Being on Time Essay

Time: It is the universes theoretical constant that governs, sometimes with an iron fist, the everyday lives of humans. Time has many different measurements. There are stellar measurements, such as the phases of the moon or the rotation of the Earth around our Sun. There are extremely long measurements of time, like the geological epoch that can span for tens of millions of years, and there are very small measurements such as planck time, a unit commonly used to measure events in quantum mechanics and is so small that a single unit of planck time is the equivalent of 10-43 seconds. People have always measured time in one form or another. Beginning with our ancestors, who began to measure the phases of the moon almost 30,000 years ago, to the Egyptians who began to measure time using shadows cast by large Obelisks, effectively being the very first sundials. Today, we use a common standard of time in our day-to-day lives. Sixty minutes in an hour, twenty-four hours in a day, three hundred sixty-five days in a solar year; but time has always been used to measure and record important events. This has never been more evident as it has been in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In this era of human history, punctuality is one of the key elements of our workforce, and particularly in the military. In our world, being on-time carries more with it than just a smooth operation of events. Here, being at the right place at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. As members of the United States Army, we have made a commitment to obey our unique laws and regulations, of which precision and conscionable timing is reflected. In our Uniform Code of Military Justice, timeliness is addressed under our Punitive Articles. Chapter 10, Article 86: ABSENCE WITHOUT LEAVE Any member of the armed forces who, without authority– (1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed; (2) goes from that place; or (3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. With this being said it is very important for an individual to be at his/her appointed place of duty at least 15 minutes prior to the time stated. Every soldier knows the military motto â€Å"If you are 15 minutes early you are on time; if you are on time you are late! † This is something that was drilled into us during Basic Training and AIT. I understand the punishment I have been given is not to humiliate me, but make sure I adhere to the military standard at all times. I am an epitome of the soldier’s creed and I wear my uniform proudly. All though I am not perfect I strive for perfection every waking moment of everyday. I am currently paying for my actions in a previous incident and by completing the task I was given I hope to prove that I am not a loss; but someone that can be counted on when needed. I will from this point and all those times in the future; make sure I am at my appointed place of duty. If for any reason I am not able to make it on time, I will be sure to contact my chain of command and let them know why and bring evidence of the incident if instructed.

Petroleum Exploration

Petroleum Exploration and Production consists of four major processes of exploration, well-development, production and site abandonment. In this assignment, we had chosen the major process of exploration and production. Petroleum Exploration is conducted to find and detect the site which contains oil or natural gas. Visible surface features such as oil seeps, natural gas seeps, pockmarks provide basic evidence of hydrocarbon generation. However, most exploration depends on highly sophisticated technology to detect and determine the extent of these deposits using exploration geophysics.Areas thought to contain hydrocarbons are initially subjected to a gravity survey, magnetic survey, passive seismic or regional seismic reflection surveys to detect large-scale features of the sub-surface geology. Features of interest are subjected to more detailed seismic surveys which work on the principle of the time it takes for reflected sound waves to travel through matter of varying densities and using the process of depth conversion to create a profile of the substructure.Finally, when a prospect has been identified and evaluated and passes the oil company's selection criteria, an exploration well is drilled in an attempt to conclusively determine the presence or absence of oil or gas. On the other hand, after the process of exploration and well development, the thrid process will be the production of oil. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling.This comes after the studies of structural geology at the reservoir scale, sedimentary basin analysis, reservoir characterization mainly in terms of porosity and permeable structures. It is refined and separated, most easily by boiling point, into a large number of consumer products, from petrol or gasoline and kerosene to asphalt and chemical reagents used to make plastics and pharmaceuticals. Petroleum is used in manufacturing a wide variety of materials, and it is estimated that the world consumes about 88 million bar rels each day.

Boston Beer Company Essay

1.Evaluate the attractiveness of the craft beer segment relative to the market space occupied by the traditional â€Å"Big Three†. (tip: use the Five Forces framework). a.High Threat of new competition: over 600 of specialty beer companies were founded over the past five years, approximately 40% growth each years. In addition, the existence of contract brewing companies lead to low entry cost. b.High substitution: The attractiveness of craft brewing industry are majorly based on unique styles and flavors of beer. there are many different brands and styles of beer so the actual threat of substitutes is high. c.The intensity of competitive rivalry is also high: while there is a major growth of new entry, the market size shows little growth. This creates tremendous competitive pressures among the industry. d.Bargaining power of buyers: Switching cost for buyers are low, as there are many different substitution and options. companies has to consistently maintain high quality in or der to retain customers. e.Bargaining power of suppliers: switching cost for suppliers are high for the traditional Big Three, as their supplies are tied to their own brewies. Craft brewing companies has the option of switch breweries in a relatively low cost, as the suppliers know they have options to supply other breweries. This allows them to charge higher prices than the big three. 2.Evaluate Boston Beer’s business model relative to Redhook and Pete’s, comparing their business models with respect to specific activities such as procurement, brewing, distribution, and marketing. BBC’s strategy of producing the highest quality of products, the company pursued four initiatives: high quality standards, contract brewing, intensive sales and marketing, and product line innovations. Unlike BBC and Pete’s, redhook relies on its own breweries. Redhook also established a strategic alliance with Anheuser-Busch whereby Redhook products were sold through the nation-wide network of 700 distributorships in exchange for a 25% equity stake in the company. Similar to BBC, Pete’s operates on a contract brewing basis and stress heavily on marketing. In retrospect, BBC intended to remain a contract brewer exclusively, capitalizing on lower overhead and transportation costs while continuing to invest heavily in its branded products. Redhook believed that its long-term growth and profitability were best served by assembling the largest company-owned production capacity of any domestic craft brewer, guaranteeing production capacity in more than one geographic region of the United States. Redhook also made a substantial investment in distribution, gaining access to Anheuser Busch’s nation-wide network of resellers. Pete’s, on the other hand, appeared to be following a combination of these two strategies by producing its products at both company-owned and third-party breweries. 3.How realistic analysts’ long-term growth forecasts (25% to 40% for the craft-brewing segment)? Based on the porter five forces analysis, the craft brewing segment has many advantages over the traditional big three, which explains the 40% growth rate. However the large number of new entries companies has already created a tremendous amount of competitions among its own, which retard the long term growth in my opinion and makes the forecasts of 25% to 40% seem unrealistic. 4.What do you recommend to Boston Beer? a.While the US market size remains somewhat stable. By exporting globally, will introduce BBC to new markets and additional sales b.Forming strategic alliance will help combat the increasing competition among industries.

Are Economic Sanctions A Humane Alternative To War or Are They Simply Essay

Are Economic Sanctions A Humane Alternative To War or Are They Simply a Tool of Coercion - Essay Example Some sanctions, such as that placed upon South Africa during the 1980's, have proven very successful; others, for example the one waged upon Cuba by the United States, have proved to be singularly unproductive and even harmful to the sanctioning nation. In between these poles are examples such as that of Iraq, where various kinds of sanctions were tried over the years before war finally ended the impasse. These three examples are also interesting because each represents a different kind of sanctioning body. International, unilateral, and consumer bodies were involved in Iraq, Cuba and South Africa respectively. As well as considering the role each group plays in creating and developing the sanctions, it is also necessary to consider whether economic sanctions actually prevent military action, whether they help or hinder regime change, and whether there are any better alternatives to the current system of economic sanctions, with specific reference to 'Smart' or targeted sanctions. Wikipedia also notes that: "Economic sanctions are frequently retaliatory in nature". Some consider that there are three general policy objectives which make the application of economic sanctions useful. The national security objectives also can be applied to international security, such as that enforced by the UN. Clearly, the first two categories are the most well known, but nations may impose sanctions for economic situations, sometimes in connection with the WTO. The question of who approves and enforces these sanctions also makes a considerable difference when examining the impact of sanctions upon all of the countries involved, and why, is also relevant. Countries usually apply economic sanctions as a diplomatic measure between condemning a certain regime and taking military action: It has become almost a diplomatic necessity to level sanctions prior to military intervention to show that all other options have been exhausted. (Slate.com) It is therefore clear that some economic sanctions are put in place as an appeasement measure to other countries before invasion takes place. Economic sanctions are popular because they offer what appears to be a proportional response to challenges in which the interests at stake are less than vitalthey thus satisfy a domestic political need to do something and reinforce a commitment. (Haass) There is no unanimous opinion on why sanctions are a valid way of controlling another country's government. While the late Pope was firmly opposed to the use of sanctions, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops considered sanctions to be a "Non-military alternative to the terrible options of war or indifference" (usaengage). Whether

Sec & terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Sec & terrorism - Essay Example Historically, the U.S. identity has always been a benchmark by which threats to security are perceived. As Campbell (1998) informs, U.S. foreign policy has demonstrated that where the existence of alternative identities challenges the belief that the U.S. identity could be the ideal identity, this is often construed as a threat to security. In other words, security risks are interpreted as a means of establishing the U.S. identity (Campbell, 1998). Campbell’s conceptualization of the close relationship between U.S. identity and security is consistent with the constructivist account of international relations. For example, Wendt (1999) argues that state actors establish identities within an international social structure. How the state views its identity and how other states view the state’s identity shape and direct international politics and relations (Wendt, 1992). Using the constructivist account of international relations, this paper will argue and demonstrate the c lose connection between identity and security in U.S. foreign policy during the period of the Cold War is clearly established. However, during the detente phase of the Cold War, it appears as though U.S. security is less connected to identity but rather more closely connected to materialism. This paper is divided into two main parts. The first part of this paper provides an overview of the theory of constructivism in international relations. The second part of this paper will analyse the close connection between identity and security in U.S. foreign policy during the period of the Cold War and the fragility of that connection during the period of detente. The Theory of Constructivism in International Relations Constructivists, like neoliberal and neorealist theorists attempt to understand the drivers of state behaviour. However, constructivists are distinguished from neorealism and neoliberalism in that constructivists do not â€Å"ignore† the â€Å"content and sources of st ate interests and the social fabric of world politics† (Checkel, 1998, p. 324). Essentially, neoliberalism, neorealism and realism are juxtaposed against constructivism in a paradigm articulated as materialism vs idealism (Barkim, 2003). In this regard, constructivists reject the realist/traditional view that state behaviour is driven and explained by material power (Barkim, 2003). For the constructivists, state behaviour and international politics are both socially constructed (Alder, 1997). State behaviour is explained by a number of underlying factors that subjectively form the basis of ideas that steer state behaviour through the acquisition of state identities and interests (Copeland, 2000). Where states share the same ideas and interests, this can constrain and modify the behaviour of a state. Thus in interacting with one another, states may reconstruct their identities and interests through what is referred to as a â€Å"socialising process† (Copeland, 2000, p. 1 90). It is via the socialising process that states identify, defend and protect their identities which in turn inform their objectives and roles within the international political order (Copeland, 2000). Constructivism offers a novel and expansive method for understanding how states perceive security dilemmas as it offers tools for conceptualizing â€Å"human consciousness, national identity† and state interests (Tsai, 2009, p. 19). When constructivism is used to understand how states interpret security

What is Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What is Justice - Essay Example Justice revolves around qualities that promote fair treatment in the society in accordance to the laws of the land and moral beliefs. Justice forms the moral principle that determines equitable conduct in the society where conformity to this aspect presents an opportunity to administer deserved punishment or reward. While this remains the ideal notion of what justice should be, its remains an elusive mirage as most people flout the code of conduct. This is especially so among individuals who are well off in the society and spills over to organizations and corporations. As mentioned before, justice takes two main forms that are distinct, but bear similarity in their purpose and goals. Substantive justice is justice that is bound by law and is based on a couple of principles that govern how the entire process of discerning and enacting justice is conducted. Substantive justice follows laws that define, regulate and create the obligations of certain parties, which should be carried or n o carried out towards others meaning that this form of justice falls under the cause of action, but not proactive. On the other hand, procedural justice is concerned with morality and legitimacy, where it separates the two to show how people respond to authority and how certain bodies found in society have authority over the people. In relation to this case of authority and enforcement of rules and regulations, procedural justice creates room for the creation of frameworks that see to it that justice is delivered through structures that are set apart (Murphy 161). As much as society seek its full implementation in all aspects of life, the efforts seem futile since most charged with the noble task of dispensing justice are involved in hindering the same. With this in mind, it is my view that justice is not possible for all under prevailing institutions of leadership and laws. This follows a trend that is traceable to ancient civilizations who established social classes based on their financial capacities, which was discriminatory to those considered in the lower classes. The trend has been passed on to generations leading to historical trauma in the society, which serves to create a sense of hopelessness. Another factor that plays in a critical role in hindering justice for all lied with the perception in the society, which dictates that inequalities present in the world are a normal way of doing things. For this reasons, those seeking to enact change as faced with great opposition and result in conforming to the norms of inequality. For justice to prevail for all, it is prudent that society devises mechanisms to overcome challenges that impede the implantation of justice. Among the challenges is racism, which remains a sore subject in modern society even as elements of this form of discrimination are evident. Discrimination based on the color of the skin dates back to the 18th Century where Africans were regarded as lesser beings and subjected to slavery (Ulen ). In essence, the black community has grown under dilapidated conditions and taught successive generation about historical atrocities and injustices. Global warming is connected with many factors in life that revolve around nature and the activities of man around his environment. Of great concern, however, is how all the factors in global warming are related since carbon dioxide, air pollution and cutting trees influence mountains and forests in a manner that influences quality of life based on the emotional appeal caused by life’s aesthetics (Richardson). A wide majority of corporations especially manufacturing companies are largely involved in the destruction of the environment where

Assessing organizational culture Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assessing organizational culture - Case Study Example ike communication in general, organizational communication represents a more complex phenomenon as it entails the integration of two unique concepts, â€Å"organization† and â€Å"communication†. In light of this, it is prudent for scholars to understand aspects relating to both concepts separately, and in turn find the intersection points of the two. Initially, individual’s conceptualization of organization communication centred on production of messages; however, this has now changed with research showing the importance of developing literacy within this domain. Literacy has and continues to broaden people’s perspectives with regard to organization communication, as they begin to appreciate the variety of ways they can approach, examine and understand communication (Cheney et al., 2010). Champoux (1996) identifies six key functions of organization communication, which include information sharing, emotion, feedback, persuasion, innovation and integration to coordinate various functions. Through effective channels of communication at the workplace, different parties are able to share information, which facilitates planning and the execution of tasks with the sole aim of achieving both individual and organizational goals. In addition, effective communication channels serve as a tool for parties to communicate their e motions; for example, top management can these channels to communicate their displeasure/ dissatisfaction with employees’ performance. They also serve as a feedback tool whereby, recipients are able to respond to the senders’ messages; therefore, give their input on specific matters. Finally, effective communication channels permit the integration of various functions within the organization. Departmentalization exists even in organizations with the simplest organization structure. As such, effective channels of communication enable the coordination of functions, which are specific to each department. Cheney et al. (2010) argue that literacy in

Essay about story Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

About story - Essay Example No disturbances when watching the tv. I saw the butterfly struggling. I wanted to help it. It looked as if it ws in so mush pain. I decides that I would help. I broke its prision, I k had done something good. I stood up and watch it go and go and gp. Freedom. Freedom. Th butrefly felt feeedom. All a sudden it srtart to fall form air. It fell on rock. It was died. I felt sad. So bad day for me. I try to help but butterfly dies. Very unfair. I pln revenge on Raquel. I will stael her doll and throughit away. Mother said Raquel is siogk. Why did mother say Raquel is sick. Maybe that’s why she breathe funny whern she cry and run. One day Raquel started to have pain in chest. She was taken to hospital at niggt. The doctors had to opetate on her.She did not survive the operation. Raquel my sister was dead. On November 12 she died and we buried her. It ws muy fault she die. I asked daddy f it was me who madre reaquel to die. I was feeling guilty. In wanted to tellherc sorry for the ba d things I had done to her. I told papa about the butterfly. I had killed it but I wasd tryinh to help it.It was my fault,. Guilt guilt guilt fgiuilt. My father asked me what was wrong. I told him the butterfly I was rescuing. He explind that I should have left . I should let it to struggle. Father told me it was aa way of making butterflys strong. Befor they can fly they theyneed to grow. When the wngs form they are still weak. The roun thing protects them. It makes the wings strong. Dad told me I was going to be stong on the inside. â€Å"She started it,† I shouted with loudest of my voice. â€Å"No it’s him who teased me first. He said I looked like a †¦.† â€Å"Shut up both of you! You don’t you know your sister is sick† my mother said. However, at this point I knew she would not be taking sides this time. I knew what was coming. She gave us both that common look which meant we were going to get a proper beating. The last time I had tried to escape, she had chased me

High Paid CEOs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

High Paid CEOs - Essay Example Most of the CEOs get their pay with many components. These may include monthly salary, bonuses, stock options, and others. Quite often, when we look at the data regarding the compensation of CEOs, that data includes in itself the expected value of stock options, which is usually much higher than the current value and is set up the board of directors anticipating the performance of the company (Kay & Putten, pp. 59- 61, 2007). In addition, many CEOs have a considerable amount of their compensation in form of stock options and that is not liquid neither does the CEO walks away any morning with his stock options. Therefore, the liquid cash or variable salary that the CEOs receive is often much less than what we see and hear through various sources (The Economist, 2010). Most critics of the CEO pay often forget that like any other employee of the company, the pay of the CEO is decided by looking at his job description, the sensitivity of his job, the authority, task significance and the risk associated with it. Quite understandably, the job of a CEO is tricky and a risky one because history has witnessed revolutions in companies due to great CEOs and destruction of many companies as well due to incompetent. Besides, if we look this issue from the lens of a free market economist then this issue would cease to exist. These high salaries of CEOs are something, which the free market has come upon through market mechanisms and market driven forces (Beauchamp, Bowie & Arnold, pp. 158-159, 2008).

The Future of Nursing in an Evolving Health Care System Essay

The Future of Nursing in an Evolving Health Care System - Essay Example Furthermore, it will make the population lose their trust on the healthcare system. The maturing nursing workforce, low unemployment, and the worldwide nature of this deficiency intensify the ordinary elements that help nursing deficiencies. In order to sustain change and a sufficient supply of nurses, arrangements must be made in few areas, i.e. training, health care frameworks, approaches, and regulations. There are two primary strategies that have been utilized to address the inconsistency between the supply and demand in nursing. These are expanded nursing system enlistment, and the importation of nurses from different countries. Apparently, these interventions have not been able to make any changes; given the desperate circumstances other countries nursing pools likewise impart (Janiszewski, 2003). As scientists analyze what inspires nurses to stay in their current workplaces, they have come up with the following: saw self-rule, workload, distinguishing, planning, administrations authority abilities, home obligations, and peer connections in the work environment affect a medical attendants choice to remain in duty (Kimball & ONeal, 2002). However, this shortage is not exclusively a nursings issue and obliges a community oriented exertion among nursing pioneers and health care administrators, government, and the

The Kite Runner and its theme on Psychological Healing and Redemption Essay Example for Free

The Kite Runner and its theme on Psychological Healing and Redemption Essay Introduction It has been much known to many that wars and social differences among people in a certain society bring so many problems to many people in the world. Certainly, one may agree that because of the undoubted situation of the people who are directly affected by wars, there come to be several psychological issues that must be dealt with by people as individuals. Regarding wars, an article entitled â€Å"Why is there war?† comments this way: â€Å"Nationalism, prejudices, injustices and communication difficulties have been at the root of other conflicts. In all too many cases, armies have carried out the orders of leaders, such as Hitler, Napoleon and Alexander the Great, who have shown an excessive desire for personal glory and honor.† (Awake! 2000, 32) These comments notably support the idea that man, in many ways are the very elements that contribute to the worsening situation of the society regarding social inequality resulting to conflicts and worse, wars. In reaction to these social problems of inequality and conflicts, author Khaled Hosseini, an Afghan American novelist has come up with a fictionary story that shows the elemental sources as well as effects of social inequalities to people as individuals. The plot of the story was based upon two friends in Afghanistan who were merely separated by the social-class that they both belong to. One being the slave and one being the master, these two friends who turn out to be brothers as the story progresses, depict the differences of the people living in the society today. What are the themes that the story portrays and how do these themes reflect the ability and the ways by which an individual tries to regain himself from an emotional and psychological downfall? These and many more shall be discussed in the paragraphs that follow. An Overview of the Story The whole theme of the story of â€Å"The Kite Runner† revolved around the lives of two young children who were from different classes of the society. Social prejudice of the economic status of people has been the main reason why the problem of diversity in Afghanistan has risen as portrayed in the story. This factor indeed contributed so much to the story’s complication, which resulted to the guilt driven emotions of the main character Amir, when he was not able to come to the rescue of his friend Hassan. In this story, a clear display of the society’s major problem on prejudice and equality has been shown. Concentrating on the more personally based assessment of the situation as portrayed by Amir, the social problems depicted in the story makes it easier to understand why people take lesser courage in making a change in the present social situation, be guilty later on and then set goals in making a change in a less complex and fearful way. Yes, in a concise display of events, the author tried to help the reader’s picture out the most important events of the situation that would likely connect the story with the intense effect of social diversity to individuals in the society. The consequences are shown to be much dreadful enough to keep a person from moving on with his own life, because of the fact that the lack of courage that drives a person to ignore the things that are supposed to be done by him in the first place. Certainly, an inner healing is necessary for certain situations such as this. It is normal for a person to feel down from not being able to complete or live up to a certain self-expectation. However, inner healing is not that easy to find. As for the main character of the story, it could be noted that the healing of his conscience mainly came form the fact that he had to come back to Afghanistan to find his find with a plan of making it up to him in any way he could. Although he was not able to do the said task as he has expected things to come along, he was still able to help himself regain his clear conscience through helping the son of his friend Hassan to have a change of life under his care. An Analysis of the Story As it could be noted, the story was plotted to show the deeper individual effects of the social differences among men as well as the effects of war on relationships between people. The existence of such issues has made the characters reflect the actual situation of individuals in the society especially focusing on the Afghanistan society. (Howard, 2003, Internet) One more them of the story, which should be given attention, is the picture of reality portrayed by Amir. His lack of courage in doing things that they know should be done is a problem by many people today. Although they know that something within their power could change several situations in the society, their fear of several elements in the society keeps them from doing any courageous change. This was shown when Amir failed to save his friend Hassan from the hands of the bully, Assef. As a result, his conscience has not made him completely relieved from moving away from Afghanistan ever since. Instead, he was continuously haunted by the past and the things that he was supposed to do for his friend (Kirszner, 2001, 90). At the same picture, several people today find it difficult to forget the past especially the situations that involves them with the things that they were supposed to do and yet they did not have much of the courage that it takes for them to do it. As a way of relieving the pain brought about by the past, people tend to find ways in which they could still change what happened. As for the situation of Amir, he tried to return to Afghanistan to supposedly make it up with Hassan. As it could be noted from the overview of the story, although Amir was not able to make it up to his half brother Hassan, he was able to clear his conscience by taking care of the son of Hassan instead. In the same way, people today find a way to heal their aching hearts through returning back to what has happened in the past and later on try to change things for the people that they were supposed o help before. This way, their conscience is then cleared off from the shortcomings that they incurred against others before. From Getting Hurt to Getting Healed and Redeemed As mentioned earlier, people tend to get hurt from many things. Usually, their experiences of several different situations they have been involved with, brings them the discouragement that they ought to feel after not being able to do what they were supposed to. This then brings them several psychological disturbances that keep them from moving on freely with their lives. The fear of doing what they should have done before might have been governed by several factors in the society that kept them from being able to complete their supposed tasks before (Hill, 2000, Internet). Certainly, because of the said elements, doing what is right might not have been that easy. Aside from this, it is quite easier to understand that the situation is harder to deal with when it is happening at the actual time. The lack of time to think things over makes it harder for a person to realize what should be immediately done to solve some things (Coon, 2001, 54,55). This is naturally what happened to Amir upon seeing the bully beat his friend. Along with fear and panic, he was not able to come up with the possible solution that he was supposed to apply during the said situation. People tend to lack courage when they are faced with the actual crisis. However, after some time of thinking things over, they begin to realize that there could have been better results if they did have the courage to do their ethical responsibilities regarding the situation. What is meant by redemption and healing? Naturally, this means recovery from any possible scourge that has been experienced by one in the past. Being healed, means being able to cure what has been causing one the pain that is felt in an emotional state as for this matter (Coon, 20001, 56). Hence, healing does not only involve mere mind works. It has to involve actions that would help the individual free himself from the guilt that he is feeling from within his conscience. Basing from how the main character tried to resolve his personal issues regarding his past shortcomings against his friend, coming back to the origin of his guilt feelings has helped him realize the possibility for him to clear his conscience from the guilt that has mainly plagued his thoughts for a long time. As for the present situation of the society, to redeem themselves from the psychological and emotional disturbances brought about by the past, people opt to find ways by which they can still change things even though the change may not be done directly to the people they have once failed to help (Coon, 2001, 58). The changes that this certain courageous act by an individual that naturally results to betterment of many or even of a few would then help that individual to regain his clean conscience thus clearing him from all the guilt that has been keeping him from moving on with his life before. A Social Connection of the Story Several issues that divide it to several classes govern the society today. Aside from the race, economic status makes it harder for an individual to deal with the society in a fair way. Yes, today, the main reason why people tend to separate themselves from others is the existence of social prejudice. What is prejudice? According to the article entitled, â€Å"They found the solution to the problem of race†: â€Å"Education is the key to ending present condition of prejudice. When this key is missing, prejudice often results. Prejudice is a prejudgment, a judgment arrived at before persons have really examined the evidence regarding the matter involved. Then, because of their prejudice, they are inclined to discriminate against others. (Awake! 1999, 14) Certainly, the social division makes it harder for people to deal with each other in a fair way. In the same way, the governments and the non-government organizations, which are supposed to give answers to the said social issues, have a hard time finding ways by which they would be able solve the disturbances. As a result, they have to deal with the guilt that they gain from not being able to give answers to the most important issues in the human society. To be able to clear their guilt, they tend to solve the issues after several years when the pressure on the issue is already lessened and the attention of the society towards the issue has already been shifted to other problems (Coon, 2001, 60). Prejudice however remains to be the main reason why people are having a hard time dealing with a divided society. Facing the Roots of the Problem Basing from actual accounts in the society, prejudice is a major problem that makes it harder for people to find peace and security in their own communities. As it has been portrayed in the story of the â€Å"Kite Runner†, the divisive culture of people cannot be easily dealt with. As a result, more roots of social issues arise from the very said social illness.   It is a responsibility of everyone else in the society to face the challenge of acting against the effects of prejudice. By being completely free from the thoughts of being superior from others should help everyone realize that they have to stand for their fellowmen when they are faced with the oppression of prejudice like that of the situation between Hassan and Amir in the story. For this reason, it would be more possible for people to avoid the guilt of not being able to complete their responsibilities to their fellowmen. Conclusion The creation of the authored story of â€Å"The Kite Runner† gives a clear vision of the actual social situation of the people at present. The division that exists in the society makes it harder for the authorities to do what is supposed to be taken as an action to address the social injustices. As a result, guilt has to be dealt with by the authorities who are supposed to face the challenge. Rather than finding ways to heal one’s conscience from not being able to commit to the challenges of the society, one might as well find ways to face the issues even before they happen, in result, this process of facing the social issues would be easier to manage than to actually find ways to clear one’s conscience from being guilty. Healing and redemption is an essential part of the society’s recovery from the effects of social prejudice. Individuals who have been naturally involved in the deeper effects of the said social issues are the ones who are supposed to find ways by which they could be able to handle their inner distress brought about by social inequalities. Changing how the world views not everyone with differences in an unequal manner may be that easy to deal with, but a single person’s courage of taking the lead to make a change on how people deal with prejudice is a great step towards a fairer society that does not divide society based on several classes of differences. Work Cited Magazines and Journals Why is there war. (2000). Awake! Brooklyn New York. They found the solution to the problem of race. (1999). Awake! Brooklyn New York. Internet Sources: Hill, Amelia. The Observer. (Sunday September 7, 2003). An Afghan hounded by his past. http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,6121,1036891,00.html. (March 13, 2007). Howard, Edward. The Servant. (August 3, 2003). The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9504E0DF123FF930A3575BC0A9659C8B63. (March 13, 2007). Books: Coon, Dennis. (2001).Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior. Thompson Learning Incorporated. Kirszner, Laurie G. (2001) Litterature: reading, reacting and writing. Harcourt College Publishers.

Tourist Breaks Back on Sentosa Ride Law Analysis Essay Example for Free

Tourist Breaks Back on Sentosa Ride Law Analysis Essay Factual Summary of Case Australian tourist, Michael McCarthy, suffered a fall and broke his back while riding Sentosa’s MegaZip, which is a flying fox adventure ride run by Flying Dragon Adventures (FDA). The riders would initially slide down the zipline fast and would be slowed down by a braking mechanism as they approach the landing platform. However, in this case, McCarthy was travelling towards the landing platform at a faster speed than usual. As a result, he crashed onto the platform and broke several vertebrae in his back. He felt incredible pain and could not breathe for a minute and a half. McCarthy had no immediate medical help as there was no medical staff on-site. He only received assistance half an hour later and was taken to Singapore General Hospital 1 hour 15 minutes later. He received 35 stitches to his back and spent 5 days in and out of the intensive care unit. As for the ride, McCarthy satisfied safety requirements of being at least 0. 7m tall and less than 140kg in weight. This was the first accident in its two-year history of operation. Before the accident, the ride had been taken by at least 200,000 visitors in total and was already taken by 140 people on that day. Alexander Blyth, managing director of the ride, believed that all safety procedures were followed, that nothing failed and nothing snapped. The ride also requires customers to sign indemnity forms, in which contains an exemption clause that states that they are not responsible for any deaths or personal injuries unless through gross negligence. Blyth reported the case to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the regulatory body for amusement rides. Lawyers are attempting to seek compensation for McCarthy’s injuries, as they question the validity of the exclusion clause in the indemnity form by bringing up the Unfair Contract Terms Act (UCTA). Following McCarthy’s injuries, McCarthy wants to claim his recoverable losses. It can be assumed that FDA is using its exemption of liability clause as a defence. McCarthy’s lawyers are stating that the exemption clause is invalid under section 2(1) of the UCTA, which states that â€Å"a person cannot exclude or restrict liability for negligence in relation to personal injury or death†. The Contract Before riding, McCarthy was made to sign an indemnity form. The terms of the indemnity form could be regarded as the express terms of the contract between McCarthy and FDA. A contract was formed between both parties when McCarthy signed the indemnity form. Since, the express terms to the contract were introduced before the contract was formed, they are, prima facie, binding to both parties. There was an exemption clause in the contract stating that FDA is not responsible for any deaths or personal injuries unless through gross negligence. Crucial Questions Before we speculate on the legal outcome of the case, a few crucial questions have to be asked. 1. Was FDA negligent? If so, this would render their exemption clause invalid, and they will be made liable for McCarthy’s losses. 2. Did FDA breach any implied terms in the contract? 3. Is BCA liable to any extent? If so, to what extent? Before the crucial questions are asked, it is important to consider the section of The Amusement Ride Safety Act (2011) which states the scope of responsibilities of parties with statutory responsibilities. They are as follows. Parties with statutory responsibilities The Amusement Rides Safety Act (ARSA) defines statutory duties and liabilities for the following stakeholders to ensure proper accountability for the safety of rides: a. Person responsible (i. e. FDA): The person responsible, who is primarily the holder of an operating permit, will be the person who has the charge, management or control of the ride. He will have overall responsibilities for all matters concerning ride safety. b. Ride manager: The ride manager, who is employed by the holder of an operating permit, will manage and oversee daily and routine operations and maintenance of the ride. He has to possess prescribed technical qualifications and experience. c. Qualified person (QP): The qualified person, appointed by the applicant of the permit or the holder of the permit, will carry out specific technical duties, such as certifying technical compliance with design codes, supervising ride installation or modification and conducting annual inspections to ensure ride safety. Was FDA negligent? The court could question whether FDA was negligent in declaring the true safety limits of the ride and if the ride manager was negligent in handling the situation. The safety limit that was declared could have been that the system would not suffer any breakage or malfunction at the stipulated weight but the braking system was unable to be effectively utilized to ensure the safety of the user. In addition, the ride manager could arguably be negligent in the handling of the situation in not pulling on the emergency stop that should have been installed in every amusement ride to stop the ride in the event of an adverse incident. In the event that the ride manager had been negligent in due diligence, the ride manager would also be liable for breaching section 17(1)(a) or ARSA. There are a few possible outcomes regarding negligence on the part of the FDA, and the possibilities of each outcome will be examined. The first possibility is that the court could reason that the FDA was negligent in checking that the braking system was functioning properly and at optimal level. It could state that the braking mechanism is a very integral and crucial component to the system, and hence negligence in the area of ensuring the functionality of the braking system could amount to negligence in ensuring the safety of the system as a whole. In addition to this, the court could also rule the FDA was negligent in ensuring adequate safety limits for the ride. If this was the case, then it is likely FDA will be held fully liable for McCarthy’s recoverable losses. This is because its exemption clause would then be invalid, by virtue of section 2(1) of the UCTA. The second possibility could be that the court could consider contributory negligence as a defence. This however, would be almost impossible because it would be almost impossible for FDA to prove that there was a degree of negligence on the part of McCarthy. It was most likely that McCarthy had to comply with the necessary safety measures before riding, such as wearing a helmet and safety harness. As such, it would be almost impossible for the court to hold both McCarthy and FDA partially liable for McCarthy’s recoverable losses. Did FDA breach any implied terms? If FDA had breached any implied terms in the contract, and McCarthy suffered losses as a result, then it follows that McCarthy can sue FDA for his recoverable losses. The Duty of Care The duty of care can be an implied term in the contract between McCarthy and FDA, even if it was not expressly provided for in the contract. This term would be implied by statute, by virtue of section 13(1)(b)(i) of the ARSA. In addition to the exemption clause being invalid due to negligence, the courts could also rule that FDA’s negligence could have resulted in it breaching its duty of care when the braking mechanism failed to work properly and McCarthy was injured. Furthermore, despite the dangerous nature of the ride, FDA did not have an on-site medical team to ensure that immediate action could be taken in the event of an accident. This is a breach of an implied term for FDA to provide for the safety of its customers in the event of an adverse incident. This term is implied by statute; according to regulation 16(6)(b) of ARSA, â€Å"The operator of an amusement ride shall ensure that at all times when the amusement ride is in operation there are in attendance to render first aid when the necessity arises, a sufficient number of persons who are properly trained by a first aid training organisation acceptable to the Commissioner;† FDA can be held liable for McCarthy’s recoverable losses based on the breach of these implied terms alone. Is BCA liable? Under the ARSA, it states that all amusement rides has to be assessed and certified by a Qualified Person (QP), which must be an amusement ride specialist engineer registered under the Professional Engineers Board. However, as the MegaZip ride involves an aerial ropeway, it is further classified as a major amusement ride under the ARSA. With it being a major amusement ride, the QP is also required to engage and consider the advice and opinion of a conformity assessor (CA). The CA has to carry out procedures such as inspections, tests and certifications to determine if the design and specifications, the proposed installation method or programme or the proposed modification method or programme relating to a major amusement ride or the major modification thereof conform to any technical standard or requirement. Besides technical support, the CA will complement the qualified person with expertise in nontechnical but critical aspects of ride safety such as ride management (e. . layout of queue areas) and crowd control (e. g. access routes and barriers). In order to ascertain whether BCA is liable for the accident, it is important to determine if the accident arose as a result of: 1. QP and CA’s inadequate safety inspections, overlooking of fundamental technical faults and establishing poor safety standards during construction. 2. FDA’s lack of day-to-day management of ride safety. In order to ascertain if the accident occurred due to the QP and CA’s lack of rigorous inspection on the ride, we must determine if they approved the ride without proper assessment of its safety. If the accident arose due to the fault of QP and CA’s poor safety assessment and haphazard approval of the ride, then some degree of liability may fall onto the QP and CA. With this assumption, FDA could then argue that the accident was caused by the QP and CA’s negligence in highlighting and rectifying safety issues during construction. FDA could state that their ride was certified by the QP and CA, assuring FDA that the ride was acceptable and followed all safety aspects. In addition, if FDA was certified through a document of approval signed by the QP and CA, FDA could use this certification as evidence in court to back up their case. This is due to the fact that it would be unfair for FDA to take up the liability if we were to consider that FDA followed all of BCA’s ACRA requirements and sought necessary approval by the QP and CA for the ride. However, the possibility of the scenario above is rather small as it is most likely that at the point of construction, all safety limits proposed by the FDA met the safety requirements of BCA and that the QP and CA properly checked and certified the ride. As the QP and CA’s duties were only restricted to the period of construction, it was the FDA’s responsibility to ensure that the day-to-day operations of the ride were well within the safety limits and that regular maintenance was conducted on the ride. In addition, considering that the accident took place two years after the construction, it would be unfair to attribute blame onto BCA, as the ride would have undergone much wear and tear and weathering. Furthermore, BCA does not have proper control over FDA’s maintenance of safety standards beyond the initial construction phase of the ride. Also, as BCA is a statutory body in ensuring that operators of amusement rides complies with the safety regulations, it would be unreasonable to expect them to be responsible for all safeties of all rides at every point in time. In addition, its role does not extend to ensuring that the ride’s safety features are continuously maintained. As such, it is extremely difficult to hold BCA liable for the accident to any degree, because the onus lies on the FDA to ensure the constant safety of the rides beyond the construction phase. Our Final Evaluation In conclusion, it is highly likely that the court would rule out that FDA was negligent in verifying the safety of the ride, and hold FDA liable for McCarthy’s losses. Assuming McCarthy’s weight was within the true weight limit of the ride, and the braking system of the ride did malfunction on that day, it is most likely that FDA will be held liable as the onus of verifying the efficiency of the brakes is solely on FDA. Should the braking system have been working well that day, but McCarthy’s weight was not within the true weight limit of the ride, it is also most likely that FDA will be held liable in this case as the court can then rule that FDA was negligent in determining the true safety limits of the ride. In saying this, we are assuming that McCarthy was not negligent himself in adhering to any of the safety procedures (e. g. wearing safety harness etc. ). Hence we can assume that there was no contributory negligence on the part of McCarthy. This, in turn, is also not likely as it was not stated in the facts of the case. We can also assume that BCA will also not be held liable to any extent at all, as the onus of ensuring the day-to-day safety of the ride system is on FDA. In a nutshell, from our points of evaluation, we can conclude that the the court will most likely rule that FDA was negligent, be it in verifying the physical safety of the system, or verifying the true safety limits of the system. In committing an act of negligence, the FDA’s exemption clause will be rendered invalid, by virtue of section 2(1) of the UCTA. On these grounds alone, FDA will likely hold liability for McCarthy’s injuries. In addition, FDA’s negligence can also be ruled out to be in breach of the implied duty of care. On these separate grounds alone, it is also likely that FDA can hold liability for McCarthy’s injuries. As such, we can conclude that the likely legal outcome will be that FDA will be held liable for McCarthy’s recoverable losses. If ruled in McCarthy’s favor, it is likely that operations of the ride will be suspended until all investigations and modifications to the ride have been made and verified to be safe. By section 30 of ARSA, FDA â€Å"shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both†. FDA would also be held liable for all costs with regards to McCarthy’s personal injury.

Managing Change in Difficult Times

Managing Change in Difficult Times Summary and Introduction Roles and functions of HR in the Organizational change Responsibility of HRM Attract and retain best staff Alternatives of Downsizing HR Perspective and Sustaining Role Conclusion Summary and Introduction This assignment context recognizes the potential challenge of human resource management roles in the difficult period. Managing the change in difficult time is the techniques, process and tools that manage the people (office employees) in recession to accomplish the required business results. The main focus is on the change in organization from how employees do their jobs today and how they will do their jobs after the change is put into practice. Today, Human Resource Management (HRM) is emphasizing on adding value in the organization as a key player. The most significant challenge for organization in difficult time (recession) is transforming of the human resource to recognize, sustain, enlarge and exploit talents in the whole organization to their fullest capacities than organization can claim that it has the best of the systems to identify talents across the organization. The management professionals and employees might undergo through the anxiety and other issues during recessio n and economic downturn, so organization must make plan for economic crisis. Starting with the explanation of HRM and its functions in an organization by analyzing how the HR actions are contributing and adding value to the organizations overall effectiveness. Roles and functions of HR in the Organizational change HR can and ought to play a key role in creating and executing organizational change and transition. HR can give help and direction in investigation and determination, highlighting the employee’s problems that will essentially influence the success of the organization. HR might recommend on resourcing programs and planning and executing the key learning, reward, aspects of involvement and communications process. HR can foresee individual’s issues and manage them before they get serious. If the program does include rebuilding and downsizing, HR can recommend on how this ought to be carried out empathetically and with the base interruption to individuals live. HR needs to assume a dynamic part in refrain the top gifts, go about as an issue mother while top entertainers rebuffed with being remunerated for their exhibitions, get individuals adjusted and created to battle with this basic circumstance, create individuals on cross useful aptitudes to adjust the surplus and deficiency of workforce, help the corporate to raise the individuals execution bar, guarantee the reasonable assessment of individuals execution, assume a dynamic part in control of communication flow, pass the onus of making the corporate lean, audit its minor low cost benefits and help upgrade the worth expansion for every worker by augmenting workers inputs. When the business is in turbulence zone, HR can put its straight out best in guaranteeing that he directs the corporate effectively. HR needs to be capable in such circumstances in light of the fact that they not just need to keep up the individuals inspiration level however needs to expand it utilizing non-money related apparatuses. There are sure focuses that HR can choose in such a circumstance where individuals are unstable about their employment. HR can give careful consideration to create the individuals on key aptitudes and upgrade skills. Responsibility of HRM HR ought to be engaged in more positive side, making and helping employees to reorganization, execute and change which will eventually make a solid influence on business. In todays economic down turn and recession when job cuts, pay reduction, loss, uncertainty of employment atmosphere overcome, HR has special responsibility to establish ease environment to the exaggerated by counseling, showing care and apprehension preparing them for different skillfulness, linking and deploying in other required areas of functions like crisis management team and security. Attract and retain best staff HR needs to be proactive and think of right on time mediations with respect to any association to get by amid subsidence; the capacity to hold its best individuals is must. Amid nowadays, HR individual at times even take the cruel decision of diminishing the numbers and land up at downsizing. The expression downsizing is even taken as rightsizing and upgrading yet we may not know or disregard the way that not the terrible circumstance or the great conditions keeps going long. The organization needs to put resources into learning and improvement by giving proper learning open doors and offices, however the prime obligation regarding learning and advancement rests with people, who will be given the direction and backing of their directors and, as fundamental parts of the HR department. Create and offer the vision, belief in a craved and developing future. Furnish workers with a strong learning environment where learning capacities can be found and implemented for instance, associate systems, steady arrangements and frameworks, ensured time for learning. When the going is intense, HR and supervisors to test the difficulties and the cure is to downsizing the noble way. Besides, this is the time to execute new thoughts; change the HRM procedures and change the methodology. This must be carried out in a manner that it cuts expenses and propels individuals. Alternatives of Downsizing To avoiding potential downsizing problems, organization might take the following actions as alternatives: Outsource Employees: Employees can work on other company projects as organization can provide outsourcing services is specialized domain. Part Time Job: Pay employee on hourly basis or cut the number of job hours to engage employee with the organization, and during his free time he can do any other work for earnings. Shift of Department: Association can move the staffs to other business component if the one business unit of the organization is not performing well Work at Home: People can work remotely in their homes and result in saving of operations cost. Amid these questionable times, corporate will understand the imperativeness of having skilled gifted workforce which will guarantee that center stays on trainings yet there may be a real lessening in preparing plan. In this time any choice taken by the organization affects every individual generally bits of gossip buoy around. Its top administrations obligation as human asset to guarantee that the correspondence channels are kept open, straightforwardness is kept up. We likewise need to guarantee that precise correspondence happens on time in full, rather than workers listening to things with points of interest from the grapevine first. Sufficient backing from pioneers and administrators as far as individuals administration methods to discover approaches to keep up the inspiration levels of workers. On the off chance that the corporate arrangements are to conserve an allotment of the workforce, advising ought to be given to those both workers who will be staying back additionally the representatives who have been asked to leave, be reasonable with them. HR Perspective and Sustaining Role The present challenges for HRM are corporate reorganization, changing demographic workforce, sustaining companys position and growth, changing mindset of workforce, knowledgeable and multi skill workforce, new industrial relation approach and CSR (corporate social responsibility). There are a lot of people more potential outcomes of sustaining human resources expanding part as development impetus as well as sustaining business through more noteworthy worker engagement. Subsequently, HR experts need to reduce their expenditures and get prepared for some difficult yet significant exercises which will help to change the view of HR for eternity. The monetary emergency is compelling to divide some worker and there is no chance to get around. Do it, however abstain from making frenzy around, in workers, in speculators, in business sector and in nation by shouting boisterous about the subsidence. HRs undertaking is additionally extraordinary, if the human asset administrator makes helpful environment through his or her expert approach in attaining benefit, with the backing of all groups which is the need of great importance. Business has encountered diverse elements that posture numerous difficulties. Human asset and requirement powers together strive for accomplishing the normal objectives like consistence and adherence. HR tries all deliberations to make and sustain an employer and representative benevolent environment and reacting to the current needs and difficulties. Conclusion HRM must be capable to address the right kind of demands related to HR roles or functions during the difficult period and economic downturn. HRM must play a very practical role in managing the problems of global economic downturn by serving organization to improve their skills to learn and work together, moreover manage ambiguity, diversity and complication. HRM is responsible to manage the human resource of the organization to maximize profit at minimal cost and exploit the productivity.

Prejudice In To Kill A Mocking :: essays research papers

To Kill A Mockingbird   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is a story of racial injustice, sexism, and many other types of prejudice. Perhaps the most obvious form of prejudice found in the novel is racism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tom Robinson was a hardworking, charitable person, who always put the needs of others above his own, but because of his skin colour. He was chosen as a target of racial prejudice, by those too ignorant to recognize his kindness, and care for all those around him. The 35-year-old, husband of three would never hurt a soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tom Robinson was found guilty and convicted by an all white jury for a crime he did not commit, the rape of Mayella Ewell, on the night of November the 21st . The trial, and death of Tom Robinson is just one instance of racial prejudice found in the novel, but maybe one of the strongest issues of racism which exists. Atticus Finch once said, “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird (Lee 90).'; So why did death come to Tom Robinson, such a kind hearted loving person, whose only true sin was pity for a white woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many other instances in To Kill A Mockingbird where racism is clearly shown. When Aunt Alexandra makes her first appearance in the novel, she says to Calpurnia, “Put my bags in the front bedroom, Calpurnia (Lee 127).'; This shows the lack of respect and feeling of superiority that Aunt Alexandra has for Calpurnia, because of the colour of her skin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The inhabitants of the small Southern town of Maycomb are so unaware of their words that racism and racial slander has become a ‘normal’ everyday thing, children grow seeing nothing wrong in being racist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Racial slander is so commonly used that it is clearly seen that even the author of the novel does not realize the wrong in it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sexism is also shown throughout the novel. “Atticus,'; he said, “why don’t people like us and Miss Maudie ever sit on juries? You never see anybody from Maycomb on a jury-they all come from out in the woods.'; Atticus leaned back in his rocking chair. For some reason he looked pleased with Jem. “I was wondering when that’d occur to you,'; he said. “There are lots of reasons. For one thing, Miss Maudie can’t serve on a jury because she’s a woman.'; “You mean women in Alabama can’t-?'; I was indignant. “I do. I guess it’s to protect our frail ladies from sordid cases like Tom’s.

Present the way in which imprisonment is presented in The Bell Jar Essa

Present the way in which imprisonment is presented in The Bell Jar The bell jar is an inverted glass jar, generally used to display an object of scientific curiosity. Present the way in which imprisonment is presented in ‘The Bell Jar’ The bell jar is an inverted glass jar, generally used to display an object of scientific curiosity, contain a certain kind of gas, or maintain a vacuum. For Esther, the bell jar symbolizes madness. When gripped by insanity, she feels as if she is inside an airless jar that distorts her perspective on the world and prevents her from connecting with the people around her. At the end of the novel, the bell jar has lifted, but she can sense that it still hovers over her, waiting to drop at any moment. The narrative technique used in The Bell Jar is a first person narrative. Straight away we get the idea of imprisonment through elements of the unhappy narrative voice in the early chapters. The first sentence of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar alerts the reader to the conflicts that will be dealt with in this semi-autobiographical novel: "It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenberg’s, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York." The speaker will tell us in the next few sentences that she is "stupid" and that she feels "sick," and that she is preoccupied with death. Like Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, this young, college age, girl-woman is experiencing an adolescent crisis. When Esther Greenwood tells us in the first sentence that this is "the summer they electrocuted the Rosenberg’s," we get a picture not only of that summer's being nauseating, sultry, and death-oriented, but that this young girl's attitudes and life experiences are ... ...e Plath uses characters such as buddy Willard, using a clever writing technique to show his relationship with others, how people viewed him, his actions and physical description. Through Buddy we can have a better understanding of Esther’s situation. Plath uses the technique of flashback for suspense and to delay the plot. A lot of similes and metaphors are used to contribute to imprisonment. For example similes reflecting the 1950’s ‘yellow as cinnamon’. Overall, I think that Plath is trying to convey the idea that women were being placed in a constricted role in society live as if in a bell jar, able to see the outside world of exciting work and self-determined men, but unable to live it. People suffering from emotional illness are also living as if under a bell jar, isolated from others and unable to escape the distortions of their view of the world.

Skinheads in the Antelope Valley :: essays papers

Skinheads in the Antelope Valley William Finnegan's essay "The Unwanted" explains the history and make-up of the Antelope Valley and then explores the lives of some teenage citizens in order to discover reasons that two rival gangs have such a significant role in the community and on its people. Absent parents and lack of education are just two factors facing teens that ultimately led the Los Angeles Suburb into becoming a society where Skinheads and Boneheads are a norm and accepted as a part of everyday life. C. Wright Mills' idea of the sociological perspective, looking past the facades, is useful when analyzing the micro; individual, and macro; broad, causes of teens becoming skinheads. Each day America seems to become more and more diverse. Some people learn to accept the fact that America is made up of many different ethnic groups, while others believe the only ethnic group should be their own. There are various reasons for discrimination and it is a very controversial issue. In Finnegan's article he describes two gangs with opposing views concerning racism and how each group expresses their beliefs. The racist and anti-racist beliefs don't always end at the individual. Death is an all too common end and when an opinion becomes life threatening a problem arises. According to Finnegan, one of the two major gangs that occupy the streets of Lancaster and the Antelope Valley is, "a white-supremacist skinhead gang, the Nazi Low Riders (N.L.R.'s)" and the other is, "their rival gang of anti-racist skinheads, the Sharps" (1998, p.88). One major quality the two gangs share is their lack of education. Most, if not all, of the teens Finnegan interviewed, dropped out of school, even though later some used other means of getting a high school diploma or acquiring a higher education. Also it appears both gangs tend to resolve their issues with violence. Most people would agree that some violence is in everyone, but it seems that well educated people often find other means to conquer their problems or go about solving them. Through history knowledge has proved to be an unavoidable part of life. As children in the community began dropping out of schools in vast numbers these kids were forced to, willingly or not, gain knowledge elsewhere (1998). A macro cause for the growing numbers of students dropping out of school and joining the gangs, could be that the ideas and values of those gangs quickly spread through the streets and classrooms. This Leads the teenagers to make decisions about wether or not they agree with the

Life and Sorrow Essay

She folded her hands upon her bosom, this four-year old child of mine and as her breathing became more labored, prayed as I led her: â€Å"Jesus. You love little children: help me!† that was at midnight on November 28, 1932. A few minutes later, she had joined the angels and left us in anguish that numbered all feelings. But t have since risen from the depths to which Sonia’s death crushed me, and phoenix- like have left my dead ashes, to sing the charms that the death of one so dearly loved can bring to the soul. I have known the darkness of occasional brooding, but I would dwell most upon a struggle with sorrow that has sweetened my nature, which otherwise, would have been stultified by the pain. Pain, I have realized, is beautiful only when one can rise from its depressing power. I have known the people who have become bitter and cynical under the lash of sorrow, and I have known some who have never recovered from anguish. My experience is important only so far as it may help others towards growth: it is worthless to me if it implies vanity. Sonia is, to me, as fairy tale told or a lyric half lost in fancy, a delicate melody unsung. Had she grown into full womanhood, she might have become an intellectual, for she was deliberate and clear- cut in her language, precise in her reasoning, and keen in sensing nuances which matured minds about her could not appreciate; then, I should have been forever lost, the glamour of its poetry never felt even in vague suggestions, and the delicate melodies never perceived. As a friend suggested to me when grief was most oppressive: â€Å"you shall always remember her as a child. â€Å"How beautiful I felt it was! What a beautiful things a man perceives in such sorrow! What keen and living poetry! For nothing but poetry could give such feeling. In such a moment reason would have destroyed me with consummate triumph; for if I had tried to explain why God had snatched away from me the things I loved best in life, I would have allowed reason to rob me of reason. But poetry in all her magnificence came sailing behind the somber shape of sorrow to show me the way to a more beautiful, more full and more nearly perfect life. Sonia shall always live in my memory as a child who wonders why the star shine in the sky and the rain drops from heaven and the grass on the wayside: as a child who find all things pure and true in her innocent eyes. I shall look in those eyes and see so much confidence and faith when I feel that I am losing my own faith and confidence I shall draw from my memory of her a child’s enthusiasm for life, when my heart is heavy and my eyes dim with age. This is my ideal, to see the whole life with a mind mellowed by age, though a heart forever young – wise and happy! Days before she died, I had a premonition to her death; but I dismiss it, consoling myself with the thought that if such a thing should come to pass -heaven forbid – I should perhaps be rewarded for becoming a true, sincere and humble artist through the suffering that would come from such a shocking experience. For the first time in my life, the idea of becoming an artist suddenly lost in its chance. I would rather remain obscure than lost its greatest masterpiece, wrought in my own blood, and polish by the greatest love that I was capable of giving. Like the reeds in the river, I would rather keep my leaves and flowers that be cut up by the great Pan into the flute. The melody of the wind was enough for me as I bent rhythmically with its blowing. I would refuse the greater melody of art that exacts so much. But when her hour came the blade of death cleave my heart, I felt as if I, too, had died and a new soul had emerged, more beautiful, because cleanse of all bitterness. How true it is as poor Oscar Wilde wrote that, the â€Å"Pleasure is for the beautiful body, but pain for the beautiful soul.† But what costly knowledge this first. Experience has indeed taken away more than it has been able to give. It has suddenly occurred to me that the real artist is measured by his ability to utilize misfortune in recreating the soul. I say, â€Å"recreating† Because art is the recreation of life an experience, into that which sooths and ennobles the soul; if a man with any artistic pretensions allows sorrow to destroy him, he is a mere artisan, incapable of producing anything of worth; for, the first thing an artist must recreate, before true art can be realized, is his own soul. Moreover, sorrow must crush, ere it can reshape the man in s mold of glory. The reed must have cut to pieces, and holes bored through it, before it can have produced such magic melodies as their sound. The sun on hill forgot to die. And the lilies revived, and the dragonfly Came back to dream on the river. Before an artist can sweetly harrow the hearts of others, his own must have died. There is a story told of an ambitious singer who thought he would sing for the grand operas. He sang before a celebrated maestro who, in the middle of an aria from Rigoletto, thundered out, â€Å"Enough! Enough! This will never do. Your heart has been broken!† In De profounds, Oscar Wilde, made the following analysis of sorrow in its beginning upon art: Truth in the art is the unity of a thing with itself; the outward rendered expressive of the inward; the soul made incarnate; the body instinct with spirit. For this reason there is no truth comparable with sorrow. There are times when sorrow seems to me to be the only truth. Other things may be illusions of the eye or the appetite, made to blind the one and cloy (overdo) the other, but out of sorrow have the worlds been built, and the birth of a child or a star there is pain.† Indeed, was it not Zeus’ head split open an axe that Athena might spring full grown from it? Besides sorrow’s power of giving birth to art, there is another blessing, which must come, with all art and all of suffering? It is a way of thinking that solidifies and satisfies, becomes profound and permanent; a real philosophy of life and is therefore, a creation, an art itself, and not the mere adoption of some powerful, second-hand outlook that proves worthless when put to the test. Feeling that the lower forms of logic would be useless to me at the time of my deepest sorrow, 1 approached life by the highest route, through â€Å"the deepest voice of human experience† religion. Early the next morning after Sonia’s death, Gods hand rested upon my shoulders. On previous occasions, the more suggestion of her death would drive me into imagining a sudden flight to some distant land. I knew not where, for an obscure place where I might forget to die. But that morning, I felt strangely calm. Not the remote shades of thought about running away from my sorrowing family Goethe’s line: Who never ate his bread in sorrow? Who never spent the midnight hours-Weeping and waiting for the morrow He knows you not, ye heavenly Powers. Lived inky memory I had eaten my bread in sorrow I had passed the right weeping and watching for a More bitter dawn And felt the touch of the Spirit Upon my being I went to the scorch of St. Ignatius in Intramuros where, humbled by sorrow, I sought the Lords forgiveness of the confessional. I offered up my Sonia, and also my two other boys, and even my own life. If He desired to take back his own. The pagan protest that was surging in my boson, I painfully quelled. It is different to give up the things we hold dear on earth. But when Sonia, whom I loved best, had been given up, to what could be resigned, I felt that grown generous to magnanimity. I had ceased to find difficulty in giving up my pride, and I was humbled; I had ceased to fear for my future, and I was no longer in vain _ I gave up all notions of fame, and became myself. But I was better, I was born to greater realization of truth, a fuller feeling of freshness -my new philosophy doubtless has given me a new sense of values. The things I had held dear, in common with other people. I discovered to be a glittering tinsel and hollowness. We find ourselves only after we have lost everything we hold dear in our temporal habitation; we find our soul only after we have divested ourselves of all the flummery of the flesh. For indeed, how can we find our souls when we are wrapped up in matter, so that we cannot give a step, or put our hand, or lift up our eyes, but material things are all about us, following us even to put up our dreams. People say something pleasant to us, and thought it be but â€Å"hot air†, it is enough to puff us up. We would feed our souls upon vanity, and know not it is Barmecides feast. Could we strip ourselves of pride and vanity, things would fall back into their proper places, and we should see the hidden harmony of creation, and piece through the things that alone are seen of the world to those that are unseen, setting no store be these fascinating shadows, ever before the time when they crumble away and vanish into naught, as worldly things must, sooner or later. The Worldly Hope men set their hearts upon Turn ashes – or it prospers; and anon Like snow upon the Desert’s dusky Face, Lightning a little hour or two – was gone. The climax in this grand ascend of sorrow is the perfection of Reality when in moments of devastating grief, my being seemed consumed. I tried to deceive myself by pretending that it was all a dream and would wake up to find Sonia’s death a mere fancy, the force illusion would always vanish and a newer, more vivid, more convincing, more permanent if painful realization would reveal to me that the whole of human experience this side of eternity is nothing but a dream which with death, finally comes to an awakening to the only reality intended by the Maker of Life. I am convinced that life in this temporary habitation is a vague and miserable dream, a nightmare in which the dreamer is driven from one path to another, now frightened by life, now terrified by the thought of death; until one realizes that there is this nightmare a symbol of Reality that is coming with the dawn and the awakening. This realization of the reality must make a real artist of a man. Broken with pain, the soul dies to be reborn, stronger and more beautiful; enriched and ennobled by sorrow, the artist in the man rises above himself; shorn of all fineries and pettiness – all none – essential, in a word, the artist flows naturally towards the infinite whither all artistic effort must be directed. Thither must I direct my art †¦ Art to me had ceased to be artful and artificial. It had become the natural life of the soul; it is the voice of my soul crying out to heaven for a vision of Sonia, pleading for a final communication with her. I shall remove everything about me. When the last word is written and my hands drop limp and lifeless by my side. I hope to hear the gentle pattern of a little feet and the tender touch of a little hands around my neck†¦SONIA.

Birmingham International Airport Essay

In the space of just 30 minutes every weekday, around 5.00 in the evening, around 20 flights arrive and depart from the Eurohub Terminal. At the same time, aircraft are arriving and leaving from the Main Terminal next to the Eurohub. Across the runway and acres of tarmac, at the site of the original airport, the overnight freight operation is just beginning to wake up with the arrival of staff and the preparations for the first aircraft from Europe or the United States. Some of the 7,000 staff from the 150 organisations based at Birmingham International Airport (BIA) see to the needs of their customers. The baggage handling operation is sorting, checking and dispatching bags to the many departing aircraft. The ground crews are loading and unloading aircraft, putting meals on board, filling the fuel tanks and cleaning aircraft during their brief spell at the airbridge. The airlines’ ticketing staffs are dealing with lines of passengers, each of whom may have a different final destination. The information desk is fully staffed, dealing with the many queries, such as people wanting to know if their plane is on time, the location of a bank or hotel, or trying to work out how to get by road or rail to their final destination. Passengers flow through the lounges, passport control and security checks, and use toilets, duty free shops and restaurants, all of which have to be kept clean and stocked for their convenience. All of these activities, and more, are coordinated by BIA’s Operations Director, Richard Heard. Richard explains his role: ‘Out of all the people that work at the airport, BIA employs about 700 and I oversee about 600 of them. These operations people are basically concerned with the day-to-day running of the airport and the short and medium-term operational planning. This includes a whole raft of things on the airfield and in and around the terminals. The air-field side of things essentially involves maintaining the runways, agreeing slot allocations with the airlines, developing and implementing the safety management systems and  keeping the fire crews fully trained. For example, this is a heavily regulated area so we work very closely with the Civil Aviation Authority. The other side of the operation is about managing the terminal buildings and other facilities. This is almost like running a shopping centre with its focus on customer service but with special security arrangements. Airport security is a key task which we run in-house, employing about 300 people. I also have a facilities manageme nt team and an engineering services team that look after the maintenance of the whole site. ‘In terms of long-term design and development, we set up teams to oversee the planning of new building projects, such as new catering outlets, car parks and people mover systems. This plan uses the forecasts of passenger numbers and guides our decisions about what to build and when, and how to pay for it. We have been growing at a rate of about 10 per cent a year over the last 10 years. In 2000 the airport handled 7.6 million passengers and our growth is set to continue, with an anticipated 10 million passengers expected to travel through Birmingham by 2005. This plan involves serious money; we are talking about a capital plan of about  £50 million a year over the next 15 years. This is all very much driven by operational needs. Managing and developing the airport’s operations are huge challenges. ‘One of the major tasks for operations is not just to provide the infrastructure for all the other organisations on site – such as airlines, handling agents, retailers, cargo handlers – but also to provide the leadership and coordination for them. There are also groups off site, such as community groups, which we liaise with as we work to monitor and improve the environment. My personal job is about coordination and setting the safety and customer service standards for everyone to adhere to. ‘All of us from the different organisations try to work together as a team and there is a great community spirit here that has built up over the years. Everyone wants their own bit to work well and the whole thing to work well together. We all have a great understanding of everyone’s problems and there is an excellent spirit of cooperation. ‘The real secret of managing operations, if you are ever going to sleep at night, is to make sure you have really good processes and procedures in place. We can’t have people making it up on the spot. Everything has to be thought through and tried and tested. We spend a great deal of time reviewing and developing processes. We have to have procedures for fires, evacuations, bomb threats, ill passengers and even deaths in the terminal. Unfortunately, we do have medical emergencies, not surprising since we have about 30,000 people passing through the airport every day in the summer. ‘Another key task is operational planning. We do this on an annual basis. Operational planning is about making the operation as efficient as possible by working out how we can best allocate our infrastructure to the airlines. For example, we need to decide who is going to get the airbridges, who is going to get certain stands, who is going to have their passengers bussed to the terminal at peak times and so on. However, you have to remember that the operational plans are just that and as ever, things go wrong – schedules fall apart because of plane delays or mechanical problems, for example. So we also have terminal duty managers whose job it is to sort out the day-to-day operational problems. Our team of terminal managers covers the airport 24 hours a day, every day of the week, with one senior manager overseeing each shift. ‘Many of the things that happen are recurring problems, such as delays or diversions and you know you will end up with a lot of passengers waiting around a lot longer than they want to. The job of the duty manager is to coordinate all our efforts, ensuring that the catering people know what’s happening and making sure our information services people know so they can tell the passengers, for example. The terminal managers need to keep their own ears and eyes open. Passengers may report that they have seen someone acting suspiciously and the managers need to know what to do. When passengers get off the plane and their bags are not there, although it’s the responsibility of the airlines or their handling agents, our people may have to pick up the pieces. When people try taking prohibited items through security, such as a family heirloom with a large curved blade, we have to explain patiently to them that they have to leave it with us. ‘ The terminal managers also have to deal with major incidents – things like bomb threats or, like last year, when Spanish coach drivers went on strike leaving many passengers stranded at the airport. The job of the terminal manager is to sort it all out and make sure everyone knows what is happening. It involves a great deal of common sense but it is not easy. If you do an evacuation, for example, everyone will be at different stages in the passenger processing and security clearance procedures, so when the incident is over, we have to try and put them all back where they came from without mixing them up or making them start the process again! ‘We have the equivalent of the terminal duty managers looking after the airfield side: operations duty managers. Their job is about dealing with the day-to-day problems, such as changing stand allocations when delays occur or arranging snow clearance if we have a sudden fall. Again plans are in place and everything has to be thought through. We also have weekly communication meetings when we get the operations and duty managers to work with the operational planning department. ‘Our mission is to be the best regional airport in Europe. To do this we need continually to try and improve everything we do. It sounds simple, but it is not easy. For example, we have almost no capacity at peak times, that is between 7.00 a.m. and 8.00 a.m. and between 5.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. when we are busy with short-haul European traffic, so we are trying to encourage other airlines to fill in the off-peak times. This is ideal for long-haul operators and we now have flights to South East Asia and America, and just last year we added an Emirates flight to Dubai. This allows us to use the middle of the day when we have runway and terminal capacity and it suits everybody as we can all make better use of our facilities. ‘Running an airport is a fascinating and exciting challenge. No two days are the same. We know that we can make a real difference to our customers, both passengers and airlines, by what we do. We also make a major contribution to the impact on the local economy by encouraging inward investment and exports. As an operations manager, my job is to make it all happen. It’s a  fantastic opportunity and it really does make a difference – its great!’ Long-term issues are mostly derived from day-to-day tasks which are not addressed properly and get accumulated into a bigger problem. For example, the recurring delays and arranging for snow clearance are common problems, operations duty managers must have a good plan in place so everything is thought through and covered – avoiding any unanticipated events. Richard is able to handle this through weekly communication meetings where the operations and duty managers work work with the operational planning department. It is through interaction and communication that allows Richard to have a better overview of what is currently happening so long-term plan can be thought off. Another example, the airport is trying to encourage other airlines to fill in their off-peak times to fully utilize their resources. This is also a day-to-day observation where a long-term plan is being drawn out. It is apparent that Richard is able to oversee the day-to-day tasks and manage long-term issues through communication and proper operational planning. It is with planning, he is able to anticipate what could go wrong before it could happen or becomes a big issue. Through operational planning the airport is able to make a major contribution to the impact on the local economy by encouraging inward investment and exports.

Mickey and Eddie Essay

As part of our Drama GCSE unit on Blood |Brothers we were requires to use a vast amount of sills and drama techniques in order to improve our understanding of Blood Brothers; in order to do this we completed various exercises to develop our explorative skills. One of the improvisations we had to partake in was the re-enactment of the finale scene in Blood Brothers. As we had already seen the Blood Brothers production, this acted as both an advantage and a hindrance. This acted as an advantage as we had an idea of both characters and therefore an insight into how we could perform this re-enactment, however the disadvantage was that this may prevent us from having our control over the character, this may also prevent us from using our own imagination to interpret the character and their actions as we would have been heavily influenced to mimic what we had already seen. However though we already had familiarity with the production, as it had been a considerable amount of time from when we had seen the production, our drama teachers refreshed our memories by establishing a class discussion on the subject, and the main themes of Blood Brothers. As a group discussed the main themes, scenes and then discussed the finale scene into depth; while doing this we discussed what body language and facial expressions were used and what we all found particularly effective in the scene. Once we had completed our discussion, we were then given a time frame to work towards. Once we had dispersed into our groups we divided the roles in the scene amongst ourselves; Adrian as Eddie, I was Mickey, Tamara was Mrs Johnston and both Zion and Emma acted as the police officers. I felt that this particular exercise was particularly interesting and beneficial for us all; this is as we had a new insight and understanding of Blood Brothers on a higher level. Through the re-enactment of the Blood Brothers production I also found a new knowledge of each character, particular Mickey (the character I played), this is because as you take on the role and you’re in a maximum involvement level you absorb the character and believe in the scene although it is actually happening. This lead to me felling more empathetic towards Mickey as I really felt able to relate to his feelings and his situation, therefore understanding what made him react in the way he did. Mickey reacted in the way he did as he was angry and felt completely betrayed by Eddie, his feelings weren’t helped by what he’d already been through in prison and with him now having to be on medication. Our own re-enactment was fairly accurate to what we had seen in the reduction, however I genuinely feel that we added our own input and originality into the way the final scene was devised and appeared to be (this is inevitable as when you relate to a character, your own feelings and opinions are bound to show through). In our own finale, Adrian (Eddie) opened the scene by thanking the audience for being elected as councillor, while doing so my character then interrupts by running down the stairs and onto the stage. I felt that y my character (Mickey) running down the tiered seating stairs, the audience became more involved in the scene. My character then started pushing Eddie and shouting about his infidelity with Lynda, Eddie then tries to reassure Mickey and justify himself by claiming that both him and Linda are only friends. At this point my character becomes enraged and grabs him by his collar. In our re-enactment there was more physical violence and confrontation on Mickey’s part, I felt that this would portray his rage more effectively. I also took a conscious decision to make Mickey’s tone of voice, behaviour and body language very erratic; this was in order to portray t the audience that he wasn’t in a completely stable state of mind. As b5h character continued in their confrontation, Eddie continues to try and make peace with Mickey and when it reaches the heightened tension of Mickey raising a gun to Eddie’s head, Mrs Johnston shouts stop and runs onto the scene. At this point both police officers run to the bottom of the stage from separate sides, a voice then circulates the room, saying â€Å"we have you surrounded, put the gun down†. At this point my character then starts to look around, suspicious about where the noise is emerging from; at this point I lower the gun. I feel this part of our re-enactment is particularly effective and original as all the other groups used the same approach as the one used in the production whereas in our own improvisation we devised it to appear as though the police have surrounded the building on the outside and are ready to burst in at any time. At this not Mrs Johnston (Tamara) then reveals to both Mickey and Eddie that they are literally ‘Blood Brothers’ as they are twins that were separated at birth, at this point both brothers ask why, at this point Mrs Johnston continues to explain. However in the middle of her explanation Mickey makes his final outburst screaming that because of being with her he’s ended up with no career or money whereas Eddie has managed to become some great councillor; Mrs Johnston then tries to calm Mickey down and t this point his voice raises, as does his hand and gun and he screams It should be me, at this point the gun goes off and Eddie’s killed. Meanwhile at the same point one of the police officers (Emma) emerges on scene and reacts to the sound of the bullet by shooting Mickey. I felt particular sympathy for the police offer that shot Mickey as she only reacted to the gun shot she had heard. I also feel that this particular situation gives the audience a real understanding into how difficult the job of a police officer can really be as they are often put in compromising situations in which quick instinct decisions have to be made. Another improvisation we re-enacted was the ‘kids play’ scene. Our drama teachers explained that the purpose of this is to enable us to lose all inhibitions and feel in essence what it’s like to be a child again. We were then told about Starkravski’s theory on the three essential skills tat needed in order for a person to be a god actor, the most important factor being that of naivatiae. This means to be in a child like state, oblivious to anyone there and t feel completely free, this is as children are extremely nai ve and innocent and with this they can believe in anything, allowing them to have a vivid imagination.