Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Public Schools vs Private Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Public Schools vs Private Schools - Essay Example This has led to the question as to why there are disparities between private schools and public schools. This debate is not limited to academic performance but also includes such factors as school funding, classroom quality, libraries, variety of programs offered, security, among several other factors. It is for some of the above reasons that parents usually find themselves in a dilemma when it comes to choosing schools. Parents now have more than enough schools to choose from than before. The government has however written off the performance debate. The United States Department of Education has come up with a report that shows that there is no big difference between the performance in private and public schools as it is believed. Comparisons There are various research and literature that have been written to draw these comparisons. McEwan (103) notes that apart from the very few exceptions, there is no sufficient evidence to make conclusions that are strong and enough to draw concl usions on these comparisons and review of disparities. He blames this on the fact that the nature of schools, the samples that are available and the students, including their selection and sizes, the families, schools and their communities, present so many variables that have not been measured. There are about 46 million students who get enrolled in the public schools in the nation through the various grades up to seniors in high school. About a sixth of the same are enrolled in the private schools Another difference between these two categories is significantly noticeable in the classroom. Despite this, public schools get the financing for their programs from the local, state or federal governments and sometimes from all of them. The admission rules are defined and they therefore have no choice in admitting students. Private schools on the other hand are governed by an elected board of trustees. Additionally, most of them are funded primarily through tuition, contribution from dono rs or endowments. It is for this reason that private schools seem to have enough finances to finance their programs and achieve higher and better standards as compared to public schools. The quality that is witnessed in the classroom is not only limited to the teaching but the environment that is presented. One other major factor is that of classroom discipline. In private schools, the rules are clearly stipulated and laid down when the student opts to attend such a school. The consequences of infraction against the code of discipline are dire. Public schools on the other hand present a different scenario. The constitutional rights in public schools are highly held, and the duration of time under which infractions are dealt with is long, cumbersome and usually complicated. It is no wonder that the quality of classrooms and teaching in private schools is usually high relative to that of public schools. The significance of classroom discipline is noted on the fact that proper discipli ne has a correlation to the atmosphere of learning and when a teacher has control in their classroom, he or she will have a higher power to give quality instructions. There are also very interesting differences between private and public with regard to school libraries. With regard to
Monday, October 28, 2019
Philosophy and Socrates Essay Example for Free
Philosophy and Socrates Essay SOCRATES THE PHILOSOPHER Socrates is a noteworthy and important historical figure as a philosopher, because of his and his pupils influence on the development of the philosophical world. His teachings, famous arguments, and ideas began the outgrowth of all later western philosophies. Born in 469 BC just outside of Athens, Socrates was brought up properly, and thoroughly educated. He was raised as most Athenians; developing both physical and mental strengths. Socrates then went on to learn from Archelaus the philosopher. Here he studied astronomy, mathematics, and was introduced to philosophy, which was a new concept at the time. Archelaus taught of explanations for the world with a scientific approach. Socrates, however, turned away from this idea and created his own. He decided that instead of trying to understand the universe, a person should try to understand himself. To express his philosophy, Socrates spent his days in the marketplace of Athens, telling people of his ideas. His voice was heard, and he was soon declared to be the wisest of all men. Socrates was skilled in the art of arguing. He developed a method by which he would win every debate. His favorite hobby was going to the marketplace and debating philosophical issues with other men in front of an audience. The result of these debates was that Socrates embarrassed the wise men in front of the crowd. This caused many to dislike him. After being named the wisest man, Socrates attempted to prove that this was not true. He debated with many men in the streets. These debates are some of his most famous argument methods. He started the discussion by stating that he knew nothing. As a result of the debate, he was able to prove that although his opponents claimed that they were wise, they knew nothing either. Socrates concluded that he really was the wisest man because unlike the others, he knew that he knew nothing. Socrates had many ideas and philosophies concerning issues other than the knowledge of oneself. These included explanations of the universe, the belief in god, and lifes goals. Other, earlier philosophers, had many different interpretation for the makeup of the world. Some believed that it was made out of numbers, others thought that it was made of a single substance, or many different substances, while still conflicting philosophers theorized that everything was formed out of atoms, and even illusions. Socrates had his own, different ideas. He believed that the world was made of forms that are not within the reach of our senses, but only of our thoughts. This means, for example, that when we think of characteristics such as roundness, we only picture ideas of it like a ball or a wheel. Therefore, he assumed that we only understand specific things that participate in our lives. In his search for the inner truth of oneself, Socrates theorized the explanation to the question of what the goals of life are. He concluded that everyone tries to find the meaning of happiness and goodness in their existence. This is the purpose of life. However, true happiness comes in many forms and is disguised in a way that people spend their lives looking for goodness, but finding only the evil in which it is concealed. The only way to discover true happiness, goodness, and the right way, is to fully understand oneself. Socrates did not believe in the Greek gods or religion. He had his personal view of god. Socrates felt that there must be some form of divine power because everyone seemed to believe in some kind of god and religion. He also believed in a sort of immortality. He hypothesized that there was an afterlife. His explanation for it was that people who had achieved goodness in their lives knew where they were going afterwards, and that evil people tried to ignore the fact that immortality existed. He preached that the soul was a persons true being, and that our goodness in life reflected on the goodness of our souls. According to Socrates, each individual should try to make his soul as moral as possible so that it can be like god, which will allow the achievement of an afterlife. Debating in the marketplace of Athens was not Socrates only daily activity. He also taught his philosophies to a group of students in a small classroom. These students were much like disciples. They respected and followed in the philosophies of their teacher. Socrates most famous pupil, Plato, went on to become a great philosopher like his mentor. Socrates lived through and fought in the Peloponnesian War. After Athens defeat, the democracy was replaced by a tyranny. This did not bother Socrates much because his belief in government was a rather simple and apathetic one. He thought that no matter what kind of government subsists; it should be followed solely because a form of law and order must exist in a society to control it. One of the tyrannys leaders was a former pupil of Socrates and hated his teacher. He tried to make life harder for Socrates by banning the t eaching of philosophy in the streets. Socrates ignored him. In response to this, the tyrant tried to kill Socrates; but the tyranny was overthrown right on time to prevent this. A new democratic government came into power, the leader of which, Anytus, also hated Socrates because his son, who was the philosophers pupil, turned away from the familys business to become a philosopher. Anytus had Socrates arrested on charges of corrupting Athens young and turning them away from Paganism, the Greek religion involving a belief in many gods. Anytus announced the death penalty as a punishment for this crime. It was obviously an outrageous sentence for a crime that was not even committed. Socrates was brought before a jury and instead of using his debating skills to defend himself, he did nothing in his own defense because he was convinced that the entire trial was a joke. The jury voted on the death penalty. Now Socrates had a chance to appeal to the court. He was entitled to suggest forms of punishment other than death to satisfy his crime. Instead of proposing a reasonable penalty, Socrates suggested ridiculous ones which angered the jury; causing them to vote on the death penalty once again. Socrates did not seem to mind at all. He was sent to prison and lived their surrounded by his friends and disciples for his last few days. His life ended by drinking hemlock as his friends cried at his bedside. Only after this scandalous death, did all of Greece realize what they had done; that they had killed one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Socrates life achievements were vast. He introduced new ideas and theories into the philosophical world. His pupil, Plato, went on to influence all of the western worlds philosophical development. Socrates began the evolution of philosophy throughout the world. He took the first step toward advancing modern philosophy, as we know it. His theories and ideas were a whole new concept that helped progress the western philosophy through all of later history. In conclusion, Socrates historical importance is great, due to his extreme influence on the evolution of the worlds ideas of philosophy. Even though Socrates never made written records of his work, his finest and most successful pupil, Plato, recorded much of his teachers accomplishments and deeds. From these history has learned so much as to be able to advance and heighten its entire philosophical viewpoints; and until this day, learn from the ancient philosopher, Socrates. INTERVEIW WITH A PHILOSOPHER: Mark ? Socrates, you were raised and educated in many different fields, why did you decide to spend your life as a philosopher? Socrates ? It is true that I have been educated in the arts, literature, and gymnastics as a youth; but in my continuing education as you may already know, I was taught by Anaxagoras, the famous early philosopher. His theories were not ones with which I would agree; such as those stating that all things were made of tiny substances which contained a little of everything, that the sun was a hot rock, and that the moon was made of earth. For these teachings, he was banished from Athens. Nevertheless, he was a good teacher and allowed me to realize that my philosophies were going to be antiscientific and quite different from his. My following philosophical teacher was Archelaus, with whom I studied mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. I knew that my opinions and theories were strong, I had performing and arguing skills, and my ideas would consist of principles rather than sciences. The simple lifestyle of the philosopher appeals to me. I enjoyed the unusual behaviors that I associated myself with. All that really interested me was the great mysteries of philosophy, and the questions of knowing oneself, which I devoted my life to learning and teaching. Mark ? Your teaching was remarkable and much can be learned from studying it even after your death; why is that you never bothered to record your works for later generations? Socrates ? Many have asked this before and for quite obvious reasons. Most other noteworthy historical figures did keep a record of their works ever since the invention of written language, yet not one of mine exists in writing. I do not exactly know the reason for this. Whether there are records of my work or not, does not matter. I will forever be remembered by my loyal pupils, the Athenian population, and the world. Furthermore, nothing I ever said was of too great importance. And to tell you the truth, I never really wanted to take the time to keep useless records. That nonsense did not concern me nearly as much as most of my other problems as a philosopher. I had to make money somehow, to support my wife and three sons. As you might have guessed, being a philosopher does not exactly bring you riches. One of the reasons I began teaching was to make money. Also, I had to deal with many peoples constant hatred of me, mainly due to my victories in debates against them. Some, with high political positions, even wanted me dead at points of my life. And one even succeeded. So, you see, no matter how simple and easy going my life may seem, there are quite a few difficulties attached to it. Mark ? Your trial and death are quite interesting and famous historical events. They have been interpreted by many and confused some; what caused you to make such drastic and unusual decisions, the consequence of which you knew forehand? Socrates ? This I am aware of. As a matter of fact, some even claim that I was mentally ill, and blame that as the cause for my actions. This of course I deny. The truth includes a mixture between my philosophical beliefs and the thoughts that have occurred to me during my last days. I always believed that there is an after-life. And that must have somehow influenced my decisions. Even though the religious part of this came to me only afterwards. At first many others and I thought that this ridiculous trial was an obvious hoax. Who would have thought that such a crime, which I was evidently not guilty of, be punished by the death penalty. I fooled with the court. They on the other hand were quite serious about it. In the last days, I realized that there was no way out. True I could have argued with the court and won. I could have escaped using the plan devised by my dear friends. But since there was a high-ranking leader who wanted me dead, it was going to happen no matter what. Furthermore, my governmental beliefs stand true in all situations; the law should be followed and that is all. There was not much I was willing to do. After some thinking, I decided to go along with the law, after all, I had lived a happy life. One that I was proud of living, no matter how unusual it may appear to others. I was an old man of seventy. I found and understood myself, and had achieved happiness and goodness. There was nothing more that I desired. I knew what was waiting for me after death and was ready for it. Word Count: 2066.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
navy seals Essay -- essays research papers
SO YOU WANT TO BE A NAVY SEAL? From Sea, Air, and Land, the U.S. Navy Seal Teams are the most feared and respected commando forces in the U.S military if not the world. The Seal Teams are the most elite and highly trained forces on the face of the earth. President John F. Kennedy formed the teams in 1962 as a seagoing counterpart to the U.S Army Special Forces. Most Seal missions are unreported and unknown to the general public. The Seals are trained to operate in small units, one or two men, or a platoon consisting of sixteen or more men. Not all Seal teams are made for everyone, in fact 80% of the men who attempt to become one, fail or will drop out. To become a Seal you must have dedication, hardwork, and a lot of commitment. The process of becoming a seal is broken down into three different phases, Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3. ââ¬Å"The first phase starts with a bang and ends with a boom,â⬠says Travis Schweizer, a twenty-three year-old Seal. Phase 1 consists of a two and three-mile timed run, physical training, one to two mile ocean swims, and a gut burning obstacle course. These items are a part of everyday delight for these men. Phase 1 lasts for approximately eight weeks and that is only if you do not get set back. The First five weeks the studentââ¬â¢s learn life saving, knot tying, underwater knot tying, basic first aid, and surf passages in small inflatable boats. Along with this is a 50-yard underwater swim, which must be completed and the students are often revived when they pass out. Also throughout out the whole six months of BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition School), the Seal Teams go through many torturous events and lessons. One of these being surf torture. This is where the entire class must wade into the surf zone to their waistline, then sit down with arms linked. Just to let you know the water in Coronado, California never gets above sixty-eight degrees during the summer and fifty-eight degrees during the winter. There the men with linked arms will sit there for hours at a time, soon the cold sucks out all of their body warmth and the whole class is shivering in unison as the waves crash over there heads. After this the men will find themselves doing hours of calisthenics to warm up, only to go back in the cold water for a few more hours. This is a very effective way to teach a potential Seal to mentally resist the effects of hypothermia,... ...o the students who are in SEAL training, but have not yet completed all 3 phases). The twenty or so men who graduate with stern faces and hardened bodies, show little resemblance to the wide eyed kids who arrived on the quarter-deck six and half months earlier to set sail on the journey of a lifetime. The moment of reflection and rest is short lived though. For now it is off to jump school, then assigned to a Seal team on the East or West Coast. Once on the Seal Team, it becomes clear that training has just begun. From now on they must prove worthy of wearing the coveted ââ¬Å"Tridentâ⬠Naval Warfare emblem. Once at Jump School these determined men will now start learning the proper techniques of jumping out of a perfectly good plane. This is known as Post BUD/s training. This is a thirty-week course that teaches you everything you need to know about war combat, and jumping techniques.à à à à à à à à à à Though grueling and tedious, the rewards for hard work and studying are priceless. You leave the military with a whole new meaning of life. To be able to protect your friends, family, and country is an honor that anyone should be able to enjoy.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Economics Essay
Poverty can be measured on different scales through many ways like through a Lorenz curve, a graph of the cumulative distribution function of a probability distribution which is used in representing income distribution. Lorenz curve shows distribution of assets and is considered a measure of social inequality. Gini coefficient can also be used in measuring poverty. Gini coefficient measures statistical dispersion and is usually used in measuring inequality of income distribution. High Gini coefficient means or indicates that there is high unequal distribution observed while a lower Gini coefficient indicates that there is a high equal income distribution. Trade benefits a nation in many ways. In the law of comparative advantage partners are allowed to benefit from specializing in producing services and goods they make best. When producers make goods in which they are comparably skilled or trained at, those goods increase in quality and number. Trade also improves suitability in allocation of resources. It brings goods and services to others who value them. Trade allows consumers to have more efficient production methods. Large productions are good in reducing product costs. Lower production costs may lead to much cheaper services and goods which may increase living standards. Human capital, one of the factors of production which refers to the reserve of technical knowledge and productive skills found in labor. It is one of the factors which influence an economic system like in market economy. An example to this is the market economy in the U. S. in which workers acquire knowledge and skills. Training and education increases human capital which make the worker more precious to their employers. Today, software developers and computer programmers are in demand making them more trained and skilled resulting to a high human capital and this in turn may benefit the economic system that the U. S. has.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Operations Management Question
FALL 2011 2011 Deadline: October 26, Middle East Technical University ââ¬â Northern Cyprus Campus BUS 361 Operations Management Homework 1 ââ¬â Solutions 1. Fruit Computer Company manufactures memory chips in lots of ten chips. From past experience, Fruit knows that 80% of all lots contain 10% (1 out of 10) defective chips, 20% of all lots contain 50% (5 out of 10) defective chips. If a good batch (that is, 10% defective) of chips is sent on to the next stage of production, processing costs of $1000 are incurred, and if a bad batch (that is, 50% defective) is sent on to the next stage of production, processing costs of $4000 are incurred.Fruit also has the alternative of reworking a batch at a cost of $1000. A reworked batch is sure to be a good batch. Alternatively, for a cost of $100, Fruit can test one chip from each batch in an attempt to determine whether the batch is defective. Determine how Fruit can minimize the expected total cost per batch. Expected total cost per b atch = $1580. Fruit can minimize the expected total cost per batch by choosing the following decisions: It should test a chip.If the tested chip is defective, Fruit should rework the batch. If the tested chip is not defective, however, Fruit should send batch on to the next stage. See the following figure for details. Probabilities regarding testing a chip are calculated as follows. D: Chip is defective, Dââ¬â¢: Chip is not defective, BB: Bad Batch, GB: Good Batch P(GB) = 0. 8, P(BB) = 0. 2, P(D | GB) = 0. 1, P(Dââ¬â¢ | GB) = 0. 9, P(D | BB) = 0. 5, P(Dââ¬â¢ | BB) = 0. 5, P(D) = (0. 8)(0. 1) + (0. 2)(0. 5) = 0. 18, P(Dââ¬â¢) = 1 ââ¬â P(D) = 0. 82P(GB | D) = (P(D|GB) P(GB) + P(D|BB)P(BB)) / P(D) = 8/18 P(BB | D) = 1 ââ¬â P(GB | D) = 10/18 P(GB | Dââ¬â¢) = (P(Dââ¬â¢|GB) P(GB) + P(Dââ¬â¢|BB)P(BB)) / P(Dââ¬â¢) = 72/82 P(BB | Dââ¬â¢) = 1 ââ¬â P(GB | Dââ¬â¢) = 10/82 1 2. A retailer of electronic products has asked a particular manufacturer to begi n daily deliveries rather than on a weekly basis. Currently the manufacturer delivers 2000 cases each Monday. The cost of each case is valued at $300. a. What is the average inventory (in units)? b. The average inventory (in dollars)? c. What is the inventory turnover? . What is the average inventory (in dollars) for the daily delivery pattern, assuming 20 days/month? a. Average inventory = (2000 + 0) / 2 = 1000 units. b. Average inventory = 300 * 1000 = $300,000 c. Inventory turnover = Net sales / Average Inventory = 52 * 2000 / 1000 = 104 d. Average inventory = (2000/5 + 0) / 2 = 200 units Average inventory = 300 * 200 = $60,000 3. METU NCC Student Affairs officer, Sinem, is checking the accuracy of student registrations each day. For each student this process takes exactly two and a half minutes.There are times when Sinem gets quite a backlog of files to process. She has argued for more help and another computer, but her manager doesnââ¬â¢t think capacity is that stressed. Use the following data to determine the utilization of her and her computer. She works seven and a half hours per day (she gets 30 minutes off for lunch), 5 days per week. What is the utilization of Sinem and Sinemââ¬â¢s computer? The following data are fairly typical for a week: 3 Total number of files to process = 70 + 150 + 130 + 120 + 160 = 630 Time it takes Sinem to process the files in each week = 630 files * 2. min/file = 1575 minutes. Total working hours available in a week = 7. 5 hours/day * 5 days = 7. 5 * 5 = 37. 5 hours = 37. 5 * 60 minutes = 2250 minutes / week Utilization = Actual working time / Time available = 1575 / 2250 = 70% 4. Consider the following three-station production line with a single product that must visit station 1, 2, and 3 in sequence: â⬠¢ Station 1 has 4 identical machines with a processing time of 15 minutes per job. â⬠¢ Station 2 has 10 identical machines with a processing time of 30 minutes per job. Station 3 has 1 machine with a processi ng time of 3 minutes per job. a. What is rb (bottleneck rate) for this line? b. Can this system satisfy the daily demand of 180 units (assume 2 shifts in a day, and 4 hours in a shift)? c. What is T0 (raw processing time) for this line? d. What is W0 (critical WIP) for this line? Station 1 Production rate (jobs/min) Production rate (jobs/day) = 128 Station 2 Station 3 = 160 = 160 a. Station 1 is the bottleneck station, which has bottleneck rate, rb = 4/15. b.Because the bottleneck stationââ¬â¢s production rate of 128 is less than the daily demand of 180 units, this system cannot satisfy the daily demand. 4 c. T0 = 15 + 30 + 3 = 48 minutes. d. W0 = rb * T0 = 4/15 * 48 = 12. 8 13 units. 5. The final assembly of Noname PCs requires a total of 12 tasks. The assembly is done at the Lubbock, Texas plant using various components imported from Far East. The tasks required for the assembly operations, task times and precedence relationships between tasks are as follows: Task Task Time (mi n)Immediate Predecessors 1 2 2 2 2 3, 4 7 5 6, 9 8, 10 11 Positional Weight 70 58 31 27 20 29 25 18 18 17 13 7 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 12 6 6 2 2 12 7 5 1 4 6 7 1 2 3 5 7 4 6 8 9 10 11 12 Given that the company produces one assembled PC every 15 minutes, a. Assign tasks to workstations using the Ranked Positional Weight Algorithm. b. Calculate balance delay and workload imbalance for your solution. c. Evaluate optimality of your solution (in terms of number of workstations, balance delay and workload imbalance). 5 a. Order of tasks: 1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 7, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12WS 1 1 15 3 WS 2 2, 3, 4 15 9 3 1 WS 3 6, 5, 9 15 3 1 0 WS 4 7, 8 15 8 3 WS 5 10, 11 15 11 5 WS 6 12 15 8 Thus, the number of workstations found by RPW heuristic is equal to 6. ? b. Balance Delay (D) = b1= 3, b2= 1, b3= 0, b4= 3, b5= 5, b6= 8 ? = 20/6 = 3. 33, Workload Imbalance (B) = v c. Lower bound on number of workstations = [ ] [? ] =[ ] LB[D] = 0, LB[B] =0. None of the lower bounds are equal to the obtai ned objective values (K*, D, B). Thus, we do not know whether the solution obtained by RPW heuristic is optimal or not. 6
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Colorful Words from the Greek
Colorful Words from the Greek Colorful Words from the Greek Colorful Words from the Greek By Maeve Maddox Several Greek color words have enriched the English vocabulary. Black We get the combining form melano from the Greek word meaning dark or black. melancholy: a gloomy mental state; according to ancient physiology, a humor called ââ¬Å"black bileâ⬠was secreted by the kidneys and the spleen, and was thought to cause melancholia. melanoma: a skin tumor containing a dark pigment. melanin: any dark brown or black pigments of animal or plant structures, for example, hair, or the surface of a raw potato when exposed to air. White The element leuk in certain medical terms is from the Greek word for white. leukemia: a chronic disease characterized by an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells. leukocyte: a white blood cell. Red The Greek word for red gives us the combining form erythro, which is used in the specialized terminology of medicine, chemistry, and mineralogy. erythrophyll: the red coloring matter of leaves in autumn. erythroretin: a resinous constituent of rhubarb root. erythroscope: an optical contrivance, by which the green of foliage is caused to appear red, while all other green objects retain their natural color. erythrocyte: a red blood corpuscle. Blue Cyan is the Greek word for dark blue, but what artists call ââ¬Å"cyan blueâ⬠is a color midway between green and blue. cyanide: an extremely poisonous crystalline solid. It got its name because it was first obtained by heating the dye pigment known as Prussian blue. cyanin: the blue coloring matter of certain flowers (e.g., violets and cornflowers). cyanosis: blueness of the skin owing to the circulation of imperfectly oxygenated blood. Green The Greek word from which we get the combining form chlor described a pale green. chloroform: volatile liquid used as an anesthetic. Chloroform is colorless; it got its name as the result of combining the words chlorine and formic, as in formic acid. chlorophyll: the coloring matter of the leaves and other green parts of plants. chlorine: a yellowish-green heavy gas. Finally, the Greek word for color gives us the combining form chromo, which creates nouns and adjectives that denote colored objects, coloring processes, and coloring agents: chromatic: full of color. polychrome: art executed in many colors. chromium: a metallic element remarkable for the brilliant colorsred, yellow, or greenof its compounds. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in"Email EtiquetteThe Difference Between e.g. and i.e.?
Monday, October 21, 2019
Marriage by Gregory Corso Essay Example
Marriage by Gregory Corso Essay Example Marriage by Gregory Corso Paper Marriage by Gregory Corso Paper Pie Glue: The Sanctimonious Institution of Marriage Gregory Corsos poem Marriage is a lucid example of how John Clellon Holmes described the Beat Generation: a display of moral degeneration. The speaker of the poem is torn between submitting to the non-conformity of the Beats and conforming to societys strict views about marriage and social structure. The presence of conflicting thoughts- whether or not to get married and looking at the prospects of marriage from two different viewpoints, gives this satirical poem a lot of weight as a plea against the phony social construction that is marriage. The poem starts off with questions that are not, under usual circumstances asked by young eligible men. Yet these rhetorical questions seem to have the answers, sarcastic and satirical answers hidden in them. The speaker of the poem, a young man, ponders if he should ââ¬Å"be goodâ⬠(line 1). Being ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠is what everybody expects you to be, and the definition of this ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠that is talked about has nothing to do with morality. Rather, being good is just the action of conforming to societyââ¬â¢s expectations of oneââ¬â¢s actions and behavior. He contemplates what a date with him would be like. He would take the lady to a cemetery as opposed to the movies and talk about abominations such as werewolves and ââ¬Å"forked clarinetsâ⬠, which is probably a reference to the Devilââ¬â¢s forked tongue. And then, as any man would, he would ââ¬Å"desire her and kiss her and all the preliminariesâ⬠(line 5) of foreplay. But as he would be about to advance further she, being a good girl, would stop him from going any further. He, being like any young man of age, would want sex. He would try to convince her, ââ¬Å"You must feel! Itââ¬â¢s beautiful to feel! â⬠(line 7). He would try to coerce her with words, coerce her into giving in. He would eventually ââ¬Å"be goodâ⬠once more and refrain from having her. Instead, he would lay with her by a tombstone and look at the beauty of the starry sky. Once again, what he describes here is conventional romantic behavior that is expected by a young eligible gentleman. As hard as he tries, he seems to unintentionally spiral towards convention. He moves on in his imagination about what it would be like if things worked out fine and he and ââ¬Å"the girl next doorâ⬠(line 2) took their relationship to the next level: meeting the parents. In order to win their approval, he would certainly have to have his ââ¬Å"back straightened, hair finally combed, strangled by a tieâ⬠(line 11). In this line and the lines that follow, the speaker of the poem is quite candid in his disapproval of the social norms and rituals of courtship and parental approval. He quite reluctantly sits ââ¬Å"with his knees togetherâ⬠(line 12) and tries not to ask where the bathroom is in fear it would be a faux-pas. He asserts that it is just as hard for the other party, the parents to conform to this seemingly absurd social ritual. They have to sit across from a strange young man who would steal the innocence of their daughter ââ¬Å"Mary Louâ⬠(line 19). All this while, all that the speaker of the poem was thinking about was whether or not ask where the bath room is and occasionally entertaining himself with absurd and amusing thoughts such as ââ¬Å"Flash Gordon soapâ⬠(line 15). Over ââ¬Å"tea and homemade cookiesâ⬠(line 20) they make small conversation to fill up the awkward silence. If the young man is deemed suitable, the parents happily give away their daughter to a young man who was a stranger not an hour ago. They ask what he does for a living, and he asks himself rhetorical questions: ââ¬Å"Should I tell them? Would they like me then? â⬠(line 21). He then ponders what the highly important, yet redundant wedding day would be like. The wedding is a big deal for the bride, so obviously a lot of her relatives and friends would be there. He, on the other hand would only have a few socially awkward friends to invite. And yet all these guests would be impatiently waiting ââ¬Å"to get at the drinks and foodâ⬠(line 28). The priest, probably from the brideââ¬â¢s church, knowing the brideââ¬â¢s innocence looks accusingly at the groom, thinking he had given in to carnal desires and turned to masturbation, an activity commonly regarded as sinful. And under all the pressure created by this social scenario, when the priest asks ââ¬Å"Do you take this woman for your lawful wedded wife? (line 29) he hesitates and blurts out ââ¬Å"Pie Glueâ⬠(line 30) which rhymes with the more commonly used term ââ¬Å"I doâ⬠. Kirby Olson, in his book The Doubting Thomist, reads the poem as many others have read it: as Corsos outburst against hackneyed social rituals, but he also adds some interesting observations. He notes how Pie Glue rhymes with the more commonly used phrase I do and also claims that this apparent non-sense outburst is in fact a cry of fear, fear of being stuck with one woman (ââ¬Å"hairy pie being a term used for a vagina) for the rest of his life. Once the inessential ceremonies of the wedding are over, all the young men would pat him on the back and offer their obscene congratulations and send the newlyweds off to a honeymoon to a cliched honeymoon spot where dozens of other newly bonded couples go ââ¬Å"to do the same thingâ⬠(line 39) consummate their marriage. This is common knowledge, everyone does it, and everyone knows that: ââ¬Å"The indifferent clerkâ⬠¦/ the lobby zombiesâ⬠¦/ the whistling elevator manâ⬠¦/ the winking bellboyâ⬠¦/ everybodyâ⬠(lines 40 ââ¬â 43). Here the poet repetitively uses the words ââ¬Å"Theâ⬠¦knowingâ⬠, bringing emphasis that the actions of the honeymooners are common knowledge and almost taken for granted as a chore, a duty to be performed as opposed to a beautiful expression of love. The use of anaphora strengthens his point. At this point the speaker of the poem is frustrated by thinking about the hackneyed constraints of such a social bondage and convinces himself that he would not do the same things as the other honeymooner were doing; instead he would ââ¬Å"Stay up all night! Stare that hotel clerk in the eye! / Screaming: I deny honeymoon! I deny honeymoon! / running rampant into those almost climactic suites/ yelling Radio belly! Cat shovel! â⬠(lines 45-48). He would be the demon of marriage, the advocate of divorce, a stereotypical madman who would warn the newly weds of the traps they have fallen into and the impending misfortunes they are about to face. Even in being a loner, an iconoclast, the poet fails to describe something new, he fails in his efforts to describe a nonconformist to the idea of marriage and ends up describing just another common social icon: the pariah, the crazy man that people try to believe does not exist. In beginning of the 5th paragraph, the speaker of the poem tries to imagine what a blissful married life would be like, what it would be like to be loved, to ââ¬Å"How nice itd be to come home to her/ and sit by the fireplace and she in the kitchen/ aproned young and lovelyâ⬠(lines 53-55). He tries to imagine what it would be like to live a calm, quiet married life would be like. He ends up imagining a life where the most exciting part of his day would the wife burning the roast. The serene scene of quiet, peaceful family life lasts but only a few moments before he starts to think of the absurdities once more: ââ¬Å"Christmas teeth! Radiant brains! Apple deaf! â⬠(line 59). Sarcastic comments follow. He tells of how he would do all kinds of unusual things, say weird things to strangers who come to his house, how he would paste stamps on the fence. He also thinks of alternate scenes, different stereotypes of married life: a small house in snow-covered Connecticut, with a lot of babies or in tiny apartment in New York City. How would his life be then? All he could think of was how hackneyed, boring his life would be. He does however see himself in New York, living in a beautiful penthouse with a great view, with a beautiful, smart and sophisticated wife, but he didnââ¬â¢t believe he could be tied up and ââ¬Å"married to that pleasant prison dream-â⬠(line 102). What is it then that drives people to get married and live this grueling lifestyle we call marriage? The thoughts of love appear only towards the very end of the poem, he wonders whether he should get married, conform to the very institution that disgusts him so, and call it a sacrifice for his love; he wonders what he would do if marriage was the only option left for him to be with the one he loves. Although marriage is thought of as the ultimate commitment to love, the two have nothing in common. The speaker knows he would be willing to sacrifice some and conform to social norms only if he meets ââ¬Å"the oneâ⬠for him. In his book on Corsoââ¬â¢s works Gregory Stephenson reads into the poem and realizes that the poet was, at the end of the poem, reminds the readers that marriage is in fact the ultimate act of physical and emotional attraction between two people, and not the phony religious bondage that it has become. The fact that all through the poem the speaker dismisses the very concept of marriage and yet claims he would willingly wait 2000 years for a loved one is proof of the poetââ¬â¢s belief of love and the cleft between love and marriage. The entire poem is in essence a hopeful, romantic love poem.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Best Practices Are The Worst Advice With Jay Acunzo From Unthinkable
Best Practices Are The Worst Advice With Jay Acunzo From Unthinkable Marketers are always searching for advice that they can apply to their marketing efforts and strategies. Luckily, plenty of people are more than willing to share their expertise, ideas, and ââ¬Å"bestâ⬠practices. Donââ¬â¢t simply emulate them and their words of wisdom. The biggest problem is sameness. Everything is the same, and no one stands out. Rather than just taking their advice, make it your own, put your spin on it, and do what works best for your business. Today, my guest is Jay Acunzo, founder of Unthinkable Media and author of Break the Wheel. He describes how to push yourself to ask the right questions and make the right decisions when surrounded by conventional thinking. Some of the highlights of the show include: Two Stories to Jayââ¬â¢s Career: LinkedInââ¬â¢s about logos, and liking process of making things through tinkering and not caring if anybody consumes it Google was a great place to work; brand, perks, awesomely smart co-workers Following prescribed path because thatââ¬â¢s what youââ¬â¢re ââ¬Å"supposed to doâ⬠Expertise and checking a bunch of boxes doesnââ¬â¢t make a great career Everyone wants best practices and guidance because theyââ¬â¢re afraid of what to do Unthinkable Stories: People did something that seemed crazy, but they clearly explain why what they did was practical and strategic Being taught thereââ¬â¢s a right and wrong answer, and approaching marketing the same way; the real answer is, it dependson context Push yourself beyond commodity work and do something exceptional instead Problems: We donââ¬â¢t want to be average, and we donââ¬â¢t operate in a generality Understand your specific situation and use it as a decision-making filter to find clarity; borrow from your situation and whatââ¬â¢s proven to work elsewhere Six fundamental questions to ask to understand how to operate in a more contextualized way for your environment Pike Syndrome: Psychological barrier to making decisions with clarity; based on situation, instead of generality Context parts in every situation: You/team, customer/audience, and resources Reasons for Decisions: Learned helplessness, foraging choice, cultural fluency Aspirational Anchor: Personal- or team-based mission statement; articulates behaviors to change Links: Unthinkable Media Unthinkable Newsletter Break the Wheel HubSpot NextView Ventures Who should be on the show? What topics should be covered? Send your suggestions! If you liked todayââ¬â¢s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Jay Acunzo: ââ¬Å"Instead of searching for the muse, itââ¬â¢s a lot more effective just to put out a lot of bad work. Youââ¬â¢ll get better a lot faster. Youââ¬â¢ll find your inspiration and your answers.â⬠ââ¬Å"I like to make things that make me feel and make other people feel, too. I just so happened to be doing that in a business context.â⬠ââ¬Å"Finding best practices, in and of itself, is not the goal. Finding the best approach for you is. Weââ¬â¢ve never been really taught how to do that.â⬠ââ¬Å"I was just shown how broken it is, that we think expertise and just checking a bunch of boxes, makes for a great career. Thatââ¬â¢s just not the case.ââ¬
Saturday, October 19, 2019
The Berlin Blockade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
The Berlin Blockade - Research Paper Example This assignment will focus on the state of Europe and Germany after the Second World War, gaining understanding as to how Germany became split between the Eastern and Western powers, and what this meant to all who were involved. The tensions between the Soviet Union and the other Western allies will be examined in order to understand the events that led to the Berlin Blockade. The assignment will explore and analyze the Blockade itself, seeing how the Eastern and Western powers reacted to and countered one anotherââ¬â¢s actions. Finally, the aftermath of the Blockade will be looked at in order to determine what the consequences were for all who were involved and how it affected their relations in the years preceding the Blockade. 2. AFTER WORLD WAR II During World War ii, Britain, France, the United States and the Soviet Union banded together to form the allied powers in order to fight and overcome Germany. The war was brutal and left devastation in its wake. After the war, the ma in question was what to do with conquered Germany. The Soviet Union, Britain and the United States convened at Potsdam in Berlin for a conference which lasted from 16 July until 2 August. 1945. This was the third conference held by the allies after the war in which decisions were taken as how to restore Europe and deal with Germany. The leaders who attended were: Stalin of the Soviet Union, Truman of the United States and Churchill of Britain who was replaced by Attlee who had become the new Prime Minister of Britain. Already, tension was displayed between the Soviet Union who practiced Communism and the Western powers who had adopted Capitalism. The Potsdam Agreement was signed during the conference, which led to the creation of a four-power allied control council [ACC] to govern Germany. The allied council was made up of Britain, The Soviet Union, The United States and France. They were each given a zone in Germany to govern. Berlin, the capital of Germany, fell within the Soviet Unionââ¬â¢s zone; fearing that The Soviet Union would gain an advantage by this, the other three powers insisted that Berlin too be divided into four separate sections. The Soviet Unionââ¬â¢s zone was mainly made up of fertile agricultural land that produced most of Germanyââ¬â¢s food; while, the British and the United Statesââ¬â¢ zones were more industrial in nature and had to rely on food stuffs from The Soviet Union. The allies planned to limit Germanyââ¬â¢s industrial capacity in order to ensure that it would never again be able to achieve remilitarization. Britain, who occupied the zone least capable of conducting agriculture, disagreed with this resolution and fought for a greater industrial output by Germany, tightly controlled by the allies, so that Germany may become a major trading partner. Due to the lack of an agreement on this matter, each country administered its zone as it saw fit. For instance, the Soviet Union transferred all factories, equipment and technicians to Russia in order to weaken Germany and bolster Russiaââ¬â¢s economy. [World War II Data Base, 2004] This lack of unity on the administration of Germany set the foundation for the events that would later lead to the Berlin Blockade. 3. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE BLOCKADE The division between the Soviet Unionââ¬â¢s Communist ideology and the Western powers Capitalist views became more pronounced over the next few years which heightened tensions within the ACC. These differences and tensions sparked off a
Friday, October 18, 2019
Jeddah city Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Jeddah city - Research Paper Example Perhaps it is the Red Sea that really defines Jeddah. Due to its location, the primary source of income for the city is the trade done on the port. Products from the sea are exported while products from foreign countries are imported through the port. Jeddahââ¬â¢s tourism is also made rich because of the Red Sea. There are various beaches that attract tourists from around the world. Aside from picnicking, people may also enjoy fishing from the Red Sea. The best place to go would be Jeddah Corniche although there are still other sites you can go fishing. Other water sports are also available like swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. The best time to visit the city when you want to experience the beauty of the beaches is from October until May. The temperature during these months makes it ideal for tourists to have maximum enjoyment. When you visit the city, you will notice that there are people of different races and religions. Of course the large part of the population is Muslim but there are also other religions practiced in the city. However, only Muslims are allowed to build their place of worship and publicly profess their faith. Practice of other religions are demanded to be done in private so, just a note for those who strongly profess a religion other than Islam, precautions must be taken not to offend a people who highly value their religion. Although there are restrictions for other religions to be publicly expressed, the aim of the government is not to demand people to be converted to Islam but its desire is for our religion to be respected as others would want Muslims to respect them. This is an integral part of the Jeddah, therefore, as any other tourism place, it is requested that the religious demands should be considered with respect. This is a part of Jeddahââ¬â¢s culture or to make it more accurate, this is Jeddahââ¬â¢s culture. Jeddah is not just a
UK Commercial law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
UK Commercial law - Essay Example This essay will primarily cover the niceties of agency law governing the relationship between Iffy and Victor. It will also touch upon the sales law, both international and domestic, relating to the relationship between Iffy and the Chinese automotive seller and also with the UK car dealers. Because of the handicap of Iffy, having neither experience of dealing with the Chinese automotive industry nor any contacts therein, it will be necessary for them to hire the services of Victor by appointing him as their agent to deal with the Chinese in their stead for the delivery of a certain number of utility vehicles, spare parts and accessories. Indeed, this is so because a limited company can only act through its human agents,1 whether through its own directors, employees or through independent agents. I would prepare for Iffy the agency2 agreement, through which Victor will deal with the Chinese automotive executives, empowering him to negotiate and constitute a contract or contracts between Iffy and chosen Chinese auto manufacturing or dealer company or companies, as agent3 in the name of Iffy, together with the necessary instructions and document forms needed for the transactions. In the present case, I will be preparing the necessary documents to be signed by the proper company officers with the agent's conformity. The provisions of the agency agreement shall task Victor with negotiating and executing the necessary contracts for the importation of the chosen automobiles and effecting the proper secure means of delivery of the same vehicles to UK for distribution to sellers. In the present case, the agency agreement would oblige Victor to expressly name his principal, considering that there are no facts in the case that would tend to obstruct the consummation of the contract or contracts should the Chinese know of Iffy's identity. The agreement would also contain provisions on the required methods of shipping the vehicles and the means of payment. It is very crucial considering that the business transaction will be made outside of UK that the terms and conditions of the agency be expressly laid out in black and white. It is necessary for Iffy as principal to lay down the terms and conditions of the employment or to employ the agent in a specific position in the company in order for the tasks to be deducible from the very position itself. I would advise Iffy that the agency agreement between them and Victor binds both of them to the following consequences, in terms of rights and duties expressly imposed by law, jurisprudence and regulations: Iffy must remember that Victor has the following rights against them, which rights Victor can enforce in the proper judicial forum. 1. Right to remuneration4 - Victor will be entitled to the consideration based on the contract or in quantum meruit according to the extent of his performance of its terms. Furthermore, Victor as agent will be entitled to retainer or commission or royalty from Iffy for every vehicle imported even after the termination of the agency pursuant to common law rules and the Reg. 8, 1993 Commercial Agents (Council Directive).5 2. Right to indemnity - He will also be entitled to indemnity or restitution and refund
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Concept of Cultural Imperialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Concept of Cultural Imperialism - Essay Example As connoted by Sarmela, ââ¬Å"Cultural imperialism is the economic, technological and cultural hegemony of the industrialized nations, which determines the direction of both economic and social progress, defines cultural values, and standardizes the civilization and cultural environment throughout the worldâ⬠(Sarmela 13). Hence, considering the instability and struggle of the various nations to understand and thereby react resourcefully towards the accreditations as well as criticisms made by foreign cultures, it can be affirmed that the aspect of cultural imperialism indeed plays a vital role. Contextually, it can also be regarded that forethought to the criticality of the concept (i.e. cultural imperialism), has been argued by various experts associated with different professional dimensions as a means to elaborate homogeny within humankind (Hawksley, ââ¬Å"Conceptualising Imperialism in the 21st Centuryâ⬠). A philosophical explanation to the aspect also encourages the arguments on behalf of cultural imperialism, describing it as a fundamental aspect to energize human communication, harmony and socio-economic progress (Gilbert, ââ¬Å"Cultural Imperialism Revisited: Counselling and Globalisationâ⬠). However, rather than being well thought-out in every industrialized nation, the concept of cultural imperialism has been mostly related with the philosophies considered by the United States of America in relation to its socio-economic progressive initiatives. ... itiative of ââ¬ËAmericanizationââ¬â¢, especially when relating to the socio-economic relationship between the US and the Middle Eastern Islamic countries. This particular concern can be critically analyzed with concern to the study conducted by Rauschenberger (1-35). According to Rauschenberger, many industrialized nations today have been inevitably influenced by the technological developments as well as the philosophical aspirations of America and other developed western countries, which are somewhat impulsively re-shaping the cultural rudiments of those developing nations. The examples include China, Saudi Arabia, France, Iran and Iraq among others. The rudiments of the alterations happening within the national contexts in effect of cultural imperialism, which is also referred as ââ¬ËAmericanizationââ¬â¢ can be identified with reference to the rapid progression of American retail chains, film industry as well as the channelization of societal paradigms in the internatio nal podium. It is worth mentioning in this regard that not all the nations have been convivial with such alterations, disregarding their ancient heritage and cultural rudiments for the sake of cultural imperialism (Rauschenberger, ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s Only a Movie ââ¬â Right? Deconstructing Cultural Imperialism Examining the Mechanisms Behind U.S. Domination of the Global Cultural Tradeâ⬠). It is in this context that Islamic nations have often been disparaged in the international context as a major adversary of the US. Even a few of the terrorist attacks on America have been deliberated by the groups as fundamentally motivated by the ââ¬Å"perceived American cultural imperialismâ⬠(Rauschenberger, ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s Only a Movie ââ¬â Right? Deconstructing Cultural Imperialism Examining the Mechanisms Behind U.S. Domination of the
Investment Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
Investment Strategy - Essay Example The investment idea was ââ¬Ëshortsââ¬â¢. Market sentiments are positive for JPM and investors are expecting share prices of JPM to appreciate the trending market movements. The detailed observation and evaluation by the Chairman and CEO are discussed in the annual report of the company under the ââ¬Å"Management Discussion and Analysisâ⬠section. Both of them has concluded that internal control and procedures were effective during the financial year 2013. The financial statement of the company aims to provide information about enterpriseââ¬â¢s financial position on a given date. Technical analysis involves identifying patterns or trends in the movements of stock prices at an earlier stage and then device an appropriate strategy with the objective to benefit from such market movements. The technical of JPM suggests that its stock prices are currently experiencing up-trends. A bullish market sentiment and better job creation report along with better economic growth could be the probable reason for the same. The investment decision of an individual depends on certain factors like economic conditions, return on investment, the attractiveness of security, time horizon, and business outlook. An investor has the option to invest his/her savings in stock markets which provides an opportunity to maximize returns by identifying market trends. The investment idea can generally be classified as ââ¬Ëturnaroundââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëshort-saleââ¬â¢ investment strategy. The former strategy focus on particular sector or stocks that are currently not attractive to other investors. The technical chart of such stocks reveals that they are sellersââ¬â¢ favorite and are probably oversold at the moment. The key to success in ââ¬Ëturnaroundââ¬â¢ strategy is to observe the chart very carefully and determine whether the worst is over or not. By analyzing the fundamentals of the underlying asset, the analyst could tell whether the stock is left for dead or a possible turnaround is apparent in near future.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Concept of Cultural Imperialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Concept of Cultural Imperialism - Essay Example As connoted by Sarmela, ââ¬Å"Cultural imperialism is the economic, technological and cultural hegemony of the industrialized nations, which determines the direction of both economic and social progress, defines cultural values, and standardizes the civilization and cultural environment throughout the worldâ⬠(Sarmela 13). Hence, considering the instability and struggle of the various nations to understand and thereby react resourcefully towards the accreditations as well as criticisms made by foreign cultures, it can be affirmed that the aspect of cultural imperialism indeed plays a vital role. Contextually, it can also be regarded that forethought to the criticality of the concept (i.e. cultural imperialism), has been argued by various experts associated with different professional dimensions as a means to elaborate homogeny within humankind (Hawksley, ââ¬Å"Conceptualising Imperialism in the 21st Centuryâ⬠). A philosophical explanation to the aspect also encourages the arguments on behalf of cultural imperialism, describing it as a fundamental aspect to energize human communication, harmony and socio-economic progress (Gilbert, ââ¬Å"Cultural Imperialism Revisited: Counselling and Globalisationâ⬠). However, rather than being well thought-out in every industrialized nation, the concept of cultural imperialism has been mostly related with the philosophies considered by the United States of America in relation to its socio-economic progressive initiatives. ... itiative of ââ¬ËAmericanizationââ¬â¢, especially when relating to the socio-economic relationship between the US and the Middle Eastern Islamic countries. This particular concern can be critically analyzed with concern to the study conducted by Rauschenberger (1-35). According to Rauschenberger, many industrialized nations today have been inevitably influenced by the technological developments as well as the philosophical aspirations of America and other developed western countries, which are somewhat impulsively re-shaping the cultural rudiments of those developing nations. The examples include China, Saudi Arabia, France, Iran and Iraq among others. The rudiments of the alterations happening within the national contexts in effect of cultural imperialism, which is also referred as ââ¬ËAmericanizationââ¬â¢ can be identified with reference to the rapid progression of American retail chains, film industry as well as the channelization of societal paradigms in the internatio nal podium. It is worth mentioning in this regard that not all the nations have been convivial with such alterations, disregarding their ancient heritage and cultural rudiments for the sake of cultural imperialism (Rauschenberger, ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s Only a Movie ââ¬â Right? Deconstructing Cultural Imperialism Examining the Mechanisms Behind U.S. Domination of the Global Cultural Tradeâ⬠). It is in this context that Islamic nations have often been disparaged in the international context as a major adversary of the US. Even a few of the terrorist attacks on America have been deliberated by the groups as fundamentally motivated by the ââ¬Å"perceived American cultural imperialismâ⬠(Rauschenberger, ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s Only a Movie ââ¬â Right? Deconstructing Cultural Imperialism Examining the Mechanisms Behind U.S. Domination of the
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Family business managment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Family business managment - Case Study Example There was collaborative decision making in the Cohen family as it is documented that the family members met twice a week over lunch to debate and come to a consensus as pertained to the pressing company issues (Ward, 3). However, the Cohen family has its weaknesses that would have proved fatal for the success of the company. Firstly positions in the company were awarded with reference to the predecessorââ¬â¢s position and not with reference to qualifications; Abe and Cohen lineages. Moreover, they held informal meetings hence lack of giving much seriousness to issues that needed intensive decision making. It has been documented that the family members decided when they would have their leaves irrespective of the number yet this was not a privilege accorded to employees who were not family members. The family members seem to be favored other than other employees, creating a loophole for failure of the business (Ward, 4). The issue of succession needs to be resolved to ensure the success of the business. This is following the reassignment of Robert Cohen. It has been documented that no one has yet been appointed to oversee the international relations of the company. This needs to be resolved for the company to maintain its competitive edge in the international business. Consequently, compensation of the next generation and appraisal of the fourth generation was also an issue that needed to be resolved and addressed. There needed to be a top level management, an issue which Abel speculated would raise conflict leading to some family members leaving the company. Subsequently, the issue of diversification of the company needed to be addressed and resolved, this was to inculcate the diversity in the family and also to accommodate all family members (Ward, 7). At first the family meetings were 100% informal as they are documented to occur across a desk shared by Abe and
Monday, October 14, 2019
A research paper on cocaine Essay Example for Free
A research paper on cocaine Essay Grown in the countries of South America, with Columbia being the most productive, the Erythroxylon Coca bush is the natural origin of cocaine, a central nervous stimulant. Its history is as rich and diverse as the people using and dealing the drug. Cocaine use dates as far back as the 16th century when it was used among Inca royalty. In the early 1800s cocaine was introduced to Europe. Sigmond Freud wrote a song in its honor and famous author Robert Louis Stevenson wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde during a six -day cocaine binge. In the early 1900s cocaine was available to consumers over the counter. Its medicinal value was a relief for toothaches and congestion. Parke Davis advised their consumers of the effects of cocaine by stating that it could make the coward brave, the silent eloquent, and render the sufferer insensitive to pain. The use of cocaine found its way into other products like wine and the most famous of all, Coca Cola. Early production of Coca Cola contained 60mg of cocaine. Today, the popular soft drink still uses the leaves of the Coco Bush for flavor but the illicit drug has been removed (www.cocaine.org). The resurrection of cocaine use as a recreational drug began in the 1960s, and was used mostly among the affluent because of its price. Movie stars, sport stars and the like give cocaine its mystique and draw; psychological and physical effects make it addictive. Changes in form and price make cocaine far more accessible and affordable. Today, there is no clear connection between the use of cocaine and education, occupation or socioeconomic status. Cocaine is generally sold as a hydrochloride salt, a fine white powder substance that is commonly referred to as snow, coke or blow. Street dealers of cocaine commonly dilute, or cut the drug with similar looking substances like talcum powder or with active local anesthetics and even sometimes with other stimulants like amphetamines. The purity of street cocaine, powder form, is about 75 percent. When the impurities of this form are removed, it is known as freebase or crack cocaine. Crack cocaineà is easier to find and less expensive to buy. Cocaine in any form can be found in almost every town and city. Research studies done in 1999 showed cocaine is used by over 3.7 million Americans 12 years old and over, with the highest rate among people 18 and 25 years of age. The use among people 35 years and older also continues to rise (www.cocaine.org). The effects of cocaine depend on the route of administration, the amount of consumption, the users past experience, and the circumstances under which its taken. The major routes of administration are snorting, injecting, and smoking. Snorting is inhaling the powder form through the nasal cavity. The drug enters the bloodstream through the nasal tissues. Injecting cocaine is using a syringe to release the drug directly into the bloodstream. Smoking cocaine is inhaling the cocaine vapors or smoke delivering large quantities to the lungs where it then enters the bloodstream as quickly as injecting. Cocaine interferes with the re-absorption process of dopamine that is a chemical messenger of pleasure to the brain. The effects are instant and intense but not long lasting (www.drugs.indiana.edu). The short -term effects usually make the user fell euphoric, energetic, and alert to their senses. It can decrease your anxiety and heighten your sexuality. Crack users have described the rush as a whole body orgasm. Or, a user can feel anxious or panic-stricken. The drug is a parody of heaven and hell. Often times the cocaine user craves other drugs. These symptoms appear quickly and disappear within a few minutes or a few hours. Physically, a persons blood pressure, body temperature, heartbeat, and breathing accelerate, along with pupil dialation. In larger amounts the side effects intensify. The high might include feelings of paranoia, vertigo, and muscle twitches and physically a user might experience chest pains, nausea, blurred vision. Over time with continued use, the effects of cocaine gradually change. Irritability, restlessness, insomnia and paranoia replace the euphoria. Physically, the long- term user will lose interest in sex and lose weight. Those who snort the drug wear out their nasal septum while those who inject it risk the chance of contracting hepatitis or AIDS. Cocaine related deathsà are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest. Over time, to the users tolerance, the drug will build. To achieve the same effects as that of early usage requires larger doses of the drug. The user becomes psychologically dependent. The drug becomes pivotal to their thoughts, feelings and their daily activities. Cocaine just made you feel really good. Then after you get done feeling really good then you start to get a Superman ego and thats the beginning of the end. (Drug Wars; A Frontline, PBS Production) Often times, cocaine addicts develop an illicit lifestyle to keep up with their drug habit. Cocaines influence leads a user to stealing from family, friends and even employers. The lifestyle of addicts becomes as corrupt as the organizations that produce and supply the product. Cocaines addiction has two sides: the love of the high and the love of the money. The US Government has estimated that cocaine trafficking takes nearly $80 billion a year out of our economy. In 1990, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) estimated about 20 Colombian organizations controlled most of Americas cocaine supply. Annual revenues of the Colombian drug trade have been estimated to be 5 billion dollars. The drug cartels existing today control every phase of the drug trafficking business. They manufacture, transport, distribute, and finance cocaine. Like many large corporations, the business involves bankers, accountants, and lawyers, wholesalers and retailers. More special to this business the cartel payroll also includes chemists, pilots and enforcers of security (www.drugs.indiana.edu). The cartels are structured in layers, at the center is the cartel manager or kingpin. Information shared among the members of the cartel is highly secularized. Only a choice few are privy to all the workings of the cartel. Those employees holding positions in the outer layers of the organization (the lawyers, accountants, bankers, and enforcers) reap the financial benefits of serving their bosses but are strictly put on a need to know basis. Cartels operating in the United States are referred to as cells which are self contained organized units. The Medillin Cartel was the first known, successful cartel of cocaineà traffickers coming from Colombia. It was established in 1978 and lead by Carlos Lehder. It used violence and intimidation to stay one step ahead of the justice system. The cartel bribed police officers with money or threatened them with death if they did not honor the cartel and look the other way when they did business. The Medellin Cartel was taken down in March of 1984. Carlos Lehder was arrested in 1987, tried in the United States and sentenced to 135 years without the possibility of parole. George Jungs, the Medillin Cartels American contact, testimony against Lehder assured his conviction. In the 1990s, on the heels of the Medillin, came the Cali Cartel. They are responsible for 70-80 percent of the cocaine coming into the United States and 90 percent of that entering Europe. Instead of violence and intimidation like their counter parts, the Cali operated their business using a subtle approach. Law enforcement has had difficulty in closing the Cali operations for many reasons. Their structure is different from that of the Medillin, as is their methods of smuggling. They are much more conservative. They only sell to people they know. The home office, which is the CEO and vice presidents, coordinate the cells. The cells contact the buyers usually by cellular phone or pager and arrange the time and place to distribute the drugs. Payment is made at the second meeting. When the deal is done, the home office is contacted and accurate records are kept by both (www.awesomestories.com). While the Colombians may monopolize the cocaine market, there are similar organizations in other countries. The Triads and Tongs of China, La Compania of Cuba, and the Yakuza of Japan are some other major drug trafficking organizations. They have successfully invested into legitimate American business. The one thing they all have in common: United States of America as a client base (www.cocainefacts.com). Cocaine touches many people on a variety of levels. It can completely change a persons personality, for the worse. It spins a web of deceit and destruction. Physically and mentally the drug tricks you from recognizing reality. Euphoria tricks you into believing that the high is good, all the while the time bomb is ticking. Blowing up your mind is just a matter of time. Works Cited Bailey, William J. Factline on Cocaine. 1995: Heller, Matthew. Addicted to Love. Los Angeles Magazine. Sept. 1999. No Author Given. No Author Given.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Compensation And Benefit Strategies For Current Generation Workforce Business Essay
Compensation And Benefit Strategies For Current Generation Workforce Business Essay Compensation and benefits is one of the many functions of human resource management. Compensation plans have not always been considered a strategic business initiative. However, with the effects they have on recruiting, retaining and motivating people compensation design is a critical element to achieving success. Introduction: Employees are the most valuable assets of any organization. The main purpose of human resource management (HRM) is to manage the development and performance of people employed in an organization. Some of the important tasks of HRM include attracting and retaining employees with the right skills and abilities, match people to the right positions within an organization and to align employees goals and objectives with that of the organizations. All these key tasks are directly or indirectly affected by compensation and benefits plan which the human resource management decides. Compensation and benefits redefines value and success in any workplace. An efficient compensation and benefits strategy is seen as an opportunity by organisations to differentiate themself from their competitors, who may otherwise take away talented workforce. Hence, organisations need to know the evolving needs of the working population to make sure they offer the most competitive package. This paper adopts a general approach which may be relevant to number of different organizations or industries and discusses how the new generation workforce is making an impact and forcing organizations to change their traditional compensation strategies. This paper also examines how companies located in different sectors and countries look at compensation and benefits aspect of human resource management, to attract and retain their highly qualified staff. Finally the paper summarizes and analyses few articles related to HR practices in compensation and benefits, and see if they fit into organizations seeking best practice. Compensation and benefit strategies for current generation workforce: Compensation is a major driver in the success of any organization and it is also true that it is one of the highest expenses for an organization. Therefore, compensation is always under heavy scrutiny by the top executives of a company. Compensation is not only carefully analysed by the management, but also analysed by employees and prospective employees. If properly executed, effective compensation design can improve organizational effectiveness, support human capital requirements of the organization, and motivate the employees to achieve key corporate strategic and financial goals (Ellig, B. R. 2007). Effective compensation and benefits strategy is no easy task, especially with the large organizations and ever-changing demands of the workforce. To construct the most attractive compensation and benefits package, organizations must now tackle the fundamental landscape change in workforce requirements and demands. Employees born in the 60s and 70s (generation X) have ceded place to a new generation of workers (generation Y). A flexible approach to compensation and benefits is now required to satisfy the different priorities of these generations. Planning for the future has long been the motto governing Generation Xs approach to their careers and so, traditionally, generous pension provision has been the key to attracting workers. But for Generation Y, priorities have changed. For instance, in a research conducted last year, just 4% of 16-24 year olds were attracted to their employer because of their pension contribution, compared to 17% of 45-54 year olds (HR magazine, March 2011). Certainly, younger workers are increasingly questioning the customs and traditions of the workplace and now pension plans, previously synonymous wi th security, are considered unstable. In present day environment, employees have become much more educated on the possibilities available to them with sources like online salary calculators, industry chat rooms and so on (Schneider, B., Paul, K. B. 2011). Employees now know more about current market pay levels, new opportunities and how to successfully negotiate compensation packages. Keeping these changes in mind organizations include many other noncash components to the potential cash components to come up with a fair, competitive and an attractive compensation program (Schneider, B., Paul, K. B. 2011). Employee benefits are indirect forms of compensation provided by the organizations to their workforce as part of an employment relationship. To compete for quality employees in todays marketplace, employers must do more than offer a fair salary. Employees also look forward for a good benefits package; in fact employees have grown accustomed to generous benefits programs, and join an organization expecting them. Employee benefits exist in organizations all around the world and the levels and range of these benefits vary between countries. Some of the benefits companies offer can be like company accommodation, company provided vehicles, health insurance, retirement benefits, easy loans and so on. Compensation and Benefit strategies used in organisations: As per Kevin OConnell, there are three primary components in a strategic compensation plan. First, building a solid foundation for the plan to understand the business strategy is required. Where the company is now and where is it heading to in the future, what are its short term and long term goals. This will provide the necessary information needed to construct a solid framework for the design of a compensation plan. Second, understanding organizational capabilities and how the role of compensation plays a key role to achieve organizational goals is critical. This will provide an excellent understanding of what positions are the most critical to a companys future success and the various compensation options available to motivate employees to achieve this success. Third, aligning compensation with human capital management initiatives will help develop a plan that allows the company to successfully recruit and retain employees (OConnell, K. 2007). We will see how different organizations have overcome significant business challenges by re-evaluating and strategically designing new compensation plans. By finding the right balance between organizational goals and employee needs, compensation plans can play a strategic role in the success of a business. Jamba Juice case: Jamba juice was founded in 1990. It is a leader in blended-to-order fruit smoothies and fruit juices. (Source: http://www.jambajuice.com/) Since its inception, it found employee retention as a major problem. It was located in San Francisco bay area and therefore the employees had more options with other employers situated there. A lot of these employers were technology based and offered more generous financial benefits than the food retailer. To tackle this problem, Jamba Juice introduced a compensation plan, called J.U.I.C.E plan which allows the general manager to receive a percentage of stores cash flow depending on their businesss final performance. It allows manages a share in the profits over a period of three years. When the general managers increase the year-to-year sales, money accrues in a retention account, which is payable only in three year cycles. This retention account not only provides short term retention benefits, but also incentives to stay with Jamba. Also, execut ives at managerial positions are offered stock options. And, when assistant managers are promoted, their general managers also receive a cash award of $ 1000 for their development efforts. In a highly competitive industry Jamba was able to successfully reduce turnover. (Mellow Jeffrey, 2011) The MAERSK way: MAERSK not only rewards absolute performance but also focuses significantly on performance relative to peers, says Alex Penvern, Global Head of Group Compensation, Rewards and Executive HR. This had not always been the case. Less than five years ago, rewards in the company were characterised by confidential bonuses, awarded with very little transparency. One of Penverns first challenges when he joined MAERSK in 2008 was to create a scalable, measurable and quantifiable compensation and benefits structure that was understandable and could, over time, be rolled out uniformly across the organisation (Source: http://www.maersk.com/Pages/default.aspx). He spoke to CEOs of each business within the group and focused on the executive compensation structure that focussed on relative distribution. During these conversations he discussed range of different performance criteria, happening in annual sessions which were a part of the performance management cycle. The outcome was a relative performance distribution of the companys most successful and less effective performers. The company believes that our people are motivated by this constant striving to do even better, says Penvern. You can never rest on your laurels or spend too long patting yourself on the back, because you know how hard everyone else is running. We want people who thrive in this atmosphere. This is brought in practice and reinforced by a carefully considered distribution of rewards to the highest performers. Since the introduction of the pay-for-performance scheme, fewer very high performers are securing a significantly larger share of the bonus on offer. The highest performers receive nearly double the bonus opportunity that they did few years back but to earn that bonus they need to keep up or stay ahead of their peers or market. While Penvern discusses the value the company creates in this performance culture, he believes that the transparency of its bonus system is just as important. The lesson is clear. Company has to build employee engagement and drive performance both by having a clear and transparent compensation scheme that links pay and performance and by communicating this consistently in order to reinforce and reinstate the belief that pay and performance are linked. Design and Engineering group in Delaware: A small to medium design and engineering group in Delaware, employs engineers and designers, most of them who are in their 30s. Most of the employees were the primary wage earners in their families and have several dependents. This company pays wages that are slightly lower than those of its competitors, but it offers a fully paid insurance program that includes health, pharmacy, dental and eye care coverage for employees and their dependents. By meeting the employees benefit needs the company enjoys very low employee turnover (McConnell, J. 2003 Pg. 235). Mississippi garment manufacturer: A garment manufacturer in Mississippi pays on a piecework basis. Most piecework plans in garments factory in general must guarantee pay equal to at least the legal minimum wage. In this specific company, new employees receive an hourly wage until they have acquired the skills required to meet performance standards. Then the manufacturer pays them on the basis of the number of pieces they produce in an hour. The company has designed its compensation approach to retain good employees i.e. those who are good performers (McConnell, J. 2003 Pg. 232). Conclusion: Compensation whether in the form of salary or benefits is a key element in both attracting and retaining employees. With careful and logical thinking companies should design a program that will significantly contribute to obtaining and retaining the type of employers who perform best for that company. Compensation professionals play a critical role in enabling organizations to execute their business strategy. The examples in this paper demonstrate how organizations have overcome significant business challenges by redesigning their compensation plans as seen in Jamba and MAERSK. We also have seen how a small company like the garment manufacturer in Mississippi use compensation package to retain highly performing people and do away with low performing people. Some companies like the one in Delaware uses non monetary benefits to keep their workforce happy and content. Compensation and benefits have a negative effect on the company if not properly managed. Collapses of big companies like Enron and Global crossing are examples. These are direct results of managerial behaviour aimed at short term profit maximization. That behaviour is in turn a result of the executive pay structure that measure and reward performance based short-term financial results. Compensation experts need to be at the focal point where strategy, organizational effectiveness and human capital management congregate. They need to have a clear understanding of the business and organizational issues as well as the future direction of the company. Strategic compensation and benefits design is not a sound bite to impress management. Its the process behind compensation plan design that links and binds strategy, organization effectiveness and human capital together. By balancing organizational, employee and business needs with a companys financial and strategic goals it is possible to develop the right compensation strategy to motivate, reward and sustain high levels of performance. By finding this balance, a company can effectively use compensation to execute and achieve desired business results.
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Major League Baseball :: essays research papers
à à à à à In early May 2002, a ban that the management of Major League Baseballsââ¬â¢ Seattle Mariners imposed requiring non-admittance of any fan wearing a tee shirt saying, ââ¬Å"Yankees Suckâ⬠was finally lifted. Telling the Seattle Mariner fans that the word ââ¬Å"suckâ⬠was offensive and had no place in a family atmosphere, was out of line to many. The backlash from the fans was overwhelming to the point that Mariners management had no choice but to lift the ban. The ban caused three major backlashes: It angered season ticket holders, it told the fans that the first amendment could be twisted at the ballpark, and it tried to strip fans of team spirit and pride. Mariner management ignored the minor uprising as long as possible until the ban reached near boiling point levels. Things have since settled down in Seattle, but hopefully Mariner management will not try a stunt like the ban anytime soon. à à à à à Being a season ticket holder means a great deal to fans who love going out to the ballpark. When a security guard at the front gate doesnââ¬â¢t allow entry because of a tee shirt the ticket holder is wearing, to say it would cause the ticket holder to be angry is an understatement. If purchasing season tickets doesnââ¬â¢t guarantee entry into the stadium merely on the fact that some people find the word ââ¬Å"suckâ⬠to be offensive was a travesty to season ticket holders. As a matter of fact, the word ââ¬Å"suckâ⬠is being used by children today than in most the Mariner managementââ¬â¢s lifetimes. Telling grown up fans to act as management wants to is fascism in a corporate disguise. When someone buys a ticket it is expected that the buyer is to act like a civilized human being, but donââ¬â¢t make up new standards for the fan to abide by. à à à à à The first amendment is what makes America work, so when Mariner management tried to tell fans they couldnââ¬â¢t wear a belief on a tee shirt, it sent mixed messages to the fanbase. It is well known what words are truly obscene in todayââ¬â¢s world, but the word ââ¬Å"suckâ⬠has not been truly offensive since ââ¬Å"Ozzie and Harrietâ⬠was still on prime time. To say that the fanbase would be offended without taking a census of some sort or another was censorship in a way. A fan wearing a shirt with the f-word not being let in is different than a fan wearing a ââ¬Å"Jesus Rulesâ⬠shirt in.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Kidulthood Essay
Kidulthood is a realist drama set in West London, made in 2006. It shows stereotype with teenagers and gender. Stand By Me is a film about four young teens going on a adventure to find a dead body. This film was made in 1986 but was based in 1959. The four boys lice in a small town in America. The youth and gender representation of kidulthood is that, it represents girls as being sex toys and that they need the opposite sex. A character which shows this is Becky (Alisaââ¬â¢s best friend). She always sells her body to men so that she can get stuff which shows that women are born to do these stuff. For instance in the film she gives an older man a blowjob for drugs. This evidence also shows that she is a sex toy for men. In conclusion Becky represents her gender as being lower than men because of her actions. Sam is the main antagonists in the film. He is represented as someone who everyone fears inside school and he always goes for someone who is less dominant. He represents his youth by showing that teenagers being a bad citizen around there area and people are not safe around them. My evidence is that he led to two murders in the film, one was Katie because of his demeanour towards her which led her to suicide and at the end of the film he hits Trife in the belly with a baseball bat. He represents his gender as boys being stronger and dominant than girls because he threatened his girlfriend with a baseball bat and he pulled Alisaââ¬â¢s her towards the end of the film. Overall he represents his youth and gender as boys nature is to be violent and have rough demeanour to girls and other people in his community. Jay is part of Trifeââ¬â¢s crew and he often uses women in the film. Jay acts big during the film but is often described as someone who is all talk and no actions. This is shown in the film when he kisses Samââ¬â¢s girlfriend and he tells her he is not scared of Sam. But when Sam confronts him, he let him take his Gameboy. Jay represents his youth as teenagers have early sex with each other and this was shown when he tried to seduce Claire at Samââ¬â¢s house. Also him and his crew pushed Samââ¬â¢s mum on the floor which shows that most teenagers donââ¬â¢t have respect for people. Also he represents his gender throughout the film by using women showing that boys can treat women however they like without their opinion. In conclusion Jay represents his youth and gender by showing that teenagers have lack of respect and boys can do whatever they want with girls. Chris from Stand by me is from a family who are criminals and alcoholics and most people stereotype about him due to his background. He represents his youth as twelve years old boy who smokes and uses a gun, also he uses foul language most of the time throughout the film. My evidence is that in the beginning of the film him and teddy smoke in the tree house at a young age and he stole a gun from his dad. Also he swore at one of the characters during the end of the film. In conclusion Chris represents his youth as young people always are a bad influence and most youth are always doing these activities not matter what age they are. Maybe for the fact that Chris was bought up in a criminal family could suggest his actions outside which could infer that the representation of youth depends on their surroundings. Also the fact that in Stand By Me they are going on a adventure to find a dead body indicates that they are clueless to be very excited and interested in a dead body, it also shows their innocence for the fact that they live in a small town where nothing really happens. In the kidulthood poster we see Sam with a baseball bat and standing up showing that he is one of the main villains of film because his position in the poster is more apart from the other characters suggests that everybody is scared of him and the baseball bat shows it. But in Stand By Me the prop is the gun held by Gordie but it does not show danger because he is wearing a cap and a backpack that could indicate that this was used for self defence, rather than the baseball bat in the Kidulthood poster because Sam is wearing a hoodie and his facial expression shows he is proud to have this baseball bat in his hand or in other hand to show this prop was made to harm people. The reason why we donââ¬â¢t get a impression that the gun in Stand By Me was made to harm is that the quotes on top of the poster shows their childhood and what they do in life which is talking about sweets and life. But it could also represent that they act much younger than their age to be talking about is really childish. Furthermore there was no girls in the film Stand By Me which could highlight that the female gender are much more responsible, mature and better gender than them because they would not get involved in dangerous activities like the four boys got into to. Becky however shows the total opposite of what Stand By Me infers, she represents her gender as male being the dominant sex because she used a man to get money. As you can notice in the Kidulthood poster that the characters have no emotions on their faces and the mid shot of the picture shows more of the background which is dark to emphasise that London is not a place you would want to stay in whereas the Stand By Me background is more bright and one of the characters are smiling. The position of Trife and Alisa show a more of a husband and wife pose to indicate their role during the film.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Guiding Principals of Professional Learning Communities Essay
Normally, in a professional learning community also known as a PLC, the educators work together brainstorming ideas, lessons, and activities that will support a plan to be implemented all in hopes of the studentââ¬â¢s achievement. A professional learning community can benefit a schoolââ¬â¢s environment by reinforcing teacher morale and leadership skills. As the school moves forward, every professional in the building must engage with colleagues in the ongoing exploration of three crucial questions that drive the work of those within a professional learning community: â⬠¢ What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? â⬠¢ How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? The answer to the third question separates learning communities from traditional schools. A PLC can serve as a support system that motivates teachers to follow a guided plan. Educators who are building a professional learning community recog nize that they must work together to achieve their collective purpose of learning for all. Therefore, they create structures to promote a collaborative culture. This plan can include classroom assistants, parent volunteers, and other school personnel like librarians. The PLC culture can influence teachers through numbers. When teachers come together and have strength in numbers they can support each other, collaborate, and brainstorm the most effective methods and techniques to instruct the students. Even the grandest design eventually translates into hard work. The professional learning community model is a grand design, a powerful new way of working ogether that profoundly affects the practices of schooling. But initiating and sustaining the concept requires hard work. This is where the challenges may arise. It requires the school staff to focus on learning rather than teaching, work collaboratively on matters related to learning, and hold itself accountable for the kind of results that fuel continual improvement. A PLC will construct a solid foundation of committed teachers who are passionate about their career and working with families a nd fellow colleagues. The benefit(s) of a PLC is that everyone has the opportunity to be involved and share goals and positive learning experiences of the schools learning environment. When educators do the hard work necessary to implement these principles, their collective ability to help all students learn will rise. If they fail to demonstrate the discipline to initiate and sustain this work, then their school is unlikely to become more effective, even if those within it claim to be a professional learning community. The rise or fall of the professional learning community concept depends not on the merits of the concept itself, but on the most important element in the improvement of any school; the commitment and persistence of the educators within it. In conclusion, educators who work together form structured atmospheres that promote learning. References Barth, R. (1991). Restructuring schools: Some questions for teachers and principals. Phi Delta Kappan, 73(2), 123-129. Marzano, R. (2003). What works in Schools: Translating research into action, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Review Of Herman And Chomsky Essay
The ââ¬ËManufacturing Consentââ¬â¢ of media operations written and applied by Edward Herman and à Noam Chomsky say à that elite mass media are united and interlocked with other institutional sectors in ownership, management and social circles. In democratic societies mass media plays an important role. They respond to public concerns and create awareness to the state policies important events and view points. The fundamental principles of democracy depend upon the notion of a reasonably informed electorateà that reflects à public opinion and respond to public concerns Media is an integral part of the society, media need not be controlled or set to a pattern they work united with other sectors.(European Journal of Communication; 2002, pg.147). Herman and Chomskyââ¬â¢s propaganda model has been named as ââ¬Ëconspiracy theoryââ¬â¢ because of its determined view of media behavior, according to them mass media are instruments of power that mobilize support for special interests that dominate the state and private activity and mass media acts in unison with other sectors, i.e. the academy, to establish, enforce, reinforce and police corporate hegemony. (European Journal of Communication 2002, pg148) . à Herman and Chomsky reject the ââ¬Ëconspiracy labelââ¬â¢ however ââ¬Ëthe Manufacturing Consentââ¬â¢s emphasis is on motives of media behavior, in relation to institutional controls.(Herman and Chomsky ;1988,pg 1-35). The model assumes that media designs should be explained in structural terms. According to Herman and Chomsky there are five major ââ¬Ëfilteringââ¬â¢ mechanisms which structure the news content. The authors admit that propaganda model cannot give every detail of such a complex matter as the working of the national mass media, the model does not assume that news reporters, editors and other workers are instructed or typically compelled to omit some voices and emphasize others, the model outlines circumstances under which media will be comparatively ââ¬Ëopenââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëclosedââ¬â¢. As micro-analysis is not the task of the Propaganda Model, it only provides an overview of the system at work, making sense out of a confusing picture by removing the main principles of the system, the basic argument in this contextà is that meanings are easily ââ¬Ëfilteredââ¬â¢ by restrictions that are made in the system. The authors argue that meanings are formed at odd levels, as the decisions are understood to be natural and sensible, however the authors do not imply that newsroom workers always make decisions to align themselves with the interests of the dominant elites.(Rai,1995:pg46) Herman and Chomsky write that all news material goes through five inter related filter restrictions. Leaving only cleansed residue fit to be printed.(Herman and Chomsky;1988:pg 3-14). The five filter elements are: (1) the size, concentrated ownership, ownerââ¬â¢s wealth, and profit orientation of the dominant mass-media; (2) advertising as the primary income source of the mass media. (3) the reliance of the media on information provided by government, business, and experts funded and approved by the primary sources and agents of power. (Martin and Knight 1997,pg 253-254). (4) Opposition as means of disciplining the media; (5) anti-communism as a national religion and control mechanism.(Herman ,cited in Wintonick and Achbar,1994:pg108). The first filter restriction emphasizes that media are closely interlinked and share common interests with other dominant sectors as corporations, the state, and banks. The dominant media sectors are large firms with large businesses; they are controlled by very wealthy people or by their managers who are subject to sharp restrictions by the owners. The second filter emphasizes that the news production process is highly influenced by advertising values ,most media must sell markets(readers) to buyers(advertisers).This dependency can directly influence media à performance, Chomskyà remarks à that media content reflects the interests of the sellers, the buyers, and the product . Herman contends that the application of the first and second filters of theà propaganda model has greatly influenced the economy the communications industries, and politics went through dramatic changes the two filters ,ownership and advertising have become even more important. The third filter is the news gathering process, the dominant elite provide press releases, copies of speeches, periodicals, photos, and thus government and corporate sources are attractive to media only for economic reasons. The third filter stresses that the opinions by corporate and state sources are adapted to class interest and market force. Herman and Chomsky stress that the nature of the mutual relationship between media and sources directly affect the media performance. The powerful can use personal relationships, threats, rewards, to influence media. The media under obligations may carry untrue stories in order not to offend their close relationship with the sources. The fourth filter, flak, means the state the dominant social institution which has power and resources to force the media to play a propagandistic role in society Herman and Chomsky explain that flak refers to negative responses to media statement, it may involve individuals or independent action, and the authors contend that preferred meanings are structured by dominating official sources, in this way news may be skewed in the desired direction. The fifth filter, the anti-communism has been replaced by ââ¬Ëothernessââ¬â¢ Itââ¬â¢s the idea of scaring people, creating fear, hatred, and discontent aroused by social and economic conditions, to prevent them from realizing to what is really happening to them.(Chomsky 1998: pg48).The authors maintain that media shapes public opinion by controlling how ideas are presented; the five filters curb the flow of the news as it passes through its gates and can easily limit what can be big news. Herman and Chomsky state that these five filter constraints are the essentials of propaganda model, the members of the power elite try to shape the beliefs and attitudes and opinions of the people through the media, free and open discussions are part of the process but leaders utilize deceit and violence to combat individuals and institutions as the public does not agree with the opinion of the power elite. The world politics has seen radical changes since the demise of communism in the former Soviet Union as mentioned in the Manufacturing Consent. The fifth filter is termed ââ¬Ëthe dominant ideology ââ¬â¢through out this book, however,à anti ââ¬âcommunismà has been emphasized as the ideological elements that are most important in terms of discipline and control mechanisms. The Manufacturing Consent, gives a vague description of the fifth filter its ideology helps to mobilize people against an enemy it can be used against any policies that threaten property interests or support the communist states and radicalism, the model presumes that media performance is understood as the outcome of market forces, the dominant media are deeply and firmly imbedded in the market system, the main information sources ,the media depends onà are the government and major business firms. Herman and Chomsky view media as dominant ideological apparatus sameà as mentioned in the thesis by William Domhoff in his book ,The Powers That Be: Processes of Ruling Class Domination in America. (Domhoff 1979,pg 169). Domhoff contends that theà four basic processes through which the ruling class ââ¬Ërulesââ¬â¢ are (1)the special interest process;(2)policy formation process;(3)candidate selection; and(4)the ideological process, the Herman and Chomskyââ¬â¢s theory is the mirror of Domhoffââ¬â¢s theory of ideological apparatus for dominant elites.(Domhoff;1979,179-183). The Canadian sociologist Wallace Clement writes about the ruling class of Canada, he states through observation that the ruling elite have remained consistent over the past century. The institutional links within Canada are at elite level, ownership of capital is highly concentrated.(Canadian Corporate Elite;1975). Another Canadian sociologist Patricia Marchak (1988;pg122),stresses that the main question is under what conditions the state would be obliged to act only with reference to the interests of the capital. When such conditions are obtained universally, and when they do, the validity of Propaganda Model is likely to increase.(Patricia Marchak;1988,pg34). Herman and Chomsky do not claim that media acts only to circulate propaganda. The Propaganda Model à à describes ââ¬Ëthe forces that cause the mass media to play a propaganda roleââ¬â¢ they also argue that media not only serve the political and economic interests of dominant elite but also of the state. The authors admit that the propaganda model does not explain everything in every context it deals with the patterns of media behavior and performance. The elite media decides what topics, issues, and events that are to be considered ââ¬Ënews worthyââ¬â¢ by the lower-tier media and establish the general discourse, they determine, they select,à they shape,à they control, they restrict in orderà to serve the dominant elite groups in the society. This system is at odds with reality as the powerful are able to decide what the general public is allowed to see, hear, think and create public opinion by regular control. Individual powerlessness grows in the face of globalizing market; support organizations as the labor unions are weakened .In the final pages of Manufacturing Consent Herman and Chomsky acknowledge that the system is not all powerful, the domination of media by government and the elite have not overcome Vietnam syndrome and public hostility to direct US involvement in destabilization and over throw of foreign governments.à Herman and Chomsky took the phrase ââ¬Ëmanufacturing consentââ¬â¢ from the influential American journalist Walter Lippman who advocated consent engineering. He said common good should be managed by small specialized class. The creation of consent is not a new art, it was supposed to have died out with the birth of democracy but it is very much alive, it is now based on analysis rather than on rule of thumb. The engineering of consent is the essence of democratic process, (Bernays; 1947, cited in Wintonick and Achbar, 1994; pg41). the freedom of speech, press, petition, and assembly; the freedoms to make the engineering of consent possible are the most cherished guarantees of the Constitution of the United States.(Lippman, cited inRai,1995;pg23). à John Jay was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court he said ââ¬Ëthose who own the country ought to govern itââ¬â¢ in other words it is necessary to ensure that those who own the country are happy or else all will suffer, for they control investment and determine what is produced and distributed and what benefits will trickle down to those who rent themselves to the owners when the y can. The propaganda model contends that media content is organized to manufacture consent and to prevent opposition media content serves political ends the media makes choices that establish and define ââ¬Ëworthyââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëunworthyââ¬â¢ causes. The news coverage devoted to government(state)policy in general(foreign and domestic) by the elite to generate audience interest and sympathy in some stories while directing attention away from other stories Media take close interest in the Third World and their interconnections with the à government.(Herman and Chomsky,1988;pg13-14). The authors write that media treats victims of oppression and state terrorism differently, depending on the perpetrators. The ââ¬Ëunworthy victimsââ¬â¢ (victims of oppression and /or state terrorism perpetrated by us (Canada, the US and the other capitalist democracies), and ââ¬Ëworthy victimsââ¬â¢ (victims of oppression and/or state terrorism perpetrated by official enemy states).Different treatment is observed in sourcing and evaluating stories, full swing investigation in search of villain and of high officials, to humane treatment more prominent coverage. In case of ââ¬Ëunworthy victimsââ¬â¢ of enemy crimes, allegations are simply invented they have to rely on official US. sources unless they prove it wrong in which case they are avoided(Cambodia under Pol Pot is a case in point).It predicts that the victims of state terrorism/violence that is perpetuated by the democracies or client states will be given treatment that can be seen to serve political ends (Chomsky, 1988; pg34). The writers as moral agents are trying to bring the truth about matters of human significance to an audience that can do something about them. My personal view is that citizens of democratic societies should take a definite course of self- defense to protect their rights with the help of radio and television, advertising and public relations to safe guard their rights from being manipulated. The Independent mind must be allowed to develop and grow in a free society it is a difficult task as in todayââ¬â¢s free society, consent is manipulation of public opinion. I do agree with the writers, in my view the young minds should separate themselves from the official manipulative system. Thus the writers are invested with a moral responsibility to tell the truth, it is a very difficult task to perform today even in our free society. Works Cited Clement, W. (1975) Canadian Corporate Elite: Analysis of Economic Power. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. Domhoff, William G. (1979) The Powers That Be: Processes of Ruling Class Domination in America. New York: Vintage Books. European Journal of Communication (2002) SAGE Publications (London, Thousand Oaks, CA and New Delhi), Vol 17(2): 147ââ¬â182. [0267ââ¬â3231(200206)17:2; 147ââ¬â182; 023691] Martin, Michele with Graham Knight (1997) Communication and Mass Media: Culture, Domination and Opposition. Toronto: Prentice-Hall. Wintonick, Peter and Mark Achbar (1994) Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media. Montreal: Black Rose.
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