. And find out whats going on in our heads when writers block strikes here.

Debating Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Debating Globalisation - Essay Example Stiglitz, in his 2002 book â€Å"Globalization and its Discontents,† argues that globalisation can be a â€Å"force of good,† but it has to be â€Å"radically rethought† (Stiglitz, 2002: ix-x), particularly after being mismanaged by three global institutions, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the WB, and the IMF, that made globalization a deceitful tool for the advancement of developed countries. This paper critically assesses his views on globalization. It argues that Stiglitz provides compelling evidence that globalization has failed, because the main international institutions that were supposed to manage it failed as well; however, he neglects social, cultural and religious factors that are important in making globalization work and his suggestions are not entirely workable. For the WTO, WB, and IMF, globalisation works, because it has economically integrated countries and enabled the â€Å"free flow† of goods, services, information, and capital all over the world. On the one hand, Stiglitz agrees, because he provides an economic perspective when he defines globalisation as â€Å"the removal of barriers to free trade and the closer integration of national economies† (2002: ix). ... He provides the examples of East Asian countries, which before the interventions from the IMF, were making globalisation work for them (Stiglitz, 2004: 203). They did this by exporting to other countries, closing the technological gap, and then ensuring that the fruits of globalisation were equitably distributed among their citizens (Stiglitz, 2004: 203). East Asian governments took an active role in managing the economy, which was far from the tenets of rapid liberalisation, privatisation, and deregulation of the IMF and WTO (Stiglitz, 2002, 2007). These governments managed the slow transition to deregulation and protected key industries. At the same time, they also provide safety nets for those who will be disadvantaged by free trade (Stiglitz, 2002, 2007). On the other hand, Stiglitz’s positive understanding of globalisation changed after serving the WB and the IMF. In an interview led by Stern (2006), Stiglitz remembers asserting to the WB that he will represent the intere sts of the developing countries and not the WB: â€Å"When I accepted the job, I said that I would do it only if I could be a spokesperson for the developing countries, not for the World Bank.† He believes that he took the job, because he would be free to express himself as an economist, and not as an advocate and public relations personnel of the WB. He underlines that his â€Å"effectiveness as a chief economist depended on people believing it was my analysis† (Stern, 2006). Within the organisation, however, Stiglitz gathers evidence that prove the contrary to the belief that the world is flat and that globalisation works. His analysis showed that

Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Evolution - Essay Example Although Scientists are convinced that macroevolution occurs resulting in emergence of new species, this is a misconception. This paper argues that macroevolution has never and will never occur. The reasons given by scientists to support occurrence of evolution are controversial and disputable. Irrespective of there being no observable evidence to show occurrence of macroevolution, scientist continue to defend the notion that the existing species evolved from primitive species through gradual stages. There is not recorded evidence that any distinct organism ever evolved into a different kind of organism. This shows that evolution of any significant scale has never occurred and will never occur (Camp, 2006). If the process of evolution ever occurred, then someone must have observed it. On the contrary no one has ever witnessed an organism undergo evolution. Additionally, there are no transitional forms of organism in existence. If evolution does occur, then different organisms of different species would at least be seen in their transitional stages (Denton, 2010). On the contrary, organisms belonging to same species are almost indistinguishable in terms of the traits they possess. Although a single species may have different varieties, there are no organisms in the transition stages that show characteristics such as shared features between two different species. For example, if human evolved from the apes, there should be some existing ape like human in the process of evolving into humans. On the contrary, contemporary apes are different from humans with no entities in the transitional stages (Camp, 2006). Another reason why macroevolution is an invention by scientists is failure of experiments in the lab. Scientists have carried out experiments using rapidly reproducing organisms such as fruit flies in an attempt to produce better species. Such experiments have failed even with use of