Organization Structure Paper

Disney is a well-known organization across the world and with the magical experience everyone experiences when visiting any of their theme parks has a lot to do with the training each employee has. Each employee receives special training in their field at the Disney Institute where a structured learning environment is used.The institute offers a wide variety of classes including Disney approach to people management, approaches to quality service, approaches to creative leadership, approaches to orientation, approaches to HRS, customer loyalty, and other business related classes based on the participants needs. The training each individual receives offer deals with several organizational behavior concepts such as decision-making motivation, group behavior, communication, organizational culture, organizational structure, and human resources practices.A big organization eke this creates an organization chart which is based on process and broken up into teams starting from the story idea , the designs, the characters and many more. Walt Disney wanted his company to employ the best of the best and that they all received training in their specific fields and with that said he wanted to the employees to make every visitors experience a memorable one. There are many different amusement parks around the world that Disneyland is one of the biggest one but besides that, we have Six Flags MagicMountain which was founded by Warner LeRoy in 1974. With Six Flags the organization's structure is a little different from that of the one Disney has they are an honest and responsible organization and take accountability for everything that is done. Disney has a training institute where all employees are trained for their specific field and are taught well on what they do and training for employees but it is not as thorough as that as Disney, Disney emphasizes on giving all customers a memorable experience.Another amusement park that also carries an organizational structure is that o f Cedar Point located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio. Cedar Point is the second-oldest amusement park in the United States, also similar to Six Flags had an organization where individuals are trained to give the most to their customers and provide them with a friendly environment. These organizations are there to give an exciting memorable experience to their customers and they need to have the best training out there.

Singapore Flyer

Introduction Our group’s choice of attraction is the Singapore Flyer (FIG. 1). Endorsed by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and opened on 25th April 2008, the Flyer stands at 165m in height and was built at a cost of S$240 million. It is ranked #19 out of 276 attractions in Singapore on TripAdvisor and is one of the attractions that make up the â€Å"See Singapore Pass†. A General Assessment of the Singapore FlyerWith reference to Butler’s Tourism Area Cycle of Evolution theory (1980), the Flyer is likely to be at the development stage (third stage) as it has established itself as a well-known paid tourist attraction with sharp planning and strategies designed to attract tourists. Visitor arrivals in 2010 were 30% higher than in 2009, largely due to the Flyer’s $10 million master plan that included the launch of the Singapore Food Trail and the Journey of Dreams interactive gallery[1]. However, it has also faced much criticism for its perceived lack of au thenticity and dilution of local culture.For example, the Singapore Food Trail (FIG. 2) can be considered a form of constructed authenticity[2] – it has a themed interior design and setting from the past as well as makeshift stalls along the roadside, all of which brings back the nostalgic feel and charm of Singapore in the 1960s. This shows how the Flyer has sought to keep up with â€Å"The Tourist† who demands authenticity and associated feelings of nostalgia for the â€Å"natural past† (GE2218 Lecture 5, 2013) There are multiple reasons to explain why this attraction was opened.Firstly, the Flyer is one of a few vantage points that offer both locals and tourists a 360o panoramic view of the cityscape. Secondly, it was to be a revenue-generating attraction for the government as 50% of visitors were expected to be tourists with S$94 million in tourism receipts generated in its opening year. Third, as the Flyer is similarly styled to the London Eye (London being an Alpha++ city[3]), opening it could be viewed as a political and economic gesture to the rest of the world that not only is Singapore a leading world city, it is also an attractive place for foreign investment.According to Ms Patsy Ong[4], â€Å"the opening of Singapore Flyer herald[s] a new age for tourism in Singapore†¦ the unique and exhilarating top-of-the-world experience makes Singapore Flyer a must-see and compelling visitor destination in Asia. † Fourth, the Flyer provides Singapore with an iconic landmark that can be recognized internationally, more so when set amidst a necklace of attractions such as the iconic Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort next door.The Flyer serves those who wish to take in Singapore’s cityscape from an aerial view as well as those who want to eat and shop before or after taking the attraction. It tries to cater to a range of age groups, socio-economic back grounds and nationalities. Examples include having student discounts on certain days, family packages, infrastructure that support wheelchair users, multiple restaurants and shops as well as a recreated Rainforest garden (FIG. 3) that provides visitors with a lush tropical feel.However, despite trying to stay inclusive by catering to the mainstream crowd, many still feel the Flyer tickets are too expensive[5] – it is therefore highly likely that people from lower-income groups are priced out and excluded[6]. The Flyer attracts a range of visitors although the majority of people there were tourists[7]. According to one of the staff at XD Experiential Ride, visitors to the Flyer comprise largely of tourist families and couples. Couples normally visit at night while the weekends see mostly families.Generally, the complex was observed to be largely empty on a weekday afternoon (FIG. 4). Times of day as well as weather has a great influence on when people visit – most visitors prefer to view the cityscape at night while bad weather limits maxi mum enjoyment of the ride. Numerous people such as retail and F&B staff, maintenance staff and security staff work at the Flyer with majority of them involved in the security department. SWOT Analysis Chart The SWOT analysis chart (FIG. 5) will be used to evaluate the  Strengths,  Weaknesses,  Opportunities and  Threats involved in the Singapore Flyer.Identification of the Flyer’s SWOTs are essential as they inform later steps in achieving its ultimate objective – to attract more tourists and to increase tourist revenues. Strengths The Singapore Flyer claims the title as the world’s largest observation wheel – it is a landscape of spectacle[8] by virtue of its sheer size and distinction and is also visually effective and stimulating. Its air-conditioned capsules make it suitable for tourists who are unaccustomed to Singapore’s tropical heat.Through branding, the Flyer sets itself apart as a world-class lifestyle destination of choice for vi sitors, offering the best views and fabulous dining[9] all within the same complex (FIG. 6). Joint promotions with retail shops located within the complex are also carried out (FIG. 7). The Flyer is highly accessible by public transport, a necessity as it is likely to be the main mode of transport for tourists. The attraction is directly linked to Promenade MRT station while free shuttle buses operate every half hour to and from City Hall MRT station.Coach bays for tour buses are also available (FIG. 8). The Flyer also capitalizes on its good Chi or fengshui with its Signature Auspicious Trail that â€Å"promises to harness the right Chi or the cohesive flow of position energy that guarantees prosperity, good fortune and longevity. †[10] This makes it more attractive to the Asian tourist market where many remain auspicious and who believe in collecting good fengshui. In addition, the Flyer actively markets itself to a global audience through link-ups with tour agencies, Singa pore Airlines, and schools. WeaknessesThe Flyer lacks originality with some viewing it as a â€Å"copycat version† of the London Eye. â€Å"Staged authenticity† (Edensor, 2009) is evident in the Flyer’s offerings of bite-sized and packaged â€Å"Singaporean† facets – an appropriated artificial â€Å"Food Trail† and â€Å"Rainforest Discovery† – that reduce and dilute the authenticity of Singapore’s culture and identity to an engineered landscape[11] that may not go down well with locals. Locally however, there has been little or no national awareness about the attraction as little publicity and hype is generated apart from special occasions.Many locals also have the mindset that the Flyer is a â€Å"tourist attraction†, hence they subconsciously exclude themselves from participating in this activity. Opportunities With reference to the consumer/social factor, the Flyer should capitalize on Singapore’s growi ng popularity as a tourist destination for visitors from all over the world. This growing popularity could very well be a result of our perceived Orientalism/exoticism[12] (Morgan et al, 2012:245) where tourists view Singapore as the â€Å"Exotic East†[13] (Jandt, 2004:404).Moreover, we appeal directly to the tourist who wish to explore South-East Asia but are turned off by many of the other less-developed S. E. A countries – in this way, Singapore could act as the â€Å"gateway† to these other countries. Through their transit here, it is highly probable that tourists would want to explore Singapore as well, and hence the Flyer could capitalize on this aspect by marketing itself vigorously as a â€Å"must-see destination† for these global tourists.Economically, opportunities for the Flyer will increase as there is currently huge potential for our MICE sector to grow even more, particularly with the opening of the MBS Convention Centre located right beside the Singapore Flyer. As Chandran Nair, general manager of Singex puts it, â€Å"MICE has a strong multiplier effect for the economy. You see major trade shows coming into the countries, and you see hotels, stand contractors, freight forwarders and shops benefit. â€Å"[14] This is directly linked to tourism because as the number of MICE conventions held increase, visitor arrivals numbers will definitely grow together in tandem.As visitors to Singapore increase, they are likely to go sight-seeing and with the Flyer in such close proximity to the MBS Convention Centre, it is hence extremely convenient for visitors to make their way there, thereby boosting visitor arrivals and revenue for the Flyer. Opportunities further arise as the everyday tourist experiences a rise in income and quality of life due to strong domestic growth in their home countries. The Flyer could provide associated services that appeal to these people, thereby capturing a portion of the wealth they are prepared to spend[15].As reported by ICAEW[16], Singapore’s tourism industry is predicted to benefit from strong domestic growth in countries in the region like Indonesia, where newly rich Indonesians are more able to travel abroad and who are prepared to spend top dollar in their destination countries. Threats A threat could be the increasing number of similar attractions around the world. As countries compete for the tourist dollar, it is vital to note if the Flyer has a competitive edge over any of these other attractions.Not only does the Flyer have to fight with similar existing attractions (e. g. Ferris Wheel in Taipei[17] and the Menara Tower in Kuala Lumpur[18]), many similar new attractions have also been planned such as the proposed Dubai Eye, The New York Wheel and the Eye on Malaysia. Another threat is the possibility of being overshadowed by newer buildings that offer the same panoramic view of Singapore such as the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, Sky on 57 and 1-Altitude. Ano ther related point is that as tourists spend an average of just 3. days in Singapore[19], they might choose to visit the more popular and well-known attractions like Sentosa, Singapore Zoo and the Orchard Road shopping district while giving the Flyer a miss. Additionally, the Flyer is extremely vulnerable to adverse weather conditions (e. g. thunderstorms) in which it has no control over. In 2010, lightning struck the Flyer and caused a malfunction in the air-conditioning system; the attraction had to be closed for two days before it was certified safe to re-open.This shows how attractions that capitalize on offering spectacular scenic views are extremely vulnerable to weather conditions, and further illustrates how tourist attractions are constantly evolving as they seek to adapt to different circumstances every day. Conclusion As the aforementioned analysis has demonstrated, the Singapore Flyer is a tourist site that has ample strengths and opportunities that can be tapped on and further enhanced for the generation of revenue. These however, have to be carefully negotiated with the opportunity costs that may be incurred.One should be cautious therefore that capital maximisation through the presentation of bite-sized touristy images is in fact an inauthentic re-appropriation of the â€Å"Singapore culture†. Such a phenomena, in the name of profit maximisation, threatens authenticity, where models of a real are without origin or reality: a hyperreal that sees the precession of simulacra(http://www. stanford. edu/class/history34q/readings/Baudrillard/Baudrillard_Simulacra. html), and an eventual threat to our identity as Singaporeans as we know it.As consultants for the Singaporean tourism company in pursuit for profits, we therefore identify the strengths and opportunities of the Singapore Flyer. However, we also seek to highlight the weaknesses and threats that may impinge on the very authenticity and character of the Singaporean culture and identity. Appendix FIG. 1 – Singapore Flyer signage [pic] FIG. 2 – Recreated tropical rainforest [pic] FIG. 3 – Singapore Food Trail [pic] (Obtained from: http://www. singaporeflyer. com/wp-content/header-images/food-trail. jpg) FIG. 4 – Flyer on a weekday afternoon [pic] FIG. 5 – SWOT Chart LOCATION |TYPE OF FACTOR | |OF FACTOR | | | |Favourable |Unfavourable | |Internal |Strengths |Weaknesses | |Offerings |Offers spectacular view of cityscape |Lacks originality | | |Air-conditioned capsules |Reduces and dilutes Singapore’s cultural authenticity | | |Easily accessible | | | |Combines F&B, shopping and sightseeing all in one | | | |complex | | |Marketing |Excellent branding strategies |Little/no local awareness of promotional activities | |External |Opportunities |Threats | |Consumer/social |Gateway to rest of Southeast Asia |Tourists bypass Flyer for more popular attractions | | | Vulnerable to weather conditions | |Economic |Rise of the well-heel ed global tourist |Increasing number of similar existing/new attractions | | |Huge growth potential in the MICE sector |globally | | | |Overshadowed by other buildings that offer the same | | | |view | FIG. 6 – â€Å"Play, Shop & Dine† all in one complex [pic] FIG. 7 – Joint promotion held with Nankai, a retail shop located within the Flyer complex [pic] FIG. 8 – Coach bays [pic][pic] ———————– [1] http://www. asiaone. com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110407-272181. html 2] An authenticity projected onto toured objects by tourists or tourist producers in terms of their imagery, expectations, preferences, beliefs and powers (Wang, 1999:352) [3] http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Global_city [4] Managing director of Adval Brand Group Pte Ltd, the exclusive sales, marketing and ticket distribution agent of the Flyer [5] S$21 for a child; S$33 for an adult (Singapore Flyer, 2013) [6] Supporte d by our survey results where majority of survey respondents regarded themselves as belonging to the middle and upper-middle income strata. [7] Our survey results showed that visitors to the Flyer were mostly overseas tourists who hailed from places like India, England, New Zealand, China and Korea. [8]

Canada And Humanitarianism During The 20th Century History Essay

Canada And Humanitarianism During The 20th Century History Essay At present day, Canada is a country widely affiliated with peacekeeping, third world aid, and humanitarianism, to people internationally. Canada being one of the most culturally diverse nations, Canada has been known to accept many people regardless of controversial individual characteristics, such as gender, religious views, sexual orientation, or place of birth. Though, it is human nature internationally to distinguish and isolate fellow beings based on these criteria, yet to be humanitarian one must have an ideology of kindness, consideration and compassion towards all people, regardless of their status. However, during the past century, Canada had not stuck to its philanthropic nature as one would have believed. Primarily, the various discriminatory and restrictive laws which were instituted by the Canadian government. Secondly, Canadian treatment of certain groups of people was poor and unfair. Lastly, Canada had unethically weakened the rights of particular citizens. Although Canada may be considered a nation that does not discriminate any person, Canada went through a very rough and arguable past, during the last century, and humanitarianism is and has not been a part of Canada’s national identity. Firstly, humanitarianism is not part of Canada’s national identity, since Canada had implemented many laws that were restrictive and discriminatory against people residing in Canada. Japanese Canadians first started immigrating to Canada, particularly British Columbia in large numbers during the late 1800’s through to the early 1900’s. Due to the majority of white skinned people living in Canada at the time, the Japanese community was unfortunately subject to indirect discrimination and harsh treatment due to descent. In B.C., many political leaders passed various laws including the denial of voting rights aimed at the Japanese population, for the sole purpose of encouraging them to leave the country (â€Å"Japanese Canadians†). Among other things, Japanese immigrants were not able to work like other Canadian citizens, they were given poor wages and laws were passed to prevent them from working in professions they might have had in their country of origin (â€Å"Japanese Canadians†). Twelve weeks after the attacks on Pearl Harbour the Canadian passed the War Measures Act which had allowed the Canadian government to legally remove Japanese people living in Canada within a 160km of the pacific coast (â€Å"Japanese Canadians†). Japanese Canadians had to undergo many situations similar to these due to government policies, though most policies were solely created or instituted due to Japanese discrimination. On another note, there was also many laws and policies passed by the government to further discourage and prevent the immigration of Japanese or any other racial distinction other than the preferred, from entering Canada. An example of this was the Komagata Maru incident, where 376 Punjab is from Eastern India had boarded the Japanese-owned ship to sail to Canada in hopes of boarding and living in Canada (â€Å"Komagata Maru†). Due to the views of Canada on immigration, Canada had put into effect an order-in-council that required immigrants travelling by boat to travel in a non-stop continuous passage to Canada (â€Å"Komagata Maru†). This made it extremely difficult for immigrants to successfully enter Canada. Upon arrival, majority of the people on board were detained, they had then lost their case to get into Canada, and were planning on a how to depart. They had departed back to Kolkata, India in a Canadian provided cruiser, upon arrival they were under suspicion by police which then resulted in 20 of the passengers being killed (â€Å"Komagata Maru†). This is a clear historical event that could have been prevented by the government of Canada, as there was no reasons for the harsh treatment of the innocent passengers of this particular ship u pon arrival on Canada. Canada’s ignorance for others particularly Asian immigrants further show why humanitarianism has not been part of Canada’s national identity.

Prenatal Behavior and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prenatal Behavior and Development - Essay Example The career prospects of a genetic counselor are covered on the human genome project website. They can work as consultants in a clinical setting and specialize in prenatal, cancer risk, pediatric, hematology, cardiovascular, adult and cardiovascular health. At a commercial scale, genetic counselors can oversee the administration, design and sale of genetic tests. Genetic counselors can also run diagnostic laboratories for patients sent for genetic tests. They can also engage in education and policy making for institutions and agencies. Genetic counselors can also engage in research projects on genetics (Carey, 2012). Heald et al. (2012) explain the significance of genetic counseling in the detection and management of hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes. According to the researchers, there is need to identify the patients suffering from these syndromes in order to avail genetic counseling to the individuals as well as their families. Familial adenomatous polyposis results from the mutation of the APC gene. APC mutations are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Approximately 25% of cases of familial adenomatous polyposis are due to a de novo mutation in APC (Heald et al., 2012). An elaborate assessment entails gathering family history information that spans three generations. This covers ages, ethnic background, and the reasons that contribute to the death of relations. Any cancer diagnosis should be recorded as well as the age at emergence and the history of the polyps. Genetic counseling requires the gathering of detailed medical history. Initially, formal risk assessment is conducted. If a hereditary cancer syndrome is suspected, a positive genetic test will confirm such a diagnosis. Education about any cancer syndrome is conducted and genetic testing may be offered upon consent. This will also enable the performance of predictive testing for the individual’s relatives. However, the genetic tests are not absolute and a

ART AND EXPERIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ART AND EXPERIENCE - Essay Example Each of these produced a different approach to the expression used and allowed the cartoons to remain at the forefront of expressing and questioning the movements which were occurring during this time frame. Background of Caricatures and Cartoons The 18th and 19th centuries differed with caricatures and cartoons because of their main purpose. In contemporary drawings, there is a focus on the publisher, with the cartoons published in magazines and newspapers. The expression was then based on short term ideologies and statements about a given issue. However, the cartoons which were provided before the 20th century were based on long term applications and were typically used with as a form of artistic expression to be shown in galleries, cafes and other areas. The concept of not dividing the cartoons and caricatures from the everyday artistic expressions created a valuable aspect to the cartoon and what is represented. More important, the subject matters and statements were created to r emain relevant throughout time and to have thematic material which was applicable to culture, history and the way in which current events related to this1. The concept of the cartoon as one which was relevant to the time frame and which was also depicted as art then led to a distinction between the genre of art which it represented. Instead of creating the ideology that the artistic work was a cartoon or caricature, many considered the technique as one which expressed a form of satire. The satire was based on the current system while creating an expression which was both realistic and which couldn’t hold the belief of remaining real. The image and brand which was used with the technique was able to create this dichotomy specifically by showing that there was an unrealistic aspect to the political, social and cultural ideologies which many had, even though it was an event which had occurred. The dichotomy which was created and which presented the aspect of a satirical piece of work then led to specific expressions and definitions within the art presented2. Political Revolution and Cartoons The first component which was seen with the cartoons and satires which were presented were based on the French and British revolutions which occurred during the time. These particular components of history were based on the rebellion of the peasants and commoners to gain rights within the lands and to have more abilities with the nobles that were in the region. When this occurred, there were several uprisings and political powers which resisted the change. The result was sets of battles and warfare as well as arrests which occurred with the revolutions to try to maintain and change what had occurred with those who had gone through the desire to change. At the same time, there was a sense of trying to keep the lower classes oppressed while allowing the nobility and those with a higher economic and social status to remain ahead of those in society. The rebellion which oc curred was based specifically on these divisions and the way in which they built into the several revolutions of the time.3 There are several examples of the uprising as well as the rebellion which took place and the satirical events which were associated with this. Figure 1 is a representative of the cartoons and satires which were based on the revolution. Figure 1: Reveil de Tiers Etat When looking at this specific piece, it can be

Porfirian Diaz and his role in the Mexican Revolution Research Paper

Porfirian Diaz and his role in the Mexican Revolution - Research Paper Example Foreign turmoil could not be seized by Diaz and in 1877 there was a military conflict with U. At the ends of his first –term ruling, Porfirio did not appeal for the second term . During Diaz reign there were no civil wars in Mexico. Nevertheless, this benefit cost much to the country. The introduction of agrarian reform, which enabled the privileged class to own all lands, was a negative feature of Diaz regime. Farmers had to pay their debts in order to survive. A high increase of price led to starving in the country. There were no homes for more than 16% of population . Foreign investors were attracted to the country by the options of land owning and poor people were forced off from their lands even those, who owned vast landholding. The high inflation rates of US led to depression of 1907 and prices were life were huge for Mexicans. Porfiriato introduced the laissez-faire policies, but these policies could not facilitate the process of inflation. When the economy was on the edge of crisis, middle and upper class did not support Porfiriato policies anymore. Foreign banks introduced stricter regulations for credit and the government raised taxes. The wages for workers remained low and Porfiriato could not manage to bridge the gap of inflation growth and required money for daily living of people. In spite of political and social turmoil in the country, there was a need to reelect the President and Francisco Madero claimed that there was a need for Mexico to return to the Constitution of 1857 . 4. Dictatorship of Diaz was undermined and was strictly criticized by the people. Madero underlined the necessity to introduce political and not social reforms. He criticized Diaz dependence on the foreign capital and the growing number of American businessmen. Diaz was reelected and the anger intensified in the society. Villages

Europe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Europe - Assignment Example This article, about the injury of a Dutch prince, Johan Friso, shows that avalanches can cause great damage to human lives. The accident happened just this past week in the Alps. We must be exceedingly cautious about Europe’s geography: it has the power to startle with its beauty, but also the power to destroy the unwary. I enjoyed this article immensely. It dealt with a painful and difficult subject, but it provided so much context that it gave me a great deal to think about. It was very interesting to consider the fact that European royalty used to have so much power. Now they are reduced to fun-loving glamour. And even that power and glamour is subject to Europe’s awesome geography. The power of the continent gives and it also takes away. One important element this article touches on only briefly is the idea that climate change may be responsible for Europe’s changing geography. It is possible that there are more avalanches on the Alps then in other years. This is difficult to prove, but it certainly is food for

ICICI Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ICICI Management - Essay Example In this way, the employees feel appreciated by the management of the bank and this is done in a manner which not only encourages them to work harder to achieve the goals of this institution but also towards increasing its competitiveness (Bihari & Charde, 2014). The motivation style of ICICI is in line with Herzberg’s two factor theory which advocated for the removal of some of the control which the bank’s management has over its employees and this ensures that there is an increase in their accountability and responsibility over their work. In this way, the employees become motivated through their being given freedom of action while also having more responsibilities which encourage them to work harder for the greater good of the bank. In addition, also in line with the two factor theory, ICICI also motivates its employees through encouraging them to create natural work units where possible and this is done in a manner where the employees themselves are given the respons ibility of creating whole sections of their teams instead of only a part of it (LaBelle, 2005). Moreover, ICICI also works towards the provision of regular feedback directly to its employees and this makes the latter to feel that their welfare at work is being well considered. The fact that the management does not have to go through supervisors to provide feedback encourages workers to improve their job performance (Hassan, 2005). The expectancy theory also comes to play in the way in which ICICI motivates its workers and this is because its management encourages employees to take on challenging tasks so that they may specialise in these tasks and in this manner, remove the need to bring in outsiders to undertake tasks.

BFS 3430-09D, PRINCIPLES OF FIRE BEHAVIOR (BFS3430-09D) Essay - 2

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Der Rattenfanger Essay Example for Free

Der Rattenfanger Essay Page fifteen opens with ‘pipe music’, this gives the audience a sense of what the story of Der Rattenfanger is about even if they fail to understand the German title. Pipe music is usually associated with the story of the Pied Piper, which is what we later discover Der Rattenfanger expresses. As Faith reads the title of Der Rattenfanger Eva asks her ‘Mutti’ the question of what an abyss is, this is significant in regards to describing the character of The Ratcatcher, an abyss is usually associated with separation and loss, both of which The Ratcatcher personifies. That he is mentioned with association to an abyss foreshadows what is to happen with Eva and the relationship that she currently shares with her ‘Mutti’. Page sixteen is the Ratcatcher’s first appearance in the play, he materialises from Faith and the audiences imagination and his first lines are rhetorical questions â€Å"Who is not counting? †, â€Å"Who has forgotten their blessings? † . The rhetorical questions are intended to influence the audiences’ opinion rather than requiring an answer to the questions posed. The cross-dialogue between Helga and The Ratcatcher ensures that all of The Ratcatcher’s lines are declaratives â€Å"I will find you†, â€Å"I will search you out whoever wherever you are†. This enforces the idea of The Ratcatcher being a dominant character, The simile â€Å"eyes as sharp as razors† creates the impression that The Ratcacther is a being who inspires fear and gives the idea of an entity that haunts one’s nightmares. The dynamic verbs that are used when describing The Ratcatcher’s speech are all associated with antagonists, â€Å"It hissed†, â€Å"It spat†, referring to The Ratcatcher as an ‘It’ rather than a he dehumanises the character and adds to the antagonist or even entity feel. â€Å"A train whistle blows. Sounds of busy railway station† the whistle of the train can be interpreted as symbolic of the Der Ratenfanger, the pied piper of Hamlen lured the children away from the town of Hamlen with his music when they refused to pay him for using the same method to rid them of their rat infestation, like the Ratcatcher the Kindertransport is taking the children away from their families and what they know into the unknown, it could also be a metaphor for Hitler, it was a direct result of his actions that led to the children being forced from their home country, rats is an nti-Semitic term for being Jewish, Goebbels wrote: â€Å"It is true that the Jew is a human being, but so is a Rat a living being – one that is none too pleasant . . . our duty towards both ourselves and our Conscience is to render it harmless. It is the same with the Jews†. The rats in the pied piper story could be interpreted as a metaphor for the children that would become victims of Nazi persecution. I will take the heart of your happiness away† I interpret the heart of you happiness as being a metaphor for the loss of the children in the town of Hamelyn. The Ratcatcher is omnipresent throughout the play, he embodies all of the male antagonists, the guard, the Nazi, the border guard, and the station guard, the organiser and the postman are all derived from him, each character appears and creates tension for the audience, they all inspire fear in Eva and are the embodiment of loss and separation for both Eva and Evelyn, e. . , the loss of Eva’s money to the officer who searches her on the kindertransport, in contrast to this the postman actually delivers a parcel to Eva, which we discover is a letter from her mother along with a Jewish prayer book and her story book Der Rattenfanger. It seems that even when Eva attempts to run from her past der rattenfanger is always there on the edge of her mind and steadily creeping closer. The Ratcatcher is the origin for provoking the characters and the audience into thinking about family and identity, he also forces the characters to contemplate how the present is affected by the past, and learning how to come to terms with our insecurities and fears, for instance at the end of Act one, Scene two where the â€Å"pipe music† and â€Å"shadow of the ratcatcher looms†, The Ratcatcher, who has already been established as an antagonist and representing fear and punishment foreshadows what is to come. By the end of this scene we begin to realize the depth that Eva’s insecurities and fear of The Ratcatcher run, the cross-dialogue of Eva speaking with her future self-Evelyn gives the audience the impression that Eva/Evelyn may suffer from a duel personality or in the very least a severe mental condition, Eva being the naive and frightened voice here whilst Evelyn is the mature and dependable voice. Evelyn’s closing line for this scene â€Å"He won’t take you anywhere ever again†. The he she refers to being the Ratcatcher, further enforces the idea that The Ratcatcher is the embodiment of loss and separation for Eva/Evelyn, the fact that Evelyn confronts the personification of her fear in this scene gives the audience the impression that Evelyn is beginning to come to terms with her past, although The Ratcatcher is still presented as a dark and brooding presence that Evelyn attempts to suppress and bury in the recess of her mind.

Is the UK welfare state in crisis?

Is the UK welfare state in crisis? Since the British Welfare state materialized in 1945, the debate on how to reform it has never ceased. In the first 25 years after it was introduced, the debate concerned how to increase its scope and abolish means-tested benefits. Then, after the economic crisis in the 1970s, the aim was on how to trim it back. Now, the future of the welfare state itself it the subject of fierce debate. In this essay I will begin with a history of the UK Welfare State and how it came about, before analysing a few of the key elements of the welfare state which will help me decide whether the welfare state is in crisis. I will then finish with a conclusion with my thoughts and views, verbalised. The narrow definition of the welfare state comprises two types of government spending; (1) cash benefits to households such as transfers and income insurance and (2) subsidies or direct government provision of human services such as pre-schooling, education, child care, health care and old age care. The broader definition of welfare state includes housing policies, price regulation, job security legislation and environmental policies1. The purpose of the welfare state is to create economic equality or to assure equitable standards of living for all2, to protect British people from unemployment3, and to encourage the provision of the social services on the same basis as the public services such as roads and libraries4. However, there are differing opinions as to whether the objective of the welfare state is a simple one, as John G. Francis states the purpose is to allocate public funds In order to secure certain minimum life support services for those most in need and to construct a c omprehensive set of social and economic policies designed to realize a certain vision of society.5 Morris Janowitz, on the other hand, paints a more minimal portrait of the welfare state: the welfare state rests on the political assumption that the well-being of its citizens is enhanced not only by allocations derived from their occupations and the marketplace but also grants regulated by the central government. He explains that in addition to the government provisions of benefits for its citizens, there are two further elements in his conception of a welfare state: (1) parliamentary regime determination of resource allocation and (2) the recognition of the states right to intervene in order to create the conditions under which citizens can pursue their goals. The welfare state was developed primarily by William Beveridge. In 1941, the British government commissioned a report into the ways Britain should be rebuilt after the Second World War, mainly how improvements could be made to the system of providing sickness and unemployment insurance. Beveridge was the obvious candidate to compile the blueprints for the welfare state due to his book on Unemployment: A Problem of Industry in 1909, in which he argued that full employment could be obtained if industry was not constrained by over regulation.7 In 1942 as the war reached its height, he produced his report The Report on Social Insurance and proposed that all people of working age should pay a weekly national insurance contribution where benefits would be paid to the sick, unemployed and retired and thus provide a minimum standard of living for all citizens.8 He also identified five giant evils that plagued society and could be tackled: Want (today we call it poverty) by establishing a comprehensive social security system Disease by establishing a new health service Idleness by the state aiming for full employment Ignorance by reforming the education system Squalor by a new house building and slum clearance programme9 The first of Beveridges proposals came into effect before WW2 ended. In 1944 the Ministry of National Insurance was set up before the Family Allowances Act was passed a year later.11 Reactions to the report were positive: It gave me a feeling there was something to work for and fight for after all and that our efforts might be rewarded by some real social improvement, giving means to the phrase winning the peace. (Royal Artillery, male, 29) Its the goods! All the yearnings, hopes, dreams and theories of socialists for the past half century have been crystallized into a practical economic formula. Equity for the lowest common denominator I was staggered by its comprehension. (Insurance clerk, male, 39, Newport) I am aware of a new feeling of confidence in myself as a member of a democratic society when I see those social reforms which I have considered necessary for such long time actually taking shape. (Accountant, male, 40, Prestwick) 12 Such positive reaction, though not all positive, led to a landslide victory for Clement Attlee and his Labour Party and he decided to seize upon Beveridges proposals as a basis for radical action, and proceeded to implement many social policies, which became known as the Welfare State. Attlees hope was to have Beveridges plan in force by 1948, but in a time when Britain was suffering from the severe conditions of post-war Britain, it did not have the money to pay flat rate benefits that would keep people out of poverty.13 The National Assistance act which was passed in 1948 played a bigger role in improving poverty than Beveridge had planned and because the idea of basing entitlement on contributions through national insurance was flawed, it meant many people, in particular women, were excluded from the system. Another act which passed was the National Health Service Act 1946, which came into effect on 5th of July 1948 and created the National Health Service in England and Wales.14 A fter the landslide victory for Labour in 1945, Aneurin Bevan was appointed minister of health, responsible for establishing the National Health Service. Since there was already a free, compulsory state education service, the people of Britain now probably had the most comprehensive Welfare State system in the world.15 The question of whether the UK welfare is in crisis is one that has been asked before. The welfare state in the 1970s was claimed to be in crisis with oil price shocks and increasing food prices adding pressure on the economy and leading to a rise in unemployment. Though the causes sharp reductions in output by OPEC and exchange rate fluctuations were said to be external to the welfare state 16, there still continues to be a debate over not just whether the welfare state is in crisis but also if it is sustainable. The first area I will tackle is state benefits. As of September 2009, there were 2.7million people claiming incapacity benefits in the UK17 and with reports stating that less than a third of these claimants are legitimate18, it begs the question that are the standards of the UK health service so inadequate that more people than ever are incapacitated? The simple answer is the majority of these people are simply work-shy19. Michael Portillo of the Sunday Times pointed out the intentions of the Welfare Stare was to prevent this abuse of the system by the work shy20: The state should not stifle incentive, opportunity, responsibility, wrote Sir William Beveridge in the 1942 report that inspired the post-war welfare state. In establishing a national minimum it should leave room and encouragement for voluntary action by each individual to provide more than that minimum for himself and his family. These work shy people are forcing the tax burden on the hard working families and as a result, taxpayers have spent  £346bn on payments to those out work since Tony Blair entered Downing Street. He goes onto say It might have been possible for the state to fine tune benefits when every claimant was known to the local poor law guardians. It is much more difficult today in systems that are nationalised and standardised, before concluding, we ought to assume that fit young people are not entitled to anything. If a few young men from sink estates are now heroes in Afghanistan, why should we presume that all the others are capable of nothing useful at all? Some believe such a centrally planned benefits system is bound to fail because it is not feasible for a planning body to know all the circumstances and facts to able to assess who is in an incapacitated state21. Another area of benefits that has come under scrutiny is child benefits. This has long been considered untouchable as it has high take-up rates and passionate support across the political sector. However, new goals such as reducing child poverty whilst at the same time cutting spending, it is time the state challenged its status as the sacred cow of the welfare state22. Between 1999 and 2004, 600,000 children managed to escape poverty as result of their guardians/parents finding work. However, this trend reversed when the recession hit when between 2008 and 2009, 160,000 more children were in workless households and, inevitably, in poverty. Kate Stanley of the Institute for Public Policy Research makes the point that the welfare state must become much more efficient in reaching poor children and child benefit is one of governments primary tools in ending poverty.23 She goes onto explain that we need to bite the bullet and make it progressively universal so that everyone gets somethin g but poorer families get most, adding further, one option would be to tax child benefit and use the tax to increase the rate of benefit paid to second and subsequent children. As with any policy change, putting forward such change is unquestionably controversial. However, it is not difficult to come to the conclusion that yes, while there is a need for a benefit reform in the UK, does it necessarily mean the welfare state as a whole is in crisis? On this evidence, I can conclude with a wholehearted, no. British schools have somewhat of a mixed reputation. Quality of state education is known to vary whilst universities and other higher education institutions garner an excellent reputation internationally and take in thousands of foreign students. The state education system in the UK has been changing at a hectic pace in recent decades which has led to a generation of curriculum chaos and crisis caused by a lack of funding, crumbling infrastructure and shortages of books and other equipment24. Many schools have been forced to cut their teaching budgets at a time when they should have been increasing them, and some have had insufficient funds to buy books for the revised national curriculum and other essentials. This is only going to get worse with the recent spending review by The Coalition hinting there may be savage cutsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in the education budget25. The budget for the Department of Education last year was  £66.7bn, rising to an estimated  £68.7bn this year. While Cha ncellor George Osborne has pledged to protect Sure Start, the government scheme where childrens centres have been built by Labour to provide nursery care, it means other areas such as school buildings and support services are likely to be even harder hit. And it only gets worse: the Audit Commission claims that millions of pounds are still being misspent. A report last year found schools were sitting on excessive cash reserves of almost  £2bn and  £400m a year could be saved if schools bought desks, equipment and services more sensibly26. However, it is easy to criticise and easy to forget the positives. The last government claimed the increase in funding produced key successes, including rises in primary and secondary school exam results, a drop in the number of failing schools, an increase in the number of children staying on in education beyond the leaving age and improvements to early years care with the establishment of a network of Sure Start childrens centres. However, th is all happened during the last government. With ever more bleak and worrying headlines such as Students to face unlimited fees, Nearly one in five children aged 16-19 is functionally illiterate and Schools prepare to cut frontline services, it is not surprising why many are saying the education system in the UK is in trouble. A recent programme on BBC illustrated how Toby Young struggled to set up a new school within the state system. The pressing concern was the campaign to stop these schools was endorsed by the National Union of Teachers. The reason why Mr Young was trying to set up these schools was because they were wanted by parents not happy with the existing state schools. There is mass evidence to support their views with reports year on year showing dwindling numbers on the number of pupils that achieve 5 A-C GCSEs. It is about time students are able to realise their full potential instead of facing silly obstacles. It is no wonder private schools attain far higher grades and pass rates than public schools as they receive much more attention in their small class setting. I see no reason at this stage to go against what many people are saying: the UK welfare state is very much in crisis. The last area I cover is pensions. In the UK there are three major pension routes; (1) occupational final salary pension plans from your employer: (2) the state pension where you may have entitlement to a top-up plan as well as the basic state pension. Those who are not well off may have their retirement earnings boosted by a pension credit: and (3) the money purchase pension scheme either from your employer or from other earnings such as self-employment (these are called personal pensions)27. There are three problems in pension reforms in the UK. The first being whether to continue with the PAYG system or switch to a saving system, though this fight seems to be over as many academics and politicians accept the need to move to a saving or funded system. The second problem is whether, if you opt for the saving system, to make savings voluntary or compulsory, and if compulsory whether or not to give savers a choice of pension providers. The move to a saving or funded system has a great economic advantage in that it builds compound interest into the entitlement. In other words, you invest in the economy and you get the benefit when you retire. Many would like to return to the ideal situation of not wanting to be a burden on your family and the next generation, but as that family obligation myth still continues, it is too high a price to pay for the economic costs of the current system29. The question that leads from this is whether to make saving voluntary or compulsory. I would suggest setting a minimum for compulsory savings and let people saving voluntarily for larger pensions. Indeed the government introduced voluntary pension saving in the new world of pensions, but being auto-enrolled into a pension scheme will be compulsory. The high level of state pension from the age of 65 has been found to cost too much and has steadily declined in relation to average incomes and been replaced by what many call the disastrous means-tested pension credit. With the pension age to rise to 68, this will be a long overdue acceptance of vastly increased longevity30. This demonstrates the slow pace to which the UK responds to changes in reality. The Beveridge report laid the foundations of the post-war welfare state, declaring every citizen who paid his or her contributions should be able to claim an adequate pension worth more than any means tested benefit31. As Philip Johnston of the Telegraph puts it, after 100 years in which living standards have quadrupled, a pension designed to prevent the poorest in society enduring a penurious old age has failed in its purpose. James Bartholomew, in his book The Welfare State Were In, posed the question if we would have been better off without the state pension. He answered, It seems likely that if the state pension had not been introduced, British people would have saved a great deal more and, overall, would probably now be wealthier in their old age. The late 19th century trend for people to become less benefit dependent would have continued, and it would be normal to have very substantial savings. Old people would have more independence and dignity in retirement. In conclusion, I agree with the claim that the UK welfare state is in crisis. During the research for this essay, I found almost no evidence to say otherwise, which was a surprise. I have discovered the welfare state has been a failure and I believe the state should stop funding anything beyond a minimum safety net. As stated before, money is being wasted due to recklessness in its spending and rather than divert (even more) resources from social security to health and education, as the government plans, it should slash taxes and let people pay for their own welfare services. The demand for these two categories rises faster than national income and public spending is unlikely to be able to keep up, thus bringing us back to the perpetual perception that they are underfunded. I read an interesting post made by a member of the public on an online forum that made the following comment: Whenever all of part of the NHS runs out of money, wards are closed or operations are delayed or a cost saving measure is taken, but never are salaries cut back. 154 This illustrates how the government have a strong inclination to protect their staff first, instead of their customers who receive the service. But of course the nurses and doctors and administrators feel like they are under paid and endure difficult conditions, and this is often too. It bottles down to the point that their pay and their pensions are not damaged which otherwise would be if they were not working for the government. The future on the welfare state itself is uncertain at this point in time. The right are in agreement that unwarranted spending on the welfare state has weakened economic growth and reduced incentives, while the left feel the traditional welfare state has not paid enough attention to significant groups like women and ethnic minorities. Policy reforms have strengthened not just in the UK but also in the continental Europe and the US. The government often deliberates and avoids making tough decisions, such as introducing a compulsory savings scheme or increasing state pensions, which have been needed to deal with the crisis. As Steve Schifferes of the BBC puts it, though the government wants to seek a political consensus before proceeding with radical reform, time may be running out!

Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening - Symbolic Setting :: essays research papers

Robert Frost’s love of nature is expressed in the setting of his poem "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening." His elaborate description of the woody setting brings vivid images to the reader’s mind. Frost explains the setting so descriptively that the reader feels he is in the woods alsoThe setting is a very important tool Frost uses in writing this poem. The setting is obviously in the woods, but these are not just any old woods. Something caught the speaker’s eyes in these woods making them a special place for the speaker. It seems as if the speaker has associated these woods with an aspect of his "personal paradise". The peacefulness, tranquillity, darkness, and silence are all important parts of this "paradise". These aspects help the speaker escape from reality. The snow symbolizes the purity and peacefulness the speaker feels while stopping in the woods. (4) The darkness can symbolize many different things. Some times darkness would be considered evil or dangerous, but I do not think this is the case in this poem. I believe the darkness symbolizes the undisturbed atmosphere of the woods. Darkness may also symbolize the mystery of the yet to be discovered secrets deep within the woods. (8) The silence makes the speaker feel secluded from all other aspects of reality. (11-12) Stopping by the woods provides the speaker with a temporary escape from reality. Frost does not ever tell what business the speaker is on, but you can assume it may be very stressful. This escape from reality is very important even in today’s world. This poem was written in 1923 and still has aspects of 20th century society. The speaker knows he can not stay in this "paradise".(14) The speaker does not want to leave this spot, but he has made other promises that he has to keep. (14) I believe Frost uses repetition of the last two lines of this poem (and miles to go before I sleep) to emphasize the importance of this promise he has made, and to support the speakers reasons for having to leave. (15-16)I am not a big fan of poetry, but this poem caught my eye because I am a fan of nature. Frost and I would have had a lot in common, his poetry reflects many of my own personal views of nature.

Money and the Corruption of American Society :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Money and the Corruption of American Society The American dream Sweet as a new millionaire The American dream Pre-packed, ready-to-wear The American dream Fat, like a chocolate eclair As you suck out the cream Luck by the tail How can you fail? And best of all, it's for sale The American dream - The Engineer (Miss Saigon) Money is very important in American society today.   Your status in America is greatly influenced by how much money you make.   We see the effects of money while reading the paper, wathshing the evening news, and in Micheal Moore’s movies.     As we see in all three of Micheal Moore’s films Roger & Me, Pets or Meat, and The Big One, money can affect a society in horrible ways.   The major corporations such as GM closed the doors in their plants and left 30,000 American’s without a job.   Only to move their plant to a far off country and pay people a fraction of the hourly wages to produce more profit than the billions they were originally making (Moore 1989). Even as Micheal goes to the CEO of Nike, Phil Knight, and talks about the conditions of his factories in Indonesia, nothing is done.   Phil is well aware of what happens in these factories and chooses to do nothing about it.   He is also well aware that Americans are without jobs but continues to build factories in other countries because his overall profit will increase (Moore 1997).   We also see a how money affects people in Katherine Newman’s â€Å"American Nightmares†.   In this reading we hear about a group of people called he downwardly mobile.   They are people who were once secure in their jobs and then for some reason they lose them. They begin to fall down the social ladder.   Because money is such an important factor in their lives,   once they begin to lose their money they begin to lose much more.   They start to lose friends and more importantly their self-dignity.   They are like the people we see in Moore's movies.   They lose everything and don’t have anywhere to turn.   In Peter Marin’s piece â€Å"Helping and Hating the Homeless†, he tells us that the homeless   â€Å"were people more or less like ourselves: members of the working or middle class†.   This is very ironic because we think of ourselves as much better than the homeless.   But money is truly the only difference between us.

The Negative Impact of Low Wage Jobs Essay -- Dead End Jobs

What if one had to work long hours, with countless hours of no sleep, a stress level that was skyrocketing, earning money that could barely support a family? There is a woman approximately the age of forty working full time at a restaurant. Her hands were wrinkled from washing dishes in bleach water. A few white hairs have grown under her thick, black hair. Dark bags are under her eyes, which seems as though she does not get much sleep. This is how the average low working employees suffer! Many people are stuck in this crisis. Behind this woman the truth has not yet been seen, but these truths will soon be revealed. The forty year old woman comes home with a backache and eventually when her conditions get worse she would have to go see a doctor. However, there is one problem: she does not have medical insurance and she cannot afford to go see a doctor when she is already behind with her bills and rent. She has enough stress at home and she works hard to make ends meet, but it is not enough. Low wage jobs negatively affect the physical and psychological state of the working poor. Many households cannot survive with one income. Prices are going up, and low income families are struggling in this economy, which mean parents must work more than one job. Twenty two percent of U.S workforce earns $22,350 per year--an amount that means families of four subsist at the poverty line (Lehigh). Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck cannot afford to miss a few shifts because it can leave families struggling to pay rent and buy groceries. These people work day and night scraping every penny they can earn. They take no days off which can cause problems to their health. According to researcher Davis J. Paul Leigh at the University of Ca... ...tional Injuries | UC Health." Low-wage Workers Vulnerable to Impact of Occupational Injuries | UC Health. N.p., 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 21 May 2013. Spross, Jeff. "Low-Wage Jobs Don’t Just Harm Workers — They Harm Their Children." ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 21 May 2013. Johnson, Justin. "The Effects of Minimum Wage on Health Care | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 21 May 2013. Shemkus, Sarah. "Increasing the Minimum Wage: Pros & Cons." Salary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2013. Greenwald, Robert. "Walmart: The High Cost Of Low Prices FULL MOVIE." YouTube. YouTube, 01 November 2005. Web. 21 May 2013. Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting by in America. New York: Metropolitan, 2001. Print. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. N. pag. Print. The Negative Impact of Low Wage Jobs Essay -- Dead End Jobs What if one had to work long hours, with countless hours of no sleep, a stress level that was skyrocketing, earning money that could barely support a family? There is a woman approximately the age of forty working full time at a restaurant. Her hands were wrinkled from washing dishes in bleach water. A few white hairs have grown under her thick, black hair. Dark bags are under her eyes, which seems as though she does not get much sleep. This is how the average low working employees suffer! Many people are stuck in this crisis. Behind this woman the truth has not yet been seen, but these truths will soon be revealed. The forty year old woman comes home with a backache and eventually when her conditions get worse she would have to go see a doctor. However, there is one problem: she does not have medical insurance and she cannot afford to go see a doctor when she is already behind with her bills and rent. She has enough stress at home and she works hard to make ends meet, but it is not enough. Low wage jobs negatively affect the physical and psychological state of the working poor. Many households cannot survive with one income. Prices are going up, and low income families are struggling in this economy, which mean parents must work more than one job. Twenty two percent of U.S workforce earns $22,350 per year--an amount that means families of four subsist at the poverty line (Lehigh). Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck cannot afford to miss a few shifts because it can leave families struggling to pay rent and buy groceries. These people work day and night scraping every penny they can earn. They take no days off which can cause problems to their health. According to researcher Davis J. Paul Leigh at the University of Ca... ...tional Injuries | UC Health." Low-wage Workers Vulnerable to Impact of Occupational Injuries | UC Health. N.p., 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 21 May 2013. Spross, Jeff. "Low-Wage Jobs Don’t Just Harm Workers — They Harm Their Children." ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 21 May 2013. Johnson, Justin. "The Effects of Minimum Wage on Health Care | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 21 May 2013. Shemkus, Sarah. "Increasing the Minimum Wage: Pros & Cons." Salary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2013. Greenwald, Robert. "Walmart: The High Cost Of Low Prices FULL MOVIE." YouTube. YouTube, 01 November 2005. Web. 21 May 2013. Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting by in America. New York: Metropolitan, 2001. Print. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. N. pag. Print.

Business Ethics Essay

This paper will focus on Benji Watson, a graduate from the Liberty University MBA program and his recruitment by a corporation that sells various vitamins, health foods and health supplements; New Gen Health Sciences. The case study that was presented provides us certain information that Benji has either gotten from his recruiter or from his own personal research. After a weekend of being at the company introduction event, Benji is presented with a dilemma as to whether to accept the lucrative offer New Gen has presented him. Throughout this paper I will take a closer look as to whether I believe Benji should or should not accept his contract offer from New Gen. Integrity One of the most important factors when looking into joining a corporation is to take a look from the top and see how the CEO runs his corporation. Benji has already had several red flags raised as to the business practices that the CEO of New Gen employs throughout his corporation. Mary C. Daly (2003) describes how a Harvard Business School case study quoted an Enron official who gave a description of Jeffrey Skilling’s decision-making process as follows: â€Å"It was all about creating an atmosphere of deliberately breaking the rules† (p. 269-270). She goes on to say that in a similar situation, Salomon Brothers encouraged extreme risk taking in the pursuit of profits that sometimes were not within the ethics or morals of the individual (p. 270). A severe lack of integrity within these corporations ultimately led to their demise. Unfortunately, it seems as if the CEO of New Gen is headed down this same path in his pursuit of profits. The CEO of New Gen claims to be a person who cares about people and making their lives better, yet he displays a total lack of integrity when he referred to the company’s customers as â€Å"fat, lazy, lethargic Americans.† Benji needs to ask himself, is this the type of boss I want to work for? To make matters worse and to once again bring the CEO’s integrity into question, he harshly asked another potential employee whose infant child was crying to leave the room as to not bother the others who were in the room. I would caution Benji to take into consideration these actions when he makes his decision. Julia Sferlazzo (2012) describes two types of business ethics theories and the debate that focuses on whose interest’s managers should consider when they are making decisions (p. 772). The two theories, shareholder and stakeholder theories respectively, both take a different approach in how they go about implementing their business ethics. The shareholders theory basically involves when the only duty of the manager is to pursue profit and that the only obligations they have are to act within the confines of the law. This theory was favored in the early 1900’s but over the past several decades this theory has fallen out of favor in terms of government regulation due to the corruption and corporate greed. In the stakeholders theory, a balance is placed on what is in the best interest of the shareholder, employees, the community, and as society. This theory of professional ethics is accepted the most amongst academics (Sferlazzo, 2012, p.772-773). Based on the theories I have outlined above, I believe that New Gen more closely falls in line with the shareholder theory, and one that could lead down the path of corruption. Although New Gen is not ethically doing anything illegal, they are falsely marketing their company as a leader in ethics when in reality they are only in pursuit of the maximum amount of profit. â€Å"For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But though, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness† (Timothy 6:10-11, NIV). Strategic Ethics vs. Real Ethics In Dobson’s (n.d.) critique, he states several times that although a business’ actions may appear moral, it is clear that the motivation can sometimes only be material. This question is are these companies only saying they are running an ethical business as motivation to attract investors or are they taking action on what they are saying by their real ethics they are imploring. When Benji was conversing with his recruiter about New Gen’s industry leading ethics code, the recruiter basically told him that it was a strategy that the company had to say in order to ensure  government regulations were met and they could entice investors. This should be a red flag for Benji that this company may be employing a strategic ethic instead of real ethics in order to attract new investors rather than doing the right thing. These dishonest business practices along with not being able to adhere to real ethics and using them only to their strategic advantage will eventually ca tch up to this company and its financials will struggle if these practices continue. â€Å"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves† (Matthew 7:15, NIV). Benji would be wise to heed the advice that Jesus gave to Matthew when advising him on how to enter the kingdom of heaven. Spiritually, Benji has to make a conscience effort to continue to research and investigate on whether this is a wise decision for him to accept a job from a potential dishonest corporation. Is New Gen a corporation that values its consumers and employers both ethically and spiritually or are they a corporation that only uses their â€Å"industry leading ethics code† as a strategic ploy to attract their investors? These are the questions Benji must consider when deciding on accepting this contract offer. The Decision From both a spiritual and an ethical perspective there is no way that I would advise Benji to accept this job offer. Although this job appears lucrative from the outside looking in, upon further research Benji should realize that this company’s foundation is based upon furthering the profit for the CEO and not taking into consideration of the stakeholders. Furthermore, New Gen is a company that is dishonest and shows a total disregard to the integrity that a reputable business would display. In no way would I advise Benji to accept this job offer. References Daly, Mary C. (2003). INTEGRITY IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW: TEACHING INTEGRITY IN THE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY CURRICULUM: A MODEST PROPOSAL FOR CHANGE. Fordham Law Review, 72, 261-277. Dobson, John (n.d.). Virtue Ethics as a Foundation for Business Ethics: A â€Å"MacIntyre-Based Critique† Retrieved May 15, 2013, from http://www.stthomas.edu/cathstudies/cst/conferences/antwerp/papers/dobson.pdf Sferlazzo, Julia (2012). Learning Legal Ethics From MBAs: How a Comparison of Legal and Business Ethics Could Promote Ethical Professional Behavior. Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, 25, 769-786.

Appearance vs. Reality -Macbeth

‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair’, a phrase that has become synonym with Macbeth. It is also the introduction to one of the most important themes of this tragedy: appearance and reality. Shakespeare uses various characters and situations to emphasize this confusion between the real and the surreal, the authentic and the fake, the act and the sincere. In order to discuss this theme, different characters will be looked at: in the first paragraph, the Witches, in the second, Duncan and in the third, Lady Macbeth.Appearance vs.  reality is also seen in the beginning of the play when the witches introduce the quotation, â€Å"fair is foul, and foul is fair,† or what seems good is really bad—Macbeth; and what seems bad is really good—Malcolm flees Scotland when his father dies and looks guilty, but he is only trying to protect himself. The witches' second set of predictions promise Macbeth a long reign. They tell half-truths to give him a â€Å"false sen se of security. † Though the first prediction is true (â€Å"Beware Macduff†), the other two predictions make Macbeth believe he can't be killed.The appearance of the predictions lures him, and the reality behind them destroys Macbeth. The Witches introduce the theme with the infamous phrase â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair† in the first scene. It’s functional for the Witches to say this in the beginning of the book, as they are the start of all the perplexity. They become the core of confusion when they awaken Macbeth’s ambition and transform his perspective of good and evil, making bad things look good and good things look bad. Ironically in connection with this, Banquo warns Macbeth, â€Å"Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence†.The Witches continue to speak in contradicting language, such as â€Å"lesser than Macbeth, and greater† and â€Å"Not so happy, yet much happier† that adds to the s ense of moral confusion, by implying that nothing is quite what it seems. Banquo’s warning is fulfilled at the end of the play when the Witches had won Macbeth’s trust with prophecies that became true –‘honest trifles’- and then betray him in the things that really mattered, his life and his country -‘deepest consequence’- to win his spirit for hell.Until his death, King Duncan was misled by Macbeth’s false loyalty. When the Thane of Cawdor had been found guilty of being a traitor and was hanged, King Duncan thought so highly of Macbeth, that he gave the title to him. The Thane then ironically dies with pride while Macbeth dies a foe of Scotland. The King was under the impression that Macbeth was a loyal and brave soldier, calling him â€Å"O worthiest cousin†, but Macbeth was actually already planning to kill the King, â€Å"whose murder yet is but fantastical†.Even when Duncan goes to visit Macbeth, he praises the castle’s pleasant environment and hospitality, â€Å"This castle hath a pleasant seat†, but is totally unaware of Macbeth’s plans to murder him. From the first time we meet Lady Macbeth, we get the impression of a strong-willed and bold person, an ideal wife. As the play evolves, Macbeth grows stronger and Lady Macbeth begins to despair, commits suicide and proves to be the antithesis of an ideal wife.She seems to lack conscience, saying â€Å"A little water clears us of this deed†, but towards the end her conscience drives her mad and she sleepwalks, washing her hands and saying â€Å"Out, damned spot! † refering to the blood she imagines to see on her hands as a result of her plaguy conscience. In conclusion, interestingly Macbeth’s first line in the play is â€Å"So foul and fair a day I have not seen†, suggesting Macbeth as the focus of the play’s moral confusion.Within him the conflict between good and evil continue, in t he end driving him to his death. It’s clear to see that Shakespeare identified in life what he saw as the world’s fatal flaw, the inability to distinguish between appearance and reality, using Macbeth as a tool to communicate this. Throughout the play appearances, which are often deceitful, influence the whole plot of the play. It comes out mainly through the way Macbeth saw Kingship as a form of security and prestige but was then faced with even stronger feelings of insecurity and fear.

Education Reform Essay

Education reform has been a heavily debated topic over the past several decades. This dispute, over education standards, peaked my interest due to my belief that the majority of students in public schools across the United States are underperforming in comparison to other first world countries. On the other hand some teachers and education professionals consider the existing policies adequate in teaching students, and they oppose any new regulations bestowed on by the federal government. These professionals fear that the outcome of increased government action will only result in further standardized testing. There are a plethora of aspects pertaining to education reform, I will just be focusing on a few, including; whether additional schooling controls economic prosperity, if written exams indicate the knowledge a student retains from a particular course, and should the federal government regulate the education system? By beginning some perfunctory research I quickly decided that the United States was in fact in dire need for reform. I chose to investigate further into the issue to find a clearer understanding of what schools and faculty can do to better assist their students. The process of establishing and supporting my thesis was a culmination of multiple components. My Ultimate goal is for the reader to fully comprehend the impurities of public education. My research began with determining a topic, then the research portion of the assignment commenced. Research was not as easy as entering your topic in on a search engine, the sources had to be specific to your topic, from a trustworthy publisher, and factual. Additionally there were requirement as to the medium of sources we needed to incorporate, such as a book, an interview, and a periodical.

Bio Answers

Lecture Quiz- 10/9/2010 Answer Key 1. The scientific study of life is called: A. biology B. ecology C. anatomy D. biochemistry E. limnology 2. Human beings are _______________ because they are composed of many cell types. A. unicellular B. acellular C. asymmetrical D. autotrophic E. multicellular 3. A/an _______ is composed of a group of similar cells that perform a particular function. A. organ B. system C. organism D. tissue E. population 4. Choose the CORRECT order (1-5) of increasing complexity/organization. A. 1) tissues, (2) organ systems, (3) cells, (4) organs, (5) organism B. (1) cells, (2) organ systems, (3) tissues, (4) organs, (5) organism C. (1) tissues, (2) organs, (3) organ systems, (4) cells, (5) organism D. (1) cells, (2) tissues, (3) organs, (4) organ systems, (5) organism 5. In an experiment designed to test the effect of temperature on goldfish respiration, the temperatures that were changed represent the ______ variable. A. control B. responding C. experimental D. correlative E. placebo 6. Which of the following is considered a basic tissue type?A. epithelial B. connective C. muscle D. nervous E. All of the above 7. ____________ exist as small biconcave blood cells that lack a nucleus when they are mature and carry oxygen throughout the body. A. Neutrophils B. Erythrocytes C. Platelets D. Monocytes E. Lymphocytes 8. ___________ receives sensory input, integrates data, and conducts impulses. A. Epithelial tissue B. Connective tissue C. Muscular tissue D. Nervous tissue E. Vascular tissue 9. The phospholipid bilayer that surrounds/maintains the integrity of a cell is called a: A. plasma membrane B.Sanger enclosure C. hydrophobic membrane D. dialysis membrane E. mosaic membrane 10. _____________ are small membranous structures that occur within the cell and have various functions. A. Matrices B. Organelles C. Cytoskeleton D. Golgi bodies E. Ribosomes 11. In the fluid-mosaic model of the plasma membrane, the phospholipid molecules are oriented s o that the _____________ heads are facing the outside environment and the ________________ tails are facing the interior of the membrane. A. hydrophobic, hydrophilic B. hydrophilic, hydrophobic C. utotrophic, heterotrophic D. heterotrophic, autotrophic E. ectothermic, endothermic 12. The diffusion of water across a semi-permeable membrane is called: A. denaturation B. osmosis C. dispersion D. dissociation E. reconstitution 13. Choose the CORRECT statement about solute concentrations or particles inside and outside the cell. A. In a hypertonic solution, there are more particles inside the cell. B. In a hypotonic solution, there are more particles outside the cell. C. In an isotonic solution the number of particles is equal. D.Lysis usually occurs when a cell is exposed to hypertonic solutions. E. Lysis occurs when a cell is exposed to an isotonic solution 14. The assisted transport of a molecule across the cell membrane without an expenditure of energy is known as ______. A. diffusio n B. facilitated transport C. active transport D. osmosis E. None of the choices are correct. 15. The _______ is a stack of slightly curved saccules that are important in packaging and secretion. A. mitochondria B. vacuoles C. Golgi apparatus D. lysosomes E. Endoplasmic reticulum 16.Molecular biologists have determined that during protein synthesis that the messenger RNA exits the nucleus through small openings in the nuclear envelope. These openings are known as ____. A. nuclear pores B. nucleoli C. Golgi bodies D. lysosomes E. peroxisomes 17. Glycolysis occurs within the ___________ and the citric acid cycle and electron transport chain occur within the _____________. A. mitochondrion, cytoplasm B. mitochondrion, plasma membrane C. cytoplasm, mitochondrion D. cytoplasm, lysosome E. plasma membrane, cytoplasm 18.The formation of ______ bonds involves the transfer of electrons from one atom to another nearby atom. A. covalent B. ionic C. hydrogen D. polar E. all of the above 19. In an acidic solution: A. the number of H+ is less than the number of OHB. the number of OH- is greater than the number of H+ C. the number of H+ is equal to the number of OHD. the number of H+ is greater than the number of OHE. none of the above 20. Glucose breakdown leads to _________. A. DNA replication B. ATP buildup C. RNA synthesis D. ATP degradation E. ADP breakdown

Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Hinduism - Essay Example This can be seen by their varying ideas and explanations of the world, as well as the distinct differences in their beliefs and religion systems. Hinduism is a complex, ancient religion. It is unique because it has no known founder, as with the other religions. Hinduism cannon was put together over the years and mixed with other traditions and lore, until it finally was written down in the Vedas. It is the world's oldest religion, and also the worlds third largest, falling in place behind Christianity and Islam (Hin). Often, Hinduism is confused and labeled as a polytheistic religion, when it is not as simple as that. The writings teach that there is one main deity, Brahman, who can from time to time appear to humans in many different forms and shapes. The Brahman is the supreme deity in the Hinduism religion, however it offers an interesting shape and role to the kind of divine and divinity most religions offer. The God of Hinduism is referred to as Brahman when it is referred to as the all encompassing supreme power of the world. It is one and part of the world, and is part of everything and everyone within its creation. "Brahman is often described succinctly as sacchidananda, meaning 'Truth-Consciousness-Bliss', not only possessing the qualities but also being their very essence."( Hin) showing that inside the religion of Hinduism, the Brahman is everything and anything, and is the supreme force and energy of the world. There are many different interpretations and understandings of Brahman. One such belief states that "ultimately Brahman (the impersonal God) is beyond mere intellectual description and can be understood only through direct spiritual experience, where the 'knower' and the 'known' are subsumed into the act of 'knowing'. The goal is to "wake up" and realize that one's atman, or soul, is really identical to Brahman, the uber-soul(Hin). This helps explain the idea that the Brahman unites all people, and is part of everything and the entirety of the world around us. Several different areas of thought have ideas that contradict this school of thought, and may believe that the Brahman actually has being and personality, and may associate the Brahman with one of the lesser gods of the religion, such as Vishnu, Shiva, or Shakti. All of these different interpretations of the Hindu understanding all come from its ancient history, different readings of the sacred texts, as well as different and modern interpretations of faith. There is also another understanding of the Hindu divine, this being the idea of Isharva, of a more personal idea and personality of the God figure. This is the idea of God as a supreme being, and not an overwhelming force and eternal power such as tied into the Brahman ideology. Some sects of Hinduism do not believe in this idea at all, and some of them believe in it in different forms and facets of belief. Also included in the Hindu belief system is the idea of devas, or demi-gods. It is not uncommon for a Hindu worshipper to pick one of these gods as their personal god, and this god may be passed down as part of family life, traditions, or culture. These personal demi-gods are very unique to the Hinduism religion, and a integral part of their culture, artwork, and history (Hin). Hindus also have varying thoughts and beliefs on the connection between the human and divine. The Atman is the Hindu word for "soul" or "self", and is associated with Hindu

Gained Knowledge From Taking the English Composition Class Essay

Gained Knowledge From Taking the English Composition Class - Essay Example My learning outcomes as illustrated above have been diverse with the main motivation being the overall abilities acquired through the course. So far I have been able to exhibit a proper understanding of grammar which is captured through improved sentence structures and through grammar usage. My scope of writing has improved and I can be able to write effectively with the inclusion of thesis statement and other minor structural factors that define the success of an English composition class. Through the attendance of the class, I have been able to link up the different aspects of composition writing, through developing a proper beginning to an essay, developing the body of the essay and also in elaborating the conclusion which captures the entirety of the essay written. Reid (2000) Other additions have been in relation to the organization both derived from an individual basis and also as reflected on the essays I have written. The composition class has engaged my reasoning which has aided in the arrangement of my essays through the integration of different strategies ranging from transitional devices which guarantee improved flow and consistency in my presentations. Through the change, I have learned how to express different tones and level of formality in my essay examples which has proved vital in capturing the attention of the audience and improved individual awareness. In relation to the assertion above, through embracing diversity in writing, my cognitive skills have improved resulting in analytical thinking, critical reading and improved awareness of the subject matter.

Canada Geese Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Canada Geese - Research Paper Example s an aspect of how organisms relate to their environment and the adaptive features that are common among a certain population that makes them fit for a certain ecological area. This paper is going to discuss biological aspects with emphasis put on the Canada geese such as the habitats, reproduction, range, adaptations and ecology. Canada geese are water birds with big bodies, long neck, large and webbed feet, brown back and a tan breast. In addition, these birds have a black head, a chinstrap and white cheeks. These living organisms are characterized by their movements in flocks or in pairs. A habitat is basically an ecological area that is home to a certain species of living organisms. However, it is important to note that a habitat is not limited to geographical areas only, in the case of parasites such as viruses, the host is the habitat. A habitat is composed of both biological and physical factors. Biological factors include: predators, for instance a certain species might be forced to change its habitat due to the invasion of predators which could be threatening its extinction. For example, an increase in population of lions in a certain locality is a threat to the antelope population. Therefore antelopes would be forced to flee thus changing their habitats. All organisms need food for survival. Therefore depletion of food quantity in a certain locality is a biological factor that determines habitats for living organisms. A prolonged dry condition in a certain locality can result in encroachment of desert condition in that geographical locality; this therefore depletes food reservoirs for herbivores thus forcing them to flee to grounds that are food secure. Social factors are also vital as far as species habitation is concern. These factors include: soil types, moisture, availability of sun light and the temperature range. Specific species can survive in areas with a certain temperature range, thus change in this range is likely to evoke migration of that

Dell evaluating the potential outsourcing of the firms software Essay

Dell evaluating the potential outsourcing of the firms software development services in Russia, Brazil, and UAE - Essay Example The firm has managed to create a powerful network of branches internationally. However, its performance is not stable, meaning that the firm has been proved vulnerable to market pressures, as this problem can be identified in the firm’s financial statements, as, indicatively, analyzed below. The review of the firm’s financial and operational characteristics and challenges has led to the assumption that the outsourcing of the firm’s software development services would significantly strengthen company performance through the improvement of the rate of response to customers’ orders and requests. At the same time, the firm’s position in its industry would be stabilized and strengthened since the firm would be able to achieve an important increase of its profits even in the long term. At this point, the following issue appears: which country would become the firm’s most important supporter, in terms of the promotion of the particular business proj ect. The potential participation of a firm based on one of the following countries: Russia, Brazil and UAE is evaluated in this paper. It is concluded that all three countries have certain advantages for supporting such business project. However, seems that two of them, Russia and UAE would be preferred, as they are proved more ready to support the specific initiatives. The basis of this assumption is presented below. The characteristics of the company and of the industry involved are also explained at the level that they can justify the decision of the firm to outsource its software development services. 2. Dell – analysis of the aspects of outsourcing the firm’s software development services in Russia, Brazil, and UAE 2.1 Company characteristics Dell is a

Planting and maintaining trees in tough sites Term Paper

Planting and maintaining trees in tough sites - Term Paper Example One of the main researches that were made by this field was the identification and recognition of the characteristics of land that make it tough for trees plantation. A number of characteristics have been identified that make a land a ‘tough site’. CHARACTERISTICS OF TOUGH SITES: 1. POORLY DRAINED SOIL: The drainage of the soil is the main category to consider the toughness of a site for plantation purposes. A site is said to contain well-drained soil if it is capable of draining column of water of 24-inch in 24 hours or less. A test for this purpose is conducted through digging a 24-inch deep hole in the land and filling it with water. It is then examined whether the water is drained in 24 hours or not. If the water is not fully drained even after 24 hours, the soil is deemed to be poorly drained. 2. DROUGHTY SOILS: The soil is said to be droughty soil if the drainage rate is very high and a 24-inch water column is drained in very few minutes. The content of organic mat ter is also very less in droughty soils, sometimes lesser than 1%. This can be calculated by a laboratory test. 3. ALKALINE SOIL: The alkalinity of soil is also considered to determine the toughness of a site. A soil with higher value of PH (PH>7.0) is considered to be alkaline. It is important to note here that most of the trees grow better in acidic soil with PH

Moral Principle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Moral Principle - Essay Example Morality of actions define whether an action is considered as morally correct or not therefore it is important that some practical examples of actions which can be considered as good or not are presented. In this section, I will enumerate three examples each of actions which can be considered as morally right or wrong. Above examples indicate that the morality of each of the actions described above are based on their relative connection with the individual perception of good and bad. Individuals may perceive and internalize the truth according to their own mental perception of how they view and process the facts from moral perspectives. The underlying moral principle which I believe can succinctly define above actions is the relativistism of these actions with good or bad. Actions can be considered as good or bad based on the way they are related with acceptable ways of doing things. I, therefore, believe that my underlying moral principle based on the above actions is related with relativistim of actions with acceptable norms and values. For example, war in its strictest sense may be morally wrong, however, considering the circumstances around 9/11 event and loss of innocent lives, it may be a morally justified war because it is based on a contextual point of reference. The moral principle described above therefore is a direct derivative of the examples mentioned above. The basic underlying principles of Utilitarianism advocate on the utility of the actions regardless of their consequences, therefore, any action under utilitarianism is considered as morally right, which can create greatest good for the greatest number of people. This is regardless of the fact the consequences of the action may not be entirely favorable or good, and it was because of this reason that utilitarianism endorses actions, which have significantly different consequences for minority. My principle is similar to the utilitarianism in the sense that both

Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed Essay - 2

Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed by increased competition for energy and food resources; and what initiatives might Qatar pursue to reduce these risks - Essay Example Massive reliance on imports poses the risk of biological or chemical attack, or even intentional food contamination by international suppliers1. There is, therefore, a critical concern to national security when a country relies heavily on international supplies. Another key risk relates to price factors in both food and energy. Economic and political disturbances around the world spread shockwaves to the affected states. In such an event, Qatar and other GCC members would be on the receiving end. The influence of global states when it comes to prices could cripple domestic operations designed to enhance national security. In other words, food security that primarily depends on international trade comes with price-based risks2. Finally, the risk of terrorism will heighten as competition for food and energy increases. To reduce these risks, Qatar will need to secure her imports from around the world, as well as enhance food security at the domestic level3. Most importantly, initiatives to dismantle extremist groups and terrorists will play a fundamental role in reducing threats to national

Girl Interrupted Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Girl Interrupted - Movie Review Example As the story progresses, Susanna became attached to Lisa who influenced her to cause troubles with the other patients. There was even a point where Susanna rejected the idea that she wasn't sick as what her boyfriend had told her because she relied much on Lisa. Susanna only came to realize how dangerous Lisa's personality was after Daisy killed herself and Lisa showed no mercy. Lisa even attacked Susanna and threatened to kill herself, too. At the end of the movie, Susanna was released from the institution. She left a remarkable line "Crazy isn't about being broken, or swallowing a dark secret. It's you, or me, amplified...". According to a study conducted by World Health Organization (2010) depression, anxiety, psychological distress, sexual violence, domestic violence and escalating rates of substance use affect women to a greater extent than men across different countries and different settings.

Sex and Gender Essay Example for Free

Sex and Gender Essay When most of us think about differences between men and women (or boys and girls) we tend to think first about the biology involved. The physical shape of our bodies genitalia mostly, but also the relative breadth of hips and shoulders, the presence or absence of a uterus and the potential to sustain a pregnancy helps us sort humans into male and female. Simple as pie. Which is good because sorting people by sex is something that is very important to most people. Watch nearly anybody go up to someone holding an infant and the first thing that she or he will ask the parent if the child is a girl or a boy. But why should it matter to anyone what the sex of the baby is? Even if it is easy to tell masculine from feminine. Except, of course, that its not. Theres nothing at all simple about the differences that exist between men and women because the biological differences between the sexes are only the beginning of the overall difference. (And even the biology itself can be ambiguous at times: Intersex individuals and others whose DNA is different from the most common XX or XY can be ambiguous in terms of appearance. Much of what gives us our gender identity as opposed to what we might call our sexual classification derives not from biology (or at not from genetics) but from the social and cultural values that give shape to each persons life. Because of this latter fact, the sociologist (along with the anthropologist and the social psychologist) is ideally qualified to help us understand what distinguishes the male from the female and why there are more differences among men and women than between them. Doctors and physiologists are of far less use in determining gender than one might have suspected. One of the most longstanding, most intense (and ultimately most frustrating) questions within the social sciences is that of nature-versus-nurture or how much we come into the world with and how much that birthright is shaped by our experiences ex utero. This is frustrating because, of course, there is simply no way to determine what we begin with in terms of understanding our gender and having a sense of self: Infants are very poor reporters about their internal states. Moreover, phrasing the question as one of a binary choice between nature and nuture suggests that the two do not interact with each other rather than the reality, which is that they continuously affect, alter, or reinforce each other in an iterative fashion. The area of sex and gender is one in which this debate (of nature and nurture) is especially fierce. This is true currently not primarily because of any discussion or disagreement about the nature of sex differences but rather because of the debate over same-sex marriage. One of the arguments that many proponents about same-sex marriage make is that sexual orientation is biological, something that results either from genetics, from biological conditions in utero, or from some interaction among genetics, biology, and other factors. If we accept this to be the case (and I do), then it is important to acknowledge that there are clear genetic/biological elements to gender identity and gender orientation in addition to the physical shape of peoples bodies. Thus, while I am arguing here that gender is primarily socially and culturally constructed, I am not disregarding the fact that biology has no small part in identity. While I am discussing the issue of sexual orientation, I would like to note that one of the ways in which men and women are both like each other (and highly variable within each sex) is that of sexual orientation. Very few men and women are purely heterosexual or purely homosexual. Rather most women and most men fall somewhere between these two poles. In this way a woman who is wholly homosexual is more like a man who is wholly homosexual than she is like a woman who is wholly heterosexual. The graph below demonstrates the way in which sexual orientation plays out. Men and women can equally be graphed in each sector, and those in each sector are highly similar to each other, regardless of sex (Ross, 1983, p. 28). Likewise, those of the same sex can be very different from each other depending where they fall on this scale of sexual orientation. But while there is an important biological element to gender, the majority of what creates a sense of gender identity (that is, what makes us identify and understand what masculine and feminine are and provides us with the psychological and social tools that allow us to act the way society expects us to) come about through several key areas: Our families and home environments, religious institutions (in some cases), schools, mass media, and what we might call simply society or culture. From infancy, our culture teaches what it means to be a boy or a girl. From the colour of clothes to the toys we play with, the messages begin at a very early age. Young people are influenced by a barrage of messages to conform to a variety of expectations, to buy this widget, and to preserve a rigid set of values that stress the differences between genders (Learning Gender Stereotypes, n. d. ) Because I think that it has the most influence of all (simply because of the amount of time we spend at home and the fact that we are exposed primarily to our families when we are developmentally at our most receptive or vulnerable I will focus on the family of origin and the early home environment, including toys. Anyone who has spent some time with small children knows that there is a great deal of pressure on parents to give their children the right toys. This is (I believe) generally true more for boys than for girls. A relevant anecdote here. A few weeks ago I was in a Target store and heard a man talking to a woman I assume his wife who was carrying an infant. She had a package of pacifiers in her hand and the man was saying, You get him anything that isnt blue and I swear to God if he turns out to be a fag then Ill kill you. I wanted to kidnap the child. Many parents are adamant about dressing girls in pink (and handing them only dolls to play with) and boys in blue (and giving them only cars and guns). Parents who raise their children like this tend to make the argument that they are not forcing their children into gender roles, but rather that they are simply catering to the inherent gender self-identity of their children. This is perhaps most commonly seen in the way that parents dismiss the bad behavior of their sons with the phrase, Oh, boys will be boys. True but the kind of thing that a boy is is in large measure what his parents make him. Boys like girls are the creations of their cultures. We can see this dynamic in the study performed by Condry and Condry. (The study was performed in 1976, but I believe it remains valid today. It is certainly a powerful study. ) They asked a group of subjects to observe the behavior of a group of nine-month-old babies (who were dressed so that the observers could not determine the sex of the baby). After a few minutes, the babies were scared by a Jack-in-the-box leaping out at them. When observers were told that the infants were boys, the subjects described the infants as being angry. Then the next group of observers was brought in and asked to observe the same infants who were then scared (again! ) by the Jack-in-the-box. This time, told that the infants were girls, the research subjects described the infants as being fearful. Bland (1998) summarizes the cumulative effects of his kind of reinforcement from the outside world on the growing childs sense of self, including her or his sense of what her or his own gender should do. The suggestion is, that boys may react with anger, and girls with fear, because we expect them to. All through our lives we tend to behave to match the attributions people make from social stereotypes because, to behave untypically, sets us apart. We are unconsciously behaving how we are expected to.