The National Girls and Women in Sports Day Term Paper

The National Girls and Women in Sports Day - Term Paper Example The fact that LSUS has only a single mens sport, being baseball, means that proportionally it would only need one to two womens sports. This would mean that the interest in other sports besides perhaps the top two—basketball and softball—would have to be dismissed. Adding two sports would create enough opportunity for sports participation for the sixty three percent of the student body that is made up of female students, without a difficult strain on funding. This would both be proportional as well as catering to the interest of the female student body. The National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) is a day celebrating the participation and achievement of women in sports, and is celebrated across the United States. It began in 1987, a year after the death of Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. Hyman died of Marfans Syndrome while playing in a volleyball tournament in Japan in 1986, and in her memorial the national day of recognition and celebration has carried on until the present day. The theme for the 2011 National Girls and Women in Sports Day is â€Å"Title IX at 40: In it for the Long Run†. The day was celebrated on February 1st, 2011.NGWSD is sponsored by the Girl Scouts of America, Girls Inc., the National Womens Law Center, and the Womens Sports Foundation. The organization sponsors and hosts a variety of events around the country, including conventions, workshops, conferences and competitions. It also encourages involvement through donations, organizing local events, and participation in events on a national scale. The early years of the history of the National Association for Women and Girls in Sport (NAWGS) were defined by the formation of a committee that sought to standardize the rules of womens basketball. This committee was formed after Alice Foster of Oberlin College read a paper in 1899 proposing such action. In 1901 these rules were established under the American Association

Frederick Life and Times of Frederick Douglass Essay Example for Free

Frederick Life and Times of Frederick Douglass Essay Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American abolitionist, editor, author, salesman, and reformer. Douglass is one of the most prominent figures in African American history and a formidable public presence. He was a firm believer in equality of all people whether they were black, women, native Americans or immigrants. He was fond of saying I would unite with anybody to do right and nobody to do wrong. Frederick was born a slave in Maryland. He was only with his mother for a couple of weeks, he was raised by his grandparents. His mother, Harriot Bailey, died when he was only seven years old. The identity of his father is obscure. It was said that his father was a white man, perhaps his owner. He later said he knew nothing about his father. At the age of six his grandmother took him to the plantation and left him there. At the age of eight he was sent to Baltimore to live with his owners brother Hugh Auld. It was shortly after he arrived that Mrs Auld started to teach him the alphabet and how to read. Her husband thought it was wrong saying that he would become dissatisfied with his life and have a desire for freedom. Hugh forbid his wife to continue so Douglass took it upon himself to learn. The white kids in the neighborhood helped him learn and in return Douglass would give away his food. At the age of twelve he purchased a book called The Columbian Orator. It helped him to gain a different look and understanding on the power of the written and spoken words. Frederick returned to the eastern shore at the age of fifteen he became a field hand. During this time he had an encounter with the slave breaker Edward Covey. Covey restored his sense of self-worth after the fights. At the age of eighteen he was sent back to live with the Auld family. In September 1838 he succeeded in escaping from slavery by impersonating a sailor. he then moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts where he and his newly married wife Anna Murray begin to raise a family. When he had a chance, he went to abolitionist meetings. In October 1841 after one of the meetings he became a lecturer. He became partners with William Lloyd Garrison. This work led him to public speaking and writing. He also participated in the very first womans right conventions. He also wrote three autobiographies starting with Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass followed by My Bondage and my Freedom in 1855 and ending with Life and Times of Frederick Douglass which he wrote after the civil war in 1892. When he returned to the United States he published his own newspaper The North Star. Douglass was recognized all over the world as an uncompromising abolitionist, indefatigable worker for equal opportunity and justice. Douglass fought for equality for his people. He was also recognized for a defender of womens rights. Douglass became a trusted advisor of Lincoln, recorder of Deeds for Washington, D. C, United States Marshal for the District of Columbia, and Minister-General to the Republic of Haiti. In 1872 Douglass was the first African American to receive a nomination for Vice President of the United States. During the campaign, he neither campaigned for the ticket nor even acknowledged that he had been nominated. In 1877 he was appointed to United States Marshal. He was appointed to the Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia in 1877. After his wife died in 1882 he was in a state of depression until his associate Ida B Wells brought meaning back to life for him. Douglass remarried in 1884 to Helen Pitts, a white feminist from New York. The couple faced a storm of controversy as a result of their marriage since she was a white woman and nearly 20 years younger than him. Later in life Douglass was determined to find out his birthday. He adopted February 14th because of his mother, she used to always call him her little valentine. On February 20th 1895 Douglass attended a meeting of the National Council of Women in Washington D. C. Shortly after the meeting he returned home, Douglass died of a stroke or a massive heart attack in his adopted home town of Washington D. C. He is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York. Frederick Douglass was sought to exemplify three keys for success. Believe in yourself, Take advantage of every opportunity, and Use the power of spoken and written language to effect positive change for yourself and society. Douglass also stated that Whatever is possible for me is possible for you. By taking these key words and making them his own, Douglass created a life of honor, respect and success that he never would have dreamed of when he was a younger boy living on the plantation. Works Cited http://www. frederickdouglass. org/douglass_bio. html Douglass, Frederick Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, Christian Age Office. 1895 http://www. history. rochester. edu/class/douglass/part4. html. Fight for Emancipation. Accessed April 19, 2007.

Developing Critical Thinking Essay -- Critical Thinking Reflection

A person is not born as a good critical thinker. The first thing that is needed is a level of maturity having the ability to conceptualize and understand the world (Boss, 2010). The skills that are associated with a person that has good critical thinking are: Analytical Skills: recognize and evaluate arguments to filter through to the truth. Effective Communication: ability to listen, speak, and write effectively. Research Skills: ability to gather, evaluate, and create supporting evidence. (Boss, 2010) In teaching critical thinking, Dr. Chan and Dr. Lau (n.d.) explain good critical thinking, â€Å"as the foundation of science and a liberal democratic society. Science requires the critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The proper functioning of a liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically about social issues to inform their judgments about proper governance and to overcome biases and prejudice.† A person with a level of maturity that is able to be research issues, through being analytical, and done by using good communication skills can be considered a good critical thinker. In my life, I have gone from not being a good critical thinker to getting much better as I have matured. In my younger years I used many of the resistances to critical thinking. The one that I used most often was distraction. This was especially true when I was in college for the first time. Many things were able to distract me from focusing on the tasks at hand. Now in my forties returning to school I have more clarity around the goals and this lets me accomplish the tasks more easily. I can listen, analyze, and research the issues more quickly and with more focus to accomplish the mission then in ... ...t created the universe before the big bang? God might not be just a figment created by religion but could be the ultimate creator of all that we see. Works Cited Boss, J. (2010), Think: Critical thinking and logic skills for everyday life (1st ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Chan, J. & Lau, J. (n.d.). Module: about critical thinking. Retrieved from http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php Goleman, D. (2001). Daniel Golemen: emotional intelligence. Thinkers. Charter Management Institute. Retrieved March 10, 2012 from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA85608627&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Hasan, M. (2012, January 9). God need not be the enemy of science. New Statesman [1996], 141(5087), 19. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA279138538&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Developing Critical Thinking Essay -- Critical Thinking Reflection A person is not born as a good critical thinker. The first thing that is needed is a level of maturity having the ability to conceptualize and understand the world (Boss, 2010). The skills that are associated with a person that has good critical thinking are: Analytical Skills: recognize and evaluate arguments to filter through to the truth. Effective Communication: ability to listen, speak, and write effectively. Research Skills: ability to gather, evaluate, and create supporting evidence. (Boss, 2010) In teaching critical thinking, Dr. Chan and Dr. Lau (n.d.) explain good critical thinking, â€Å"as the foundation of science and a liberal democratic society. Science requires the critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The proper functioning of a liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically about social issues to inform their judgments about proper governance and to overcome biases and prejudice.† A person with a level of maturity that is able to be research issues, through being analytical, and done by using good communication skills can be considered a good critical thinker. In my life, I have gone from not being a good critical thinker to getting much better as I have matured. In my younger years I used many of the resistances to critical thinking. The one that I used most often was distraction. This was especially true when I was in college for the first time. Many things were able to distract me from focusing on the tasks at hand. Now in my forties returning to school I have more clarity around the goals and this lets me accomplish the tasks more easily. I can listen, analyze, and research the issues more quickly and with more focus to accomplish the mission then in ... ...t created the universe before the big bang? God might not be just a figment created by religion but could be the ultimate creator of all that we see. Works Cited Boss, J. (2010), Think: Critical thinking and logic skills for everyday life (1st ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Chan, J. & Lau, J. (n.d.). Module: about critical thinking. Retrieved from http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php Goleman, D. (2001). Daniel Golemen: emotional intelligence. Thinkers. Charter Management Institute. Retrieved March 10, 2012 from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA85608627&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Hasan, M. (2012, January 9). God need not be the enemy of science. New Statesman [1996], 141(5087), 19. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp-02.lirn.net/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA279138538&v=2.1&u=lirn_crevc&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

Ruby Archuleta and Amarante Cordova Define Community Essays -- Milagro

Ruby Archuleta and Amarante Cordova Define Community Community is defined as a group a people living in an area under the same conditions. Realistically, a community is so much more than this definition. It is people and their different beliefs that form a community. In the town of Milagro, Amarante Cordova, Ruby Archuleta, and a town coming together to rescue a fellow community member from jail exemplify the true spirit of what community is. Ruby Archuleta makes the biggest difference in bringing the community together. Ruby is the only member of the community to take intuitive and start fighting for the rights of the Milagro citizens. While everyone is waiting around to see what will happen, Ruby gets to work. She understands that the first step in defeating the greedy endeavors of Ladd Devine will be to seek legal advice. Ruby gets Charlie Bloom to write up a petition and explain the water laws to the disorganized people of Milagro. Another example of Ruby’s commitment to the community is her devotion to get the petition signed. The petition is to stop the buil...

Ray Lewis Leadership Essay

A leader is a person who has the ability to lead or command an entire group of people, a leader is someone who is followed by other people. Being a leader is a wonderful privilege, it is something that is not necessarily handed to an individual nor is it something that can be bought, leadership is something that is earned. This entire course we have been learning about and discussing various characteristics of effective leaders. Some of those characteristics included confidence, charisma, courage, heart, perseverance, and among many others. This paper will focus primarily on one individual who exemplifies these traits and many other characteristics which contributes greatly to his success as a leader. The person that has been selected for the basis of this paper is Ray Lewis, a twelve year pro-bowl selection linebacker from the Baltimore Ravens. The reason I have chosen Lewis for this paper is because of the qualities he has as a leader not only on the playing field, but off of it as well. He is what I believe to be the best and most motivational and inspirational player in the National Football League today, maybe even all sports. The object of this paper is to elaborate on Lewis’ characteristics and provide an explanation of his leadership style and why they are effective. This paper will begin by giving an in depth analysis of Ray. After the analysis it will then move into discussing Ray’s styles of leadership. After talking about Lewis’ styles it will then begin going through all his characteristics as a leader and what makes him stand out as a leader, in other words, I will explain why Ray Lewis is such a powerful and effective leader and the reason he stands out to people other than his organization. Ray Lewis is a professional football player who is currently in his 17th season playing for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League. Lewis, born on May 15th 1975, ranks him amongst one of the oldest current players in the league. Even at age thirty-seven Lewis manages to still be one of the most dominant forces in the game today even while competing with and against athletes who are nearly half of his age. Seasoned but experienced, Lewis still has much to offer his team regardless of his age. Statistically Lewis still remains up near the top of the list. In seventeen seasons Lewis has won multiple individual awards as well as team awards during his time in the NFL. Lewis has been selected to thirteen pro-bowl appearances in his seventeen year career. Essentially the pro-bowl is a nation wide vote on what players go to an all-star game, the players who are selected are deemed the best at their position during that year. Lewis has also been selected as the best defensive player in football in two of those seasons, which earned him the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2000 and 2003. In 2000, the Baltimore Ravens lead by Lewis were underdogs in the biggest game of the year, the Superbowl. The Baltimore Ravens won that game 34-7 over the New York Giants to clinch the perfect end to their season. Lewis became only the second linebacker to win the MVP award for his performance in that game. Adding to his collection of individual awards was the ultimate award of National champions after winning the Superbowl. Since 1996 Lewis has started 228 regular season games and 17 playoff games. In those 228 games he has recorded 2,061 tackles, 41 sacks (times tackled the Quarterback), 31 interceptions, and 3 defensive touchdowns. These numbers are a clear representative of how dominant Ray can be on the field as well as what a long and powerful career he has had thus far. Not only do these numbers say that he has had a great career, but it shows that Lewis has credibility behind everything he says on and off the field. Before getting into the leadership styles of Ray Lewis, I want to provide a historical background of him in order to give a brief idea of Ray’s childhood and where he came from. Ray Anthony Lewis was born on May 15th 1975 in Bartow, which is a small city in Central Florida. His mother Sunseria Smith, had Ray at a very early age of 15. His father walked out on both Ray and his mother while they were in the hospital without his new born baby even having a name. The first time he ever saw his father face to face was when Ray was just shy of a year old. The abandoning of Ray by his father played a tremendous role and had a large impact on his life as the time went by. He believes his fathers absence in his life actually helped shaped him as a man and made him the character that he is today. Growing up, Ray witnessed many things in life that effected him individually in a way that would alter the path of his life. As the years went on, Ray still without a father, began to play sports as a kid. He found his calling in football when he was told by multiple coaches that he had a natural talent and was extremely gifted. The problem was that Ray had no one to tell at home. His mother was constantly working, she maintained three jobs to keep the house over their head and food on the table. Every time he did something great in life his father was never there. When he graduated from highschool, his father was still not there. When he accepted a scholarship to Miami University in the spring of 1993, his father yet again failed to show his son support. The reason this is important and relevant to Ray’s characteristics of a good quality leader is because it is the spark behind his motivation. â€Å"I was pissed off† was the answer Lewis gave the interviewer when asked how he felt about his situation with his father (E:60. Ray Lewis, 2012). He explained how his fathers absence in his childhood angered him, and confused him. He often wondered how someone could create life and just leave it behind like nothing ever happened. The pain that Ray was receiving from all the broken promises, lack of time spent with his father, and being the only man in the house growing up was all turned into a positive energy for him. The reason that his father is a popular topic thus far is because of how he created the man that Ray Lewis is based on the fact he left him alone. â€Å"I turned pain into my friend. The only ever way to defeat pain, is to recognize that pain exists. That’s the only ever way you will beat pain. Because pain comes in every second of our lives† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis, 2011). What he meant by turning pain into his friend was that he would use that â€Å"pain† that his father bestowed upon him to motivate and drive himself every day by working out. â€Å"Sometimes I would do pushups and situps until I cried because I wanted to beat him so bad! I wouldn’t stop, I promised myself I would never stop† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis, 2011). Much of Ray’s success in training came from the drive he had from the pain he suffered. When he was in highschool one of his coaches handed him a yearbook and told him to turn to the sports page. On that page was a picture of Ray’s father Ernie. The next page had a list of records for every sport, in the number one slot for record holders was Ray’s fathers name. He made a promise to himself that he wouldn’t stop training, he would never give up no matter what, and he would continue to fight through the pain until his fathers name was gone off of those records. Every time he took over a record, he crossed his fathers name off of the record list. The past of Ray Lewis is the reason for why he is the leader that he is today. Growing up with a single mother, Ray witnessed his mother in many broken relationships. As a child, there were multiple occasions where Ray saw his mother with bruised arms, black eyes, cut up faces and other signs of domestic abuse from failed relationship. Another motivation he had for working so hard was to make sure that â€Å"No man, ever, ever put his hands on my mother again or family again† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis, 2011). This mentality Ray had would continue on for the rest of his life. He developed the skills necessary for fulfilling the leadership role at a very early age. All of this makes it very easy to see as to why Ray Lewis has developed the characteristics necessary for being an independent, trustworthy, never going to quit, hard working, and passionate individual. I could go on and on about characteristics, virtue, and other good qualities Ray possesses and we will eventually get there. The next part of this paper is going to examine Ray in the modern era, and look at his leadership styles and why they are so effective as well as examine the possibilities as to why he is so well respected as a leader. â€Å"I’m a natural born leader† Ray admits, he constantly reminds people that if they follow him he will take them to greatness (America’s Game: 2000 Baltimore Ravens). This section will focus primarily on leadership, and why Ray is a great example of exemplary leadership and what styles he uses for leading his organization. The first style of Ray that will be mentioned is his ability to lead by example. This type of leadership according to the EIL module is considered â€Å"modelling the way† which essentially means paving the path for teammate’s and/or the organization by leading by example. In the National Football League players are considered the best of the best at what they do, being confident is hardly an issue, but being the best does not necessarily mean that they work or play like they are the best. Essentially what I mean is that it is very easy for people who are good at something to not think that they need to continue working to get better. Yet it is very hard to not give a hundred percent at something when the entire atmosphere of the organization is doing the same thing. However, when there is that one person who is constantly trying to outwork everyone and never settles for anything less than a hundred percent it is very difficult for the entirety of the team and/or organization to continue slacking or not giving it their best effort. This type of leader forces to people to want to do well by consistently working to the best of their abilities and never quitting. When talking about Lewis and his ability to lead it is important to look at how he handles situations of adversity. Every person, team, and organization has at one point in their existence faced a matter of adversity or been in some situation where they had to climb their way out of a struggle. The year 2000, marked a major transition in Ray Lewis’ life. That year Ray was facing adversity as an individual for he was accused of murder after his involvement in a bar fight one Saturday night (Beyond the Glory 2004). The charges were dropped and Ray was considered wrongfully accused, however, even though proven innocent this still did not help his image in any way, shape or form. Those who knew Ray closest knew he was not about violence and never believed it was true. That year the Ravens were playing an away game against the Tennessee Titans. Ray Lewis was being introduced and as he was coming through the tunnel the fans were yelling vulgar, offensive, and racist comments towards him. They were shouting â€Å"You black son of a bitch† and other racial slurs towards Lewis. His team mate Trent Dilfer noted that the way Lewis reacted to that was amazing, he did not act out of anger or say anything back. He simply proved to his team that no matter what someone says to you â€Å"you always have to move on† and never stop fighting. Lewis did just that, he used what these fans were yelling at him and turned it into positive energy, leading the Ravens to a victory over the Titans that game (Americas Game: 2000 Baltimore Ravens). The team had his back, and once they saw how Lewis was transitioning the negativity into a positive they followed his lead. Lewis was known for making a claim and backing it up. He would constantly repeat himself about how he is going to win this game for his team, as long as they follow his lead and have his back because he will always have theirs. He would never allow himself to fail on the field, he would back up all of his words with actions and that made him an effective individual that people could put their trust in. He did just that, in 2000 he led the league with 137 recorded tackles, 3 interceptions, and 3 sacks (LLC 2000). The importance of leading by example goes hand in hand with the individuals ability to be an influential, motivation, and inspirational one as well. This leadership style is also known as â€Å"encouraging the heart.† This style of leadership is actually what Lewis is most known for, the way he can inspire his teammate’s with words of wisdom and words of truth. Lewis can capture the minds of many of his team by simply talking to them. He enables people to want to do well and gives them a whole new confidence that mentally prepares them for something important. Anytime that Lewis felt his team was becoming shy of hope, and losing faith, he would be the one to get them back up on their feet and make them believe nothing is impossible. Before every game Ray gathers his teammate’s together to provide them with mental energy. Usually he begins by telling them that they should never settle for anything less than their best. He always reminds them why they are where they are today, and how they need to take advantage of every opportunity that appears. He constantly reminds them that he will be there for them when they are in a moment of despair. Any time they are feeling like they cannot move on they will be reignited with him giving it his all. â€Å"I am not telling you something for the benefit of myself, I am telling you something for the benefit of us† (America’s Game: 2000 Baltimore Ravens). The intriguing thing about Lewis is that he understands when it is time to talk, and when it is time no listen. As credible of a player he is, Lewis still respects every time his coaches or players have something to say. â€Å"The most surprising things I have discovered about Ray upon first meeting him was how quiet he really is. Lewis rarely opens his mouth and is usually found in the background quietly watching and observing everything that goes on in a meeting. Wisely, Lewis is very selective about when he chooses to deliver a vocal message. But when he does, everyone listens† (Riddle, 2012). Those times that he chooses to open his mouth he delivers powerful messages that force people to believe in something greater than what they think they see. The following passage is a speech given by Ray Lewis to his team and coaches in the hotel a night before their AFC championship game: â€Å"We have been here before, we done been here 3 years in a row! N’ we let this time off the hook. Make sure that you own it tonight and do not let them take you away from this moment man! Cuz this is all we got. That’s what ya’ll don’t realize most of the time, that we gonna get this again. We gonna get this again, the car runs too fast. That’s why we got to savour these moments cuz of right now. I couldn’t understand that when I was 24 and 25. That’s why God had to incarcerate me so I could see how great my blessing was that he gave me. So I had to come from a jail being in position, to then step onto a Superbowl podium man. I don’t do this for me, I just watch enough film so that I can put myself in position to make my defence the best damn defence in football. That’s why I come back every year. We are not letting this team get out of here this time. That’s what we here for, a W! And when we get off the bus tomorrow, we get off it with a swagger, a swagger that says.. Done!† Lewis was known for his â€Å"we not me† mentality that inspired many people to want to play with him, for him, and for the team. A distinct story stood out about this man. It was a the beginning of a new season, Lewis and the Ravens were about to take the field. Patiently waiting in their locker room stalls, nervous and anxious, all of these players have one goal in mind, to win the game. All of a sudden, just minutes before it was time. Lewis stands up, and pulls out a bottle of what looks to be muscle reliever of some sort. He begins to go up to every single person in that locker room. One by one he dabs his finger in this bottle, and briefly touches each individual on the head. As he is doing so he is whispering something different to each of his teammate’s. What he is doing is essentially blessing all of his teammate’s. He is praying for their safety and courage. â€Å"It was as if he injected every man in that locker room with synthesized courage† (Riddle, 2012). This highly motivated his team, a new found inspiration was giving to his teammate’s that night. This event touched many of Lewis’ teammate’s in many different ways. They all believed that they were one unit, one team, one family, because they had a father and mentor that they knew would always keep them safe. Lewis is well known for encouraging the hearts of other players, making them feel capable of succeeding. He is especially effective when the morale of the team is at a low because he feeds off of his players emotions, he understands how to motivate his teammate’s both mentally and physically. As motivation as Ray Lewis is the list of qualities and styles does not end at motivational. One of the most stand out styles and characteristics of an individual leader is his or her ability to inspire a team based on a vision. This is one style that Lewis takes to heart and is exceptionally great at doing. He has the ability to inspire a team based off a shared vision, which is his vision that inspires the rest of the organization. Ray Lewis is know for his passion for the game, and an even bigger passion for being the best possible person he can be as a man of God. This mentality also influences how he thinks as an athlete. Recently, he was asked to participate in an interview with hall of fame player Deion Sanders during the playoffs. Ray asked them if they could hold off until next week insinuating that his team will win the upcoming game and move on to the next round of the playoffs. â€Å"Some call it cockiness, I call it confidence† the two chuckled over Ray’s remarks because of how confident he was in his team to be successful. Ray’s mentality was simple, he claimed that he was never in it to fail. â€Å"See I’m not going to lose, I’m not in it to lose. That’s just a fact. I never strap up my helmet to go lose. And honestly, that’s a vision. And that’s the thing, get everybody seeing that same vision.. and if you do, man that’s rough beating a man with a vision, beating a man who see’s something† (Beyond the Glory 2004). This mentality Ray had stated would go on much further than just words that he thought of on the spot. He preaches to his team about being one unit, thinking a like, having the same mind set day in and day out, because if that is the case then they truly will be unstoppable. He preaches about being â€Å"one heart beat, one mind† and that essentially means that they live and die as one, there is no individuals. Essentially, if one person makes a mistake everyone is accountable, and this went for off the field situations as well as on the field decisions as well. Lewis inspired his team to be smart, play with each other, and especially most importantly learn to love each other. Lewis said that if you are not playing for each other than you will never amount to anything great. It is more beneficial to play selfless than to play selfishly. Reason being is because his whole vision is that â€Å"the only path to success, is the one that we take together. There is no other way. If we all believe in the same thing and have the same vision, then we will truly be powerful, and no one can take that away from us.† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis 2011). In 2011, Ray suffered a broken toe injury that sidelined him for several weeks. Instead of acting upset like how most athletes act, he instead used the adversity and turned it into a positive for his teammates.ï€  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Adversity defines true character. If one of us is hurting, the other part gotta pick it up† This is the message he told his team the following game while he was talking to them before their game. He emphasizes that having a team believe in the same goal will ultimately advance a program and organization to new heights, in order to be successful all must be on board when making the right choices for accomplishing a goal. Those types of leadership mentioned earlier in this paper actually compliment the next style which is challenging the process. This style basically means never settling for anything. Always going after target. When one goal is accomplished, another one is added to the board. Lewis is a firm believer that there is only one way, and that is up. And there will continue to only be one up until he stops playing the game when he retires. After Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens won the championship in 2000, Lewis was talking about it is great to celebrate, but other teams are already training to take down the Baltimore Ravens next year, and their goal is be right there at their very moment again (America’s Game: 2000 Baltimore Ravens). Even in his workouts it is evident that he continues to push himself passed his limits because settling for mediocre and at a certain level is not what makes an individual great. Growing up, every accomplishment Ray ever had he would always tell himself that it isn’t enough. He wanted more, and he would continue to make new goals after every one was accomplished. This mentality would benefit his career as a professional. He continuously emphasizes the importance of hard work, and will. The will to keep going when everything is good can often be more difficult then when everything is bad. When something is going well you tend to think you are doing alright and do not need to keep striving for more, Lewis understands that if this is the case then he will never be truly as great as he could be if he believes that is true. A question that often rises when talking about Ray Lewis is where does all this energy and motivation come from? What is he like outside the game of football? Well, as was mentioned earlier Lewis has come from a broken home, fatherless, with a mother who was full time working two different jobs. His childhood is what fueled him to be great. Especially with situations such as domestic violence that Ray saw a very young age it is no question where his motivation to be a good person comes from. When his father left him he could not grasp an understanding as to why a father would bail like that on his new born baby. â€Å"Why cant a daddy be a daddy to a child who had no choice to be here today, why would someone leave that child.† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis 2011). This was the reason why he not having a dad developed Ray’s mindset. â€Å"I didn’t know who to call daddy,† he worked because of that, he used to cry during workouts because of that mindset that, pain is nothing. Ray Lewis today has six children of his own â€Å"4 kings, and two queens, and I have never had a greater push in my life than to see my children smile.† ( A Football Life: Ray Lewis 2011). This along side many of the people he met later in life would go on to be a reason why he is the man that he is today. Ray got involved with an individual who was suffering from a disease that was life threatening. Bill Warble was Lewis’ biggest fan, an elderly man who promise Ray he would not leave this earth until they won another championship. Ray says that he owes Bill his life. He taught him a valuable lesson on life, which contributed much to his reasoning as a leader and how to act. Bill Warble had taught him â€Å"what to complain about, what not to complain about, what not to be sad about, what to be glad, sad, mad and happy about.† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis 2011). This changed his perspective on life for the better as Lewis began to see things in his own life a lot clearer. Ray Lewis will go down in history as one of the greatest linebacker’s to ever play in the National Football League, along with that claim he will also go down as one of the best leader’s on any sports team as well. For all who have played with him, got a chance to meet him, knew him outside of the game, all of those people knew the real Ray Lewis and what he was capable of doing. â€Å"He was truly an inspiration and it was a pleasure to play along side Ray† (Riddle, 2011). Whether the team win’s or loses, Ray is never taking credit or placing the blame on anyone. He will forever live by his â€Å"one heart beat, one mind† mentality and will forever impact the lives of those who got a chance to play along side him. After their AFC championship loss in 2011 Ray was getting interviewed by reporters about what had happened. He got upset with the reporters for hinting towards the loss being solely on one player.â€Å"What you gonna do put that loss on two men? Oh, Evans should have caught the ball, oh Billy should have made the kick. Well, maybe I should have made that tackle in the third quarter. So anything could cost you, so there is no one person that you could ever put blame on. We came here as a team, we locked and loaded as a team, let’s make sure we leave as a team.† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis 2011). He went on after the game to tell his teammates in prayer that they did what they had to do, that next year they had to make sure they finished. He told his team it is no ones fault but their team combined effort. No one person gets the blame. He kept the morale as high up as he could in order to keep his team motivated for the following season, that this loss should burn into their memories for next year. Use it as fuel, turn that negative energy into something useful. â€Å"Let’s understand ourselves as men, and make somebody smile when we walk out of here† (A Football Life: Ray Lewis 2011). This is Ray Lewis, his impact and his legacy. â€Å"We get one opportunity in life, one chance at life to do whatever you’re going to do, and lay your foundation and make whatever mark you’re going to make. Whatever legacy you’re going to leave, leave your legacy!† — Ray Lewis Sources: Sabol, Ed. 2000. Ravens Road to the Superbowl (Documentary). NFL Films. United States. Sabol, Ed. 2011. A Football Life. â€Å"Ray Lewis† (Documentary). NFL Films. United States. Farrey, T. Nichols, R. Schaap, J. Smith, S. 2012. E:60 Ray Lewis (Interview). ESPN. United States. N.A. 2004. Beyond the Glory. â€Å"Ray Lewis† Season 4, ep. 9. (Documentary). United States. Riddle, Ryan. August 7th 2012. Bleacher Report (Article). Web. December 4th 2012.

Application of Microeconomic Concepts in Personal Life

Application of Microeconomic Concepts in Personal Life Microeconomics involves observing the behavior of an economy to understand how to distribute resources. This study is very important in business world because it influences supply and demand of goods and services, which are used to set the cost of products and services. Both buyers and sellers use the two elements to make financial decisions. This paper will focus on how microeconomics concepts are applied in life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Application of Microeconomic Concepts in Personal Life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Supply and demand are perceived to be the most influential factors concerning the cost of goods and services. This means that if the demand of a given commodity is high and the supply of that commodity is not adequate to meet the market needs, then the cost of that item will rise. This can be worse if there is only one sole supplier because he/she will be overwhelmed by the increase in de mand. This may cause the supplier to bring goods of low quality in the market and the sellers will trade them off at the usual prices. This happens because the manufacturer produces the products in a hurry. A smart shopper should not be contended with what he/she finds in one shop, but should instead look for other places where the same commodity is being sold at subsidized price. Competition among sellers favors buyers because each of them tries to entice the customer by slashing their prices without reducing the quality of the merchandise on sale. In addition, one needs to be cautious when making a purchase and the shortage of supply should not be the issue. There are people who are known to judge the quality of an item by its price tag. This is wrong because sellers are out to make profits and to them the real worth of an item is not an issue. It is therefore important to evaluate an item because it helps decide whether it is worth the cost. Many are times when the price of an it em misguides someone, only to regret later when it turns out that the item is not as durable as we were made to believe. Besides, one cannot distinguish a pair of shoes that was bought at $20 from the one that cost the owner $50.This is because they serve the same purpose. The above scenario implies that when the price of items that we require the most goes up we should identify alternative items to serve the same purpose. This is because there is no point of buying an expensive item when there are other cheap items that can quench our needs. However, it depends on the financial status of an individual. Another option would be to wait until the supply goes back to normal. This is necessary especially when the items in question are not needed that much, meaning that the needs can wait.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Likewise, planning is quite beneficial to both th e sellers and buyers. To the buyer planning ahead helps to prevent purchasing items at high prices. For instance, when schools close a parent should purchase the items that his/her child requires in the following season because at that time the demand for books and other learning materials would be low. However, if the parent opts to wait until when the schools are reopening, he/she would pay more for an item that would have cost him/her less money if he/she had made the purchase earlier. Alternatively, a smart seller observes the market behavior and understands when the low and high season commences and prepares adequately. By being knowledgeable about changing market trends a seller obtains enough stock and lies in wait for the demand to shoot up and make his/her score. In microeconomics, it is the smartest people who continue to thrive even when conditions continue to deteriorate. Microeconomics can also be used when one intends to establish a business by evaluating supply and de mand. By observing the environment, it is easy to spot an opportunity that is yet to be exploited. This involves identifying the needs of the people around you to determine what items you can sell to them. Going blindly will cause a noble idea to fail. Some people want to venture into businesses that have been tried by others simply because they know one or two people who get huge returns from selling particular merchandise. Just because John got his wealth by selling bananas by the roadside does not mean that another person will equally succeed in the same venture. It is therefore important to study the market first to identify possible customers. The same goes for people who wish to borrow money from financial institutions. This is because it is not difficult to get the money, but the interests that will accumulate. In fact, most people fear to borrow money because of these interests. When one wishes to apply for a loan, he/she should first analyze how the money is going to be rep aid. This entails carrying out research on how interests have been changing in the past. This is because the changes in interests could favor borrowers and have a negative impact on lenders. This implies that if the interest rates came down while you have already obtained money from the lending party then you will pay less money than the stated amount.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Application of Microeconomic Concepts in Personal Life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In such a case, the borrower should take advantage of the situation to repay the loan while the rates are still low. If the borrower hesitates, the rates could increase and thus, the amount to be repaid will increase. Alternatively, the borrower can apply for a loan that has a permanent interest rate because that way he/she would be cautioned from the changes in interests. However, if one needs to borrow money when the interest rates are still high i t would be advisable not to apply for a loan in such a situation. Changes in interest rates also influence investments in bonds and shares. An investor can purchase bonds when it is speculated that the interest rates will go up in the future. This is because the returns he/she will get from those bonds will be much greater than when the interest rates remained low. In the stock market, it is possible to make profits when the interests are low .In such a case, an investor purchases stocks when the prices are still low and sells them when the prices appreciate probably due to increase in interest rates. Moreover, microeconomics can be employed in business management to dictate when an individual should enter or exit a venture. This is because if a business is not bringing any profits there is no point of operating it because it will continue to draw money from the investor instead of generating income. This is very common during recession periods. An individual who is employed should use the knowledge he/she has in microeconomics to negotiate for salary increase. The decline in the value of a local currency provides an opportunity for an employee to demand for wage increment because the salary that was once enough to meet his/her needs is no longer useful. A concerned employer would understand this logic much better. If the employer refuses to listen to such arguments then the employee should look for another job that pays more while still working for the current employer. If the situation persists, the employee should identify ways of surviving the inflation. Some of the approaches include eliminating some unnecessary expenses such as luxuries. Alternatively, when inflation reduces the people who are not employed should increase the frequency of searching for employment because job opportunities increases with reduction in inflation. When inflation increases, the learners who graduate from learning institutions should look for ways of employing themselves becau se the job market will decline and employers will be firing instead of hiring employees.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For individuals who participate in international trade, learning about changes in other economies would help them up their game. This is economic bubbles that are experienced in one country are extended to other countries that interact with it. For instance, if the value of the US dollar rose against the value of Japanese yen then the people who import goods from US would incur more costs. On the other hand, exports from Japan would be cheap to the Americans. In the above stated case, it would be logical for a Japanese to invest in the US because he/she will earn returns in US dollars and he/she will get more profit when the money is converted to Japanese yen. On the contrary, it would be unwise for Americans to invest directly in Japan because their investments will not yield any profit owing to the low value of the yen against the dollar. In conclusion, individuals should dare to apply the principles of microeconomics because it is only then that they can make wise decisions. Micr oeconomics is not just learned for passing exams, but because we need its insight in our day-to-day lives. This implies that consumers, sellers, and the public should make decisions that are based on what they know. If we all applied this knowledge appropriately, no one would be penalized for failing to pay his/her debts in good time. Furthermore, knowledge in microeconomics increases our bargaining power as seen in the case of employees and their quest for getting better pay.

Free Essays on Captain James Cook

James Cook (1728-1779) was an English sailing ship Captain, Navigator, and Pacific Ocean expedition leader. James Cook was born on 27 October 1728 in Marton, England. His father was a poor farm labourer who had worked his way up to Overseer. James began as a farm labourer and grocer's assistant. He soon found employment on the Baltic sea in a Collier (coal transport ship) at the age of 18. During the war with the French in 1755, James Cook enlisted as an Able Seaman on the Eagle. Within a month he was promoted, because of outstanding ability, to Master's Mate. Four years later he was promoted to Master. In command of his own ship, James Cook performed a crucial charting of the St. Lawrence River, which made possible the great amphibious assault upon Quebec City in 1759. In 1763 he was given command of the schooner Grenville to survey the eastern coasts of Canada over a four year period. These excellent charts were used up until the early part of the 20th century. James Cook was selected to lead a 1768 expedition to observe the transit of Venus, and to explore new lands in the Pacific Ocean. In his first Pacific voyage, James Cook rounded Cape Horn in the Endeavour and reached Tahiti on 3 June 1769. After recovering a necessary scientific instrument stolen by the natives, the transit of Venus was successfully observed. The Endeavour then spent six months charting New Zealand. James Cook next explored and claimed possession of eastern Australia. Returning to England, on 12 June 1771, via New Guinea, Java and the Cape of Good Hope, the crew suffered an appalling 43% fatality rate. James Cook thus became very concerned about crew health on subsequent voyages. He instituted compulsory dietary reforms that were copied by many other ship captains. The object of Captain Cook's second Pacific Ocean voyage was to confirm the existence of a theorized Great Southern Continent. His ship the Resolution, accompanied by the Adventure,... Free Essays on Captain James Cook Free Essays on Captain James Cook James Cook (1728-1779) was an English sailing ship Captain, Navigator, and Pacific Ocean expedition leader. James Cook was born on 27 October 1728 in Marton, England. His father was a poor farm labourer who had worked his way up to Overseer. James began as a farm labourer and grocer's assistant. He soon found employment on the Baltic sea in a Collier (coal transport ship) at the age of 18. During the war with the French in 1755, James Cook enlisted as an Able Seaman on the Eagle. Within a month he was promoted, because of outstanding ability, to Master's Mate. Four years later he was promoted to Master. In command of his own ship, James Cook performed a crucial charting of the St. Lawrence River, which made possible the great amphibious assault upon Quebec City in 1759. In 1763 he was given command of the schooner Grenville to survey the eastern coasts of Canada over a four year period. These excellent charts were used up until the early part of the 20th century. James Cook was selected to lead a 1768 expedition to observe the transit of Venus, and to explore new lands in the Pacific Ocean. In his first Pacific voyage, James Cook rounded Cape Horn in the Endeavour and reached Tahiti on 3 June 1769. After recovering a necessary scientific instrument stolen by the natives, the transit of Venus was successfully observed. The Endeavour then spent six months charting New Zealand. James Cook next explored and claimed possession of eastern Australia. Returning to England, on 12 June 1771, via New Guinea, Java and the Cape of Good Hope, the crew suffered an appalling 43% fatality rate. James Cook thus became very concerned about crew health on subsequent voyages. He instituted compulsory dietary reforms that were copied by many other ship captains. The object of Captain Cook's second Pacific Ocean voyage was to confirm the existence of a theorized Great Southern Continent. His ship the Resolution, accompanied by the Adventure,...