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Article Summary With the increase in online courses, along came an increase in the drop out rates versus the traditional sit-in environment. During this study, valuable information was offered to increase student success and minimize drop out rates. There needs to be communication among peers and instructor to have success in online courses. A group of students from the University of Pretoria, were enrolled in a Masters program, and their online activities were tracked for 8 weeks, by a program called Learning management (LMS) track.The LMS tracking tool was able to offer nformation on â€Å"students' blog postings, 161 5 discussions posts, an online quiz, and examination essays† (Nagel, Blignaut, & Cronje, 2009, p, 41). Through their examination, they were able to categorize â€Å"three stratifications of students† (Nagel, et al, 2009, 45) and their traits. The first stratification group was the fail grade, which rarely posted, hardly collaborated with their peers, sea rched very little, rarely replied to his online community, or provided no feedback. This caused frustration among other peers that were assigned to their group project, because they never articipated. ARTICLE SUMMARY This articles looks at movies with the same patterns and show the same disaster and apocalyptic genre as the movies that are leased in the late sass. The point of doing this is to track the four theme elements that are seen in films that are released before and after the 9/1 1 attack and how they are transacted into films. These four themes are: the representation of the apocalypse; the role of human agency; the role of religion; and the using of rhetorical means to provide commentary for the films.By doing this, we are saying that the movie representations of the apocalypse are much more pessimistic after the attack on 9/11 , which I think wows that science fiction, or â€Å"sic-if,† displays wider socio-political concerns and at the same time provides the expected awesome, audio-visual displays which can be labeled as entertainment. Representations fall into two broad categories: direct and indirect.Direct representation has the benefit of being easy to evaluate and are used to solving. This article uses images that we associate with 9/1 1 to describe something traumatizing that happens and cause people to look for a reason to control and to look for something or someone to place blame. Before 9/11 , films showed to have apocalyptic themes but in the end there is always some sort of solution.For example the article talks about the movie Armageddon and how the main character detonates the bomb exactly at the deadline, causing the asteroid to split in two and miss the earth saving everyone and everything. Looking post 9/1 1 , we see that after a traumatic event, people's ideologies change, films no longer have a person save the day, the main character is very flawed, there is no happy ending and salvation is not guaranteed. The one question that stands out to me as a reader is that if humans can cause this much damage, do we deserve a second chance?No, because: â€Å"cinematic representations of the apocalypse both jettisoned overt references to Biblica l sources and shifted the etiology of the destruction away from supernatural forces and towards natural phenomena and/or the con- sequences of human action. † (Gaston and Wallis 55) As the article progresses, I notice the abundance or religious references but at the same time: â€Å"effectively removes the u preternatural as an agent of either destruction or salvation†. (Gaston and Wallis 58) .After reading this article, I came to the conclusion that anything that humans have set up in order to live comfortably like federal and local government, protection or even technology cannot be relied upon because these things could be the ones that could ultimately end us. Take for example the movie that the article refers to, V is for Vendetta. This movies is about a government that releases a virus and then turns around and comes out with a cure. Either way we look at it humans are responsible and salvation is not guaranteed. Article Summary In this article, the author, Debra Barrow, talks about how customer service has changed from the good old days of full service gas stations and face to face communication to today's self-serve, pre-recorded society. Customers back then were fiercely loyal to your business when you gave them good service in virtually any type of businesses. She examines if the downturn in the economy has something to do with the lowering of the level of customer service or if it has Just been happening for a while.The suggestions the author gives are very good and center on being empathetic to your customer. Making yourself or a representative available for face to face communication of issues and questions is also mentioned. She finishes with reminding us that competition is fierce customers have a wide choice of alternatives. The customer usually goes with the best value that they see. This does not dismiss the importance of customer service as people do remember those that treat them well.I feel th at the article is very good despite being perhaps a little obvious. But that in itself is the problem. Much of what is talked about In the article is no longer obvious to many people and they are not mindful of the Importance of giving or even achieving great customer service. As my career choice is in the information technology field, I can use the Information presented In this article to make sure that I keep both internal and external customers happy and that In turn will not only keep me happy, but will make my Job much more bearable.Ten years In customer service has taught me that while the customer may not always be right, the least that you can do Is make sure that they come away from your Interaction with a smile and feeling that their problem has been solved. Work Cited Barrow, Debra. â€Å"Customer Service Back In the Day' CustomerServlceManager. 2012. Web. Septa. 2014 Article Summary By muskellunges â€Å"Customer Service Back in the Day' that in itself is the problem.M uch of what is talked about in the article is no longer obvious to many people and they are not mindful of the importance of giving or even technology field, I can use the information presented in this article to make sure that I keep both internal and external customers happy and that in turn will not only keep me happy, but will make my Job much more bearable. Ten years in customer service can do is make sure that they come away from your interaction with a smile and Barrow, Debra. Article summary As the immigration population increases in the united States so does the New York workforce according to this article. Nonetheless this is not a very positive thing once the article goes in depth about why this is so. Sample says that in a time of widespread Joblessness, Mexicans, specifically in New York. Have proved to be skilled at finding and keeping work. The article focuses on Mexican because they are the it's largest immigrant group.They have the highest rate of employment and are more likely to hold a Job compared to the typical New Work's native-born population. This data was In accordance with an analysis of the most recently available census data. Surprisingly statistics show that Mexicans In New York are even employed at a greater rate than Mexicans nationwide. Sadly, these statistics do not happen without out the consequences of workplace abuse. There are several reasons why illegal immigrants are the targets and ideal workers for most employers.This is true for the fact that most employers are interested in hiring people who are willing to overlook some labor laws. Most of these workers said they had never been paid overtime compensation almost always were given the dirty Jobs and were sometimes forced to work on their only day off. As one of these employees said in the article, there is not much that they can do to even stand up for their right because they are too scared of either being fired or deported. The employment rate Just for New Work's working-age Mexican men is even higher at n astounding 97 percent.Some analysts believe that the census underestimates employment rates for populations with high numbers of Illegal Immigrants, Like Mexicans, because those without legal documentation fear revealing their employment status. Response: Sample addresses a lot of issues that emerge from hiring immigrants. There is not just the abuse of their rights and labor laws but, emotional or psychological abuse on these employees. This is a very helpful a rticle for those who do not understand or are angered by immigrants taking over American Jobs.It is not very appealing to the average American citizen to work long hours with a pay less than minimum wage. It is no surprise that in New York most Mexican immigrants are heavily concentrated in jobs that involve food preparation. Another area that they are not surprisingly hired in is construction. These are occupations that require a lot of hours on the Job and I know for a fact that Is can and most likely causes emotional stress particularly when hey are being extremely under paid. Article Summary One of the world’s biggest insurance companies has experienced a major setback that urged the U.S. government to take the necessary procedures in acquiring and managing the firm – AIG. The $85 million deal has spared the American International Group, Inc. or AIG to an imminent bankruptcy, which could create bigger problems for the holistic financial system.Obviously, AIG’s SOS is one of the many repercussions of the recent meltdown in Wall Street. Unlike the Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., the federal government cannot afford AIG to hit the bankruptcy pavement. AIG already was clamouring for financial aid from the government in order to prevent the firm from going bankrupt.Not until the recent Wall Street Meltdown, The federal government finally came into terms with AIG regarding the substantial loan that will spare the insurance firm from apparent bankruptcy.With this in tow, the government has acted accordingly upon its legal authority, which allows the governm ent to lend non-bank firms under â€Å"unusual and exigent† circumstances that is stated in the Federal Reserve Act.AIG’s assets secure the said loan, which gives the government the security it needs even if markets continue to hit the ground (Karnitschnig et al, 2008). The height of AIG’s financial crisis reached critical levels when the credit rating was eventually downgraded. The insurance firm was compelled to place a $14.5 in collateral.However, AIG cannot seem to acquire funds in a wink of an eye in order to sustain collateral demands even though it has enough assets to sell. Eventually, AIG’s board approved the deal that spared the firm from hitting the bankruptcy pavement. The firm’s decision will secure all AIG policyholders and the firm itself to initiate and conduct assets sales in an apt manner.The federal government was more than aware that AIG’s possible bankruptcy will create repercussions, and it will result to a domino effec t of catastrophic proportions. Considering that most mutual funds and major banks are crucial holders of the firm’s debts, AIG would be the linchpin of setbacks for these firms as well (Karnitschnig et al, 2008). As AIG’s futile attempts to garner funds from private-sector banks in order to raise as much as $75 billions in order to prevent bankruptcy, abrupt financial aid given by the government secures AIG’s finances even if its insurance operations are stable and healthy. The federal government speculates that AIG’s financial woes will beget more problems for the firm, if ever it won’t lend the much-needed finances the firm needs to spare itself from bankruptcy.AIG’s shares have plummeted 21% ($3.75) due to the fact that most investors have replenished stocks due to the insurance firm’s financial woes (Karnitschnig et al, 2008). Most insurance companies perceive that AIG is one of a kind, considering that former CEO Hank Greenberg f ounded AIG into the insurance giant that it is today. Industry pundits expect AIG to liquidate its assets in the Asian market in order to compensate for the loan it has from the federal government.However, AIG’s expansion to other emerging markets continues, as its insurance operations can result to substantial acquisition of firms in Asia as well (Karnitschnig et al, 2008).References Karnitschnig,M. et al. (2008). U.S. to Take Over AIG in $85 Billion Bailout; Central Banks Inject Cash as Credit Dries Up. Retrieved October 9, 2008, from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122156561931242905.html