Talking Heads Alan Bennett Essay Example

Talking Heads Alan Bennett Essay Example Talking Heads Alan Bennett Paper Talking Heads Alan Bennett Paper Essay Topic: Literature Talk The following text is an essay based on two of the six Talking Heads monologues written by Alan Bennett: Bed Among The Lentils and Her Big Chance. The essay attempts to explain whether anything is lost or gained by reading these plays as short stories rather than seeing performances on television or the stage. The Talking Head monologues were originally written for performance on television, though they are also available as a collection of short stories. It has been suggested that Bennett created the pieces for specific performers, all of who are, to a certain extent, associated with him. It is therefore probable that he tailored the material to suit the individual actors styles. Bed among the Lentils starred Maggie Smith as Susan, who can be thought of as a typical English actress synonymous with intelligent, straight-laced, aloof characters, i. e. Miss Brody, while Her Big Chance starred Julie Walters as Leslie, who, at that time, was best known for her ditsy, flamboyant, comic roles. Casting of this kind makes a difference to the way in which the characters are accepted by the audience. The Actors individual nuances and deliverance would have been taken into account when the plays were written and would make a vast difference to the way in which the characters are shown. Being aware of a particular Actors performance strengthens the language the character uses. It makes the language used appropriate to the characters social background and since all the pieces were intended for performance, there is a musical quality to the text, which makes it sound more effective when read aloud. Though the text also stands reasonably well as a series of short stories, the fluent language used by each individual Actor as a repetitive musical rhythm of speech, i. e. Susan with her monotone delivery and Leslie with her high-octane quality, does add to the performance. One of the features of these stories is that there is an invisible barrier between the main characters and the real world. Each person has a secret which is well hidden but never revealed or acknowledged voluntarily. Each person hides her weakness Susans alcoholism and loss of faith Lesleys promiscuity and lack of talent. Each character keeps up a pretence of normality and Bennett shows us, through the eye of the camera, how each person struggles to maintain a facade. The characters dont seem to talk to the audience, but at it. Susan, the vicars wife, tells the story of her alcoholism and rehabilitation. She feels she is trapped in a loveless marriage to an Anglican clergyman, has taken to drink and begun an affair with an Asian grocer. Initially, Susan does come across as someone who is full of contempt for sex, with her description of sex as frightful collisions, or her own sex with Geoffrey as desiccated conjunctions. This at first suggests that she is simply a woman who lacks sexual desire. However, we later discover that it is a mere lack of desire with regards to Geoffrey. Her constant reference to Rameshs wonderful legs indicates great sexual desire. We therefore have this image of Susan as an unfulfilled woman in every respect, which is enhanced by the envious tone in her voice when she notices people, on a Sunday afternoon, Living, but when she refers to Mr Ramesh it is enhanced by the smile on the Actors lips. Susan despises her husband and his loyal band of parishioners and what they stand for but her involvement in the church is so fundamental to her life that she has even started to date important events in her life by holidays and occasions in religion. She remembers sleeping with Ramesh as being the second Sunday after Trinity. This is highlighted by the Actors voice, for example, when Susan is heard to recant part of the Lords prayer it is with a musical preaching tone which had been preceded and immediately followed by a mono-tonal quality, used when she is speaking of her life. Susans appearance is a good indicator as to how she is feeling about herself and her life. When the audience first sees her she is dressed in dull, shabby clothing and has unkempt, lank hair. She makes no mention of her problem with alcohol, except by allusion, until the final scene when she reveals that she has been to Alcoholics Anonymous. Even her rehabilitation is seen by her as another religion and Geoffreys attitude to it and to her are recounted with scant affection. It is apparent by the Actors delivery that there is no love lost between Susan and Geoffrey. He is, we are told, more interested in using the experience as a means of acquiring status as an upwardly mobile parson and according to Susan, this is what is in store for them both as Geoffrey brandishes Susans hand and tells her story all over the diocese. Susan is a changed woman at the end of the story, having, for the time being, given up drinking. This is clearly visible as the character is now well dressed, clean and smart with perfect hair and makeup. She is still Mrs Vicar, but the audience is left thinking that this might not last and there is an uncertainty to her future. Her attitude has not softened at all and this is obvious in the Actors delivery, the same mono-tonal voice and blank expression. It seems that though she is well aware of her situation, she has not yet decided what to do about it and her future is unclear. Susan remains, despite her reformation, a vicars wife who has lost her faith and is still dissatisfied with her marriage and her husband. With Leslie, in Her Big Chance, it would seem that Bennett based this character on various types he had seen in theatrical auditions and we can assume that she does have a certain accuracy. This is heighten by casting Julie Walters in this role. The character is first seen on a sunbed, a pastime considered to give the appearance of health though it is widely known to actually cause health problems. Using this in the opening of the play helps to build an image of Lesley of someone who is superficial and spends a lot of time on her appearance. Lesley believes herself to be professional to her fingertips when in fact she is almost completely lacking in any talent other than taking off her clothes and sleeping with the stage-hands. The parts she has played are minor, although she believes that they are important. From the first moment, Lesley builds up her small role in her head, ignoring the obvious facts that she has the part only because of the size of her breasts and that the (possibly soft-porn) production will have only a small audience. She tries desperately to improve herself, but her efforts at collecting people result only in more casual bed partners. Bennett makes her language very luvvie, and lards her story with theatrical jargon. This is delivered brilliantly by Julie Walters who is stereotypically cast in this kind of role. Lesley has no sense of humour at all, and displays a certain amount of waspishness when other characters puncture her ego. This is heightened by the expression on the characters face that shows that she is completely unaware of the sarcasm in others voices. Her naivety is displayed by the hopeless way in which she records others put-downs, and by her failure to see how distant she is from stardom. Fed by the flattery she receives from her lovers, she has an unrealistic idea of her success. Her self confidence is immense and in fact she is very difficult to like. Bennett, however, cleverly uses enough humour to prevent us from despising Lesley and we feel at the end rather sorry for her, left alone and determined to acquire another skill so that she can offer more as a person. She says at the end of her story that acting is really just giving but what she has to give is really not worth very much at all. The awful truth is that she is a victim of the fast dollar and doesnt even know that she is being exploited. Although neither of the characters intend to be funny, Bennett makes each of them speak in ways which cause the audience to laugh either at their situations or their turn of phrase, for example, Susans account of the flower arranging session with Mrs Shrubsole or Lesleys attempt to be interesting at a party. The humour comes from the seriousness of the characters, they use what they perceive to be appropriate language to recount their stories. The audience, therefore, laughs at their situations and at their pretentious behaviour and often their ignorance within those situations. They are touching and real, and at the same time both tragic and funny and this is heightened when it can be seen on the screen.

Week 7 Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week 7 Analysis - Case Study Example The company instituted a policy that allowed its customers to check-in two bags free of charge. Most airlines in the industry charge their customers $15 to $25 per bag. The strategy has been very effective because during recessionary times customers are looking for ways to save. Transportation – Southwest Airlines operates in an industry in which overhead costs are very high. The company might be foregoing a lot of income by not charging its customers money for transporting their bags. Integrated Marketing – The company is using an integrated marketing campaign in which the firm is attempting to steal market share from other companies by promoting its free bag policy. The organization might have made a mistake within its strategy by becoming the first airline in the industry to charge for carry-on bags to highlight the benefits of free bag handling. Promotional Mix – The firm’s promotional mix has been effective, but the company might not be focusing on other revenues opportunities such as increasing the amount of business flyers that utilize the firm’s services. Target market – The marketing strategy of the company is targeting flyers that are looking for a bargain price. The firm’s strategy is not focusing enough on obtaining recurrent flyers. Based on Pareto’s 80-20 rule 80% of a firm’s business comes from 20% of its customers (Starak). Public relations – The public relations campaigns of the company focus a lot on how fun it is to fly with the company. The firm might be better off by illustrating to its customers how much more value the firm offers through its combination of lower prices and free bag handling. Value based purchasing brings together information about the quality of the product or service (Ahrq). The case study is a good illustration of how companies can take advantage of recessionary times to increase their market share. Often people believe that during a recession all businesses have

Many people become Obsessed with Appearance Essay

Many people become Obsessed with Appearance - Essay Example Obsession with appearance is often referred to as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or imagined ugliness in which an individual begins to notice flaws in their body design, such as facial features or body structure, until these thoughts become a long-term obsession (Phillips, Didie, Feusner and Wilhelm, 1112). Obsession generally involves a relatively harmless belief, based often on the aforementioned media influences including celebrity worship and plastic surgery-related media, which turns into a lasting fixation on the perceived problems and can lead to disastrous social consequences such as the inability to function in society. This obsession with appearance can also stem from the natural course of aging in which the skin begins to lose its elasticity, tooth begin to lose their bright white faà §ade, and lines begin to appear on the face around the eyes and mouth. Because society tends to create a portrait of perfection by which most members of society are expected to conform, in which youthful complexions are regarded as being satisfactory and aged appearance unsatisfactory, even older adults can become obsessed with appearance and find difficulty adjusting to social environments. Even though the aging process is a natural outcome of life experiences and decades of exposure to different elements, and many of their older peers share these same facial features, many people find it difficult to cope with the aging process and long for the days when their faces were youthful. These people who become obsessed with appearance are often drawn toward cosmetic surgery as a means to remove these fixations or, fail ing to act on the obsession, they face depressive disorders or have thoughts of suicide. Further, every human being maintains measurable levels of serotonin in their brains, which is a chemical neurotransmitter, which is, from a clinical perspective, highly important in regulating

Coal industry of pakistan Essay Example for Free

Coal industry of pakistan Essay Pakistan has a very large coal reserve base only Thar coal can be used to make 40,000 MW of Electricity for the next 100 years. Regional powers like China are very much interested in the project and are willing to pour billions of dollars in these projects if the Govt. of Pakistan issues sovereign guarantee. Sector will essentially contribute to the wiping out of the difference in the electricity shortage. It would stabilise the economy as oil imports are going to decrease which contribute to $8 Billion of our imports. Coal can be exported to countries around the world. Many countries are shifting to coal as means of energy and this raises export opportunity for the coal exports too. The labour cost in the mining industry is very low as compared to other parts of the world and essentially have higher profit margins. The Tax rate is nil during exploration, mine construction and extraction phase. WEAKNESSES Serious lack of infrastructure facilities Many government restrictive policies and not much help provided by the government. Government not fulfilling there contracts. There is no consistency in Government policy. Low quality coal available mostly Too much capital required to extract the coal. Thermal energy would mean more pollution OPPORTUNITIES Expansion of energy base of Pakistan Expansion of export base and reduction of oil imports. Opportunity to boost lagging industries. Growing demand of Coal THREATS Foreign involvement which might restrict local development Restrictive policies and red tapism by government Control of reserves by only a few major players Oil Lobby being a very strong force in Pakistan. Problem faced by this Industry Lack of safety and security Pakistan’s image and political situation is a deterrent to investment Pakistan’s image and political situation is a deterrent to investment The industry sustained a stab back in the recent years. Lack of knowledge of the mineral potential. Lack of Labour Safety. Lack of Government vision. Development expenditure being used for crisis management purposes. The industry relies on the findings of the PCSIR laboratories.PCSIR labs do not possess the necessary tools and equipments for refinement of minerals. Not a convenient supply of coal and at times they have to revert to oil and gas for there production mostly the cement companies. Recommendation for the industry There has to be innovation in the sort of mining techniques being adopted in Pakistan. Adoption of modern exploration techniques like photo geology, satellite imaging, Underground Gasification can be useful for the industry. Information regarding coal reserves, grades and annual production must be maintained for the information of investors that may guide their future programme and work. And it must be easily available on Government portal. Mineral development fund to be created spent by outsourcing the infrastructure programmes to private organizations. Allocation of funds from World Bank for mineral sector programmes. Due representation to be given to all the stakeholders from mineral sector i.e. laborers, Investors e.t.c. In order to for people to be interested in the mining sector, government has to provide facilities for the workers and management near to the mining facilities. Improve the efficiency of the emergency rescuers in case of an accident in a mine. Participate in international minerals exhibitions and fairs for creating awareness of Pakistan’s mineral potential to foreign investor. This would also built the Image of Pakistan. In most of the mining camps basic facilities of roads and other basic infrastructure facilities have not been provided. As a result the mine to market accessibility is very low and also increases the cost of mining. More degrees relating to the mining industry should be started as there are only 3 till date in Pakistan A separate board for mining be made involving technocrats. Train improve capacity of all persons in minerals managements. Establish mini power plants on coal in the mining areas. Provide in service training to technical staff i.e. laborers. Establish machinery-pool to extend services on cost effective basis Provide soft loans in the mining Industry.

TV Violence and the Future of Our Children :: essays research papers

TV Violence and the Future of Our Children In recent years, the news has seemed to mimic violence that appears in television and in movies. Several incidents support the majority of people's assumption that TV violence effects a child's behavior in many ways. A child's judgment is hurt badly by viewing TV violence, which can have some serious long-term effects. First of all, when children see characters on TV or in movies triumph by using physical force, they begin to see violence as an acceptable way of resolving conflicts. As a result, children use physical or verbal abuse toward others on the playground or at school. Some parents often worry that their children will not fit in with their friends if they do not watch popular children's television programs. The same 20-year research tell us that children who watch more violent television are actually rated more poorly by their peers. Also, according to Dr. Jeanne Beckman, children who spend more time watching violent TV programming are rated more poorly by their teachers, their peers, have few problem-solving skills, and are more likely to get into trouble with the law as teenagers and young adults. Take for instance the young boy who opened fire at his school in Pearl, Mississippi. The movie the Basketball Diaries had the most effect on this boy. Children who view too much media violence may have more difficulty getting along with others. If children do not see acts of kindness between other children and adults, they are less likely to be kind, or resolve their conflicts peacefully. This makes other children less eager to play with them. Along with verbal abuse, violent TV programs do not teach good language skills. Young children tend to repeat things they hear as they begin to develop their own vocabularies. Violent movies and TV programs show children a very limited way to talk about their problems -- and to solve them. Children are visual learners and television is more visual, more salient, more intense than simply reading a story to your child. Secondly, children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others. Viewing violence encourages children to see other people as enemies rather than as individuals with thoughts and feelings like themselves. Children who cannot put themselves in others' shoes may become less desirable playmates. One perfect example that supports this idea is the Columbine High School tragedy in which two young men opened fire, detonated bombs, and killed several school mates and teachers.

COM 200 Communication building a Relationship Essay

Communication is going to be the cornerstone of any relationship; trust is going to be the heart of what makes any relationship beat and overwhelming love will be how any relationship will last. Taking the opportunity to learn more in depth about your interpersonal relationship with yourself and your partner can strengthen a relationship; therefore, taking such opportunities should be looked upon as a rehabilitation tool or a hinder on what you need to possibly improve to make a relationship work. One feature that interferes with communication with anyone whom you want to have a conversation with is barriers. Barriers are typically the reason that communication falters between individuals; therefore, it’s important to have an understanding of the conversation and be a listener. A recent article from the website skillsyouneed.com.uk mentions â€Å"Barriers may lead to your message becoming distorted and you therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and misunderstanding.† Overcoming barriers involves effective communication, especially when barriers hinder conveying a clear and concise message. Being aware of language barriers, physical outside sources like noise to nonverbal communication can and will effect a conversation. Have you ever tried to hold a conversation with a friend or family member while in a crowded restaurant, that not only had screaming or crying children but adults yelling at a television that was mounted and playing a sports show such as an NFL game will in this establishment? Under those circumstances, it’s rather amazing that a conversation can be heard, let alone understood. Many people may rely on nonverbal communication during times like those via using mediated communication such as text messaging between one another. A downfall during media communication is that your true emotions cannot be correctly stated when they are read, but so many individuals rely on mediated communication devices instead of face-to-face time. Increase of media communication has benefitted the majority of society to keep in touch with their family members, â€Å"A majority of those surveyed (83%) considers going online to be a â€Å"helpful† form of communication among family members† (Connecting Generations (2012)). Another negative about media communication is how people portray themselves through such social networks like facebook, myspace to name a few. Unfortunately, our world is not a safe place, and thanks to pedophiles, neither are social networks. Even having the knowledge of barriers that are being conducted during your conversation does not mean the receiver acknowledges the sender’s message and is willing to participate with the conversation. Some individuals just have the lack of interest in the topic at hand and decide not to maintain communication between others. You need to make sure that each person has a desire to have a rappaport and animated feelings about the conversation or you could end up with receiving a lot of â€Å"Umm†, â€Å"Yea† or a head nod. The impact that our nonverbal communication can provide a conversation and enlighten someone to what is actually going through the other person’s mind can drive a conversation instead of just relying on the power of words. It can be the simplest nonverbal communication as holding hands will driving down the road, leaving a simple gesture as a flower or having someone just smile that can impact how your day may go or end. â€Å"The best communicators are sensitive to the power of the emotions and thoughts communicated nonverbally. Nonverbal communication is the single most powerful form of communication,† stated Susan Heathfield (2013). You don’t have to say any words for what you feel you need to gesture, it’ not always necessary too. Without realization of what you are doing with your body language, facial expressions or hand gestures, you are providing the other person your true thoughts and feeling without having to say a single word. It’s about being able to read an individual with your eyes instead of listening to how they are speaking to you. One of the most important emotions someone can provide you is the sense of touch: on the cheek to trace a tear, a hug for comfort or a kiss on your lips just because they were overwhelmed with the fact that they miss you. One experience I have found with nonverbal communication is the rolling of eyes during a conversation. It shows the lack of interest, platen disrespect to the person talking and how uneducated someone is in common courtesy. I have been experiencing this particular nonverbal disrespect in my line of work for years and I have noticed how my own children have started to pick it up with some of their peers. Needless to say, we have talked about it and we are trying to improve. Unless you learn how to curb your nonverbal communication, you are capable of being read like an open book; however, there are those that flaunt nonverbal communication which is read incorrectly leading to perception, which can hinder a relationship. Perception is one of the biggest evils when it comes to any type of relationship, friend or romantic, because it’s showing a lack of trust, which is the heart of any relationship. Without perception, I believe people wouldn’t have a way to gossip or speculate about what they don’t have a clue about. The only people that truly know what is going on is those directly involved in the situation at hand; therefore, perception is what others think and want others to believe about said relationship based of their gossipy words. Words have the magical capability to create and affect attitude, behavior or perception of an individual that is being looked at from the outside; therefore, communication and the builtment of trust before judgment would accommodate any relationship. Attitude in a relationship can hinder it, even if said attitude is not specifically coming from your intimate partner. Your attitude from work can continue until you are home, during a nice dinner with your significant other and cause a conflict that wasn’t present before. I recommend establishing a rule that allows each individual to vent about their day for a maximum of ten minutes, and then they can’t mention it anymore and must enjoy their family time. We realized this works great for all family members since it’s a controlled release of all of our emotions that is not directed to anyone specific. Nan Russell wrote in his article for JobsBankUSA, â€Å"Communication that builds trust is a dialogue, with a fountain built from integrity, forthrightness and honesty.† Without those three, you can’t build trust which results in the lack of communication and therefore, no relationship. Possessing integrity and never waiving from it shows that you have principles and you will do what is right at all times. If you waive from it, your forthrightness should be direct about what you did wrong, regardless of how petty it may seem to you, because it may mean everything to the other individual. Honesty is going to be what holds your relationship together; lies are never welcomed in any type of relationship. But you need to realize outside judgment may weight heavier with your significant other or your closest friends. Outside judgment of an individual can drastically affect their attitude, behavior and how they are perceived, not just from others, but how they see themselves; therefore, they seek communication with someone they trust. Nothing hurts more than unkind words, regardless if the person knows you personally or not. People don’t realize that some take what they hear about themselves literally, and some have taken to the bullying they have endured over the years by, unfortunately, taking their lives. Projecting a better attitude than what those people are saying shows that you are the bigger person and that you feel that regardless of what any one individual may say about you, you have your own best interest at heart, and perception doesn’t mean anything to you. Finding that someone that you can trust full heartedly is a task in itself. You let all your guard down when you are fully comfortable with an individual, hoping they are not judgmental about what they hear about your past and when you find the one that doesn’t perceive you how others may do, then you can realize that they won’t ask you to place your integrity into jeopardy and take your friends at face value, instead of placing them on the back burner. Lack of trust and communication can destroy friendships, families, marriages, jobs and romantic relationships; the things that people find to be the most important in their lives. Without trust in a friend, you will feel like they are just associates. Without trust in family, you will feel like an outsider when visiting for a family get-together. Lack of trust and communication in a marriage may result in a divorce. Lack of trust and communication in the job force could lead to unemployment or a death of a co-worker. Lack of communication in a romantic relationship could mean the end before it even began. Without knowing who you are as an individual, it may affect any type of relationship you have the desire for. With the understanding of your self-concept, you are able to appreciate yourself, how your partner sees you and vice versa; however, the opinion of how others see you may affect how you see yourself. There is nothing more appreciative then someone who is confident with who they are, as long as it does not come across as cocky. When an individual realizes who they are in this life, or who they want to be, it can be the driving force of their happiness, and happiness can be contagious. According to a quote in our textbook written by Sole (2011), â€Å"Your self-concept is learned, it is organized, it is dynamic and it is changeable (Purky, 1988).† Self-concept has been part of us since we were born; we were taught to respect ourselves and respect those that are older. It’s organized due to the understanding of how we approach who we want to be. Dynamic for the impact of how our own self-concept can change other’s opinions of themselves and of us and changeable because we simply don’t know what tomorrow will bring to our lives or take away. The environment that you decide to place yourself in is going to affect you as an individual. It will help mold you into the person you feel you are, build your self-esteem and self-image; you are interchangeable to provide adaption. Wherever and however you grew up in society does not mean you have to be the same later in life. Placing yourself in an environment that makes you happy, regardless if it’s your home or occupation, is going to affect who you are going turn out to be. It will assist you in some way of how you mold your life, but it’s up to you in how you end up getting molded. Having a high self-esteem can be the driving force of how you want the world to see you, and as a couple, having self-esteem as a unit is going to be how other couples want to be you. Self-image is the appreciation of yourself, how you carry your knowledge, confidence and maturity. Self-image is the impact of how others may see you, want to be you or feel threaten by you. Having a self-image that is threatening towards others can be the cause of many individuals not having the desire to converse with you, let alone be friends with you. The abilities we have to change assist us with any environmental adaption we may come across in our lifetime. We never know what type of situations we may be in five minutes from bow, but our self-esteem and self-image could mean the difference of how the circumstances may play out. Regardless, it’s how you want to see yourself and how you project yourself to the world. Even with the input of your partner, your family and friends, you are the one responsible for you; therefore, you need to figure out what makes you happy, take their opinions with a grain of salt and that you will change only when you feel it fits the situation. Making changes to your appearance, the way you talk or how you spend your time or money to impress someone isn’t going to win them over; therefore, you are making yourself miserable in the process when you can’t be your true self. When someone can’t accept you for who you are, what you do or how you act as a human being, that relationship may need reevaluated. When a family member or friend can’t understand why you behave the way you do, or come across as outspoken and confident, sit down and explain to them why you feel that certain way about the topic. Losing a family member or a dear friend over a few choice words or lack of understanding can be heart wrenching, so keep all forms of communication open without losing yourself in the mix of it all. Self-disclosure of each individual in a relationship, especially with your significant other, will help you reinforce what you thought about who you are as a couple and as yourself. Self-disclosure about what happened to you in your past that made you who you are today can be the most significant information to your partner, and have a better outcome then what you expected. How you want to purse a college degree, where you want to visit in the world or how many kids you want (adopted, fostered or natural) is some of the insight people are looking for when they decide to enter into a relationship. Holding back about how you may feel about situations that arise can be the uttermost biggest mistake when looking at any relationship you are trying to have in your life. Research study in 2010 by BMC Medical Research methodology found that â€Å"readiness for self-disclosure† was associated with higher relationship quality. Being able to disclose yourself by sharing your fears, doubts, private thoughts and how you perceive yourself can and will impact your relationship to the fullest extent. Who wouldn’t want someone to cling to when you come upon a fear? Nothing is better than having the comfort of someone’s arms around you when you need it most. To provide you words of encouragement when you start doubting yourself? Simply words can make the biggest impact when you feel that regardless of what you do, you are going to fail. Share your private thoughts with and knowing that they won’t be divulged regardless of the circumstances? Having that person you can tell any secret to, and know that it won’t be told, even under the worst circumstances, is one reason people have best friends from such a young age. Without self-disclosure, no one really knows who they are keeping company with or who they are. It’s the difference between a fake individual and a real friend. Without divulging information and hiding how you feel about any situation with your partner can be seen as breaking the trust in which your relationship was built, showing no care of how the other may feel and showing the lack of communication that could be built. Who would want to be with someone who simply broke your trust on a daily basis or showed the lack of caring about what you were discussing? I have found myself in these circumstances throughout my life. I have had a family member break my trust, communicated the most horrible words that could be spoken to a child and since have not communicated any words with that individual in over eighteen years. I have had the best partner in the world, who did everything in his power to bring a smile to my face, showed when I least expected it and showered me with hugs and kisses. He took his time to leave me notes on my door, made dinner arrangements at the weirdest locations and made the most beautiful impact in my life that I have actually compared others to him upon his death. I have raised a child that doesn’t communicate at all with his father, who doesn’t take the time to call his son or write a letter. Instead my child has the pleasure of communicating with his dad’s ex-girlfriend, has extended family that is not blood reach out to him and has realized at a tender age of eleven that not everyone is who they say they are or will be. He is lucky to have numerous people in his life that want to be a part of it. I have learned to remove myself from environments that impact my moods and attitude, learned to step back and appreciate my friends (regardless how few) and my family and come to realize that if a person doesn’t like me for being me, they don’t deserve to be part of my life or my children’s lives. May people have asked me why I have disconnected myself from so many, besides those that I work with, and I have come to explain to them that there is enough stress, unwanted drama in this world that I don’t want it in mine, and if they can respect that, they are more than welcome to remain in my life. I am trying to show my children that communication is a two way street, just like respect, and that both is needed to make our world a better place. There is no need to speak negatively about anyone they don’t know or towards one another, that action does speak louder than words at times and that regardless of any situation that they may come upon, I will be there. Enlightenment of any aspect of a relationship, regardless of if it’s with yourself or your significant other, can benefit either party with the knowledge that they may have been seeking or possibly feared. It’s about having the confidence of communication and understanding between two individuals that influences the lasting years between couples. â€Å"Love is to trust, hope and endure whatever may come (Bible).† References: Bible Heathfiled, Susan M. (2013). Listen with Your Eyes. Tips for Understanding Nonverbal Communication. Retrieved from: http://humanresources.about.com/od/interpersonalcommunicatio1/a/nonverbal_com.htm Russell, Nan (2006). Six Tips for Trust-Enhancing Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.jobbankusa.com/CareerArticles/Executive/ca111506b.html Schoenberg, Nara (2011, Jan). Can We Talk? Researcher Talks about the Role of Communication in Happy Marriages. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/840600645/fulltext/13CBA1F7DFE34D3C383/1?accountid=32521 Skillsyouneed.com.uk. Barriers to Effective Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.skillsyouneed.co.uk/IPS/Barriers_Communication.html Sole, K. (2011). Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communications. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

The Development of Canals in the Industrial Revolution

Water was an important method of transport in Britain prior to the industrial revolution  and was used heavily for freight. Basically, to have a working economy, goods had to be moved from the place of production to the place of need, and vice versa. When travel was based on horses, no matter how good the road, there were limits on products, in terms of fragility or freshness or quantity. Water, which could take more, and faster, was crucial. There were three key aspects of water-borne trade: the sea, the coast, and rivers. Sea Carriage: Overseas trade required large ships and was important for importing and exporting goods and raw materials. Several key British ports, including the hub of the nation in London, had been growing on trade even before the boom of the revolution, and many traders had built public buildings. As the revolution got underway and Britain experienced an export boom in the late eighteenth century, wealth was reinvested in refurbishing ports, and they expanded greatly.Coastal Trade: Moving heavy goods at sea along the coast of Britain was much cheaper than moving the same items along the road network, and coastal trade was a key aspect of Britain’s economy. Between 1650 and 1750, i.e. before the industrial revolution, half a million metric tons of coal was moved this way from Newcastle in the north to London in the south. Foodstuffs could be moved fairly quickly through coastal trade, and the access supported provincial trade. The east coast, with a sheltered, smooth sea, ha d the greatest use, and most early industries like iron, tin, and grain depended on this method.Navigable Rivers: Britain made major use of its river network for transport as well as waterwheel energy, but there were problems. Rivers didn’t always—or rarely—went where you wanted your goods to go, and they were affected by drought and erosion, as well as other industries being in the way. Many were simply unnavigable. People had tried to improve the river network by dredging, widening, and cutting past meanders by the start of the eighteenth century, and canals became the logical next step. Indeed, it was river improvements that gave the engineers of the canals their start. However, lots of important industrial areas in Britain, such as Birmingham, didn’t have any water links and were held back. If there wasnt a river, or you werent on the coast, you had transport problems. The solution was to be found in canals, a man-made route in which you could (mostly) direct the traffic. Expensive, but if done right, a way of making large profits. The Solution: Canals The first British canal to follow a totally new route (the first British canal was the Sankey Brooke Navigation, but this followed a river) was the Bridgewater canal from collieries in Worsley to Manchester. It was opened in 1761 by the colliery’s owner, the Duke of Bridgewater. This reduced the Duke’s shipping costs by 50%, vastly cheapening his coal and opening up a whole new market. This illustrated to the rest of Britain’s industrialists what canals could achieve, and it also demonstrated both what engineering could do, and what wide-ranging enterprise could create: the Duke’s money had come from agriculture. By 1774 over 33 government acts had been passed providing for canals, all in the Midlands where there were no comparative or realistic alternative means of water transport, and the boom continued. Canals became the perfect answer to regional needs. The Economic Impact of Canals Canals allowed a greater volume of goods to be moved more precisely, and for much less, opening up new markets in terms of location and affordability. Seaports could now be connected to inland trade. Canals allowed for the greater exploitation of coal reserves as the coal could be moved further, and sold cheaper, allowing a new market to form. Industries could now relocate to coalfields or move to towns, and the materials and products could be moved either way. Of over 150 canal acts from 1760 to 1800, 90 were for coal purposes. At the time—before the railways—only canals could have coped with the swiftly rising demand for coal from industries like iron. Perhaps the most visible economic effect of canals was around Birmingham, which was now joined to the British freight transport system and grew hugely as a result. Canals stimulated new ways of raising capital, as the majority of canals were built as joint stock companies, with each company having to apply for an act of Parliament. Once created, they could sell shares and buy land, bringing in widespread investment, not just local. Only a tenth of the funding came from the elite of wealthy industrialists, and the first modern company management structures were put in place. Capital began to flow around the constructions. Civil engineering also advanced, and this would be fully exploited by the railways. The Social Impact of Canals The creation of canals created a new, paid, labor force called ‘Navvies’ (short for Navigators), increasing spending power at a time when industry needed markets, and each canal needed people to load and unload. However, people tended to fear navvies, accusing them of taking local jobs. Indirectly, there were also new opportunities in mining, hardware, and other industries, for instance, the potteries, as markets for goods opened right up. The Problems of Canals Canals still had their problems. Not all areas were environmentally suitable for them, and places like Newcastle had relatively few. There was no central planning and the canals weren’t part of an organized national network, constructed in different widths and depths, and largely limited to the Midlands and North West of England. Canal transport could be expensive, as some companies monopolized areas and charged high tolls, and competition from rival companies could cause two canals to be built along the same route. They were also slow, so things had to be ordered well in advance, and they could not make passenger travel cost effective. The Decline of the Canals Canal companies never solved the problems of speed, making the invention of a faster method of transport almost inevitable. When the railways were introduced in the 1830s people felt that the advancement would spell the immediate end of the canals as a major network for freight. However, canals continued to remain competitive for a number of years and it wasn’t until the 1850s that railways really replaced the canals as the primary method of transport in Britain. Sources and Further Reading Clapham, John. An Economic History of Modern Britain. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2010.  Fogel, R. W. â€Å"The New Economic History. I. Its Findings and Methods.† The Economic History Review 19.3 (1966):642–656.  Turnbull, Gerard. Canals, coal and regional growth during the industrial revolution. The Economic History Review 40.4 (1987): 537–560.