Is the Banana Republic Credit Card Right For You Full Review

Is the Banana Republic Credit Card Right For You Full Review SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The Banana Republic credit card is a solid option for frequent shoppers looking to earn points, but like many store brand cards, it’s not without it’s pitfalls. You may be wondering: what are the pros and cons of the Banana Republic credit card? Do I have to be a frequent shopper at Banana Republic to reap any benefits? What do users say about this card, and how does it stack up against similar cards? Is this card right for me? In this post, we’ll answer all these questions and more, doing an in-depth review of the Banana Republic credit card so you can make a fully informed decision about whether or not to apply. What Is the Banana Republic Credit Card? First, let’s discuss the basics. Banana Republic is one of the brands under the Gap, Inc. umbrella, which also includes The Gap, Old Navy, and Athleta. There are technically two Banana Republic cards: the Bananacard and the Banana Republic Visa Card. When you sign up, depending on your credit, you'll be given one of them. If you have poor to limited credit, you’ll be given the Bananacard. The Bananacard is a basic store card. A store card works like a credit card except it can only be used at the brand or umbrella brands that issues it. It won’t work if you try to use it to purchase anything anywhere else. So the Bananacard can only be used in-store or at any of the other Gap Inc. brands. If you have good credit, you’ll be given the the Banana Republic card. The Banana Republic card is an actual Visa credit card, so it can be used at any of those stores but also be anywhere else Visa is accepted. It’s a chip card with standard fraud protection services, and the primary cardholder can add an authorized user. Regardless of the card you get, you will receive 20% off your first purchase at any Gap, Inc. store by signing up. In this post, we will focus on the Banana Republic Visa card and its upgrade, the Banana Republic Luxe card. If you love to shop at BR, this could be a great card for you- but there are a few caveats! What Are the Banana Republic Credit Card Features and Rewards? As stated above, when you open a Banana Republic Visa credit card, you will receive a 20% discount off the first purchase made with that card at a Gap-branded store. Beyond that, each purchase made by the credit card earns points. Cardholders receive: 3,000 bonus points (worth $30) when you make your first purchase outside the Gap, Inc. brands five points for every $1 spent at any Gap, Inc. brand, and one point for every $1 spent elsewhere. no annual fee for the card These points can be used on purchases made both online and in person. If you don’t use the points during the billing cycle you earn them in, they are rolled over into the next cycle for up to two years before they expire. In addition to points, cardholders also receive: access to exclusive sales and events throughout the year at Banana Republic and their factory stores birthday coupons every Tuesday, 10% off at every affiliated store except Banana Republic Signing up for email account updates will get you 500 bonus points, and opting in for paperless statements gets you another 500, for a fairly easy $10 back. One big benefit of the Banana Republic Visa card is the lack of an annual fee. The Banana Republic Luxe Upgrade If the cardholder meets certain criteria, they can upgrade to the Banana Republic Luxe card. These criteria are that the cardholder: must earn 5,000 reward points annually, ie, spend $1,000 or more with it per year, must keep the account in good standing, and must make the minimum payments due. Luxe Upgrade Benefits The Luxe card offers some additional benefits that the regular visa doesn’t, including: a quarterly bonus of 20% of the points earned that quarter (a three-month period, so four times a year), once per quarter, a choose-your-own-sale day in which triple the regular points (15 points per dollar spent or 15% back) are awarded, free three-to-five-day shipping of online purchases at any of the Gap, Inc. brands, and unlimited alterations of Banana Republic merchandise. You have to use your Banana Republic Luxe card at least once per year at a Gap, Inc. store to maintain Luxe status. There is no annual fee on the Luxe card either. Free shipping is a great perk of the Luxe card for online shoppers! What are the Downsides of the Banana Republic Visa Card? The Banana Republic Visa card does have several drawbacks. The biggest downside is that, like most store credit cards, there is a very high interest rate charged on Banana Republic Visa cards, and there’s no reduced rates initially. They have a 25.24% APR, which is actually even higher than the 23.88% average for store credit cards. This means that you absolutely shouldn’t hold a balance from month to month: you should pay off your balance in full each month to avoid very high fees. Secondly, it should be noted that the points do expire after twenty-four months. You also can’t redeem more than 25,000 points (up to $250) in a single billing period or more than three rewards earnings on any one purchase. Together, these limitations make it necessary to redeem your points very regularly in the small amounts allowed in order to maximize your benefits. They do this because this encourages more frequent shopping on your part! Moreover, there is a 3% foreign transaction fee, so this card would not be a good choice to use abroad. Another thing to consider is that some of the promotions and coupons that cardholders receive get â€Å"leaked† online, so you can search for, find, and use the codes pretty easily via sites like Retailmenot. Finally, the card is issued by Synchrony Financial, and customer reviews for Synchrony aren’t that great. Many cardholders report confusing contract terms, slow response times when fixing statement inaccuracies, and bad customer service. However, it’s hard to find good reviews of any consumer financial services company, so take this with a grain of salt. Lots of people open store cards around the holidays to try and save money on gifts! The Bottom Line: Is the Banana Republic Card For Me? If you are a frequent or even a semi-frequent shopper at Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, or any of the Gap, Inc. brands, this card has a very competitive rewards structure and would be a good choice for you. The 5% cash-back on all of their many brands combined with the lack of annual fee make it good for shoppers looking to save money. Plus, the free shipping and alterations for Luxe cardholders are an excellent perk. Families with children and parents who frequently the many Gap, Inc. brands will find this card especially helpful. However, you need to be able to pay the full balance on the statement every month. Otherwise, with its extremely high APR, it will become more expensive than it’s worth. If you rarely shop at Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, or any of the Gap, Inc. brands, this card isn’t for you. The 1% points deal on all other purchases is only about average for a credit card, and you should be able to get better deals depending on where your money does go. Note that most retailer cards also have a high interest rate and no annual fee, so these perks won’t help you decide between store cards. But if you don’t shop at Gap, Inc. brands or any other one store or company that often, it’s a better idea to go for a more general credit card anyway, which often offer better financing options for those who need to carry a balance- especially considering that the "point" reward system will not be useful to you, since it's different from cash back. If you're thinking about getting the Gap visa card instead, note that the two cards are almost identical in terms of costs and benefits (very literally- the Gap card has the exact same rewards structure and it also applies to all Gap, Inc. brands). The only exception being on the first Tuesday of every month, Gap cardholders get 10% off at Gap.com and in Gap stores.

19 Top Scholarships for High School Seniors

19 Top Scholarships for High School Seniors SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Aside from grants and loans, private scholarships are some of the best ways to help fund your college education. There are thousands of scholarships out there for high school seniors, all with different eligibility requirements, deadlines, and award amounts, so it's definitely worth your time to do some research. Senior year is prime crunch time when it comes to your college scholarship search. If you’re just starting the search process and need a little help getting off on the right foot, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve compiled a list of some of the best college scholarships for high school seniors based on availability and award amounts. These scholarships are generally flexible (so you’ll be able to use them at any accredited college you attend), and they also don’t have any geographical restrictions (so you’re eligible to apply no matter where you live in the US). The list is broken down into four sub-lists: scholarship competitions, merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships, and specialty awards. Don't forget to check out the end of the article for strategies on getting the most scholarship money possible! All scholarships are competitions- to win the following scholarships, though, you'll have to go head-to-head with other students. Scholarship Competitions The following scholarships are awarded based on performance in some sort of contest. These types of scholarships can be pretty intensive, so give yourself extra time to effectively prepare if you plan on pursuing one of them. Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition Students compete for this award by writing and recording an audio essay on a patriotic theme. The theme for the 2019-20 contest is "What Makes America Great." The first-place winner gets a grand prize of $30,000 as well as an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC. The program gives out a total of $2.1 million in awards and incentives each year. Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 Deadline: October 31, 2019 The Fountainhead Essay Contest Students compete for this award by writing an essay on one of three topics related to Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead. The first-place winner will receive a grand prize of $10,000. Runners-up also receive awards. Each year a total of $22,500 is given out in prize money. Eligibility: Students in grades -12 Deadline: Likely late April, 2020 Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest Students compete for this award by writing an essay on one of three topics related to Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged. The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 prize. Runners-up also win prizes, and a whopping $40,000 in scholarship money is awarded annually. Eligibility: High school seniors, college students, and graduate students Deadline: September 19, 2019 American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest Are you a good public speaker, or do you just want an excuse to hone your public-speaking skills? Then this competition would be a good fit for you. Students compete for this award by preparing and performing a three- to five-minute oration on some aspect of the US Constitution. You can view this year's topics here. The first-place winner receives $18,000, second place receives $16,000, and third place receives $14,000. There are also smaller awards for state winners. In total, annual award amounts can exceed $138,000. Eligibility: US high school students under 20 years of age Deadline: Varies by state, as contests are arranged by local American Legion departments. Get more information for your state here. Create-a-Greeting Card Scholarship Contest (Gallery Collection Scholarship) This scholarship is pretty unique- and it's great for students with some untapped artistic talents! Students compete for this award by submitting a photo, piece of artwork, or computer graphic to be used on the front of a greeting card. The winner will receive $10,000, and the winner's school will also get $1,000. Eligibility: High school and college students, aged 14 or older Deadline: March 2nd, 2020 To win these scholarships, you have to show that you're tough- or at least that your brain is tough. Scholarships Based on Academic Strength The following scholarships are generally awarded based on students' academic performance in conjunction with a few other factors, such as leadership skills and commitment to community service. As a result, the most competitive applicants will be dedicated, high-achieving students who are also invested in their communities. Coca-Cola Scholars Program Coca-Cola Scholars are judged primarily on their academic performance, extracurricular activities, leadership experience, and community service. This scholarship program is fairly big: 150 awards of $20,000 each are given out every year. You can learn more about the Coca-Cola Scholarship by reading our guide to winning the award. Eligibility: Current US high school seniors who are not children or grandchildren of Coca-Cola employees Deadline: 5pm EST Thursday, October 31, 2019 Burger King Scholars Program Applicants to this scholarship are judged on their GPA, work experience, extracurricular activities, and community service. Award amounts range from those as small as $1,000 to those as large as $50,000. Eligibility: employees and their spouses/partners/children, US high school seniors Deadline: October 15-December 15, 2019 Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarships For these, award eligibility requirements will vary based on your local Ronald McDonald House Charity chapter. For example, some have ethnic eligibility requirements. Deadlines and award amounts will also vary by location, but some of the bigger national awards can be as large as $100,000! Check out our how-to guide to learn more about getting an RMHC scholarship. Eligibility: High school seniors, but other requirements may apply depending on scholarship Deadline: Varies depending on scholarship but likely January 2020 If your family income isn't enough to cover college expenses, need-based scholarships might be a great option for you. Scholarships Based on Financial Need The following scholarships take financial need into account when choosing award recipients. For many of these programs, though, financial need is just one of many criteria considered. In other words, strong applicants will also be successful students, leaders, or community activists. For most of these applications, you'll likely have to submit documentation about your family income. Horatio Alger Scholarship Award This generous need-based scholarship is geared toward students who have faced and overcome great obstacles. To be considered eligible, your gross adjusted family income must be at or below $55,000. At the national level, there are 106 $25,000 awards; at the state level, there are scholarships for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia of $10,000 each. This one scholarship application will get you considered for many other national, state, and specialized scholarships, which means less work for you and more opportunities for scholarship funding! Eligibility: US high school seniors who plan on getting a bachelor's degree Deadline: October 25, 2019 Jackie Robinson's Foundation Scholarship Program Applicants to this need-based scholarship are judged on theirleadership skills and commitment to community service. To be considered eligible, you must identify as a minority student. As many as 60 new scholarships are awarded annually. The scholarships are four-year awards, and recipients can receive as much as $30,000 over four years. Eligibility: US minority high school seniors who plan on getting a bachelor's degree in the US Deadline: Likely February 2020 Engebretson Foundation Scholarship This need-based scholarship is pretty straightforward: it's awarded to one student each year who demonstrates not only financial need but also impressive academic performance and leadership ability. The annual award winner receives $5,000 per semester of college. Eligibility: High school seniors with financial need who plan to attend a four-year college Deadline: March 1, 2020 (note that applications must be submitted via mail) Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program In addition to providing funding for college, this scholarship program offers personal advising on selecting a college, navigating the financial aid process, and transitioning from high school to college. Applicants are judged on academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, desire to help others, and leadership skills. Awards are given to students each year, and can be as high as $40,000 per academic year. In 2019, 121 students were accepted into the program. Eligibility: High school seniors with financial need who plan to attend a four-year college Deadline: November 13, 2019 Elk's National Foundation Most Valuable Student Competition Applicants to this need-based scholarship are judged on their scholarship and leadership abilities. In total, 500 scholarships are awarded across the country totally $2.44 million, and award amounts (over four years) range from $4,000 to $50,000. Applications must be submitted to the Elk Lodge closest to your home address, so make sure to research the Elk Lodges in your area before you apply. Eligibility: US high school seniors who plan to attend a four-year US college Deadline: November 5, 2019 at :59 PM Gates Scholarship The Gates Scholarship aims to help scholastically-outstanding minority high school seniors reach their full potential. 300 students each year receive a scholarship covering the full cost of attendance (including tuition, fees, room, board, books, and transportation) that is not already covered by other financial aid and expected family contribution. Read more about the Gates Scholarship and how to win it here. Eligibility: US minority high school seniors who are Pell-eligible (Pelligible?) and have a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) Deadline: September 15, 2019 These next scholarships are unique- just like every student applicant! Specialty Scholarships The following scholarship programs are national awards that target students who have specific or unique interests or achievements. Whether you're the next president of the SPCA or even the USA, you should be able to find a specialty scholarship that's perfect for you! CIA Undergraduate Scholars Program This program offers more than just a scholarship- if you're selected as a winner, you'll become a part of a pretty unique internship program. Interns work at the CIA during summer breaks and also get an annual salary (with benefits) and an annual scholarship award of up to $18,000. You must demonstrate financial need to qualify. Income eligibility ceilings are $70,000 for a family of four or fewer, and $80,000 for a family of five or more. Eligibility: High school seniors Deadline: Likely spring 2020, with applications opening in early 2020 Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship Are you a proud vegetarian? This might seem like a niche award, but the scholarship is very real! Applicants are judged on their "compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian diet/lifestyle." If you've promoted vegetarianism at school or in your community, you'll likely be a strong candidate for this scholarship. The first-place winner receives $10,000, and two runners-up each receive $5,000. Eligibility: Graduating high schoolseniors Deadline: February 20, 2020 Davidson Fellowship Scholarships Do you have an extraordinary achievement you're particularly proud of? This scholarship is for students who have completed an impressive piece of work in the fields ofscience, technology, engineering, math, literature, music, or philosophy. Scholarship requirements differ based on the type of project, with awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Eligibility: US citizens or permanent residents 18 years of age and under Deadline: Likely February, 2020 AXA Achievement Scholarship This scholarship targets students who have empowered society through achievements that mitigate risk. This idea can be interpreted pretty broadly, so spend some time figuring out what risk means to you and whether you've participated in making the world a safer place through any of your activities. In 2018, more than 300 students representing all 50 states; Washington, DC; and Puerto Rico received one-time scholarships in increments of $2,500, $10,000, or $25,000, and the winners' schools will also receive $1,000 for every student who wins a scholarship. Eligibility: High school seniors who will attend college in 2020-21 Deadline: Likely late 2019 William Randolph Hearst Foundations US Senate Youth Program If you're passionate about public service, this is the scholarship for you. The Senate Youth Program targets students who participate in their high school student government and plan to study history or political science in college. Applicants are judged on their leadership skills, academic performance, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. Each winner will receive a $10,000 award in addition to an all-expenses-paid educational week in Washington, DC, in March 2020. Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors Deadline: Varies depending on state but is typically in October Higher education costs in the United States have been skyrocketing for the last 20 years, but it's still possible to get a great education without breaking the bank. Learn how you can maximize the quality of your college education while minimizing costs with our six-hour online course. Tips here, get your tips here! Making the Most of Your Scholarship Applications: 3 Key Tips If you're going to go through all the work of submitting a scholarship application, then you want to make sure you have the best chances possible of winning awards. The following three tips will help you submit the greatest number of successful scholarship applications possible. #1: Do Your Own Research As you've probably noticed, many of the above scholarships are fairly generous national awards that'll likely be quite competitive. Unfortunately, you could be a strong applicant for many of these scholarships and still not win a big award. So what's a student to do? The reality is that there are countless scholarship programs out there that might be really good fits for your interests, location, background, identity, etc. The more niche a scholarship program is, the better chances you'll have of winning an award (if you're a qualified applicant, that is). So do some research on scholarships programs that operate in your area or are offered to students with your particular interests, experiences, skills, or passions. The Ronald McDonald House Charities scholarships are a good place to start. You can also pay a visit to your guidance counselor who should have more information on local scholarships. In addition, you could branch out on your own by searching online for scholarships in your area. If you have a particular talent, skill, or interest, look for scholarships that are offered to students based on those criteria. #2: Apply Broadly Applying for scholarships- like applying to colleges- is, in part, a numbers game. You wouldn't apply to just one school if you wanted to optimize your chances of getting into a great college, would you? Many scholarship applications ask similar questions and require similar information, so if you apply to one program, you might as well apply to a bunch. It's free to apply for most scholarships anyway- all it takes is a few hours of your time. Finally, take advantage of applications that submit you for consideration for many scholarship awards, such as the Horatio Alger Scholarship mentioned above. #3: Make Note of Deadlines Scholarship applications are all over the place- there's no defined "scholarship season" for submission deadlines, but many are due before college application deadlines. As such, it's better to start your scholarship search sooner rather than later so you don't miss out on any great opportunities. The summer before your senior year is a good time to start making note of programs that you're interested in. Keep track of application deadlines by maintaining a spreadsheet that you update regularly. This is especially helpful if applications require you to ask for letters of recommendation; you can make sure to give teachers and mentors plenty of advance notice to write you a letter. What's Next? Want to get a head start on scoping out scholarships? Then check out our comprehensive guides to winning some of the most competitive national scholarships available, including the Gates Scholarship, the Coca-Cola Scholarship, the Walmart Scholarships, and the McDonald's Scholarships. Looking for scholarships with low-hassle applications? Our article on the easiest scholarships to apply for will give you a great starting list. Wondering if you can get a scholarship for something like being left-handed? Learn more about the weirdest scholarships you can win here. Need more help with your scholarship search? Read our expert guide on how to find college scholarships and the best scholarship search websites. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Leadership and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership and Communication - Essay Example Leadership and Communication This belief gets my approval for one reason. Most leaders of today communicate with their employees the way this generation communicates to each other. This is reflected in every organization allowing subordinates to express their ideas whether it is acceptable or not. On the other hand, traditional leaders communicate with their subordinates maintaining the â€Å"I am in charge† status. As a result, openness is not acceptable. Employees who are vocal with their ideas are considered not respectful of the leader. Leaders should be flexible with any generation they lead so that they will fit with the requirement of the changes. Leadership and communication in my generation is characterized by giving too much respect and obedience to leaders to the expense of sacrificing personal time. As a result, long hours of works are given without compensation. For instance, even if the required number of hours in a day for an employee is eight, employees can stay in the office beyond the ti me if ask by the leader to finish or rush work. This is so because leaders have the thinking that you have to â€Å"pay your dues† to the company giving extra hours. Leadership does not consider balancing work and life which is evident in not giving vacation to employees who had work hard for the previous years. Leadership style is serving more the company and the leaders. After answering the question, I started writing the introduction based on the body or the answers of the questions.

Report on operations management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Report on operations management - Essay Example The first floor also has a big supermarket where people can shop for groceries as well as other types of goods. The second floor has a variety of shops ranging from restaurants, electronics shops sports shops etc. The third floor also features the same types of shops. It also contains a banking lobby and the other peculiar shops offering special products. There is an electronic massage parlor located in a public place (not enclosed). The shopping mall has two wings, with an expansive area between the wings. In this area are the elevators and lifts that can be used to reach the various floors. The users also have an option to use the stairs. Every floor has modern toilets. With regard to operations management, volume refers to the volume of productivity in relation to the amount of resources such as labor that are needed for the production. High volume refers to a high ratio of production versus resources needed. Supermarkets such as Tesco have high volume of operation throughput due to use of automation. In the Mall, there are various factors that have made it possible to increase the volume in its operations management. The factors have to look at the following; The shopping mall has to be able to allow for a smooth flow of people in and out of the shopping mall twenty 24 of the day. The guards at the entrance of the mall have to know how to enforce security to deal with any insecurity threat that may be coming into mall and at the same time be able to allow for the smooth flow of human traffic. The supermarket in the mall is not just a small grocery store but is a fully fledged supermarket selling all types of merchandise. The supermarket needs to bring in merchandise into the mall and at the same time, be able to release merchandise after customers have bought the merchandise. The submarket has its own loading area and therefore does not interfere with the traffic flowing into the mall. The

Fake Analysis of Bridge to Terabithia Essay Example for Free

Fake Analysis of Bridge to Terabithia Essay In â€Å"Bridge To Terabithia,† written by Katherine Paterson, great friendships blossom from impertinent first impressions. Great friendship such as Leslie’s brings new experiences. Great friendships may come from unpromising first encounters and lead to new experiences. Leslie’s friendship came with the promise of a new beginning; reword this sentence Leslie opens a new world up to Jess full of creativity and imagination which â€Å"Leslie name[s] their secret land â€Å"’Terabithia†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(50). Don’t end with a quote! Jess and Leslie create this secret world to escape the harsh reality of adolescence. The reason Jess and Leslie create this secret world is it allows them to escape the harsh reality of adolescence. Jess and Leslie agree to create a whole new imaginary country, eliminate that that â€Å"’We need a place’†¦ ‘It might be a whole secret country’†¦ ‘and you and I would be the rulers of it. ’†(50). Reword theres something off about this; Because Jess craves the attention of his hardworking father he in particular needs the escape that Terabithia provides. Jess in particular needs the escape since he craves the attention of his hardworking father â€Å"maybe’†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢he’d forget all about how tired he was from the long drive back and forth to Washington and the digging and hauling all day†(5). Make the quote relevant to him what is this quote supposed to say? Don’t end with a quote! Great friendships may come from unpromising first encounters and lead to new experiences. Change around, It is an idea that relates to life today since everyone has a friend and everyone must be open to new experiences they bring in a friendship. For example, you can never judge a book by its cover or by when you meet someone for the first time. Doesn’t make sense Another illustration is, to take the new experiences a new friendship has to offer and enjoying them. The human condition affects us still today because people take having a friend for granted until they are gone. What I have learned for reading â€Å"Bridge To Terabithia† is take out that that to open myself up to new friendships and take out new new experiences. I learned to enjoy the memories mad with the friends I have because at any given moment something could happen. Also, to enjoy the moments I have with my friends because you never know when something could happen at a moments notice. My viewpoint has been deeply enriched by this book because of then realistic human condition.

Distributed File Sytsem :: Essays Papers

Distributed File Sytsem Intro CODA is an experimental distributed file system being developed at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. M. Satyanarayanan heads this group whose purpose is to design and implement a distributed file system that allows for transparent mobile computing in a client server environment. The goals set forth for CODA include disconnected operation for mobile clients, failure resistance, performance, scalability and security. Architecture Most of the aspects of CODA’s basic architecture are inherited from its predecessor AFS (Andrew File System). Like AFS, CODA makes a distinction between servers and clients. The CODA workstation servers consist of partitions available to the file server. The partitions are made up of volumes that contain files. The volumes are set up like a directory structure, a root directory and the tree below it. A typical server would have hundreds of volumes of around 10MB each. The use of volumes helps to make large amounts of data more manageable and flexible. CODA stores volume and directory information along with access control lists and file attributes in raw partitions. These partitions are accessed through a log based recoverable virtual memory package (RVM). Only the file data is stored in the server partition files. Each of the volumes has a name and an ID. Volumes can be mounted anywhere in /coda except for under existing directories. A new directory will be created as part of the mount process (the volume name cannot conflict with existing directories in order to eliminate confusion). CODA makes the mounting points invisible to the user; they appear as regular directories. Files in CODA are identified by a FID (File identifier). The Fid consists of three 32 bit integers: the VolumeId, a VnodeId and an Uniquifier. The VolumeId identifies the volume the file resides in, the VnodeId is the inode number of the file and the Uniquifier guarantees no FID is ever used more than once. CODA stores replicated copies of volumes on a group of servers for higher availability and reliability. The list of the servers that hold a copy of the replicated volume is the VSG or Volume Storage Group. Each replicated volume’s VolumeId is also replicated. The replicated VolumeIds keep the VSG and the local volumes of each member together. Connected Operation The inner workings of a file system operation in CODA begin in much the same way they would in many other file systems.

The Burke-Litwin Casual model

Burke-Litwin Casual model is a model used by organizations to monitor organizational operations in terms of change and performance levels. The founders of the model were Litwin and some other people. In the 1980s Burke made the model more refined than they did (Burke & Litwin, 1992). Burke added some variables that make the model different from other models that had been in use. Burke-Litwin casual model is the latest model, more useful to organizations. The model has defined various variables that organizations should use for assessing their performances and changes. AT & T Structure.According to Burke-Litwin model, firms should have sound infrastructure systems such as duties and responsibilities, reports and authorities, communication and socialization that are geared towards meeting the organizations goals, strategies and missions. AT & T Corporation is a company that was established in the 1885. The company mission is to provide telecommunication services locally and internation ally. Their business strategy is to be efficient, affordable and competitive in the telecommunication sector as they maximize customer satisfaction. (Horton & Dorman, 2005).The company has been a provider of quality and highly reliable communication services for centuries. AT & T is well known for its wide range internet and multimedia services to both consumers and businesses worldwide. AT & T has more than two million customers in both private and governmental organizations, and in the domestic and international markets. AT&T applies departments and mechanistic style of management. The company is highly reputable in long distance communication services for both businesses and consumers all over the world. The structure of AT&T fits well with the Burke-Litwin model. (Horton & Dorman, 2005). Tasks and SkillsAccording to Burke & Litwin model, there are specific qualities and capabilities required for a person to fit in a given position (Burke & Litwin, 1992). An organization in busin ess should therefore check on that when recruiting members. AT & T emphasizes on high skilled staff to provide quality services to the customer. The company has highly invested on technology, innovations, high skills and dedicated customer care. These are the core competence factors. Dedicated customer care has attracted an increased number of customers and integrated network as a technology use has made AT & T to improve on communication services (Horton & Dorman).These factors makes AT & T fit the Burke & Litwin model Management practices According to Burke & Litwin (1992), organizations should assess how the managers deal with the other workers. For a success the employees should be given a chance to participate fully in developing an organization. In AT &T employees are allowed to take part in the production processes depending on which area they are specialized in. The organization calls for a teamwork and dedication. The management has always believed on partnerships to make t hem achieve their goals (Horton & Dorman, 2005).For instance they partnered with CBS hence a participatory management. This fits with the Burke & Litwin model. Systems and Policies Systems are the policies and mechanisms used in an organization as standards to facilitate quality improvements. These may include communication, sales and marketing, production methods (Burke & Litwin, 2005). According to Horton & Dorman (2005), AT & T believes on quality productions to satisfy the customers, hence the need for employing high skilled people. Sales and marketing is done by the sales and marketing team to sell the products.AT & T has specific charges for the customer services and also offer customized or personalized services to earn revenue. This is according to the Burke & Litwin model. Work unit climate This is the impression given by the members of an organization towards the organizational performance. This will in return influence their interrelationship (Burke & Litwin, 2005). AT & T Company has no specific social structures. AT & T has always considered employing domestic workers in large numbers as compared to the international.The company always outsourced rather than train the workers for such services (Horton & Dorman, 2005). This will make the employees feel a sense of belonging and be committed to their work. This doesn’t fit with the Burke & Litwin model. Motivation According to Burke & Litwin (2005), this is an inward driving force that makes one take the recommended actions to achieve a required goal. Howard (1994), employees’ satisfaction will directly affect customer satisfaction. AT & T has no plans in place to ensure the employees are well catered for. The employees are not recognized to be rewarded for good performances.This may make some of them loss focus on their responsibilities (Horton & Dorman, 2005). This doesn’t fit with the Burke & Litwin model. Conclusion. AT & T has a functional or product departmentation structur e. This is because the company has its departments arranged according to the functions they offer like sales and marketing. The departments are also arranged depending products they produce for instance consumer products in consumer services department or segment (Horton & Dorman, 2005). AT & T has a culture for their operations to meet customer satisfaction and always work in partnership for quality.Through quality products, AT & T improved on the revenue (Denison, 1990). Reference: Burke, W. W. & Litwin, G. H. (1992), A causal model of organizational performance and change. Journal of Management, 18 (3), pp. 523-545. Denison, D. R. (1990), Corporate culture and organizational effectiveness. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Horton, W. T. and Dorman, D. W. (2005), AT & T Corporation. Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, DC 20549. From 10-K/A. Howard, A. (Ed. ) (1994), Diagnosis for organizational change: Methods and models. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Phonic Instruction

Reading and writing are the fundamental skills of learning. Our formal education is anchored to these basic learning steps. It is crucial for children to learn how to read and write at an early age in order to become capable and competent in their education. Kids acquire and learn the language through exposure, like how children copy words based from what they hear around their environment. Schools developed various methods and modes of instruction on how to teach children to read and write effectively.This teaching method is often referred to as phonic instruction which is a way of teaching children how to read, which emphasizes the acquisition of sounds, corresponding letter and its use in reading and writing (National Reading Panel, 2000). The phonic instruction shows the children the relationship between the written and spoken language by associating sounds to letters (National Institute for Literacy, 2009). The phonic instruction is not a standard device used for beginning reade rs but many teachers are utilizing such program to aid them with their instruction.The phonics that the teachers teach is not relatively important, but rather what students actually learn and use in decoding a new word whether reading or writing them is more necessary (Cunningham, 2005). As such, the aim of phonic instruction is for children to learn how to read and write effectively. Phonic instruction affects the whole process of children’s learning process of reading. It helps students understand how it can be successfully integrated into an effective classroom reading program (Savage, 2007).I personally agree that phonic instructions develop the ability to read and write. It does not matter what modes and methods of learning is integrated in the phonics instruction but how children may be able to learn how to read and write effectively. Teachers should develop balanced reading programs which incorporate a wide array of learning strategies in order to prepare children in h igher levels of education which require such skills. References Cuningham, P. M. (2005).Phonics they Use: Words for Reading and Writing, 4th edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. National Institute for Literacy. (2009, January 9). Phonics Instruction. Retrieved February 11, 2009, from http://www. nifl. gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1phonics. html. National Reading Panel. (2000). Phonics Instructions. Reading Rockets. Retrieved February 11, 2009, from http://www. readingrockets. org/article/254. Savage, J. (2007). Sound It Out! Phonics in a Comprehensive Reading System. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Telecommunication Act of 1996 essays

Telecommunication Act of 1996 essays In February of 1996, the U.S. Congress enacted the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Act was one of the most substantial changes in the regulation of any industry in recent history. The Act replaced all current laws, FCC regulations, and the consent degree and subsequent court rulings under which AT The primary goal of the Act was to promote competition for local telephone services, long distance telephone services, and cable TV services. Inter-exchange carriers (IXC) (such as AT I believe that the Act made the most impact on Local telephone service. Local telephone service had been a regul...

Writing for accountants - Emphasis

Writing for accountants Writing for accountants Finance is a murky place for many people. Money comes into the bank account and it goes out again. And the process in between is something of a mystery. But even if your clients are financially savvy, it can still be difficult to explain money matters. Accounting has its own language and is often riddled with jargon that even experienced business people can sometimes find difficult to understand. (I know: Im one of them.) Writing financial information in accountingese can waste time and money. If your clients are unclear about what your figures mean, theyll ask for further clarification. A single document could lead to several hours of unnecessary (and frustrating) follow-up phone calls. Thats one reason why the tide is turning in the financial industry. Leading firms such as Deloitte, Ernst Young and Grant Thornton have commissioned specialist writing training programmes. And more accounting firms are following suit, adopting plain English in all their written communications. Another reason is that the Financial Services Authority keeps a watchful eye on adverts for financial products and services that are misleading. So as a finance professional, you have to make sure your writing is not just legal, but effective too. Follow our six steps to clear client communication and you cant go wrong. 1. Put your reader first Many accountants overestimate the knowledge their clients have. Even if you have been working with a client for many years, theres no guarantee they really understand the nuances of finance. Get back to basics by asking yourself the following questions: What is the document about? Who will read it? How much do they already know about the subject? What do they absolutely need to know? How important is the subject to them? How interested are they in the subject? Use the answers as a guideline for the amount of detail that you need to include in your document. 2. Avoid a mind-dump of ideas Whether youre writing an email, contract or report, do plenty of groundwork before putting pen to paper. Brainstorm all your ideas using a mind map and then put your points in order of importance. If youre having trouble getting started, ask yourself the questions: Who? What? Where? When? And Why? Becoming clear in your thinking helps you to create clearly structured documents that are easy to follow. 3. Put technical terms in plain English Financial abbreviations and other technical terms can be useful when communicating with colleagues but they can confuse clients. For example, the term accrual rate may seem simple but it still needs to be accompanied by an explanation of how the interest is built up. Similarly, never assume that your clients will understand terms such as smoothing, arbitration and cap-and-collar rate. You dont need to dumb down your writing, just make sure you provide clear, concise explanations. 4. Avoid verbosity Often, though, its the words in between the jargon that cause the problem. Never add redundant words into your writing. For example, I herein enclose details of your asset classes for the aforesaid investment, as requested sounds complicated, archaic and stilted. A much simpler way of writing it is, I enclose details of your investments, as requested. 5. Opt for verbs instead of nouns Verbs help to give sentences movement and life. So write, We will decide on our next steps on Monday, rather than, A decision will be made on our next steps on Monday. The word decide is more powerful than decision. And the first sentence is also written in the active voice, so it is punchier. 6. Keep sentences short and sweet Aim for your sentences to be a maximum of 20 words. If you make your sentences longer, its likely your readers will have trouble making sense of what you mean. Remember, clear language makes sound business sense. It sends out the message that you have nothing to hide and that your words are as transparent as your financial dealings.

Management Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Management Accounting - Assignment Example At this moment, the strategies that are to be applied in this case are related to the performance of the company are no longer connected to the profitability of the company (Shaffer, 23). Thus, as the strategy to compare overhead costs and overall productivity of the company, it is clear that the company is operating at net loss and strategies should aim at reducing the burden on operating losses. Thus, a strategy to increase performance would consider cutting back on losses an improvement plan. Following the calculations below, the performance of the company depends on the use of available resources in the production of pipes. Based on the cost of raw material and the units produced it is clear that non-overhead costs remained the same at $0.15 considering 10,000,000 feet of pipe costing $1,500,000 and/or 6,000,000 feet costing $900,000. If the company is to trade the new batch of pipes at $0.35, then the company would be gaining $0.1 as profit for every foot of pipe sold. Based on the table below, decreasing the price of the pipes would be the best decision for the company to cut back on losses and acquire an economies of scale strategy. There are various levels of costs involved in the case of Riverside Hotel. These involve fixed, variable, and sunk costs. In terms of the fixed costs, all overhead costs are fixed and include the cost of acquiring the equipment for preparing meals, the premises, power, and heat. Specifically, one of the fixed overhead costs include the price of the oven which is priced at $20,000. On the other hand, non-overhead costs include the price of the salad which is $1 and the prime rib which costs $7. The fixed price of the prime rib and the salad make up the cost of materials. However, for every meal made, the used ingredients add up to the final price. In this case, the price of making dinner using the prime rib and salad is fixed at $8 assuming that there is no labor, equipment, and power