Wagner Matinee

English 1011 3 December 2009 â€Å"A Journey through Life† Life is all about choices. Even the simplest choice could turn a situation around and further affect the future of an individual forever. I found Willa Cather’s short story â€Å"A Wagner Matinee† very interesting. It deals with different levels of choices, some which might affect the character’s life slightly, while other choices may affect their entire lifetime. The way the story is written makes the reader think a lot about the events that occur along the way.It leaves the reader wondering how the situation the characters are to encounter is widely affected by the choice of decision that is made. Many psychologists have tried and still try to research and explain the way humans think and make their own decisions by theories, views, and models. There are many psychologists who contribute their lives in order to examine the similarity between decisions and their consequences. It is found that most of the decisions are through experiences, stereotypes and personal views.The story starts with the narrator, Clark, receiving a letter from his uncle, Howard. In the letter there is a notice stating that his aunt, Georgiana, is coming to Boston for the settling of her relative’s estate. However, when he reads the letter he notices that Uncle Howard postponed sending the letter until the last moment possible, because the date that is noted for his aunt’s arrival to town is the very next day. Clark describes the letter as â€Å"worn and rubbed, looking as If it had been carried for some days in a coat pocket that was non too clean† (Cather 201).It shows how his uncle’s poor decision could have turned out if he had delayed sending the letter for one extra day or if Clark was not at home that day to receive it. When Clark expresses his feelings toward his aunt he states how important and affective she was on his childhood. She was the one who taught him abou t music, Shakespeare, mythology, and Latin. If not for her, he would have been just an ordinary farmer boy who knows nothing about education.Thus, it is clear how upset he would have gotten with himself and his uncle if he would have received the letter late and missed his aunt’s arrival. Decision avoidance is a tendency of avoiding making a choice by postponing it or by seeking an easy way out that involves neither action nor change. It usually results from reason and emotion. As mentioned in the â€Å"Psychological Bulletin† by Christopher J. Anderson: â€Å"Under conditions of high stress, this avoidance can become extreme. Take, for example, the â€Å"old sergeant syndrome† described by Janis and Mann (1977b).Infantry on the front lines of battle for long periods, witnessing the death of comrades and having no hope of transfer, have been known to ignore decisions required to protect themselves under fire or from routine safety hazards. For them, decision av oidance costs lives†. There are four occurrences that had been discussed by researches: â€Å"Status quo†, â€Å"omission†, â€Å"Inaction inertia†, and â€Å"Deferral†. There is no need for the discussion of all four phenomena, since they all are all related to previous outcomes and feedback.Decision avoidance is made when facing a decision concerning a valuable thing to the decision maker. For a person there is usually only one chance to make the right decision, but sometimes when the person thinks about the options of the possible consequences it draws him or her back, especially if there is a possibility of discrepancy, loss, or regret. In the decision made by Uncle Howard, the reason for postponing the letter until the last moment might have been for various reasons.Some of the reasons could be that he might have knew how puzzled she will be when she goes back to her home town, he might have thought how much he would miss her when she will be a way, thought of their kids, or was afraid of her staying for a much longer time at her family’s house. Although Clark got upset with his uncle for the fact that he sent the letter so late, Uncle Howard probably did not think of it the way Clark did and he definitely did not mean to do that so Clark would not have the chance of seeing his aunt. The second choice is made by Clark.After his aunt arrives to town he decides to take her to an opera the next day, since she used to be a music teacher and admires classical music, â€Å"to repay her for some of the glorious moments she had given [him]† (Cather 202). Although, when he talks with her, he becomes worried that she would not enjoy it. She has not seen an opera ever since she moved to Nebraska, which was thirty years ago. Also, she seems to be interested more in the changes of the city, and keeps on talking about the small unimportant worries that she has about the house she just left for a couple of days, than in wat ching a concert. Once they enter the pera hall, it is the first time Clark notices her observing her surroundings. However, he feels unease that she might become embarrassed of her clothing. She is wearing a black, country, dress, while all the other city-women where dressed in shiny colorful dresses. For her, it felt as if she stepped back into the reality she has longed for over the years she was in Nebraska. Although she does not seem to show any feelings, which makes Clark even more disappointed in the bad decision he had made. Egon Brunswik, who was a successful psychologist in the mid twentieth century, visualized a model of social perception.It was named â€Å"The Lens Model†. The aspect of it is how the way individuals think they see in others usually determines the way they treat and respond to them. The lens in this model represents the way the person sees the environment which is affected by his or her opinions, ideas, and previous experiences. Therefore, this is t he main reason Clark was concerned for his aunt. Since every person is aware that he or she has a different prospect through his or her own lens; Clark did not want his aunt to be uncomfortable if somebody looks at her in an improper way.Clark is also very concerned that it is too much for his aunt to take in, since he recalls and says to the reader: â€Å"I could feel how all those details sank into her soul, for I had not forgotten how they had sunk into mine when I came fresh from ploughing forever and forever between green aisles of corn, where, as in a treadmill, one might walk from daybreak to dusk without perceiving a shadow of change† (Cather 203). However, the moment the first tune is heard in the air is when Aunt Georgiana first displays emotions.She grasps on Clark’s sleeve, and he realizes â€Å"that for her [,] this broke a silence of thirty years† (Cather 203). Then he assures himself that, certainly, the concert might have been a good choice after all. Although she keeps silent throughout the concert, Clark observes her and the way she reacts to the different melodies. Lastly, the third choice that is made by Aunt Georgiana was made thirty years earlier, when she was in her younger years. She spent her childhood in Boston and was used to the city life.However, when she grew up, she fell in love with Uncle Howard while visiting a village in the Green Mountains where her relatives had settled in the past. Her family and friends opposed her decision, but she followed her heart and married him anyhow. Then she moved with him to the Nebraska frontier, where they lived since. Blinded by love, she was not aware of the consequences of her decision and the dramatic change and affect it was to cause to her life. She moved from everything she knew, even from her sophisticated and educated self, to a place she was not expecting. She gave up all she had for the sake of love.Her life changed her from being a music teacher at the Boston Co nservatory, to being in the field and living a country life. It is most evident that she was not very happy with the decision she made when Clark was studying from some of her music books in his young years and she came up to him and told him not to love music so well, â€Å"or it may be taken away. †(Cather 202) This shows how depressed she got after she realized the mistake she made and the big sacrifice she gave for something that might have faded away after a while, and it is obvious that she would take it back if she could, for any price.Also when she arrives to Boston she seems as if she tries not to get attached to the city too much, for she will have to leave it again in a matter of days. When Clark tells her about the concert and suggests visiting the Conservatory, he might have not realized at first the real reason that made her avoid the plan, but the reason she did it was because she did not want to visit these places so the memories would not come back to her and make her even more depressed than she will be. She was trying to avoid reality.However, when Clark took her to the opera she starts to notice the differences between the life she could have stayed in and the life she chose to take. Instead of being in the colorful and happy life, teaching what she is most passionate about to future generations, she chose to move to the county side, do labor work every single day, and live a dull routine that she had no interest in. Yet, once the â€Å"Prize Song† is played Clark notices that tears start falling from her eyes. Soon he learns from her that she heard it times before by a German boy who sang in a chorus of his town in his youth.She had told him to join the country church, but he disappeared shortly after he got himself drunk, lost his money, and a bet, which left him with a fractured collar-bone. The reason that this song shook her emotions might have been because when the young boy came to town he reminded her of herself when s he made the same decision when she was younger. Although he lost everything, the German boy was able to manage and leave town, in contrast to her. Sigmund Freud gave the belief that decision making is irrational a very popular voice in the early twentieth century.The early work of the psychologist J. R. Simon in the mid-twentieth century also argued against classical rationality in decisional processes. It led to the â€Å"Bounded Rationality View†, which says that people are thought to seeking or achieving a satisfactory outcome, rather than the best possible outcome when making decisions. An equivalent and famous example for this view, which was also made by Aunt Georgiana, is the marriage of two individuals who fall in love but have completely different backgrounds and interests.In some situations, the need for a decision arises from the realization that an earlier decision was wrong and that it is not producing the desired results. For example, when the concert is over, w hile every one in the audience stands up and gets ready to leave the opera hall, Clark’s â€Å"kinswoman make[s] no effort to rise† (Cather 205). Even after the men of the orchestra leave the stage, she keeps sitting in her place. Once Clark speaks with his aunt, tears start rolling on her cheeks and she weeps, telling him, â€Å"I don’t want to go, Clark, I don’t want to go! †(Cather 205).Finally, her real emotions come out; she is not able to hold them in any longer. She knows that once she will step out of that building she will have to go back to the reality she put herself into, and she does not want to face it once again. During her short visit to Boston she found out that everything she longed for during this thirty-years period was indeed the life she wanted and dreamt of in her youth, and she knows that this time she will have to make the ultimate decision in which she will have to give up on a big part of her, either her country life and her family, or the one thing she is most passionate about, which is music.In this part of the story, it is very clear to the reader that the experiences and the events that happened in Aunt Georgiana’s past could affect her decision for bad or good. Although sometimes people recognize the right decision they have to make, but a bad experience or an outcome from such a decision in the past would trigger them to decide otherwise. She will have to think if she will be happier with finally redeeming the wrong choice she made when she was young and in-love, or if she will go back to the place in which she finds no interest or excitement.This short story without a doubt contains and shows different choices and their diverse consequences and effects on a person’s life. First, if Uncle Howard had not sent the letter on time, Aunt Georgiana might not have went to visit her nephew, and in return, she would have went back home without having to go through an emotional journey tha t left her with an even larger decision to make.Secondly, if Clark would have gave up on taking her to the concert they would have probably done something else to spend the time, and it might had or had not been easier for Aunt Georgiana to go back home. Also, the most affective decision that was made by the characters is a choice that most people have to make during their lifetime; whether to get married to the person they are in love with or follow a greater passion which is of a greater importance to them.Despite the situation however, a person should always make the decision with what their mind tells them, not their heart, because the mind thinks about the consequences faster and more accurately than the heart does. Meaning, when a person is blinded by the goal he or she wants to achieve and have in his or her life, they usually tend to want it without thinking about the wide range of consequences and changes it will make to his or her life. A person might think a decision is e asy.However, simplest choices can have far reaching consequences. Abelson, Robert P. , Schank, Roger C. , and Langer, Ellen J. Beliefs, reasoning, and decision making: psycho-logic in honor of Bob Abelson. New Jersey, 1994. Anderson, Christopher J. † The Psychology of Doing Nothing: Forms of Decision Avoidance Result From Reason and Emotion. † Phsycological Bulliten Vol. 129, (2003): 139–167. Wolf, Bernhard. â€Å"University of Landau, Germany†. 2005. University of Landau, Germany. 27 Nov. 2009. .

Economics †Puerto Rico Essay

In this paper will identify, describe and production costs of the Company San Juan Cell Phones compares. In turn, the potential risks are identified in making management decisions. In addition, will analyze and assess what are the best ways to prevent negative consequences for the company. The term cost refers to the amount or representing a product or service according to investment in material, labor; training and time that you need to develop it. As you can see, the term is characteristic and central to economics as it is the point at which any part of trade or economic relationship between two parties. The cost is to be paid by those who want to receive a product or service to have it in his possession or under his control. Today, the cost of a product or service is expressed in most situations in terms of money or capital (which may itself vary currency according to the region or area in which the exchange takes place). However, in antiquity and long, humanity carried on their t rade and economic exchanges through the delivery of other items such as spices. The cost of the products is then provided to the equivalent cost for a given quantity of spice. Economic Costs According to McConnell & Brue (2008), Economic costs include all payments that must be received by resource owners to ensure a continued supply of needed resources to a particular line of production. Economic costs include explicit costs, which flow to resources owned and supplied by others, and implicit costs, which are payments for the use of self-owned and self-employed resources. One implicit cost is a normal profit to the entrepreneur. Economic profit occurs when total revenue exceeds total cost (= explicit costs + implicit costs, including a normal profit).  Differentiate between short-run costs and long run depending on use of whether variable or fixed productive factors. In Short-run costs: have fixed and variable inputs. Therefore, variable and fixed costs will be. Within the short-run costs are: Total Cost is the market value of all inputs used to produce a product. It has 2 components: fixed and variable costs: (1) is determined and unchanging value that is independent o f production volume, are those costs always exist e.g. rent, electricity, etc. (2) A Variable cost is a cost that is incurred depending on the volume of production, human cost (work) and commodities. (3) The marginal cost is the change experienced by the total cost when an additional unit increases production. Grows in contrast to the marginal productivity sense, if it grows, the marginal cost decreases. In Long-run costs: there are only variable costs. In the long run, firms have no fixed costs are all variables that the factors of production are thus the total cost, which is equal to the variable costs. The curves in the long-run costs, they say to each output, with the lowest cost that can be obtained, assuming all inputs vary. The curve means short-run costs will be tangent to the long-run average costs. The total long-run cost is equal to all the variable costs of the company. Some of the reasons why the average total cost curve to be increasing, stable or declining: (1) the means and long-run marginal costs, like a â€Å"u† because it produces income production. (2) When yields are constant output grows proportional / the increase factor, and average costs are constant. (3) When yields are rising, the long-term costs decrease. (4) When yields decrease long-term costs are rising. (5) Normally the company began taking increasing returns but as the situation is complicated diminishing appear. Overall yields are mixed. San Juan Cell Phone Scenario This scenario presented the actual dilemma of company San Juan Cell Phone in Puerto Rico. In this scenario the production manager need to analyze the potential risks, consequences positive or negative and possible solutions; of accepting the order of 100,000 units of cell phone of the company â€Å"Big Box† and accept or reject the external production of the cell by outsourcing, an external company called â€Å"Original Equipment Manufacturer†. In order to make a recommendation on what would be the best alternative for this scenario and to provide a solution that does not affect the company,  analysis and recommendations will be divided into phases. In the first phase will analyze the unit profitability report of San Juan Cell Phones, which is found in Table 1 in the statistical appendix of this document. This table shows that the company San Juan Cell Phones has a price per unit for the Alpha model for $ 20, of which the variable costs per unit are $8, fixed overhead s per unit are $ 9 and a profit per unit of $ 3. The company â€Å"Big Box† will not pay more than $ 15 per cell phone; which implies a loss of $ 5 dollars per unit price for San Juan Cell Phone. If we analyze the loss from the perspective of the total cost of production, San Juan Cell Phones would have a total loss of production of $200,000, even without adding that there was no profit from this production. This loss would lead to other serious problems to company profitability, which will be difficult to replenish in the short term because the equilibrium price in the market is $15. Therefore can notice an excess supply. San Juan Cell Phones must make a comprehensive analysis of their variable and fixed costs and trying to lower them to compete with the market price and maintain profitability. On the other hand, evaluating the offer that provides OEM to San Juan Cell Phones, where the price of production per unit is $14; we can see that San Juan Cell Phones could meet the production requested by Big Box and in turn obtain a profit of $100,000. This in turn allowing you to San Juan Cell Phone keeps the market equilibrium price of $ 15. Where the company can lower the current price per unit and maintain its excess demand in the market and maintain profitability. As part of this analysis shows that the grant to the outsourcing manufacturing, with the penalty would take to keep all their employees working and running the factory capacity. And therefore their bonus, which is based on the overall profitability of the company, is affected. Recommendations of best alternative solution In the second phase of this analysis will make the recommendations to follow to meet the expectations required by Bib Box, without loss of profitability, and to meet the value established by the company. Below the suggested recommendations: (1) Is to secure the order of 100,000 phones required by Bib Box. (2) Establish agreements with OEM outsourcing. In this agreement the Alpha prototype model and the quality of the prototype will be established, also limit the time of delivery and the amount of production is  settled. In turn, the price of $ 14 per unit, which is not negotiable, is settled. (3) Establish a plan for reengineering the organization structure, technology and the human factor in the production line of Alpha models as initial phase of the process. At a later stage the reengineering organization to another production line would be extended. Observe the appendix A: Guide for Strategic Planning and Organizational Reengineering. These recommendations are aimed to the San Juan Cell Phones company, can get the desired order to maintain profitability. In addition to be able to maintain its equilibrium price in the market, you can keep your excess demand, increase their volume of production and profits. In addition meet its corporate values ​​to provide its customers with high quality and exceed the expectations of them. Conclusion In the scenario presented the administrative task being viewed uncertain and challenging, as a number without variables, change and transformation is affecting it. It’s time for San Juan Cell Phones, perform an analysis of their strengths and limitations of your environment and make a formulation of strategic alternatives. This analysis will take the company to be more efficient and effective in meeting the needs of its consumers, taking into consideration an adaptability, a proactive character and flexibility to embrace change, in turn have a better interaction with new technologies and positive changes in the values ​​of corporate society attitude. Reference McConnell, C. R. & Brue, S. L. (2008). Economics: Principles, problems, and policies (17th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill/Irwin. Pugel, T. A. (2007). International economics (13th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill/Irwin. University of Phoenix. (2014). Student Resources. Retrieve from https://newclassroom3.phoenix.edu/Classroom/#/contextid/OSIRIS:46311129/context/co/view/activityDetails/activity/d547f818-bc95-4e40-b161-61f94462bdb7/expanded/False Statistical Appendix

Billy Pilgrims Coping Mechanism for PTSD in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhousee Slaughterhousee

â€Å"Post traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating condition that follows a terrifying event† (Marilyn 8). It occurs when one has witnessed or experienced a traumatic event, such as war, child abuse, or other types of violence. Victims may claim to relive or re-experience events that were traumatic to them. They may even â€Å"feel† or â€Å"hear† things from the event. Other symptoms may include: â€Å"forgetfulness†¦amnesia, excessive fantasizing†¦trancelike states†¦imaginary companion, sleepwalking, and blackouts† (Putman 2). A lot of times, coping mechanisms fail and the following inner dissonance can lead to a multiplicity of upsetting emotional and physical symptoms (Robert Saperstein 2). Some children suffering from PTSD may show traumatic play. This refers to the reenactment of a traumatic experience. Usually, children will change the ending to make it happier. This is an extreme example of using the imagination as a way to escap e the terrible memories. Billy has all the symptoms associated with the disorder as he also used his imagination to escape his bad memories. When Billy Pilgrim goes to war in Germany, he is soon captured by the Germans and taken to a prisoner camp. While there, he is mocked and ridiculed. He is a very passive character, and so is not bothered by this taunting, but when Billy realizes that the war doesn’t just affect soldiers and people, but all animals, such as the horses they find after the bombing of Dresden, his life is scarred forever. He sees that the horses are bleeding from their mouths and that they are in agony when walking. When Billy sees that his colleagues had mistreated the horses, he realizes that that is what war does to the entire world. Billy is forever changed and even weeps (197). This may have been the trigger for PTSD in Billy’s life to begin with. One of case post traumatic stress disorder tells of a Vietnam veteran sleeping with a gun under his pillow and having nightmares so intense that he woke up strangling his wife. Another time, the same veteran saw a neighbor walking outside after dark and dodged under a bush and started crawling around with a gun (McGirk 1).

Emerging issues in environmental disaster management Essay

Emerging issues in environmental disaster management - Essay Example The way the US Coast Guard was able to function in such times of emergency speaks for itself about the efficient organization and working system of the agency, and the impact it has had and will continue to have on the lives ofmillions of Americans.Disaster management is a system of relief operations carried out in lieu of any natural or human-afflicted disasters in the country. These operations can be carried out either before or after a disaster strikes. When they are carried before the calamity, they are in the nature of preparing the people for it, and often involve evacuating the pertinent area. In the case of post-disaster operations, they are mostly concerned with the relief and rehabilitation of the stricken area and people, and often involve medical and housing facilities, and the sheltering of the evacuees. Many agencies and organizations, both governmental and non- governmental, have to work in a highly coordinated manner to bring about these measures. There is a high leve l of internal and external organization in and among these organizations respectively to achieve a high degree of efficiency that is a prerequisite for emergency control and management. These organizations can be at city, state or federal level, depending upon the nature and the need of the agency, and also upon the scope and limits of its operations. This paper focuses on the United States Coast Guard and its workings. The United States Coast Guard had its inception on January 28, 1915. ... coasts and inland maritime region. Although originally operating under the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard, under special circumstances, can also serve the Department of Defense and the Department of the Navy. It embodies the motto Semper Paratus, which means "Always Ready". History: the history of the United States Coast Guard can be divided into two broad factions; the early history, that is before the formal inception of the modern Coast Guard authority, and that of post-modern Coast Guard inception. The early history can be traced back to the 1970s. On the 4rth of August, 1970, the Tariff Act by the Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels, or cutters, with the recruitment of 100 revenue officers, to maintain US maritime laws in the waterways, coordinate the marine taxes and prevent smuggling. This service was known as the Revenue Cutter Service or the Revenue Marine. In 1915, when the Cutter Service was combined with the Life-Saving Service, the organization received the present name of the United States Coast Guard. At that point, it was the single service dealing with both the enforcement of law and the service of personal protection and life saving in the waterways. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt transferred the Lighthouse Service to the Coast Guard, so that now the Coast Guard had to carry out maritime navigation and the operation of the country's lighthouses along with its other jobs. But that

Leadership and Persuasion Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership and Persuasion - Term Paper Example The apex of the military efforts is air force strikes. This brings terror to the group and its allies and consequently a suppression of the sect. Have we ever considered the effectiveness of this approach though? Alternatively, is it a strategy to ensure revenge on ISIS for their past terrorist acts? As much as action should be taken, the military action and all the bombing associated should be stopped. ISIS militants usually live around innocent civilians. Bombing causes killing with impunity, which we are fighting actually. This causes ill feelings by the Arab civilians which fuels radicalization of the youths by the sect. Nations therefore ought to seek alternative ways of conflict resolution. The Hezbollah and the Iran oppose ISIS operations. America is also an enemy of the ISIS. However, America has been involved in many military attacks in the Arab countries. This has caused the Arab countries to have ill feelings about America due to military deployment. This has caused constraints in diplomatic relationships making the fight against the ISIS difficult. Countries, especially America that have been intensively involved in the war against the ISIS, need to restructure their relationship with the Arabs. This will provide a safe haven in the Arab countries. This will strengthen war against the ISIS. Intervention without biasness to either party of the conflicting Arab countries will also be beneficial. Arab countries are widely arid with high rates of unemployment. This favors recruitment into the radical ISIS group. Moreover, the continued economic decline due to warfare increases chances of the youth radicalization. The governments involved and the intervening governments need to create more jobs for the youth to counter idleness that make them prone to radicalization. The youth need informing that the ISIS is not a channel that fights for their interests. Critical thinking involves the evaluation of facts from a

International law and organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International law and organisation - Essay Example Since there is no common governing power that supervises all countries, despite the existence of international organizations such as United Nations, states find themselves unable to trust each other. Thus, they usually treat each other as possible opponent that could grab them anytime. On the other hand, the modified structural realists believe that since there is anarchy in international relations, the weaker states have to look for means in order to protect its security and interest, as opposed to the powerful states, which tend to resist regulation or control of their movements. Similar to the modified structural realists, neo-liberal institutionalists believe that adherence to international legal principles would help promote transparency in international dealings, reduce transaction costs in international trade, intensify strict monitoring and enforcement of contractual obligations, and eases imposition of penalties for violation thereof. Voluntary observance of the international legal principles would encourage more cooperation in the international arena that would somehow grant long-term benefits, especially in the financial aspects. The hegemonic stability theor... e theories point to only one thing: the creation and observance of international legal principles are supported by the quest for protection of self-interest by the international stakeholders. Clearly, an independent state would not want to impose upon itself a rule that would ultimately restrict its freedom, if it will not reap any benefit from it. It cannot be denied that this voluntary adhesion to certain legal principles is no longer governed or motivated by the spirit of altruism. States need to protect themselves. Nobody can do it better than themselves. In the humanitarian aspect for example, every state must choose to create a standard that would protect its people against unwarranted human rights violations. This is especially true in terms of physical violence where no specific ideology or religion could divert or amend the standards for all human beings because of the basic knowledge that all humans are equal in feelings. If a state for example would think of exempting itself from the international standards of human rights, common sense dictates that it should prepare itself for possible retaliation in the most inhumane way since the state itself does not observe any standards for physical violation of its citizens. A classic example on this one is the law on war. The killing of a war prisoner is generally prohibited. If the United States for example would kill an Iraqi soldier who was left by his troops during a fight and who was captivated by the American soldiers would be killed, Iraq would then have every reason to kill an American war prisoner because the United States in this case was the first one to violate the rights of such war prisoner. To create and obey this particular international legal principle is then more of a reciprocal benefit

Analyze two poems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analyze two poems - Essay Example Poems have particular structures and require the appropriate utilization of language in order to depict the feelings of the poet but still maintain the basic poetic nature. Such features do not change and has not changed through time since the earliest poets such John Donne employed them in their poems and so are the modern day poets as discussed in the essay below. Poems tell stories by addressing specific features of the society. They do these by analyzing the social occurrences in the form of thematic issues, which the poets analyze poetically and represent in their works while maintaining the relativity of thought and feelings enjoyed by artists. John Donne did this in his two works in which he portrays several thematic issues. In The Legacy, the poet discussed the gravity of separation, relationships break, and families separate for different reasons. Such separations are always sad and emotion. The pot discusses this using several social factors which he feels best describe the feelings people have whoever separated by their loved ones (Donne 31). Among the social factors, he sues in discussing the importance and gravity of separation is death. Death is a social phenomenon that has been in the society since time immemorial. Humans feel pain whenever they lose their loved ones to death. John Donne thus compares the pain his separation creates to that of his death (Carey 54). He does the same with The Flea in which he discusses sexual sin. Sex just as death in the Legacy has been a part of humanity since time immemorial. People attach immense importance to sexual relations and so does John Donne in the poem. The persona in the poem tries to convince a woman to sleep with him and in doing so; the persona explains his belief in relation to sexual intercourse. He for example explains that during the intercourse their blood would mingle thus making them one. In composing the poem, the author discusses several social and physical phenomena that help describe the nature of his society. One of such is Christianity, religion. By personifying the flea, the poet represents the trinity a basis of the Christianity. He uses the flea and its blood sucking nature to portray the mingling of human blood during sexual intercourse. Poems have natural features that help them qualify as such. As a renowned poet, John Donne portrays immense understanding of the structure and features of poetry thus employ them effectively. Among the important features of poetry and poems is the need for rhythm. Rhythm refers to the specific sound patterns that poems have thus making their recital easier. The poet employs different poetic elements in establishing rhythm in his poems. Among the most evident elements, he uses are rhymes and the use of chorus among many others. Rhymes are an essential aspect of poems that help develop the rhythm thus making recital of poems easier. The poetic element refers to the use of words with similar sound patterns in the lines of a stan za. The words placed at the end of the lines should have similar sound patterns during pronunciation thus helping recite the poems as they lead the audience from a line to the next. Rhymes thus have patterns and The Flea has one definite rhyme patterns throughout the entire poem. The first two lines end in a similarly sounding word as so are the second two lines as the poem progresses. Such a pattern is known as the aa, bb, cc, dd, ee. The poet creates the

A report on a piece of qualitative research - The Impact of Price Essay

A report on a piece of qualitative research - The Impact of Price Changes on the Brand Equity of Toyota in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The focus groups participated in a price simulation exercise followed by interviews. The price simulation exercise exposed the participants to price changes to their preferred vehicle and observed how they responded to those changes. The follow-up interviews were calculated to determine why the participants responded as they did to the price changes in the price simulation exercise. Research findings indicate that most customers will at the very least consider an alternative brand when confronted with a price change. However, the more affluent and loyal customers will not change brands when price changes are insignificant and are reasonable. These results are analyzed by reference to a conceptual framework drawn from the work of Villargeo-Ramos and Sanchez (2005) and Yoo, Donthu, and Lee (2000) who established a link between marketing communications and brand equity including brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty and perceived brand quality. The results of this study conf irm that price changes as a marketing communication strategy is received and interpreted in the context of the different dimensions of brand equity. This is a qualitative case study that investigates the responses of consumers in Saudi Arabia when experiencing sudden price adjustments to the leading models in automobile categories of small sedans, medium sedans, and small SUVs in Saudi Arabia. In particular this qualitative case study seeks to determine from the perspective of Saudi Arabian consumers the extent that price influences their purchasing behavior; the impact of price changes on the brand equity of Toyota in the context of brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty, and perceived quality; and whether or not effective price management would improve or maintain Toyota’s competitive edge in Saudi Arabia’s market. This chapter will explain the research methodology used for achieving the goals of this research study and the justifications for the methodology

Love Medicine Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Love Medicine Research - Essay Example At the same time it assures a reader about the fact that love is the most important aspect of life to identify and relish the felling of fulfillment as human beings. The element of hope is prevalent in the story and the optimism that has been reflected in the story has been churned from interaction between the characters as well as through their actions. Lipsha Morrissey’s life, since his birth, was never a fairy tale story and he has been saved from her mother who wanted to kill him. In that way he has never been lucky enough to feel the charm of parental love. However under the guardianship of Grandma and Grandpa Kashpaw he realized that love and that love is one of the main sources for him to make him feel that he is complete as a human being. As Grandpa Kashpaw achieved several things within his span of life always had a strong influence over Lipsha. However, since Grandpa’s mind was gradually failing it stated all the problems and conflicts but he never seemed to have any worry about that thing and it seems as if welcomed it, â€Å"I’m getting into my second childhood.† â€Å"I been chosen for it. I couldnâ€⠄¢t say no.† (Erdrich, 109) Though both Grandma and Grandpa never escaped from the bond of their mutual love but during his momentary fit of lunacy his elopement with Lulu Lamartine has never been appreciated by Grandma. Consequently, Lipsha was assigned with the responsibility to prepare a love medicine. (Erdrich, 116) In the context of preparing love medicine for both of them we not only see dominance of hope in Lipsha’s quest but at the same time conspicuous elements of Native American rituals have also been explicitly presented by the narrator. Presentation of such ritualistic elements has intentionally been introduced by the author to heighten the element of optimism in the story. Lipsha have always felt that without the mutual love both from

Mainland Chinese in Hong Kong Essay Example for Free

Mainland Chinese in Hong Kong Essay Everyone in Hong Kong should have heard of the mainland parallel-goods traders who discriminated by the local citizens. The MTR Corporation’s new policy setting limit to the weight of the luggage and the demonstration against the traders held by the local citizens are some of the evidences showing the discrimination against the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong (Lee Lo, 2012). Actually, the mainland Chinese settling in Hong Kong faces lots of barriers in different aspects. According to the United Nation, the living standard of a people will be degraded by the social, political, environmental, cultural and economic barriers (The United Nation, 1976). This essay will discuss the barriers occurred, the response by different stakeholders and the Hong Kong government’s role in this issue. The reason why the mainland Chinese migrates to Hong Kong may help understand the issue. In 1962, the Hong Kong government adopted the Touch Base Policy, which allowed the mainland Chinese arriving the city area to settle in Hong Kong. Since there was starvation in China at that time, thousands of people who were strong and young migrated to Hong Kong by swimming and climbing the hill. They devoted themselves to work for the factories and increased the productivity of light industry (The Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding, 2001). Due to the booming economy of Hong Kong and the introduction of the Basic Law in 1997, many mainland Chinese came and gave birth to their children to enjoy the right of abode in Hong Kong (Ming Pao, 2011). Therefore, the two main purposes for the mainland Chinese to settle in Hong Kong are working and enjoying the welfare. The social barriers faced by people are defined by the lack of help from the society, the exclusion from the welfare and the disconnection from the social network (The United Nation, 1976). As mentioned above, the mainland Chinese settle in Hong Kong to enjoy the benefit provided by the government. However, the one who does not have the right of abode cannot enjoy the welfare. The most familiar case is the difference in the fee of medical service. The charge of the service of accident and emergency for the local citizen is $100 per attendance while that of people with no right of abode charges $570 per attendance which is five times to the local one (Hospital Authority, 2007). This shows that the mainland Chinese staying in Hong Kong less than 7 years cannot enjoy the medical services at the lowest cost. Even the mainland Chinese with the right of abode cannot fully enjoy the welfare of the society. Consider the free education provided to the children with the right of abode, it is obvious that the mainland children in Hong Kong may have difficulties in learning using English and Cantonese which are not their mother tongue (Caritas Hong Kong- Tsuen Wan Community Centre, 1998). There is no extra resource to help the migrated children to adapt to the learning environment which is different from that of mainland China. Beyond the social barriers are the economic barriers, which are known as the lack of participation in production, trading and consumption (The United Nation, 1976). Another purpose of settling in Hong Kong is to get the employment opportunity as stated above. However, it is difficult for the mainland Chinese to find a job in Hong Kong. According to the report conducted by the Hong Kong government, the employment rate of the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong was 45.7%, lower than the overall employment rate in Hong Kong (60.3%) in 2006 (Hong Kong Government, 2007). This can be caused by their small social network and low education level of the migrated mainland Chinese. Moreover, there are not many types of work they can choose. 82% of the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong was having works with low-technique in 2006 (Hong Kong Government, 2007). As the mainland Chinese are of low education level with few techniques for work, most of them work as sales assistants but not technician. This implies that the mainland Chinese has a relative low chance to earn high profit in Hong Kong. Actually, the income rate of the mainland Chinese are much lower than that of the local citizens. The median of income of the mainland Chinese is around $6000 while that of the local citizens is $10000 (Hong Kong Government, 2007). Having a low income set them into living problem as they may have difficulty in buying necessity, paying utilities expense and paying for the meal. Getting low income not only leads to the difficulty in buy food and stuff, but also leads to the residential problem. The environmental barriers mean the poor living condition of the residents and the negative atmosphere of the environment (The United Nation, 1976). According to the report of Society for Community Organization in 2009, the median of monthly rent of bed space apartment is $1265 and that of suite is $2300 (Society for Community Organization, 2009). If the mainland Chinese chooses to rent a bed space apartment or a suite, they will spend a large part of their income to live in an area with poor condition. They can also choose to rent the public housing or purchase their private house, but this will cost them more which they may not afford. Moreover, the characteristic of the district they lived may create negative emotion to the mainland Chinese. If you are living in a city that was degraded by many people, you will probably become sad all days. Actually, when the mainland Chinese rent the public housing in Hong Kong, they may often be allocated to the Western part of New Territory, as it is the new developed town with more space. The problem faced by the mainland Chinese when they are settling will create sad emotion which will be accumulated. This leads to the high rate of unemployment, suicide and family violence and also leads to the name of ‘city of sadness’ for Tin Shui Wai (Chang, 2007). Fung is an example described in the program of the New Magazine. She is a mainland woman settled in Hong Kong for 10 years with no husband and she find it hard to live in Tin Shui Wai as there are many cases similar to hers (New Magazine, 2007). It is obvious that the mainland Chinese may face both physical and mental barriers raised by the environment. In concord with the environmental barriers, the mainland Chinese may face cultural barriers. It is about the loss of the acceptance of their cultures and behaviors from the society (The United Nation, 1976). While you are walking on the street, you may have the experience that the Chinese near you are not saying the same language compared to yours or do not familiar with Cantonese. Actually, many migrated mainland Chinese has their only accent or dialect. From the data of the Population Census 2011, 5.3% of the resident in Hong Kong spoke Putonghua or other Chinese dialect (Hong Kong Government, 2012). This leads to the obstruction for them to communicate with the local citizens. Moreover, the habits of the mainland Chinese are different from that of the local people. For example, there are many cases of corruption in the mainland and the residents there usually bribe the government officers or the manager of the company to enjoy services earlier than others or obtain other benefits. When the mainland Chinese settles in Hong Kong, they cannot change this practice which is not accepted here immediately. Therefore, they will be discriminated by the local citizens when they want to jump the queue by giving extra money (Ming Pao, 2012). Obviously, such behaviors may create discrimination against the mainland Chinese and they may find it hard to communicate with the local citizens. Above the previous four kinds of barriers is the political barrier. Political barriers occur when people are excluded in the procedure of establishing policies as no one can represent them to fight for their right (The United Nation, 1976). In the case of migrated Chinese, they only have the permanent right of abode and so the voting right in Legislative Council and District Council when they live in Hong Kong for more than 7 years (Hong Kong Government, 1997). Therefore, if they only live for less than 7 years, they cannot exercise their voting right to vote for the councilor who is willing to strive for their interests. Some may argue that there are still some councilors, who consider the right of mainland Chinese in Hong Kong, however; as there are too few councilors representing them, it is likely that the councilors cannot align the decision making in the council to the rights of the mainland Chinese. From the above, we find different barriers faced by the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong with different nature. Whether they should be included in the Hong Kong society has come to a controversial issue between the groups that advocate and the groups that oppose. ‘Citizens should tolerate the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong as they are only of different values with us.’ the former chief executive Donald Tsang said (RTHK, 2012). This is one of the points that support their inclusion in Hong Kong. As the mainland Chinese was adapted to their habits in China, they cannot change their mind step right after they settled in Hong Kong. It is rude to repel them just because their behaviors are different from us. Moreover, Hong Kong is an international city consisted of people come from different cities or countries. It is the common practice for the Hong Kong citizens to treat people with different race in the same way to encourage cultural diversification. If we only give respect to the white but detest the mainland Chinese, an image that Hong Kong is not a city that can include all kinds of groups may be created. This may probably damage the reputation and discredit the name of travellers’ paradise of Hong Kong. One of the possible outcomes is the decrease in amount of travellers and investment in Hong Kong and this will lead to the decrease in social benefits as well. Furthermore, exclusion of them in Hong Kong will create negative emotions to the society. When there are people blaming the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong, it will usually create ‘war’ between local Chinese and mainland Chinese. We can easily find posters and articles posted by them to insult each other on the Internet. People supporting each side will also organize campaigns that dishonor another side and this will aggravate conflict in the society (Ming Pao, 2011). Another negative impact raised by the exclusion is the deadly tragedy of mainland Chinese. When the mainland Chinese cannot settle down properly and are scorned by the Hong Kong people, sadness will accumulate. As there are not enough resources for the assistance or counseling to the mainland Chinese, they may try to solve the problem by themselves. The solutions usually include improper behaviors like committing suicide. This kind of negative news does cast a shadow on the society. On the other hand, there are groups that oppose the inclusion of mainland Chinese in Hong Kong. Firstly, they state that the mainland Chinese should respect the unique culture of Hong Kong. For example, some of the citizens think that the main language used by Hong Kong people should be Cantonese. Also, they may think that there are some hidden rules which are sometimes broken by the mainland should be kept up, such as queuing, talking softly in public area, and no eating on the train. If many mainland Chinese enters or settles in Hong Kong, they may influence the original culture of Hong Kong and make the society worse as they image. Secondly, Hong Kong is already very crowded that there should not be more people settle down. According to the world record, Mongkok is the most crowded place in the world and its average population density is 130 thousands. The public transports and facilities in Hong Kong are also fully used by the local citizens. If more mainland Chinese settle down here, a lot of place in Hong Kong will become more packed and this will create extra demand of the provision of public transportation. Thirdly, the mainland Chinese will use up the limited resources which originally belong to the local citizens. For instance, the medical services provided for the pregnant woman are limited, as there are limited doctors and bed in the public hospitals. Although the charges of the public medical services for the mainland Chinese are much higher, the mainland Chinese is still willing to give birth in order to enjoy higher service quality and evade the punishment under the one-child policy. Under this circumstance, the doctors will become more stressful and not enough public medical services will be provided to the local women. Some says that, the foreign migrants settled in Hong Kong may also use up the limited resources; however, the population of the China is very large compared to other countries (Li Lok, 2012). If we advocate the inclusion of mainland Chinese in Hong Kong, large amount of the mainland will rush to Hong Kong for varied reasons and the situation will be completely different compared to the case of the foreign migrants. We could find different points of view in the society which have already listed above and it is the government responsibility to balance between the opinions of the citizens for or against the inclusion of mainland Chinese. The most important thing needed to redeem the reputation of Hong Kong is to help the mainland Chinese overcomes their barriers faced in Hong Kong. To deal with the economic barriers, the government should help the mainland Chinese to find jobs with higher income by promoting their competitiveness. To begin with, the government can allocate more resources to the community centers for them to organize language and practical skill workshops which can enrich the abilities of the mainland Chinese so that they can attract the local employers. In addition, the government can take the initiative opening up more positions for the mainland Chinese to apply so that the private firms will follow and this will create job opportunity for them. To solve the social barriers, the government can appoint the school to create a better learning environment for the mainland children by adopting small class teaching of the English lesson or making tutorial class for them. This relies on the extra resources given by the government to help the children enjoy the education more effectively. To deal with the cultural barriers the mainland Chinese faced, the government should force them to abolish their bad customs. Specifically, the government should produce more advertisements about the moral standard of Hong Kong citizens which can be broadcast on TV and radio so that the migrated mainland Chinese will be influenced and follow our practices. Not only the mainland Chinese should be educated, but also the local residents should be inculcated about the equality of people with different cultures. As the economist said, good institutions always align self-interest with the social interest (Cowen Tabarrok, 2011). It is known that globalization encourages the movement of people from their countries of origin to another places. It will become more common that the mainland Chinese settles in Hong Kong as the relationship between Hong Kong and Chinese become closer. Therefore, it is for the social interest that local citizens should accept the existence of mainland Chinese in Hong Kong so that the conflicts in the society will be alleviated. To fulfill this social interest, institutions to the public should be introduced. The government should first strengthen the citizenship education about inclusion of mainland Chinese for the primary and secondary school students as they are the pillar of the society. Then, the government should produce more TV programs and large campaigns to change the whole atmosphere of the society. Actually, there are some programs on the TV promoting equally treatment to the mainland Chinese like ‘Southern and northern’, one of the episode of the program in RTHK talking about the difficulties faced by the migrated Chinese woman in Hong Kong (RTHK, 2011). As citizens in Hong Kong, we must be aware of the existence of mainland Chinese. There are increasing potential that the China will overtake Hong Kong to become a city with high CGDP. There is also globalization encouraging the inflow of mainland Chinese. Inclusion of mainland Chinese is a must in the 21st century and we should confront to the problem existed to alleviate the conflicts in the society. It is found that there are economic, political, social, cultural and environmental barriers faced by the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong. There are also increasing discussion on whether we should advocate the inclusion of them. When it comes to the benefits of the public, the government should act as the lubricant between groups with different opinions and create a harmonious atmosphere. In the coming future, it is possible that there is no discrimination against the mainland Chinese and they may become part of the Hong Kong. Reference: Caritas Hong Kong- Tsuen Wan Community Centre. (1998). The research on the view of the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong by the local citizens. Hong Kong: Tsuen Wan Community Centre. Chang, D. (2007, 12 14). Tin Shui Wai: City of Sadness. Asia Sentinel. Cowen,T., Tabarrok, A. (2011). Modern principle of Economics. Worth Publishers. Hong Kong Government. (1997). The Basic Law. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Government. Hong Kong Government. (2007). The recent employment state of the mainland Chinese in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Government. Hong Kong Government. (2012, 9 7). Usual Residents Aged 5 and Over by Duration of Residence in Hong Kong, Sex, Nationality and Usual Language, 2011. Retrieved from Population Census 2011: http://www.census2011.gov.hk/en/main-table/F118.html Hospital Authority. (2007). Fees and Charges. Retrieved from Hospital Authority website: http://www.ha.org.hk/visitor/ha_visitor_index.asp?Content_ID=10045Lang=ENGDimension=100Parent_ID=10044Ver=HTML Lee,A., Lo, C. (20 12, 10 6). MTRs new weight limit aimed at mainland traders. South China Morning Post. Li,C., Lok, A. (2012, 2 3). Hong Kong demonstration against mainland Chinese. Epoch Times. Ming Pao. (2011, 5 5). Little cost but large benefit for the mainland woman to give birth in Hong Kong. Ming Pao. Ming Pao. (2011, 10 23). Pregnant women demonstrate against the mainland children born in Hong Kong. Ming Pao. Ming Pao. (2012, 1 19). the local citiznes and mainland Chinese argue in the public hospital. Ming Pao. New Magazine. (2007). Home in Tin Shui Wai. RTHK. (2011). Southern and Northern. RTHK. (2012, 2 9). The confidence to the Hong Kong citizens of the tolerance to the mainland Chinese. RTHK. Society for Community Organization. (2009). Research on rental problem of bedspace apartment and suite. Hong Kong: Society for Community Organization. The Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding. (2001). History of Hong Kong Special Autonomous Region. Retrieved from The Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding website: http://www.sacu.org/hongkong.html The United Nation. (1976, 5-6). United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II). Retrieved 11 2012, from the United Nations website: http://www.un.org/Conferences/habitat/

Reflective Essay on Teamwork

Reflective Essay on Teamwork This essay will critically reflect on the process of teamwork, change management and leadership; all issues pertinent to the role of the SCPHN. Barr and Dowding (2008) assert the necessity for leaders to critically reflect effectively, in order to raise their awareness and effect change where needed. Densten and Gray (2001) support this view, adding that leadership development depends on active reflection. A peer learning group (PLG) of five was formed; their goal to identify an area for change within their practice, justified by available evidence, and to formulate a plan of implementation. Our group was a mix of School Health and District Nurse SCPHN students, which made it more difficult to identify a common change initiative. However, our group overcame this obstacle and identified low staff morale in the workplace as an area to consider for change. A literature search revealed this to be a feasible initiative. The work of the PLG was to be delivered to an audience of peers through a presentation. We aptly named our team The Motivators. Sullivan Garland (2010) distinguish groups from teams and discuss the concept of how groups are transformed into teams, and the necessity for a thorough understanding of this process for effective team leadership and management. Morhman et al (1995) define a team as a group of individuals working together to produce a product or service for which they are all mutually accountable. They have a shared goal and are interdependent in its accomplishment, their interactions producing the collective result. It is argued that groups differ in that they perform their tasks independently of each other and sometimes also competitively (Sullivan Garland, 2010). It has been proffered that working in small teams is conducive to effective learning and involves collaboration and co-operation (Will, 1997). Conversely, Topping (2005) adopts a cynical stance by implying that the application of peer learning strategies by educational establishments is simply gathering together a group of individuals and hoping for the best. Co-operative learning is said to reinforce learning amongst group members through discussion and peer review, while collaborative learning is socially constructed knowledge assuming the negotiation of the individuals different perspectives (Will, 1997). In order to achieve a goal it is essential that teams work cooperatively (Sullivan Garland, 2010). Further, Clements et al (1997) cite collaboration as the foundation of a healthy team and together with effective communication is key to producing high quality results. Parker (2008) suggests that working collaboratively requires a clear objective and a consensus of opinion when d ecision making; DFES (2004) reiterate the aspect of shared responsibility in collaborative working. My own PLG worked both collaboratively and co-operatively, facilitated and evidenced by: a readiness to assume roles within the team, maintaining communication links, regular meetings and the sharing of information resources and ideas. The perspective offered by Slavin (1996) is that of social cohesion; peers helping each other because they want each to succeed. This idea is applicable to my PLG as our presentation was assessed as a joint effort. Sullivan Garland (2010) maintain that strong group cohesiveness fosters greater personal support and cooperation amongst the group, which again was evident in our group. However, Slavin (1996) acknowledges the constraints of learning in this manner as each team member has limited time/exposure to the other members learning topic. Because our group had different timetables we experienced difficulties meeting up, however we overcame this by maintaining contact via e mail. Oliver (2006) acknowledges the complications that can arise in team-wor k and Eisenhardt (1997) stresses the need for stability when aspiring to produce optimum performance. Tuckman, (1965) offered a model comprising four stages, advocating this as the ideal group- decision making process. Adair (2004) purports it to be a problem solving toolkit. Forming: this did not present us with a problem as we all knew each other. From forming as a group we evolved quickly into: Storming: this stage enabled the team to grow. We identified an area for change, which was limited by our mixed professional group, and planned our immediate work schedule. We completed a SWOT analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses we envisaged in implementing the change. No one was immediately willing to take on the mantle of leader so we unanimously elected the person who had initially proposed the change initiative. We exchanged contact details, agreed a time plan and arranged our next meeting. Norming: is said to occur when the team has developed trust and are working toward a common goal (Adair, 2004). At this time it is likely that some members will forgo their own ideas in order to progress the team function. In this stage all members assume responsibility for the success of the team goal. I was fortunate to belong to a group that worked well together and were well motivated. Due to this degree of co operation we passed through to the final phase quickly: Performing: At this stage we worked cooperatively on delegated tasks maintaining contact frequently between meetings. We offered each other support and encouragement throughout the process and our team leader encouraged contact and mutual support. Action learning (AL) has been defined as a continual process of learning and reflection which is supported by colleagues with the ultimate aim of accomplishing a goal (McGill Beaty, 2001). It has a bottom up approach and is said to promote innovation rather than simply change (Pryjmachuk, 1996). In essence this is what our group did; by coming together to focus on the issues of individual group members and reflecting on them, the group were enabled to proceed with their planned action. Pedlar (2008) describes AL as an approach to problem solving whereby individuals are enabled to develop and form relationships that contrive to enhance the change process. The relationship between research and innovation was highlighted by Lord Darzi (2007). Most organisations are concerned with effective team working and it is accepted that factors affecting team performance are multi-faceted (McGill Beaty, 2001). Empirical studies suggest the validity of Belbins Self -Perception Inventory (SPI) (Aritzeta et al, 2005). Belbin (1981) developed the SPI to identify the behavioural characteristics of individuals within a team, thus enabling the creation of effectively functioning teams through a creative and appropriate mix (Broucek Randell, 1996). An Observers Assessment (OA) which was later introduced has further increased validity (Belbin, 1994). . Although the tool has received criticism (Furnham et al, 1993), Belbins defence was that the tool was not intended as a psychometric instrument (Belbin, 1993b). Our group used a version of the tool (Foundation of Nursing Leadership, 2011) as a learning experience to identify our roles within the team. I emerged as Supporter and Questioner in equal measure closely followed by Finisher (Append ix ). In Belbins SPI this would equate to Team worker, Monitor Evaluator and Completer-Finisher. A supporter of Belbin theory suggests that greater control is achieved through the ability to forecast team attitudes (Fisher et al, 2000). I was surprised at how accurate this was for myself although I would not entirely agree. Although we didnt use the SPI to assess the characteristics of our team prior to beginning the project, it was an interesting and informative task to undertake. It happened that we had a mix of characteristics within our team which perhaps accounted for our collaborative cooperation. However, it has been argued that Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Model favours the management of organisational dynamics as it maintains motivation through the desire to achieve (Burnes, 2004). The current re-design of the health service requires a willingness and ability to adapt to change (Institute for Innovation and Improvement, 2011). Efforts to contrive change are unanimously said to be fraught with challenges (Parkin, 1997; MacFarlane et al, 2002), although McWilliam and Ward-Griffin, 2006; Darzi, 2007) argue that healthcare workers have both the mandate and the potential to lead and effect change initiatives. One of the major challenges to change is seen as resistance, which is said to have both positive and negative effects and to be expected by managers implementing change (Sullivan Garland, 2010). Waddell and Sohal (1998) insist that resistance to change should be utilised and viewed as evaluative material to reassess the proposed change. Pederit (2000) found resistance to reveal valid concerns about proposed change worthy of reconsideration. Bovey and Hede (2001) argue that resisting change is a natural human behaviour and unavoidable. Fisher Savage (1999) identify through Personal Construct Theory, a model of personal change The Transition Curve (Appendix ), which identifies a process individuals may go through in the transition period of change. Similarly, the stages of grief identified by KÃ ¼bler Ross (1969) (Appendix ) are also applied to the process of change, although Connor (1998) adapted the sequence in his Cycle of Negative Response as he argued the emotions involved in change are less intense. Change is recognised as unsettling so it is logical that the change agent be a settling influence. A theory Y style of management is thought to aid change through its liberating and developmental aspects; McGregor espoused the theory that control, achievement and improvement are accomplished through enabling, empowering and giving responsibility (Appendix ). There appears to be a lack of distinction between resistance and conflict in some of the literature (Parkin, 2009). Parkin differentiates the two by stating the more aggressive and emotional nature of conflict. Our PLG was fortunate in not encountering any conflict at all; DiPaola and Hoy (2001) suggest that large, diverse groups have a greater potential for conflict through the wider differences in objectives and perspectives. As our group was small with common interests and goals, areas for conflict should be minimal. Chuang et al (2004) supports this when arguing that the shared values of nurses promotes greater tolerance and respect, although it has been said that as a group, nurses are apt to avoid conflict to the detriment of effective change implementation (Valentine, 2001). However, Anderson (2005) argues the limitless potential for conflict amongst any group, small or large. Historically, conflict has been viewed as having a negative impact due to the tensions it creates (Medina et al, 2005) but it has also been asserted that conflict can also benefit team performance (Jehn, 1995). McAdam (2005) suggests that conflict can be both constructive, leading to innovative results or destructive, which hinders innovation. It therefore follows that conflict is better managed rather than resolved. Bruce and Wyman (1998) suggest conflict can be channelled by good management into creativity and positive outcomes. It is important that learning opportunities are not missed through avoiding conflict (Fagan, 1985). Working through conflict can create enhanced understanding, increased motivation and lead to more effective working (Sullivan and Garland, 2010). Crawley and Graham (2002) describe the benefits of healthy conflict as culminating in providing a driver for change. Nicholson (2011) asserts that leaders can create conditions to either hinder or aid innovation and Bruhn (2004) reiterates this when arguing that leaders set the limits of success by how they manage change. Innovation is currently the popular term within healthcare organisations, implying change with a positive thrust (Parkin, 2009), Pryjmachuk (1996) also supports this reasoning when stating that innovations are seen as welcome, while change is not. Reid (2009) stated the legal obligation on Strategic Health Authorities to promote innovation. Conversely, research suggests change in whatever form remains unpopular, causing stress and conflict (Stewart ODonnell, 2007). The literature abounds with a multiplicity of change strategies ranging from the dictatorial approach of controlling to those which embrace the involving paradigm (Dunphy and Bryant, 1996: 692). The Motivators identified Lewins ( 1951) three step approach to change management as an appropriate model to manage the identified change. The model has been dismissed as outdated and simplistic (Dawson, 1994), but according to Burnes (2004) criticism is based on a narrow interpretation of the model. The model should be viewed alongside the other elements of the planned approach: Field Theory; Group Dynamics and Action Research, which combine to create a robust model (Burnes, 2004b; Darwin et al, 2002) and involves: Unfreezing: is said to refer to reducing the behaviours that maintain the present situation and recognition of the need for change to effect improvement (Goppee Galloway, 2009). Good communication is a vital element at this stage; good practice would ensure those likely to be affected by the change agree, or at least are cognisant of the need for change (Kotter and Cohen, 2002; Curtis and White, 2002). Involving people in all aspects of the planning and implementation of the change discourages resistance (Curtis and White, 2002). A Gantt chart was developed as a tool to provide a timeframe/schedule for implementing and evaluating the proposed change as advocated by Borril et al (2001) (Appendix ). Moving: The Gantt chart would provide a framework for revision and review of the change. It would be advisable to check that all those involved with the change are clear and informed about the change and that all other professionals involved are fully aware (Goppee and Galloway, 2009). Refreezing: refers to the stage when the change has been accepted both emotionally and intellectually by colleagues. The change should be stabilised and reinforced through mechanisms of support such as policy and resources, as appropriate (Goppee and Galloway, 2009). Evaluation of the change is essential; evidence dictates that successful, well performing teams are characterised by the use of measurement in supporting improvement (Darzi, 2008). The use of measurement, benchmarking, and audit are recommended as a means of guiding local improvement and innovation (NHS, 2008., Care Quality Commission, 2009,. DH, 2008). Pre and post change data collection is also considered a valuable means of evaluating a change (DH, 2009; Cooper and Benjamin, 2004). For change to actually happen requires effective leadership (Darzi, 2009). As SCPHNs, cultivation of leadership skills is deemed essential to effecting change; NHS (2011) assert that leadership capacity and capability can be cultivated and is a core expectation of practicing professionals (Darzi, 2009). Hogan et al (1994) would refute this, stating the trait theory of leadership whereby people are born leaders with inherent leadership characteristics which cannot be learned. Borrill and West (2001) identify leadership as critical in developing effective team working and should maximise the benefits and minimise the weaknesses within the team. Transactional leadership has been commonly used in healthcare (Curtin, 2001), mainly as it lends itself to achieving targets. It is equated by some as being managerial in its style (Finkleman, 2006) with the focus being task and organisation orientated, with sparse attention to the needs of the followers. Conversely, transformational leadership is said to be universally applicable (Bass et al, 1987) inspiring followers to disregard their personal interests for the good of the group or organisation. We identified the transformational approach as the most appropriate one for both our team and in leading the change in the workplace, as this visionary style actively encourages and embraces innovation and change (Curtin, 2001). Bass (1998) also considers transformational leadership empowering, motivating colleagues to reach and perform to their maximum potential. Conversely Transactional leadership is thought to be inappropriate when teams are demoralised, demotivated or stressed (Stordeur, 2001) NOTES FOR CONCLUSION Nurses in the present working climate have to accept necessary changes Not only should they accept changes as they take place, but should also be constantly reviewing working practices and being proactive in implementing changes as and when necessary. If this does not happen, nurses will have to deal with the fallout of changes imposed on nursing by others Overall, although management skills are important and necessary, the future requires leadership to provide the dynamics essential to challenge and lead organisations into an era where management of rapid change is the necessary key for future survival. Nursing leaders are ideally positioned to influence these changes and to play a major role in facilitating the changes Transforming Community Services: dh 2009 Ambition, Action, Achievement Transforming Services for Children, Young People and their Families Developing and supporting people to design, deliver and lead high quality community services Actions to consider in developing a social movement approach to change owned and lead by local services and practitioners Transformational change happens when those delivering care are motivated and inspired to do things differently. The Next Stage Review emphasised the need for a high quality workforce to deliver high quality care and introduced the healthcare professional for the 21st century being practitioner, partner, leader. Contributors to the programme have built on the concept of practitioner, partner, leader to develop attributes for community practitioners that will generate radical improvement. Many good initiatives flounder because insufficient attention is paid to the staff themselves and the actions needed to create the climate in which the desired attributes can ensure success. Organisations implementing change will want to consider how they promote such attributes in their own workforce, and the action needed on a number of fronts. How staff are educated and trained, managed and led, how services are commissioned and regulated, and how performance is monitored, can all contribute to the creation of a positive, enabling culture in which staff constantly strive to improve safety, effectiveness and experience of care. Conversely, the same factors can mitigate against empowerment, motivation and personal accountability, reducing the likelihood of success. Social movement A group of people with a common ideology who try together to achieve certain general goals; features include: Energy Mass Pace Momentum Passion Commitment Spread Sustainability References ADAIR, J. (2004) The Concise Adair on Leadership London: Thoroughgood. ANDERSON, E. (2005) Approaches to conflict resolution. British Medical Journal Vol. 331 (7512) pp.334-336. ARITZETA, A., SWAILES, S. and SENIOR, B. (2005) Research Memorandum. Team Roles: psychometric evidence, construct validity and team building. Centre for Management and Organisational Learning Business School: University of Hull BARR, J. DOWDING, L. (2008) Leadership in Healthcare. London: Sage BASS, B. (1998) Leadership and performance beyond expectations New York: Free Press BASS, B., WALDMAN, D., AVOLIO, B. and BEBB, M. (1987) Transformational leadership and the falling dominoes effect. Group and organisation studies Vol.12. (1) pp.73-87 BELBIN, M. (1981) Management Teams: Why they Succeed or Fail. London: Heinemann BELBIN, M. (1994) Team Roles at Work Oxford: Heinemann BELBIN, M. (1993) A reply to the Belbin team-role self-perception inventory by Furnham, Steele and Pendleton . Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology Vol. 66 (3) pp.47-52 BORRILL, C. and WEST, M. (2001) Developing Team Working in Health Care: a guide for managers. Birmingham: Aston University for Health Service Organisation Research. Available at: www1.aston.ac.uk/aston-business-school/research/centres/ihse/publications Accessed on: 02/03/2011 BOVEY, W. and HEDE, A. (2001) Resistance to organisational change: the role of cognitive and affective processes. Leadership and Organisational Development Journal. Vol. 22 pp. 372-383 BROUCEK, W. and RANDELL, G. (1996) An assessment of the construct validity of the Belbin Self-Perception Inventory and Observers Assessment from the perspective of the five factor model. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology December 1st 1996. BRUCE, R. and WYMAN, S. (1998) Changing Organisations: Practicing Action Training and Research. Kent: Sage BRUHN, J. (2004) Leaders Who Create Change and Those who Manage it. How Leaders Limit Success. The Health Care Manager Vol 23 (2) pp.132-140 BURNES, B. (2004) Kurt Lewin and the Planned Approach to Change: A Re-appraisal Journal of Management Studies Vol. 41 (6) pp.977-1002 CARE QUALITY COMMISSION (2009) Engagement in clinical audits. Available at: www.cqc.org.uk/periodicreview/nationalcommitmentsandpriorities2009/10/acuteandspecialisttrusts/nationalpriorities/engagementinclinicalaudits.cfm accessed on 19/03/2011 CHUANG, Y., CHURCH, R. and ZIKIC, J. (2004) Organisational culture, group diversity and intra-group conflict. Team Performance Management Vol.10 (1-2) pp. 26-34 CONNOR, D. (1998) Managing at the speed of change: how resilient managers succeed and prosper where others fail. Chichester: John Wiley Sons. COOPER, J. and BENJAMIN, M. (2004) Clinical audit in practice. Nursing Standard Vol. 18 (28) pp.47-53 CRAWLEY, J. and GRAHAM, K. (2002) Mediation for managers: Resolving conflict and rebuilding relationships at work. London: Nicholas Bealey CURTIN, L. (2001) Guest editorial: EQ is more important now than ever before. Seminars for Nurse Managers Vol. 9 (4) pp. 203-205 CURTIS, E. and WHITE, P. (2002) Resistance to change: Causes and solutions. Nursing Management Vol. 8 (10) pp. 15-21 DARWIN, J., JOHNSON, P. and McAULEY, J. (2002) Developing Strategies for Change Harlow: Prentice Hall. DARZI, PROFESSOR LORD. (2007) Our NHS our Future NHS Next Stage Review: Interim Report. London: Department of Health DARZI, PROFESSOR LORD. (2008) High quality care for all : NHS Next Stage Review final report. Available at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/ accessed on 03/03/2011 DAWSON, P. (1994) Organisational Change: A Processual Approach. London: Paul Chapman DENSTEN, I. GRAY, J. (2001) Leadership development and reflection: what is the connection? International Journal of Educational Management Vol 15 (3) pp.119-124 DFES see DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND SKILLS (2004) Every Child matters: A Change for Children. The Stationary Office. DH see DEPARTMENT of HEALTH (2009) What is clinical audit? Available at: www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/@sta/@perf/documents/digitalasset/dh_107462.pdf accessed on 03/03/2011 DiPAOLA, M and HOY, W. (2001) Formalization, conflict, and change: constructive and destructive consequences in schools. The International Journal of Nursing Management Vol. 15 (5) pp. 238-244. DUNPHY, D, and BRYANT, B. (1996) Teams: panaceas or prescriptions for improved performance? Human relations. Vol 49 (5) pp.677-698 EISENHARDT, E. (1997) cited in FISHERS, S., MacROSSEN,W. and SEMPLE, J. (2000) Control and Belbins Team Roles. Personal Review Vol 30 (5) 578-588 FAGAN, M. (1985) Interpersonal conflict among staff of Community mental health centers Vol. 12 (3) pp. 192-204 FINKELMAN, A. (2006) Leadership and Management in Nursing. New Jersey: Pearson Education Ltd. FISHER, J. and SAVAGE, J. (eds), (1999) Beyond Experimentation Into Meaning Farnborough: EPCA Publications FISHER, S., MacROSSEN, W. and SEMPLE, J. (2000) Control and Belbins Team Roles. Personal Review Vol. 30 (5) 578-588 FURNHAM, A., STEELE, H., PENDLETON, D. (1993) A psychometric assessment of the Belbin Team Role Self-Perception Inventory. Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology Vol. 66 (3) pp.245-257 GOPPEE, N. and GALLOWAY, J. (2009) Leadership and Management in Healthcare. London: Sage HOGAN, R., CURPHY, G. and HOGAN, J. (1994) What do we know about leadership? American Psychologist Vol. 49. pp.493-504 NHS INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT (2011) Available at: www.institute.nhs.uk accessed on 18/02/2011 JEHN, K. (1995) A multi-method examination of the benefits and detriments of intra-group conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly Vol. 40 (2) pp. 256-282. KANTER, R., STEIN, B. and JICK, T. (1992) The challenge of organizational change. New York: The Free Press. Available at: www.pluspulse.nl/pdf/EAWOP resistance.pdf accessed on 26/02/2011 KOTTER, J. and COHEN, D. (2002) The Heart of Change: Real life stories of how people change their organisations. Boston: Harvard Business School KÃÅ"BLER-ROSS, E. (1969) On Death Dying Available at: www.businessballs.com/elisabeth_kubler_ross_five_stages_of_grief.htm accessed on 20/02/2011 LEWIN, K. (1947/1997) Frontiers in group dynamics. In: Resolving Social Conflicts Field Theory in Social Science. Washington DC American Psychological Association pp. 301-336 LEWIN, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science: Selected Theoretical Papers. New York: Harper Row MacFARLANE, F., GANTLEY, M. and MURREY, E. (2002) The CeMENT project: a case study in change management. Medical Teacher vol 24 (3) pp. 320-326 McADAM, R. (2005) A multi-level theory of innovation implementation: Normative evaluation, legitimisation and conflict. European Journal of Innovation Management Vol. 8 (3) 373-388. McGILL, I. BEATY, L. (2001) Action Learning: A guide for professional, management and educational development. Revised 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page McWILLIAM, C. and WARD-GRIFFIN, C. (2006) Implementing organisational change in health and social services. Journal of Organisational Change Management vol 19 (2) pp.119-135 MEDINA, F. MUNDUATE, L., DORADO, M., MARTINEZ, I. and GUERRA, J. (2005) Types of intra-group conflict and effective reactions. Journal of Managerial Psychology Vol. 20 (3-4) pp. 219-230 MORHMAN, S., COHEN, S. and MORHMAN, A. (1995) Designing Team-Based Organisations San Francisco: Jossey-Bass DH see DEPARTMENT of HEALTH (2008) National Clinical Audit AdvisoryGroup. Available at: webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Patients accessed on 03/03/2011 NHS CLINICAL GOVERNANCE SUPPORT TEAM (2008) What is Clinical Governance? Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20081112112652/cgsupport.nhs.uk/ accessed on: 03/03/2011 NICHOLSON, D. Chief Executive of the NHS (2011) Institute for innovation and Improvement Available at: www.institute.nhs.uk/building_capability/general/building_capability.html accessed on 19/02/2011 PARKER, M. (2008) Team Players and Team Work:New Strategies for the Competitive Enterprise 2nd ed. USA: John Wiley PARKIN, P. (2009) Managing Change in Healthcare Using Action Research. London: Sage. PEDLER, M. (2008) Action Learning for Managers 2nd ed. Cornwall: Godwen PIDERIT, S. (2000) Rethinking resistance and recognising ambivalence: a multidimentional view of attitudes toward an organisational change. Academy of Management Review. Vol. 25. pp. 783-795 PRYJMACHUK, S. (1996) Pragmatism and change: some implications for nurses, nurse managers and nursing. Journal of Nursing Management (4) pp. 201-205 ROLFE, G. FRESHWATER, D. JASPER, M. (2001) Critical Reflection in Nursing and the Helping Professions: a Users Guide. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. SLAVIN, R. (1996) Research on cooperative learning and achievement: What we know, what we need to know. Contemporary Educational Psychology (21) pp.43-69. SULLIVAN, E. and GARLAND, G. (2010) Practical Leadership and Management in Nursing. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd. STEWART, J. ODONNELL, M. (2007) Implementing change in a public agency leadership, learning and organisational resilience International Journal of Public Sector Management. Vol. 20 (3) pp.239-251. STORDEUR, S., DHOORE, W. and VANDENBERGHE, C. (2001) Leadership, organisational stress, and emotional exhaustion among hospital nursing staff. Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol. 35 (4) pp. 533-542 TOPPING, K. (2005) Trends in Peer Learning. Educational Psychology Vol. 25 (6) pp.631-645. TUCKMAN, B. (1965) Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin Vol.63 (6) pp.384-99. Available at: www.mph.ufl.edu/events/seminar/Tuckman1965DevelopmentalSequence.pdf accessed on 27/02/2011 VALENTINE, P. (2001) A gender perspective on conflict management strategies of nurses. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. Vol. 33 (1) pp.69-74. WADDLE, D. and SOHAL, A. (1998) Resistance: a constructive tool for change management. Management Decision Vol 36 p543 WILL, M. (1997) Group Learning in Workshops New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. No. 76. Winter 1997. Appendix 5 Five stages of grief Elisabeth KÃ ¼bler Ross 1 Denial Denial is a conscious or unconscious refusal to accept facts, information, reality, etc., relating to the situation concerned. Its a defence mechanism and perfectly natural. Some people can become locked in this stage when dealing with a traumatic change that can be ignored. Death of course is not particularly easy to avoid or evade indefinitely. 2 Anger Anger can manifest in different ways. People dealing with emotional upset can be angry with themselves, and/or with others, especially those close to them. Knowing this helps keep detached and non-judgemental when experiencing the anger of someone who is very upset. 3 Bargaining Traditionally the bargaining stage for people facing death can involve attempting to bargain with whatever God the person believes in. People facing less serious trauma can bargain or seek to negotiate a compromise. For example Can we still be friends?.. when facing a break-up. Bargaining rarely provides a sustainable solution, especially if its a matter of life or death. 4 Depression Also referred to as preparatory grieving. In a way its the dress rehearsal or the practice run for the aftermath although this stage means different things depending on whom it involves. Its a sort of acceptance with emotional attachment. Its natural to feel sadness and regret, fear, uncertainty, etc. It shows that the person has at least begun to accept the reality. 5 Acceptance Again this stage definitely varies according to the persons situation, although broadly it is an indication that there is some emotional detachment and objectivity. People dying can enter this stage a long time before the people they leave behind, who must necessarily pass through their own individual stages of dealing with the grief. Based on the Grief Cycle model first published in On Death Dying, Elisabeth KÃ ¼bler-Ross, 1969. Interpretation by Alan Chapman 2006-2009.

Schindlers List :: essays research papers

Schindler’s List   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The list is life. Famous words spoken by a large number of Schindler’s Jews. When Thomas Kineally composed Schindler’s List he did more than just write another biography, he told of the greatest humane figure, amidst the unspeakable horrors of the holocaust. In his novel Kineally artistically portrays the story of Oscar Schindler, an alcoholic, a member of the Nazi party, and a shameless womanizer of the worst sort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schindler is first viewed as a man only out for money, sex, and himself; which is a very accurate statement for the time. However, throughout the novel as depictions from the most horrid death/concentration camp, Auschwitz are shown, Schindler begins to feel sympathy for the Jews. The entire span of WWII, Schindler spends his time bribing Nazi officers for more Jews to be sent into his camps, and trying with his life at stake to save as many Jews lives as he possibly can. By the end of the war Schindler has fallen in love with his children and feels extreme sorrow because he could not save more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book explores the moral values of human life. Adolph Hitler set out to completely exterminate the Jewish race from the earth. He believed that he was doing the work of the Lord, and it was his duty to create the perfect race. Schindler, was a business man. He didn’t care about how he made his money as long as he made it. After he was appalled by the constant torture and brutality towards human life something in him changed. He began asking himself certain questions. What gives Hitler the right to desecrate human life with such impunity? Who on earth can dictate the God given right to simply live? Schindler had completely contradicted his entire life’s beliefs when he began salvaging the Jews and going against his country. Schindler looked deeper into his own human soul and realized that there was more to life than merely pleasure.

The Evening News Versus Reality †My Internship at the White House :: Admissions Essay

The Evening News Versus Reality – My Internship at the White House I press the button to playback my voicemail. â€Å"So, Sharon, what war did you plan in Washington?† I groan, and anticipate that the next seven messages are more of the same. I head downstairs, where a roommate had already monopolized the TV and am greeted with â€Å"Hey, Sharon, your boy’s in trouble!† On every channel is the same picture, marines in body bags in a far away land. I had a very different White House internship from Monica Lewinsky’s. Mine came and went without too much national coverage. But I do understand Lewinsky’s awe of power. Though I was most impressed by all the people who worked so hard in D.C., I too was dazzled by the famous personages populating the city. It was hard not to be. Your neighbor might head negotiations for peace in the Middle East. Colin Powell might hold open a door for you. The people filling the town were more than celebrities, they were influencing our future and the fate of nations. On the day of the Vice President’s birthday, his staff threw him a party. All staff were invited, including lowly interns like me. I had not yet met the Vice President, and there was a rumor the President might show up. Finally I would have a chance to meet the man in command. Walking into the Indian Treaty Room, where the party was to be held, I scoped out the best spot to stand for a presidential encounter. I squeezed next to the birthday cake, figuring the Vice President had to stand there at some point, and I waited. I tried to appear outwardly calm, as if I go to these things all the time. I didn’t want to seem too excited to the neurotic Secret Service, or remind a hard-hearted staffer of work needing to be done. But inside, my heart was pumping. Suddenly, the doors swung open and the Vice President casually strode in, smiling. The doors opened again, and President Bush came in, followed by the First Lady. Despite my efforts at nonchalance, my smile was jumping into my ears. Mrs. Bush presented a birthday greeting, then walked over to the Vice President and dumped a bowl of popcorn on his head.

Dangerous Knowledge Essay -- Essays Papers

Dangerous Knowledge The pursuit of forbidden knowledge is the impetus and downfall of man's quest to understand the unknown. In the Bible, God warns man that knowledge brings more regret than it does value: "He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow" (Ecclesiastes 1:18.). Throughout the history of mankind, man has been faced with the temptation to reach the level of God. The Tower of Babel is the first attempt by man to become as powerful as God when man tries to build a tower that reaches the heavens. " 'Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth' " (Genesis 11:4). In the end, God punishes man for attempting to know what God should only understand. "So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city" (Genesis 11:8). The pursuit of knowledge is at the heart of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robe rt Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The main characters, Victor Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll, attempt to reach beyond accepted human limits and access the secrets of life. As a result, the ruthless pursuit of knowledge proves dangerous as both men eventually destroy themselves and everyone dear to them. The thirst for knowledge is a hidden evil that man can only see after it has destroyed his life. Frankenstein is a young scientist who is blinded by the fame and dangers of the knowledge of creation. "So much has been done," exclaims Frankenstein after he hears a lecture on famous scientists. "More, far more, will I achieve: treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unk... ...one, but scientist Lewis Thomas says, "We cannot wish away the "Frankenstein Impulse"-we must instead try to channel it in a democratic and ethical direction" (Article Finder). The thirst for knowledge is a hidden evil that man can only see after it has destroyed his life. Had Frankenstein and Jekyll followed the advice of Thomas then maybe their findings would have turned out to be good rather than evil. Perhaps God grants the pursuit of knowledge to those he knows will abuse it in order to make an example of their irresponsible pursuit of knowledge and to prove that some knowledge is off limits to man. Works Cited Goodall, Jane. "Frankenstein and the Reprobate's Conscience." Studies in the Novel 31.1 (1999): 19. Madigan, Timothy J. "Defending Dr. Frankenstein." Free Inquiry 14.4 (1994): 48. Ribalow, M.Z. "Script Doctors." The Sciences 38.6 (1998): 26.

Diet and Exercise

Diet and Exercise Hanse Bidon COM/155 – University Composition and Communication I March 14, 2013 Cynthia Jones Diet and exercise Today, my physician informed me that I was significantly overweight and that my health was in jeopardy. Immediately, I stated dieting which included fruits and vegetables while abstaining from starches and sodas. In the course of two weeks, I noticed that I dropped 20 pounds as a result of a result of implementing this diet however I noticed sagging of the skin in certain areas. My weight loss halted and it appeared that I hit a weight plateau.In an attempt to resolve these issues, I started an exercise regimen which included cardio and free weights. Shortly after, I began to see weight loss however my energy and endurance began to slowly dwindle. After consulting with my physician, she encouraged me to combine both diet and exercise, which resulted in me managing my weight, tightening my skin, an increasing my endurance and energy. This process has taught me that weight loss can be achieved by diet and exercise individually, however when the two are combined, it can result in weight loss and weight management.There are advantages and disadvantages when using diet and exercise individually alone when trying to lose weight. These advantages and disadvantages individually can have adverse and favorable effects on your mental health, physical health and wellness. Dieting can be jarring for some people the idea of giving up certain foods to attain weight loss, can be very challenging. For so many people, Dieting is defined as the restraining of certain foods and practices that result in a desired state of mind and physical wellness.This desired state of mind and physical wellness could result in advantages such as weight loss, reduction of chronic diseases, and improved self-esteem. Weight loss as it relates to the advantages of dieting reflects the shedding of unwanted, unhealthy weight which ultimately is how we previously saw o urselves. Once the weight has been shed, we begin to see ourselves through new eyes with confidence and self-worth, which boosts your self – esteem. Not only do you improve yourself image, you improve your health as well.With weight loss, you reduce your chances of developing any chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and some diseases that can be associated with heart disease. Although, some success can be achieved from dieting alone, it also has some disadvantages. Dieting alone for the sake of weight loss has some disadvantages such as fatigue and depression. One of the disadvantages of dieting alone is fatigue; this may occur when the body is trying to adjust to the change in eating habits and the lack of nutrients. You may experience dizziness and you’re tired all the time.These are symptoms of fatigue. A sudden change in eating habits because of a diagnosis can result in a person becoming depression, such as high blood pressure. In additio n to dieting, exercise is another method that is used to lose and manage weight. Exercise, just like dieting has significant advantages if deployed correctly. Some of these advantages involve physical and mental advantages. The physical advantages as it relates to exercises include weight loss, lower blood pressure, and the reduction of severe diseases such as diabetes, and life threatening cancers such as prostate and colon cancers.Another advantage to consistent exercise is the mental advantages; the act of exercising consistently releases a chemical in your body known as endorphins, which ultimately are responsible for stress and anxiety reduction. The endorphins in your body which are released when you exercise allow you to sleep comfortably at night and also work to increase your self-esteem allowing you to feel better about yourself and the progress you’re making. However, over working your muscles can result in more harm than good.Unfortunately, there are noticeable di sadvantages that come with exercise or the lack of proper exercise. These disadvantages come in the forms of improper training or preparation for exercise and the heightened possibility of injury because of lack of preparation. Over Utilizing the use your muscles can cause soreness because of microscopic tears in the muscle tissue. This process is normal however not implementing the right form or cardiovascular training can result in an inevitable state of injury, which can be a direct reflection of an improper training regimen.Overtraining can result in a number of issues such as insufficient amount of sleep, a compromised immune system, energy deficiency, and muscle and joint pain. While separately, exercise and diet provide various advantages and disadvantages, the two when implemented together provided various benefits. These benefits consist of healthier cardiovascular system, stronger bones, and effective weight loss. Any form of walking, swimming, jogging while implementing a low fat diet is a good way to maintain a good cardiovascular system.Another benefit of diet and exercise is the prevention of osteoporosis by incorporating foods rich in vitamin D, calcium such as fish, cheese, yogurt, low fat milk and with strength training. In addition maximum weight loss and management, reduction of the risk of chronic diseases and an improvement in mental health can be achieved when diet and exercise are implemented effectively. As I learned from my own struggles with weight lost, there are no quick fixes.Dieting without exercise will ultimately result in very little weight loss. The disadvantages that exist when you choose to lose weight by dieting only should be considered before eliminating exercise from your weight lost plan. Exercise without dieting will result in some weight loss as well and will help to improve your health, however, the disadvantages of just exercising should be consider before excluding dieting from your weight loss plan.Combine both di et and exercise will allow you to achieve maximum weight loss, weight management, and improve health, can contribute to your mental health in a positive manner, and increased strength in bones. Although there are many diet ads that suggest quick ways to lose weight such as shaking a substance on your food to curve your appetite, drinking shakes, eating cookies, some plans suggesting that you don’t have to change the way you eat to lose weight, and some insisting that just taking a pill, and the weight will fall off. None will replace both exercise and a well balance diet