Monday, September 30, 2019

The Scarlet Letter essay: Why was Dimmesdale’s Suffering Worse Than Hester’s?

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Mr. Dimmesdale’s greatest secret is his sin of adultery with Hester Prynne. Mr. Dimmesdale feared that his soul could not bear the shame of such a disclosure because of his status as an important moral figure in society. As a result, he keeps his identity a secret as Hester is publicly ridiculed for their act of adultery. Despite his choice of guilt over shame, Mr.Dimmesdale’s private self-inflicted inner turmoil that is exacerbated by the tortures of Roger Chillingworth, ate away at his physical being and mental state, causing much greater suffering than Hester’s public shame of the scarlet letter. Much of the suffering, physical and mental, that Arthur Dimmesdale endures is self-inflicted due to the immense weight of his guilty conscience. Fearing that he would not be able to bear the punishment from the public, he chose to remain anonymous in his sins. In doing so, he underestimated the amount of psychologica l torture and suffering he would endure by his own hand.By only confessing to himself, he does not fulfill the requirements of repentance, for there is no one to forgive him but himself. He does not allow his conscience to be cleansed, and therefore must live with his sins. His emotional pain leads him to inflict pain with a â€Å"bloody scourge†, which he had often â€Å"plied on his own shoulders†(99). He inflicts great physical pain in addition to his mental torture. In the early Christian church, self-flagellation was imposed as a means of penance and purification for disobedient clergy and laity.In the bible, Proverbs relates that blows â€Å"cleanse away evil† and stripes wash the heart (Prov 20:30). He is trying to redeem and cleanse himself without confession, but this is impossible. Through this self-mutilation, he attempts to relieve his mental pain by inflicting self pain; he find this unsatisfying because he still neglects to partake in the most impo rtant aspect of redemption, confession. He also rigorously fasts, as another attempt to cleanse his soul. Hawthorne writes, â€Å"it was his custom, too, as it has been that of many other pious Puritans, to fast, – not, however, like them†¦Ã‚  but rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath him, as an act of penance†(99).Religiously, fasting is commonly used as a form of purification and focus on spirituality. Once again, he uses bodily pain as an attempt to relieve his mental suffering. By participating in this unsuccessful cleansing, he only subjects himself to greater psychological torture; what he studied and knew to be a cure of guilt and sin only amplifies his own. The situation becomes hopeless when his ways fail him, and this eats away at his religious beliefs, which are the basis of his entire life.He faces an entire identity crisis, and this is something Hester never had to endure. Yes, she withstood her own share of loneliness and suffering, but ne ver to the extreme where she turned to self-mutilation to relieve herself. He attempts to redeem his tarnished soul through various acts of contrition, but all is in vain because it is all done without a confession. His torture is all within himself; he is his own shunning, gossiping townspeople and his own rock-flinging children. There is nowhere for him to hide.He is fully absorbed by his sins and they eat away at him. Hester, who’s publicly tortured by others while in town, though it might be equally as hurtful at that time, is still lesser than Dimmesdale’s suufering. Hester has an escape route. She has the refuge of her home outside of town, where she can get away from the gossip and scorn. She also publicly embraces her accountability in the affair, which allows her to accept the punishment, move on, and make something good out of it. Hester becomes a maternal figure for the community as a result of her experiences.She cares for the poor and brings them food and clothing. By the end of the novel, the shame of the scarlet letter is long gone. She doesn’t owe anything to the townspeople anymore. Some even forget what the scarlet A stands for. Dimmesdale, on the other hand, as a well-respected minister, stands at the center of his community, being the advocate of religious and moral standards of that Puritan society. He must remain in town, outwardly preaching to others about piety and remaining sinless, and internally feeling like an imposter.Dimmesdale realizes his fault in hiding his sin, but his desire to repent is repeatedly overcome by his craving for public approval. He is their moral compass, yet he himself is lost. This drives Dimmesdale to further internalize his guilt and self-punishment and leads to still more deterioration in his physical and spiritual condition. Because of Dimmesdale’s decision to remain anonymous, he unconsciously creates a duality in personality within himself that results in the deterioration of his mental well-being.Dimmesdale, as the revered town minister, must keep up this dichotomy in personality; he is constantly praised for his goodness and asked for moral and spiritual advice, while he is tumultuous inside. Hester is free to be whom she pleases. The townspeople do not believe Dimmesdale’s protestations of sinfulness. Given his background and his fondness for rhetorical speech, Dimmesdale’s congregation generally interprets his sermons metaphorically rather than as expressions of any personal guilt.He plays the literal meaning of his words off against the context in which he speaks them. Dimmesdale's tone of voice, his position as minister, his reputation as a saintly man, and the genre of the sermon allow him to say, â€Å"I am the greatest sinner among you,† but be understood to be humble, pious, and godly. His inner self is desperately trying to confess, but his self concerned with public appearance only allows him to do it in a way that he won t be taken literally. He is essentially at war with himself.By remaining secret, Dimmesdale doomed himself to much greater suffering than if he were to be publicly condemned with Hester because he subjected himself to years of self-torture and an unyielding quest for unobtainable repentance. The role of Roger Chillingsworth in Dimmesdale’s torture amplifies the pain of the sin, causing much greater suffering than Hester who only interacted with the doctor on sparse occasions. As his name suggests, Roger Chillingworth is a man deficient of human warmth. His twisted, stooped, deformed shoulders mirror his distorted soul.Under the guise of a new doctor in town with wholesome intentions towards the young minister and his health, Chillingsworth gains his trust and they move in together forming very peculiar codependent relationship. Chillingworth needs Dimmesdale to nourish his intellect and to be the object of his obsessive desire that he can control and ultimately destroy; Dimme sdale needs Chillingworth to keep his guilt alive, the constant provoking from the doctor for Dimmesdale to reveal his inner sin forces Dimmesdale to be constantly reminded of his transgressions. Chillingworth is like a leech. He sucks Mr.Dimmesdale’s life force out of sick need for reparation for Dimmesdale’s actions against him. Dimmesdale is subconsciously aware of his dependence of Chillingworth, for he cannot and does not break away. Their relationship is described in this quote, â€Å"Nevertheless, time went on; a kind of intimacy, as we have said, grew up between these two cultivated minds, which had as wide a field as the whole sphere of human thought and study to meet upon; they discussed every topic of ethics and religion, of public affairs, and private character; they talked much, on both sides, of matters that seemed personal to themselves..â€Å"(P#). Chillingworth lived and thrived off the pain and guilt he constantly inflicted on Dimmesdale, and in a t wisted way Dimmesdale relied on this psychological torture to further his self-inflicted search for forgiveness. The role of Roger Chillingsworth in Dimmesdale’s torture intensifies Dimmesdale’s suffering, causing Dimmesdale to endure vastly more than Hester who was able to avoid the evil doctor. Some argue that it was Hester who suffered the most throughout the novel. They say that because of her crime Hester became secluded from the other people in her society.They exemplify this with the quote, â€Å"Who had been familiarly acquainted with Hester Prynne, were now impress as if they beheld her for the first time was the Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. It had the effect of a spell taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself. â€Å"(61). She became lonely, and the scarlet letter was a burden that Hester had to carry everyday of her life, and the symbol, which secluded her from any other human being.It caused Hester to be ostracized, but Dimmesdale's cowardice in not confessing lead ultimately, to his death. Hester had a horrible punishment: she had to wear a scarlet letter for the rest of her life. But Dimmesdale's internal struggle with his own cowardice and guilt was far worse than a scarlet letter. He suffered the most as he constantly punished himself for his sin. Although Hester suffered the public punishment she dealt with it well and took it in stride, ultimately creating a positive role for herself in the community and transforming the meaning of the scarlet letter.She was able to make amends and in time through good deeds, change the meaning of the scarlet letter from â€Å"adulteress† to â€Å"able†. Dimmesdale on the other hand, has to always bear their sin inside of him never allowing it to become public. He was never given the opportunity to make peace with himself. Instead of taking his penance publicly he does it private ly. He was forced to continue to bear his private shame, while Hester was able to make peace with herself because she was strong enough to take her punishment, and grow despite of it.Suffering is commonly seen as an unconscious effort to ease painful feelings of guilt. Arthur Dimmesdale's choice of guilt over shame led him to experience a great deal of physical and emotional suffering. Hester admitted to her sin and had a clear conscience, which allowed her to move on with her life and grow as a person. Mr. Dimmesdale’s choice of anonymity in not confessing his wrongdoing to the public, led to his suffering through the guilt of his sin, a pain that was only aggravated by the tortures of Roger Chillingworth, and ultimately resulted in his painful and tragic death. The Scarlet Letter essay: Why was Dimmesdale’s Suffering Worse Than Hester’s? In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Mr. Dimmesdale’s greatest secret is his sin of adultery with Hester Prynne. Mr. Dimmesdale feared that his soul could not bear the shame of such a disclosure because of his status as an important moral figure in society. As a result, he keeps his identity a secret as Hester is publicly ridiculed for their act of adultery.Despite his choice of guilt over shame, Mr.  Dimmesdale’s private self-inflicted inner turmoil that is exacerbated by the tortures of Roger Chillingworth, ate away at his physical being and mental state, causing much greater suffering than Hester’s public shame of the scarlet letter. Much of the suffering, physical and mental, that Arthur Dimmesdale endures is self-inflicted due to the immense weight of his guilty conscience. Fearing that he would not be able to bear the punishment from the public, he chose to remain anonymous in his sins. In doing so, he underestimated the amount of psycholog ical torture and suffering he would endure by his own hand.By only confessing to himself, he does not fulfill the requirements of repentance, for there is no one to forgive him but himself. He does not allow his conscience to be cleansed, and therefore must live with his sins. His emotional pain leads him to inflict pain with a â€Å"bloody scourge†, which he had often â€Å"plied on his own shoulders†(99). He inflicts great physical pain in addition to his mental torture. In the early Christian church, self-flagellation was imposed as a means of penance and purification for disobedient clergy and laity.In the bible, Proverbs relates that blows â€Å"cleanse away evil† and stripes wash the heart (Prov 20:30). He is trying to redeem and cleanse himself without confession, but this is impossible. Through this self-mutilation, he attempts to relieve his mental pain by inflicting self pain; he find this unsatisfying because he still neglects to partake in the most i mportant aspect of redemption, confession. He also rigorously fasts, as another attempt to cleanse his soul. Hawthorne writes, â€Å"it was his custom, too, as it has been that of many other pious Puritans, to fast, – not, however, like them†¦But rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath him, as an act of penance†(99). Religiously, fasting is commonly used as a form of purification and focus on spirituality. Once again, he uses bodily pain as an attempt to relieve his mental suffering. By participating in this unsuccessful cleansing, he only subjects himself to greater psychological torture; what he studied and knew to be a cure of guilt and sin only amplifies his own. The situation becomes hopeless when his ways fail him, and this eats away at his religious beliefs, which are the basis of his entire life.He faces an entire identity crisis, and this is something Hester never had to endure. Yes, she withstood her own share of loneliness and suffering, but ne ver to the extreme where she turned to self-mutilation to relieve herself. He attempts to redeem his tarnished soul through various acts of contrition, but all is in vain because it is all done without a confession. His torture is all within himself; he is his own shunning, gossiping townspeople and his own rock-flinging children. There is nowhere for him to hide.He is fully absorbed by his sins and they eat away at him. Hester, who’s publicly tortured by others while in town, though it might be equally as hurtful at that time, is still lesser than Dimmesdale’s suufering. Hester has an escape route. She has the refuge of her home outside of town, where she can get away from the gossip and scorn. She also publicly embraces her accountability in the affair, which allows her to accept the punishment, move on, and make something good out of it. Hester becomes a maternal figure for the community as a result of her experiences.She cares for the poor and brings them food and clothing. By the end of the novel, the shame of the scarlet letter is long gone. She doesn’t owe anything to the townspeople anymore. Some even forget what the scarlet A stands for. Dimmesdale, on the other hand, as a well-respected minister, stands at the center of his community, being the advocate of religious and moral standards of that Puritan society. He must remain in town, outwardly preaching to others about piety and remaining sinless, and internally feeling like an imposter.Dimmesdale realizes his fault in hiding his sin, but his desire to repent is repeatedly overcome by his craving for public approval. He is their moral compass, yet he himself is lost. This drives Dimmesdale to further internalize his guilt and self-punishment and leads to still more deterioration in his physical and spiritual condition. Because of Dimmesdale’s decision to remain anonymous, he unconsciously creates a duality in personality within himself that results in the deterioration of his mental well-being.Dimmesdale, as the revered town minister, must keep up this dichotomy in personality; he is constantly praised for his goodness and asked for moral and spiritual advice, while he is tumultuous inside. Hester is free to be whom she pleases. The townspeople do not believe Dimmesdale’s protestations of sinfulness. Given his background and his fondness for rhetorical speech, Dimmesdale’s congregation generally interprets his sermons metaphorically rather than as expressions of any personal guilt.He plays the literal meaning of his words off against the context in which he speaks them. Dimmesdale's tone of voice, his position as minister, his reputation as a saintly man, and the genre of the sermon allow him to say, â€Å"I am the greatest sinner among you,† but be understood to be humble, pious, and godly. His inner self is desperately trying to confess, but his self concerned with public appearance only allows him to do it in a way that he won t be taken literally. He is essentially at war with himself.By remaining secret, Dimmesdale doomed himself to much greater suffering than if he were to be publicly condemned with Hester because he subjected himself to years of self-torture and an unyielding quest for unobtainable repentance. The role of Roger Chillingsworth in Dimmesdale’s torture amplifies the pain of the sin, causing much greater suffering than Hester who only interacted with the doctor on sparse occasions. As his name suggests, Roger Chillingworth is a man deficient of human warmth. His twisted, stooped, deformed shoulders mirror his distorted soul.Under the guise of a new doctor in town with wholesome intentions towards the young minister and his health, Chillingsworth gains his trust and they move in together forming very peculiar codependent relationship. Chillingworth needs Dimmesdale to nourish his intellect and to be the object of his obsessive desire that he can control and ultimately destroy; Dimme sdale needs Chillingworth to keep his guilt alive, the constant provoking from the doctor for Dimmesdale to reveal his inner sin forces Dimmesdale to be constantly reminded of his transgressions. Chillingworth is like a leech. He sucks Mr.Dimmesdale’s life force out of sick need for reparation for Dimmesdale’s actions against him. Dimmesdale is subconsciously aware of his dependence of Chillingworth, for he cannot and does not break away. Their relationship is described in this quote, â€Å"Nevertheless, time went on; a kind of intimacy, as we have said, grew up between these two cultivated minds, which had as wide a field as the whole sphere of human thought and study to meet upon; they discussed every topic of ethics and religion, of public affairs, and private character; they talked much, on both sides, of matters that seemed personal to themselves..†(P#).Chillingworth lived and thrived off the pain and guilt he constantly inflicted on Dimmesdale, and in a tw isted way Dimmesdale relied on this psychological torture to further his self-inflicted search for forgiveness. The role of Roger Chillingsworth in Dimmesdale’s torture intensifies Dimmesdale’s suffering, causing Dimmesdale to endure vastly more than Hester who was able to avoid the evil doctor. Some argue that it was Hester who suffered the most throughout the novel. They say that because of her crime Hester became secluded from the other people in her society.They exemplify this with the quote, â€Å"Who had been familiarly acquainted with Hester Prynne, were now impress as if they beheld her for the first time was the Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. It had the effect of a spell taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself. â€Å"(61). She became lonely, and the scarlet letter was a burden that Hester had to carry everyday of her life, and the symbol, which secluded her from any other human being.It caused Hester to be ostracized, but Dimmesdale's cowardice in not confessing lead ultimately, to his death. Hester had a horrible punishment: she had to wear a scarlet letter for the rest of her life. But Dimmesdale's internal struggle with his own cowardice and guilt was far worse than a scarlet letter. He suffered the most as he constantly punished himself for his sin. Although Hester suffered the public punishment she dealt with it well and took it in stride, ultimately creating a positive role for herself in the community and transforming the meaning of the scarlet letter.She was able to make amends and in time through good deeds, change the meaning of the scarlet letter from â€Å"adulteress† to â€Å"able†. Dimmesdale on the other hand, has to always bear their sin inside of him never allowing it to become public. He was never given the opportunity to make peace with himself. Instead of taking his penance publicly he does it privatel y. He was forced to continue to bear his private shame, while Hester was able to make peace with herself because she was strong enough to take her punishment, and grow despite of it.Suffering is commonly seen as an unconscious effort to ease painful feelings of guilt. Arthur Dimmesdale's choice of guilt over shame led him to experience a great deal of physical and emotional suffering. Hester admitted to her sin and had a clear conscience, which allowed her to move on with her life and grow as a person. Mr. Dimmesdale’s choice of anonymity in not confessing his wrongdoing to the public, led to his suffering through the guilt of his sin, a pain that was only aggravated by the tortures of Roger Chillingworth, and ultimately resulted in his painful and tragic death.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Five Ways to Kill a Man

In this very blunt poem, Edwin Brock describes five distinct eras in which death had taken place. It is also hinted how man has evolved in their methods to kill themselves. Each stanza represents a different time and place. This is ranged from the biblical era to the mid-twentieth century. Different phrases within the stanzas give away which era Brock is referring to. All of which have different meanings and a very unemotional tone to them. â€Å"And one man to hammer the nails home. † The first stanza features the phrase above.It refers to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, when nailing a person to wood using nails to hold the victim was capital punishment. The people are assumed to be Roman, since this form of capital punishment was only practiced by this group in ancient times. The line in which â€Å"a crowd of people wearing sandals† reinforces the idea of the people being Roman. Brock suggests that in order to do something as gruesome as killing a person, all one wo uld need was a person, some wood, as well as nails.Things become more a tad more complicated in the â€Å"war or the roses†, or the European Middle Ages when weapons come into play. â€Å"A length of steel, shaped and chased in a traditional way† applies to swords or really any type of weapon that could be used â€Å"†¦to pierce the metal cage he wears†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or armor. Brock illustrates how wars were fought for honor. â€Å"At least two flags†, is referring to two different armies, or royalties that fight against each other so that one can gain glory and celebrate their victory by having a banquet. Gas warfare in the First World War is described in the third stanza.In this time, men would blow mustard-gas, or chlorine gas, at their enemy when the wind would be blowing in the right direction. In this time, â€Å"mud ditches† were also introduced, allowing for soldiers to hide from their enemies as well as attack without being in full view. â⠂¬Å"Round hats made of steel† describes the helmets that soldiers would wear for protection. In the forth stanza, the â€Å"age of aeroplanes† describes being to dispose of the enemy by only â€Å"pressing one small switch†. This means killing by bombing, as what was done in world war two. Since bombing was practiced by he Germans, the Japanese, as well as the Americans, no one can be too sure which nation Brock is referring to, if any specifically. However, since the line â€Å"an ocean to separate you, two systems of government, a nation’s scientists, several factories† it is implied that it is referring to the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. This is because both nations used every scientist possible as well as every factory in order to find new ways to destroy one another. â€Å"A psychopath†, is mentioned in regards to Hitler. The last stanza is even broader than the last.Purposely making it to where the reader’s own op inions can take form and assume their own reasonable explanations. â€Å"Simpler, direct, and much more neat is to se he is living somewhere in the middle of the twentieth century, and leave him there. † In my own interpretation of this line, I think Brock was trying to say to us that it’s so much easier to kill a man in this day and age than it was in biblical times or the Middle Ages. Man has evolved so much in their attempt to perfect their way of killing, that all one would have to do is leave a man in this day and age and death would be able to find him.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Academic Achievement Of Children And Young People Education Essay

Academic Achievement Of Children And Young People Education Essay For my dissertation topic, I decided to focus on the area of ‘academic achievement of children and young people in care’, and try to discover if looked-after children and young people are being failed by the system. I became interested in this area as I have came across many different reports from various agencies and also from the media that education of young people in public care is a cause for concern. For me to do my literature review I will carry-out research from different academic articles which is relevant to my dissertation title, I will describe and analyse the knowledge which exists within these articles which will help me identify the scope and key issues surrounding my title. With reference to Jackson and Simon 2005, ‘Children who grow up in local authority care, ‘looked-after’ under the Children Act 1989, are 4 times more likely than others to require the help of mental health services; 9 times more likely to have special needs requirin g assessment, support or therapy; 7 times more likely to misuse alcohol or drugs; 50 times more likely to wind up in prison; 60 times more likely to become homeless, and 66 times more likely to have children needing public care’. These are all huge issues which do affect individuals in the public care sector. One way to overcome many of these problems is ‘education’, if these individuals were getting the right educational outcomes and qualifications it would provide them with a better quality of adult life. ‘Each step up the educational ladder is associated with improvements in health, both mental and physical; employment, income, housing, family life, absence of additional problems and lower risk of involvement with the criminal justice system’, (Jackson and Simon, 2005). Jackson and Mc Parlin 2006, ‘argue that the poor outcomes for individuals who have spent time in care as children can be confidently linked to educational failure, and that t he care and education systems must bear a heavy responsibility for this’. Pre-care experiences can play a massive part in depressing attainment, but also the outcome of certain experiences when children get removed from their families can cause a huge impact in their lives. ‘Teachers often know nothing or very little of the child’s history and the training they receive do not equip them to understand the care system or to manage the behaviour of looked-after children, (Comfort, 2004). Pithouse et al 2002, accept that ‘carers urgently need more training and support, including advice from psychologists, but point out that the overused term ‘challenging behaviour’ obscures a wide variety of problems arising from the children’s previous experience of life in chaotic and neglectful households and the uncertainties and disappointments associated with being in care’. Many children entering care, do so over the age of 10, and may only be spending a short time in care. ‘Consequently, a child’s pre-care experience is one of the most important influences on their journey through care’ Hannon et al 2010. No matter what background a child in care has, they must be giving the same chance as any other child to make the most of their talents and potential. For this to be achieved schools can help by boosting a child’s health and well-being, by mounting self confidence and self esteem, as educational outcomes are powerfully influenced by a child’s emotional, mental and physical health.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Schumann and Stravinsky Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Schumann and Stravinsky - Research Paper Example In the 1830s he started writing piano miniatures which were extraordinary. Also it was during this time that he made his debut as a music critic and started his own journal, which became the focus of his efforts. In this journal he championed composers who had talent, and established a canon of Romantic music. It was also during these years that he composed his masterpieces; Carnaval, for piano and Dichterliebe. In 1840 he married Clara Wieck, a talented pianist inducing an element of stability in his life however this was also when his mental health started to deteriorate. His failure at opera, Genoveva, in 1843 caused him a great disappointment after which his mental state continued to deteriorate. After an attempt at suicide in 1854 he voluntarily entered an asylum. It was here that he passed away in 1856 (Worthen, 2007). In mid June 1882, Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky was born in a town near St. Petersburg in Russia. From a small age he was surrounded by music mostly because his fat her was a star singer of the Imperial Opera. When he was 9 he started piano lessons and studied music throughout his early life. In 1902 he, like Schumann, pursued a law degree however music was where his real interest was. Also just like Schumann, he started his musical career as a amateur pianist and was bilingual. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, his teacher started giving him regular lesson from 1905 till 1908. Although Stravinsky’s first composition was that of a Symphony, which he wrote in 1906, it was The Firebird, a ballet composed in 1910, which put him under the spotlight. This was followed by Petrushka, which like The Firebird was a modern composition of something which was fundamentally Russian. It was his third ballet, The Rite of Spring which established his name as one of the well known composers of the age. In 1920 he moved to France and formed a partnership with the company that manufactured pianos, Pleyel. During 1939 he delivered lectures in Harvard and was already working on his symphony in C. This was meant for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It was in this year that he moved to United States and married one again. He was on the set of the Paramount Pictures in 1956, where he recorded the musical score for the production â€Å"The Court Jester†. An incorporation of many of the modern classical styles of music was a major part of Stravinsky’s professiona l life. In 1959, he received the Sonning Award, which is one of Denmark’s highest honors. He returned to Leningrad to do a series of concerts in 1962. It was in 1971 that he died at the age of 88 and was buried in Venice. The piece I have chosen from Schumann’s compositions is Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra Op. 131 played by Arnold Katz. There are several key differences between this composition and Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’. These differences also go to reflect the major changes in music over the passage of time, more specifically from the Romantic era to the Neoclassical era. You see, Schumann’s composition comprises of the key characteristics being reflected in his work. These are those of highlighting the orchestra’s highly praised 2009 Beethoven cycle. A key characteristic of Schumann’s work is a reflection of the love of nature. You see the romantic era was all about the critical

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The impact of Hurricane Katrina on the economy Essay

The impact of Hurricane Katrina on the economy - Essay Example There are some strategies implemented to overcome the disaster caused to the economy by this hurricane. Hurricane Katrina has affected the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans and Louisiana, which is the main hub of nation's oil, gas production and distribution. It severely damaged the oil production and refining facilities in these areas crippling the oil and gas production of the country. The fuel produced by the country is a contributing factor to the economic growth of a country. The damage of such a resource has its implications of various sectors. Although, there is sometime required to estimate the damage caused by this hurricane, predications are made about the potential loss that the economy will incur. Hurricane Katrina has resulted in the increase in prices of gasoline and other oil products. The damage of oil production and refining facilities has resulted in high demand of gasoline. The prices of fuel have increased by about by 15 times. [Hurricane Katrina's impact on US economy should not be overestimated, 2005]. Because of this increase in price, there are various industries, which are predicted to be affected by this calamity. This damage caused to the oil and gas production of the country is likely to affect the import and export of goods, retail market, real estate business and large organizations. [Little, 2005]. Gulf of Mexico comprises of about 30 percent oil production, 20 percent of the gas production and 60 percent of the oil imports in the U.S. [Samuelson, 2005]. This increase in the oil and gasoline price has affected the import and export of goods. Oil and gasoline is essential for transportation of products into and outside the country. The devastation caused to the oil and refinery productions in these areas have affected the transportation of the grains and goods outside the country and inflow of coffee and cargo into the country. [Hurricane Katrina's impact on US economy should not be overestimated, 2005]. However, there is a consolation that most of the import and export of goods occur after the fall so it has not causes a major damage to the foreign trade. [Samuelson, 2005] The increase in the price of the fuel has resulted in increase in price of every petrol-chemical and other related product. For instance, due to the increase in crude oil, the price of home heating products is expected to reach a soaring height during the winter season. [Little, 2005]. The hurricane has also affected the *retail market. There is increase in price on most of the products as a result the consumer budget is being affected. Most of the people spend large amount of money on the fuel due to the increase in prices of the fuel, while there is no increase in their salary or wages. As a result, they are unable to purchase high priced products. This will tend to affect the retail sales. *Consumer spending accounts to about two-thirds of the economy due to which a recession is forecasted in the economy. [Little, 2005]. The real estate business will make huge profits due to the hurricane. The hike in prices of the fuel and the shortage of building material in the country will result in increase in the value of the land and

Study Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study Research - Essay Example Mcmahon-Parkes et al. researched the outlooks and beliefs of patients who were resuscitated and those never resuscitated as well. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. argue that nurses always fear that family members may obstruct efforts to resuscitate their relatives (Mcmahon-Parkes et al., 2009). This fear is the key reason they do not tolerate them during resuscitate procedures. Nurses today also fear that family members who see their relatives undergo resuscitation processes might be harmed mentally. Mcmahon-Parkes et al justify this study by pointing out that there are no past qualitative literatures on the perceptions of nurses towards the company of families during the resuscitation of patients (Schmidt, 2010). In addition, few research works ever examined what patients preferred when it came to their families witnessing their resuscitation. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. explained the perspectives of patients who were revived successfully and patients taken to the ER but not requiring resuscitation (Mcmahon-Parkes et al., 2009). These perspectives examined whether both types of patients preferred their relatives present during resuscitation or not. The methodology used by Mcmahon-Parkes et al involved a sample of 21 revived patients and 40 patients taken to the ER. All patients were from 4 hospitals in two big cities in Southwest England. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. used a myriad of reviewers and uniform decision-making techniques (Schmidt, 2010). These methods proved effective for gathering perspectives from both types of patients regarding the company of their relatives during resuscitation. Findings showed that most patients preferred the company of their relatives while being resuscitated. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. discovered that both types of patients had three common themes in their preferences. The first theme was positive. Both types of patients understood that the company of their relatives meant that they were

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Practices and Procedures on the New Scottish Parliament Essay

Practices and Procedures on the New Scottish Parliament - Essay Example This essay stresses that Holyrood Progress Group (HPG) comprises of representatives of the Parliament and construction professional to work with the SPCB. The mission of this body is to finalise the design, control the progress of the building, complete the project in time and make periodical reports to the SPCB. In turn SPCB will advise the Members on the total amount spent so far on the project and the estimated time and cost for completion of the project. There were regular meetings and reports of the HPG since summer 2000 compiled and presented by the project director and key consultants. In June 2001, the Scottish parliament advised the SPCB to make quarterly reports to the Parliament’s finance Committee on the progress of the Holyrood building Project, highlighting especially the escalation in the costs of completing the project for getting the concurrence of the Committee for the increase in costs in the annual budget sanctions. The Chief Executive of the project made m onthly reports to SPCB on issues relating to program budgets and quality. All these reports were based on the regular meetings and discussions between HPG and the SPCB. This paper makes a conclusion that aesthetic construction features and usage of high quality materials the Scottish Parliament building project was made to a complex construction project. The project saw a lot of slippages during the progress, due to multifarious reasons.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Mad Hot Ballroom by Marilyn Argrelo Movie Review

Mad Hot Ballroom by Marilyn Argrelo - Movie Review Example From the beginning of the film, establishes the basic idea that anyone can achieve anything if he/she has the zest and is ready to work towards it. It opens on Public School-115 of Washington Heights, Manhattan, when during her interview, the school Principal informs that 97% of the school's Hispanic population lives below the poverty line. However, she also asserts, that these students are not apologetic about their conditions. They are dreamers and they like to chase their passions, live their life. The ballroom dance teaching helps these students foster the very spirit. It helps them unfold their own personalities and make life more fulfilling. Yomaria Reynosa, the dance teacher of Washington Heights, PS 115 acclaims, "You don't know what's hidden inside each child until you open it up". She recalls her young days when the opportunities weren't as many. Today, students are getting a chance to unleash and enhance their talents. "With time, there are avenues opening up for them (kids) to go into something that has to do with arts". This holds true for each one of us. Future generations are always better equipped, more open and liberal than those who precede them. In our school days, kids never had technology au fait; they were never so informed about life. I remember, when in school we were first introduced to computers. There were about thirty students in a class, sharing five computers. Today, times have changed. Students have both, avenues and opportunities. As the movie progresses, it brings to light, the myriad facets of American life. The kids share their secrets, talk about various issues that concern them, discuss their perceptions about things. The dance competition event serves the perfect milieu for these young men and women to explore themselves, their dreams, their sensuality; their association with the opposite sex and to learn to coexist with harmony in a multi-cultural environment. I think it is quite relevant to any modern day society. Initially, in the movie, we see kids showing some reservation in getting together. They remain with their respective guys' and girls' groups and give out strange expressions when asked to pair up or hold hands. These kids are basically unwilling participants. With time and the consistent efforts of their dedicated teachers, the kids' inhibitions fade away, their attitudes towards their partner softens. They start accepting each other, enjoy dancing with harmony. In my teens, I had similar experiences. I would generally be a shy person and keep away from most guys.  Ã‚  

Monday, September 23, 2019

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

Marketing Communication Assignment - Essay Example Suddenly, the window falls right on his head and he discovers that the cable holding the window up had been cut. The wife and husband meet up in the hallway, trading fake pleasantries and smiles. The morning continues with more craziness as the couple continues to do harm to each other whilst completing their morning chores before heading off to work. The wife gets hit on the head with a strategically placed bowling ball. The husband sets fire to his hair and then takes a bad tumble down the stairs. Eventually, the husband ends up driving away leaving the wife in the house just as a large explosion is caused by the well placed metallic pan in the microwave in tandem with the open gas from the stoves. Pepsi's "Pepsi Grip" commercial begins with a horizon shot of a busy metropolitan city on a hot day, then focuses on a high-rise construction worker taking a sip out of a Pepsi bottle. A whistle from another worker gets the bottle passed along by drops, swings, throws and tosses in a daring way. Suddenly, someone misses a catch, and the Pepsi begins its freefall. A few stories below, a capable worker puts himself on the line by jumping off the scaffolding, hanging by his hands and caught the Pepsi with his feet. The ad ends with "New Pepsi Grip. Easy To Hold." Dial's "Happy Dog" ad starts off with a face shot of a

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Homework 1 SPSS Essay Example for Free

Homework 1 SPSS Essay 1.How many respondents said they drink because their friends drink?_________________ 2.What is the mean age of the respondents?_________________ 3.What is the modal response (most common response) to the question about when drinking occurs on Saturday?_________________________________ Create a new variable SENIORS from CLASS: 1 for those who are seniors, 2 for all others. Be sure to use the â€Å"All others† choice. There is no need to specify â€Å"system-missing to system-missing† for this question. How many students are in each category? 4. Seniors __________ 5. All others______ ¬___ 6.How many respondents consider themselves social drinkers? __________________ 7.What is the modal response to the question: How many nights do you go out?_________________ 8.What percent of the valid responses are heavy drinkers? ____________________ 9.How many respondents said they are problem drinkers?____________________ 10.What is the mean response to the question about whether school interferes with students’ social lives?_____________________ 11.What is the mean number of credit hours for which the respondents are enrolled?_____________________ 12.What is the mean GPA of the respondents?_____________________ 13.What percent of the valid responses don’t like wine cooler at all? _____________________ Create a new variable WORK2 from WORK: let l = do not work,14. Do not work_____________ 2 = do work. DO NOT use the â€Å"All others† choice. How many students are in each category? 15.Work ______________ 16.How many students said they have had financial aid while at IU?_____________________ 17.How many females completed the survey?_____________________ 18.What is the mean amount of money the students in our sample have available each week for entertainment?_____________________ 19.What is the mean response to the statement â€Å"Academic success is very important to me?†_____________________ 20.What is the mean response to the statement â€Å"Drinking is an important part of my social life?†_____________________ 1. 9 2. 21.3684 3. 3/Evening 4. 62 5. 15 6. 29 7. 2 8. 18.9% 9. 1.3% 10. 2.5921/Neither agree nor disagree 11. 15.5658 12. 3.2021 13. 25.7% 14. 38 15. 39 16. 43 17. 36 18. 74.8667 19. 6.3056 20. 4.1429

Friday, September 20, 2019

Polaris Human Trafficking Organisation

Polaris Human Trafficking Organisation Polaris is NGO whose soul motto is to stop human trafficking and slavery. The organization helps those who are victims of human trafficking and provide them legal help. Polaris is also one of the anti-trafficking organization in the united states. Headquarters of Polaris is in Washington, DC; and also operates from Newark, New Jersey. They also control the National Human Trafficking Resource Centre (NHTRC) which is the countries hotline for human trafficking. Polaris also allows it data to be used by other NGOs such as International Justice Mission Truckers against Trafficking. Polaris hase taken few steps and has some initiatives to help the victims of Human Sex trafficking: Global Safety Net Polaris collaborates with border forces of countries to prevent illegal and cross border development in human trafficking Temporary Visas Polaris helps the victims of human trafficking attain temporary visa to help them travel to their home country safely. Hotels Polaris engages in the hotel industry and identifies the human trafficking activities in the hotel industries. According to Polaris hotel are most common venues for sex trafficking. Polaris supports almost all the laws that help get justice to the victims of human trafficking. They have a specific set of priorities regarding their policies: Run away and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act. This act focusses in prevent the crime before if happens. They make sure that the government take all possible step and provide basic necessities to homeless youth Supply Chain Transparency. The Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act of 2015 (H.R. 3226 and S.1968) makes sure that all the business have a transparency in their supply chain and the decisions they make for their labor force in the supply chain. Prioritizing the strategic action plan. Polaris ensure that the victims of human trafficking are given justice on time and also makes sure that all the agencies are working together effectively. Polaris is also partnered with The Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) which a US based collaboration of 14 NGOs that fights against human trafficking and sex trafficking and provide justice to the victims. Polaris is a NGO who is focused only in aiding and proving justice to the people who are the victim of Human Trafficking, so they take the help of every last law to provide the justice. There is no law they oppose as there is no law that allows or supports crimes like human trafficking, so theres no such law (according to my research) that Polaris should appose. NGOs such as Polaris who fights human trafficking may impact business a lot, businessmen indulge in human trafficking to lower their employee cost and increase their profits. In some case victims of human trafficking are not paid at all. So NGOs like Polaris would not only stop trafficking but also help the victims to get justice and punish the guilty, which inturn would affect the business scenario. Though, the affect would not be good for the business but it would, definitely be good according the Natural Law (humanity). Human trafficking is a very serious topic in today world as it no long legal but is still practiced in some parts of the country. Polaris along with the federal government make sure that all the aspect of human traffic is covered by creating new law without leaving any loop holes. Polaris in its web site mentioned Polaris works to ensure that the U.S. government prioritizes efforts to eradicate all forms of human trafficking and protect victims of this crime at home and abroad. We build government support for promising practices in our field, including anti-trafficking hotlines, the development of data standards and data-sharing, and protection policies for victims and vulnerable populations. to which Polaris is very much dedicated. To do so Polaris has helped create laws relate o trafficking with are very affective in tacking the issue in the United States. Traffic victims protection reauthorization act 2003, 2005, 2008 2013 is a law to which has Polaris contributed. Another legislative law to which Polaris influenced is the safe harbor law, which provides protection to children who area victim of child labor, human trafficking of children and sex trafficking. Polaris does what it takes to influence the legislative process (the reason it is one of the largest human trafficking NGO in U.S.) and help wipe human trafficking and crimes related to it once and for all. Polaris also mentioned on its website that Our public policy focus drives legal and regulatory changes that enable the United States and international governments to better protect victim populations, reduce worker vulnerability, increase support to survivors and increase human trafficking investigations. According to Polaris; South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and few states in the east U.S. lack few aspect in fighting human trafficking (2013), either due to high activity in trafficking or laws supporting trafficking. Their aim is to help reduce these statistics in the next 3 year. But Polariss aim is to need complete the task in less than 3 years as they believe that the more time it takes the more people suffer and Polaris will continue support the victims whenever they need them. Mind map: Polaris helps human trafficking victims to travel to their country safely buy helping get temporary visas. To do so, Polaris must become an intermediary between the international laws of the other country and the American federal law. Polaris has to follow certain international laws in order to send the victims to their home country. References Polaris. (2016, March 1). Policy priorities. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from Polaris Project, https://polarisproject.org/policy-priorities Polaris. (2016, February 23). Policy legislation. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from https://polarisproject.org/policy-legislation

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Analysis of Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman Essay -- Iron and Silk China

Analysis of Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman This book was given to me by a good friend who knew that I had an interest in Asia. I chose to read it because it was a true story and was told that it was a good read.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author travels to China as an English teacher for the Hunan Medical School. There he stayed for two years picking up many anecdotes along the way. The author already had spent a large amount of his life studying Chinese language and the martial arts. However, when he arrives in China he meets teachers who have dedicated their entire lives to perfecting a particular art or skill, whether it be martial arts or calligraphy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mark Salzman was perfecting his calligraphy skills and as weeks had passed he began to make progress. He was getting tired of the models and wanted to try something new. When he told Hai Bin,(his teacher), he frowned and said,†Some people spend their entire lives researching a single model. You should be willing to spend a year on this one.† This is an example of the dedication and perseverance these men have towards their chosen artform or skill. Another example of this theme, was Mark’s Wushu teacher, Pan, who punched a fifty pound plate of steel up to ten thousand times a day. Mark’s relentless practicing of the many forms of Wushu was influenced by Pan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Salzman also showed that there was great oppression. The people of China were under constant surveillance and control. Rarely were they able to make important decisions f...

Arguments for Open Adoption Records Essays -- Law

For those who are a part of the adoption world one of the most hotly debated issues is whether birth records should be open or closed to adoptees. With this issue comes strong feelings on both sides. In most states adoption records are fully sealed and inaccessible, unless the adoptee petitions the court. In 16 states these records are fully or partially available upon request with no court involvement, and also may depend upon when you were born. In a few states records are completely prohibited and the adoptee will never have any access to them. Alaska and Kansas have always made original birth records available. As an adoptee, I feel that all adoption records should be open. I believe that this can only strengthen the quality of the institution of adoption itself and positively affect all those involved in it. I am not one of those people who did not know I was adopted. I have always known. My parents are good and loving, and provided me with all that I needed as a child. However, just because they were very good parents did not decrease the inherent need I had to look at a face that is similar to my own. Open adoption records would provide the tools for people to learn indispensable information that is provided to all other Americans beside themselves. Sealed records violate adoptee’s rights as human beings. Adoptees are discriminated against like no other group in this country. Records should be opened so that we have the same rights as those who are raised in their biological families. Open records in no way threaten the institution of adoption. There will always be mothers and fathers who are willing to chose a different path by giving their child away, just as there will always be those parents who wish to provi... ...2002): p271-310. Academic OneFile. Web. 17 Feb. 2012. Fleming, Caroline B. "The open-records debate: balancing the interests of birth parents and adult adoptees." William & Mary Journal of Women and the Law Spring (2005): 461-480. Academic OneFile. Web. 17 Feb. 2012. Freundlich, Madelyn. For the Records: Restoring a Legal Right for Adult Adoptees. Evan B. Don Aldson Adoption Institute. New York, NY. (November 2007). www. Adoptioninstitute.org. Web. 17 Feb. 2012. Sorosky, A.D., Baran, A., & Pannor, R. The Adoption Triangle. New York: Doubleday. (1984). Print. Whittaker Hughes, Susan. â€Å"The only Americans legally prohibited from knowing who their birth parents are: a rejection of privacy rights as a bar to adult adoptees' access to original birth and adoption records.† Cleveland State Law Review. 55.3 (Summer 2007): p429-461. Academic OneFile. Web. 17 Feb. 2012.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

All throughout history we’ve encountered people trying to contain and cage in people in about almost anything from a bathroom to an interment camp. Although these attempts to contain and imprison humans for no correct motive have been futile, These incidents do of course leave their marking and change society a responsibility that comes upon wrong doings. They change people in society like, Fred Korematsu ,born in the U.S. in 1919. His parents were born in Japan. Since he was born in the U.S. he was a citizen. He grew up like a normal kid in California. He had a normal childhood, until the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1942. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were regarded as a threat to the U.S. Things was soon to dramatically change for all the Japanese, including our own Fred Korematsu, an American- Japanese. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were regarded as a threat to the United states of America. This then led President Roosevelt issued Executive order 9066, also know as the Exclusion Order. This Order stated that any descendents or immigrants from enemy nations who might be a threat to U.S. security will report to assembly centers for Internment. There were no trials or hearings. They were forced to evacuate and many lost their homes and their businesses. Fred Korematsu refused to go. He was a U.S. citizen so he felt like he had no real duty to leave, since he was obviously from there. Roosevelt had violated Korematsu's basic constitutional rights and every other Japanese-American. The fourth amendment states itself, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated; and no wa... ... incident they have apologized, telling us that this incident was â€Å"big† for them and they had to take up the other end and do the right thing finally. Not only did they correct themselves, but it also shows the world how human their country is, how opinions are able to change over time, and how they do change! In 1998 President Clinton presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Korematsu. "In the long history of our country's constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls," Clinton with out doubt kew the Fred Korematsu had this then president Clinton finally put the Presidential Medal of Freedom on him. Clinton said, recalling the names of civil rights pioneers, "to that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu." Fred Korematsu had finally got his victory, his voice was finally heard. He was correct.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Celiac Disease Paper

Celiac Disease Unit 4: Assign 2- Disorders Affecting the Immune System April 9, 2013 Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. It affects the small intestine in the person’s body. It can affect people who have been linked genetically or pre-disposed from infancy to adulthood (www. mayoclinic. com). This disease can be asymptomatic. Which means that the person can be a carrier of this disease and pass it on to their children. The carrier would not have any symptoms of this disease or even know they are a carrier.Celiac disease can affect 1 in 105 people in the United States (www. webmd. com). Celiac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, or a gluten protein. The gluten protein is found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. When the person affected with this disease is exposed or ingests the gluten protein, their immune system has an inflammatory reaction in the small bowel. The inflammatory reaction can be an acute or chronic response within the bowel tissue. The inflammation i n the small bowel blocks the person’s ability to absorb vital nutrients from their food (www. ebmd. com). Signs and symptoms of Celiac disease can range from mild to severe. Diarrhea is the most common symptom of this disease. Abdominal pain, bloating, cramping, and distention of the abdominal wall from gas are also other signs/symptoms of Celiac disease. The blocking or malabsorptio of nutrients such as Calcium and Vitamin D can lead to weight loss, fatigue, and anemia. The person can then get mouth ulcerations as well, and become lactose intolerant.As the disease continues to progress it can cause more damage and it puts the person at risk for small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma) or Lymphoma. If left untreated Celiac disease can also lead to more complications within the affected person. Some of the complications they would experience are, ulcerations and strictures in the bowel (www. webmd. com). The only affective treatment for Celiac disease is a lifelong goal of diet change. Once diagnosis has been confirmed gluten must be completely removed from the person’s diet.Certain diets that are gluten free will need to be followed to prevent inflammation. Depending on the extent of the damage done, or the stage of progression there may need to be more strict changes to follow. There are websites and support groups to help people become educated with the steps necessary to prevent further flare ups from this condition. The first step to becoming aware of this disease is to be seen by your physician if you are having any of the above signs and symptoms (www. csaceliacs. com). www. mayoclinic. com,2013. www. webmd. com,2013.

Monday, September 16, 2019

What Role Do Mobile Phones Play in Society?

1. What role do mobile phones play in society? Discuss the influence of technology on everyday life: relationships, social movements and education. Mobile phones have a major impact on modern society as they are increasingly useful social tools. In 2004, ‘there were almost two billion mobile subscribers world-wide’ Arminen 2007. The majority of worldwide businesses use this technology to communicate. Mobiles have changed the way people organise activities, meetings and social occasions, and generally the way people go about living everyday life. Mobile phones increase contact with peers, so a person can always know what’s going on with those close to them. They help people communicate more efficiently, anywhere on the planet. Mobile phones have developed multi-features they are more than just a phone and can be used for sending text messages, taking photos, surfing the internet, playing music, using a calculator, setting an alarm, playing games, sending email, checking the time, calendar, maps, GPS, banking, radio, business’s such as voice memos, and are capable of an amazing amount of functions and some have many more functions than a computer, have the added bonus of high portability. On the down side however mobile phones can break down personal barriers where a person can find it hard to have any personal time, or participate fully in their present environment without interruptions as the majority of people never turn off their phone, so there is always constant communication. Modern day society has formed a very strong reliance on mobile phones where most individuals cannot leave home without their mobiles and have developed a need to be constantly contacted. Overall mobiles have a very large influence on relationships. Mobile phones play a huge role specifically in adolescences relationships. Mobile phone technology allows us to communicate with social groups in new ways, and to reaffirm those relationships, regardless of distance. SMS connects individuals in a non intrusive way so time and physical location are no longer important boundaries to communication (Horstmanshof & Power, 2005) instead the shortness of the message is more important indicator of uptake giving rise to creative code. Horstmanshof and Power’s research looked at how the new communication was being taken up by what groups, and the rules, communication and social interaction of those groups. The results showed that SMS was mostly used to tighten close relationships. Mobile phones provide an easier way to communicate, and helps some shy adolescences become more social. Furthermore text message or SMS, help adolescences ‘check each other out’ (Cupples & Thompson 2010) without embarrassment of getting rejected by a potential partner. Mobile phones assist in taking away any awkwardness on the next appointment or date by getting to know a stranger or potential partner (Cupples & Thompson), by facilitating the asking of questions a person wouldn’t normally ask face to face. Despite their many positives mobile phones can have a negative side. All the availability leaves people with little personal uninterrupted. As Horstmanshof and Power describe ‘it's like you are inviting the whole world into your space’ at any time the mobile is on. The easily accessible, relatively cheap and individualised nature of mobile phones has increased their popularity to the point where they have changed the way people interact at work as well as at home (Geser 2010). Mobile phones are increasingly breaking down the boundaries between work and home. Mobiles have changed the way individuals make decisions from individual to more consultative, the way people report emergencies, the social messages of status or connectedness we send to others who witness our calls, the way people participate in the present with increasing interruptions, the way people keep social obligations and the way people can change appointments at short notice, the way we can access greater amounts of information, and importantly, the change from a specific, location based communication system (landline) to an individual recipient. Geser suggests mobiles allow an individual to carry the cocoon of another place to where we are at present which may be a different place emotionally as well as physically to our current location and we need to skillfully maneuver between the two. This is particularly important in the work home boundaries. We need to make new decisions about when we are interrupted and how to deal with the present social or work situations (Geser) which may result in more self control as well as more social control like requesting people turn off their phones before meetings. Geser also supports that with their great ease mobiles also raise some concerns about people but especially children being less independent, and about mobile phone use contributing to fracturing social cohesion through subgroups potentially challenging the norm and the lesser social influence of more formal networks to increasingly informal networks. Technology has evolved where a person can access almost anything on their mobile phone including the internet, so that information is very easily accessible. Mobiles can help students do calculations through the use of a calculator or using specific programs on a computer such as the SPSS program Swinburne University uses for statistics. Encyclopedias are readily accessed online mostly for free which helps a person access the information they need at any time regardless of library opening hours or physical location. Almost all information is available at a click of a button. There is also computer assistant learning programs (Cradler et. l 2002) such as ‘cogmed working memory training’ (a memory training used for individuals with short term memory difficulties) that can be accessed through the mobile. Individuals are also not limited to working on a farm if they live in regional parts of the world as there is university and high schools based online and accessible through mobiles. However there are consequences of having to much easily accessible information. People become too dependent on often superficial information and don’t research as thoroughly. Skills, such as spelling are often diminished as Microsoft Word corrects spelling mistakes and even helps with grammar. Less effort is required in modern day society where it can be argued people are fed information. It has also become easy to plagiarize (Snooks and Co, 2002) and copy other peoples work and pass it off as your own but also easily to be found out. References Arminen, I, 2007, ‘Review Essay, Mobile Communication Society? ’, Mobile Communication Society? , v. 53, no. 1 University of Tampere viewed 19 March 2010 http://asj. sagepub. com Cogmed, 1999 Karolinska Institute, viewed 6 April 2010, http://www. cogmed. com/ Cupples, J ; Thompson, L, 2010, ‘Heterotextuality and Digital Foreplay', Feminist Media Studies, v. 10, no. 1, pp. 1-17, Ebscohost viewed 19 March 2010 http://www. informaworld. com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a919196107 Geser, H, 2004, ‘Towards a Sociological Theory of the Mobile Phone’, ‘Sociology in Switzerland: Sociology of the Mobile Phone’, Google Scholar viewed 16 March 2010 http://socio. ch/mobile/t_geser1. pdf Horstmanshof, L, ; Power, MR, 2005, ‘Mobile phones, SMS, and relationships’, Humanities ; Social Sciences papers, v. 32, no. 1, pp. 33-52, Bond University viewed 16 March 2010 http://epublications. bond. edu. au/hss_pubs/75/ Snooks and Co 2002, Style manual for authors, editors and printers, 6th edn, John Wiley ; Sons, Milton, Qld. Published 2010

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Buddhism and Christianity as Social Reform Movements

Buddhism and Christianity are two great religions in the world that made a lot of contributions to the development of human beings in all aspects of life. These two religions may be worlds apart doctrinally and institutionally, but in their works for the betterment of human beings and the society, they are like wings that work together for the advancement and progress of civilizations. Buddhism and Christianity both have founders whose main teaching is the purification of the human heart.When human beings are defiled from selfishness, greed, and other wrongdoings, they will always be living in harmony not only with others but also with the environment that they are into. Both Jesus and the Buddha emphasized on the purity of the human heart. It is the heart that is important, it is the treasures of the heart that is more precious that any other wealth in the world. This is what Jesus and the Buddha wanted for people to realize to achieve a life of purpose and happiness, thus, Jesus an d the Buddha are very similar types of social reformers.Jesus and the Buddha are both great teachers that sought spiritual transformations. They both live in a time when people are ignorant of the true nature of life. The societal conditions that Jesus and the Buddha are into enabled them to seek and teach the wisdom of enlightenment, and that the value of compassion is central to the teaching of Jesus and the Buddha in attaining this enlightened path. The societal conditions during the time when Buddha and Jesus lived were characterized by chaos and greed as well as poverty conditions that made people suffered gravely.Jesus and the Buddha believe that all these sufferings that people experience are rooted on people’s ignorance on the fact that they themselves caused those problems. Human heart is full of impurities, and the only way to purify it according to the Buddha is to free oneself from earthly desires. Jesus also led an ascetic life together with his disciples, denoun cing all worldly wealth to pursue a life of spiritual transformations. Both Jesus and the Buddha advocated for radical changes in the common practices of the people in those days.The conditions during the time when Buddha preached his teaching were characterized by severe poverty, sickness and tribal wars that caused a lot of casualties. These conditions were very similar with what Jesus also experienced in his time. In responding to these societal conditions, both Jesus and the Buddha taught that people should cultivate compassion and love in their heart. It is only through selfless love that people will tolerate and respect one another.Both Jesus and the Buddha tried to fix the social problems that caused people to suffer as well as humanity’s animalistic tendencies like anger and greed, through a reformation in values and spiritual transformation. The Christian golden rule saying, â€Å"Do not do unto others what you do not want others do unto you† is very similar w ith what Buddha emphasized, â€Å"Treat others as yourself†. In these passages, one can see that Jesus and the Buddha gives importance to people’s actions and attitude towards others.People should not incur hatred in their hearts as this is similar to hating the self. One should treat other people in a way that will not hurt or belittle them as this would mean belittling oneself. Jesus and the Buddha said that when other people try to hurt you, you should not fight back with anger and hate, because fire cannot be extinguished by fire. A true human being has to be mindful of his words and deeds so as not to hurt others. This holds true with the law of karma.Whatever you do will always go back to you be it good or bad, depending on the causes you made. In Christianity, it is imperative for human beings to cultivate the self through the path of righteousness. In the same manner, Buddhism’s law on morality is highly depicted in the Christianity’s Ten Commandm ents. Buddhism and Christianity are closely related in the way they view the kind of society that we should be living in and should aspire for.Jesus and the Buddha describe an ideal society as a place where conflict does not exist and equality is always in the mind of the people. An ideal society values justice, freedom and morality. Nobody will experience sufferings; no one will have to endure cycles of poverty, disasters and epidemics. Social change begins when a person tries to rededicate all his or her effort to an intensified ethical commitment, to something that causes the person to develop more wisdom and compassion.These two religions always emphasized brotherly love towards other people, to treat other people as equal to oneself. Jesus emphasized that everyone is equal in the eyes of God, and Buddha also espoused the belief that in every human being, the Buddha nature exists regardless of race, color and culture. Both Christianity and Buddhism flowered during the time when everything seemed to be so hopeless and defiled. Both religions existed to correct people’s misconceptions of the reality, to lead people to the right path of peace and happiness.In conclusion, Jesus and the Buddha are very similar social reformers and that these two influential figures were truly great people who advocated for a just and humane society based on the values attributed to love, compassion, wisdom and respect. References Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom. Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. 2000 Hochswender, W. , Martin, G. & Morino, T. The Buddha in Your Mirror. Santa Monica, CA: Middleway Press. 2001. New American Bible. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc. : Washington, DC. 2001.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

The Effect of Biological and Nonbiological Material

The Effect of Biological and Nonbiological Material on the Reaction to a Changing pH Level This experiment was conducted to learn exactly how biological material responds to rising or dropping pH levels in comparison to how nonbiological material does. The dependent variable in this experiment was how the different materials react, and the independent variable was the type of material, biological or nonbiological. Tap water was the selected nonbiological material, and the generally known pH level for water is 7, or neutral. Potato homogenate, liver homogenate and egg white solution was used as the biological material. A buffer solution that serves as a model of a biological material’s chemical that helps it carry out homeostasis was also used in the experiment, being tested in the same manner as the other materials. This topic was tested in order to confirm a tissue’s biological chemical processes, presence of buffers, and their ability to maintain its needed pH level for normal function. For actually conducting the experiment, each material was measured out into 25 mL and put into a beaker to be measured for its pH level with pH paper. Then five drops hydrochloric acid was added to the beaker with a 0. 1M dropper, and then the pH level was measured again. This process was repeated until a total of 30 drops of HCl was added to the beaker. Each material was tested in this way, and then the same was done with each material, only adding sodium hydroxide with five drops at a time as well, measuring the pH level each time in between with pH paper. If both biological and nonbiological material are treated in the same way with hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide to raise or lower the pH level, then the biological material will have less of a change in its pH level, because its biological tissues have natural chemical processes that regulate the pH level. If a chemical solution that is a model of a biological buffer is treated with hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide to raise or lower the pH level, then it will stay generally the same pH level as its start, because a buffer’s purpose is to regular the pH level of a biological material.

Friday, September 13, 2019

The Economy, Monetary Policy, and Monopolies Research Paper

The Economy, Monetary Policy, and Monopolies - Research Paper Example The research paper "The Economy, Monetary Policy, and Monopolies" analyzes the American economy which has undergone a difficult period during the last five years because of a global recession. Some people believe that the economic problems were already over whereas others are of the view that these problems still persist. Since 2009, interest rates in America remain stationary at around .25%. In all probabilities, interest rates may remain in its present form at least for the next couple of years in order to support the economic revival. It should be noted that entrepreneurs will approach financial institutions for mortgages only if the interest rates remain at a low level. The following graph provides a rough idea about the unemployment problems in the US for the last few years. It is evident from the graph that unemployment rates in the US were around 2% during 2006-2007 period whereas that at present is over 8%. Unemployment rate almost touched the 10% mark in 2011 even though it is decreasing at present. In short, unemployment rate started to decline which indicates that American economic growth is back on track. It should be noted that Americans started to learn the philosophy of saving because of the recent recession. For the revival of economy and also for the creation of new employment opportunities, it is necessary to encourage spending. Keeping interest rate at a lower level will definitely help the people to spend money more freely. Inflation rate should be kept as low as possible.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Who was Adam Smith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Who was Adam Smith - Essay Example This historic distinction later became an anthropological and historical interest for those who would visit Edinburgh (Smith (b), n. d.). Smith was born in Scotland and got education in Glasgow. He also spent his academic life in Oxford and gained extensive knowledge on literature there. He became the tutor of the Duke of Buccleuc in 1752 and travelled with him a lot around France and Switzerland. This experience gave Smith an opportunity to get acquainted with Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau,  Francois Quesnay, and Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot--his contemporaries (Smith (a), n. d.).   He spent his earning paid by the Duke to write The Wealth of Nations, which was published in 1776, the year when the American Declaration of Independence was inked (Smith (a), n. d.).   In 1778, he was appointed as the Commissioner to the Custom and this experience sharpened his understanding on trading. He fought against smuggling with much enthusiasm, according to historical accounts. He had rema ined single during his entire life and died in Edinburgh on July 19, 1790 (Smith (a), n. d.). ... d.). He published the book on the Wealth of Nations to reveal the nature and cause of a nation’s prosperity from the increasing division of labour to systematize its production (Smith (a), n. d.). He professed that individual would invest resource e.g. land and labour, to earn the highest possible return of investment but such must yield to the equal rate of return (Smith (b), n. d.). For other economist, this was the core of Smith’s proposition of economic theory. Smith advocated equality of returns to explain the differences of salaries based on the knowledge, skills, expertise and skills of workers (Smith (a), n. d.). Those difficult jobs to do would be bit higher in compensation – and this explicated the notion of human capital. Hence, the differences of the nature of work are compensated differently (Smith (a), n. d.). The Wealth of Nations likewise discussed the high cost of British imperialism and substantially—about the relation of supply and deman d (Smith (a), n. d.). He observed that economic inequities are caused by monopoly that burdened consumers of the whole expense of maintaining and defending that empire (Smith (a), n. d.). Smith opposed  mercantilism because it artificially maintained a trade surplus on the erroneous belief that doing so increases wealth (Smith (a), n. d.). Although trade opened up new markets for surplus goods offer access to commodities from abroad at a lower cost but comparative advantage of the products from the outside will weaken the price of the goods from within ((Smith (a), n. d.). Akin to most modern believers in free markets, Smith believed that the government should enforce contracts, grant patents and copyrights to motivate

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Evaluating an International Human Resource Strategy (Sarun) Essay

Evaluating an International Human Resource Strategy (Sarun) - Essay Example The report mentions PESTLE analysis, necessary to understand how and why they shape their HRM strategy in India. The report also looks into evaluating the main HRM models that are relevant to the recognized economic drivers for Starbucks. It studies how the interim strategy is benefiting the employees and helping them achieve their career goals. The HRM report also covers an analysis of different approaches of HRM globally and that are actually used at Starbucks and how they can be modified in India. The links identified between the business strategy and the interim strategy are crucial to the differences between international and local policies. The report of Starbucks and corporate also covers the successful impact of HRM policy on overall organizational performance. A section is specifically assigned towards recognizing the employee involvement and participation in how this creates a healthier work environment. The report also looks into the reward system as how Starbucks Corporat ion encourages their workforce to achieve better results. And finally based on the discussion from the literature and the practical examples of HRM in the Starbucks Corporation suggestions are given that will help improve the HRM strategy for their joint venture in India. Starbucks Corporation was established in 1971 Seattle, Washington. It grew to 55 stores in 1989 and today it has over 19,767 stores all over the world (Starbucks Company Profile, 2013). It started its overseas operations in 1996, starting from Tokyo (Bussing-Burks, 2009). The main products sold at the outlets include; ready-made coffee, whole coffee beans, beverages, pastries and other coffee related retail items. Starbucks Corporation belongs to the disposable income industry of food and beverages. Since 1990s the industry has seen tremendous growth, this also brings a lot of competition for Starbucks.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Letter of Recommendation Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letter of Recommendation - Personal Statement Example Haney’s determination and persistence to overcome the problem. Sgt. Haney has also successfully completed joint substance abuse program training; his commendable performance in the program has earned him the post of the unit prevention leader. Training NCO at the 2nd BN 200th Regiment OCS in the Alabama Army National Guard. He is no less than an asset for his regiment as his passion to work for the country makes him excel in everything he does. Apart from his work, his compassion for others reflects in the fact that he serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors at Waldo Volunteer Fire department. His pledge to give back to the community is also apparent from the fact that he is an active member of Stockdale Baptist Church. Kindly grant Sgt. Haney the opportunity to prove the changes that he has made in his life and cease the suspension on his driving

Monday, September 9, 2019

A hero today and yesterday Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A hero today and yesterday - Essay Example Under both of these definitions, then, Spiderman can be considered a hero. Despite the fact that he’s a fictional character, Spiderman emerged in comic book form in the 1960s in just enough time to give adolescents a courageous figure to look up to at a time when definitions being provided in the news were delivering conflicting messages regarding real-life figures to admire. Re-makes of the comic book hero into motion picture form in the 1990s has again provided children with a role model in a changing world. Although the character of Spiderman of the 60s and Spiderman of the 90s share several common characteristics, there are some significant changes that have been made to his character to meet the demands of the more worldly audience of the modern city. Whether experiencing Spiderman in the 60s or the 90s, there are several fundamental characteristics and biographical notes regarding the character that remain unchanged. That Peter Parker is a somewhat socially inept teenaged bookworm that lives with his aunt and uncle is a common theme that serves to both humanize him and to make him an approachable figure for the adolescent crowd. His difficulties adjusting to society, making a living and struggling to come to grips with himself reveal how he is just as human as the next guy. He becomes a person they can relate to by his somewhat unconscious mumblings that reveal his thoughts and his own wry sense of humor at the trouble he gets himself into. He also doesn’t set out to save the world the moment he realizes his new talents. Instead, he sets out to make money and is somewhat dragged into helping others by his human sense of what is right. Although he has hyper sensitive hearing, vision and other senses, he is a hero not becau se of the things he can do, but because of the way he uses those talents to do the things that he does. There are a few fundamental differences between the

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example For instance, many of the employees look demoralized in their activities as they feel devalued as their contributions in terms of input to the budget formulation does not matter (Zelman, McCue and Glick, 2009)). There is however one issue in particular I am interested in and would want you to clarify. Does your organization has a specific way of collecting employees, supervisors, and lower-level managers ideas or contributions to the budget? Does it happen during weekly meetings or do the employees forward their contributions or input to their supervisors who then forward it to the top managers? Martusciello, your post was interesting and I learnt a lot from your research. I had not imagined that a change in staffing matrix could be reason enough to deviate from a budget as you have noted in your post. It is true that when cases where some of the staff resigns or are on leave puts the management in a hard situation whereby they have to hire new employees temporarily. This according to Zelman, McCue and Glick (2009) translates to additional expenses as such expenditure in terms of salaries for the temporary staff is not initially planned. I also agree that unplanned situations such as an influx or surge in the number of patients could cause deviation from a budget. Your organization did the right thing to employ the additional eleven nurses to float to units. I am interested to know, did the surge in patients affect the nurses in any way in terms of burnout and elevated stress levels? Zelman, W., McCue, M., & Glick, N. (2009).Financial management of health care organizations: An introduction to fundamental tools, concepts, and applications(3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from the Walden Library

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Genderroles&popularfilm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Genderroles&popularfilm - Essay Example the possibility that the film is concurrently reinforcing and challenging or endorsing and contesting traditional ideas about gender roles (John-Fiske, 1990, p, 28). The analysis is aided through the analysis of two characters in the film to uncover this hypothesis. The Lee’s film blended well with every audience based on his massive knowledge in the audience market therefore using Kung-Fu style that is associated with the stereotypical dominant male hero striving to rescue the weaker and gentler female figure. On the contrary, the film is ironic as this notion is overturned with Lee’s characters disputing the male dominant formulaic schema. The film’s fighters are dominated by the females who are depicted in ways that challenge the conventional social gender norms. Lee was therefore able to capture larger audience in his film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Before confining into characters, it is prudent to first explore the traditional perception of social gender norms. In many popular cultures, female figure is stereotyped as emotional, incapable and gentle. Traditionally, women had to depend on a stronger and agile male protection. In particular, Chinese women in late 1700s during the setting of the film were powerless over their lives. Marriages arrangements were executed without their consultations and consent, and had to heed to these arrangements without complaints or defiance. Conventionally, women were rated the weaker sex that could not defend themselves against a gile and stronger male counterparts. On the other hand, male females were confined on socially defined standards and were traditionally expected to be tough and strong with no display of being emotional that was rated as being weak males by the society. Male hero was independent, not vulnerable and self-sacrificing with Jillian Sandel’s article attaching masculinity to power and domination. Through Sandel’s article, we understand that the action of genre is dominated by the display

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Registrar Sample Letter to Student Essay Example for Free

Registrar Sample Letter to Student Essay FOR INFORMATION ONLY ACCUMULATED FAILING GRADES Faculty: This letter is being sent to you on behalf of the Dean of your Faculty. This notice carries no academic penalty. A review of your UVic undergraduate records shows that you had accumulated five (5) or more failing grades over the course of your undergraduate studies at UVic (you may not have been assigned a failing grade in the current session). As your sessional gpa is adversely affected by any failing grades and as a low sessional gpa may cause you to become ineligible to continue your studies and be asked to withdraw from UVic (please see the sections under STANDING and WITHDRAWAL in the University Calendar) this letter is being sent to you for information only to help you avoid these possibilities. Please consider the following suggestions: 1. Choose your courses carefully 2. Avoid overloading yourself: be aware of your personal time commitment 3. Monitor your academic progress carefully on an on-going basis, being mindful of academic drop deadlines 4. Check with your department Undergraduate Advisor about course selection or to see if supplementary tutoring is available for particular problem courses 5. Talk with a Faculty Academic Advisor or the Assistant Dean to review your program/degree selection if necessary. 6. Consult Counselling Services if you require assistance with your study skills Best wishes for success in your future studies. Undergraduate Records University of Victoria FW

Friday, September 6, 2019

The Purple Rose of Cairo Essay Example for Free

The Purple Rose of Cairo Essay Film has captured and enchanted audiences since its origination with the Lumiere Brothers; and, as it developed, it began to be used to convey messages and ideas. Film started to become a creative outlet that then turned to a catalyst of philosophical thought. Film theorist Sergei Einstein expressed that film â€Å"as a work of art, understood dynamically, is just the process of arranging images in the feelings and mind of the spectator†. Thus, directors began to realize that audience manipulation was possible through the images and sounds they delivered, as well as through the way these images and sounds were presented it all has an effect of how viewers thought of and interpreted the films. This is especially clear in the German film, Triumph of Will, directed by Leni Reifenstahl. While the film is brilliantly made, with moving cameras, the utilization of long focus lenses, aerial photography, and a revolutionary approach to musical accompaniment, the film was also incredibly propagandistic and manipulative at the time of it’s release. The entire film is a vehicle to promote the ideologies of Hitler; beginning with Germany’s near-destruction in World War I and depicting Hitler as a messiah, descending from the skies to greet his vehement followers. In the opening minutes of the film, there are close-up and over-the-shoulder shots of Hitler, making him seem rather personable, adored, and somewhat noble. There are also shots of children approaching him, showing that the ideas of innocence and purity are to be seen as parallel to the views and goals Hitler himself. Aesthetically, the entire film is superbly done, and politically its manipulative powers are astonishing. By showing Germany as unified under the divine rule of Hitler, it brought the nation together and created one of the most destructive and powerful nations in the 1940s. While film can be used as propaganda, like in Nazi Germany, it can also be used to provoke thought, rather than control it, manipulate it, or deceive it. In Woody Allen’s film The Purple Rose of Cairo, the audience is pushed to move beyond the appearance of things and consider other worlds, other perspectives. For the heroine, Cecilia, film is an escape and an impossible inspiration. According to the fictitious movie (The Purple Rose of Cairo), the purple rose itself is supposed to grow in a pharaoh’s tomb the expression of a perfect love. However, no flower can grow without light making it an impossible inspiration. According to Plato, and to partially to Allen, our relationship with truth is rather grim. When we attend movies we are much like Plato’s captives, chained facing a cave wall, only seeing a world of shadows our reality is suspended. But another point is made; although we can be deceived by shadows, we are also capable of understanding and questioning anything, shadows included. Yes, film is an escape from reality and the idea of being able to truly escape a somewhat horrid life is unimaginably wonderful, but thats just it it is an idea. Change has to be brought on by oneself, not an unreliable outside source, and perfection is an illusion. I as a viewer absolutely love how Allen presents these ideologies in The Purple Rose of Cairo. He gives it an unconventional point of view, setting up a series of contrasts between perfection and imperfection, reality and illusion, loving someone and being in love with someone, that forces us to think about film as well as the actual content of the film. And this all ties back to Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave†; our life is veiled and we must aspire to leave and become less dependent on the shadow world. What is interesting is that, in the film, Allen makes the audience unsure of which world is the shadow world and which is the illusion. The perfect world becomes the film world and the false one is the desired reality. As entertainment, the film is great a nonsensical romantic comedy with a less-than-happy ending; but philosophically it goes much deeper than that, provoking audiences to think about reality and the importance of imperfection. While on the subject of imperfection, a third film demands some attention. Alejandro Amenabar’s The Sea Inside presents a whole new perspective on what perfection in life is. Many people see suicide as a selfish act removing yourself from the lives of your loved ones far earlier than they would have liked. However, the question of who is more selfish is posed. Is it the people who remove themselves when they feel no more connection to life; or the people who expect those who want to leave to stay, regardless of their misery or feelings of lacking true connection to the vibrancy of life? Thus are the questions presented to audiences upon viewing this film. In my mind, everyone should have the freedom to choose the life they want to live, or not live; and to choose what meaning they take out of said life. In Clendine’s â€Å"The Good Short Life†, it is said that we speak of living life, but never of death. That â€Å"we act as if facing death weren’t one of life’s greatest, most absorbing thrills and challenges† and that being incoherent and immobile until one only sees friends and family as â€Å"a passing cloud†. Both Clendine and Ramon didn’t want to put their loved ones through that, and taking one’s life seemed to be the best solution. Both were â€Å"vital to the end, and knew when to leave†. In my opinion, if someone has legitimate, justifiable reasons to want to leave this earth (such as a degenerative disease), that they have a right to do so. And if they cannot on their own accord due to that degenerative disease, I think that others (physicians, family members, friends) should be legally permitted to assist them. They shouldn’t be obligated to assist, but if they give consent and are willing to aid, I think they should be permitted. Mark from Breathing Lessons and Ramon were also similar on a few levels, but Mark had more hope and determination to live with dignity. Unlike Ramon who saw his life as undignified, Mark viewed it more as excessively challenging. Mark still desired life though considered suicide, but â€Å"chickened out† showing that he did truly still want to live. Ramon, however, was lost in his melancholy and nostalgia for the past, choosing to disregard the possibilities the future could bring. I think that it is a personal choice and that each individual should be given the liberty of making that choice. The phrase â€Å"dying with dignity† always reminds me of greek mythology when humiliated warriors would throw themselves on their swords for an honorable death, rather than live life in humility. I think Ramon saw his life as more humiliating and therefore wanted to throw himself on his sword, so to speak. With this, I think that the US should have a â€Å"death with dignity† law. Everyone has a right to life, as well as a right to death. Film is one of the most influential and powerful media. It’s capabilities to provoke, cultivate, and manipulate audience thought is incredible and worth studying. The innovations that film itself has gone through the amount of genres it contains, special effects, and advancements in sound all contribute to film as a whole, and all contribute to the beauty of how film is created and suspends the reality of viewers if only for an hour or two.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Justification of a Business Plan for Hotel

Justification of a Business Plan for Hotel The Justification of a Business Plan for Rebeccas Hotel Introduction The significance of business plans in all types and sizes of business organizations can never be threaten. The entrepreneurial inquiry puts the entrepreneurs in situations that require judgment. Hence, the need and identification of an approach to address these situations arise (Foss, Foss Klein, 2006, p. 4-5). Such as the justification for business plans as one of the approaches to address business problems, particularly in the event of uncertainties. The use of a business plan is one such approach as it is defined as a formal declaration of what the business wants to achieve. During uncertainties entrepreneurs should find tools to manage them (Sull, 2004, par. 2). Guinipero, Denslow, and Melton (2008) indicated that high propensity risks increase the formality of business plans. A business plan allows the anticipation of risks and improbabilities. A carefully formulated business plan should be able to communicate to stakeholders about the intended direction of the company. Through this, stakeholders should be guided with an understanding of the business situation and subsequently enable them to execute appropriate actions (Honig and Karlson, 2004, p. 30-35). To protect their interests in the business, stakeholders can be guaranteed with action in expectation of favourable business outcomes. The justification for a business plan appears to raise the significance for business successions as they posture challenges. The transition of managerial control frequently simply do not work out (Dalpiaz, Tracey Phillips, 2014, p. 3). Since this paper is based on the succession of a family business, the case study about Rebeccas family business provides insight into the important of business plans even for a small family-run hotel. This paper shall explain the importance of a business plan for Rebeccas case and consequently convince her to undertake the preparation of a business plan. Her case shall be interpret considering the mitigating factors as to why the business plan is necessary. The mitigating factors The retirement of Rebeccas parents had generally prompt the need for a business plan. Nonetheless, the presenting scenario also questions its practicality as their business is started out by her parents, has possibly overcome various business challenges, and is still currently operating, all without a business plan. The need for a business plan is followed by these conditions. Beyond these circumstances, Rebeccas succession to manage the business also presents potential threats. Though Rebeccas work as a kitchen assistant and junior cook despite having those knowledge is useful for the business since the hotel includes a restaurant, but the operation and management of a bar and hotel would require competencies which may not be sufficiently provided by her short time because she went backpacking travel in South-East Asia. Additionally, a three-year backpack travel exposure may not be suitable for Rebecca to develop an understanding of the tourism industry in their locale since the act ivities and opportunities presented in the different locations can be varied. It is important to note the difference in the tourism needs and activities of a travel destination such as the marina compared to the tourism locale Rebecca visited in her three-year adventure. On the other hand, as part of the family, she could have obtained insight into the business operations and her parents management style and business practices. Nevertheless, family-run organizations encounter unique problems due to its inherent nature (Peters Buhalis, 2004; Agyapong Boamah, 2013). Supporting literature shall clarify this in the next section. Even though Kerstin is not a part of this family but because of her relations with Rebecca and also because of her competencies and training, she can be possibly consulted about these consequences. Though small businesses are less likely to hire specialists than large corporations (Wu, Bacon, Hoque, 2014, p. 7), by moral of Rebeccas relationship to her, Kirstens expertise might be confess or at least consulted. It is, however, uncertain that her international exposure at work and the level of training would be suitable for a small family-run hotel. The nature of family-run businesses Family businesses rely on paternalism (Peters Buhalis, 2004, p. 537). Successors operate under the path of their parents especially when the founders are still around. Successors may attempt to introduce new systems and approach which may run contradicting to the family tradition when running the business. But the predecessor may not be able to let go or to completely allow the decision making processes and the management of the enterprise under the new relative-manager. The vision and goals of this relative may be inconsistent with how the parents perceive the business. Likewise, Agyapong and Boamah (2013, p. 533) described family-based relatedness in their study, which appears to produce these problems. The dynamics of family relationships may get in the way of business operations. There may be a cause of separation of the family concerns and business matters, conflicts or inefficiency may be occurred in the business. Family-run businesses are also usually characterized by informal business practices. As a result, these enterprises lack planning or the use of a systematic approach to manage the business especially when problematic activity occur. In the family businesses they commonly use improvisation by the family members (Peters Buhalis, 2004, p. 5), which lead to inconsistencies. There are no product or service standardizations or appropriate consistent controls. The informality of the practice arises from the dynamics of the family relationship. This situation is further entangled by another informal business practice which is inaccurate financial recording that results in financial losses (Peters Buhalis, 2004, p. 6). Family members also make their decisions that tend to be irrational since there appears a lack of information to guide them. In addition, misjudgement of performance indicators also occur and consequently affect the quality of future business decisions. This information could be made consistent, reliable, and more permanent when a proper business plan is created. Succession in family businesses Succession in family businesses is considered an interesting area of research. Studies focus on examining the change which aid or hinder the transfer of power to the succeeding generation, family relationships, and the process (Dalpiaz, Tracey Phillips, 2014, p. 6). A more outstanding evaluation from the studies is the causation approach which indicates that family businesses evolve linearly. In a statistical perspective, the continuity of the family business is related to certain variables which indicate the future state of the business. In the causation approach, a set of goals is identified as one of the factors in which family businesses are described to be established on. However, the goals are recognised to lack systematic process due to the informal nature of family enterprises. Nevertheless, planning, among the other components such as intentionality and resource acquisition, are essential foundations of this approach. Therefore, the continuity of the family business relies on the continuity of establishing plans. However, this time for Rebecca, a conscious formulation and systematic approach for business planning must be used. A few studies shows the reasons why business plans become critically important for family-operated businesses. The studies of Peters and Buhalis (2004) and Agyapong and Boamah (2013) provide important insights into these types of business ownership, particularly in the hotel industry. Both types of research emphasize the need for competitiveness in the industry. Peters and Buhalis (2004) claimed that the competitiveness of destinations is characterized by the domination of small businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry, as such in the case of Austria, the studys research locale. The operations of 240 small family businesses in Austrias tourism destination industry were part of the study in 2003. Research findings suggested that training is an essential element to run family businesses. In addition, a key component of this training includes the development of plans, strategies and the development of conceptualisation of new products or services among other important areas of running the family hotel business. These specific areas are being pick to emphasize the important role of business plans in the small enterprise. This research further indicate the need to develop strategic plans, both as a competitive strategy and advantage for the small family hotels. Growth and future sustainability are indicated to be the likely outcomes when strategic plans are created and then implemented. Meanwhile, Agyapong and Boamah (2013) conduct in their research the effects of business strategies and leadership in family businesses. Family hotel businesses in Ghana were the focus of this study, covering 50 small hotels in the country. The vital findings relevant to this paper is that the use of strategies, which may be provided by business plans, offer the family business the ability to predict problems, to vision the future, and to maintain flexibility. The business environment in Ghana was described to be highly competitive, and thus, the need for well-thought of strategies enable good business performance to survive in a competitive market situation. Furthermore, the unique characteristics of family businesses can be apply in implementing particular business conditions such as cost leadership and differentiation strategies (Agyapong Boamah, 2013, p. 537). In the case of Ghanas family hotel businesses, competitive strategies were purposeful to provide the assertion of survival of the 50 small hotels. Hence, the advantage of the business plan is to help the family business to be competitive in its formation. Another advantage implied in the studies is that the business plan could help support the inherent characteristics of small family businesses. Considering the scope of these two studies and similar competitive situations, those research indicate a broad-applicable situation for small family-run hotels. Alternative studies illustrate the importance of business plans for entrepreneurs in general. Brinckmann, Grichnik and Kapsa (2010, p. 24) cleverly stated in the title of their study Should entrepreneurs plan or just storm the castle? the quote of whether to create a business plan or not. This analysis study specified that planning is beneficial, although that factors such as culture and the newness of the enterprise affect the planning-performance relationship. Relevant to this, the newness of the enterprise may not be a concern for Rebeccas case, since the business has existed during her parents time. Culture appears to be a critical factor as to refer to the norms, values, and relationships within the family. Since this is identified to affect the planning-performance relationship, the guarantee of success for Rebeccas family business is yet to be determined. Besides, another research, Zahrani, Nikmaram and Latifi (2014, p.245) specified the need for developing a strategic plan, which is especially useful for succession planning. It is important for the successor to have the right outlook about the business plans. Furthermore, according to Aronoff and Ward (2014, p. 2), shared opinion help conquer conflicts within the family organizations. It is believed that since visions are reflections of values, shared visions should also result in more unify outcomes for a family business. Visions and values can be clarify when they are justify out rather than assumed. Identifying and specifying them in a business plan should help in making decisions which link to the family expectations. Conclusion Successions in family-run businesses present potential problems. This is further complicated by the inherent features of family-operated enterprises since they lack planning and is characterized by informality which results in inconsistencies, conflict, and lack of control. Research has provided evidence based on the need to develop strategic plans to ensure the future performance of the business. The planning-performance link support needs for business plans as a family-oriented business culture is identified a plausible barrier to the business success. Business plans offer the business successor a means of continuing the business with the appropriate business outlook one that reflects family vision and values. Furthermore, business plans provide a means for avoiding the consequences arising from the inherited nature of family-run enterprises. Studies specific to the hotel industry have also identified that competitive market environments can be survived by developing strategic pla ns. Presented with the benefits of developing strategies and the analysis of Rebeccas situation, Rebecca should be convinced that a means for her successful succession of the family-run hotel is through the development of a business plan. References Agyapong, A. and Boamah, R. (2013). Business strategies and competitive advantage of family hotel businesses in Ghana: The role of strategic leadership. The Journal of Applied Business Research. Volume 29. Number 2. Accessed at: cluteinstitute.com. (Accessed 15 March 2017). Aronoff, C. and Ward, J. (2016). Family business values: How to assure a legacy of continuity and success. New York: Palgrave and MacMillan. Dalpiaz, E., Tracey, P. and Phillips, N. (2014). Succession narratives in family business: The case of Alessi. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. 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