Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Concept of Wisdom in Judaism and Confucius Essay

The Concept of Wisdom in Judaism and Confucius - Essay Example For Aristotle the acts of the Gods had to be contemplative since they did not engage in acts of justice or bravery, where as Plato thought that imitating the Gods included both ethical and political values. In Judaism Imitatio Dei is centered on ethical values and striving to be the best that humans can be, not wise like God, because wisdom is what God used to create the world. Wisdom is the search for the knowledge of God (Shapiro 1971 pg 3). This idea is related in Genesis. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the Heavens. By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew. How manifold are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast thou made them all. According to the Pentateuch, the knowledge of God is the fruit of wisdom and a faithful path toward Imitatio Dei. Knowledge of God in Judaism is tied to the instructions God gave to Moses. The Israelites were captured because they had no knowledge of God, that is, they did not follow the rules Yahweh handed down to Moses. In Proverbs it states that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the All-Holy is understanding. True wisdom is the pursuit if the knowledge of God and all other goals serve only to be wise to other humans or oneself. Man can search for God's wisdom by reading Torah since Torah is the reflections of God's knowledge. David Shapiro makes an interesting observation when he points out that Israel avoids the pagan ideas of actually gaining the wisdom of a deity and becoming a God because the pagans subscribed to the belief. In Genesis 9:6 the Bible does say that man was created in the image of God, but that aspect is not mentioned again after that chapter and verse. While pagans strove to become Gods, Jews strove for the knowledge of God, a fundamental difference. This may also be a reaction to information in Genesis that wisdom is a quality of Satan. The snake talked Eve into eating from the Tree of Knowledge, thus becoming "wise" and knowing good and evil like God. In Judaism the limitations of man's knowledge contrasts with the pagan goal of actually gaining God's wisdom. In the pursuit of Imitatio Dei it was necessary to build God's dwelling place on earth. The Tabernacle, and later, the Temple served as the Imago Mundi, God's house on earth. This was the start of wisdom being incorporated into architecture, sacred geometry of a meta-physical nature. In the Jewish religion then God had a sacred book and a sacred house on earth. The Talmud as interpreted by Raba of Babylonia, states that wisdom is repentance combined with good deeds. One should not spend hours reading Torah then disrespect his parents and elders. This notion maintains the hierarchy sanctioned in the Torah where one's own wisdom is a reflection of superiors. Judaism began with humans having direct contact with God. Abraham founded the one God religion and Moses accepted the Covenant and the rules of following Yahweh. This one on one relationship is an on going central part of Judaism. Confucius lived around 550 to 480 B.C.E. in the Zhou Dynasty. The name is the Latinized version of Kong fu-zi or Master Kong (Nadeau pg 1). He is one of China's most important

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

General Information System or Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

General Information System or Internet - Essay Example The kingdom of Saudi Arabia allowed internet connection in the 1990’s after a long deliberation of the effect that it would have on its citizen (Ghafour , 2006). The internet connection  was allowed  with some censuring to eradicate materials that were against the culture of the people. This would  make sure  internet connection  was used  only for positive purposes. The internet led to adoption of e-government. This service would allow citizens receive most government services online without travelling to government offices. Internet connection  allows service access by even those citizens who are outside the physical boundaries of the Kingdom.    Government services provided online E-Health system This is an online electronic health system. It  was launched  after a series of tests to help in running of health services in the kingdom.   The system offers service of data collection and storage on patients. Hospitals are using it to manage both out patien ts and in patients. Clinics  have been provided  with access to the system to enable them in managing their resources.   Resources managed are laboratories equipment, medicine available in the pharmacy and staffing levels in the different clinics.  The ability of  the system to store information on patients, enable care taker access patients information in one file and automatically. The system eliminates the manual filing system that  was used  in storing information in hospitals. The multi user  ability, embedded in the system assists  in the elimination of  duplication of patient details. This  is enabled  by ability of multiple health units accessing the patient data from a central storage unit online. The advantages derived from using this web base system is allowing for timely access to data stored about patients. Analysis on common diseases can also be done. This only requires integrating the correct tools of data mining on the data store created to ge nerate a report. The reports  can be  used by government institutions in making proactive decisions of something that might happen in the future. The online system also enables health centres share information easily because of the uniform working platform provided. Data mining in the data centres  can be  done to  give  government with statistics to make decisions in the health centres. These statistics may include death rate and diseases causing deaths in the kingdom. Adoption of the e-health system  has been seen  as an advantage to the government in the health services provision. This is leading to need of connecting more and more health units to the system to improve on service delivery (Alcantara, 2008). Electronic immigration Services This is an online portal that enables Saudi Arabia nationals and expatriates receive immigration services through an online. The services  are provided by the  ministry of interior of Saudi charged with responsibility of offe ring and cancelling visas. The services provided online include visa application, resident  permit  application and checking on  the validity of one’s public health insurance. Prior registration  is needed  for users  to use  these services. A  need  for registration is to hold Saudi national identification number. The person visits the portal and feels this number for verification purposes. Verification will  make sure  that the number is genuine, and the holder has the right  to use  the portal. After verification, the portal has an automatic

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Mergers And Acquisitions Of Daimler And Chrysler Management Essay

Mergers And Acquisitions Of Daimler And Chrysler Management Essay Mergers and acquisitions can be value creators or value destroyers, According to Mirvis and Marks (1997), most companies executing MAs perform a perfect job arranging the relative economical and financial traits, providing the fact that they do a remarkable job in managing the upcoming change thereafter. Before conducting an MA analysis, it is important to understand what is meant by the word change. Although there is no universal definition change, as Hughes (2006) says it has been explained in terms of guises, transformation, metamorphosis, evolution, regeneration and transition. The generic definition of change as defined by Hughes (2006) is any alteration in the status quo. The leadership and direction of the process of organizational transformation especially with regard to human aspects and overcoming resistance to change According to Hughes definition and Lwins change model (1951) (Figure 1), the change process will be explored by specifically analysing a famous car industry MA case: Daimler-Chrysler (DCX)  [i]  merger, one brand, two cultures. Figure 1: Lwins change stages [Source: Higgs Rowland, 2005] DaimlerBenz AG of Stuttgart, Germany, and the Chrysler Corporation of Auburn Hills, Michigan, surprised the business world at a press conference in London on May 7, 1998, when they announced their merger of equals made in heaven. This major cross-border transaction, with an equity value of $36 billion, was the largest merger of its kind to date.  [ii]  Robert Eaton and Jà ¼rgen E. Schrempp, co-chairmen of DCX, announced their expectation that this deal would be not only the best strategic merger or the best prepared merger, but also the best executed merger.Whether or not this statement came to be true, is yet to be analyzed in this paper. THE BIG TWO The Mercedes famous three-pointed star that represents its domination of the land, the sea, and the air is now one of the worlds most recognized brands that symbolizes class, style and personality. On the other side, stands Giant yank, Chrysler, carrying the fame of being among the big three in U.S., famously known for producing muscle cars. Pre-merger situation: Daimler In 1926 was founded in Stuttgart, Germany Daimler-Benz, a manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and engines. Unknown to many, it is already the result of a merger between Benz Cie(founded by Karl Benz) and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft(founded by Gottleib Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach). The new entity rapidly made its name in motor sports as its cars were regarded as high end race automobiles.  [iii]  [Appendix A] Pre-merger situation: Chrysler The roots of Chrysler Corporations go back to 1925, when the American car manufacturer, Maxwell Motor Company is recognized into Chrysler Corporation by Walter P. Chrysler  [iv]  . Along with GM and Ford, Chrysler made the powerful triangle of the biggest car manufacturers in U.S. The Corporations was- back in mid 1990s- nothing less than the most profitable car producer in the world.  [v]  In 1997, the company even reached a peak in terms of market shares in the U.S., at an impressive figure of 23%. [Appendix A] Chrysler had always known itself to be a blue collar, bold Yank. It was able to survive a bankruptcy during the Second World War, and this state was stabilized by its boom- bust cash flows. THE RATIONALE FOR A MERGE OF EQUALS In order to maintain with the speed of an external change, the easiest way that an organization should adopt is to take advantage of internal change accordingly. It must increase its intercommunication by putting out as many feelers as possible to bring a collective view of the constantly shifting situation into the organization. Getting ready for a change, Unfreezing the present situation is the first step recognized by Lewin, it is described as the state of preparation for change and preventing any possible resistance  [vi]  . Taking into account the push factors for change, Chrysler CEO, Eaton, convinced his empire that they need a partner to blow the caution in this dog-eat-dog market, by telling a story. Yet, his mental cognitions in making sense of his environment and ending up in merge decision, was one of its own kind, owning one fourth of the whole American market share, Chrysler was among the big three is U.S., and the position was royal enough for Eaton not to buy more troubles for the company, however, international reach was his goal in this story, this is how he made sense of the merger: Bob Eaton, Chrysler CEO, gave the speech of his life at company headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan on July the 17th. 1997  [vii]  . Instead of revelling in four years of rapid growth, he warned of trouble brewing on the horizon. His urgent oratory, adapted from the nonfiction bestseller The Perfect Storm  [viii]  , a tale of three fishermen caught at the confluence of three potent storms off the Canadian coast, warned that a triad of identical elements posing a threat to demolish Chrysler.  [ix]   Daimler-Benz, meanwhile, standing on the reverse position, was looking for a soul-mate. Despite a booming U.S. economy, its luxury vehicles had captured less than 1% of the American market.  [x]  Its vehicle production method was particularly labor intensive requiring nearly twice as many workers per unit produced over Toyotas Lexus division. It recognized that it could benefit from an economy of scale in this capital-intensive industry. With $2.8 billion in annual profits, remarkable efficiency, low design costs, and an extensive American dealership network, Chrysler appeared to be the perfect match. Having Chrysler, looking for his share from the European market pie, on one hand, and Daimler, seeking for attractive U.S. market on the other hand, the merger between two giants made sense. On May 7th. 1998, Eaton announced that Chrysler would merge with Daimler-Benz. Daimler-Benz CEO Jà ¼rgen Schrempp hailed the merge as a merger of equals, a merger of growth, and a merger of unprecedented strength.  [xi]   When he rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange to inaugurate trading of the new stock, Daimler-Chrysler (DCX), Eaton predicted, Within five years, well be among the Big Three automotive companies in the world.  [xii]   Only three years later DCXs market capitalization stands at $44 billion, roughly equal to the value of Daimler-Benz before the merger  [xiii]  and Chrysler Groups share value has been descending by one-third, compared to the pre-merger situation. Chrysler was bleeding cash unlike the Mercedes.  [xiv]   CHANGE ANALYSIS (Post-merger issues-The rationale for the failure) A SPECTACULAR FAILURE MAs in this scale are inherently complicated, Kiefer (2004) asserts changes of greater complexity are likely to generate more negative and more intense emotions and more resistance (George and Jones, 2001), and therefore require more careful management. Seemingly, DCX underestimated this matter. Only 2 years before Daimler-Chrysler divorce a journalist declared: One of the greatest unions in history burst inward soon after the merge.  [xv]   Why? Unlike what has been communicated to both parties staff, it has not been the merger of equals from the start, the kick start negotiations best proved this fact. Eaton, settled huge agreements and compromises all the way of negotiations. The residency, brand, he even agreed to be a co-chairman which led to a massive crisis in the history of American leadership. German won more bonuses and their dominance were clear which was opposing the virtue of a merger, making it more sound like an acquisition. They were not negotiation the compromises, Chrysler have been compromised only. [Appendix B] Later, Schrempp did not hesitate to state in the German Press: What happened to the dynamic, can-do cowboy culture that I bought?  [xvi]   CULTURAL CLASH On paper, Daimler-Chrysler was the perfect match: German engineering with American marketing, but German culture and American culture dilemma took over the success scenario. [Appendix C]. Burnes (1996) reconfirms Schwartz and Davis cultural risk approach design in attempting to warn the managers and the change leaders that if risk is underestimated it could become dangerous. If one is aware of American pride and German authoritarian, he would know the worse can be expected. Daimler had systemically decision making process, whereas Americans were inspiring creativity. The Stress on effectiveness, fair staff treatment, and empowerment made Chrysler famous for adoptability and flexibility; whereas Daimler seemed more autocratic and bureaucratic. All these cultural variations soon became visible in both companies daily activities. As an example, Daimler managers were concerned a lot about daily trivial cases which disappointed Chrysler executives, cases such as the shape of a pamphlets and etc. Meanwhile, Daimler leaders were frustrated by Eatons emotional actions during the speech. In a nutshell, Daimler-Benz had been the symbol of German power whereas Chrysler has been entitled as the most economical and nimblest car manufactories worldwide. [Appendix D] http://www.managementparadise.com/forums/miscellaneous-projects/73392-organisation-culture.html STRUCTURAL MISMATCHES Another key issue at DCX was the differences in par structures between the two pre-merger entities. Germans disliked huge pay disparities and were unlikely to accept any steep revision of top management salaries. But American CEOs were rewarded handsomely. Chrysler could cut pay only at the risk of losing its talented managers. Germans and Americans also had different working styles. The Germans were used to lengthy reports and extended discussions. On the other hand, the Americans performed little paperwork and liked to keep their meetings short. Americans favored fast-paced trial-and-error experimentation, whereas Germans drew up painstakingly detailed plans and implemented them precisely. In general, the Germans perceived the Americans as chaotic while the Americans felt that the Germans were stubborn militarists. Post merger, Americans were trapped in the German style of planning, constantly being told what to do, gradually damping their creativity and autonomy. James Holden, Chrysler president from September 1999 through November 2000, explained that Mercedes is famous for being a high end luxury brand, whereas Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth and Jeep were serving a lower market, it was a marrying up, marrying down event .  [xvii]  This fueled an undercurrent of tension, which was amplified by the fact that American workers earned appreciably more than their German counterparts, sometimes four times as much. DAIMLERS HEGEMONY German over-representation is also apparent in the board structure, [Appendix E] they approve all major company decisions, including the firing of executive management .In 2000, two successive Chrysler presidents, Holden and Stallkamp, both American, were fired. The Daimler-Benz management presence permeated every important function at Chrysler USA. By the end of 2000, there were only 128,000 Chrysler employees still working in the US operations, all anxious and demoralized. Ex-Chrysler managers felt that Daimler-Benz was steadily leading Chrysler into a state of chaos. Schrempp openly said that he never intended the merger be one of equals, and when he began replacing several American executives with German ones, Chrysler must have felt a little humiliated. Even though honesty and directness are welcomed and encouraged in Germany, several Americans do not appreciate such boldness. Consequently, reputations have certainly been damaged during the process. With Chrysler being taken over by Daimler, with regard to that, mostly Americans were feeling betrayed How could you let Daimler make you a mere subsidiary? http://marisyksti.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?orderby=updated The managers who had built Chryslers cowboy bravado were no more there. Some remained on staff, feeling withdrawn, ineffective and eclipsed by the Germans in Stuttgart. Others left for a more promising future at G.M. or Ford. The American dynamism faded under subtle German pressure. According to a Daimler-Benz executive, Eaton went weeks without speaking with Schrempp. Schrempp, meanwhile, was afraid of being labeled a takeover artist. He left Chrysler alone for too long. After the merger, many people observed that Bob Eaton seemed cold-eyed, withdrawn, and uninterested. According to then-president Peter Stallkamp, Eaton had really checked-out about a year before he left  [xviii]  . The managers feared for their careers, and in the absence of assurance, they assumed the worst. The dislike and distrust ran deep, with some Daimler-Benz executives publicly declaring that they would never drive a Chrysler. My mother drove a Plymouth, and it barely lasted two-and-a-half years, commented Mercedes-Benz division Chief Jà ¼rgen Hubbert to the  [xix]  Suddeutsche Zeitung. Irate Chrysler managers responded with jabs of their own. Bob Lutz, then Chrysler vice-chairman, pointed out to the Detroit Free Press that The Jeep Grand Cherokee earned a greater rate of customer satisfaction in comparison with M-Class.  [xx]   The culture clash has been obvious. Much of this clash was intrinsic to a union between two companies. Their corporate structure, culture and wage systems were thoroughly different. In depth, this union was seemingly the source of trouble: Daimler-Benz and Chryslers brand images were founded upon diametrically opposite premises. From holding language classes to cutting idioms in conversations, from dinner parties to Post Merger teams, DCX put in ample effort to bridge the chasm, but due to deep uncertainty, and lack of trust, they failed to accomplish the remedy. CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS (Lewins refreezing stage that never happened) CONCLUSION What seemed to be a perfect match, the largest trans-Atlantic merger ever, sank unexpectedly. What was supposed to be the leading car manufactory in the world became the chief failure in the MA industry. The disruptive change was inevitable, however, by assuring the staff about the stability of condition, they would loosen their faith and trust on the managers, they know change is coming but they are eager to know what would be the consequences for them. Nadler (1993) ascertains that changes threaten an individuals sense of stability and can present anxieties while reducing the sense of autonomy. Resisting change may function as a survival mechanism where change is perceived as a threat creating a type of organisational autopoiesis, exhibiting a strong resistance when something valuable is under threat (Goldstein, 1988). As it has been seen in every stage of the story, talented managers and engineers left due to the fact that they were feeling withdrawn and flooded. Consequently, the expected synergies never happened and on May, 2007, Chrysler has been sold to Cerebrus Capital Management  [xxi]  , and they failed to accomplish the last phase of lewins change model (Refreezing stage). In summary, the Germans and the Americans were not in sync since the beginning. Different management teams with heavy prides, resisting from compromise and unaware of change would never create a team. DCX have combined nothing beyond some administrative departments, such as finance and public relations. http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Business%20Strategy1/Daimler-Chrysler%20Merger%20Cultural%20Mismatch%20Business%20Strategy.htm Learning from analyzing the case, a number of recommendations are outlined further on. RECOMMENDATIONS Firstly, there would never be a partnership of equals happening in any international extents. There would always be a stronger part in terms of finance or market share, thus the resulting arrogance on either side of the merges would imperil the business joint. The Daimler-Chrysler merger should have begun with a strategy, to decide if they wanted to combine the two different cultures, or start off with one brand new one. To do this they should have analyzed the existing cultures, to establish the similarities and the differences. Culture must be blended rather than changed. Moreover, balancing the need for change with the motivation to preserve existing identity, determine the elements that contribute to the development of change capacity. Meanwhile, building a series of interventions such as creating an understanding, building skills, gaining commitment enhances peoples motivation and consequently a favourable and sustainable change. A further important factor is communicating the urgency for change in depth, as is in maintaining momentum, following Kotters (Ch1) words stating that successful large scale change involves momentum. Considering the uncertainty and negative emotions that accompany change, the ability to discern the emotional reactions to change of employees and board members enhances influence levels and provides the necessary support to the change process (Kiefer, 2004). Displaying an autocratic fashion behaviour by failing to address the concerns of people in the organisation and not devoting ample time and energy in building commitment, inhibits effective change implementation. That it is not about which approaches and best practices are chosen by the manager. The main thing that should be kept in view by the managers is that what is to be changed, what is the circumstance and what is the choice of adopted approach. Was this the failure of planning and executing productive change? Absolutely! People dont resist change. They resist being changed! (Peter Senge)

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Ideal Hero :: essays research papers

There is always a common, ideal, hero a person may have in may have in mid. One might stereotype against the sex of the imaginative ideal hero to finalize their judgement on whether they will have the qualities of being a true hero. Having the same cultural perception will 'box out' other ideas that another person may have suggested. Relying on these stereotypes brought out by others, we are able to use them to build our own stereotypical understanding of a hero. But the true question is, how are they brought up to be a hero? The common stereotypical view of a true hero would tend to be big and muscular. Never will you see a small and skinny boy walking into a free falling ton of bricks to save his loved ones. Take 'Superman' for example, he would be seen to have the qualities of what a true hero would strive for. The quality in which only a male would suit for stereotypically, as for women they are more commonly seen to be less heroic and more of a household slave. Heroes would commonly be seen to be male as they would have the courage to fight for what he believes in. They aspects of which we can only see in a male as they are more commonly seen to come back home with a female at his hand to massage him and feed his needs. Males and females are quite the opposite in what they look for in each other. A male would look for a nice innocent, good looking girl, where as a female would want to look for a man who is strong and will protect her at any means. This then comes to show how females then become reliant on a male for her safety needs. Heroes always start from the somewhere and then train till they reach the needed standard where they are then needed to protect their city. Having the abilities, they still must train to maintain the control over the power they now possess. Spiderman is an example, he once was originally a young man whose goal was just to get into university and study science, while on an excursion to a museum he was bitten by a venomous spider, having no life taking effects but instead turning him into a man who now possesses spidery features. Then once having control over the power he now possesses he must arise at every moment where his city and loved ones may run into danger.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Job Characteristic Model Foreclosure and Collections Department Essay

Job Characteristic Model: Foreclosure and Collections Department Introduction Foreclosure and Collections                   The position of a Foreclosure and collection within the bank of United States is increasingly demanding. As a requirement, my stay entails me to develop skills and talents, which responds to a high coordination strategy that responds to the elementary needs and routine. As a result, my skills variety impacted on the on the activities of establishing, guiding, encouraging, engaging and tackling critical clerical and administrative responsibilities.                   Significantly, my roles influence other workers positively, in that my intervention encourages workers to be involved rapidly in the project rather than concentrate on an individual unit. For that reason, it is possible to complete the whole piece of work from the beginning to the end. It is possible to respond to these requirements since the team examines needs of the customer before commencing on a given activity.                   Given the operative nature of the job, it is possible to respond to requirements of the department since the team is involved psychologically at the process. Mentally, the team is made to understand the significance of each stage of the activity. To achieve that, the overall mission of the organization is broken down to ensure that the team gets first-hand needs of the organization, before commencing on the job.                   Further, autonomy enables employees to pursue milestone in a free but objected zone. Analyst, designers, researchers, and marketers are empowered by autonomous decision to independently choose what is to be performed. Hence, my role is to steer independent operation. I am, therefore, obliged to decide on how to time the performance.                   Lastly, the feedback characteristic enables me to determine the feedback mechanism that allows my team to have more information about the effectiveness of their performance. My role is to engage units in communication, using the organization ERP system. To enhance my motivation potential, I will be required to communicate with different team players on the way forward when it comes to making critical decisions. I will motivate and influence team players by requesting job progress daily. This way, I will show them I am part of the team References Juricek, J. (2014). Agile Project Management Principles. Lecture Notes on Software Engineering, 172-175. Source document

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Randy Pausch, Speaking Skills Essay

When faced with the knowledge that you are about to do something you love for the last time, how would you react? When Randy Pausch, a virtual design professor at the University of Carnegie Mellon was given the diagnosis of liver cancer with only a few months to live, he knew that everything he did would be the last time he did it. Randy chose his last lecture to be an inspiring tribute to his life and the people who made it everything he wanted it to be. His incredible speech is delivered so full of life, that it is hard to imagine that he is practically walking to his deathbed. So besides his predicament, what made Pausch’s speech so moving? His passion for the topic gave him life onstage, the intricate design of the speech intertwined his ideas kept the audience captive while his usage of jokes connected him with the audience. Public speaking was obviously a strength for Pausch and by studying his techniques, we improve on our own communication in all aspects of the verb. We start by analyzing his passion for the topic; childhood dreams. As a child, Randy had things in his life he wanted to accomplish. While not everything on his list was done by the book, he still found worth in everything he gained from the pursuit. This was something that Pausch cared deeply about. His body language and tone was just as powerful as his words. When Randy was speaking, his voice reflected the way he felt about his topic. When he intended on being sincere, his voice slowed and lowered. The emphasis spearheads impactful words and phrases. When he made jokes, he would smile as he got to the punch line and there would be a sense of lightheartedness in his voice. Putting emotion into your appearance and sound gives your words strength. As a species, we put so much emphasis on these that it is more than half of a conversation. Now to focus on his organization. The organization of what you are trying to say is important when it comes to keeping a person’s attention. When people become confused, they make the internal decision to tune out the conversation than attempt to organize it themselves. So it is important to be direct and solid with your statements when you tell stories and give instructions. All of Randy’s sorties and jokes were easy to understand and direct. Something that Pausch did that was very creative was his use of foreshadowing. The photo of him and his siblings on the Alice ride at Disney as a child connected well with the program he designed later in life as a professor. Furthermore, he made that it apparent to his audience that may not have originally seen the connection by stating it was a foreshadowing moment. By leaving the story open-ended until a later time in his lecture, he captured the interest of people who didn’t know him prior by intriguing them with a mystery. Then to people who did understand, it was a fun and heartwarming connection. The point of using foreshadowing and other organization techniques is to keep the brain occupied and attentive. Pausch does an excellent job of this. Despite Pausch’s tragic diagnosis, the man stands strong with a positive outlook on life. His ability to be realistic about his condition commands respect while his lightheartedness gives shows us that he is at peace with his fate. Pausch involves the audience, speaking to them directly as if he is simply in an extensively long conversation. His jokes are sweet and good hearted. Some jokes are more general, but a few were very personal. These were about specific times and people in his life that he feels were important. By letting the audience into his life this way, he gave them a friendly feeling. Although I never met the man, by the end of his lecture I felt as though he was a close friend. Purely by using his personality, he reels the audience in. Randy captivated much more than his friends, he inspired complete strangers even years after his passing. I would like to give a thank you to the Youtube website. Randy’s memory is preserved forever and is available to millions. I appreciate the opportunity to be exposed to such an honorable person. Randy had passion for the classroom, and passion for life. His organization and direct statements gave clarity and direction to his thoughts. Then, his personality and humor brought the audience into his life. He connected with people on a level of friendship which was incredibly moving. I most definitely enjoyed watching him and wish his family love and happiness.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Interpersonal Communication Essay

Interpersonal Communication Essay Interpersonal Communication Essay Kristen Simmel September 14th, 2014 Communications 203 Odenweller Interpersonal Communication Analysis and Critique Scenario: The situation that I observed was a conversation between my two roommates Kayla and Nicolette. The conversation took place in our apartment located on Beechurst Ave. It was a cool day saturday afternoon when the conversation was taking place. Nicolette and Kayla ended up arguing about a problem that has been going on in our apartment since we moved in. Nicolette was disappointed in Kayla leaving the kitchen a mess. She was also upset with Kayla by her not cleaning up after herself. This included dirty dishes that filled the sink, leaving the garbage full and her not cleaning up her explosion in the microwave. Nicolette was furious and ended up speaking up for herself, by telling Kayla that she can’t live like this any more. Kayla didn’t know that this was happening and she felt very alone. Nicolette ended up telling Kayla that if she doesn't clean up after herself there is going to be consequences. Nicolette was on the verge of finding another roommate that can clean u p after herself. The argument went on for about 30 minutes. At the end of the conversation both Nicolette and Kayla started to cry. There was a lot of tension in our apartment. Nonverbal Communication: Nonverbal communication is any symbolic activity that communicates a message other then words. During the conversation between Nicolette and Kayla. I observed many concepts of nonverbal communication. It started off by Nicolette giving Kayla the silent treatment. They made no eye contact and things started to get â€Å"weird† around the apartment. Being the third roommate, I was even concerned about what was going on between them. I felt awkward walking into my own apartment because Nicolette and Kayla weren’t talking for the past few weeks. The dynamic aspect of nonverbal communication was portrayed by Kayla and Nicolette not making any eye contact. Nicolette was giving Kayla â€Å"dirty† looks behind her back. Including shaking her head and rolling her eyes when Kayla wasn’t looking. Nicolette’s tone of voice also changed into a deeper tone. This caused Nicolette to become more upset and angry with Kayla because of the mess she keeps on making. Th is brought out her expressions that she is bothered by Kayla not cleaning up after herself. The static aspect of nonverbal communication was portrayed by Nicolette leaving the kitchen a mess and waiting to see when the next time Kayla will clean up after herself. Nicolette also left the living room a mess because she was mad that Kayla wasn’t contributing to the â€Å"cleanliness† of the apartment. There were a lot of symbols that made it clear the Nicolette was upset with Kayla. Nonverbal communication was a big part of the conversation between my two roommates. Expectancy Violation Theory: During the interaction between Kayla and Nicolette, the Expectancy Violation Theory was shown during their conversation. Expectancy Violation Theory is a communication theory which tries to explain the unexpected behaviors of human beings while interacting. It also relates to reactions with other people and other people violating another person’s personal space. This theory works because humans have a natural expectancy outlook on life, which causes their expectations to be violated at times. This conversation showed the Expectancy Violation Theory. Nicolette is afraid to confront Kayla about her filthy living habits. She is terrified Kayla will destroy her belongings and blow up in her face. Nicolette just keeps using her side of nonverbal communication by giving her looks behind her back and the silent treatment. I’m tired of living with this awful tension between my two roommates. It has caused me to become so upset that I don’t even want to go home to my own apartment. It has also made things very awkward around the house. I thought about what was going on for a while and tried to figure out a way to stop

Monday, October 21, 2019

John Lennon essays

John Lennon essays Classic Rock, Jazz, The Blues, Country, Rap and Heavy Metal all have their own chapter assigned to them in the big book of Music History. Each of these music genres denotes a certain feeling for its listeners; and each style brings to mind a certain icon associated with it. On October 9th, 1940 a man who would forever change the pattern of music history was born. John Lennon; is a man best known for his music, but in addition to that he was a philosopher, artist, visionary, social leader and most importantly a common man with a dream. A troubled Liverpool, England family was blessed with Johns birth in early October of 1940. Johns father deserted his mother when John was only three, and he was turned over to one of his mothers sisters to raise, whom he affectionately called "Aunt Mimi", a woman he considered the greatest person to ever live. When he was older he and his mum, Julia a later inspiration for a Beatles song, once again began a relationship, but she became the victim of a drunken off-duty policeman driving late in the night. This feeling of abandonment at such an early age would forever be woven into Johns life. In school John was a prankster and known as a rebellious child to his neighbors in the quiet suburb of Woolton. He frequently was caught skipping school and doodling instead of studying. Lennon left Quarry Bank High School at age 16 after Aunt Mimi persuaded the headmaster to write him a recommendation to the prestigious Liverpool Art College. Lennon soon became involved in music, buying a guitar and starting a band in early 1957. That band, the Quarrymen, evolved over the next few years into the Beatles. Paul McCartney attended a performance in 1957 and shortly afterward became a member. McCartney's musical skills impressed Lennon and Lennon's savvy impressed McCartney. Soon they had agreed that everything written by either of the pair, would from that point on ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Biography of Queen Alexandra

Biography of Queen Alexandra Queen Alexandra (December 1, 1844 – November 20, 1925) was the longest-serving Princess of Wales in British history. She was the wife of King Edward VII, the successor to Queen Victoria. Although her public duties were limited, Alexandra became a style icon and did significant charity work in her lifetime. Fast Facts: Queen Alexandra Full Name:  Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise JuliaOccupation: Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of IndiaBorn: December 1, 1844 in Copenhagen, DenmarkDied: November 20, 1925 in Norfolk, EnglandKnown For: Born a princess of Denmark; married Queen Victorias son and heir; as queen, held little political power but was influential in fashion and charity workSpouse: King Edward VII (m. 1863-1910)Children: Prince Albert Victor; Prince George (later King George V); Louise, Princess Royal; Princess Victoria, Princess Maud (later Queen Maud of Norway); Prince Alexander John Princess of Denmark Born Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia of Denmark, Alexandra was known to her family as â€Å"Alix.† She was born at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen on December 1, 1844. Her parents were minor royalty: Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glà ¼cksburg and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel. Although they were members of the Danish royal family, Alexandras family lived a comparatively low-key life. Her father Christian’s income came only from his army commission. Alexandra had several siblings, but was closest to her sister Dagmar (who would later become Maria Feodorovna, Empress of Russia). Their family was close with Hans Christian Andersen, who occasionally visited to tell the children stories. The Danish royal family became more complicated in 1848, when King Christian VIII died and his son, Frederick, became king. Frederick was childless, and because he ruled both Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein, which had differing succession laws, a crisis arose. The ultimate outcome was that Alexandra’s father became the heir to Frederick in both regions. This change elevated Alexandra’s status, as she became the daughter of a future king. However, the family remained outside of court life, partially due to their disapproval of Frederick. Princess of Wales Alexandra was not Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s first choice to marry their son, Prince Albert Edward. Nevertheless, Alexandra was introduced to the Prince of Wales by his sister, Princess Victoria, in 1861. After a courtship, Edward proposed in September of 1862, and the couple were married on March 10, 1863 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The wedding was a less festive occasion than many had hoped for, since the court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, who had died in December 1861. Alexandra gave birth to their first child, Prince Albert Victor, in 1864. The couple would go on to have a total of six children (including one who died at birth). Alexandra preferred to be a hands-on mother, but she also continued to enjoy her social life, carrying on hobbies such as hunting and ice skating. The couple were the center of society, bringing a youthful fun to a court long-dominated by a strict (and now mourning) queen. Even after rheumatic fever left her with a permanent limp, Alexandra was noted for being a charming and cheerful woman. Although most accounts seem to show that Edward and Alexandra had a fairly happy marriage, Edwards affection for his wife did not stop the prince from continuing his infamous playboy ways. He carried on several affairs throughout their marriage, both flings and long-term extramarital relationships, while Alexandra remained faithful. She became increasingly isolated, due to a hereditary condition that caused her to slowly lose hearing. Edward ran in scandalous circles and was very nearly implicated in at least one divorce hearing. As Princess of Wales, Alexandra performed many public duties, taking on the burden of some of her mother-in-law Victoria’s public appearances such as opening ceremonies, attending concerts, visiting hospitals, and otherwise conducting charity works. She was a popular young addition to the monarchy and was almost universally liked by the British public. In the early 1890s, Alexandra and her family suffered multiple losses that would also change the course of two monarchies. Prince Albert Victor, her eldest son, died in 1892 at the age of 28 after falling ill during a flu pandemic. His death devastated Alexandra. Albert Victors younger brother, George, became the heir and even married Albert Victor’s former fiancà ©e, Mary of Teck; it is from this line that the current British monarchy descends. Alexandra’s sister Dagmar also suffered a major loss in 1894: her husband, the Russian Tsar Alexander III, died. Dagmars son took the throne as Nicholas II. He would be the last tsar of Russia. Queen At Last Edward was the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history during his lifetime. (He was surpassed by his descendant Prince Charles in 2017.) However, he finally ascended to the throne upon Queen Victoria’s death in 1901. By this time, Edward’s taste for excess was catching up to him and his health, so Alexandra had to appear in his place for a few events. This was the only time that Alexandra was permitted to be involved in matters of importance. She held political opinions (for example, she was wary of German expansion from the beginning) but was ignored when she expressed them in both public and private. Ironically, her distrust proved prescient: she urged against the British and Germans â€Å"swapping† dominion over a pair of islands, which the Germans ended up using as a fortified stronghold during the world wars. Edward and his ministers went so far as to exclude her from trips abroad and forbid her to read briefing papers so that she would not try to exert any influence. Instead, she poured her efforts into charity work. On one occasion, however, Alexandra broke protocol and appeared publicly in a political context. In 1910, she became the first queen consort to visit the House of Commons and watch a debate. She would not be queen consort for long, though. Only a few months later, she was on a trip to Greece, visiting her brother, King George I, when she received word that Edward was seriously ill. Alexandra made it back in time to say goodbye to Edward, who died on May 6, 1910 after a bout of bronchitis and a series of heart attacks. Their son became King George V. Later Years and Legacy As the queen mother, Alexandra mostly continued her duties as she had as queen consort, focusing her efforts on charity work with a side of anti-German cajoling. Her generosity was renowned, as she willingly sent money to anyone who wrote to her asking for help. She lived to see her fears about the Germans realized with the outbreak of World War I, and rejoiced when her son changed the royal family’s name to Windsor to avoid German associations. Alexandra suffered another personal loss when her nephew, Nicholas II, was overthrown during the Russian Revolution. Her sister Dagmar was rescued and came to stay with Alexandra, but her son George V refused to offer asylum to Nicholas and his immediate family; they were murdered in 1917 by the Bolshevik revolutionaries. In the last years of her life, Alexandra’s health declined, and she died from a heart attack on November 20, 1925. She was buried at Windsor Castle next to Edward. A popular royal in life and death, Alexandra was mourned deeply by the British public, and she became the namesake for everything from palaces to ships to streets. Although she was not permitted any political influence, she was a style icon for the women of her time and defined an entire era of fashion. Her legacy was not one of politics, but of personal popularity and boundless generosity. Sources Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra. Constable, 1969.Duff, David. Alexandra: Princess and Queen. Wm Collins Sons Co, 1980.â€Å"Edward VII.† BBC, bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/edward_vii_king.shtml.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

My Inner Struggle with English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Inner Struggle with English - Essay Example Watching their movie, I used to think that I will be able to speak English very easily. Although I did not understand all the words that Stallone or Schwarzenegger said, I used to get an idea of what they were saying. It was much later when I came to know that I was going to the US, and was required to speak English, that I realized that my favorite stars did not actually say much in the movies. It was their guns and hands that did most of the talking, and not their tongue. I started thinking that if I had chosen to watch maybe the romantic movies or the dramatic movies, I would have learned English more easily. At least, my travel to the United States would have been smooth. I realized that just listening to someone speak a language cannot make you fluent in that language. With this discouraging realization, I landed in the United States. It was not that my English was bad, but it was not good either. I could manage to speak in broken English. I could read and write quite nicely. Bu t when it came to speaking, I used to choke. I realized that the fear of being laughed at or being ridiculed hampered my efforts to speak in English. My friends and relatives in the US were unaware of my inner struggle with English. I conversed with them in my regional language so the question of my inability of speaking good English never really came up in front of them. However, it was bothering me a lot. I knew that in some time, I will join the college, mix with people and will have to speak in English without the aid of my own language. I decided to hone my English speaking skills. The very next day, I bought a book that promised to teach how to speak fluent English. To avoid my family members from knowing my dilemma, I used to go to a nearby coffee shop, order whatever I saw in the pictures that were stuck on the wall, grab a corner table and immerse in the book. This became my regular habit. I used to go to the coffee shop at early hours to avoid a rush of customers. It used to be deserted at early hours and that provided me with the silence and peaceful environment that was necessary to concentrate on my ‘study.’ This went on regularly for some days. I became sort of familiar with the waitresses and the cashier at the coffee shop. However, I kept my conversation limited to a ‘hello’ and a ‘thank you.’ Things were going fine until I became aware of a pair of eyes watching me intently for the past few days. I realized that one of the waitresses was keeping an eye on me since the past few days. She was in her late forties, with a plump physique and blonde hair. From the way she was treated by her colleagues, I could tell that she was working there for a long time and had gained a respectable position. Even though she was just ahead waitress, she had an authoritative attitude and her authority was accepted by others. I got to know that her name was Jennifer.  Ã‚  

Friday, October 18, 2019

Public Sector & Government Budgeting - Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Assignment

Public Sector & Government Budgeting - Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) - Assignment Example oosing projects, and in this instance, the LBRA involvement is vital to resolve the agony of blight and the blighting effect to the community around in the region. The third top factor that have been raised is selecting and giving first priority to those ventures that people are willing and ready to shore up to their accomplishment (Launar & Nollar, 2005). It is obvious that all the shareholders and the members in any company or an institution will always have the desire and the longing to see best improvement, from the effort they put in that company, cooperation or an institution. Therefore, the redevelopment and structuring projects are done in the accurate time. The arrangement, endorsement and planning of these projects are also done within the stipulated time in line with their accomplishment and the desire of the stake holders (Bland 2007). In the capital improvement policy statement, there are issues like appropriate management of resources and funds. Timely accomplishment of projects is also taken with greater weight in the policy. These issues are well addressed in the long beach city of California since most of the projects had been accomplished on time. The preparation of operating budget ought to be separated from the capital budget, to prevent the mismanagement of funds and resources. This may also be done to avoid interfering with each other final records. Finally, the separation may be done so as to have different independent projects that at the end will yield best

Enron Corporation (former NYSE ticker symbol ENE) Essay

Enron Corporation (former NYSE ticker symbol ENE) - Essay Example ThÐ µ company did not havÐ µ accountability or transparÐ µncy to its sharÐ µholdÐ µrs; it liÐ µd to thÐ µm. ThÐ µ currÐ µnt status of thÐ µ casÐ µ against thÐ µ now dÐ µfunct TÐ µxas company, has not yÐ µt bÐ µÃ µn rÐ µsolvÐ µd. By 2001, it was rÐ µportÐ µd that â€Å"ThÐ µ company, whosÐ µ main businÐ µss is Ð µnÐ µrgy trading, is in crisis following thÐ µ tÐ µrmination of a multi-billion dollar rÐ µscuÐ µ bid† (WÐ µiss, 2001). It foldÐ µd as a rÐ µsult, but in its primÐ µ was considÐ µrÐ µd to bÐ µ an innovativÐ µ company and industry lÐ µadÐ µr. Еnron at thÐ µ hÐ µight of its powÐ µr contributÐ µd as much as $2.1 million in â€Å"individual, P A C, and soft monÐ µy contributions to fÐ µdÐ µral candidatÐ µs and partiÐ µs:† this rankÐ µd it â€Å"among thÐ µ top 50 organizational donors in thÐ µ 1999 – 2000 Ð µlÐ µction cyclÐ µÃ¢â‚¬  (WÐ µiss, 2001). AftÐ µr thÐ µ vÐ µry public fall of Еnron, n Ð µw accountability mÐ µasurÐ µs bÐ µcamÐ µ thÐ µ stuff of Ð µxtrÐ µmÐ µ mÐ µdia, public, and political scrutiny. If Еnron had had such mÐ µasurÐ µs in placÐ µ initially, it arguably wouldn’t havÐ µ fallÐ µn. Discuss whÐ µthÐ µr Еnron’s officÐ µrs actÐ µd within thÐ µ scopÐ µ of thÐ µir authority. Еnron stayÐ µd in thÐ µ nÐ µws long aftÐ µr thÐ µ initial accounting scandal, as jury sÐ µlÐ µction bÐ µgan for thÐ µ casÐ µ of its Ð µx Ð µxÐ µcutivÐ µs KÐ µnnÐ µth Lay and JÐ µffrÐ µy Skilling. ThÐ µsÐ µ individuals actÐ µd bÐ µyond thÐ µ scopÐ µ of thÐ µir authority. ... ThÐ µ bankruptcy court will likÐ µly allow thÐ µ paymÐ µnts to stand† (WÐ µinbÐ µrg and CookÐ µ, 2001). KÐ µnnÐ µth Lay is morÐ µ publicly associatÐ µd with thÐ µ casÐ µ although his namÐ µ is oftÐ µn mÐ µntionÐ µd bÐ µsidÐ µ Skilling’s, bÐ µcausÐ µ Lay is thÐ µ individual who foundÐ µd thÐ µ company in thÐ µ first placÐ µ, whilÐ µ Skilling was its CЕO. â€Å"Еnron foundÐ µr KÐ µn Lay and formÐ µr chiÐ µf Ð µxÐ µcutivÐ µ JÐ µffrÐ µy Skilling havÐ µ suffÐ µrÐ µd anothÐ µr sÐ µtback in thÐ µir Ð µfforts to havÐ µ thÐ µir trial at thÐ µ Ð µnd of thÐ µ month dismissÐ µd. US District JudgÐ µ Sim LakÐ µ, who will bÐ µ hÐ µaring thÐ µ fraud and conspiracy casÐ µ, thrÐ µw out allÐ µgations of misconduct by prosÐ µcutors. ThÐ µ pair's lawyÐ µrs havÐ µ bÐ µÃ µn arguing for months that prosÐ µcutors havÐ µ hampÐ µrÐ µd thÐ µir dÐ µfÐ µncÐ µ Ð µfforts by intimidating kÐ µy witnÐ µssÐ µs† (Е nron, 2006). DÐ µscribÐ µ thÐ µ corporatÐ µ culturÐ µ at Еnron. ThÐ µ businÐ µss culturÐ µ in which Еnron was stÐ µÃ µpÐ µd involvÐ µd unÐ µthical and non transparÐ µnt accounting practicÐ µs usÐ µd by thÐ µ company. Еnron was callÐ µd out on corruption and its lÐ µadÐ µrs havÐ µ bÐ µÃ µn indictÐ µd for fraudulÐ µnt financial statÐ µmÐ µnts and businÐ µss practicÐ µs. ThÐ µsÐ µ causÐ µd its stock to plummÐ µt in valuÐ µ whÐ µn thÐ µ Ð µxtÐ µnt of corporatÐ µ corruption at Еnron was rÐ µvÐ µalÐ µd. StakÐ µholdÐ µrs Ð µxpÐ µct thÐ µir documÐ µntation to bÐ µ fairly authÐ µntic. Also involvÐ µd by proxy arÐ µ thÐ µ othÐ µr Еnron Ð µxÐ µcutivÐ µs who got payoffs bÐ µforÐ µ thÐ µ company wÐ µnt bankrupt, and thÐ µ lowÐ µr lÐ µvÐ µl Ð µmployÐ µÃ µs who didn’t sÐ µÃ µ any of this financÐ µ coming thÐ µir way. Discuss two allÐ µgÐ µd irrÐ µgularitiÐ µs in thÐ µ actions bÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn sà  µllÐ µrs of sÐ µcuritiÐ µs and Еnron. ThÐ µ problÐ µms involvÐ µd in

Multinational enterprises from the Asia Pacific in the global economy Essay

Multinational enterprises from the Asia Pacific in the global economy - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that multinational corporations are enterprises that a base in a particular country, but with a number of subsidiaries abroad. Most of these multinational enterprises are state owned organizations and receive numerous supports from the government. In the recent past, there has been a rise and growing role of multinational enterprises, particularly in the Asia Pacific region in the global economy. In the past few decades, multinational enterprises from the Asia Pacific were not as dominant and buoyant in the global economy as those in Europe and America. Today, the dynamics have changed and the focus has been shifted to the Multinational enterprises in the Asia Pacific. Research has shown that 29% of multinational enterprises from the globe come from the Pacific Asia. This is out of the over five hundred listed multinationals. In essence, it means that of the 500 listed companies, 145 are from the Pacific Asia region. In the recent past, Chi na alone has added close to about 9 multinationals. This to a large extent sensational in the sense that the global index of companies did not previously indicate a surge in the multinational enterprise. Countries like Japan, China, India, and South Korea continue to dominate the markets in unprecedented rates. The growing influence of these multinationals and their role in the global economy is an interesting phenomenon that warrants some keen interest.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Assigment - Assignment Example She kills his new wife and kills the children. In Medea, a woman is seen as a complex being; as the writer was triggered by the unjust treatment of women during the era of Athens and the moral hypocrisy that it revealed. This is the intent why I deem the play Medea on an American plantation with respect to Euripides and the pressing matters that were contemporary to his life. The inciting incident in the play is where by Medea, decides to carry out revenge on her husband by killing his new wife and the children. After she is banished from the kingdom of Corinth, she begs for a day in the land. Medea then asks the chorus of Corinth women to help her carry out the revenge. The chorus tries to discourage her from carrying out the revenge, but she is set to go ahead with her plans. She poisons Jason’s new wife by poisoning her dress which she disguised it as a gift. She then poisons her children and kills them. Jason discovers this when it is too late. The writer displays the event in a fast manner to create anxiety in the audience. The events occur very fast in a manner that Medea would be caught in the act. This shows how women are forced by circumstances to take some harsh decisions. Women face a lot of mistreatment from the society forcing them to take drastic measures. Although it pains Medea to murder her children, she still goes ahead with the plan. This is because she feels betrayed by Jason and has the urge to revenge. The climax of the play is whereby Medea is banished from the kingdom. Her husband condemns her and accuses her of her downfall. He forgets that he was also part of some of the atrocities she committed. He forgets how Medea helped her to kill his uncle so as to take the throne. All this brings bitterness to Medea, which pushes her to plot a revenge mission against her husband. She decides to kill the wife, which could also hurt King Creon. The writer shows how Jason condemns Medea for her actions. This

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Personal Activity Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Activity Plan - Essay Example Health care policies had been introduced and implemented by the US government to apparently lessen the cost of health care cost and insurance. However, these policies had not been successful in its goals. There were also attempts on health reforms but were found to be more risky such that new policies will have to be created and implemented. Various issues in the health care system had arisen affecting the health care system, thus increasing the dilemma in managing individual spending on health care. The Six Dimensions of Health has been one among the various promotions that the government had been trying to endorse profoundly such that this program may aid individuals in attaining a practically healthy condition. Physical, social, spiritual, environmental, emotional and intellectual health, are regarded as the main factors affecting wellness. Being fully aware of each dimension contribute to an individual's overall wellness. As a health care consumer, one should be aware of the different ways in which one could obtain an optimum health care in return of the high expenditures tied up with it. On the other hand, one must also be responsible in taking an utmost care of his own physical being as opposed to leaving everything to health care professionals. Physical health involves a person's ability to take care of the minor illnesses as well as knowing the time in which there is already a need to seek the help of a health care professional such as physicians. The need to personally monitor one's own vital signs such as temperature, respiration, and others, contribute to ones attainment of an assured physical health ("Six Dimensions," para 1) In the past, self-care was limited to monitoring ones temperature alone. But as the demand for a healthy condition increases which tags along extremely high cost, several self-care kits and machines are available in the market. These materials had been able to help indiv iduals manage their health conditions personally at a lower cost with similar accuracy as those that were facilitated by the physicians. Moreover, these materials free individuals from worries concerning their condition whenever they feel something unusual. At the same time, self-help groups had sprung in order to help individuals change the aspect of health care. Considering these facts, personal physical health care had extremely developed from that of visiting health care clinics for check-ups and testing to that of being personally responsible through self-care and self-help tools and groups which may range from understanding the relationship that exist between the individual and the environment, nutrition and the body's functions. An individual's responsibility on physical wellness does not simply involve self-prescription of medicines as deemed necessary but basically knowing the appropriate preventive measures against certain diseases. In the long run, physical wellness may i mprove not only the individual's health condition but the ability to be fully responsible in ones health acquiring a particular discipline towards health that may be passed on the next generation. Man, being a social animal has a need to become socially healthy as well. An individual must achieve a harmonious relationship with the environment that

Assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Assigment - Assignment Example She kills his new wife and kills the children. In Medea, a woman is seen as a complex being; as the writer was triggered by the unjust treatment of women during the era of Athens and the moral hypocrisy that it revealed. This is the intent why I deem the play Medea on an American plantation with respect to Euripides and the pressing matters that were contemporary to his life. The inciting incident in the play is where by Medea, decides to carry out revenge on her husband by killing his new wife and the children. After she is banished from the kingdom of Corinth, she begs for a day in the land. Medea then asks the chorus of Corinth women to help her carry out the revenge. The chorus tries to discourage her from carrying out the revenge, but she is set to go ahead with her plans. She poisons Jason’s new wife by poisoning her dress which she disguised it as a gift. She then poisons her children and kills them. Jason discovers this when it is too late. The writer displays the event in a fast manner to create anxiety in the audience. The events occur very fast in a manner that Medea would be caught in the act. This shows how women are forced by circumstances to take some harsh decisions. Women face a lot of mistreatment from the society forcing them to take drastic measures. Although it pains Medea to murder her children, she still goes ahead with the plan. This is because she feels betrayed by Jason and has the urge to revenge. The climax of the play is whereby Medea is banished from the kingdom. Her husband condemns her and accuses her of her downfall. He forgets that he was also part of some of the atrocities she committed. He forgets how Medea helped her to kill his uncle so as to take the throne. All this brings bitterness to Medea, which pushes her to plot a revenge mission against her husband. She decides to kill the wife, which could also hurt King Creon. The writer shows how Jason condemns Medea for her actions. This

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Simulation Project Essay Example for Free

The Simulation Project Essay Multinational corporations face many challenges in their domestic and global environments. According to Ajami, Cool, Goddard, and Khambata â€Å"a multinational firm is one in which a certain percentage of the earnings, assets, sales, or personnell of a firm come from or are deployed in foreign locations† (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 6). According to this definition US Airways Group would be classified as a mulitnational firm. On Fortune 500’s Worst List, US Airways Group is identified as a least admired company on all eight attributes identified by the research and surveys performed by Hay Group (Best worst in, 2006). As the name implies US Airways Group operates in the Airline industry. This paper will discuss how government regulations, hard and soft technologies, some political-legal barriers, sociocultural factors and two economic theories that are faced by US Airways Group are affected by their domestic and global environments. It will also offer a strategy for US Airways Group to countinue its growth and success as an industry leader. As indicated from its name the domestic environment of this company is the United States and the global environment that will be used is Costa Rica. In the US the airline industry has two main agencies that write regulations that it has to obey. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 2012). Although the airline industry was de-regulated in 1978 the DOT â€Å"retains the authority to alter or amend any airline’s certificate or to revoke such certificate for intentional failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the certificate† (10-K, 2012). The FAA is responsible for writing the regulations that relate to aircraft maintenance and operations, certification of pilots and flight crewmembers and air traffic and general operating rules (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 2012). Another other agency that establishes guidelines that the airline industry has to abide by is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA is responsible for â€Å"regulating operations, including air carrier operations, which affect the quality of air in the United States† (10-K, 2012). US Airways Group has to follow all the established regulations created by the FAA, DOT and EPA if it wants to remain in business in the United States. They have to keep up-to-date with the maintenance requirements and keep accurate records as established by the FAA and continue to have their aircraft inspected at regular intervals as prescribed by the FAA (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 2012). They must ensure they follow EPA guidelines regarding air quality, while continuing to meet the DOT requirements for operating at efficiency or risk having their certificates revoked to do business as well. In Costa Rica, the government is based on Roman law, which is very different from the US legal system (Doing Business in Costa Rica: 2012 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies, 2012). The ways the laws are written is how they are applied and there is little to no room left for interpretation by anyone regarding the laws. Therefore the way that the government regulations that US Airways Group must follow are written are the way that they must be followed. The government has established travel guidelines that must be followed there, the most important being that: currently you are not permitted to enter Costa Rica unless you have a roundtrip ticket (Costa Rica, 2012). The easiest way for US Airways to avoid an issue regarding this regulation is to ensure that all travelers going to Costa Rica have a roundtrip ticket when they board the plane in their departure city, along with valid identification. â€Å"Hard technology includes the physical hardware, capital goods, blueprints and specifications, and knowledge necessary to use the hardware, while soft technology encompasses the management, marketing, financial organization, and administrative techniques that can be combined with the hard technology to serve the needs of the use† (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 358). Based on this definition some of US Airways hard technologies would be their aircraft (planes), hubs (airport locations) and even their flight crews. The planes that are currently in the fleet are manufactured by Boeing, Airbus and Embraer (US Airways Fleet, 2013) and some are equipped  with the â€Å"ACSS’s XS-950â„ ¢ Mode S Transponder† which allows for the transmission of information regarding the planes â€Å"position, speed and intent† (Press Releases, 2012). They have hubs in the four US cities and have established a partnership with Star Alliance (US Airways A Star Alliance Member, 2013), which gives them access to a hub at London’s Heathrow Airport as well. The flight crew has the knowledge to operate the aircraft as well operate the terminals efficiently within the hubs. It is the flight crew’s responsibility to ensure that the passengers are on board the plane on time and that the plane departs the gate on time. The soft technologies currently employed by US Airways includes their Nuance interactive voice response (IVR) system, which was one of their new marketing tools to help reduce customer frustrations (Interactive Case Study: US Airways, 2013), audits of customers’ airport experiences (Sunnucks, 2010), and training on the other new systems that have been implemented to help with customer satisfaction. Just as flight crews can be classified as hard technology the management staff of US Airways can be classified as soft technology because it is their responsibility to make sure that the customers are kept happy and that they use their administrative talents to keep the employees satisfied as well. If US Airways continues to educate, value and respect it employees, while using new technology to keep up-to-date with the rest of the industry and survey its customers for satisfaction their success will continue to improve. One of the political-legal barriers that US Airways Group will face in the US and Costa Rica the differences in the legal system as identified earlier. In the US the laws are interpreted and judges look at past cases to help decide how to rule on a current case, in Costa Rica judges look at the law the way it is written and make their rulings based on the way the law is written. If US Airways is not careful and does not fully understand the laws and how they are written in Costa Rica this could be detrimental to their operations there. In the US they not only have to comply with federal laws but state laws as well that have been established. Although both governments are classified as republics, the US has what the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) refers to as a federal republic and Costa Rica has a democratic republic (The World Fact Book, 2012). In Costa Rica they promote a political environment based on inclusion. One of their political parties is Partido Accesibilidad Sin Exclusià ³n (PASE) which translated into English is Accessibility without Exclusion Party (Obando, 2013); however the US is not necessarily an inclusion-based society. The US does have laws regarding accessibility for individuals with disabilities and they are taken very seriously, Costa Rica is not as readily as accessible as one would think they would be based on their inclusion-based political system. For US Airways to continue to be successful in the US and Costa Rica concerning the political-legal environments within those countries they should remember the â€Å"history of close and friendly relations based on respect for democratic government, human freedoms, free trade, and other shared values† (World-Country Profiles; US Department of State Background Note, 2007), this falls in line with the concept of the classical theory of trade (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 48). Geert Hofstede developed his theory of the five dimensions of culture, based on information provided to him by IBM regarding employee values in their survey of more than 70 countries between 1967 and 1973 (National cultural dimensions, 2013). â€Å"The five dimensions of culture as theorized by Hofstede are: social orientation, power orientation, uncertainty orientation, goal orientation and time orientation† (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 213). The five dimensions are broken down into simple terms as: social orientation – reflects a person’s beliefs about the importance of the individual over the group for which they belong; power orientation – deals with how one views authority and power differences in a hierarchy; uncertantiy oreintation – refers to how one feels regarding change; goal orientation – deals with how one is motivated towards achieving goals and the fifth and final dimension time oreintation – refers to the how individuals in a culture adopt an outlook of long or short term regarding life, work and other issues (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 213-214). In regards to the sociocultural aspects related to these dimensions of culture as id entified by Hofstede there are many that are different as well as some that are similar for these two countries. One of the biggest differences between the two countries is their attidudes towards time. People in the US are all about time and money whereas people in Costa Rica want to take their time and really understand what is happening. The attitudes towards work and lesiure follow suit with the attitudes towards time. Many in the US do not  take vacation time off because things need to get done, whereas Costa Ricans are more concerend with spending time with their families and socializing with friends (Provasi, 2012). The attitudes regarding change, material things, and jobs are also at opposite ends of the spectrum. These things are important to most Americans and they look at these things as a way to build themselves up. Costa Rican’s on the other hand look at these things and will be just as comfortable with keeping things just they way they are. Aspects that are similar in the two countries are literacy rate and education mix. Both coutries hold these items in high regard and try to come up with ways to encourage the young people to stay in school and continue with their education and pursue higher education as well. Another item that is similar is their â€Å"open door† policy in the work place , managers are accessible at all levels and this makes it very familiar. The two economic theories that will be compared and contrasted are Walt Whitman Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth and John Kenneth Galbraith Equilibrium of Poverty for the domestic and gloabal economic environments identified above for US Airways Group. The US has a mixed economic environment and is classified as a first world country. The reason the US does not fit into one specific economic environment is it has characteristics of capitalism in which the relationship of supply and demand dictates price and it also has elements of a free-market economy in which the government establishes laws and policies to ensure public safety and welfare (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 59). Costa Rica has a social market economy (Rojas, 2006) and is classified as a thrid world country (Rosenberger, 2012). A social market economy is similar to a free-maket economy in that â€Å"it upholds free market components such as private property and ownership of businesses and industry, free price formation, market competition and free trade, while also utilizing government regulation to create fair market competition by preventing market monopolies, ensuring ongoing economic development and poverty alleviation† (Social Market Economy, 20 13). Based on the definitions provided it can be said the both economies are similar in regards to government regulations being involved in creating a fair and safe market environment. Walt Whitman Rostow identified five economic stages of growth in which a country could fall: traditional society, transitional stage, takeoff, drive to maturity and the age of mass consumption (Ford,  2004). Each stage represents a stepping stone to for the next stage. According to Rostow the US surpassed the age of mass consumption in the late 1950’s (Ferraro, 1960), Costa Rica however is still in the takeoff stage. This stage is â€Å"marked by major transformations that stimulate the economy† (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 55). For US Airways Group, in Costa Rica this is identified by their growth in the technological area (more flights operated) as well as more jobs being created due to the increase in flights. Although in the US this stage has been surpassed, US Airways contiunes to â€Å"grow† in this aspect because they are increasing flight schedules. Galbraith’s view of economics is similar to that of Rostow, in that economic growth is as much a change in social, intellectual and policatical as well as physical (material) change (Watson, 2011). According to both of their economist views the US operates as a capitalistic economy. This is tr ue of US Airways in the way that they have been able to turn-around their business since 2005. They actually took into consideration things that would make the consumers happy, not necessarily increasing their capacity (i.e. putting more seats on a plane), in doing so they were able to keep up with the consumer’s wants and still provide the service that was needed (Smith, 2012). This falls into Galbraith’s view that â€Å"the major affirmative purpose of the firm is corporate growth† (John Kenneth Galbraiths Contributions to Economics, 2013). This view is similar to Rostow’s age of mass consumption in that both concentrate on the high standards of living (i.e. comfort in travel on the plane) that have been established as a result of the efforts set forth is their respective stages. Where the two differ dramatically is that Galbraith believes that the companies direct the consumers wants by advertising that makes the consumers desire certain products or services, and that therefore the economy is more driven by the seller and not the consumer (John Kenneth Galbraiths Contributions to Economics, 2013). In this instance though, that concept contradicts his idea of ‘the major affaimative purpose of the firm is corporate growth’ in the example provided regarding US Airways above. In successfully industrializing a poor economy such as Costa Rica’s, Galbraith’s Equilibrium of Poverty offers the idea of the reliable infrastructure system (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 57). This idea simply means that the country would need to have a â€Å"relieable  system of roads, ports, electrical power supplies and communications† (Ajami, Cool, Goddard, Khambata, 2006, p. 57). In this case US Airways already has access to these items at the airport and therefore is well on its way to helping the economy grow and prosper. While both Rostow and Galbraith believe that governement need to be invovled in the initial stages to help third world countries establish themselves and help to protect their citizens they also understand that there will be a time when the government will need to step back and let the companies in the different industries takeover and control their own destinies so to speak. Rostow does not mention how or when he thinks this should be done, however Galbraith says that he feels that governments should impose â€Å"taxes on consumer goods and services, using the proceeds to increase the availability of public sector goods and services† (John Kenneth Galbraiths Contributions to Economics, 2013). In doing this, he is trying to show that eventually there has to be a point where control is given to the companies and they only need to answer to the governments when required or necessary. US Airways Group has made significant improvements in seven of the eight-attribute areas identified On Fortune 500’s Worst List 2006. On the 2011 list they still have a ranking on the worst product quality attribute of number 11, which is down from 10. US Airways Group needs to figure out ways to improve the quality of their service as well as their products. Although they may not have much control over the service aspect because the flight schedule cab be delayed because of an airline from another company they can control they products. They can invest in newer planes, upgrade/update their current planes and even update their hubs in the airports that they currently operate in. Other ways for the company to continue to grow and succeed in the domestic and global environments are they must continue to improve their offerings. They are off to a great start by taking surveys and asking customers what is important to them. They need to go a step further and ask the employees what is important to them, what will keep them loyal to US Airways Group. Take what they learn from the employees and the implement changes that are suggested. Continue to ask the customers what they like, do not like, what other features they would like to see in the airports, on the planes and in the air. I think one thing that the company should do is take a lesson from Southwest and stop charging baggage fees for the first checked bag. They should eliminate  change fees, and if someone needs to cancel their trip completely, implement a cancell ation fee, but refund the difference between the ticket price and the cancellation fee. By eliminating their fees they will draw more passengers to the airline and increase sales, because people will not feel as if they are being taken advantage of. In today’s economy this will go far with consumers and could lead to even bigger profits in the end, because they will feel that US Airways Group is a company that is not just looking out for themselves but for their customers as well. As demonstrated there are several different environments that a multinational corporation must take into consideration when exploring new opportunities. The government regulations, hard and soft technologies, political-legal barriers, sociocultural factors and economic theories that a company faces and how they handle each of those environments will determine if they will succeed or fail. Walt Whitman Rostow and John Kenneth Galbraith’s economic theories can be used by companies to help determine if the global environment that is being considered will be a good fit with the domestic environment of the parent company. Once the location has been setup and establishe the company must realize that the work does not stop there, they must always analyze and remember they want to continue to grow so they need to ask the question what do we do to contiune to prosper or what do we do to make it so we do prosper. Bibliography 10-K, A. H. (2012, May 19, Retreived December 16, 2012). Government Regulations and Airline Industry Taxation. Retrieved from Wikinvest: http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/AirTran_Holdings_(AAI)/Government_Regulations_Airline_Industry_Taxation Ajami, R. A., Cool, K., Goddard, G. J., Khambata, D. (2006). International Business: Theory and Practice. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Best worst in (2006). Retrieved from CNN Money: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostadmired/2006/best_worst/ Costa Rica. (2012, December 30). Retrieved from cr2net.com: http://www.cr2net.com/costarica/coming_and_going.htm Doing Business in Costa Rica: 2012 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies. (2012, December 30). Retrieved from The Department of Commerce: http://www.buyusainfo.net/docs/x_1853591.pdf Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. (2012, December 13, Retreived December 16, 2012). Retrieved

Monday, October 14, 2019

Advantages Of Outsourcing ICT In An Organization Information Technology Essay

Advantages Of Outsourcing ICT In An Organization Information Technology Essay This is a report about Tescos company ICT outsourcing and knowledge management. In the following paragraphs two questions are going to be answered and analyzed according to the information existing in Tescos case and also strategic managements theory. Outsourcing ICT is quite commonly used by organizations as an approach to strategic management. Access the advantages and disadvantages that outsourcing can bring in developing effective uses of information systems in an organization such as Tesco. The huge amount of competion and the global economic crisis that organizations have to face nowadays have made Information Communications Technology outsourcing a really attractive management tool in order to cut expenses in non-core activities, specific in overheads of Information Technology departments. By deciding to outsource, there would be a lot of benefits but also a number of risks associated with it. It is important for a decision maker to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of ICT outsourcing, before making the decision to outsource. Outsourcing ICT has to do with the whole information science, helping the business field. It is about networks, web design, programming, online shops etc. Network services is the most common ICT services activity that is being outsourced and that outsourcers who do not comply with contract has the most influence on ICT outsourcing inherent risks. The Technology of information and communication is growing fast and the vendor business has to be updated and synchronized with the era of 2010. So it would be far easier for them to sell their products and serving their customers in every possible way. For a company that has to deal with so many products from soap to bread it would be more difficult to take the risk and create their own Information and communication department from scratch and keep It upgraded while their whole business is running. The result of this difficulty is to outsource ICT specific in Tescos case to Trilogy Company. The advantages of outsourcing ICT in an organization such as Tesco. ICT is vital to Tesco. Every aspect of their operation is controlled or monitored by ICT stock, distribution, payroll, communication methods, and so on. ICT is essential to the running of a modern store. It is used for planning, monitoring, auditing and communicating between store operations. For example, when an item has its barcode read at the checkout, the system not only logs the price onto the till, but also logs the financial transaction between Tesco and the customer and the fact that the stock has been reduced by one item. On the distribution side, instructions from the mainframe computer are sent directly to forklift truck operators at depots by radio links. This shows the integration of departments by using ICT. All stores are connected to the mainframe at Head Office via the Tesco Network. Another advantage of Outsourcing ICT from a business perspective is that organizations are realizing that owning and operating their own IT infrastructure no longer makes sense. The cost of that is much bigger and the results are never guaranteed. This coupled with the common resource lack make outsourcing a viable alternative. It is important for organizations to adopt the right approach in order to reap the benefits of outsourcing. They should demand the following from any ICT company they are going to cooperate. Selectively outsource specific ICT functions in stages Grow into a mutually beneficial relationship Gradually leverage on the benefits of outsourcing Continuously review performance and make adjustments Have Technical support from experienced system engineers Gain confidence and in-house acceptance before outsourcing more functions With the right approach and the suitable outsourcing of ICT the organizations will manage to stay high at the competitive edge in the market. Serving the customers in the best way and surprise them with new ways of purchasing their products (for ex. via online-shops) will keep their loyalty and the margin will be for both sides. A big company like Tesco has many sub-stores, some in the same country and some abroad. The communication between them and the line the company sets everywhere should be established well. ICT helps with this area and it was the primary reason that chain branches use ICT. In summary outsourcing ICT for a company such as Tesco is important for increasing the ability to reach the goals of the company, reduce human risks, saving time, helping the company to stay competitive and minimize the operating costs. The Disadvantages of Outsourcing ICT in an organization such as Tesco. As it was already mentioned above, the outsourcing ICT has also disadvantages that raise the risk the company has to take. For example, At times, it is more cost-effective to conduct a particular business process, rather than outsourcing it, not that much in IT but maybe if the upgrade the company wants to make is small and the fee the ICT Company asks is big. When you begin to outsource your business processes, you might find it difficult to manage the offshore provider when compared to managing processes within your organization. In case, your outsource ICT service provider becomes bankrupt or goes out of business, your organization will have to immediately move your business processes in-house or find another outsourcing provider The employees in your organization might not like the idea of you outsourcing your processes and they might express lack of interest or lack of quality at work also outsourcing can create potential redundancies for your organization, a lot of employees may lose their jobs. Your outsourcing provider might not be only providing services for your organization and maybe the quality of the service isnt always guaranteed, especially in low-price agreements. Since your provider might be catering to the needs of several companies, there might be not be complete devotion to you and your company something that couldnt happen if you owned the ICT department. In outsourcing, you may lose your control over the process that is outsourced and dont be able to fix something in time because you are not in charge of this field. Outsourcing, though cost-effective, might have hidden costs, such as the legal costs incurred while signing a contract between companies and you might also have to spend a lot of time and effort in getting the contract signed. There can be several disadvantages in outsourcing, such as, renewing contracts, misunderstanding of the contract, lack of communication, poor quality and delayed services amongst others. The disadvantages of outsourcing give organizations an opportunity to think about what they are stepping into. However if you find a reliable outsourcing partner you probably wont experience any of these disadvantages of outsourcing.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Huck :: essays papers

Naivety of Huckleberry Finn The dialect that Mark Twain used in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" mocks the poor education and incompetence of the South in the late 1800's. As the narrator of the novel, Huck Finn, fits the exemplary part of a young and naive boy. He does not comprehend the immensity of the world but, rather the small portion that he sees. As Huck takes the reader through each episode of the book, he does not perceive any kind of humor in the word devices he uses. He takes them quite seriously and is portrayed as a naive character to the reader. Mr. Twain has purposely given the readers reason to believe he is mocking the characters in the book with this audacious comedy. Huck Finn says out of the ordinary things that most people would not have the slightest idea about. At the beginning of chapter one, the Widow Douglas tells him of Moses and the Bulrushers. He is eager to hear all about the stories of Moses until he finds out that Moses has been dead a "considerable long time." Huck tells the reader that he "don't take no stock in dead people." To him, there is no lesson in these stories unless the person is alive and is related to someone. The novel places realistic views and does not hold romantic value besides that of the character Tom Sawyer. Huck does not understand why Tom makes every task so complex yet, Huck is very admirable of Tom's ideas. Throughout the book Huck asks himself if Tom Sawyer would approve of the way he deals with certain matters. This shows dramatic irony because Tom would not be stuck in these situations that Huck is in, in turn adding to Huck's naivety. This brings the readers to the Dauphin and Duke, who take advantage of Huck because of his gullibility, tricking him into thinking they are of a royal class and deserve superior care. As readers, we see the entire picture, past the fraud's act. Huck goes along with the low life and cunning ways the Duke and King make money. A classic example of this is when the Duke and King, the scoundrels that they are, put on the stage production of "The Royal Nonesuch," making their own success from the foolish townspeople. Jim, the runaway slave displays a naive humor laced with superstition.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Majority Rule :: Essays Papers

Majority Rule According to John C. Calhoun’s â€Å"Disquisition on Government†, Rousseau’s ideas were wrong. Unlike Rousseau, Calhoun believes that man is more self-interested than socially interested therefore Rousseau’s idea of a sovereign making a fair general interest decision obsolete. Calhoun acknowledges the fact that in any society there has to be a decision making procedure and a form of power. He then explains how that power will naturally make self-interest a priority. Calhoun breaks up the decision making process of voting into two different categories, numerical/absolute majority and constitutional/concurrent majority. Calhoun stresses the fact that there is a major difference between these two and â€Å"that they cannot be confounded without leading to great and fatal errors†. Numerical majority is described as a majority of numbers, which does not consider the actual people who make up this â€Å"so called† majority. Mr. Calhoun insists that confounding the two majorities and considering numerical majority as the only majority will in fact tear apart the popular government. Instead he explicates the importance of every persons opinion, this is what is so overlooked in a majority rule, because there are more numbers does not make that a right majority. A majority is most often in control or heavily involved with its government. Calhoun explains that if a constitution is made to be easily changed to limit the powers of some departments, as well as this may seem, can cause harm. A majority that is limited by one of these provisions will find it easier to do away with these provisions because of their numbers, while the minority will not have the ability to keep the provisions. These beliefs are easily correlated with the issues of states rights during the civil war. I agree with Calhoun and his beliefs of majority. Although our nation today is prosperous this does not make the decisions of and other events in our country right. We have almost lost touch with many groups and simply dubbed them the minority.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Smooth Talk

â€Å"Smooth Talk† is a film adapted from the short story â€Å"Where are you going? Where have you been?† by the author Joyce Carol Oates. The short story was first published on 1966 while the film was released on 1985. The protagonist â€Å"Connie† in the short story was a fifteen year old young lady who has two sides of herself; one side if for her home and the other is for outside her home or anywhere else aside from home. Connie’s sister named June is the opposite of her. While June is being praised by her mother which is also different from Connie, Connie on the other hand was a young girl who enjoys the company of her girl friends. Together with her girl friends, they enjoy watching movie or have a walk to shopping plaza. In the short story written by Joyce Carol Oates, Connie’s character was described as a young girl who is concern with the way she looks. Her character was centered in her physical appearances and gestures and not so much of her attitude and feelings. It was evident in the short story when Joyce Oates describes Connie’s â€Å"quick, nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right† (Joyce Carol Oates. 1966). The vulnerability of Connie’s character was very present in the story when Arnold Friend’s enters the picture and forces her to come with her. Arnold Friend is described as a â€Å"suspicious stranger† whom she saw once and suddenly knows almost everything about her and her family. Connie at a very young age was susceptible to Arnold Friend who wanted her to simply go out and have a ride with him. Her character in the short story define a weak young girl who faces a man she doesn’t even know and mocks her up until she get loose of everything on her mind. Joyce Oates was precise about Connie’s vulnerability when she describes how Connie helplessly tries to let go of Arnold Friend but vulnerably ends up with his arms. Indeed, the short story was in fact a manifestation of how powerless Connie was in terms of her handling Arnold Friend’s attitude towards her. Connie could have had done something but with her vulnerability as a young girl she gives up something of herself. On the other hand, â€Å"Smooth Talk† visually presented the short story to film. Connie’s character was evidently showed in the film as a young fifteen year old girl who flirts around with boys and loves to cruise the shopping malls with her friends. Connie’s character was expanded in the film, adding up some new things that were not mentioned in the short story. Nonetheless, Connie’s being vain and flirt was still evidently in the film. Her suspicious stranger was more powerful in the film seducing her with his smooth-talking way. In the film, Arnold Friend’s character involves sexual desire for Connie and his character was full of aggressiveness to seduce Connie. Connie on the other hand, is a young girl who is silly and flirtatious with other guys but come one Sunday morning when she was left alone at home and was confronted with the suspicious stranger, Connie’s vulnerability was evidently showed. Her character as a young girl who has two sides of herself was helplessly alone and afraid, trying to overcome Arnold Friend’s seduces. While she was trying to figure out what to do and how to let loose of the stranger, the smooth-talking man tries to seduce her and consistently tries to win her. Part of the film was entirely focused on the situation on which Connie was confronted by the stranger just like in the short story. Though there were some minimal  changes in the film that wasn’t mentioned in the short story, â€Å"Smooth Talk† by Tom Cole gave justice to Joyce Oates’s â€Å"Where are you? Where have you been?†. Connie’s character in the short story was more innocent than her character in the film. Although it was the same, her character in the film portrayed by Laura Dern was â€Å"lavishly and lovingly textured†. (Joyce Carol Oates. 2007) Basically, the mere fact that a short story is being read while the film was being watched evidently showed that Connie’s character of vulnerability was formulated both in the short story and in the film. It was clearly defined and translated in the sort story how Connie’s weak character gave her the risk of giving herself up for Arnold Friend. While in the film, both Connie and Arnold’s characters were emerged consistently as described in the short story. The vulnerability of Connie in the film is just somewhat the same in the short story. But Connie’s being naà ¯ve of the things that happens around her was clearly specified in the short story. Nevertheless, â€Å"Smooth Talk† and â€Å"Where are you? Where are you going?† is both a masterpiece in there own rights and abilities. The two is not only about the reality of a teenager growing up in a harsh world outside her home but also it imparted to us the idea of some issues that runs inside a family or inside home that most of us take for granted. The adaptation was visually presented well from the short story and just the same, both gave the justice on its own. Connie’s character provides us the imagination of how innocent and free spirited she was as a young girl that in the end lose herself to a man she doesn’t even know but who knows her very well. There lies the mystery or the story by Joyce Carol Oates. Works Cited Oates, Joyce Carol. â€Å"Where are you going? Where have you been?.† Celestial Timepiece A Joyce Carol Oates Home Page. Joyce Carol Oates. 12 July 2007. University of san Francisco. 24 July 2007. http://jco.usfca.edu/works/wgoing/text.html. Brussat, Frederic and Mary Ann. â€Å"Film Review.† Spirituality and Practices Resource for Spiritual Journals. Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. 2007. 24 July 2007. www.spiritualityandpractice.com. Â