3 Reasons to Buy Your Real Christmas Tree Early

The weekend after Thanksgiving is traditionally when​ most Christmas tree buying occurs. The decision to delay buying your holiday tree can certainly be determined by personal reasons including family tradition, religious doctrine and a post-Thanksgiving getting into the Christmas spirit barrage of media hype. If you are not bound by any of these or other personal preferences, you might want to consider shopping for and buying a Christmas tree a bit earlier in November. Buying early will pay off with less competition for higher quality Christmas tree selections and could ultimately result in a fresher holiday tree  if properly displayed and watered. Here are some of the reasons to buy a tree early. The Best Trees Are Harvested Early   You should consider mid-November as the  time to plan and follow through on your Christmas tree purchase. Christmas tree farms typically open during the middle of November and start cutting trees for lot sales. These are commercial wholesale farms (who often sell high-quality trees out the front door) and smaller tree farms catering to cutting your own tree. These types of Christmas tree farms promote early sales in designated sections where Christmas trees are of age and in prime shape. Obviously, these areas yield better trees at the beginning of the season, and its when you need to plan your visit. Farms selling trees online actually insist you place your order early in November. Although pricey, Ive found holiday trees purchased on the Internet to be of higher quality than even the premium selects growing on a tree farm. These trees are the growers best of the season crop and harvested first. Farms that supply online broker/sellers or farms that actually sell online take the best trees of their  plantation. They will arrive in perfect condition and are stand-ready (some farms even provide temporary stands with the tree). Instead of having to pick the perfect tree, you have professionals select the best for your holiday season. Get a Better Quality Tree Mounted in a Stand Most people dont realize that many Christmas trees bought on lots were cut in early to mid-November. So, when these trees are not purchased until after Thanksgiving, the drying process is well advanced and needle retention is often compromised. You are just as well off, and in our opinion much better off, buying the tree early and following our recommendations on how to prepare it for optimum freshness over the rest of the season. Although you just might luck out and get a fresh tree late in the season, you should not consider yourself getting a fresh tree by purchasing after Thanksgiving weekend. You just get a lower quality tree (picked over) with shedding needles as you delay your purchase. The sooner you get your Christmas tree in a watering stand after cutting, the longer will be the trees needle retention. The above reasons are the perfect excuse to buy a tree early and enjoying it during the Thanksgiving season. You should not consider yourself getting a fresh tree by purchasing later. The odds are that you just get a lower quality tree with shedding needles if purchased in December.   Avoid a Short Buying Season   Every year is different when it comes to Christmas tree availability. Christmas tree sales in numbers can vary annually because some years will have less shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than others. This means that tree sellers will be busy over a shorter period of time and you will not have as many days to shop for a Christmas tree. Natural disruptions (insects, disease, fire, drought or ice) can cause regional Christmas tree shortages which can make certain Christmas tree species hard to find. In any event, buyers need to plan and purchase early to pick from the best holiday trees on the lot.

Gang Leader for a Day Essay - 2388 Words

Gang Leader For A Day SECTION 1 1.) How would you respond if a graduate student from an elite university turned up at your door and announced his intention to study you? If a graduate student from an elite university showed up at my door with intentions to study me, I think that I would allow him access. I would like the chance to hear what they had to say about my lifestyle. I’ve always questioned the way I live and if other peoples lives’ are similar. I don’t think that I live an odd life, but it would be interesting to see how a stranger viewed it. I know at first that I’d be a lot like J.T. in regard to certain aspects of my life. I wouldn’t behave the way I always do, I’d be on my best behavior at least until we†¦show more content†¦In the Black Kings, there is a â€Å"board of directors† who I’d say are the equivalent of a large business owner. Things get done the way they want it done, and they stand to make the most profit. Then you have the à ¢â‚¬Å"Captains† and â€Å"Lieutenants† who would act like the CEO’s. They have a lot of the power, but there is still someone above them that hands them orders and who can fire them. The ranks continue like this until you get all the way down to the bottom. In the case of a business the lowest ranking would be the intern or an assistant and in the Black Kings it’d be the young boys or â€Å"foot-soldiers† that do the heavy lifting and clean up. It’s very business like in that the higher up the ranks you’re able to move, the more money you’ll be able to make. Also, the rival gangs are competing with one another, to see who can make the most money, just as large corporations do. So, I think this was a great comparison. However, when you get down to it, illegal is still illegal. It makes no difference to me if it’s the gang-banger or the CEO committing the illegal act, they should both be punished. It also stands to reason t hat they’d organize a gang the same way as a business, since they both have the same goal; money. 4.) In chapter two, Venkatesh and J.T. argue about whether a culture of poverty exists among poor blacks in America. In your opinion, does Gang Leader for a Day do more toShow MoreRelatedGang Leader For A Day957 Words   |  4 Pagescompared to only 5.4% of unemployed white people (Street,2007). These statistics represent racial inequality which caused a lot of internal, and external damage to the black population. Rogue Sociologist, Sudhir Venkatesh’s (2008) novel called Gang Leader for a Day, reveals this disparity. In 1989 Sudhir participated in qualitative research, by studying the lives of people from the projects of Chicago. The projects are a subsidized housing development, provided by the government which requires low rentRead MoreGang Leader for a Day Essay2292 Words   |  10 PagesInnovate Your Life In the book, Gang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh, a sociology student from the University of Chicago starts out simply trying to understand â€Å"how it feels to be poor and black,† and ends up spending years and years figuring out the ins and outs of a gang society (Venkatesh 14). Sudhir receives the chance of a sociologist’s lifetime to see first-hand what life is like in the projects. He follows gang leader, J.T. around and studies his life at the Robert Taylor homes forRead MoreGang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh1376 Words   |  6 Pagesunfamiliar with the black culture within Chicago. In his book Gang Leader for a Day, he tells of his sociology research within one of the roughest housing projects in Chicago. Sudhir starts his research by talking to a few elderly gentlemen he played chess with at the park. His conversation with them led him to the Robert Taylor Housing Projects which was described as one of the worst Ghettos in America. His research began the first day he arrived with his clipboard of questionnaires ready to askRead MoreGang Leader for a Day: Book Review1413 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Gang Leader for a Day Book Review It takes a lot of guts and no small amount of courage and cunning to infiltrate a street gang in the tough neighborhoods of Chicago, but that is what Sudhir Venkatesh did as a 23-year-old graduate student at the University of Chicago. In order to find out first-hand how a gang that earns its money selling crack cocaine functions from the inside, Venkatesh dared to get involved on a superficial basis with the gang. But Venkatesh wasnt seen as person who wasRead MoreGang Leader For A Day : A Rogue Sociologist1589 Words   |  7 Pages Having read the book Gang Leader for a Day: a rogue sociologist takes to the streets by Venkatesh (2008), based on my childhood education (formal and informal), life circumstances, personal and professional life experiences, I perceive JT to be a lawbreaker. Moreover, based on how our society informally defines a criminal or lawbreaker, JT is clearly someone who does not or will not conform with our collective legal standards or requirements based o n the majority opinion of the wider publicRead MoreGang Leader For A Day Chapter Summary2784 Words   |  12 PagesAP English Language Ms. Donohue Gang Leader for a Day Chapter Summary CH. 1- Characters 1 s Name: Sudhir Venkatesh. Sudhir is Indian, he was born lived in California. He walks into the projects and stays overnight with a gang even though he knows he doesn t fit in.ï » ¿ Sudhir respects J.T. s rules and isn t intrusive with the gang. Sudhir is a university student wanting his degree in Sociology. Sudhir is also intelligent because he goes undercover into a gang for his project that will gain himRead MoreEssay about Gang Leader for a Day1786 Words   |  8 PagesIn the book, Gang Leader for a Day, a rogue sociologist passionately dives into the lives of one of Chicago’s toughest housing projects in an attempt to develop an insight as to how the urban impoverished lived. Throughout the text it becomes clear that a conflict paradigm is being reflected. A conflict society is based on social inequality, in which some individuals benefit and thrive more than others, which tends to lead to conflict and thus change. This is evident both in the housing projectsRead MoreThe Gang That The Author, Sudhir Venkantesh1148 Words   |  5 Pages I would describe the gang that the author, Sudhir Venkantesh, studies in this book as a deviant group because they are not following usual or accepted standards in social behavior. â€Å"Deviance is a behavior, trait or belief that departs from a norm and generates a negative reaction in a particular group†. (Real World, Kerry Ferris, Jill Stein, p 153) According to this definition we can definitely see gangs departing from a norm by committing many crimes and not obeying the laws. One example to deviantRead MoreSocial Control And Its Impact On America s Public Housing Essay1658 Words   |  7 PagesChicago’s public housing soon found themselves in dilapidated, drug-infested, crime-filled, isolated centers of despair. During a time in which most American citizens could easily turn their eyes from the struggles of the poor, Sudhir Venkatesh’s Gang Leader for a Day took readers into the depths of the world in which the poor resided. Through Venkatesh’s wor k, readers are inadvertently introduced to broader sociological concepts such as, collective efficacy within communities, the concentration effect,Read MoreCentral Purpose And Core Theme1513 Words   |  7 Pages Central Purpose and Core Theme Author Sudhir Venkatesh wrote â€Å"Gang Leader for a Day† to produce an in-depth ethnography on how people make a living with the use of underground economies in marginalized communities. He does so by providing descriptions of encounters with a crack-selling gang named the Black Kings, operating in Chicago, Illinois’ projects. The central take Venkatesh uses to explain how one makes money and the most popular way that young African-American males made money was by selling

Role of Esl Teacher free essay sample

The Role of an English Teacher in the Middle School Classroom Thesis statement: The teacher plays several kinds of roles in order to improve the students’ English level. 1 Introduction. 2 The teacher plays many roles in the middle school classroom. A. The teacher is a controller. B. The teacher is an organizer. C. The teacher is an assessor. D. The teacher is a participant. E. The teacher is a helper. F. The teacher is a prompter. 3 Conclusion. Abstract: For the IT and all kinds of mediums are developing quickly, An English teacher is not the only way for the students to get their knowledge. The difference between a teacher and a student is not that a teacher is more knowledgeable than a student, but that a teacher can develop a student’s intelligence, mood, character, vitality and personality. â€Å" Education is not merely culture teaching, but stimulate the creation of people and wake up people’s emotion so that people can act freely and voluntarily†, Pan(2002)said. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Esl Teacher or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"Teachers are related to people’s growth closely. People’s development changes with time. These changes make more demands to teachers. † Yu(2005) said. The English teacher not only teaches the students to study English, but also how to improve themselves in various aspects. So, the role of the only â€Å"controller† of an English teacher could not meet the need of the development of education, and she/he must be the controller, organizer, participant, helper and prompter. Key words: The roles of an English teacher, controller, organizer, participant, helper, prompter, assessor. I Introduction The 21st century is full of high-technology and high competition, and the requirements of English talents are different from the past. Nowadays, learning English is more important. The English teacher not only teaches students the knowledge, but also teaches students how to study and how to use their knowledge. As a second language which the students must study, English is not so easy and interesting for every student. Many students feel that studying English is very dull and very difficult. And day by day, they lose their heart in learning English. But now, English is very very important for the young people. If they want to go to universities, they must pass the English exam. If they want to go abroad, they also must pass all kinds of English exams. And if the teacher only teaches the students and answers their questions, the students could not study English better. So, the English teacher should change their roles in the middle school classroom so that the students could study English easily and well. 2 The Roles of the English Teacher 1. Controller As a controller, the English teacher controls the class fully. The teacher tells the students what they must do, when they do it; what they must study, when they should study. He/she also controls the students as to when they should speak English and what kinds of English they should speak. In many middle school classrooms, especially in the country middle school classrooms, the English teacher first tells the students what they will learn in that class, then teaches the content in the English book and asks the student to read, or do exercise and so on. We also hear the teacher say: â€Å"now, do the exercise by yourselves, and if you have questions, you may ask me. † In this way, the students may pay their attentions to what the teacher say, and all the students study the same knowledge in the same way and at the same time. It is also very effective in learning new lessons and new sentences. But the teacher should make sure that all students pay their attentions to what he’s said. However, the role of an English teacher as the â€Å"controller† controls all the class, and the students have less time to speak English and it is not good for developing the students’ abilities of using the language. So, the teachers should give their students much time to speak English. 2 Organizer It is very difficult for an English teacher to play the role â€Å"organizer†. If the teacher organizes the class-game well, the class-game is successful. Before the teacher asks the students to do the exercise, the teacher must know that if the students do not know what they should do, they will waste all the time of that class. And the students who know less English do not know how to take part in these games. They may do those games in Chinese. It is not effective too. So, before the class-games, the teacher must see that every student knows what he or she should do. So, at this time, the teacher should give an example, and then, ask some of the students to do that. If it is a dialogue exercise, the teacher could give some students the roles of this dialogue, and then ask the student to do the dialogue in the classroom. For example, when learning THOMAS EDISON in Unit 11 of Book 3 of â€Å"Junior English Book†, the teacher may ask the students to play Edison, Edison’ s mother, Edison’ s father and so on. And other students are reporters, they may interview the mother and the father, learning Edison’s hobby; they may interview the teacher, learning the study of Edison; they could also interview the doctor, learning the progress of saving Edison’ mother and so on. For example, (Sa is interviewing Edison’ father. ) Sa: Excuse me, please, I’m on China Daily, are you Edison’s father? F: Yes, nice to meet you. Sa: Pleased to meet you too. We all know your son, Thomas Edison, is a great inventor now. Can you tell me what he was always doing when he was a child? F: Yes, when he was a child, my son was always trying out new ideas. Sa: can you give me an example? F: Ok. One day when he was five. I saw him sitting on some eggs. I asked him why he was doing that. But he didn’t answer. Instead, he asked me a question. Sa: what did he say? F: â€Å"Hens are able to have chicks. Why can’t I? † he said. Sa: Could you answer his questions at that time? F: I’m afraid I couldn’t. Sa: Oh, thank you very much. F: You’re welcome. Goodbye! Sa: Bye! (Sb is interviewing the doctor) Sb: I know you are a very good doctor. You saved Edison’ mother, can you tell us what happened that day? D: That day, Edison’ mother was ill. I was asked to go quickly. I went as soon as possible. When I saw her, I said that she needed an operation at once. But I wasn’t able to operate. Sb: why? D: Because it was night, and the light in the room was very bad. I couldn’t see clearly enough! Sb: what should you do then? D: Edison thought hard and had an idea. His father owned a large mirror. Edison took all the lights in the house and put them on a long table. Then he put the big mirror behind them, so there was enough light. Sb: Could you see clearly? D: Yes. I operate on his mother at once and she was saved. Sb: Great! By the way, what do you think of little Edison? D: Very clever! In this way, all of the students take part in the class-game and remember the sentence style. So the teacher pays attention to the role of organizer, making sure that every student understands. If it is necessary, the teacher can do that in Chinese. And it is also necessary for the teacher to spend much more time on thinking of how to organize the students when they do the preparation. 3. Assessor The main work a teacher should do is assessing the learners’ study and knowing whether they study well. If no, the teacher should change the way he taught. There are two ways for assessing: correcting and feedback. When a teacher is correcting the students’ mistakes, he should pay his attention to the way he speaks, and do not cut short the students. Otherwise the students may lose their hearts and dare not speak English. Feedback is assessing the students’ work when they finish it. The teacher should approve the students’ advantages while he points out the problems and tells them how to deal with those problems. Ever since they are enrolled into schools, students are trained in learning methods and habits. In this way, they will switch from the passive position to the initiative position, so as to lay a solid foundation for further studies. Learning to use dictionaries is one of the most basic skills in English study. Teachers should guide students to learn to look up new words in the dictionary. Different dictionaries are designed with different purposes. Students are guided to choose suitable ones. Out of dictionaries,students can learn pure English, because lots of language items are from original books, newspapers or magazines. Students need guidance on how to preview new lessons. The purpose to preview is to get to know new words, language items and the content preliminarily with the help of dictionaries and reference books. Students may feel it too difficult or unused to it at the very beginning, but day after day, if they insist on using the method, they will enjoy the happiness of previewing new lessons. This is one way to probe. Based on their own preliminary preview, they are able to study with problems and to raise deep level questions in class. So teachers can organize lessons at a higher level. At the stage of introducing new lessons, teachers should try every means to arouse students’ interest, motivate their desire to take part in the study process. During this procedure, teachers design situations for teaching of either a language item or a sentence pattern, and presenting tasks, to make students realize their lack of knowledge. Students’ motivation to learn will be generated in this way. So they will be eager to get involved into the learning process. Teachers’ guiding role is necessary for new English learners. At the stage of guiding, teachers work as guiders, guiding students to form good learning habits and as promoters, promoting students to love learning English 4 Participant Participant† is that the teacher thinks of himself as one of the students and takes part in their games, not that he/she looks at the students at the platform. It could enliven the atmosphere of the class and offer the students chances to speak to someone who knows more English. By taking part in the games by the teacher. â€Å"there is no love and there is no education†. The love of the teachers is that the teacher unders tands the students’ spiritual world, learning to think as a student and studying together with the students. At the same time, the teacher may get something which can help him when he explains the problems to the students. For example, when teaching THE NECKLACE in Unit 18 of Book 1 of Senior English Book, the teacher may ask the students to give a further end of the story. T: When Mathilde heard what Jeanne had said, she simply couldn’t believe her own ears. The lost necklace wasn’t a real diamond necklace. How she regretted that she hadn’t told Jeanne what had happened then! She was too sad to say a word. But she thought for a while and felt it wasn’t a bad thing, because it made her a hard-working woman. S1: Mathilde was very sad when she heard that. â€Å"dear me! then she fell to the ground. When she stood up, she kept on laughing and saying â€Å"Necklace†. She was mad at last. S2: Jeanne was so moved that she took Mathilde home and gave her a lot of money. With the money, Mathilde and her husband started a new life and lived happily. Through this discussion, the students give free rein to their imagination and exercise their speaking; the teacher learns more a bout the story’s end. But as a participant, the teacher should be careful to control the class, he should give the students much more time to speak and discuss. 5. Helper To the students, a teacher is a dictionary, a tool book and a computer. Whenever they meet problems, they will ask the teacher to help them. When students do oral communication games, reading and writing, they will meet with many many problems; they will ask the teacher to help them understand them. Besides, one’s confidence and attitude determine if his English is poor or well. So, when the students lose their heart in learning English, the teacher should say something to comfort them; when they make advances, the teacher should praise them; when they have problems, the teacher should help them in time. Loving the students, the teacher should be good at getting into the students’ emotion world. To get into the students’ emotion world, the teacher first should be the students’ friend and feel their happiness, anger, grief and joy. † The teacher should create favorable conditions that help in time, and recommend some favorable English readings and magazines to the students and tell them some reading skills in the class to improve their reading speed. 6. Prompter â€Å"Prompter† is a teacher role which makes the student the center. He lets them study by themselves. Teachers are to lead and encourage students. Yang(2005). Nowadays, in China, professionals analyze teachers’ roles mainly in two aspects: from microscopic point of view, teachers’ roles in learners’ development: from microscopic point of view, teachers’ expectations of learners. The former beliefs tend to be abstract, but the latter expectations always show out their concrete qualities, and their impact on learners’ development. Teacher’s expectations of learners and their impact result from the process of interaction between teacher and learner. During the process, teachers constantly insist on influencing the learner according to their own expectations, and the learner will step by step develop himself as the teacher expects. Teacher’s roles will affect everything the students do in the classroom, whether these are implicit or explicit. And teacher’s deep—rooted beliefs about how languages are learnt will pervade their classroom actions more than a parceled methodology they are told to adopt or course book they follow. A British educational theorist Pajares thinks that the teacher’s beliefs have a greater influence than the teachers’ knowledge on the way. They plan their lessons by depending on all kinds of decisions. They make their general classroom practices. Social constructionists also find that the teacher’s beliefs are far more influential than knowledge in determining how individuals organize and define tasks and problems, and are better predictor of how teachers behave in the classroom. Social constructivists find that an effective teacher creates a learning atmosphere which is cognitively and affectively expanding; a learning atmosphere which enables the learner to become a more adequate and knowledgeable person. It is clear that this kind of approach places great emphasis upon what the teacher as a person brings to the teaching—learning relationship and how the learner can be helped to develop as a whole person by the provision of a supportive learning environment, which allows individuals to develop in their own way. Aspirn and Boy express it. â€Å"pupils feel the personal emotional structure of the teacher long before they feel the impact of the intellectual content offered by that teacher. † This obviously has particular implications with regard to teachers’ views of themselves since a teacher who lacks self—esteem will find it impossible to build the self—esteem of others. This is equally true when it comes to conveying dignity and respect. Thus, the language teacher needs to convey a sense of self—confidence when using the language, at the same time especting learner’s attempts to express themselves and their views in the language. III. conclusion Now teacher work with students who are actively planning and managing their own futures. Teachers prepare students for a range of career path ways and help them develop the skills habits and attitude they will retain over a lifetime of learning. It is a more challenging role for teachers now that the expect ations are more complex.

Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns Essay Example

Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns Paper Rhetorical Analysis on article Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns BY wa00750 Rhetorical Analysis Paper In the essay we read, entitled Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns, we see the author use five main points, as well as using appeals to Ethos Logos and Pathos to help reinforce his view on the topic. The five main reasons that the author feels that college campuses are safer without concealed handguns are introduced to us in the opening of the article, listed as bullet points. The author then goes on to break the article into these separate sections to allow him to go more in epithet and explain his position. In this way, he appeals to the readers sense of Ethos throughout the entire article by convincing us that he knows what he is taking about. However, the author does not stop here. The author uses an appeal to Ethos a couple more times throughout the article, one of the most obvious is in the section where he makes the point that concealed carry permit holders are not always law-abiding citizens. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why Our Campuses Are Safer Without Concealed Handguns specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The author continues in this section to write about how easy it is for certain people to obtain firearms and concealed carry licenses, even though they should not be allowed to legally. The author blames this problem on a series of systems that are in place, that are nowhere near enough, putting the blame being on communication, or lack-there-of, between states and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICE). The author then uses examples of how state governments often simply do not submit pertinent records to databases such as NICE. This can result in convicted felons and mentally ill persons having the ability to purchase a firearm or receive a concealed carry permit, which we have seen can lead to very bad results. In the same way that the author uses Ethos throughout the article, he also appeals tryingly to the readers sense of Logos, or logic. The main reason for this is because he must back up his strong opinions with logic and statistics to support what he is writing. This is shown easily in the opening, when the author provides statistics on homicide rates for college campuses versus the rest of the nation, and shows them to be drastically different. This same technique is used later in the article to emphasize the fact that many college students use mind altering substances such as drugs and alcohol; and that adding firearms, concealed or not, would add a new variable to Seibel suicides and intra-student violence. In addition to all of these statistics, the author also uses reason to make the point that college classrooms are places where you should be able to speak freely and without fear of possible retaliation. The author feels that if students do not know who may or may not have a concealed weapon on them, they may be less likely to speak their mind and learn all that they can. Last but not least, the author also makes an abundant use of appeals to the readers Pathos, appealing to the reader in a way that reaches them in a personal raw the reader in, as well as to open them up to the information that the rest of the article provides and leave the reader thinking about it. He begins the article by mentioning some of the more infamous college campus shootings, such as those that occurred at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, and then proceeds to make his case against concealed firearms on college campuses. This viewpoint is prominently displayed in the third section of the article, in which the author writes about how students who go on these shooting rampages set out knowing they will ii, and plan only on taking as many people with them as possible. The author goes on to say that students and faculty that may be carrying a concealed weapon would not deter these individuals, but may actually become a target, in hopes that they will return fire, possibly killing more innocent people. In addition to this theory, the author writes that with more people running around with guns, police would have a much more difficult time figuring out who was the actual threat, and eliminating it. In this article, the author is against having students be allowed to carry concealed firearms. I do not think that this is a good position to take in this situation. I feel that responsible gun owners, who have passed proper safety courses, and who meet all of the requirements needed to obtain both firearm and license, should be able to carry their firearm where they feel it is warranted. The author states that concealed handguns would distract from a healthy learning environment. However, I do not think that this would be the case. I think that despite the presence of a gun on campus or in class, things would go about as usual. I do not feel as though people would be threatened into not speaking their mind, and I finitely do not think that the possession of a firearm or any possible weapon automatically makes an individual more violent. I have known many people who carry knives with them any time it is appropriate, and they do not strike fear into everyone in the room. They dont stab people Just because they are in a position where they have what could be a weapon. No, they have learned over time how to carefully handle a knife, and I feel perfectly comfortable being around them. I feel that the same is true with firearms, concealed or not. Although I do not agree with many of he statements the author makes, I do feel that he makes a good point that in order to obtain a concealed carry permit, you should be screened more thoroughly, and you should have to have some sort of nationally regulated test in which you must qualify with the weapon you wish to carry. I feel that there should be a coordinated effort to make sure that the NICE database is updated regularly. In relation to the section of the article where the author says that school shooters would not be deterred by concealed carry holders, I do not think that this matters. If someone sets their mind o coming to a college campus and shooting anyone in sight, then they are going to do it, whether or not I am able to protect myself. Possibly, instead of simply not allowing it, schools could implement a program where all firearms on campus, for concealed carry or not, would have to be registered thorough thee school. This would allow the school to know which student has which guns. Throughout the year security would be able to collaborate with the student and teacher gun owners including having them qualify with their firearms on a regular basis, and incorporating them onto any plans to counteract violence on campus. I think if colleges were able to or end a confrontation that could have more fatal consequences. With proper training from security or police personnel, I think students and teachers would be able to help keep campuses safer, while being able to observe their right to bear arms. I do not know for sure that college campuses would be safer if students and teachers were allowed to carry concealed handguns, but I know that proper measures could be taken to make the gun owners more responsible, as well as to make campus a safer place.

Why The North Won The Civil War Essays (2763 words) -

Why the North won the Civil War "You Are Bound to Fail." Union officer William Tecumseh Sherman to a Southern friend: In all history, no nation of mere agriculturists ever made successful war against a nation of mechanics. . .. You are bound to fail. (Catton, Glory Road 241) The American antebellum South, though steeped in pride and raised in military tradition, was to be no match for the burgeoning superiority of the rapidly developing North in the coming Civil War. The lack of emphasis on manufacturing and commercial interest, stemming from the Southern desire to preserve their traditional agrarian society, surrendered to the North their ability to function independently, much less to wage war. It was neither Northern troops nor generals that won the Civil War, rather Northern guns and industry. From the onset of war, the Union had obvious advantages. Quite simply, the North had large amounts of just about everything that the South did not, boasting resources that the Confederacy had even no means of attaining (See Appendices, Brinkley et al. 415). Sheer manpower ratios were unbelievably one-sided, with only nine of the nation's 31 million inhabitants residing in the seceding states (Angle 7). The Union also had large amounts of land available for growing food crops which served the dual purpose of providing food for its hungry soldiers and money for its ever-growing industries. The South, on the other hand, devoted most of what arable land it had exclusively to its main cash crop: cotton (Catton, The Coming Fury 38). Raw materials were almost entirely concentrated in Northern mines and refining industries. Railroads and telegraph lines, the veritable lifelines of any army, traced paths all across the Northern countryside but left the South isolated, outdated, and starving (See Appendices). The final death knell for a modern South developed in the form of economic colonialism. The Confederates were all too willing to sell what little raw materials they possessed to Northern Industry for any profit they could get. Little did they know, "King Cotton" could buy them time, but not the war. The South had bartered something that perhaps it had not intended: its independence (Catton, Reflections 143). The North's ever-growing industry was an important supplement to its economical dominance of the South. Between the years of 1840 and 1860, American industry saw sharp and steady growth. In 1840 the total value of goods manufactured in the United States stood at $483 million, increasing over fourfold by 1860 to just under $2 billion, with the North taking the king's ransom (Brinkley et al. 312). The underlying reason behind this dramatic expansion can be traced directly to the American Industrial Revolution. Beginning in the early 1800s, traces of the industrial revolution in England began to bleed into several aspects of the American society. One of the first industries to see quick development was the textile industry, but, thanks to the British government, this development almost never came to pass. Years earlier, England's James Watt had developed the first successful steam engine. This invention, coupled with the birth of James Hargreaves' spinning jenny, completely revolutionized the British textile industry, and eventually made it the most profitable in the world ("Industrial Revolution"). The British government, parsimonious with its newfound knowledge of machinery, attempted to protect the nation's manufacturing preeminence by preventing the export of textile machinery and even the emigration of skilled mechanics. Despite valiant attempts at deterrence, though, many immigrants managed to make their way into the United States with the advanced knowledge of English technology, and they were anxious to acquaint America with the new machines (Furnas 303). And acquaint the Americans they did: more specifically, New England Americans. It was people like Samuel Slater who can be credited with beginning the revolution of the textile industry in America. A skilled mechanic in England, Slater spent long hours studying the schematics for the spinning jenny until finally he no longer needed them. He emigrated to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and there, together with a Quaker merchant by the name of Moses Brown, he built a spinning jenny from memory (Furnas 303). This meager mill would later become known as the first modern factory in America. It would also become known as the point at which the North began its economic domination of the Confederacy. Although slow to accept change, The South was not entirely unaffected by the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Another inventor by the name of Eli Whitney set out in 1793 to revolutionize the Southern cotton industry. Whitney was working as a tutor for a plantation owner in Georgia (he was also, ironically, born and raised in New England)

5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to Deal with Them

5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to Deal with Them When it comes to job interviews, honesty (okay, maybe enhanced honesty in some cases) is the way to go. But what if the interviewer is asking you questions they have no right to ask? Out of ignorance or slyness, an interviewer might try to get information out of you that the company is not allowed to factor into their hiring decisions. However, you’re not obligated to answer them- and in fact you shouldn’t. Your battle plan should be to figure out why they’re asking (whether it has direct consequences for the job itself), and to decide whether you should answer. In most cases, the answer is â€Å"no,† but there are ways to redirect the conversation and/or call attention to the inappropriateness of the question without alienating the interviewer. After all, it may just be someone talking off the cuff without realizing it’s actually illegal to talk about certain personal issues. Some of the hardest interview questions you’ll encounter might be illegal.Here are some examples of illegal interview question areas, and how to get around them.1. Religion/Race/Sexual OrientationDo you volunteer with your church? That’s an interesting last name, what’s your background? These questions all sound pretty harmless†¦just making small talk, right? Yet each one gives away information known as â€Å"protected class.† Employers are prohibited by federal and state law from hiring (or not hiring) based on categories like race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Talking about topics like your church (or lack thereof), your spouse, or your family’s ethnic background can give information that could tip the interviewer against you if there’s a bias involved. Even if it happens in a pre-interview chat, before you get down to the brass tacks of the job itself, you’ve given information that the interviewer had no real right to ask.The way to handle this is to redirect the question. If you r efuse to answer, even though you’re in the right, it could set you up as â€Å"combative† or disagreeable in the eyes of the interviewer. It’s okay to be vague and try to channel the conversation elsewhere. On church activity: I do volunteer at my local soup kitchen- I like to give back to the community when I can. On family background: Gotta love the American melting pot, right? 2. AgeYou have a pretty long and distinguished resume, do you see yourself retiring soon? Age (particularly 40 and up) is another protected class. If an interviewer tries to get information about how old you are, he or she might be trying to suss out whether you’re likely to be a long-time employee at the company†¦or whether this job is a pit stop on your way to the golf course.You should never feel obligated to give your age. Instead, take the chance to re-emphasize your commitment to the job for which you’re interviewing: On the contrary, I’m looking forward to talking about a long and productive relationship with this company, and bringing the fruits of that experience to my work for a long time to come.3. Family StatusIf you’re pregnant, have children, or may want children some day†¦doesn’t matter. An interviewer is not allowed to use your family status as part of the hiring decision. Even if you’re eight months pregnant in your interview suit, he or she can’t ask when you’re due, or about your childcare plan afterward.In a case like this, the best tactic is to try to push it back on the asker. Without being overly antagonistic, it’s okay to ask, Can you help me understand why that matters? I just want to make sure I better understand what this job entails.4. Whether You’ve Been ArrestedConvictions are fair game for interviewers and job applications, but arrests (without convictions) are not. Even that’s starting to change in some places: New York is looking at phasing out e mployers’ ability to ask about particular kinds of convictions. For now, however, convictions are askable, but arrests are not.If you’re asked, have a simple response ready to go (taking too long can trigger the kind of reaction you’re trying to avoid): I have never been convicted of anything, no. And if you do have a conviction, it’s essential to remember not to lie about that, because a background check would likely uncover that information.5. Your Military ServiceI see from your resume that you’re in the National Guard. Does that take up much of your time? Employers are not allowed to use active military service as criteria in hiring. Basically, the interviewer can’t factor in your military service at all. If you choose to answer this one, emphasize that you’ve never had a problem balancing your service with your career.6. Disability StatusIf you don’t mind my asking, how did you get in that wheelchair? Will you be on crutch es long-term? I see you have glasses- is that a pretty strong prescription? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is pretty clear- employers are not allowed to discriminate against employees that may need physical accommodations. Instead, they are allowed to ask if you would need any specific accommodations to do the job.If it seems like the interviewer is fishing for information about a disability, deflect it. Are you asking whether I would need special accommodations? Or, I’m not sure I see how this relates to my ability to analyze sales reports- can you clarify and help me understand?The most important thing to remember is that if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer- but you also don’t have to disqualify yourself by putting up a defensive wall or walking out of the interview. It’s fine to call attention to the reasons behind asking (in as non-confrontational a way as you can manage), then try to segue back to the interview and job desc ription as quickly as possible.If you have concerns about any of the areas outlined here, definitely check with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and know your rights as an applicant.

Quantitative Methods for Social Health Research Essay - 2

Quantitative Methods for Social Health Research - Essay Example As the essay declares  cigarette smoking has negative implication on the health of a person. Nevertheless, despite being aware of the effects of smoking, finds it hard to quit the habit. Governments have devised mechanisms of minimizing the amount of cigarette smoked with several measures including plain packaging of cigarette. Plain packaging of tobacco is a packaging that requires removal of all branding and only requires the manufacturer to print a brand name in mandated size in addition to a health warning to help in drawing the smokers’ attention more to the health warning. In relation to the 2010 statistical figures by Australian institute of health and welfare 2010, there is a significant reduction in daily smoking by 15% since 2007. However, it is still necessary to understand the impact of plain packaging of cigarette on the smoking habits to specific groups like the international students.This paper stresses that  the influence of plain cigarette packaging depend s on the smoking level of a person. For an addict, plain packaging has a little impact while, for a starter, the packaging would draw attention to the health warning.  A randomized controlled trials experimental study found that branding has a significant influence on the development of a smoking habit.  The smokers avoided all health warnings, while occasional smokers paid more attention to plain packs than those on the branded ones. The findings indicate that plain packaging of cigarette attracts more attention to the health warning than those of the branded ones, thus can influence the smoking habit.

Mkt wk3 team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mkt wk3 team - Essay Example There seem to be endless possibilities for Apple has a brand and this has been understood by its users as they have come to know that Apple is one such manufacturer which believes in immense taste and quality no matter how hard it gets. The name ‘Apple’ reckons good and rich taste more than anything else as has been apparent since a long time. The iPod, iPad and iPhone products are ruling the roost within their competitive rivals and hence have been given all the acclaim that these products have richly deserved over a period of time. The varied market dimensions have more or less suggested the likeliness of the Apple users when they are choosing between categories or amongst the products, one of which belongs exclusively to Apple itself. Therefore it would be right to state that Apple brings together a collection of fine taste and exclusivity which other competitors can only think of. References Berry, T.  (1996-2011).  How to perform a SWOT analysis.  Mplans.com - Palo Alto Software, Inc.  Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://articles.mplans.com/how-to-perform-a-swot-analysis/ Cooper, R (1999). Product leadership: Creating and launching superior new products. Perseus Books.

Supply Chain Management in Fast Fashion Companies (Zara & H&M) Literature review

Supply Chain Management in Fast Fashion Companies (Zara & H&M) - Literature review Example Barnes and Lea-Greenwood's (2006) article on fast fashion and supply chain management has revealed significant information in regard to the so called fast fashion phenomenon. Their research on fast fashion and its relation to supply chain management have even caught the attention of well known fashion companies, enthusiasts and the business press. Although the concept is new in the fashion industry, the authors were able to explore widely and expound briefly the strategy that led Zara and H&M to where they are now. The authors have defined fast fashion as a form of business strategy that targets to lessen the number of processes that are undergone in a buying cycle and lead times to deliver new fashion products in stores. When this happens, customer satisfaction is met, and this satisfaction is being driven by the speed in delivering fashion products that are in line with the current trends. Fast fashion is a concept that is considered a "mainstay in UK's fashion industry" (Barnes & Lea-Greenwood, 2006). To modern fashion retailers such as Zara and H&M, fast fashion is a key strategy that has helped them attain success. The two well known fashion companies have adopted this strategy and have continuously changed their clothing styles and product ranges to adapt to what is "in" at any moment. Rapid changes are made attracting more buyers of apparels under the brands Zara and H&M. Furthermore, Barnes and Lea-Greenwood (2006) have inferred that fast fashion is associated with supply chain management. For instance, it has been proposed, in reference to the said perspective, that the framework of a fast fashion business is dependent to vertical integration. Vertical integration, according to Welters and Lillethun (2011), centralizes the supply chain allowing buyers to obtain goods in a short span of time and at an affordable price. In a fashion business, there is pressure in defeating the previous years' performance and this cycle is a usual scenario. In the modern times, success in retailing is being attributed to supply chains instead of companies (Hines, 2004 cited in Barnes and & Lea-Greenwood, 2006). On the other hand, the authors (Barnes & Lea-Greenwood, 2006) have contended that, in spite of being connected to supply chain management, fast fashion is not totally affiliated with the strategy. Findings of the study conducted by Barnes and Lea-Greenwood (2006) have identified fast fashion as a consumer-driven process. Many things were taken into serious consideration prior to arriving at this judgment. First, they were able to observe that, at present, individuality has already become the trend for the buyer's fashion demands. Most consumers want to set a trend, and this behavior increases the demand for fast fashion. Many designers consider quick access to the media as a means for the young consumers to gain knowledge in regard to the new fashion trends. Respondents of the survey conducted by the two authors have also conceded to their ju dgment and have stated that progress in fast fashion is being driven by the changing consumer demand making it a crucial aspect of fashion and fashion retailing. Hence, fast fashion is the answer to the changing consumer demand of modern times. Furthermore, the supply chain has to adjust for it to respond to inconstant consumer demands. The fast fashion business paradigm relies on the capacity of an individual to acquire and react positively to changes in consumer tastes. Responses to these changes in the fast fashion business model are quick since connections to fashion markets, and fashion makers are in proximity (Doeringer & Crean, 2006 cited in Welters &

Training And Development At Pizza Hut Management Essay

Training And Development At Pizza Hut Management Essay This report is based on Pizza Hut restaurant located in West London, and will focus on the front line employees, front of house staff i.e. waiters and waitresses. This choice was particularly based on our employment experience since July 2007, and substantial internal information based on training, policies and so on. In order to determine, which extent the organisation follows good practice, learning and development i.e. strategic or business led. Company background Pizza Hut is owned by the American Group Yums Inc, which is one of the largest pizza restaurant companies in the world in terms of both the number of outlets and the percentage of market share that it holds. The company oversees more than 11,000 pizza restaurants and delivery outlets in 90 countries worldwide. (Digica 08) Britains first Pizza Hut started taking orders 30 years ago in Islington, north London, and is now the leading pizza restaurant and delivery chain in the UK. The company has over 600 outlets, including over 370 dine-in restaurants and over 170 home delivery units, and it employs almost 20,000 people in the UK. (Digica 08) Company Vision and Business strategy According to the Pizza hut student information pack (06), the vision of the company is the following; To be the most loved and trusted restaurant brand in the UK Whereas the passion is, Great People, Great Pizza, Great Times Pizza Huts vision is the desired future state and aspiration, in which the head office of the firm is seeking to focus the attention and awareness on the whole aspect of the organisation (Johnson: 09:09). So that Pizza hut to have a respected and trusted restaurant brand, such as efficient operations, good quality food and provide great value for their external customers i.e. hospitality service. The company recognises that in order to achieve their long term vision, their employees should be well managed and developed, seeing that the service levels i.e. hospitality is delivered from front line staff, in which will have overall impact on the goals of the organisation and its ability to retain customers for continuous repeat business. Pizza Hut have developed an operational strategy, which is directly linked to how component parts of the firm help deliver effectively the corporate level strategies in terms of resources, processes and people (Johnson: 09:09). For example, Pizza hut have implemented the following strategy step to achieve their overall goals: Build people capability in order to Provide come back again service with A passion for product that will Drive sales and Maximise profit Moreover, Pizza Hut recognizes that in order to reach their business aims, the following principles are important to the organization: Customer Mania Belief in People Recognition Coaching and Support Accountability Executional Excellence Positive Energy Teamwork This increased emphasis on the restaurant employees is due to the fact the company had issues with a high number of staff turnover according to Management today (1998). In which the percentage was high as 160% and resulted in extremely low employee moral. So as a result, Pizza Hut became determined to transform their staffing policy in order to, Reach sales of  £600 million Satisfy 2.6 million customers a week Reduce staff turnover to 50% (Pizza hut student information 06) Compared to other recognised competitive fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, who are using a similar strategy to Pizza Hut. For example providing career opportunities that allow their employees to develop their full potential i.e. comprehensive training programmes enables a first job employee to progress through to a senior management position through merit-based promotions. Since traditionally, it has been difficult for fast food restaurants to retain staff for long term commitment (management article 1998). Hence Pizza Hut has followed McDonalds strategy, in order to motivate staff and increase productivity so that profits are maximised. (Times 100 case study) Strategic and Business led Barham (et al: 1988) states they are two terms; Strategic Human resource Development (HRD), in which arises from the organisations vision about what its business should be; the abilities and potential of its people; and the options available within a given time period to help it grow and prosper Business-Led HRD is a response to the changing business needs of the organisation, thereby improving its capability to achieve its business goals Therefore, it can be established that the vision and strategy of Pizza Hut, according to Barham et al is (1988), is strategic and business led. For example the organisations vision statement indicates how they wish to be perceived by the members of the public, plus the potential and abilities of its employees and giving them opportunities to develop. Moreover the business is responding to the changing needs i.e. reducing staff turnover. Staff turnover is a business risk, Pizza Hut have identified the problem and minimized the ways in which it affects their restaurants through a structured staff management programme, in which this report will further investigate. Taking into account, that staff turnover has a negative impact on businesses in competitive market which Pizza Hut operates in. Especially when team members are key to its success and continuity because the level of hospitality service will determine the rate of repeat business, employee may leave if they are demotivated, by not being treated right by line managers for not being trained to cope with rush hour periods and may lose self confidence and ability. Consequently, retaining staff and treating them fairly has benefits for the business. Continuity and stability become part of Pizza Huts culture, and staff feel they belong to the organisation and take pride in their work. Skills and competencies are maintained in key business areas and productivity is often increased. On the whole Pizza Hut approach to learning and development is in line with CIPD (09) survey which, states 50% of organisations are integrating a leaning and development culture across organisation, i.e. Beliefs in people, coaching and support have become important principles to Pizza Hut. Training and development approaches Barham (et al 1988) identified three different training and development approaches which are the following: Fragmented approach where training is not linked to organisation goals, and also be perceived as a luxury or a waste of time Formalised approach -training is gradually being linked human resource needs Focused approach training is regarded as competitive weapon and is linked to organisation strategy and goals. In Pizza Hut, all new recruits joining the restaurant are sent on a initial induction programme, in which the company introduce new recruits to their job position, their team and the workplace and the organisational background i.e. business values. Secondly, it helps them establish positive relationships between the employees by building their commitment to its visions and goals i.e., Being the most loved restaurant brand and providing great service for customers. (Harrison 09:163). Furthermore, Pizza Hut emphasises the importance restaurant quality assurance system known as CHAMPS which is based on customer expectations of cleanliness, hospitality, accuracy, maintenance, product quality and speed of service. For instance McDonalds (times100 09) success is also built on the highest standards of quality, service and cleanliness delivered to customers in each of its restaurants. Therefore well trained employees at Pizza Hut are the first steps to achieving these standards in every single restaurant. In addition to, CHAMPS philosophy, the company will issue Full service restaurant team member workbook to record on going progress and achievement during on going training at Pizza Hut by using specifically designed questions aimed at testing the following areas. Menu knowledge -i.e. listing the toppings on BBQ deluxe pizza Salad station setting temperature, shelf life of certain goods when opened, how often certain items needs replenishing etc System cash handling how to cater for customer needs i.e. changing toppings on the server till. Procedures for processing credit card and cash transactions especially since each members are responsible for cash shortages. Health and Safety handling hazardous substances, sharp objects, eliminating obstruction in the restaurant floor. Operating machinery i.e. oven in a safe manner and so on. Other fast food restaurants, McDonalds are also using similar approach to Pizza Hut, all their new employees have an initial training period in which they are shown the basics and allowed to develop their skills to a level where they are competent in each area within the restaurant. Also similar to Pizza Hut strategy they will also attend classroom-based training sessions where they will complete workbooks for quality, service and cleanliness. (Times100) Following the induction, mentoring is carried out. In Pizza Hut employees go through a three hour on the job training and are partnered with a recognised expert trainer. Mentoring has been defined by Garvey (2008:8) as a process in which a person carries out a councillor and a friend to help support them in the workplace by familiarising with its customs and processes. The focus is centred on the individuals and raises business awareness like hospitality service, reducing speed etc. Harrison: 09:170 In addition to being assigned to a mentor, on the job training helps new employees gain experience and retain more knowledge and experience regarding the companies key competence areas i.e. storing order details on the server till. Also the initial on the job training partner is flexible and more informal based to reduce pressure and help encourage confidence in the new employees ability to perform. For the reason being 56% of learning training development professionals consider on the job training of front line employees as an effective way to become accustomed to the workplace. (People management 06:10 article) Lastly when the restaurant manager is satisfied with the progress, the employee will be assigned to an ongoing personal Host Training Workbook which is an educational material aimed to enhanced level of professional knowledge and broadening the restaurants awareness i.e. hospitality service in a fast moving environment. The training workbook introduces the following vital aspects of key competences: Communication skills importance of excellent communications skills for customer interaction as well with management and team members Interacting with all types of customers, generating a personal conversation with customers at the door Communications with other team members and management to ensure accurate wait times are quoted and ensure effective table turnover Keeping up to date with team room communications, awareness of CHAMPS and Customer Mania Knowledge informing customers of deals that are appropriate i.e. family deals and also being able to describe whole menu be able to manage queues using the restaurant utilisation tools using service recovery to customer issues at the door are effectively resolved or communicated to the deputy manage Attitudes/Behaviour Building rapport with customers Communicating effectively to establish customer needs Demonstration passion when explaining meal deals Prioritising effectively, getting most important task done first Being proactive when problems on shifts are identified (Harrison 09:163). (Internal Host training workbook 09) These are the key attributes restaurant managers look for in their employees, according to CIPD(09) survey indicate 79% employers value interpersonal and 74% regard communications skills as most important for recruitment. For that reason on going host training programme allows employees to acquire and develop these skills further i.e. product knowledge, experience in dealing with difficult customer etc. Especially since this is vital for the hospitality environment. In addition, all front line employees are not limited in scope since everyone gets the opportunity to progress further to management level, since 75% trainee managers start out as team members indicating a successful transition. Employees are selected by demonstrating great potential such as outstanding selling skills, commitment to CHAMPS plus recognition from other support managers, in order to be recommended for them to be selected management trainee programme. The management trainee program involves dedicated management training centers; this involves taking part in various workshops on subjects ranging from business management to leadership. (Pizza Hut 09 website) From the information given we can see that Pizza Hut have adopted a focused approach to training and development, as training is an ongoing process in the organisation and is a requirement for the organisations survival in a competitive and ever changing environment. The focused approach is also linked to individual needs as well as the organisations. Pizza Huts approach to training and development is also competitive as it operates in a demanding market and needs to provide a service to its customers which equals or surpasses its competitors level of service. This could help the organisation to gain the upper-hand in its market, by providing outstanding customer service and high quality products. Pizza Huts: organisation structure and culture Structure and culture of Pizza Hut restaurant will have implications for Human resource development, since they are closely linked. HRD determines the effective fits in provision in the organisation. According to Handy (1985) recognised four following, organisational structure culture models: The Pyramid often viewed as a stereotypical large bureaucracy organisation, in which the overall decisions are managed from the top layer. Secondly, the layers consist of a defined hierarchy of functions where the communication is based upon rules and procedures i.e. banking and insurance, hospitals etc. The net matrix involves individuals and resources bought together simultaneously due to a project to certain standards and time constraints. Individuals are flexible skilled and expert in their field. However teams are disbanded when the project is completed. I.e. construction firms, large consultancies etc. The galaxy consists of independent, highly qualified who pursue their own professional and career interest within a supporting infrastructure of resources and administration. Plus there is limited control of mechanism and management hierarchy i.e. lawyers, GP practices etc. The web and power these are known to exist in small entrepreneurial organisations and family businesses. Activities are relied on trust, empathy and personal communication. A group of people or senior individuals exercise power and influence. These organisations are highly competitive and survival is difficult due to economic influence in which employee who handle pressure thrive. Pizza Hut structure and culture fits in with Handy C (1985) The web structure and power culture. As pizza huts decisions are mainly undertaken at the top of the organization i.e. the head office instructs and gives feedback on the CHAMPS standard in the restaurant which directly reflects the front line employees service level, indicating the head office balance of power according to restaurant general manager (RGM) . In addition development is also related to training objectives, which benefit the business and the individual employees, for instance areas for improvement where staff can reduce the time for delivering meals to tables, interact with customers more often so that business CHAMP standards are satisfied and increase the customer repeat business in the process. Moreover the organisation moves very rapidly and change are dealt quickly i.e. new products in menu require employees to quickly adapt different techniques and learn promotions i.e. Christmas menus, learning to make s moothie drinks, using new coffee machine, preparing new desserts etc as soon as they are introduced. Secondly, the environment Pizza Hut operates is highly competitive i.e. Nandos, McDonalds etc as well being very sales based, because the head office sets weekly sales target, and if sales target are not met, this results reduction in working hours for front line employees (RGM 09). Therefore to ensure survival in the demanding market, employees rely on each other by working together to balance the workload i.e. communicating personally, building trust and delivering a service which will help increases customer satisfaction and reduce complaints, especially since the nature of the environment is fast driven. So that Pizza Hut Hayes can retain customers to increase their revenue in long term and ensure survival in difficult economic times. Handy, C (1985) Added Value and Horizontal integration Added value is to add to the organisations capability to achieve its goals for example producing results that enable Pizza Hut Hayes to react well to challenges and threats i.e. competitors , it is also over and above the cost of the initial investment of Leaning and development (LD) (Harrison, 2009:359) In Pizza Hut Hayes, the CHAMPS quality assurance systems is the driving tools towards the operations standards into the restaurant and help deliver the business added value. This is because the head office implemented policies are centered to meet customers requirements hence the long term vision to be the most loved and trusted restaurant brand in the UK, This is achieved by employees being trained to maintain salad bar products to quality standards, contributing to restaurant maintenance, consistently delivering and correct orders. Whereas, Customer Mania and How we win together (HWWT) philosophy coexist with the CHAMPS system. These are the attitude and behaviors used for delivering basic standards by employees, in order to deliver, a positive attitude in a fast moving fast food environment. For example by demonstrating commitment and taking accountability for understanding customer needs, collaborating with other colleagues to deliver the smooth running of the restaurant. Otherwi se service will lack consistency and business will not reach their strategic goals (Appendices 1 -USE PPD PRINTS) To measure the consistency and effectiveness Pizza Hayes employees competences and overall restaurant service, head office will use a mystery shopping programme that collects information against customer expectations using the CHAMPS criteria. In which the results of the survey are fed back to restaurant. So that RGM can use the feedback and compare Hayes against other West London Pizza Hut branches and take necessary actions to meet CHAMPS targets and add value by achieving its goals set by theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. (Management today article) Horizontally integrated Performance Management In addition, value added is also linked to HR practices of Performance management of Pizza Hut Hayes, the business is horizontally integrated .For example CHAMPS, Customer Mania and HWWT criterions are integrated in all aspect of employee management and also identify what members of the restaurants are doing well and how they can improve to make sure the business succeeds. (Appendices) (Harrison 09:323) Ways in which this is done by: Induction all employees are made aware of performance requirements established in the framework i.e. Speed, Hospitality, Product quality etc Job related training the RGM will agree on the support required for the individual to achieve performance levels i.e. improve interaction with customers so they feel welcomed, taking additional responsibilities i.e. handling telephone orders for multi tasking, improving selling skills by up selling desserts and so on. Appraisal- feedback is given by the RGM on how employees perform to Pizza Hut CHAMPS and Customer Mania standards. Secondly both the RGM and employee agree on key targets to help improve development areas i.e. further opportunities for improvement. Personal development employees are consistently working towards the core competence framework, this helps employees expand performance i.e. speed of service, product quality, good hospitality service and creating good relations with customers and employee members. This helps the business and keeps employees committed and motivated. Recognition and rewards- all employees are recognised for their efforts for achieving CHAMPS standards, this because with mystery shopping programme individual employees are scored against the CHAMPS criterion and moreover RGM will use feedback from other senior members, and reward employees by giving them certificates, vouchers etc. Whereas customers have also traditionally rewarded employees by giving them tips for delivering excellent service in which the restaurant does not profit from. This is used as a personal motivation and incentive to follow the CHAMPS standards. This satisfies restaurant because customers will repeat business and employees will remain committed to the core competence framework. (Harrison 09:162) (Appendices) Overall, the policies adapted for performance management in the restaurant are identical to Rebecca Johnson (99) report where front line employees based in a hospitality industry i.e. hotels were given performance initiatives, such as being equipped take greater responsibilities similar to Customer Mania and CHAMPS competence and that feedback was measured through a tracking system, in order to determine whether employees performance is adding value to company and customers. This is because adding value helps Pizza Hut Hayes to be competitive and create loyal customer base and therefore performance management is carried out for individuals every six months. (RGM) Vertical integration Vertical integration involves integration LD strategy with business strategy at corporate and business unit levels and aiding performance managements, LD at operational and individual levels (Harrison 09:323). Since the focus of report is based on the operational level i.e. front line employees who are all provided with an expert workbook to record their progress and have individual targets. In which the head office, corporate level have adapted the policy of developing people capability. Moreover career planning for individual has been quite significant since 1998, 75% employees are internally promoted to management level. For example employees are supported and developed to their full potential by using programmes such as the Expert training programme, as well as the Developing Champions training programme for all levels of restaurant. This also highlights the successful nature training and development being continuous in the operation site Pizza Hut PDF (07) Recommendations: There are a number of recommendations which we have thought of that may benefit Pizza Hut. Firstly we considered most important was to offer internal promotions to staff, as this may help to reduce staff turnover on a whole. They should also have a more formal training program for their waiters to deal with the fast moving environment and they should also have team training exercises as it will help them perform better with a heavy workload. In addition they can improve further by asking customers what they want and what is important to them. We also recommend that there should be continuous development for the organisations strategic capabilities and the specific, personal capabilities of individuals and teams in order to add value.

Marketing aspect Essay

The management of Head’s Up is moderately efficient. They have accommodating and friendly personnel who provides the needs of their customers wherein they will ask what services they want to avail and instantly accommodate them. They have well equipped facilities and modern equipment that pave the way for more efficient ways of providing services for the customer’s convenience. E. SUPPLIERS The business supplier is from Luzon specifically Manila where they are exclusively supplying the treatments and medicines as well as other needs that they have to Head’s Up. Atty. Raymond said that they paid high to their supplier for exclusively purposes wherein they have a stall for the products that the supplier has at Ever Mall building 2nd floor. F. MARKETING MIX Place One of the most important aspects to consider for a business is its location. Wherein there are number of factors that need to be considered these are the customer needs and the employee needs such as customer convenience, parking, and accessibility. Head’s Up is located at 21 Silliman Avenue, Dumaguete City. Head’s Up location is considered as a strategic location knowing the fact that it is near to its target market which are the young professional, students, the foreigners and the walk-ins. Service Head’s Up being in a beauty industry offer the utmost service to the customers for it is the reason for its existence to give customer a great service and convenience that would give its customers a reason to come back. Promotion Promotion of a business establishment is important for it helps in positioning its image to its target market. Advertisement of an establishment is one way to garner publicity; Heads Up was launch in Metro Post newspaper and was later introduced in Negros Chronicles News and tied-up Radio station here in the City. Other than that Atty. Raymond told us that nothing more is effective to the word of mouth to its customers. Price The rates of their services are based on the price of the treatments and other medicines they use and also the services are priced in such a way that they compare themselves to the rates of their competitors. Head’s Up also offer 10% off to all services to its VIP cardholders and they also have happy hours to their SPA services specifically the Full Body Massage from 2pm-6pm wherein the price differ from its regular rate. Since one of their target markets are the students they also offer a student price range which is cheaper than the regular price. While in barbershop services they have this â€Å"Blowout† day every Tuesday wherein they price their haircut service half to its existing price. The following are the services and their corresponding rates of Head’s Up Barbershop, Salon and Spa. G. COMPETITOR’S ANALYSIS Competitive analysis plays a vital component in every business which made the owner aware the competition happening between its competitors. The following are one of the competitors of Heads Up Barbershop, Salon and Spa: Carlo Reyes Beauty Salon located at Perdices Street, Dumaguete City Cuttin’ Loose Hair & Nail Studio located at Portal West Bldg. Silliman Avenue, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. Art Box located at Sta. Rosa Street, Dumaguete City. David Salon located in front of Spanish Heritage San Jan Street, Dumaguete City Jade Spa & Massage located at San Jose Street, Dumaguete City Grand Royal Spa located 2nd floor RM Building, North National Highway, Bantayan, Dumaguete City. These are the establishments which are considered the most competitive in the Beauty Industry and Spa industry wherein these businesses have already establish a name towards to their respective services.

The Pursuit of Self-Identification

In the novel The Jade Peony, author, Wayson Choy, intelligently writes about two siblings who struggle in the pursuit of self-identification. Their struggles vary as they do not share the same problems during this tough period of their lives. This leads to the debate, whose childhood experiences will affect them more as an adult? Although Jook-Liang had to go through the tough situation of always being under prioritized and always being undermined, her childhood troubles and experiences could never truly be compared with the experiences of Jung Sum.To put it bluntly, Jung Sum’s childhood experiences will affect him more as an adult than Jook-Liang’s experiences would. The reason for this is because, firstly, Jung Sum, as a child, was never truly showered with love, neither was Jook-Liang, but she did not have to suffer the pain of losing her birth parents as Jung Sum did. Also, Jung Sum had to experience the pain of losing a treasured person or pet multiple times, and w hile Jook-Liang did lose a person close to her heart, she only experienced it once.Finally, as both Jook-Liang and Jung Sum struggled with identification, Jung Sum was met with problems while identifying his sexual identity, which was not accepted by any society at that period of time. On the other hand Jook-Liang was only required to identify culturally which would cause problems but eventually allow gain acceptance into at least one society. To start with, Jung Sum never had the privilege of being showered with love during his childhood and even though Jook-Liang was greatly oppressed and unfairly treated by people around her, such as Poh-Poh, she would still ocassionally be loved by those surrounding people.This is evident when Poh-Poh helped Jook-Liang to tie her shoelaces while she was getting ready to dance for Wong Suk (Choy 30). As for Jung Sum, although he was only a child, his birth father would violently abuse him and his mother when he was drunk. The quote â€Å"I waite d for Daddy to get up from the kitchen floor, half-drunk, waited for him to beat me with his belt. † (Choy 96) clearly shows that Jung Sum had to face the unlucky circumstances of child abuse, something Jook-Liang had the privilege of avoiding as her family never resorted to physical abuse.It would be a scarring memory to be violently abused by ones’ own father as a child, a memory that could be carried for a lifetime. This may affect Jung Sum in his latter years as he may recall the abuse of his father and feel dysfunctional. These unresolved issues could cause a severe case of depression in his life. Furthermore, as Jung Sum was adopted into a new family, he immediately felt like an outsider. â€Å"He thought I was too weak to be his brother, a real brother,† (Choy 93) shows that Jung Sum clearly felt marginalized by his new older brother, Kiam.To be adopted into a family full of new and unfamiliar faces and be rebuked immediately by his own â€Å"brother† was a tough situation to be in, especially after losing both his parents. Jook-Liang did not have to go through the process of being adopted into a new family or having to lose her family members prematurely while Jung Sum did. This could possibly go on to affect Jung Sum and make him feel as though he had no one to rely on but himself, possibly causing him to have a lack of trust for other people in the future.Additionally, his childhood experiences may lead him to develop into an adult influenced by those experiences. These unresolved child issues could dwell within him and could cause him to either be more aggressive or more reserved as an adult. He may recall those experiences when dealing with his own children in the future and could possibly treat them the same way his own father treated him or otherwise, might not even attempt to have a close relationship with them.As Jook-Liang did not undergo any extreme circumstances of child abuse, she would probably be less affected a s an adult when compared to Jung Sum. Therefore, Jung Sum has a relatively greater impact on his future life from his adolescent experiences as his experiences produces permanent scars where the problem was not greatly alleviated afterwards. Another problem faced by both of the siblings was with different aspects of identification. Jook-Liang had to struggle with cultural identification while Jung Sum faced problems with sexual identification.Homosexuality is an unaccepted identification which will not be tolerated by any society back in the 1930s, while switching cultural identities will still allow the person to gain acceptance in at least one society. His sexual identity was first suggested in the novel by Poh-Poh as he says that â€Å"Jung Sum is the moon† (Choy 88). Jung Sum then figures out his own sexual identity as it was Frank Yuen that he desired most at that moment during Frank Yuen’s farewell instead of courage (Choy 138) and that â€Å"Frank Yuen is the S un† (Choy 132) while he is the moon.Having to figure out his own sexual identity at such a young age without any guidance was a hard chore as back then love relationships were known to be present only between females and males. In addition, love between the same gender was not only unaccepted in the society, it was greatly rejected. As a result, Jung Sum had to keep his love for the same gender a secret. The inability to reveal his sexual identification would cause him to have the lack of freedom in the pursuit of a preferred life partner.This could affect his happiness as a whole as he is unable to share life experiences in the love aspect of his life as others normally do because of the inability to express his love for his preferred partner. On the other hand, even though Jook-Liang struggled with her cultural identity, no matter which culture she decides to identify with, she would be still accepted, eventually. Jook-Liang’s desire to assimilate into another culture is evidently shown as she looks up to Shirley Temple, an American dancer and actress.Wanting to assimilate into the western culture, she even hoped to see her own reflection in the mirror possessing a westerner’s features, specifically, Shirley Temple’s features (Choy 41). Her struggle comes in as Poh-Poh constantly reminds her of her cultural roots and where she belongs. In the novel, Poh-poh repeatedly tells Jook-Liang that she is not from Canada†¦ and that she is from China (Choy 34). In comparison of their situation as they struggle to identify themselves in the different aspect, Jung Sum is clearly portrayed to have a harder time even in the future.Not being able to be what he really is, his future would be oppressed as he suppresses himself, such that his secret would not be revealed. To put on a mask his entire life and never reveal his sexuality will take a toll on his adult life and he could never truly bring himself to enjoy his life as a whole. Jook-Li ang’s preference of either culture will still allow her to be accepted and although she may not gain the acceptance of one society, she will still gain the acceptance of another, allowing her to lead a normal life.Thirdly, both parties went through the turmoil of losing their loved ones, but Jung Sum had to experience losing many loved ones, losing his mother to violence Frank Yuen to the marines and even his pet turtle, Lao Kwei, to Dai Kew. On the other hand, Jook-Liang only had to experience losing her loved one, Wong Suk, as she never saw him again after he left to go back to China (Choy 71). From when Jung Sum was just a kid, life was tough for him as his father would often abuse him and his mother when he was drunk.His mother was the only one who would protect him from harm from his drunk father as Jung Sum would always be waiting for her to â€Å"tell him to stop†¦[and] twist against the falling belt and take the blows† (Choy 96). Having such a rough childh ood is scarring enough for Jung Sum and yet, he lost his mother at that young age. He went through various foster homes and eventually ended up with the Chen family where he finally found a place called home. In the Chen family, the life for him from the beginning was not exactly hard, as Father and stepmother treated him relatively well.However, he still took time to adapt and at his time with the Chen family, he discovered Lao Kwei and was ecstatic that he could finally own something, having something that he felt that truly belonged to him. Not long after, he lost his beloved turtle as his family decided that it would be okay for Dai Kew to claim back his turtle as he required it for his own personal purposes (Choy 85). Next, when he came to realize that he had a strong attraction to Frank Yuen, it was not long after that he Frank Yuen left him too.As Frank Yuen left to Seattle to join the marines, he left Vancouver and was not expected to return for the next few years (Choy 134) . It is evident that Jung Sum had to experience more pain and suffering than Jook-Liang as he had to repeatedly lose loved ones to different circumstances while Jook-Liang only had to go through that process once. This could cause Jung Sum to gain an insecure mentality that will cause him to always expect the least out of something, possibly causing him to lose hope in many things in the future.Although Jook-Liang may feel sad and depressed about the departure of Wong Suk, she would not have to endure the pain of losing another loved one anytime soon. Coming to a conclusion, both Jook-Liang and Jung Sum had to undergo many challenges and experiences as a child which could affect them as adults. Although Jook-Liang did experience tough trials during her childhood, Jung Sum was a victim of severe turmoil as a child and therefore, his experiences will affect him more as an adult. As a child, Jung Sum never had the opportunity of being showered with love by his own family as Jook-Liang did.Other than that, he also had to experience the pain of losing a loved one or a treasured pet a few times while Jook-Liang only experienced it once. Lastly, his homosexuality was adamantly not accepted by any society in the world at that moment in time while Jook-Liang had to only face the troubles of cultural identification, which still allowed her to be accepted by at least one type of society. All in all, Jung Sum had a tougher childhood experience than Jook-Liang and that would affect his adult life greatly in the future.

Gatbys Symbols Essays - The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Gatbys Symbols Essays - The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald Gatbys Symbols Searching for Symbolism -HS 1. The valley of ashes represents a modern world, which, like a grotesque hell created by the industry of factories and trains and has polluted America with its waste. The valley symbolizes a world whose inhabitants are so spiritually lost they, like Myrtle, begin to worship money and wealth. The frontier promise has been corrupted by the lies of greed and the emptiness of a dream based on wealth. 2. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg represent Fitzgeralds feeling that God and religion had taken a less substantial role in comparison with the gods that wield the powers of wealth, status, and greed. The character has a godly presence associated with him and is confused by Wilson as such. The billboard represents a God who has been created by modern society to make money. 3. Green in the story is the color of promise, of hope, renewal and ultimately the color to which Gatsby will stretch his arms for. He makes the color the embodiment of his dream for the future; to reunite with Daisy is that dream. Through the light he strives for a better world where the longing in his heart for Daisy is fulfilled. 4. The owl-eyed man represents the truth behind a hidden facade for the purpose of material superiority, as was the case with Gatsby and the books in the library. He also symbolized the possibly of world based not on materialism but intellect as he is the only one out of the partygoers to come to Gatsbys funeral. 5. Gatsbys boyhood schedule tells the determination that Gatsby has had for all things materialistic but in the end he is destroyed by his materialistic illusions of Daisy, just as the fresh American frontier was converted into the valley of ashes and the green light becomes nothing but a bulb at the end of Daisys dock. 6. Daisy's character is enhanced by Fitzgerald's use of the color white to indicate Daisy's freshness and innocence. Fitzgerald evokes two meanings of white: one is the traditional meaning of purity; the second is the empowerment of whiteness. Daisy represents both privilege and purity. The use of white helps to characterize her as the unattainable enchanted princess who becomes incarnate as Gatsby' s dream. 7. Gatsbys gold colored tie and silver shirt signify the attempt that Gatsby made to show tht he was of the old wealth. But the green apparent in the book contrasts in a significant way. In old times people used gold as a means for exchange, but as a national currency was established green money replaced the gold and gold was no longer backed the dollar. So, gold represents the old money and green represents the new. In the same way, gold symbolizes Daisy and Toms old money and green symbolizes Gatsbys new money. One can arrive to the conclusion to say that Gatsby is green and Tom is gold. He wore the gold tie and silver shirt because he wanted to present himself to Daisy as being a part of the old wealth. 8. Gatsbys dream is the symbolic representation of the views that Fitzgerald holds about the genuine American experience. The corruption of Gatsbys dream; with materialism as its means and the illusion of promise as its goal, is the corruption of American Idealism, which in turn becomes the empty promise. Copyright 2000-95630

VANDERBILT Surname Meaning and Origin

VANDERBILT Surname Meaning and Origin The Vanderbilt surname has two very different accepted origins: a topographic surname for someone living near a low hill, from the Middle Low German bulte, meaning mound or low hill.originally Van de Bylt, from Die Byltye, a nickname given to ship-carpenters in Holland. From the Dutch byltye, meaning a little hatchet or bill. Surname Origin: Dutch, North German Alternate Surname Spellings: VANDERBILDT, VAN DER BILT, VANDERBUILT   Where in the World is the VANDERBILT Surname Found? While it originated in the Netherlands, the Vanderbilt surname is now most prevalent in the United States, according to surname distribution data from Forebears. However, it is also somewhat common in Chile and Columbia. The name was more common in the United States during the 1880s than it is now, especially in the states of New York and New Jersey. The Vanderbilt surname is now most common based on percentage in the U.S. states of Alaska, Arkansas, New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut, according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler.   Famous People with the Last Name VANDERBILT Cornelius Vanderbilt -  head of the prominent American Vanderbilt family; became the wealthiest man in America in the mid-19th century through his shipping and railroad empiresAmy Vanderbilt - American authority on etiquetteGloria Vanderbilt -  American artist, author, actress, and heiress, well known for her line of designer blue jeans from the 1970s and 80s.George Washington Vanderbilt, II - member of the prominent Vanderbilt family who commissioned the construction of Biltmore between 1889 and 1895; the estates name derived from Bildt, the origin of his Vanderbilt ancestors in Holland. The Famous VANDERBILT Family The prominent American Vanderbilt empire began with Cornelius Commodore Vanderbilt, born in Staten Island in 1794. His 3rd-great grandfather, Jan Aertszoon (1620–1705), a Dutch farmer from the village of De Bilt in Utrecht, Netherlands, was the immigrant ancestor, arriving in the Dutch Colony of New Netherland as an indentured servant in 1650. When he was sixteen, Cornelius, the fourth of nine children, convinced his parents to lend him $100 to purchase a sailboat so that he could start his own passenger and freight service between Staten Island and New York City, a service that eventually became known as the famous Staten Island Ferry.  Young Cornelius then signed on as an apprentice on a variety of ships in order to master all aspects of the seagoing industry. By the age of 50, his shipping empire had afforded him millionaire status. He then turned to buying up  small railroads and turning them into profitable ventures. At the time of his death in 1877, Cornelius Vanderbilt was worth  $105 million. Anderson Cooper, son of Gloria Laura Vanderbilt, is currently the only known prominent, active descendant of the famous Vanderbilt family.   Genealogy Resources for the Surname VANDERBILT Vanderbilt Family Genealogy: My Fascination with All Things VanderbiltTaneya Koonce, who fell in love with the Vanderbilt family after visiting the Biltmore estate for the first time, has built a comprehensive family tree of the Vanderbilt family, and also links to other Vanderbilt resources. Finding Your Roots: Anderson Coopers Interactive Family TreeThe PBS genealogy show, Finding Your Roots, traces the lesser-known heritage of Vanderbilt descendant Anderson Cooper- that of his father, Wyatt Emory Cooper.   Most Common Dutch Surnames and their MeaningsDe Jong, Jansen, De Vries... Are you one of the millions of  individuals of  Dutch ancestry sporting one of these top common last names from the Netherlands?   Vanderbilt Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Vanderbilt family crest or coat of arms for the Vanderbilt surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. FamilySearch - VANDERBILT GenealogyExplore over 400,000 historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Vanderbilt surname and its variations on the free FamilySearch website, hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. VANDERBILT Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Vanderbilt surname. DistantCousin.com - VANDERBILT Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Vanderbilt. The Vanderbilt Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the popular last name Vanderbilt from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back toGlossary of Surname Meanings Origins