Analyzing Management Strategies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyzing Management Strategies - Research Paper Example The model of management as guided by the theory of TQM supports process ownership in a manner that cultivates team work and eliminates any forms of hierarchies that impede the quality of work through bureaucratic challenges and structural disconnection of the processes within the organization. It is important to consider the fact that some of the issues that attend to the processes of TQM depend on the nature of management and the organizational structure of the firm. On this score, the organization must manage its internal processes in a manner that cultivates harmony across the various processes. A distinguishing aspect of TQM is that it is related to the aspect of information sharing and process regulation (Oakland, 2000). All the distinct components in the supply chain are usually involved in the process for the purpose of enhancing the nature of information sharing and process management. On this score, it becomes important to consider some of the issues that attend to the manag ement of process within the level of management. A key advantage of TQM theory over other theoretical frameworks is that it is basically customer-centered. It actively brings the customer within the processes of the organization in order to capture the rhythms and essence of the market from the perspective of customer preferences, trends on the market, and the general nature of the market. In usual cases, these processes are meant to attract and retain customers through the provision quality services that ensure the retention of the customer base and the maintenance of the market segment. In essence, the processes of management is tailored on the need to develop a process that supplies the basic essence of management in a manner that harmonizes operations across the various processes that relate to issues of management. The theory of Total Quality Management could apply to various processes that regard matters of managerial dynamisms. An example of the areas where such processes cou ld apply is in the food and beverages industry. Total Quality Management requires the harmonization of processes in a way that ensures quality delivery of services and the satisfaction of the customers. The food and beverages industry is usually associated with high levels of risk and losses. By applying the theories of TQM, it becomes possible to regulate the processes in the food and beverages industry in a manner that aligns well with the processes of production, supply, management, and marketing. Companies such as McDonalds and other PepsiCo Inc usually apply the processes of TQM for the purpose of achieving optimum production, high levels of quality, and customer satisfaction. The various integrated processes in TQM usually work in ways that propel organizations towards high levels of profitability and growth. Some of the challenges that attend to the application of the theory of total quality management is that the nature of organizations has undergone significant shifts in st ructures and processes. The advent of globalization, liberalization, and the developments in the information, communication, and technology sector has redefined the working environment in ways that affect the process of integration,

Buddhism and Hinduism in comparision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Buddhism and Hinduism in comparision - Essay Example It highly reflects the prevailing theme at the time in which Japan took pride in its genius through the fields of religion, philosophy, art, and rich literature. While the fundamental color of brilliance is perceived through the coating to designate in equilibrium the simplicity of brightness through wood carving, the Hindu sculpture has, among the revered gods Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, and some others, on the contrary been worked using stone or hard rock medium to enhance the proper locus of the aspects with light. A rare sculpture of ‘Vishnu’ seated on a Naga coil under the five hoods of the serpent deity is stone-made. Found at the Nithyakalyanaswamy temple at Thiruvidanthai, the statue is said to date from the Vijayanagara period during the 17th century. Contrary to the standing position of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Vishnu is depicted sitting in a relaxed posture to signify an aura of meditative heights achieved. This ‘Vishnu on Naga Coil’ is well-ado rned as opposed to the plain appearance of the Buddhist sculpture. Being considered as the ‘Supreme god’ in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism, the symbolic statue reflects him as the all-pervading essence of all beings and this is a strong ground for sculpting Vishnu in a manner that exhibits details rich in adornments and are defined under perfect human features, except for bearing four arms. Not having any earth-related object by him suggests how Vishnu’s state is one that is severely distant from men and this further indicates no sign of humility unlike in the case of the bodhisattva. Though his divinity radiates opulence of things by which he could sustain and govern the universe as the ‘Preserver’, the sculpture seemingly lacks the essence of purity. In one of the modifications made for the structure of Vishnu with the same serpent deity, the presence of Lakshmi, his consort, heavily coated with gold altogether gives a manifestation of extre me wealth and power. Its lavish creation of curves and lines inlaid on the golden stone medium occur to characterize immortal possession of authority and matter, transcending the significant idea behind misery or suffering, a major part in Buddhist principle of attaining pure divinity. Such design with Vishnu and similar Hindu gods mirrors the equivalent aspect in Indian culture of observing colorful festive traditions abounding in food, clothing, ceremonies, and other stuffs of various kinds. On the other hand, Though the ‘Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva of Compassion’ primarily consists of wood, the sophisticated carvings and the countenance which appears to possess a blend of gold and bronze external coating, aimed to bring about a wholly essential color, suggests subtle prominence while depicting the purpose of identifying a bodhisattva by nature. The smooth lines of the sculpture were fashioned such that the strokes exude a character with humble gesture, one with which n o trace of rigidity can be detected. In the absence of conspicuous edges in its shape all throughout, the eleven-headed Kannon may be readily claimed to have been so intentionally brought to the gentlest of forms. ‘Eleven-Headed Bo

The First Epistle of the Second Book of Horace Imitated

The First Epistle of the Second Book of Horace Imitated Living and writing in an era in which culture was flourishing and poetry was not simply a pastime[1], must have been a dream to Alexander Pope: such was the Augustan age in Latin literature (27 BC AD 14), which under the reign of the emperor Augustus provided not only for a serene social environment for the thriving of liberal arts, but also concerned about its good management by the close advisor Maecenas, responsible of the patronage of the artistic talent. In this sort of literary scene, poets such as Horace, Ovid, Virgil and Livy found their mastery being appreciated, highlighted and celebrated. Approaching the two historical periods with a thorough close analysis, its remarkable how Popes England and the Roman Empire were sharing aspects of their social life: the division between Court and Country as existed in the Augustan Rome was common view in England as the difference between luxury and philosophical retreat. A literary analogy, specifically relevant for Popes works, could also be detected, but in terms of cultural and social satisfaction, unfortunately, the 18th Century poet faced a reality which of Augustan had nothing but the name. The so called Augustan poetry rose during the first half of 1700 with the explicit intention of being satirical and political, meant to criticise and hit the government, whose enmity and hatred towards all poetry and the arts were concentrated in the figure of the contemporary ruling George II. Ascended to power in 1683, the monarch showed a non-caring and contrasting attitude towards every literary manifestation, often stating himself in favour of censorship that made poets voices and endavours even much harder to be heard and adequately esteemed. Moreover, the spreading corruption was detestated by the writers of the time, and by Pope in particular, who in 1737 came into closer association with the Opposition, expressing his role as an active political poet. Funnily, George II was also christened Augustus, coincidence that considerably remarked the difference between the two princes: Alexander Pope didnt think twice about taking advantage of this perfect homonymy and under the clever suggestion of his friend Lord Bolingbroke, he created a brilliant and enjoyable satirical collection: Imitations of Horace (1738). Firstly, what an imitation is must be clarified: not a fake, something not genuine should be thought about, but the Latin sense of imitatio should be taken into consideration, in which the idea of re-creation and re-interpretation is implied. Secondly, the choice of Horace must be explained: not only he was on the defensive of writing satire, as Pope was towards his literary environment, but also gave him the chance to rise questions and social problems besides giving judgments of contemporary literature and taste. These issues found their place in the mock-epic poem The first Epistle of the Second Book of Horace Imitated (May 1737), which also best underlines Popes contempt for George II, making of it a parodic effective thread over the poem. The Horatian Epistle opens with compliments sincerely paid by Horace to Augustus, while the ones claimed in Popes version are to be constructed ironically: the English Patron of Mankind in line 1 had nothing to do with the Horatian Caesar in line 4. The word caesar was not meant just to address Augustus with his second name: it is an important honorific that stands for the recognised authority and greatness of a leader, who could bear alone all the government and social duties, worth following with trust. The contrast between the two Augustuses is here even more highlighted and as the English courtier Lord John Hervey defines it, it is a very material difference [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] For as personal courage was the only quality necessary to form a great prince which the one was suspected to want, so I fear it was the only one the other was ever thought to possess. (p. 261, Memoirs). The game of the parallel ironic and glorific tone plays constantly throughout the poem: such a Wonder of Kings! Like whom, to mortal eyes | None eer has risen, and none eer shall rise (line 29-30) becomes some monster of a King in line 210 and is still contraposed to the indisputable maiestas (line 258) of the Roman Augustus, or his greatness. This political complaint then is strictly connected with and leads the way to the real Epistles social concern. To start with, more than everything, Augustans of both ages were worried about their literary heritage and how they should have dealt with it. People and poets were happy and accostumed to praise primitives such as Shakespeare and Ennius, but a common sense of lacking of art of them was hanging in the air and foreign literature started being attractive after having conquered France in one case and Greece in the other. Horace could still see the sapiens et fortisEnnius (line 50) and his ingenium, the mastery he had demonstrated, as Pope would agree about Shakespeares immortality but another good way of doing literature was emerging and couldnt wait to be noticed. If Time improve our Wit as well as Wine, | Say at what age a Poet grows divine? (Pope, lines 49-50). Poets were scared of how much time might have taken for their works to be valued if people had remained stuck to the past for longer. For that, it was important not to leave the public be the judge in order to make sure the distance between the new and the old, veteros and novos (Horace, lines 37-38), was respected and here the social context starts to shape. When the poets write about the public and their feelings towards it, there is where the two societies begin to clush and be really interactive. On more scientific basis, this connection is interestingly defined as time-space distanciation in The Dictionary of Human Geography, 4th Edition, for which Anthony Giddens, British sociologist, describes the stretching of social systems across time and space. Historically, The nexus of relations political, economic, military in which a society exists with others is usually integral to the very nature of that society[2]: thus to maintain this interaction, which is intrinsic to society itself, so called technically symbolic tokens are implied, as media of exchange which have standard value and thus are interchangeable across a plurality of contexts (Modernity and Self-Identity, 1991). Put in context, these stretching and media of exchange seem fundamental in order to read in parallel Horaces and Popes societies. With the concept of time-space distanciation in mind, its easier to jump flexibly from one time to the other, from Rome to England and follow the thread that society weaves across the lines of the Epistle. Back to the relationship with the public, both poets are trying to warn about the misunderstanding of contemporary literature: Pope assumes an explicit rude and insulting tone while declaring that the public is nothing but a fool (lines 93-94), while on his side, Horace takes a softer and much more diplomatic position by claiming that not always the public sees and interprets things in the right way and its now mistaken in believing that no poetry can match the old school but that in this case Iove iudicat aequo (God judges righteously, line 68). However, the Latin text suggests a different shade of what Horaces consideration of the public was: he addresses the audience as volgus (line 63), which does not only refer to people in general but has to be read with a negative and offensive connotation that is effective on a class-based society, in which the mass was considered inferior and with scorn. The argue about the public goes on in lines 115-118 in Popes imitation: I lose my patience, and I own it too, | When works are censurd, not as bad, but new; | While if our Elders break all Reasons laws, | These fools demand not Pardon, but Applause. Fools that have no taste, a crowd that has no interest in welcoming the novitas, the novelty in literature (line 90, Horace) and still pays honorem et premia (honours and praises, line 78) only to the ancients: Pope was clearly complaining about the audience but at the same time denouncing the ruling power and censorship that was affecting the literary environment. Even the writers profession seemed to be undermined, as for Indocti doctique (educated people and not, line 117) for Horace and those who cannot write, and those who can for Pope, All ryme, and scrawl, and scribble, to a man (lines 187-188). Unskilled writers were emerging and the public was enjoying them with incertos oculos et gaudia vana (line 188, Horace). The choice of the adjective incertos (uncertain) for the eyes (oculos) is interesting, as it doesnt only refer to the dubious taste of the public but also to a sort of inner ignorance that caused confusion and inability to judge, as if the public itself was unskilled. That might simply remark the mistrust and disdain for the audience in Horace but in Pope it assumes again a political connotation, in which the unskilled writer is just taken as a pretext and metaphor to criticise the unprofessional and unskilled George II. The poem is so constantly balanced on the coexistence of political and social context. They create the wire on which the reader keeps his equilibrium within the two Augustan societies, each of them narrated and sung by their poets with similar yet so different connotations; in fact, their opinions about the literary taste converge in all their aspects but their perceptions of the possibility of dealing with power for it, differ. In this divergence lies the key point and crucial concept to change and light up the whole interpretation of the text and of the poets themselves. As previously mentioned, Horace was writing for and of Augustus, whom he could trust and relate to besides his audience: whether the latter failed, the prince was still a solid pillar waiting for his courtiers words. On the other hand, Pope had no one to rely on: the publics senseless and George II taken of any consideration. In this light, the Epistle takes the shape and significance of a social poem in which Horace is the image of that kind of society Pope wishes to live in and write for: Horace becomes the means by which Pope wants to raise his voice and at the same time he makes him part of the society itself. More than a simple report of power misbehaviour hides behind the lines of the Epistle: Pope puts in it his frustration and will, his anger and wish that a society of Horatian type could still be possible and viable and while this anger falls into satiric tones, he constructs on it an entire poem. The ideal of Horace and his actual figure help Pope in bringing his age and society to life and as he states in the Advertisement to The First Satire of the Second Book of Horace Imitated, an answer from Horace was both more full, and of more Dignity, than any I coud have made in my own person. In the last part of the Epistle, the presence of the poets becomes expressively strong. Standing in front of Poetry, Horace keeps his humble tone by declaring once again his scribendi studio (passion for writing, line 108) only aimed at celebrating Augustus maiestas; he would blush, in fact, at a great tribute to him alone, departed from his patron. On his side, Pope sticks to that aggressivity that just conceals insecurity and finally reveals the real parodic biting[3] intention of the Encomium. In the final lines he delineates a self-portrait, adjusting and immerging himself among the Georgian England, society for whom he felt the need to call for Pen and Ink[4]. BIBLIOGRAPHY Pope, Alexander, Imitations of Horace, ed. by John Butt, Methuens English Classics, 1966 Horace, Liber Secundus, Epistula I in Horatii Epistularum in Q. Horatius Flaccus, rec. J.G. Orellius, (Editionem Minorem Sextam post Io. Georgium Baiterum curavit Guilelmus Hirschfelder, Volumen Prius, ed. by Berolini, 1882), p. 400-436 Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia in Internet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Pope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustan_poetry LeedsWIKI, Virgil, Horace and Ovid: The Politics behind the Poetry https://wiki.leeds.ac.uk/index.php/Virgil,_Horace_and_Ovid:_The_Politics_behind_the_Poetry The Dictionary of Human Geography, ed. by R.J. Johnston, Derek Gregory, Geraldine Pratt and Micheal Watts, (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 4th Edition, 2000), pp. 837-838 [1] Virgil, Horace and Ovid: The Politics behind the Poetry, LeedsWIKI https://wiki.leeds.ac.uk/index.php/Virgil,_Horace_and_Ovid:_The_Politics_behind_the_Poetry. [2] A Contemporary Critique of Historical Materialism, 2nd edn (Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, 1995), p. 91. [3] That when I am at praise, they say I bite., line 409. [4] Line 180.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Victims, Bullies and Bully-Vict

Conceptual Framework Many people have different views on what they think bullying might be. It is often interpreted in different ways by different people. Rigby et al (2002) cited a definition of bullying as ‘an intentional harm where the power is differential between the bully and the victim’ (p.1). This meant that the bullies are likely to suffer from a range of problems than the children who are uninvolved. The researcher’s main assumption is to consider victimisation and bullying separately and secondly to consider victimisation and bullying simultaneously to examine the genetics and environmental influences on the covariation between the two. The paper focuses on three groups of children that are involved in bullying. The three groups are as follows: one being the victim, two being the bullies and third one being the bully victims who are both the bullies and the victims of bullying. According to Egan and Perry, (1998) they believe that the bullies and victims have an increase in emotional and behavioural problems than the children who are not involved in bullying. One of this problem being is low self regard where as Hawker et al (2006) stated the problems are anxiety and depression where as Schwartz (2000) stated that the bullying victims are more depressed and anxious and have higher rates of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and are more likely to be referred for psychiatric care and also are more likely to be rejected by a school (Kempulainen et al 1998) compared to the children who are uninvolved in bullying, the victims or bullies. Hawker and Egan et al both have similar views as they both sta ted that the bullying victims are depressed and anxious. Various studies have been car... ...ousehold income. Overall it has been proved that bullying was influenced by genetic factors and to a small extent by non shared environmental factors. Patterson et al (1992) suggested that socialisation via parenting and peers (Harris, 1998) contribute to share and non-shared environmental influences on aggressive behaviour. The correlation between victimisation and bullying indicated that fewer children are the bully-victims while more are ‘pure’ victims or ‘pure’ bullies. This confirms earlier research that has been carried out has found a similar correlation between victimisation and aggression (Hodges and Perry, (1999); Crick and Bigbee, (1998). The correlation was seen as high in girls as in boys between the victimisation and bullying. This concludes that the chances of being a bully given to that one victim are just as high for girls as for boys.

Sue Rodriguez

Sue Rodriguez- Assisted Suicide By: Monique Sue Rodriguez, once a woman who was lively and healthy women much like the rest of us was given the horrible news that she had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in early 1991 changing her life tremendously. Little did she know her fight for equality of life would create a milestone in Canadian Law. Sue Rodriguez fought long and hard to demand the right to assisted suicide, which at the time was illegal under the Criminal Code of Canada, being a punishable act for up to a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Ms.Rodriguez argued that Section 241 (b) of the Criminal Code (which prohibits assisted suicide) violated her constitutional right to life, liberty and security of the person under S. 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Unfortunately both the British Columbia Supreme Court and the British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed her application. Sue Rodriguez at her final attempt of trying to grant herself the right to assisted su icide appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, the verdict resulting in a five to four decision with the Supreme Court of Canada dismissing her appeal.In 1994, Ms. Rodriguez decided to take matters into her own hands, with the help of an anonymous physician Sue Rodriguez ended her life. Assisted Suicide is something I will never be able to give an honest opinion about, unless you personally have had a loved with a terminal illness asking for assisted suicide I don’t think anyone can voice if this practice is fair or not. Any case dealing with a terminally ill victim grasps compassion from people looking at the case, so I think no matter what most people put pity on Sue Rodriguez and jump to her side. Ms.Rodriguez under the Charter Section 7 deserves to be entitled to: ‘Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. ’ This statement from th e Charter of Rights in this particular section is open to diverse interpretation, so in Sue’s case she views her ‘right to life’ as the right to end it in any given time if it is under her wish. I too believe that although suicide is illegal and punishable act under these circumstances (terminally ill patient) the right to choosing when to end our life should be granted. I do not believe that the correct verdict was rendered in this case. Although I can see where the Court is coming from, striking down the Criminal Code must involve something that is detrimental however when someone is undergoing tremendous amounts of pain I think that they should be given the right to Choose how they die. If an individual's quality of life is terrible, they should have the right to stop suffering. The Supreme Court may have dismissed Sue Rodrgiuez’s appeal; however the fight for euthanasia is far from over, there will be hundreds of thousands of cases similar to the Rodri guez case.In a few years the Court will see that this isn’t a matter that should be taken lightly, the laws must be changed to allow individuals the right to euthanasia /assisted suicide. Everyone and anyone should be entitled to die in dignity, although people like Ms. Rodriguez had to undergo assisted suicide behind closed doors I hope that someday people that are terminally ill will be able to walk into a clinic and choose to end their life if they feel so. I think this practice is legal in some countries in the world, but not in Canada because Canada is a country that embodies all aspects of law we are liberal, republican and conservative.The legal rights set out in the charter are there to protect you, and to ensure that justice is served in a just and fair manner, as we know Canada is a place all about making sure the law is served in a just manner so by letting people break the law stating suicide is a punishable act would go against the Criminal Code of Canada. Canada takes pride in the fact that we try to make laws as humane as possible, however there is just no way in ensuring that every citizen in Canada is pleased with all the laws.To reduce controversy amongst our country we have made assisted suicide an illegal act; however some countries have made the act legal under their borders. Countries like Belgium and the Netherlands have a more liberal aspect to them, so euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal. The main risk involved in legalizing assisted suicide is the uproar that would come from the public, if we think changing a law regarding a speed on a highway is going to cause chaos think about the affect a law enabling killing terminally ill victims would create.Like I said before, Canada prides itself in the fact that are accommodating and try to fit the needs of every Canadian citizen so by allowing assisted suicide and euthanasia we would be upsetting a lot of individual’s that view this practice in a negative way. Another con that would result from legalizing assisted suicide would be that people would take advantage of the practice, people with depression and other mental illnesses may feel that they have the right to undergo this practice. This should not be allowed to be a factor in a human's choice to die seeing as they are fully.Legalizing assisted suicide would be the start of a slippery slope that would lead to anyone, whatever their condition, being helped into opting for death. There is a fine line when differentiating between euthanasia and assisted suicide; both relieve a terminally ill victim of their pain and suffering however the only difference being the way the act is performed. Euthanasia is the deliberate act undertaken by one person with the intention of ending the life of another person in order to relieve that person’s suffering.Assisted suicide on the other hand is when the victim completes the act themselves with the help of a doctor or other individual. I believe that both euthanasia and assisted suicide should be legalized in Canada. We have made so many advances in Canadian law; it is long overdue for these legal issues to be allowed. Your body is your body and I feel that you may do whatever you want with it, especially under the circumstances where a person is under a vast amount of pain. A doctor or the government shouldn’t be the judge of whether you are allowed to end your suffering or not.What Jack Kevorkian did was something that will go down in Canadian Law history, it is amazing knowing that there are still people in this world that will look past societal norms and do the noble thing. We are given the right to work, have a family and choose our religion however when it comes to something as personal as our lives we aren’t given the decision. Above we looked at legalizing these issues for an emotional sense however there are economic reasons why euthanasia and assisted suicide should be legalized.These two issues should be le galized because all of the money being spent on trying to cure the patient could be going to use for something else. All of the money that is being spent trying to find a treatment for the patient and all of the medicine and machines being used to keep them alive could be being put to use for something else. Everyone should be entitled to quality of life, and if they are not enjoying the life they are in they should make the final decision of whether to end it or not. The kind of quality of life is defined by the patient, not the doctor or government.

English-Cultural Studies- Generation X Essay

Throughout the years, rock and roll stars have greatly emerged in the consciousness of every American youth. In a world that appears to be uncontrollably spinning, the pied pipers of rock have acted as jesters, pillows, and poets for every incoming generation. The forerunners like Sex Pistols, the Who, the Doors, the Stones, the Beatles, and other rock and roll Hall of Famers, many of whom have become millionaire icons, rebelling against the society and pulling out the rich and seemingly boundless vein of alienation and angst among teenagers of the Generation X. During the 1990s, the rise of grunge music characterizes an imperative element of what has been the alternative rock trend in that decade. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain made it to the pinnacle higher than any other rock and roll stars. Like several other rockers, Kurt Cobain became a sensation through the standards of his times. Generation X considered Kurt Cobain as their poet emeritus, he was the Richard Cory of his generation, joining the ranks of Elvis, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison, and Brian Jones as the white icon who apparently had everything, but threw it away. Generation X or Gen-X came into its own throughout the later part of 1980s and early 1990s. An inclination for grunge music epitomized by the band Nirvana expressed the disenchantments of a generation ceaselessly destined to exist in the gloominess of its elders. As it is ordinary in generational shifts, Gen-X philosophy has considerable inferences of disbelief against things held dear to the earlier generation. Accordingly, grunge music became the defining character of Generation X, who came of age throughout this period. Generation X Generation X consists of individuals who finished high school between the periods 1989 and 1996 (Bozenda 2). However, laggards have also been identified beyond those years, but were already considered the minority of their graduating class. In its glory days, Generation X, through its music, boasted tremendous recognition. For Generation X-ers, MTV was their sanctuary, and has been pronounced, â€Å"the only TV channel that did not care just as much as them† (Bozenda 2). Grunge saturated in this stretch of time and, without a doubt, it fit the bill. There were different classes of Generation X-ers: the light X-ers were typically just into the music and could not be easily identified; the medium X-ers were way into the music, and do really look the part; the heavy X-ers took the way of life to its limits, and were concerned with nothing but the music; and the major X-ers who are identifiable even these days, as they tend to talk slowly, typically wear clothes that are older than they are or, clothes that they did not buy, and feel more comfortable in a gloomy room (Bozenda 2). I. Origins of Generation X Although the precise dates of birth defining Generation X are highly disputed, on the whole, this age demographic consists of people born in the 1960s and 1970s. As an expression, without existing meaning, the term was made the title of a 1964 pulp novel, and was chosen as the name of young Billy Idol’s punk rock band (â€Å"Generation X†). Moreover, Douglas Coupland took it from a sociological text of Paul Fussell, which he later popularized in his book Generation X: Tales For An Accelerated Culture (â€Å"Generation X†). It was only after the publication of Coupland’s book that the media started to prevalently exploit the term as a name for the generation, by introducing Generation X as a group of undereducated, alienated, flannel-wearing lazybones with body piercing who had worked at McJobs and drank Starbucks coffee. Generation X has a great deal to be confused about: Prozac-happy therapy, the lingering presence of AIDS where love can turn into death; drive-by shootings, declining prospects, few good jobs, unparalleled levels of teen suicide and violence; and absentee parents striving to succeed in the two-income economy, Beavis and Butthead mean-spiritedness sufficing as social interpretation, and an increasing prejudice in particular sectors toward the homeless and poor (Hill). Generation X has undergone most of the 14 years of Reagan-Bush-Clinton economics, particularly the governmental policies of free trade (Hill). As a result, Kurt Cobain slammed, thumped and wailed his guitar against the converging walls of the putrefying society around him, and the existing generation followed into his direction feeling that they as well are experiencing the societal strap to be getting tighter. Unfortunately, in due course Cobain could not break out; therefore, taking the easy way out or perhaps the difficult one, by taking his own life. Generation X-ers Music As categorized through music: light X includes Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and other foremost radio bands; mid-X includes all of the above, and bands like Kyuss, Monster Magnet, as well as other bands that started small but eventually â€Å"got big;† heavy X also includes all of the above, Soul Coughing, Fu Manchu, as well as other bands that remained small but got major underground progress; and major X, which also includes all of the above, along with Desert Sessions, The Atomic Bitchwax, and bands that remained â€Å"indie† or stayed underground (Bozenda 2). Generation X music commenced in 1989, peaked in 1994, fell inconsistent in 1997, and eventually disappeared in 2000 (Bozenda 2). The year of 1996 proved to be the final year wherein grunge musicians were very much dynamic, seeing that many â€Å"lasts† had taken place during this year. The Screaming Trees and Soundgarden released their respective last studio albums entitled Dust and Down on the Upside; Alice in Chains gave their concluding shows with their estranged, ailing front-man Layne Staley; Pearl Jam released their last chart topping album entitled No Code; and Nirvana released their only album following the greatest hits album Nirvana in 2002, which is the live album entitled From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah. Over the few ensuing years, grunge’s usual attractiveness promptly died away. Several grunge bands have continued touring and recording but with more limited success, most notably, Pearl Jam. I. The Grunge Music The term â€Å"grunge† was coined in the late 1980’s by a British journalist to depict the style of music a group of bands played during the period in the Seattle area (Schmitz). During the period, the most recognized grunge band was a group called Green River, whose fame was confined within the Seattle area. Accordingly, once in a while, grunge music is referred to as the Seattle Sound in view of the fact that it was created as a subgenre of alternative rock played by bands from the state of Washington, mostly in the Seattle area, during the mid-1980s. Grunge is generally categorized through its sludgy guitar sound that makes use of a high level of feedback, fuzz and distortion effects. Grunge combines elements of heavy metal and hardcore punk, and is also normally characterized by heavy drumming, â€Å"dirty† guitar, and angst or apathetic-filled lyrics, although various bands performed with more credence on one or the other. Grunge music shares a similar lyrical concern and raw sound with punk genre. However, grunge involves more complex instrumentation, dissonant harmonies, and slower tempos, which is indicative of heavy metal. Some individuals linked with the growth of grunge, including the Melvins and Sub Pop producer Jack Endino, described grunge’s fusion of heavy rock authorities such as Kiss as â€Å"musical provocation† (Grunge 1). Grunge artists regarded heavy rock bands as â€Å"cheesy† but even so took pleasure in listening them. Buzz Osborne of the Melvins illustrated it as an endeavor to see what extreme things bands could carry out and yet pull off. In the early 1990s, Nirvana’s signature â€Å"stop-start† song arrangement became a genre standard of the time. II. Grunge Music Scene Notwithstanding the fact of being looked down upon by most critics, glam metal bands, such as Warrant, Poison, and Motley Crue had been taking over the charts, particularly in the United States, during the 1980s. Glam metal bands was famous for their macho, gaudy clothing style, obsequious riffs, misogynist lyrics, and an apparent lack of social responsiveness, all done for the mere purpose of entertaining and staying ahead of the race of drawing mainstream audiences. These characteristics were well-liked throughout the 1980s, but they began to have the differing effect on audiences towards the last part of the decade. Most music critics and grunge fans believe that grunge progressed as a well-liked genre and as a result accepted by mainstream audiences as a response to the dwindling attractiveness of glam metal. Accordingly, the popularity of grunge music abruptly contrasted to glam metal. When the public realized the viable alternative to heavy metal music, the attractiveness of glam metal began to disappear as the recognition of grunge began to soar. Inspired by indie rock, heavy metal and hardcore punk, the early grunge movement came together around Sub Pop, which is a Seattle independent record label. Grunge bands were renowned for their indie approaches and their negative response to mainstream and theatricals success. Grunge became commercially flourishing in the first half of the 1990s, largely as a result of the release of Pearl Jam’s Ten album and Nirvana’s Nevermind album. The accomplishment of these bands heightened the recognition of alternative rock and made grunge the most popular genre of hard rock music of the decade. However, a number of grunge bands were not comfortable with this popularity, as the genre became intimately linked with Generation X in the United States, given that the understanding of each rose at the same time. Although by the late 1990s the majority of grunge bands had faded or disbanded from public view, their previous impact persists to influence the most modern rock music today.

Who Caused the Korean Conflict essays

Who Caused the Korean Conflict essays Following the end of World War II, Korea was divided into North and South Korea with the border at the 38th parallel. Not only were the two sectors split geographically, but the governments regimes were diametrically different as well. It was a conflict between the communist regime in the North and the nationalist leadership in the South that would ultimately lead to the Korean War. In Paul Lashmars article published in New Statesman and Society, he wrote, Japanese occupation of Korea ended with its defeat in the Second World War. The victorious Russians and Americans divided Korea at the 38th parallel. In 1948, both super powers withdrew. In the South, the Americans had installed Syngman Rhee, a long-standing, aggressive national leader. For the North, Stalin chose Kim II Sung, a former captain in the Soviet Red Army, to lead the communist regime (Lashmar, p. 24). It must be kept in mind, however, that it was not just internal conflict which led to the war. It was, in fact, the culmination of several different foreign leaders' actions. In this paper I will discuss the causes of the Korean War, including a discussion of some of the background regarding the foreign influences and the main players in the conflict. North Korean leader Kim II Sung became the driving force behind the Korean War, along with Soviet and Chinese leaders. Some historians believe it was actually Stalin, the leader of Russia at the time, who was the mastermind behind plotting the war. As Lashmar wrote, traditionalists believed the war was Stalins prelude to world domination, and the North Koreas leader, Kim II Sung, was Stalins puppet, ordered to start the war to confront the west (Lashmar, p. 24). On the other hand, as is always the case in American history, there are those that hold the opposing point of view. These scholars believe that the war was started from inside Korea by the respec...

Common Features of a Shakespeare Comedy Essay Example

Common Features of a Shakespeare Comedy Essay Example Common Features of a Shakespeare Comedy Paper Common Features of a Shakespeare Comedy Paper Essay Topic: Cymbeline The Taming Of the Shrew Common Features of a Shakespeare Comedy What makes a Shakespeare comedy identifiable if the genre is not distinct from the Shakespeare tragedies and histories? This is an ongoing area of debate, but many believe that the comedies share certain characteristics, as described below: * Comedy through language: Shakespeare communicated his comedy through language and his comedy plays are peppered with clever word play, metaphors and insults. 1. Love: The theme of love is prevalent in every Shakespeare comedy. Often, we are presented with sets of lovers who, through the course of the play, overcome the obstacles in their relationship and unite. Love in Shakespearean comedy is stronger than the inertia of custom, the power of evil, or the fortunes of chance and time. In all of these plays but one (Troilus and Cressida), the obstacles presented to love are triumphantly overcome, as conflicts are resolved and errors forgiven in a general aura of reconciliation and marital bliss at the plays close. Such intransigent characters as Shylock, Malvolio, and Don John, who choose not to act out of love, cannot be accommodated in this scheme, and they are carefully isolated from the action before the climax. * * Complex plots: The plotline of a Shakespeare comedy contains more twists and turns than his tragedies and histories. Although the plots are complex, they do follow similar patterns. For example, the climax of the play always occurs in the third act and the final scene has a celebratory feel when the lovers finally declare their love for each other. Moreover, the context of marriage- at least alluded to, is the cap-stone of the comedic solution, for these plays not only delight and entertain, they affirm, guaranteeing the future. Marriage, with its promise of offspring, reinvigorates society and transcends the purely personal element in sexual attraction and romantic love. * Mistaken identities: The plot is often driven by mistaken identity. Sometimes this is an intentional part of a villain’s plot, as in Much Ado About Nothing when Don John tricks Claudio into believing that his fiance has been unfaithful through mistaken identity. Characters also play scenes in disguise and it is not uncommon for female characters to disguise themselves as male characters, seen in Portia in the Merchant of venice. Shakespeare’s 17 comedies are the most difficult to classify because they overlap in style with other genres. Critics often describe some plays as tragi-comedies because they mix equal measures of tragedy and comedy. For example, Much Ado About Nothing starts as a Shakespeare comedy, but takes on the characteristics of a tragedy when Hero is disgraced and fakes her own death. At this point, the play has more in common with Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespeare’s key tragedies. The 18 plays generally classified as comedy are as follows: 1 Alls Well That Ends Well 2 As You Like It 3 The Comedy of Errors 4 Cymbeline 5 Loves Labour’s Lost 6 Measure for Measure 7 The Merry Wives of Windsor 8 The Merchant of Venice 9 A Midsummer Nights Dream 10 Much Ado About Nothing 11 Pericles, Prince of Tyre 12 The Taming of the Shrew 13 The Tempest 14 Troilus and Cressida 15 Twelfth Night 16 Two Gentlemen of Verona 7 The Two Noble Kinsmen 18 The Winters Tale 2. 3. Comedy is a drama that provokes laughter at human behavior, usually involves romantic love, and usually has a happy ending. In Shakespeares day the conventional comedy enacted the struggle of young lovers to surmount some difficulty, usually presented by their elders, and the play ended happily in marriage or the prospect of marriage. Sometimes the struggle was to bring separated lovers or family memb ers together, and their reunion was the happy culmination (this often involved marriage also). Shakespeare generally observed these conventions, though his inventiveness within them yielded many variations. 4. Eighteen plays are generally included among Shakespeares comedies. In approximate order of composition, they are. These works are often divided into distinct subclasses reflecting the playwrights development. The first seven, all written before about 1598, are loosely classed as the early comedies, though they vary considerably in both quality and character. The last four of these- Loves Labours Lost, the Dream, the Merchant, and the Merry Wives- are sometimes separated as a transitional group, or linked with the next three in a large middle comedies classification. The Merry Wives is somewhat anomalous in any case; it represents a type of comedy- the city play, a speciality of suchwriters as Ben Jonson and Thomas Dekker- that Shakespeare did not otherwise write. The next three plays. Much Ado, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night, are often thought to constitute Shakespeares greatest achievement in comedy; all written around 1599-1600, they are called the romantic, or mature, comedies. The next group of three plays, called the Problem Plays, which include Alls Well that Ends Well, Troilus and Cressida, and Measure for Measure that were written in the first years of the 17th century, as Shakespeare was simultaneously creating his greatest tragedies. The final cluster, all written between about 1607 and 1613, make up the bulk of the playwrights final period. They are known as the Romances which include Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winters Tale, The Tempest, and often The Two Noble Kinsman. (The problem plays and romances were intended to merge Tragedy and comedy in Tragicomedies. Many minor variations in this classification scheme are possible; indeed, the boundaries of the whole genre are not fixed, for Timon of Athens is often included among the comedies, and Troilus and Cressida is sometimes considered a tragedy. 5. Shakespeares earliest comedies are similar to existing plays, reflecting his inexperience. The Comedy of Errors- thought by many scholars to be his first drama, though the dating of Shakespeares early works is extremely difficult- is built on a play by the ancient Roman dramatist Plautus. Characteristically, Shakespeare enriched his source, but with material from another play by Plautus. The Subplot of The Taming of the Shrew was taken from a popular play of a generation earlier, and the main plot was well known in folklore, though the combination was ingeniously devised. The Two Gentlemen of Verona likewise deals with familiar literary material, treating it in the manner of John Lyly, the most successful comedy writer when Shakespeare began his career. 6. However, the young playwright soon found the confidence to experiment, and in Loves Labours Lost, the Dream, and the Merchant, he created a group of unusual works that surely startled Elizabethan playgoers, though pleasurably, we may presume. In the first he created his own main plot and used a distinctively English variation on the Italian Commedia Dell’Arte traditions for a sub-plot. He thus produced a splendid array of comic situations. The plays abundant topical humor was certainly appreciated by the original audiences, although today we dont always know what it is about. In any case, the major characters are charming young lovers, the minor ones are droll eccentrics, and the closing coup de theatre, with which a darkening mood brings the work to a close, is a stunning innovation. Already, the eventual turn towards tragicomedy is foreshadowed. A Midsummer Nights Dream mingles motifs from many sources, but the story is again the playwrights own; moreover, the plays extraordinary combination of oddity and beauty was entirely unprecedented and has rarely been approximated since. The Merchant of Venice mixes a social theme, usury, into a conventional comedy plot to deepen the resonance of the final outcome as well as to vary the formula. Here, the threat that is finally averted is so dire as to generate an almost tragic mood, again anticipating developments later in the playwrights career. . The mastery that Shakespeare had achieved by the late 1590s is reflected in the insouciance of the titles he gave his mature comedies (Twelfth Nights subtitle- What You Will- matches the others). That mastery is accompanied by a serious intent that is lacking in the earliest comedies. Shakespeare could not ignore the inherent poignancy in the contrast between life as it is lived and the escape from life represented by comedy. In Much Ado, as in The Merchant of Venice, a serious threat to life and happiness counters the froth of a romantic farce. Even in As You Like It, one of the most purely entertaining of Shakespeares plays, the melancholy Jaques interposes his conviction that life is irredeemably corrupt. Feste’s song at the close of Twelfth Night gives touching expression to such sentiments, as he sends us from the theatre with the melancholy refrain, the rain it raineth every day (5. 1. 391). We are not expected to take him too seriously, but we cannot avoid the realization that even the life of a jester may be a sad one. The mature comedies thus further a blending of comedy and tragedy. 8. In the end, however, all of Shakespeares comedies, including the later problem plays and romances, are driven by love. Love in Shakespearean comedy is stronger than the inertia of custom, the power of evil, or the fortunes of chance and time. In all of these plays but one (Troilus and Cressida), the obstacles presented to love are triumphantly overcome, as conflicts are resolved and errors forgiven in a general aura of reconciliation and marital bliss at the plays close. Such intransigent characters as Shylock, Malvolio, and Don John, who choose not to act out of love, cannot be accommodated in this scheme, and they are carefully isolated from the action before the climax. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9. In their resolutions Shakespeares comedies resemble the medieval Morality Play, which centeres on a sinful human who receives Gods mercy. In these secular works, a human authority figure- Don Pedro or Duke Senior, for instance- is symbolically divine, the opponents of love are the representatives of sin, and all of the participants in the closing vignette partake of the plays love and forgiveness. Moreover, the context of marriage- at least alluded to at the close of all but Troilus and Cressida- is the cap-stone of the comedic solution, for these plays not only delight and entertain, they affirm, guaranteeing the future. Marriage, with its promise of offspring, reinvigorates society and transcends the purely personal element in sexual attraction and romantic love. Tragedys focus on the individual makes death the central fact of life, but comedy, with its insistence on the ongoing process of love and sex and birth, confirms our awareness that life transcends the individual. 10.

A Business Relationship

In the short story ‘A Business Relationship’ Carl’s character is revealed as a simple man. He doesn’t need anything over the top, he’s practical when it comes to money and housework, and he’s incredibly thoughtful when it comes to his wife. To start, Carl seems to be a pretty simple man. The way the author describes their home; he didn’t need much to be happy.They had a small house, and not a lot of money but he was satisfied. When it came to their wedding, he wore an old black suit where the minister’s and the janitor were the only witnesses. Secondly, Carl was very practical. When it came to money, he knew exactly how to handle it. He didn’t want to waste it when he didn’t think he needed to use it. For example in the story, when Olga wants to take him to the hospital he refuses. He thinks it’s too expensive to stay there, and that they don’t have enough money for it. Lastly, he was very thoughtful when it came to his wife.When she stated she’d like to look out while she was working at the counter, he built her a window immediately. He liked to compliment her, for example on her gardening, he says ‘no one would ever know you hadn’t come from the country’. And when he had the extra money he’d brought her ‘marigolds and snapdragons to add to her border of wildflowers’. In conclusion, the way the author wrote the story, you can tell a lot about Carl’s personality. The way he speaks, how his wife acts around him, and in what he does. He lives a simple happy life, and he doesn’t need anything more to be pleased.

ASC Research F Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ASC Research F - Essay Example The rationale behind treating this division as discontinued operation and held for sale has been discussed here and reporting of the position of financial statement for such division has been explained. A component of an entity can be considered discontinued operation if it does not have any involvement with the operation of the component after the disposal transaction. The sale of such asset or disposal group is probable or likely to occur and the transfer of such asset is expected to qualify for recognition as a complete sale within one year. Again the sale has been actively marketed at a reasonable price in relation to its current fair value. The period in which such transaction has occurred, the income statement of a business entity or statement of activities for not-for-profit entity (NFP) for current and prior periods should report the result of operation of component along with the gain or loss recognized in discontinued operations. The result of operation of a component of an entity either been disposed of or classified as held for sale will be reported in discontinued operations on the fulfilment of following conditions: On occurrence of the disposal transaction, the operation and cash flow of the component is required to be eliminated from the continuing operations of entity. Further, the entity is not required to have continuing involvement with the operation of the component after such disposal transaction. In a period in which the component of entity which has been disposed of or classified as held for sale, the income statement of the business entity or statement of activities of not-for-profit (NFP) entity should have the result of operation of component and gain or loss incurred in discontinued operations. The result for discontinued operation less income taxes applicable should be reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items. Any adjustment to any amounts that has been previously reported under discontinued operations a nd is directly related to the disposal transaction in prior period is required to be separately classified under discontinued operations in current period. Such type of adjustments may arise in circumstances like resolution of adjustment of purchase price, retaining of product warranty and environmental obligations by seller, settlement of obligations of employee benefit plan provided the settlement should be related directly to the disposal transaction if there is a demonstrated relationship of direct cause and effect and the disposal should occur within one year following the disposal transaction unless delayed by circumstances beyond the control of entity. The business memorandum entailing the underlying principle for mining division of ABC Company which is to be sold off has been enclosed. BUSINESS MEMORANDUM ABC COMPANY MEMORANDUM TO: MATT ROGERS, CFO FROM: STAFF ACCOUNTANT DATE: 6/3/2013 SUBJECT: REPORTING OF MINING DIVISION INTRODUCTION It is known that ABC Company having six major divisions has recently decided to sell off its mining division. The company is actively seeking a buyer and has priced the division at fair value of the division’s assets and liabilities and it expects that the division will be sold during the next fiscal year. However, the division has been considered an operating segment; this memorandum entails the details of reporting the mining division in financial statement. BODY Research has been made on this issue from Accounting

What are the Marxist explanations for the current global economic Essay

What are the Marxist explanations for the current global economic crises - Essay Example Marx argues that the relations of production are initially progressive but deteriorate over time to a point where capitalists are in control of the application of productive forces. The capitalists lack interest in promoting socially beneficial reforms. In a capitalist society, the capitalists benefit most as they are in control of the means of production. As such, they receive a disproportionate share of wealth, power, status and privileges. Marx insists that only labor should earn money and that money should not be used to make more money. As such, capitalists should not receive an income as interest on their savings or investments as they are going to earn income without working (Elster, 1986, P.259). Marxists argue that due capitalism’s insistence on production for profit; a huge gulf exists between production for profit and production to meet needs. Profits are maximized by producing to satisfy the needs of richer people; and as a result, urgent needs of poorer people are neglected (Elster, 1986, P.297). Capitalists engage in savage competition, and there is pressure to develop more efficient production and better technology. Over time, capitalists tend to increase the percentage of capital investment that goes into the machinery and to decrease the percentage put into buying labor. As a result, workers earn less while capitalists increasingly accumulate wealth. Consequently, the workers have less purchasing power and cannot afford the goods produced by capitalists leading to a fall in capitalists’ profits on the long-run (Elster, 1986, P.230). The aggressive competition and accumulation of wealth by capitalists gives rise to a chronic problem of finding profitable outlets for the accumulated capital. The search for outlets has led to important phenomena such as takeover mania, speculation, stock market crashes and financial crisis. More importantly, it has inspired

Marketing Survey for Gourmet Cupcakes Research Paper

Marketing Survey for Gourmet Cupcakes - Research Paper Example The research report author recommends that the Gourmet Cupcakes Bakery undertakes an expansion strategy into the key markets of Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and South Africa. Opportunites exist to position the product as a luxury item in these markets. 4. Introduction The purpose of the following report is to put forward a study that gives quantitative insight into current consumer response toward the product offering, gourmet cupcakes, from the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery. The report intends to identify current and future opportunities for the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery to expand its operations beyond its present location in the United States to an international market. The report also points to a secondary opportunity for the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery to co-brand with specialty food stores in the United States and internationally to build sales and develop a strong brand reputation. To date the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery has focused its operations exclu sively in the United States market. However, international demand for the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery product can be stimulated through a series of strategic partnerships and co-branding initiatives. Key target markets exist in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and South Africa. The report seeks to highlight future opportunities that serve the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery strategic vision. In order to accomplish the stated goals of the project, the research report author employed the web based Qualtrics survey software to create an online survey of consumer responses to the current gourmet cupcake product offerings produced by the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery. The Qualtrics software allowed the research report author to... The report intends to identify current and future opportunities for the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery to expand its operations beyond its present location in the United States to an international market. The report also points to a secondary opportunity for the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery to co-brand with specialty food stores in the United States and internationally to build sales and develop a strong brand reputation. To date the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery has focused its operations exclusively in the United States market. However, international demand for the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery product can be stimulated through a series of strategic partnerships and co-branding initiatives. Key target markets exist in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and South Africa. The report seeks to highlight future opportunities that serve the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery strategic vision. In order to accomplish the stated goals of the project, the research report author employed the w eb based Qualtrics survey software to create an online survey of consumer responses to the current gourmet cupcake product offerings produced by the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery. The Qualtrics software allowed the research report author to perform quantitative statistical analysis, create a survey database and export the results to a simple Excel document for further examination. The result is a comprehensive and thorough analysis of consumer purchasing intention for the product offered by the Gourmet Cupcake Bakery, using its present branding strategy.

Organic architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organic architecture - Essay Example A considerable amount of time has to be taken in the report, for in it lies the success of an underlying project. A satisfactory review provides a strong background that provides a platform for the reader or audience to advance their knowledge. An excellent literature review provides a basis for the advancement of a theory. The truth on any project that requires an advancement of a theory is depicted by the use of a review. The review guidelines provide the foundation in which the theories can be advanced. The survey also includes some part of the theory that should be advanced. An analysis information is essential in identifying the areas where poor previous research has been done. In the study where an analysis of previous work has been carried out, the data proves essential in identifying poor research work and therefore ignoring the findings. A literature review puts together the thoughts and ideas of many on a common platform, thereby enabling the readers to have a conclusive understanding of the topic of study. A literature review on a project is imperative in bringing out the areas that require further and extensive research. A research is the foundation of understanding on a project and in areas where the results are not clearly convincing, further research is recommended. A literature review thereby provides information on where research needs to be done and where reliable research has already been done. Adoption of organic architecture in Australia was brought about by various issues. A literature review requires the use of published articles to come up with one central idea on the topic of study. (Baines, 2009) suggests that the study embraces the concept of using the past to prepare for the future. Review information is very reliable, and it brings together the knowledge from the past that can be applied as knowledge in the future. Reviews, therefore, ensure that the gap has been filled by a comprehensive

POEMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

POEMS - Essay Example June Jordan herself a civil rights activist who fervently fight for the rights of African-Americans. Her radical beliefs and principles are vividly echoed in her poem. On the other hand, Ted Kooser’s poem sounds simple on the surface due to its terse and straightforward style. My initial interpretation of the poem is that the author is unhappily celebrating his birthday, celebrating an important day of his life alone. But when I read Kooser’s biography, my interpretation of the poem changed. When I learned that he is recognized as a poet with a remarkable grasp of metaphors I thought that perhaps the poem is not even talking about him or, specifically, his own gloomy disposition, but about the simple things that are usually taken for granted, like a book, darkness, a window. What the author, I think, is trying to convey is that these simple things can bring happiness, like the happiness that a birthday celebration can

TSA career Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TSA career - Research Paper Example work, how these security threats are handled, the level of training necessary for such a job, which licenses or certificates are required, the existence of continuing education, and the extent to which professional development organizations for such a career exist. Firstly, with respect to the type of threats that a practitioner of this profession might encounter, they can of course be concentric upon having the potential to directly serve in the front lines of the fight against terrorism. As such, but a few potential threats that a practitioner might encounter would be concentric upon discovering explosives, weaponry, dealing with dangerous individuals, and seeking to placate unruly and/or frustrated passengers that are aggravated by the delays and inconveniences caused by the necessity to painstakingly check all passengers and carryon luggage. With respect to how a person in such a line of work addresses such security threats, the answer to such a question segues nicely into the third question regarding what training is necessitated to become a TSA agent. In order to equip the applicants with the level of expertise they will need in order to perform the functions of their job, the TSA training regimen requires that all students graduate from a mandatory 1-2 weeks of classroom instruction as well as participate in between 2-3 weeks of OTJ training overseen by a supervisor (Airport Security Careers 2012). However, like many federal positions, training is not something that is merely given at the outset of the career; rather, it is ongoing and requires constant metrics to be met through continuing education. Similarly, certificates of completion of the training and continuing education are constantly tracked. However, before starting one’s career as a TSA agent, it is necessary for one to successfully complete a background examination and credit history verification to ensure that the applicant has their financial affairs in order and does not have any

POEMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

POEMS - Essay Example June Jordan herself a civil rights activist who fervently fight for the rights of African-Americans. Her radical beliefs and principles are vividly echoed in her poem. On the other hand, Ted Kooser’s poem sounds simple on the surface due to its terse and straightforward style. My initial interpretation of the poem is that the author is unhappily celebrating his birthday, celebrating an important day of his life alone. But when I read Kooser’s biography, my interpretation of the poem changed. When I learned that he is recognized as a poet with a remarkable grasp of metaphors I thought that perhaps the poem is not even talking about him or, specifically, his own gloomy disposition, but about the simple things that are usually taken for granted, like a book, darkness, a window. What the author, I think, is trying to convey is that these simple things can bring happiness, like the happiness that a birthday celebration can

Advanced practical production Essay Example for Free

Advanced practical production Essay Introduction In my AS year I decided to produce an Internet site, which came under the new media production. The website was based on astrology and horoscopes, I named the site Stars and Their future. This year in my A2 year I decided to do a print based project, I chose to complete a CD cover, Video cover and a magazine article for an upmarket magazine. They will all be based around the promotion of an upcoming music talent Sophie. Last year a lot of my work was based on the computer as it was an internet site, the pictures didnt need to be high resolution as I wasnt printing them off they were staying on the screen, whereas this year my project is based on Print, the pictures will have to be of a higher quality and resolution. The main differences between the two projects are also that this year my work will be promotional. I am designing to attract people to either buy the products or to read the article, I need to make my client look her best and attract new fans. A lot of work will be needed to put in to make my project look its best. Planning For my coursework I plan to do a print based project, which will consist of a CD cover, Video cover and a magazine article all promoting the same female artist. I have decided to merge the style of contemporary and classical theme, regarding the layout and pictures used within my project. I have decided to produce the article for a more upmarket magazine such as Company, B, or Cosmopolitan this will consist of a simple classic layout with an informal use of contemporary pictures. The CD and video will be of a similar style. The target audience for my magazine article will be for women aged 15+. My products will be open to all prospective buyers as I am basing my project on a female talent the prospective buyers could be men or women of all ages. For my album and video cover the style will be more stylised as they need to be more eye-catching for the prospective buyer, they also need to reflect my chosen artists style. The CD cover will need to be eye-catching, make the prospective buyer want to pick up the CD and want to know more. It will be located at all reputable music retailers. The video should look fun and interesting to watch and make the buyer feel that they are going to get all the latest news on the artist that they couldnt get elsewhere. It will be on sale at all supermarkets and high street outlet stores; it should be interesting and fun to watch. My magazine article will appear in an upmarket magazine and will be available at all newsagents, stationers and reputable supermarkets. When researching for my project I did a survey asking a range of 20 people questions on which type of artist they prefer, what style and type of colour scheme. Looking at the results from my questionnaire, the results were quite split, based on the results the audience would prefer an artist that incorporated a bit of pop and classical, with a mixture of contemporary and classic style with use of classic colour schemes. Once I had my results from my survey I decided to do more research on the web, I decided to search for existing CD covers on www. covers.cc by female artists. I noticed that all of the covers had a bright and eye-catching picture of the artist on the front, with a few smaller pictures of the artist on the back with the list of the tracks. I decided that I wanted to base my layout on this style. I also decided to include the lyrics form the songs I have written myself; they will be included within the sleeve of the front cover with pictures of the artist also to be included next to, and superimposed behind the lyrics, again similar to the style of CD covers I have already researched. I also went to my local supermarket to look at the different types of music videos that are on the market; they consisted of either tour videos or a compilation archive video of all the artists recent pop videos. I decided that these ideas would be good to put together, the video cover would explain that my video was going to include all of the artists latest videos, plus never before seen footage, with exclusive interviews with the artist. After purchasing two magazines with an interview with a huge female music artist Jennifer Lopez, I analysed the two to see the similarities and differences between the two. One of the articles was taken from Company magazine and one of them was taken from B magazine, they both have a classic layout with a big picture of the artist that covers one page and a short interview with Jennifer on the opposite page, I felt that I could incorporate the two articles to base an idea on for my own on. Throughout all of my research I have noted the graphology and fonts used on the page, they are always clear to read and are not of a size that is too big or too small to read. Colour schemes are important; they can either reflect a theme or use of colours that compliment each other. I began organising the task by drawing up a plan of what I have to do and in what order it has to be done; I decided to design the layout of each of my pieces and making a list of what pictures needed to be taken. Important decisions that needed to be made was the style and angles in which the pictures had to be taken and deciding on a theme that would run through all 3 pieces to reflect the style of my chosen artist. I decided to use the theme of fire and classic themes, using warm tones and colours such as reds, oranges and yellows, and subtle smoky greys and shadow effects; this decision was due to Sophies (my artist) fiery red hair. The technology I used when creating my project included a digital camera for taking and recording pictures. Microsoft Photo draw to touch up and edit pictures, I also used this programme to create my video and CD cover. I used the programme Microsoft Publisher to create my magazine article. This influenced the progress of my production by allowing easy transfer of my pictures into my pieces. The programme Photo draw also helped my to edit the pictures and allowed me to get them to the best quality. I decided to work on my own when completing this project as this meant that I could organise my time easily and I could make my own decisions. Analysis I have produced a video cover, CD cover package and a magazine article. All three of my projects share a classic theme to reflect the style of Sophie my chosen artist. My product reflects and uses the conventions of the media genre that I am working in which is the promotion of an up and coming teen music star. Overall I think that finished product reflects the theme and style I set out to. I wanted Sophie to be seen as a classic artist and to not be associated with the pop genre. My CD cover consists of grey tones that reflect a classic theme; within the booklet it contains the lyrics and more pictures of Sophie, each reflecting her individual style. I named the album The way you like it, I chose this as the title for my album because it reflects to any potential buyers that Sophies kind of music is a type that can be enjoyed by all. When researching for my CD cover I noticed and trend with albums that were used for female stars, on the front was a close up of the star that was very noticeable to the prospective buyer. I took a picture of Sophies head and made it fill the front. I then used the tools within the photo draw package to touch-up the photo and make it look more professional. I made the picture appear in grey tone by using the greyscale tool that made the picture appear in black and white, I also made the picture fade out around the edges by using the transparency tool. To make the face more noticeable I used web effects to make the face have a glow around it. This made the front cover look professional. I added the title and my artists name using the font vinetta sans in a white font. I chose this particular font as I felt is was a classic font the looked great and fitted my chosen theme. The video cover again uses the same colour scheme as the CD cover, greys and shadows, although the video cover is set out in quite a different way. I decided that the title for the video would be Up Close and Personal the theme on the font cover reflects this. I took a few pictures of Sophie that were close up head shots in various positions and from different angles, for some of the pictures I used a fan to blow Sophies hair to give the pictures a more professional touch. When researching for my product I noticed that when professional pictures were taken of models in most cases the models werent looking directly at the camera, this looked more professional so I decided to adopt this technique. As the video is called Up Close and personal I waned to reflect the theme of a photo shoot on the front cover. I chose three of the pictures of Sophie and arranged them in a suitable way. I also made them 3D by embossing the pictures and giving the designer edges with the Photo draw package, again allowing Sophie to seem closer to the prospective buyer. Again I touched up the pictures getting rid of any dust or blemishes using the photo draw tools. The way in which the photos are arranged is o look like a fashion/ photo shoot i. e. being up close and personal- nothing to hide. Which is what the content of the video is going to be about. The magazine article is made for a more upmarket magazine, I blended the styles of cosmopolitan and B, I think that my article portrays the right theme for my artist, the article is quite contemporary using a close up head shot of Sophie to fill one page of the article and pinks and purples on the other page, The writing is not to big or to small. I got my idea from two magazine articles that already existed about a stars 5-point plan to fame. I also incorporated an interview into this so that the readers could get to know my artist Sophie. I used Microsoft publisher to create my article. I have followed media conventions literally when creating my products. The CD cover is typical of an album cover of an uprising female artist, with a large head shot on the front, listing of tracks on the back with lyrics included with images of the artist with the booklet itself. The image on the front is eye-catching and shows my artist in a classic way. The video front is eye-catching with 3 images of the artist on the front with the title in bold front as to catch the prospective buyers attention. The title is up close and personal which gives the buyer an insight into how detailed the biography/ behind the scenes video is. Typical conventions have been used when writing the article I have created an upbeat chatty voice, which the reader can relate to. The article is aimed towards females age 15+ as these are the typical market for this type of magazine /article. Again a large image of Sophie is opposite the article so that the reader is automatically aware of whom the article is about. I mentioned use of voice within the magazine article, using phrases such as had bagged her first theatre role in Londons west end. Bagged is a colloquial term that the readers can relate to, it allows the article to seem informal and friendly which is how I want Sophie to be perceived. When creating the CD cover I wanted to create some form of narrative, the lyrics tell a story as the reader/ listener gets to know Sophie more personally. When writing the thank you section at the end of the booklet I wanted my choice of words to be personal and informal, when addressing the fans and relatives/ management I needed to use the correct language so that it felt like Sophie was talking directly to the reader. The video cover doesnt include a lot of text, there is a blurb on the back which aims to entice the reader into wanting to watch the video gaining information that they wouldnt be able to get else where i. e. using phrases like never before seen footage. The potential buyers only read this though once they have picked the video up. I included quotes on the front cover from top magazines to show what they think of the video and Sophie, HOTTEST NEW TALENT, NOT TO BE MISSED!!! Again enticing the potential buyer to pick up the video. The representation of the video is included on the back of the video cover within the blurb. Words like exclusive and descriptive work describing Sophie beautiful, superstar all make the buyer want to know more. I have made use of particular stereotypes within my work, I have gone against them. Typically new uprising music stars are manufactured, blonde, dont have individual style, and are single and available. All of these I have gone against and my star is refreshingly new, red hair, individual style, writes own music/ lyrics, and is in love and is not ashamed to let the world know. Her music comes first not the number of no1s or record sales. A breath of fresh air and individuality makes sales.

Meaning of Jane Eyre as a Whole

Meaning of Jane Eyre as a Whole The whole of the work is a critique of Victorian Englands social hierarchy and inequality for women. Jane struggles against social class and gender inequality, both of which she considers great injustices. Free Response Question (Year and Paraphrase of Question) 1997. Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and, in a focused essay, discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole. You may choose a work from the list below or another novel or play of literary merit. Opening Sentence for (your) Essay (Be prepared to write an essay on this novel at any given time during the quarter!) In the novel, Jane Eyre, a certain scene depicts Victorian Englands social class hierarchy. This scene is of when Mr. Rochester brings a party of distinguished gentry and ladies to his home and they all converse and relax in his parlor. In the scene, they indulge in their own splendor and think nothing of those who are considered to be in a lower social class than they. Their treatment of Jane, whom they consider beneath them, reveals just how little the higher classes of the time regarded those of lower classes. This value of social class in the society where they life greatly adds to the meaning of the work as a whole. Key Plot Incidents Jane Eyre is an orphan living with her terrible aunt, Mrs. Reed. In that home she is treated cruelly and disliked by all but Bessie, a servant in the home. One day, Jane is hit by John Reed, and she loses it and attacks him. As punishment for starting the fight she is sent to the red room where she has a vision of her dead uncles ghost she screams and faints. She wakes up in the care of Bessie and Mr. Lloyd, who makes the suggestion of Jane attending school. Mrs. Reed does so after Jane goes on a spiteful tirade against her. At Lowood School, Jane finds a miserable situation. The school is in horrible condition with inadequate means for survival and stern rules installed by the hypocritical headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst. Jane has a dear friend there, Helen Burns. This angelic friend dies of consumption when an epidemic of typhus sweeps Lowood. So many girls die, it attracts the attention of the public who discover the horrible living conditions. Brocklehurst is replaced by better men. Jane stays for six more years as a student and then two as a teacher. She soon desires new experience after her time there and after her idol, Miss Temple, marries and leaves. Jane puts out an advertisement and is soon employed as a governess at Thornfield Hall. She teaches an illegitimate little French girl named Adele and meets the housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax, both of who she befriends. The gentleman at Thornfield is Mr. Rochester, a dark and moody man. He and Jane have deep conversations often and confine in each other. Jane sees his flaws but falls in love with Mr. Rochester. One night she saves his life from a fire which creates a mystery for Jane concerning Grace Poole, a servant. Jane concludes that she is unaware of all the facts. One day, Mr. Rochester brings home a party of gentry and fine ladies. They stay for a couple of weeks. Jane is in silent despair as she sees Mr. Rochester fancy a beautiful but vicious woman, Blanche Ingram, and expects them to me married soon. Jane begins to make arrangements to leave Thornfield but then Rochester confesses love for Jane and proposes to her. She joyfully accepts. Their wedding day is ruined by the announcement that Rochester is already married. Mr. Mason, when attaining knowledge of Mr. Rochesters intentions concerning Jane, made it known that Mr. Rochester is married to Bertha, Mr. Masons sister, who is insane and who Mr. Rochester has kept hidden in the third story of his house. Jane, a strong defender of morality, cannot stay with Mr. Rochester, who is a great temptation. In the night she flees from Thornfield. She has nothing and is reduced to begging and is received by no one. Finally, when she is on the verge of death, she is taken in by three siblings, Mary, Diana, and St. John Rivers, at their manner, Marsh End. She becomes very close to them, especially the sisters. St. John finds employment for Jane as the teacher in a school for poor girls. One night, St. John comes and tells Jane, after discovering her identity, that she has inherited a large fortune of 20,000 pounds from her uncle, John Eyre. She also learns that she and the Rivers are cousins and is thrilled. She splits her fortune with her beloved relatives. As she lives with the Rivers she studies with Mary and Diana until St. John entices her to do so with him. She does and he soon asks her to accompany him to India as a missionary and his wife. She will not go as his wife because she does not love him. One night when he as almost convinced her to marry him, she hears Mr. Rochester cry out her name and she returns the call. The next morning, she sets out for Thornfield and her love. Upon arrival she discovers that Thornfield has been burned to the ground by Bertha, who jumped off the roof, killing herself. Mr. Rochester was stricken blind and crippled (he lost his hand) in the fire will trying to save all the servants and Bertha. He now lived with only two of his trusted servants in a dark place, Ferndean. Jane goes to him and they love as they did before. They are soon married and the story end with Janes short recount of the next ten happy years. Key Characters (Who and Why) Jane Eyre- Intelligent, moral, and opposes the injustice of oppression and inequality. She is plain but engaging and seeks fulfillment. She maintains high values throughout the whole book. She is a metaphorical challenge against Victorian treatment of women and those who are poverty stricken Edward Rochester- Master of Thornfield and wealthy employer of Jane Eyre. He is passionate, dark, and secretive. Jane falls in love with him and he loves Jane. Despite societal norms, he marries her. Before Jane, his life was reckless and lost. He was moody and miserable. St. John Rivers- Janes benefactor when she had nothing. Also her cousin and deliverer of good news. He is devoted to God. He wishes to be a missionary in India and asks Jane to accompany him as his wife. He is cold and ambitious. He is handsome. There are many other characters, with smaller roles, who come in and out of Janes life. Setting(s) Gateshead- Mrs. Reeds home. Jane grew up there for ten years. Lowood-the miserable school Jane attended and taught at. She gained her education and values there. Thornfield- The home where Jane was a governess. She finds a place there and falls in love. Mr. Rochesters home. Marsh End- the home of Mary, Dianna, and St. John Rivers. Becomes Janes home after she inherits her fortune. Significance of Opening Scene The significance of the opening scene is to establish Janes first thoughts of injustice and the beginning of the development of her high morals and her sense of right and wrong. Significance of Closing Scene Jane is rewarded for her living of high values and morality with the love of her life. Her reward is just. Style of Narration/Point of View The point of view is first person. It is from Jane herself. She narrates as though she is telling her life story from far in her future. Theme(s) Love vs. Autonomy- Jane longs to be loved, not only romantically, but by family. She wants to belong but not enough that she will lose her autonomy. Her fear of losing her connection to God motivates her to flee from temptation (Rochester). Religion- Jane is very religious. She struggles, throughout her story, to balance her desire to serve her God and with her desire to serve herself. Jane is very strong in her faith and has high principles as a result. She meets three religious figures. Mr. Brocklehurst represents hypocrisy and the danger of the Evangelical religious movement. Helen Burns represents passive hope and trust in God. St. John Rivers represents finding glory in God and self-importance. Jane does not accept any of these. Symbols(s) Bertha- Serves as a symbol of Rochesters unhappiness, and tribulation for Jane. Bertha is Janes trial. Bertha is also a symbolic critique of Englands locking away of other inferior cultures. Bertha represents Victorian wives who are kept under tight leash. The Red Room- symbolic of struggles Jane must overcome. Jane recalls the Red Room every time she is struggling. Janes desire to find more fulfillment in her life is symbolic of all feminine unrest. Tone A slap in the face of injustices. Deep-rooted misery and search for fulfillment.

Investigation into elastic potential energy :: essays research papers fc

Why and What I hope to achieve: I believe that the purpose of doing this is to allow me to demonstrate my understanding of Elastic potential energy. And the projectile concepts of the effect of changing potential into kinetic energy and for me to demonstrate my ability to apply elastic potential energy to a scientific investigation. What am I going to do and what will it prove: I am going to use an elastic band and release it from different tensions I will then measure how far it ‘flies’. Doing this will tell me the relationship between force, potential energy and kinetic energy. My Prediction: I predict that the further I pull the band back the further it will ‘fly’. This is based on the fact that the more tension involved means that the potential energy is greater therefore the kinetic/moving energy will also be greater. Variables: Force to pull the band back. This will be between 3 and 11 Newton’s. Equations: Distance = Speed Time Speed = Time   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Distance Time = Distance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Speed I also have Equations for EPE in my research. Method: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attach an elastic band to the hook on the end of a Newton metre and stretch the band until the Newton metre reads three Newton’s 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then Release the band and see how far it flies. 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Measure using a metre stick how far the band has travelled. 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Repeat this same test three time in order to gather and average later on. 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The repeat this test using forces of 5, 7, 9 and 11 Newton’s. 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Remember to repeat each test on each force three times. 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then collect the mean average using the results you received from repeating each of the tests. Fair Test: I will make sure this is a fair test by:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using the same band each time  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using the same height at which to release the band  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Repeat each test three times so that we gat a reasonable result and in the case of getting a ‘freak’ result I will repeat that test.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Same place – Draught’s, heat  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Same angle when band is released Things to take into account:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The band will ‘age’ therefore losing some of its elasticity and tension.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If it didn’t hit the ground it would probably go further.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Use the same Newton metre and have the same person reading it.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There might be a breeze of wind of some sort either flowing with the band or against it.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Temperature of room  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Any possible obstructions or anything else that make effect the general momentum e.g. Doors opening windows being open or shut.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Angle, position and height you release the band from.

An Analysis of Baldwins, Sonnys Blues :: Sonnys Blues Essays

An Analysis of Baldwin's, Sonny's Blues Sipiora identifies the critcal issues in Sonny's Blues with the character giving his self-reflections. Sipiora also says that literary characters sometimes perceive or not perceive the relationships or circumstances. We also have to judge characters in how they react to other characters whether they acted in good faith or not in good faith. We have to ask ourselves when we read literature if the character is being objective looking for personal qualities in a character when they come in contact with another character or is the character looking at another character in a judgemental, stereotypical, or preconceived way of thinking. Also is the character allowed the opportunity to share the similar things that are in common with another character or characters in the story. The main thing in reading literature in an Ethical Criticism is to take note on how a character interacts with another character or characters in a story. Also, take note on relationships of one character with anothe r character. In Sonny's Blues, the narrator is self-reflecting his experiences with various family members such as his mother and his younger brother, Sonny. Sonny and the narrator are brothers with a 7 year difference between them. The narrator was disappointed with Sonny at first due to his interest in becoming a musician. He thought it was a phase he was Sonny was going through and maybe it would pass. The older brother patronized Sonny with his insincere interest in music at first until it angered Sonny and he told his brother "don't do me no favors"(82). The narrator had a judgemental, stereotype, predetermined way of thinking when it came to his past. The narrator's thoughts and feelings were cruel and hard for the drug addict childhood friend of Sonny's when he told him he did not want to hear his "sad story"(81). Yet, he realized they both have something in common. The narrator has Sonny's drug addiction and the friend has his own addiction to deal with. The narrator realized that everyone has a sad story. When Sonny was trying to express how he felt on the inside and reveal his drug abuse, the narrator did not want to accept his younger brother's drug abuse and he 'kept putting them away. I told myself that Sonny was wild, but he wasn't crazy"(79). Just as Sonny felt alone and helpless, he could not talk about it to anyone.

The New Economic Policy

How far were economic problems responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the New Economic Policy in 1928 with the first Five-Year Plan ? There seemed to be various reasons why Stalin decided to replace the New Economic Policy with the first Five-Year Plan in 1928. These included economic problems, the role of ideology, a fear of invasion and political considerations. Although economic problems certainly were an important reason for Stalin’s decision, the most significant reason must have been political, since the consolidation of his power position had always been Stalin’s prime concern.The occurrence of economic problems presumably played a major role in Stalin’s decision to move away from the New Economic Policy (NEP), although it must be noted that, before that time, the NEP had had its, albeit limited, success: By 1925 the NEP had returned the economy to its pre-war levels, and by 1927 both agriculture and industrial production exceeded their pre-wa r level. However, the NEP had run into problems such as the scissors crisis in 1924 and the grain procurement crisis of 1927-28.For Stalin and many pragmatists who had supported the NEP because it had been working, the grain procurement crisis brought matters to a head. Russia was by 1928 still an economically backward country compared to the large economies of Western Europe and especially the USA. Farming methods still were fundamentally backwards and unproductive. In industry there was a genuine necessity for the economy to develop and compete with western competitors far ahead of Russia.Economic problems were likely to be a catalyst for the bold measures of the first Five-Year Plan, since Stalin felt that without it Russia would keep lagging behind. Ideological aspects too seemed to matter in Stalin’s decision making, although his own ideological position can be seen as somewhat blurred, since he used to frequently change policies according to what suited him best in his pursuit of a leading role in the Communist Party. For example, before his policy U-turn in 1928 Stalin had defended the NEC against opposition from the left wing of the Party.By 1927-28, when the NEP began to experience problems, Stalin sensed that stressing Communist ideological believes would gain him a lot of support. Many Communists, especially those of the left wing, saw the NEP as a retreat from Marxist, anti-capitalist principles and the urban working class resented the special position of the peasants under the NEP. Growing mass unemployment in the towns and food shortages combined with the ideological distaste felt by many Communists for the NEP and the Nepmen.This led Stalin to wage a class war against the peasants and the Kulaks in particular, branding those who would resist collectivisation as ’enemies of the people’ or ’enemies of the revolution. ’ Communist ideology played their part in Stalin’s decision making since it ensured suppor t not only from the Party but also from the workers and gave Stalin the moral grounds to prevail and secure control of the state. A fear of invasion must also have been influential in Stalin’s decision, as since back during the Civil War of 1918-21, when the western powers had clearly supported the ’Whites’, the Communists had a certain suspicion for them.Russia found itself in a far from ideal international climate during the late 1920s, which clearly suggested that the Soviet Union was surrounded by hostile nations which undermined its national security. Stalin seemed to have felt the necessity for both setting up self-sufficiency in food production and industrialise rapidly in order to built up the armed forces and prepare Russia for war against the capitalist powers, or, as he would say at a Party meeting ’Either we do it – or they crush us. Since under the NEP these goals were unlikely to be accomplished, a fear of invasion probably was an imp ortant motivator behind the shift to the first Five-Year Plan. Finally, and most importantly, political considerations led Stalin to replace the NEP. It could be seen as a continuation of the leadership struggle that had set in after the death of Lenin in 1924 and demonstrated Stalin’s victory over Bukharin, who was the leading advocate of the NEP. Stalin could show that he was able to apply his own policies and, in doing so, consolidate his position.The Plan would further gain him the support of the left wing of the Communist Party, which had been leaderless when Zinoviev, Kamenev and Trotsky were defeated and humiliated in 1927. In addition, he still advocated socialism in one country and therefore appealed to Russian nationalism. Self-sufficiency in food production and not being dependant on foreign grain imports was popular as it would make Russia appear stronger and save money which could be used to improve living conditions.Political considerations were of prime importa nce to Stalin since he knew that if he could deliver all these things, it would serve the basic aim of securing his leadership position for the time to come. Overall, while it was possibly a combination of all factors discussed that played a role in Stalin’s decision to abandon the NEP in favour of the first Five-Year Plan, political considerations must have been the major driving force.However urgent a resolution of the pressing economic problems was, Stalin had proven consistently throughout the leadership challenge of 1924-1928 that his basic aim was the consolidation of his power. He had repeatedly changed his policies to decimate both the left and right wing of the Party. Like so many times before, it is quite probable that his decision was yet another piece of opportunism. Had it not been for the unpopularity of the NEP among many Party members, it is questionable whether Stalin would have taken such bold steps.