Assessing Leadership Skills Essay

This paper will provide information about the theoretical approaches that I will use to enhance my leadership effectiveness, it will discuss my leadership style and the reason I choose the style. This paper will also explain the leadership skills and qualities I already possess, with the skills and qualities that need improvement, along with how to implement the leadership/follower interaction to improve the organization where I would like to work, and finally describe one point of action that I’ve learned from my Self Insight papers, that will include a description of how each point will be implemented. Let’s begin by defining leadership; leadership is the influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes. (Draft, 2011, p.5) Leadership is a people activity and is different from administrative paper work or planning activities. Leadership happens with people, it is not something done to people. (Dr aft, 2011, p.6) The theoretical approaches that I will use to enhance my leadership effectiveness will be to incorporate the democratic leadership style; along with the Fiedler’s Contingency Model. The democratic style of leadership delegate’s authority to others encourages participation, relies on subordinates’ knowledge for completion of tasks and depends on subordinates respect for others. (Draft, 2011, p.44) Democratic leadership style is similar to Theory Y Democratic leaders treat subordinates as fully capable of doing the work on their own. Democratic leaders work with subordinates they encourage, they treat each one fairly. They don’t put anyone down, they see themselves as guides. They give suggestions, rather than trying to change them. Democratic leaders provide information, in their evaluation they give objective praise and criticism. (Northouse, 2009) Although a Democratic leader will make the final decision, he/she encourage other members of the team to have a say in the decision making process. This not only boost job satisfaction by connecting employees or team members in what’s going on, but it also help to develop  people’s skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own destiny, such as the promotion they deserve and so are motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. As participation takes time, this approach can lead to things happening more slowly but often the end result is better. The approach can be most suitable where team work is essential and quality is more important than speed to market productivity. (Bhatti, N, et, al.2012) The outcomes of democratic leaders are mostly positive, first it results in greater group member satisfaction, commitment, and cohesiveness. Second, there is more friendliness, mutual prates, and group mindedness. The teams members interact with each other in a positive manner, and the goal is has the group in mind with making we statements opposed to I statements. Lastly, democratic leaders result in stronger worker motivation and greater creativity, and under a democratic leader group members participate more and are more committed to group decisions Fiedler’s Contingency Model; this model was designed to enable leaders to diagnose both leadership style and organizational situation. (Draft, 2011, p.68) This model was also designed to diagnose whether or not the leader is task oriented or relationship oriented and match the leader style to the situation. The Tasks oriented people are goal oriented. They want to achieve. Their work in meaningful, they are doers. Then we have Relationship oriented people they find meaning in being rather than doing. Like the democratic style, relationship oriented people they want to be connected to people. There is also Task leadership and Relationship leadership. Task relationship behaviors facilitate goals accomplishments; they are behaviors that help group members to achieve their objectives, while re lationship leadership behavior help subordinates feel comfortable with themselves, with each other, and with the situation which they find themselves. The reason why I choose these models is because they best fit my leadership style, and I think it’s a productive way of leadership. In utilizing this skill I‘m ale to listen to other perspective, and welcome an assortment of resolutions. My best leadership qualities are in the category of a transformational leader. Transformational leaders are a leader that influences, inspire, move and literally transform followers to achieve organizational goals beyond their self-interests thus initiating about positive change. They also introduce new business models, products and services because of their ability to  create new organizational visions, strategies, cultures, and structures through committed followers. Transformational leaders positively change follower’s lives, lifting spirits and even the commitment to ethics and morality (Weiss, J. (2011) My preference would be a transformational leader because they deal more with the person rather than the task. They build relationships with their team members, they encourage and motivate, and I think that their followers will get more work done because of the rapport that is made with the team. Another quality that I posses is â€Å"Stewardship† stewardship involves the support and belief that leaders are deeply accountable to others as well as to the organization, without trying to control others, define meaning and purpose for others, or take care of others. I’m in favor of this type of leadership because it allows the people to do the work without being micro managed. There are four components to this style of leadership, reorient towards partnership assumptions, localize decisions and power to those closest to the work and the customer, recognize and reward the value of labor, and expect core work teams to build the organization. (Draft, 2011, p.176) By using these methods the leader is to lead the organization taking control of the follower. They are able to work together in harmony with team members. By using the stewardship method you are able to treat team members as partners, by sharing power, and maintaining control over their own work. This model also allows relationships to form between leaders and followers that will contribute to the organizations success. Independent thinking refers to thinking, questioning assumptions, and interpreting data and events, according to one’s own beliefs, ideas, not according to prestablished rules, routines or categories defined by others. (Draft, 2011, p.138) I’ve always been an independent thinker. I’m not the type of person that agrees with people for acceptance, or just to go along with the most popular answer. I’m very opinionated, and I’m able to get my views across without being rude or mean. In my current position, I have to always be alert, and able to think critically because systems are always changing Although I fell that I’m a good overall leader my weakest skills falls under administration skills, administration skills. Administrative skills are those competencies a leader needs to run an organization in order to carry out the organizations purpose and goals. Administrative skills are divided into three categories:  managing people, managing resources, and showing technical competence. (Northouse, 2009) I work well with people but dealing with administrative task has always been an issue for me. I’m not the best typist, nor am I well organized. Since becoming a student at AU I’ve become more organized. Another quality in need of improvement deals with system thinking, System thinking means the ability to see the synergy of the whole rather than just the separate elements of a system and learn to reinforce or change whole system patterns. (Dra ft, 2011, p.142) The leadership/follower interaction that I would implement to improve the organization where I would like to work is leader follower collaboration. In the leader follower collaboration leaders and followers have more in common than they think. In my ideal work place I would use this model as the blueprint for my company. Beginning stages of a project or assignment. The leader and follower roles differ significantly in the initial stages of a project. The leader should provide direction in the form of scope, objective, expectations, limitations and guidelines while the follower should ask questions to ensure understanding and should contribute to the project or assignment definition as appropriate. Middle stages of a project or assignment. The leader and follower roles exhibit greater similarities during the middle stages of a project. This is where the bulk of work occurs. Leadership should shift, based upon who possesses the appropriate knowledge or expertise. With egos in check, leaders should permit, and even encourage, followers to initiate ideas and opinions. With cowardice in check, followers should exert leadership by offering ideas and opinions. If leader and follower can fulfill these new roles, a high degree of collaboration will occur and project success will increase. Final stages of a project or assignment In this stage, leader and follower roles again differ. It is up to the leader to define the end of one project and the beginning of the next. For optimal learning, leader and follower might collaboratively engage in a â€Å"lessons learned† dialogue. (Don Grayson & Ryan Speckhart) What I’ve learned from my Self Insight Papers is that I  might be a bit timid in my leadership ability. I thought that I was a good leader but it seems as though that I still have some work to do. Prior to taking this course I thought that I was a very good leader, but it seems as though I have a lot to work to do to improve my leadership skills. In doing an assessment of my strengths and weaknesses, I realized that in order to become a more effective leader I will have to become much more confident in certain areas. The areas that improvement is needed is in my motivation techniques, I thought that I encouraged my team in a positive manner, but what I realized is that I’m doing the bulk of the work while encouraging, what sense does that make? I have to set outlines and allow my team members to make mistakes, and learn from them. Because we get paid by performance is probably why I do that. As a leader, you can develop backbone to accept personal responsibility for achieving the desired outcomes, going against the status quo, and standing up for what you believe. You can learn to push beyond your comfort zone and break through the fears that limit you. (Draft, 2011, p.182) That statement sums it up for me. If a leader can live by that statement everyone will benefit in the end. In conclusion this paper has defined leadership, identified the skills and qualities I possess, in addition to the qualities that need improvement, as well as how to implement the leadership/follower interaction to improve the organization where I would like to work, and finally describe one point of action that I’ve learned from my Self Insight papers, that will include a description of how each point will be implemented. References Bhatti, N., Maitlo, G. M., Shaikh, N., Hashmi, M. A., & Shaikh, F. M. (2012). The impact of autocratic and democratic leadership style on job satisfaction. International Business Research, 5(2), 192-201. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/963357720?accountid=32521 Daft, R. L. (2011, 2008). The leadership experience (5/e). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Northouse, P.G. (2009). Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Weiss, J. (2011) An Introduction to Leadership. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/†¦/grayson_speckhar

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 8

Chapter 8 I've managed to sneak into the bathroom long enough to read a few chapters of this New Testament that they've added to the Bible. This Matthew fellow, who is obviously not the Matthew that we knew, seems to have left out quite a little bit. Like everything from the time Joshua was born to the time he was thirty!!! No wonder the angel brought me back to write this book. This Matthew fellow hasn't mentioned me yet, but I'm still in the early chapters. I have to ration myself to keep the angel from getting suspicious. Today he confronted me when I came out of the bathroom. â€Å"You are spending a lot of time in there. You don't need to spend so much time in there.† â€Å"I told you, cleanliness is very important to my people.† â€Å"You weren't bathing. I would have heard the water running.† I decided that I needed to go on the offensive if I was going to keep the angel from finding the Bible. I ran across the room, leapt onto his bed, and fastened my hands around his throat – choking him as I chanted: â€Å"I haven't been laid in two thousand years. I haven't been laid in two thousand years. I haven't been laid in two thousand years.† It felt good, there was a rhythm to it, I sort of squoze his throat a bit with every syllable. I paused for a moment in choking the heavenly host to backhand him across his alabaster cheek. It was a mistake. He caught my hand. Then grabbed me by the hair with his other hand and calmly climbed to his feet, lifting me into the air by my hair. â€Å"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow,† I said. â€Å"So, you have not been laid in two thousand years? What does that mean?† â€Å"Ow, ow, ow, ow,† I replied. The angel set me on my feet, but kept his grasp on my hair. â€Å"So?† â€Å"It means that I haven't had a woman in two millennia, aren't you picking up any of the vocabulary from the television?† He glanced at the TV, which, of course, was on. â€Å"I don't have your gift of tongues. What does that have to do with choking me?† â€Å"I was choking you because you, once again, are as dense as dirt. I haven't had sex in two thousand years. Men have needs. What the hell do you think I'm doing in the bathroom all of that time?† â€Å"Oh,† the angel said, releasing my hair. â€Å"So you are†¦You have been†¦There is a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Get me a woman and maybe I won't spend so much time in the bathroom, if you get my meaning.† Brilliant misdirection, I thought. â€Å"A woman? No, I cannot do that. Not yet.† â€Å"Yet? Does that mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh look,† the angel said, turning from me as if I was no more than vapor, â€Å"General Hospital is starting.† And with that, my secret Bible was safe. What did he mean by â€Å"yet†? At least this Matthew mentions the Magi. One sentence, but that's one more than I've gotten in his Gospel so far. Our second day in Jerusalem we went to see the great Rabbi Hillel. (Rabbi means teacher in Hebrew – you knew that, right?) Hillel looked to be a hundred years old, his beard and hair were long and white, and his eyes were clouded over, his irises milk white. His skin was leathery-brown from sitting in the sun and his nose was long and hooked, giving him the aspect of a great, blind eagle. He held class all morning in the outer courtyard of the Temple. We sat quietly, listening to him recite from the Torah and interpret the verses, taking questions and engaging in arguments with the Pharisees, who tried to infuse the Law into every minute detail of life. Toward the end of Hillel's morning lectures, Jakan, the camel-sucking husband-to-be of my beloved Maggie, asked Hillel if it would be a sin to eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath. â€Å"What are you, stupid? The Lord doesn't give a damn what a chicken does on the Sabbath, you nimrod! It's a chicken. If a Jew lays an egg on the Sabbath, that's probably a sin, come see me then. Otherwise don't waste my friggin' time with that nonsense. Now go away, I'm hungry and I need a nap. All of you, scram.† Joshua looked at me and grinned. â€Å"He's not what I expected,† he whispered. â€Å"Knows a nimrod when he sees – uh – hears one, though,† I said. (Nimrod was an ancient king who died of suffocation after he wondered aloud in front of his guards what it would be like to have your own head stuck up your ass.) A boy younger than us helped the old man to his feet and began to lead him away toward the Temple gate. I ran up and took the priest's other arm. â€Å"Rabbi, my friend has come from far away to talk to you. Can you help him?† The old man stopped. â€Å"Where is your friend?† â€Å"Right here.† â€Å"Then why isn't he talking for himself? Where do you come from, kid?† â€Å"Nazareth,† Joshua said, â€Å"but I was born in Bethlehem. I am Joshua bar Joseph.† â€Å"Oh yeah, I've talked to your mother.† â€Å"You have?† â€Å"Sure, almost every time she and your father come to Jerusalem for a feast she tries to see me. She thinks you're the Messiah.† Joshua swallowed hard. â€Å"Am I?† Hillel snorted. â€Å"Do you want to be the Messiah?† Joshua looked at me as if I might have the answer. I shrugged. â€Å"I don't know,† Josh finally said. â€Å"I thought I was just supposed to do it.† â€Å"Do you think you're the Messiah?† â€Å"I'm not sure I should say.† â€Å"That's smart,† Hillel said. â€Å"You shouldn't say. You can think you're the Messiah all that you want, just don't tell anyone.† â€Å"But if I don't tell them, they won't know.† â€Å"Exactly. You can think you're a palm tree if you want, just don't tell anyone. You can think you're a flock of seagulls, just don't tell anyone. You get my meaning? Now I have to go eat. I'm old and I'm hungry and I want to go eat now, so just in case I die before supper I won't go hungry.† â€Å"But he really is the Messiah,† I said. â€Å"Oh yeah,† Hillel said, grabbing my shoulder, then feeling for my head so he could scream into my ear. â€Å"What do you know? You're an ignorant kid. How old are you? Twelve? Thirteen?† â€Å"Thirteen.† â€Å"How could you, at thirteen, know anything? I'm eighty-four and I don't know shit.† â€Å"But you're wise,† I said. â€Å"I'm wise enough to know that I don't know shit. Now go away.† â€Å"Should I ask the Holy of Holies?† Joshua said. Hillel swung at the air, as if to slap Joshua, but missed by a foot. â€Å"It's a box. I saw it when I could still see, and I can tell you that it's a box. And you know what else, if there were tablets in it, they aren't there now. So if you want to talk to a box, and probably be executed for trying to get into the chamber where it's kept, you go right ahead.† The breath seemed to be knocked out of Joshua's body and I thought he would faint on the spot. How could the greatest teacher in all of Israel speak of the Ark of the Covenant in such a way? How could a man who obviously knew every word of the Torah, and all the teachings written since, how could he claim not to know anything? Hillel seemed to sense Joshua's distress. â€Å"Look, kid, your mother says that some very wise men came to Bethlehem to see you when you were born. They obviously knew something that no one else knew. Why don't you go see them? Ask them about being the Messiah.† â€Å"So you aren't going to tell him how to be the Messiah?† I asked. Again Hillel reached out for Joshua, but this time without any anger. He found Joshua's cheek, and stroked it with his palsied hand. â€Å"I don't believe there will be a Messiah, and at this point, I'm not sure it would make a difference to me. Our people have spent more time in slavery or under the heels of foreign kings than we have spent free, so who is to say that it is God's will that we be free at all? Who is to say that God concerns himself with us in any way, beyond allowing us to be? I don't think that he does. So know this, little one. Whether you are the Messiah, or you become a rabbi, or even if you are nothing more than a farmer, here is the sum of all I can teach you, and all that I know: treat others as you would like to be treated. Can you remember that?† Joshua nodded and the old man smiled. â€Å"Go find your wise men, Joshua bar Joseph.† What we did was stay in the Temple while Joshua grilled every priest, guard, even Pharisee about the Magi who had come to Jerusalem thirteen years before. Evidently it wasn't as big an event for others as it was for Josh's family, because no one had any idea what he was talking about. By the time he'd been at it for a couple of hours he was literally screaming into the faces of a group of Pharisees. â€Å"Three of them. Magicians. They came because they saw a star over Bethlehem. They were carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Come on, you're all old. You're supposed to be wise. Think!† Needless to say, they weren't pleased. â€Å"Who is this boy who would question our knowledge? He knows nothing of the Torah and the prophets and yet berates us for not remembering three insignificant travelers.† It was the wrong thing to say to Joshua. No one had studied the Torah harder. No one knew scripture better. â€Å"Ask me any question, Pharisee,† Joshua said. â€Å"Ask anything.† In retrospect, after having grown up, somewhat, and having lived, died, and been resurrected from the dust, I realize that there may be nothing more obnoxious than a teenager who knows everything. Certainly, it is a symptom of the age that they think they know everything, but now I have some sympathy for those poor men who challenged Joshua that day at the Temple. Of course, at the time, I shouted, â€Å"Smite the sons-a-bitches, Josh.† He was there for days. Joshua wouldn't even leave to eat, and I went out into the city to bring him back food. First the Pharisees, but later even some of the priests came to quiz Joshua, to try to throw him some question about some obscure Hebrew king or general. They made him recite the lineages from all the books of the Bible, yet he did not waver. Myself, I left him there to argue while I wandered through the holy city looking for Maggie, then, when I couldn't find her, for girls in general. I slept at the camp of my parents, assuming all the time that Joshua was returning each night to his own family, but I was wrong. When the Passover feast was over and we were packing up to leave, Mary, Joshua's mother, came to me in a panic. â€Å"Biff. Have you seen Joshua?† The poor woman was distraught. I wanted to comfort her so I held my arms out to give her a comforting embrace. â€Å"Poor Mary, calm down. Joshua is fine. Come, let me give you a comforting embrace.† â€Å"Biff!† I thought she might slap me. â€Å"He's at the Temple. Jeez, a guy tries to be compassionate and what does he get?† She had already taken off. I caught up to her as she was dragging Joshua out of the Temple by the arm. â€Å"You worried us half to death.† â€Å"You should have known you would find me in my father's house,† Joshua said. â€Å"Don't you pull that ‘my father' stuff on me, Joshua bar Joseph. The commandment says honor thy father and thy mother. I'm not feeling honored right now, young man. You could have sent a message, you could have stopped by the camp.† Joshua looked at me, his eyes pleading for me to help him out. â€Å"I tried to comfort her, Josh, but she wouldn't have it.† Later I found the two of them on the road to Nazareth and Joshua motioned for me to walk with them. â€Å"Mother thinks we may be able to find at least one of the Magi, and if we find that one, he may know where the others are.† Mary nodded, â€Å"The one named Balthasar, the black one, he said he came from a village north of Antioch. He was the only one of the three that spoke any Hebrew.† I didn't feel confident. Although I'd never seen a map, â€Å"north of Antioch† sounded like a large, unspecific, and scary place. â€Å"Is there more?† â€Å"Yes, the other two had come from the East by the Silk Road. Their names were Melchior and Gaspar.† â€Å"So it's off to Antioch,† Joshua said. He seemed completely satisfied with the information his mother had given him, as if all he needed were the three Magi's names and he'd as much as found them. I said, â€Å"You're going to go to Antioch assuming that someone there will remember a man who may have lived north of there thirteen years ago?† â€Å"A magician,† Mary said. â€Å"A rich, Ethiopian magician. How many can there be?† â€Å"Well, there might not be any, did you think of that? He might have died. He might have moved to another city.† â€Å"In that case, I will be in Antioch,† Joshua said. â€Å"From there I can travel the Silk Road until I find the other two.† I couldn't believe my ears. â€Å"You're not going alone.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"But Josh, you're helpless out in the world. You only know Nazareth, where people are stupid and poor. No offense, Mary. You'll be like – uh – like a lamb among wolves. You need me along to watch out for you.† â€Å"And what do you know that I don't? Your Latin is horrible, your Greek is barely passable, and your Hebrew is atrocious.† â€Å"Yeah. If a stranger comes up to you on the road to Antioch and asks you how much money you are carrying, what do you tell him?† â€Å"That will depend on how much I am carrying.† â€Å"No it won't. You haven't enough for a crust of bread. You are a poor beggar.† â€Å"But that's not true.† â€Å"Exactly.† Mary put her arm around her son's shoulders. â€Å"He has a point, Joshua.† Joshua wrinkled his brow as if he had to think about it, but I could tell that he was relieved that I wanted to go along. â€Å"When do you want to leave?† â€Å"When did Maggie say she was getting married?† â€Å"In a month.† â€Å"Before then. I don't want to be here when it happens.† â€Å"Me either,† Joshua said. And so we spent the next few weeks preparing for our journey. My father thought I was crazy, but my mother seemed happy to have the extra space in the house and pleased that the family wouldn't have to put up a bride price to marry me off right away. â€Å"So you'll be gone how long?† Mother asked. â€Å"I don't know. It's not a terribly long journey to Antioch, but I don't know how long we'll be there. Then we'll be traveling the Silk Road. I'm guessing that that's a long journey. I've never seen any silk growing around here.† â€Å"Well, take a wool tunic in case it gets cold.† And that was all I heard from my mother. Not â€Å"Why are you going?† Not â€Å"Who are you looking for?† Just â€Å"Take a wool tunic.† Jeez. My father was more supportive. â€Å"I can give you a little money to travel with, or we could buy you a donkey.† â€Å"I think the money would be better. A donkey couldn't carry both of us.† â€Å"And who are these fellows you're looking for?† â€Å"Magicians, I think.† â€Å"And you want to talk to magicians because†¦?† â€Å"Because Josh wants to know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"Oh, right. And you believe that Joshua is the Messiah?† â€Å"Yes, but more important than that, he's my friend. I can't let him go alone.† â€Å"And what if he's not the Messiah? What if you find these magicians and they tell you that Joshua is not what you think he is, that he's just a normal boy?† â€Å"Well, he'll really need me to be there, then, won't he?† My father laughed. â€Å"Yes, I guess he will. You come back, Levi, and bring your friend the Messiah with you. Now we'll have to set three empty places at the table on Passover. One for Elijah, one for my lost son, and one for his pal the Messiah.† â€Å"Well, don't seat Joshua next to Elijah. If those guys start talking religion we'll never have any peace.† It came down to only four days before Maggie's wedding before Joshua and I accepted that one of us would have to tell her we were leaving. After nearly a whole day of arguing, it fell upon me to go to her. I saw Joshua face down fears in himself that would have broken other men, but taking bad news to Maggie was one he couldn't overcome. I took the task on myself and tried to leave Joshua with his dignity. â€Å"You wuss!† â€Å"How can I tell her that it's too painful to watch her marry that toad?† â€Å"First, you're insulting toads everywhere, and second, what makes you think it's any easier for me?† â€Å"You're tougher than I am.† â€Å"Oh, don't try that. You can't just roll over and expect me to not notice that I'm being manipulated. She's going to cry. I hate it when she cries.† â€Å"I know,† Josh said. â€Å"It hurts me too. Too much.† Then he put his hand on my head and I suddenly felt better, stronger. â€Å"Don't try your Son of God mumbo jumbo on me, you're still a wuss.† â€Å"If it be so, so be it. So it shall be written.† Well, it is now, Josh. It's written now. (It's strange, the word â€Å"wuss† is the same in my ancient Aramaic tongue as it is in this language. Like the word waited for me these two thousand years so I could write it down here. Strange.) Maggie was washing clothes in the square with a bunch of other women. I caught her attention by jumping on the shoulders of my friend Bartholomew, who was gleefully exposing himself for the viewing pleasure of the Nazarene wives. With a subtle toss of my head I signaled to Maggie to meet me behind a nearby stand of date palms. â€Å"Behind those trees?† Maggie shouted. â€Å"Yeah,† I replied. â€Å"You bringing the idiot?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Okay,† she said, and she handed her washing to one of her younger sisters and scampered to the trees. I was surprised to see her smiling so close to the time of her wedding. She hugged me and I could feel the heat rise in my face, either from shame or love, like there was a difference. â€Å"Well, you're in a good mood,† I said. â€Å"Why not? I'm using them all up before the wedding. Speaking of which, what are you two bringing me for a present? It had better be good if it's going to make up for who I have to marry.† She was joyful and there was music and laughter in her voice, pure Maggie, but I had to turn away. â€Å"Hey, I was only joking,† she said. â€Å"You guys don't need to bring me anything.† â€Å"We're leaving, Maggie. We won't be there.† She grabbed my shoulder and forced me to face her. â€Å"You're leaving? You and Joshua? You're going away?† â€Å"Yes, before your wedding. We're going to Antioch, and from there far into the East along the Silk Road.† She said nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes and I could feel them rising in mine as well. This time she turned away. â€Å"We should have told you before, I know, but really we only decided at Passover. Joshua is going to find the Magi who came to his birth, and I'm going with him because I have to.† She wheeled on me. â€Å"You have to? You have to? You don't have to. You can stay and be my friend and come to my wedding and sneak down to talk to me here or in the vineyard and we can laugh and tease and no matter how horrible it is being married to Jakan, I'll have that. I'll at least have that!† I felt as if I'd be sick to my stomach any second. I wanted to tell her that I'd stay, that I'd wait, that if there was the slightest chance that her life wasn't going to be a desert in the arms of her creep husband that I could hold hope. I wanted to do whatever I could to take away even a little bit of her pain, even up to letting Joshua go by himself, but in thinking that, I realized that Joshua must have been feeling the same thing, so all I said was â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"And what about Joshua, wasn't he even going to say good-bye?† â€Å"He wanted to, but he couldn't. Neither of us can, I mean, we didn't want to have to watch you marry Jakan.† â€Å"Cowards. You two deserve each other. You can hide behind each other like Greek boys. Just go. Get away from me.† I tried to think of something to say, but my mind was a soup of confusion so I hung my head and walked away. I was almost out of the square when Maggie caught up to me. I heard her footsteps and turned. â€Å"Tell him to meet me behind the synagogue, Biff. The night before my wedding, an hour after sunset.† â€Å"I'm not sure, Maggie, he – â€Å" â€Å"Tell him,† she said. She ran back to the well without looking back. So I told Joshua, and on the night before Maggie's wedding, the night before we were to leave on our journey, Joshua packed some bread and cheese and a skin of wine and told me to meet him by the date palms in the square where we would share supper together. â€Å"You have to go,† Joshua said. â€Å"I'm going. In the morning, when you do. What, you think I'd back out now?† â€Å"No, tonight. You have to go to Maggie. I can't go.† â€Å"What? I mean, why?† Sure I'd been heartbroken when Maggie had asked to see Joshua and not me, but I'd come to terms with it. Well, as well as one ever comes to terms with an ongoing heartbreak. â€Å"You have to take my place, Biff. There's almost no moon tonight, and we are about the same size. Just don't say much and she'll think it's me. Maybe not as smart as normal, but she can put that down to worry over the upcoming journey.† â€Å"I'd love to see Maggie, but she wants to see you, why can't you go?† â€Å"You really don't know?† â€Å"Not really.† â€Å"Then just take my word for it. You'll see. Will you do this for me, Biff? Will you take my place, pretend to be me?† â€Å"That would be lying. You never lie.† â€Å"Now you're getting righteous on me? I won't be lying. You will be.† â€Å"Oh. In that case, I'll go.† But there wasn't even time to deceive. It was so dark that night that I had to make my way slowly through the village by starlight alone, and as I rounded the corner to the back of our small synagogue I was hit with a wave of sandalwood and lemon and girl sweat, of warm skin, a wet mouth over mine, arms around my back and legs around my waist. I fell backward on the ground and there was in my head a bright light, and the rest of the world existed in the senses of touch and smell and God. There, on the ground behind the synagogue, Maggie and I indulged desires we had carried for years, mine for her, and hers for Joshua. That neither of us knew what we were doing made no difference. It was pure and it happened and it was marvelous. And when we finished we lay there holding each other, half dressed, breathless, and sweating, and Maggie said, â€Å"I love you, Joshua.† â€Å"I love you, Maggie,† I said. And ever so slightly she loosened her embrace. â€Å"I couldn't marry Jakan without – I couldn't let you go without – without letting you know.† â€Å"He knows, Maggie.† Then she really pulled away. â€Å"Biff?† â€Å"Uh-oh.† I thought she might scream, that she might leap up and run away, that she might do any one of a hundred things to take me from heaven to hell, but after only a second she nuzzled close to me again. â€Å"Thank you for being here,† she said. We left at dawn, and our fathers walked with us as far as the gates of Sepphoris. When we parted at the gates my father gave me a hammer and chisel to carry with me in my satchel. â€Å"With that you can make enough for a meal anywhere you go,† my father said. Joseph gave Joshua a wooden bowl. â€Å"Out of that you can eat the meal that Biff earns.† He grinned at me. By the gates of Sepphoris I kissed my father for the last time. By the gates of Sepphoris we left our fathers behind and went out into the world to find three wise men. â€Å"Come back, Joshua, and make us free,† Joseph shouted to our backs. â€Å"Go with God,† my own father said. â€Å"I am, I am,† I shouted. â€Å"He's right here.† Joshua said nothing until the sun was high in the sky and we stopped to share a drink of water. â€Å"Well?† Joshua said. â€Å"Did she know it was you?† â€Å"Yes. Not at first, but before we parted. She knew.† â€Å"Was she angry at me?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Was she angry at you?† I smiled. â€Å"No.† â€Å"You dog!† he said. â€Å"You really should ask that angel what he meant about you not knowing a woman, Joshua. It's really important.† â€Å"You know now why I couldn't go.† â€Å"Yes. Thanks.† â€Å"I'll miss her,† Joshua said. â€Å"You have no idea,† I said. â€Å"Every detail. I want to know every detail.† â€Å"But you aren't supposed to know.† â€Å"That's not what the angel meant. Tell me.† â€Å"Not now. Not while I can still smell her on my arms.† Joshua kicked at the dirt. â€Å"Am I angry with you, or happy for you, or jealous of you? I don't know? Tell me!† â€Å"Josh, right now, for the first time I can remember, I'm happier being your friend than I would be being you. Can I have that?† Now, thinking about that night with Maggie behind the synagogue, where we stayed together until it was nearly dawn, where we made love again and again and fell asleep naked on top of our clothes – now, when I think of that, I want to run away from here, this room, this angel and his task, find a lake, dive down, and hide from the eye of God in the dark muck on the bottom. Strange.

Analyzing The Micro Business Environment For Tesco Marketing Essay

Analyzing The Micro Business Environment For Tesco Marketing Essay My organisation for this assignment is â€Å"Tesco†. It is leading food and grocery retailers on the planet. The aim of this essay is to analysing the micro business environment, Identify the core resources and competences of the organisation, Evaluate the organisation’s strategic choices and justification of the strategy of the company. I have used Strategic evaluation tools such as PESTEL, SWOT and others. Tesco is among the biggest food retailers in the world with returns in surplus of  £54 billion in 2009 and over 470,000 workers. It has 4,331 stores in 14 countries.   The company’s Head Office is based in Hertfordshire, UK and operates mainly in the USA, Europe and Asia(www.tescoplc.com ). PESTEL Analysis (J. L. Fowle, September ,1993), analyses the vibrant and erratic environment in which company operates by classifying the forces that have the most influence on its performance, Influences Company has, to achieve strategically success. Porter’s Five forces can also be used to analysis competitive environment. However these forces becomes interrelated at some times. And its Tesco’s vision to expand globally, encouraged me to use PESTEL forces analysis rather than any other model. Political decision has always been at watch by companies like Tesco. China is one of the world most profitable market, worth over 1.3 billon, Now it has open it door for world and encouraging Western companies. Tesco has managed to signed agreement in 2009 to set up thought-out series of joint ventures for development of shopping malls in i.e. Anshan, Fushun and Qinhuangdao(http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/ ).By end of 2010 18 more hypermarkets are expected to open in China(http://www.investis.com/ ).   Such rises of Tesco’s international business segment are predicted to account the company’s profit for one quarter. In 2004 immersion of 10 further countries into the EU took place, encouraging trade between Western and Eastern Europ ean countries(http://www.eu-27watch.org/ ).Helped Company to enter into new market, and increase its market share across Europe. Economic forces are of great concern to any company as they impact directly on the buying behaviour of its customers. The UK economy was officially declared under recession in 2008, the government’s was successful in minimising the rises in unemployment by considerable reduction in interest rates during 2009 (www.euromonitor.com ). This has given rise in spending power of English people,but both sales value and margins are effected as consumers are not or less likely to divert their spending on more of premium or high value goods. According Maslow hierarchy of need consumers would be at top of Basic need. (http://www.ict-learningnow.com). But retailers like Tesco would still be benefited, as their low price strategy would encourage its customers to shop from Stores and cook and dine home rather than spending more on restaurants(www.guardian.co.uk ).   As we all know that food is the last thing that customers will sacrifices .   The percentage of overall consumer spending on food has risen over the years. Social forces are quite obvious as Man is Social Animal. An analysis has proven that the UK has the Baby Boom generation and latest medical facility by NHS Trust has reduced the death rate too(www.statistics.gov.uk ).This means that more retired people eats less and less spending power. It’s not expected of them to travel to supermarket for shopping and at the age of 65 internet literacy level go down, But it is still assumed that online shopping is and would be the only convenient way of shopping for older age people.   The ageing population is discouraging for the food retailers older people tend to eat less. Company still have to bear in mind the ineffective and expensive small deliveries. However taste and preferences of consumers should always bear in mind when strategies are framed. As mentioned on Economica l forces, high value goods would be avoided but the standard of leaving would have great influence.

The relationship between polar bears, antarctic ice sheet, sea level Essay

The relationship between polar bears, antarctic ice sheet, sea level rise and humans - Essay Example The research found variation in the extent of loss of ice in various regions of the continent of Antarctica. It was found that nearly all of the loss of ice happened in the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet. In another research, the volume of ice in Antarctica and Greenland was examined from 1992 to 2002 with the help of satellite radar altimetry. This study verified the findings of the previous study discussed above. Many species of animals are totally dependent upon the pack ice conditions. For polar bears, pack ice of the sea is the source of food and the place to live in. If the existing rate of melting of ice sustains for few more years, loss of ice in the sea will be sufficient to cause an altogether extinction of the polar bears. There has been some consideration about relocating them to Antarctica, but this would have its own repercussions. The drastic shifting might endanger the life of other Antarctic species along with that of the polar bears. Life of polar bears is endangered b y the rapidly melting ice in the sea which is fundamentally happening because of an overall rise in the temperature of Earth caused by the global warming.

Why are passwords and other good information security technologies Essay

Why are passwords and other good information security technologies compromised by the people who use them What can we do to improve their contribution to information security - Essay Example Password attacks can be implemented by means of numerous diverse techniques, involving Trojan horse programs, brute-force attacks, packet sniffers and IP spoofing. While IP spoofing and packet sniffers are able to produce user accounts and passwords, password harasses usually refer to frequent efforts to recognize an user account and password; these repeated cracks are called brute-force attacks (Johnson, 2007). By means of the term information security we recognize an intellect of possible risks implicated in the sensitivity of the information. With information technologies coming into the view the image broadens its limits. At this instant it turns out to be essential to recognize the nature of hazard involved and next there should be a well-formulated description of the term safety itself (Rantasaari et al, 2003). In broad sense, there are necessarily three sides of the term security. Primarily, it shows the accessibility of assets, though material or virtual, that is beneath possession of an entity or grouping. Secondly, there is a sense of privacy involved in this practice in view to these assets, in this case data, dealings and communication. Third and as a final point, there should be an awareness of truthfulness which allows the user or users to consider in the context of security (Goldwasser et al, 2007). Here I will explain how passwords and other good information security technologies compromised by the people who use them. The first factor that usually causes the security leak is the sharing of the password by the people with anyone for any purpose. Passwords should not be shared with anyone because it can be casuse of information and data theaft and there is danger of accessing another individual’s protected resources, accounts and personal records. Anothre reason is not changing the passwords periodically. If we do not

Socrates vs Confucius Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Socrates vs Confucius - Essay Example The difference in the attitude towards the means of solving the issues disturbing society came out of the peculiarities if historical preconditions and the period they lived in. Both Socrates and Confucius at the time of significant social changes accompanied by frequent wars, as well as society demoralization and political perturbations. Socrates witnessed florescence of Greece as Pericles was in reign, as well as did he see its overwhelming defeat in the Peloponnesian wars and severe rule of the Thirty Tyrants. Confucius lived at the time when the traditional slave-owning system was on the verge of decline while various political powers were fighting for power. All these factors lead to crises, and the philosophers tried to find a way to understand them and their origins and tackle them mending the social structure. Basically, this was the main common aim of Socrates and Confucius.The principal difference between them lay in the way they chose to treat the issue. The view on human nature and morality is considered to be theoretical basis of their teachings. Socrates shifted focus from speculations about the afterlife, the gods and the nature to meditation on how to live in this world. He saw the solution of a problem in reason. Reason is what can open the essence of a â€Å"paragon† for order; what we wish to create should be first developed in our mind. Socrates’ famous admonition â€Å"Know thyself† implies the importance of knowledge in human affairs.

Principles of PR and its role in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principles of PR and its role in Society - Essay Example The PR works to establish a link between the public or the prospective customers and the business. Media relations is by far the most common and most convenient PR tool used to provide an effective reach out to the customers of businesses and the general public. This form of PR makes it easy for the public to receive relevant information from across the society and beyond thereby bringing about exposure and awareness. My choice of the PR closely attributes to the controversies that surround the media system in the contemporary world. The aggressive entry of social media into the PR system has complicated issues and has brought more sophistication than success owing to abuse and misuse. The article, â€Å"Challenges of The Information Society and Public Relations,† by Palevska has provided an imperative insight. It explores into the dire constraints that come along with continued innovations in the information society and how it influences the public relations. By reading the article, I have established an understanding of the intrinsic link between information society and public relations. The scenario is applicable in all parts of the world, and other journalists and public relation officers can replicate in other parts of the world. Concerning my specific focus of the concept of media relations and its scope, the article has added into my knowledge, another dimension of the link between information systematics and likely influence on public relations (Palevska, 2012). In my opinion, the article has attempted to offer an insight into some of the conflicting scenarios likely to exist between public relations and the information society. The information society rapidly evolves with the changing dimensions in technological advancement. As such, information delivery and reach up tend to depend on the level of innovativeness a company has relative to its competitors. PR is fast evolving from a primitive and less focus on technology use to a more

Argument-driven analysis of the essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument-driven analysis of the - Essay Example The author has not dealt with the issue at hand in a precise and comprehensive manner, which may easily confuse many readers. This paper will explore an all rounded approach to globalization from the main critical angles which best explain the subject in discussion. The views expressed by the author on globalization suggest absence of any wrong in the presentation of certain practice or object. The blame is set rather on the problem that is the perception of the object. The example of the coffee house and snack shop given by the author does not put blame on the coffee house or the shops, but the reception in different places. It is true in many instances, and people should not blame, Americanization but instead the people ought to change their approach towards such ventures. On the flip side of the above, borrowed cultures are a reality in the current times. It openly means that globalization is responsible for the erosion of some values of other cultures due to the embracing of the Western culture. Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom reasons for failure in the campaign to popularize Disney’s character Mickey Mouse cannot be solely blamed on the way globalization is perceived in different parts of the world. The timing of the animation giant to introduce a character in China was wrong hence the failure of the brand. Jeffrey clearly states presences of a health campaign to get rid of â€Å"laoshu† a Chinese name for a rat (Wasserstrom, 22). The violence received on â€Å"Mi Lushorue† was due to the campaign against rats in China. Wasserstrom fails to present the good side of globalization but concentrates mostly on the failed parts of brands that he relates to globalization. It is important in any analysis not to take sides in presenting your views but to work towards the reader getting the silent voice in the paper that states your position. There are protests in the streets in India with people fearing for their jobs. The above is just one

Overt Police Patrol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Overt Police Patrol - Essay Example The most important task that a policeman does is Patrolling his specific sector. The purpose of patrolling is to observe, inspect and provide security to those people who are living under that jurisdiction. The patrol officer is responsible for his district and is held accountable for the actions taking place in his district. Patrolling is the most visible aspect of policing. It can be both overt and covert in nature. The overt patrolling involves visible cops in uniforms with all the basic items a "cop" carries. They have marked vehicles and are easily differentiable from the civilians because of their get-ups. The covert police patrol force use unmarked vehicles and inconspicuous garments which help them monitor and observe the people in a secretive manner. Patrol officers are the bridge which join the police agency with the common people as these officers are on the front ranks and know the people as they interact with them on their rounds. The officers are however the lowest paid and often receive less respect than their posts and important function deserve. Today, the four basic functions of patrolling are: Crime prevention (proactive deterrence), order maintenance (security), social services (community welfare) and of course law enforcement (reactive deterrence). 2 The effectiveness of patrolling has long been under dispute. Whether patrol officers have been able to reduce crimes in their locality and been able to apprehend criminals before the crime actually took place is a study which many police stations and law enforcement agencies wish to determine. The overall cost of patrolling is high as the fuel consumption and mental spare-time of the policemen are both wasted. A patrolling officer must fight boredom and must be fully aware of what is happening around him or else his purpose is useless. But this problem plagues many police officers and they have difficulty in applying their full 100% concentration on their duty. The effectiveness of overt patrolling can be observed comparing various studies conducted by the various legal departments over the world. The assignment will highlight various studies which took place to observe the effectiveness of overt patrolling and covert patrolling. A study was conducted in the state of Victoria. In the rural regions the occurrence of crashes of vehicles going over 100 km/hr was observed and a study was conducted by K. Diamantopoulou & M. Cameron 3 to observe the effect of overt and covert traffic patrolling and whether any specific style of patrolling would help in reducing the number of accidents in the region. Their study showed results that the best solution to the problem was to use covert style of patrolli

Implementation of Magnet Environment in RMH Essay

Implementation of Magnet Environment in RMH - Essay Example There have been frequent changes in management due to poor working conditions and a high turnover of nurses. This has led to discontinuities in the style of management which changes as often as the managers do. Each new manager comes with a new style to which the supporting personnel have to adjust. This has impacted negatively on staff morale and has resulted in a high attrition rate. The result is a high patient to nurse ratio and therefore increased responsibilities for nurses. This has affected the quality of care given to patients and has led to high rates of mortality. Keenan and Kennedy (2003) indicate that the health outcome is much better when the patient to nurse ratio is low. This finding supports studies done by others including Aiken et al (2002) which indicates that patient outcomes are linked to nurse patient ratio and the number of registered nurses. The chain of command represents the structure of the organization. The lines of authority and responsibility are determ ined by the chain of command. It also determines the flow of communication and therefore the flow of information throughout the organization. A clear chain of command is important for efficient and effective management of any operation and the same applies to the operations of RMH hospital. The appropriate channels for vertical communication in RMH are affected and so problems and complaints are not dealt with because the nurses do not know who to report to. It therefore means that patients are not dealt with in the appropriate manner and so the problems keep piling up with no resolution in sight. There is no organized method of communication at RMH and so policies and directives cannot be enforced because there is no one to perform that role. Decisions are being made by persons who do not have direct contact with patients and therefore do not know what the real problems are. There is no proper supervision because there is not enough staff to go around in order for the job of patien t care to run smoothly. This has helped to increase the stress levels of nurses who have to deal with problems by themselves. There is inadequate information flow at RMH because of problems relating to the chain of command. Management is continually changing and new management normally takes some time to learn about the organization. It therefore means that problems cannot be dealt with as they should because the nurses on the ground have more than they can handle. Political/Economic Elements The role of nurse administration is fundamental to the operations of RMH. All departments depend on administrative and other support functions to provide records, supplies and carry out regular housekeeping services. Even though the nurses role appears to be and is really very critical the support and cooperation of the other departments is fundamental. The absence of interdisciplinary relationships in RMH is the root cause of some of the problems that currently exist. Critical care procedures are difficult to carry out because of this problem. This has affected both the structure and expertise of RMH ICU. This problem is coupled with the fact that RMH is the largest tertiary care military hospital in Saudi Arabia and is therefore always under pressure to admit patients who are critically ill. However, patients who are

Where Are You Going, Where have You Been Essay Example for Free

Where Are You Going, Where have You Been Essay Vanity can be exposed as ones greatest weakness. Where Are You Going, Where have You Been, a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates, describes Connies misconception of beauty as her only value, and also the ways in which Arnold Friend, a potential rapist and murderer, manipulates and takes advantage of Connies vanity. Connie is a fifteen year old girl who knows the extent to which her beauty can be used to her advantage. Connie knew she was pretty and that was everything. However, beauty causes Connie to become vain, and thus gives Connie the misconception that she is more powerful than the boys that are attracted to her. This proves that Connie believes her beauty allows her to transcend above other people, especially boys. As a result, although her beauteous physique can be seen as a benefit to Connie, her vanity proves to become her ultimate weakness and it leads to her demise as seen when Arnold Friend states I took a special interest in you, such a pretty girl. Connie becomes powerless in Arnold Friends presence because he manipulates and takes advantage of her vanity and desire for attention. Connies newly found sexuality as a teen gives her control over the boys she encounters at places such as the fly-infested drive in, which she describes as a haven and blessing they yearned for. The drive- in, which is fly-infested in reality, is the sacred building where Connie believes that her beauty can be truly appreciated, whereas at her home, beauty is not acknowledged at all. As a result, Connie further embraces her beauty in order to satiate her need for attention. In her trashy daydreams, Connie describes boys as dissolved into a single face that was not even a face but an idea. Connie is more enticed by the idea of having a boyfriend, which shows that she does not care much for the actual boy. This allows Connie to be more easily overpowered by Arnold Friends disguise when he first comes over to her house to take her away. This is evident when Connie states that for a moment [Arnold] wasnt even in focus but was just a blur standing there against his gold car This shows that Arnold becomes the concept of a  boyfriend to Connie, which is not even a face but an idea. Arnold eventually uses his opportunity as a potential boyfriend to flatter and ultimately overpower Connie in the end. A desire can undermine ones ability to guard ones self from tempting factors. Connies lack of attention from her family, especially her father, engenders her desire to be wanted by a man. Her desire for attention is noticed by Arnold Friend, and thus he uses that desire to his advantage. By turning Connies desire into her weakness, he uses manipulative tactics to overpower her vain personality. As a teenager, Connie is not able to truly identify herself. Connie is both a daughter and a sister to her family. However, her vanity and superficiality causes her to become a sexual object to boys as well, and thus she is flustered as to which role she can truly identify herself with. As a result of Connies identity crisis, Arnold Friend uses this to his advantage and overpowers Connie by further disorienting her with mixed feelings of both violence and passion. This is evident when Arnold threatens to hurt Connies family while attempting to seduce her with flattery, such as I like them the way you are, honey, as well. Arnold Friend psychologically manipulates Connie by acting both loving and violent, and this causes Connie to become powerless in Arnolds presence because she is not accustomed to a males who are so bipolar in emotions towards her. However, there is no rush or urgency as Arnold Friend casually speaks with Connie. This builds up to the suspense up until Connie finally realizes the danger she is in and all she could do is scream into the phone. Although Connie is caught up between the identities of being a daughter, sister, and an object of sexuality, Connies basis for these different roles is fixed upon physical appearance. Connie compares her beauty to her mother and sister, and she is always checking other peoples faces to make sure her own was all right. This shows that Connie fundamentally values physical beauty over all other factors. Although a grotesque encounter is foreshadowed when Arnold warns Connie gonna get you, babe, Connie allows Arnold to converse with her because she liked the way he was dressed. This further proves that Connie is immersed with only the superficial, and this  gives Arnold the chance to overpower Connie by becoming what she desires. Arnold is aware that Connie is primarily concerned with outer appearances, and this allows him to present himself in a desirable manner towards Connie. Connies inability to disregard the superficial in time resulted in her failure to recognize Arnolds disguise, and thus he was able to overpower her. Although Connie thinks of herself as a skilled flirt, she is soon stereotyped as nothing more than the pretty girl. Arnold Friend says, What else is there for a girl like you but to be sweet and pretty and give in? This proves that Connie, a girl who values beauty as the greatest worth, will be inevitably overpowered by a man who values and desires beauty as well. Music is both a shelter and exposure to Connie. Whenever Connie hears music, she feels a glow of slow pulsed joy that seemed to rise mysteriously out of the music itself. Connie was all about the the music that made everything so good. Music is made into such an important entity that it is almost given its own character. Music symbolizes security and safety, and she even describes the music at the drive- in as music at a church service; it was something to depend upon. By comparing it to church, she indicates that music is a form of religion to her. However, music as a religion does not bring Connie salvation. Although music is seen as Connies refuge, it leads to her powerlessness in front of Arnold Friend. One way in which Arnold is able to gain Connies trust is through his disguise and poor attempt to become like the man in the popular teenage songs. However, music is also a factor manipulated by Arnold and he uses it against her. Music is a refuge for Connie and Arnold is aware of that. The same song that was playing both Connies home and Ellies car seemed to blend together. The music, car, and outfit is all used by Arnold Friend as a way to become the type of lover described in the teen songs, and Connie falls for this guise and accepts his facade. Arnolds speech was spoken with a slight rhythmic lilt and Connie somehow recognized them Connie believes that she recognizes Arnold only because he seems to have come out from the teen songs she always listens to. As Connie realizes Arnold is not the idealized man in the songs, she loses recognition of everything that she is familiar with. She says that the kitchen looked like a place she had never seen before. This shows that  Arnold takes away more than Connies music; he takes away Connies life and everything else she is familiar with. Connie misinterprets that everything is the way it was in movies and promised in songs. She believes that her life will replicate the exact lover and life that is promised in the songs, which is just a mere fantasy and delusion in Connies case. As a result, Arnold seduces Connie by appearing to be what was promised in the songs, and overpowers Connie by using music as a tool. Arnold Friend is further able to overpower Connie because she is unsure of her identity that she has at home and everywhere else that is not home. Teenagers often are troubled by the fact that they are no longer children, but they are still not yet adults. As a result, Connie embraces the only thing she is certain of; her beauty. By overemphasizing the value of beauty, she becomes vain and self centered. Although she is troubled by her teenage turmoil, her family does not provide her with any moral support or guidance. Like Arnold Friend, her family is not what they seem. Arnold puts on a guise in order to become the idealized man in popular teen songs. In similarity, her parents appear to be typical parents, but they prove to be partly detached from Connies need. Connies father was away at work most of the time, and didnt bother talking much to them. As a result, Connie needed to seek for male attention elsewhere, such as from the boys at the drive in. Arnold Friend was aware of Connies desire for attention, especially from males, and thus used it to his advantage to overpower her. Even her mother seems to not be concerned about Connies desire for attention. Although at times Connie and her mother are almost friends over coffee, an issue arises that causes the two to argue over something of little value to either of them. Connie indicates that her mother had been pretty once too and as a result, Connie believes that her mother prefers her over June, who is plain and chunky and steady. This encourages Connie to believe that real value lies in beauty, and thus she makes the mistake of embracing vanity. This leads to Arnolds manipulation of Connies beauty and desire, which leads to his empowerment over Connie. As a result of her parents lack of concern and guidance, Connie is powerless when confronted by Arnold Friend. She does not know how to defend herself,  and only relies on her flirting, her beauty, and the fantasy that music represents. Connie was not taught by her parents how to act towards strangers. This is evident because Connies parents would not even ask her obvious parental questions such as Where are you going? or Where have you been? Due to the parents lack of concern, Connie takes advantage of her parents apathetic trust and goes out to places where parents would usually disapprove of. However, Connie feels guilty about deceiving her mom, who is simple and kind enough But the temptations of the drive- in and the boys overpower that guilt. This foreshadows Connies inability to overpower the temptations that Arnold Friend represents. Connie and her mom still manages to share a bond, as seen when Connie thinks to herself Im not going to see my mother again. Connies powerless ness is inevitable because her family did not emphasize true moral values, and as a result Connie embraced her beauty as her only value, which ultimately leads to her end by Arnolds hands. It is evident that Connie was overpowered by Arnold Friend because she embraced vanity as her only value, and also that Arnold took advantage of Connies desire for attention from men. Where are you Going, Where have you Been describes the eventual self awareness of Connie. Throughout the story, Connie has disregarded everything but her beauty. As a result, she only had her vanity as protection from Arnold Friend. This was clearly ineffective because it was obvious that it was Connies beauty and vanity that Arnold had desired since he first saw her. Arnolds desire for Connie overpowered Connies desire for attention, and thus Connie had no choice but to follow Arnold in the end. Although it music was something that made everything good and was something to depend on, Arnold manipulated music as well, and as a result he took away everything that provided joy and a sense of certainty to Connie. Connie had neither moral support nor guidance from her parents, and therefore she overemphasiz ed beauty as a value to the point where it blinded her from viewing Arnold Friend as an old fiend. Arnold Friend was able to disguise himself as an old friend by attempting to be the idealized man portrayed in the songs. He succeeded as a result of Connies misconception that everything is the way it was in movies and promised in songs. When Connie first sees Arnold, she cannot see anything  but her reflection in Arnolds sunglasses. This indicates that Arnold gives Connie the opportunity to see what herself as the stereotypical pretty girl, which Arnold replies what else is there for a girl like you but to be sweet and pretty and give in By manipulating her vanity, her desires, and her music, Arnold is able to take away her identity as a teenager, and thus Connie becomes powerless in the presence of Arnold. However, Connie matures when she casts aside her vanity by sacrificing herself for her familys safety. She eventually overcomes her own vanity in order to protect her family from Arnold, but only after she was completely overpowered by Arnold Friend. Although she was caught be tween the role of being a daughter, sister, and an object of sexual desire, she takes on the role of a hero at the end by giving her life for her family. Despite the fact that Connie became powerless in Arnolds presence, she was still able to overcome her vanity and selfishness for her familys sake, and this proves that Connie became powerful by the end of the story. Works Cited Oates, Joyce Carol. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, Compact. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner., and Stephen R. Mandell.. New York: Heinle, 2006. 579-591 Quirk, Tom. A SOURCE FOR WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?. Studies in Short Fiction 18.4 (Fall 1981): 413. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Santa Monica College Library, Santa Monica, CA. 4 Apr. 2008 http://libdb.smc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=7133354site=ehost-live Hurley, C. Harold. CRACKING THE SECRET CODE IN OATESS WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?. Studies in Short Fiction 24.1 (Winter 1987): 62. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Santa Monica College Library, Santa Monica, CA. 4 Apr. 2008 http://libdb.smc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=7151290site=ehost-live

The Development of the Irish Social Policy Essay Example for Free

The Development of the Irish Social Policy Essay Social policies are widely embraced by countries to support their cause for economic development. This is considered vital in the progress of the country because it concerns itself with the interventions that concerns living conditions of the people and other factors that promote human welfare. It is described as public policy and practice in the areas of health care, human services, criminal justice, inequality, education, and labor† (Webber, 1969). European countries have been instrumental in making necessary social policies that promotes equality and access to opportunities to its people. In fact, it is stated in the Law of the European Union, particularly in the Social Chapter, to promote the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation. As compared to the social policies in the United States and Canada that focuses on morality issues, European social policies take into consideration access to different arrays of factors that affect social conditions: health care, housing, pension and many others. However, social policy itself has experienced much change through the years. This made possible by the different calls of development through generations. Much story can be seen in the evolution of social policy in Ireland. Like any abovementioned causes of social policy, Ireland has also responded on the call of providing human welfare to its population. The development of social policy in Ireland has been much affected by its own development in history. The turn of social policy has been mostly attributed on the shift of Ireland to a Free State and Republic status after major economic downturns in the 1920s. The remnants of the civil war have brought about high unemployment in the country. Maura Adshead mentioned in her book, the Roman Catholic Church was a catalyst in controlling the social policy issues that time. It employed a very conservative approach, mostly focusing on morality issues. At the same time, the Church has control over the provision of social services like schools and hospitals. But much has even changed in Ireland’s social policy from the time it declared to be a republic in 1949 till it sought admission to the European Union community in the 1960s. Much economic restructuring has been focused on the economy. One of the major turns in social policy is the introduction of free secondary education in 1968. As the Irish economy continues to recuperate with the help of investments from the European Union, Ireland then began to embrace more liberal social policies, like legalizing divorce. It has drawn criticism from the dominant Roman Catholic Church. Despite the liberal move to social policies, one of the considered distinct turns of social policy in Ireland was the inclusion of partnerships in the strategy of social policy. As social exclusions has been a pressing problem in the European countries, including Ireland, local partnerships with public, private and community organizations has been strengthened to combat problems of poverty and unemployment. Earlier, the concept of poverty was a financial responsibility of people. Frederick Powell states in his book, The Politics of Social Policy, if a certain population is on the state of poverty, they are branded to be â€Å"socially or economically useless†. But much has changed when the concept of partnerships in social policies has emerged. It has given a multi-dimensional view, on poverty for example. Poverty now is perceived as both subjective and objective. Individuals, families and groups in the population can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities and have the living conditions and amenities which are customary, or at least widely encouraged or approved, in the societies to which they belong (Townsend, 1979). However, this perception is not only limited to poverty. Social exclusion may also be applied to the lack of access to social services that are vital to the human welfare. During the time that Ireland separated to the United Kingdom, the theme was into survival rather providing the social services that are needed by the people. This is brought about the lack of funds to institute services like health care and insurance. However, the first â€Å"beneficiaries† of the social provisions were the retired or unemployed workers. The Old Age Pension Act of 1908 and the National Insurance Act of 1911 gave minimal amount to social protection, however it all focused only on the monetary aspect of poverty (Stokes, 2009). Progressing on its republic state, Ireland began to explore on other social services like health and maternal care. However, almost of these provisions became ill-fated because of some opposition to the views of the Church. For instance, Keeley Stokes also mentioned in her paper that the Mother and Child Service of 1950 has not been successful in providing free maternal health care for mothers and children of 16 years and above because the Church perceived this as a pathway to abortion and birth control rights. The rest of other social policy provisions have been a reason for political opportunities as well, so the development of these interventions became incremental. Towards the 20th century, when poverty before was believed to be a factor of ineptitude in the part of the people, the Irish social policy has geared itself to be promoting to a holistic and responsible citizenship. Ireland’s inclusion to the European Union made it reflect on understanding the real score of poverty. Institutionalizing the solution of poverty was gone, rather incorporating a broader perspective in solving it was the new strategy. This meant focusing on health care and equal opportunities for all. Poverty was not only mainly monetary, but it involves other different supporting factors. At present, health care is a public entity in Ireland, in which people are entitled to all child health and maternity services for free. The major drawback of the social policy in Ireland is on the issue of equality. Most of the criticisms underlie on the high level of unemployment in Ireland. Income determination has been still a root of inequality. The people with their own interests will still dominate most of the problems of unemployment (O’Donnell, 1997). Nevertheless, under the social partnership structure, Ireland’s social policy must overcome the politics surrounding it so it can better deliver social provisions to its people. Bibliography Adshead, M. , Tonge, J. (2009). Politics in Ireland: Convergence and Divergence in a Two-Polity Island (Comparative Government and Politics). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ODonnell, R. (1993). Ireland and Europe: Challenges for a New Century (Policy research). New York: Economic Social Research Institute. Powell, F. (1992). The Politics of Irish Social Policy 1600-1900. New York: The Edwin Mellen Press. Stokes, K. W. , (2009, April 2) A Historical Analysis of Social Policy in Ireland: Punctuated Equilibrium and the Role of Ideas. Retrieved from http://www. allacademic. com/meta/p362730_index. html. Townsend, P. (1979). Poverty in the United Kingdom: A Survey of Household Resources and Standards of Living. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Webber, M. M. (1969). The social context for transport policy. Washington: U. S. G. P. O.

Country Comparison of Economic Development Data

Country Comparison of Economic Development Data QUESTIONS: You are required to collect comprehensive economic development data for year 2012 2013 of Malaysia and two countries of your choice and discuss which country is better in terms of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦(based on economic performance da ta collected) and discuss possible ways to improve your country’s economic development and standard of living. Malaysia Malaysia have 4 types of GDP which is purchasing power parity, official exchange rate, real growth rate and per capita PPP. For purchasing power parity in 2012 estimation is $501.5 billion and in 2013 estimation is $525 billion. In 2012 and 2013 estimation for the official exchange rate is $312.4 billion. For the real growth rate in 2012 estimation is 5.6% and in 2013 estimation is 4.7%. For the per capita PPP in 2012 is $17,000 and 2013 estimation is $17,500. Besides that, Malaysia have many different economy categories such as unemployment rate, population below poverty line. For the unemployment rate in 2012 estimation is 3% and in 2013 estimation is 3.1%. For the population below poverty line in 2012 and 2013 estimation is at 4.0% . Furthermore, for the budget consists of 2 categories which are revenues and expenditures. For the revenues in 2012 and 2013 estimation is $ 65.72 billion. For the expenditures in 2012 and 2013 estimation is $ 79.4 billion. In conjunction with the budget expenditures there is taxes which applies on the expenditures as well. For the taxes and other revenues is 21% GDP and for the budget deficit is -4.4% of GDP. For the consumer prices will have inflation rate as well. In 2012 estimation is 1.7% and in 2013 estimation is 2.2%. Lastly is the exports and imports for the country in Malaysia. For the exports in 2012 estimation is $227.7 billion and in 2013 estimation is $230.7 billion. For the imports in 2012 estimation is $186.9 billion and in 2013 estimation is $192.9 billion. The next category is people and society. There is 5 categories which is population, human development index, human poverty index, poverty rates and population growth rates. For the population in Malaysia for 2012 and 2013 estimation is 30,073,353 people. For the human development index in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 0.769. For the poverty rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 1.7%. Finally, for the population growth rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation 1.7%. Finally, for the population growth rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 1.47%. Japan Japan have 4 types of GDP which is purchasing power parity, official exchange rate, real growth rate and per capita PPP. For purchasing power parity in 2012 estimation is $4.638 trillion and in 2013 estimation is $4.729 trillion. In 2012 and 2013 estimation for the official exchange rate is $5.007 trillion. For the real growth rate in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 2% For the per capita PPP in 2012 is $36,300 and 2013 estimation is $37,100. Besides that, Malaysia have many different economy categories such as unemployment rate, population below poverty line. For the unemployment rate in 2012 estimation is 4.4% and in 2013 estimation is 4.1%. For the population below poverty line in 2012 and 2013 estimation is at 16%. Furthermore, for the budget consists of 2 categories which are revenues and expenditures. For the revenues in 2012 and 2013 estimation is $1.739 trillion. For the expenditures in 2012 and 2013 estimation is $2.149 trillion. In conjunction with the budget expenditures there is taxes which applies on the expenditures as well. For the taxes and other revenues is 34.7% GDP and for the budget deficit is -8.2% of GDP. For the consumer prices will have inflation rate as well. In 2012 estimation is 0% and in 2013 estimation is 0.2%. Lastly is the exports and imports for the country in Malaysia. For the exports in 2012 estimation is $776.6 billion and in 2013 estimation is $697.0 billion. For the imports in 2012 estimation is $830.1 billion and in 2013 estimation is $766.6 billion. The next category is people and society. There is 5 categories which is population, human development index, human poverty index, poverty rates and population growth rates. For the population in Malaysia for 2012 and 2013 estimation is 127,103,388 people. For the human development index in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 0.912. For the poverty rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 11.1%. Finally, for the population growth rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation 15.7%. Finally, for the population growth rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 0.13%. United States United States have 4 types of GDP which is purchasing power parity, official exchange rate, real growth rate and per capita PPP. For purchasing power parity in 2012 estimation is $16.47 trillion and in 2013 estimation is $16.72 trillion. In 2012 and 2013 estimation for the official exchange rate is $16.72 trillion. For the real growth rate in 2012 is 2.8% and 2013 estimation is 1.6%. For the per capita PPP in 2012 is $52,400 and 2013 estimation is $52,800. Besides that, Malaysia have many different economy categories such as unemployment rate, population below poverty line. For the unemployment rate in 2012 estimation is 8.1% and in 2013 estimation is 7.3%. For the population below poverty line in 2012 and 2013 estimation is at 15.1%. Furthermore, for the budget consists of 2 categories which are revenues and expenditures. For the revenues in 2012 and 2013 estimation is $2.849 trillion. For the expenditures in 2012 and 2013 estimation is $3.517 trillion. In conjunction with the budget expenditures there is taxes which applies on the expenditures as well. For the taxes and other revenues is 17% GDP and for the budget deficit is -4% of GDP. For the consumer prices will have inflation rate as well. In 2012 estimation is 2.1% and in 2013 estimation is 1.5%. Lastly is the exports and imports for the country in Malaysia. For the exports in 2012 estimation is $1.561 trillion and in 2013 estimation is $1.575 trillion. For the imports in 2012 estimation is $2.303 trillion and in 2013 estimation is $2.273 trillion. The next category is people and society. There is 5 categories which is population, human development index, human poverty index, poverty rates and population growth rates. For the population in Malaysia for 2012 and 2013 estimation is 127,103,388 people. For the human development index in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 0.912. For the poverty rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 11.1%. Finally, for the population growth rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation 15.7%. Finally, for the population growth rates in 2012 and 2013 estimation is 0.13%. 5 Ways To Improve Your Country’s Economic Development And Standard Of Living 1. Wage your levies: An efficient tax collection and management system is important for a country’s economy growth. Besides exports, the majority of revenue is from taxation, without taxation, the government cannot invest in infrastructure, social programs or compensate government officials. Sales taxes, income taxes, payroll taxes and wealth taxes are made by taxpayer into the economy to improve the collective standard of living. This includes the benefit from getting better roads, schools, hospitals and a welfare system. 2. Animate within your means: By saving money and keeping your debt lower than your disposable income, you will be less vulnerable recession. For example, if your credit cards, mortgage loans, the outstanding balance of auto loans and student loans is more than your savings, investments and property combined, then the problem will come to you. It means you may have a dissatisfied conditions, as like a sudden drop in unexpectedly financial obligations. 3. Acquire valuable teaching: The education level is highly associated to the economic growth. In other words, the more skilled of the population is (composed for example of engineers, physicists, agricultural biologists, construction workers, etc), the more productive, competitive and autonomous that a country can be. For example, with the right expertise, food security can be guaranteed by increasing agricultural production; a plenty of goods can be manufactured and exported; and natural resources can safely use and local change. So by getting a professional education that is in demand, you will help your country to get productivity and a strategic advantage. 4. Devour properties and facilities created locally: By selecting to buy a five-dollar t-shirt made in your country instead of the exact same t-shirt selling for one dollar but made abroad, you just made a major positive impact: the money stayed in the local economy, domestic jobs were compensated and small businesses remain open. 5. Chosen administration bureaucrats in errand of financial development: All of the advice above cannot be effective without leaders who fight for corruption, foster a fair trade and business agreements, promote financial transparency, support for protectionist labor laws, avoid excessive public and consumer debt, engage in a prudent monetary and fiscal policy development, boost job creation, ease access to important sectors of education and healthcare, subsidize vital industries and help small businesses. 2. What is ‘Dumping’ and why do countries implement ‘Anti-dumping’ legislation? Do you think such legislations are required in today’s free trade world market? Discuss with supporting data and relevant duties What is dumping? Dumping happens when the export price of the goods in Malaysia is lower than the usual price of the similar or alike artefact in the inland market in the nation of export or basis. In other words, dumping is an global value discernment which the corporation custodies more in its inland marketplace than in the export marketplace. What is export price? Export price is actually the value that salaried or owed for the topic merchandise (supposedly vended at dumping values in Malaysia for overseas products) . In cases the export price may be built on the topic merchandise are first resold to an self-governing purchaser on basis of price. What is subject merchandise ? Subject merchandise means the lesson or kind of merchandise imported or vended imported into Malaysia that is the topic of any countervailing or anti-dumping responsibility act under Act 504. What is like product? Like product means a product which is alike or like in all compliments to the topic merchandise, and comprise other artefact which comprise bodily, technical or biochemical physiognomies, applications or uses that nearly alike to those the topic merchandise. What is normal value? Normal value is the value salaried in the normal course of interchange in the inland marketplace of the nation of export. Auctions used to verify the usual price which must be lucrative and unaffected by any association between the purchaser and vender. Nations comply ‘anti-dumping’ lawmaking because to authorizing the Examining Specialist to take corrective events against unfair interchange by overseas builders/exporters and to deliver a outline for examining accusations of damage caused by dumped or funded imports. I think such legislations are required in today’s free trade world market due to: Anti-dumping actions (Legal issues) If a corporation exports a artefact at a worth that is fewer than the worth it usually custodies in its own home-based marketplace, or vended properties at a worth which does not encounter its filled cost of manufacture, it is called as dumping the artefact. It is a sub-section of numerous forms of worth discernment and is registered as third gradation worth discernment. Many administrations take act against dumping to defend inland business and the WTO contract concentration is on how administrations can or cannot respond to dumping. It disciplines anti-dumping contract. The administration must compute the boundary of dumping (how much lower of the export worth compared to the exporter’s home-based marketplace worth), and show that the injured of dumping. References: Fatima, R. (2014). MITI. Retrieved 12 May 2014, from http://www.miti.gov.my/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.section.Section_e2f9c09d-c0a8156f-282d282d-9947bc72 Adkins, T., Alvin, M. (2009). Dumping Definition | Investopedia. Retrieved 12 May 2014, from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dumping.asp Azhar, A., Reserve, T. (2014). Govt imposes anti-dumping duty on FCB from Thailand. Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 12 May 2014, from http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2013/11/29/govt-imposes-anti-dumping-duty-on-fcb-from-thailand/ Gwet, M., Gwet, M. (2013). 5 things you can do to help your country’s economy BobbyFinance. BobbyFinance. Retrieved 13 May 2014, from http://bobbyfinance.com/2013/05/24/5-things-you-can-do-to-help-your-countrys-economy/# Britt S.L. (2014). The World Factbook. Retrieved 2 June 2014, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/my.html

jane Eyre :: essays research papers

Charlotte Bronte addresses the theme of morality in the novel Jane Eyre using many characters as symbols. Bronte states, "Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion." In Jane Eyre, Bronte supports the theme that customary actions are not always moral through the conventional personalities of Mrs. Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John Rivers. The novel begins in Gateshead Hall where due to Jane's lower class standing, Mrs. Reed treats Jane as an outcast. As Bessie and Miss Abbot drag Jane to the "red room† she is told by Miss Abbot: "No; you are less than a servant for you do nothing for your keep.† She must stay in the red room after she retaliates to the attack John Reed makes upon her. She receives no love or approval from her family. The only form of love that she does have is the doll she clings to at night when she sleeps. Mrs. Reed is a conventional woman who believes that her class standing sets her to be superior, and therefore better than a member of her own family. As a result of Jane's tantrums, quick temper, and lack of self-control, society classifies her as an immoral person. Miss Abbot believes: "God will punish her: He might strike her in the midst of her tantrums." Miss Abbot constantly reminds Jane that she is wicked, she needs to repent, and she is especially depend ent on prayer. The Reed children, in contrast, are treated completely opposite. Although John Reed is cruel and vicious to Jane, he receives no type of warning that God will punish him. The novel proceeds to Lowood, Mrs. Reed decides to send Jane there after the doctor, Mr. Lloyd, advises her that Jane should attend school. Mrs. Reed is glad to be rid of Jane and asks Jane not to wake the family the day of her departure. Jane arrives at Lowood and observes the behavior of the students. They are "all with plain locks combed from their faces, not a curl visible; in brown dresses, made high, and surrounded by a narrow tucker about the throat." One day, Miss Temple serves the children cheese in order to compensate for their burnt porridge. Mr. Brocklehurst, the self-righteous leader of Lowood, tells Miss Temple: "You are aware that my plan in bringing up these girls, is not to accustom them to luxury and indulgence, but to render them, hardy, patient, and self-denying.

Archetypes In Waterworld :: Film, Movie

The 1995 hit film Waterworld is a prime example of archetypes appearing in modern motion pictures. The movie displays three main characteristics that give it archetypal meaning. The first of these is the classic hero archetype. Secondly, many archetypal elements of nature are displayed. Lastly, many other archetypes such as safety, extremes, and topography appear in the film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waterworld perfectly portrays the heroic archetype. Kevin Costner plays the role of the mariner whose quest is to get to dryland. Playing the evil side is Dennis Hopper who acts as the evil deacon whose mission is to stop the mariner and get to dryland first. The mariner is forced to leave his current lifestyle and is almost killed shortly afterwards. Along the way, he receives help from a wise old man, soul mate, and innocent youth. Costner defeats the deacon when the young girl, Enola, is captured. Soon after, they return to dryland where everything is peaceful and resources abound.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The various settings in Waterworld include many archetypes and add meaning to the story. For one, the deep, salty sea engulfs the whole world. Archetypally, this holds a demonic meaning, and in Waterworld the characters are constantly trying to overcome it. The sun also makes it very hot, giving the characters a thirst which cannot be quenched, as there is no water. Furthermore, any vegetation is extremely valuable because it gives the people vital nutrients, which they need to survive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many other archetypes also appear in the film. For example, the mariners ship is a place of safety for the mariner and his companions. Therefore it has a positive archetypal meaning and is important to the story. In addition, negative archetypes also emerge. Two of these are extreme heat and dessert like topography.

An Argument Against Abortion Essay -- essays research papers

ABORTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am against abortion for a couple of reasons. I believe adopting instead of aborting is a better decision. Abortion is murder. Condoms are available and inexpensive. There are also other forms of birth control. Some people say it’s their choice so I think people should choose wisely, by not killing a baby. There are also many programs in the U.S. that will aid people financially, for people who claim to be financially unfit to raise a child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe adoption is a better choice than murder. No one dies, and there is a solution for more than just the pregnant lady. People get to live, mother and child. And the couple who has been waiting for two years to adopt a baby gets to do so. The child is able to live the life the mother never tried to give him or her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most important reason why I am against abortion is because I believe it is murder. It is a human fetus, with a heartbeat. I don’t understand how you could kill a human seconds before it is born, but not minutes after. I believe it is murder no matter when you kill a baby.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contraceptives are available. There are contraceptives for both male and female, from condoms to pills. There are surgeries which could be legally performed in which people could no longer reproduce. There is no need to kill a baby if you take proper precaution before having sexual intercourse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  &n...

Great Balls of Flowers Essay

Throughout Steve Abees’s book Great Balls of Flowers the reoccurring themes that arise are sex, love, family and life. Within each poem he threads in a minimum of two themes, interweaving them so all the themes eventually overlap. The themes of sex, love and family are each representative of a major component of his life. His book gives readers insight as to what Abee is thinking and feeling within each poem, making them extremely personal for the reader. The title of the book was seemingly derived from Jerry Lee Lewis’s Song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† which was written in 1957 on the movie based on Jerry Lee Lewis which was released in 1989. The movie discusses Lewis’ controversial life and his rise and fall as a rock star. Lewis suffered from substance abuse and resorted to alcoholism when times got bad. His song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† is purely sexual discussing the arousal of a man, this song was one of Lewis’ major hits. Abee’s title â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers† is so appropriate especially with his replacement of fire with flowers. Flowers hold the softer connotation of love and peacefulness as Abee explains how he’s overcome his issues with the love he feels and receives from his family. Within select poems his love for his wife and children are startlingly apparent. He portrays himself with raw emotions that seem unbreakable. In the poem â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, he states, â€Å"I love you so much that when I touch you my fingers turn into miniature suns shining. † His portrayal of everlasting love and lust for his wife gives the reader insight as to his most personal and inner thoughts and emotions. Because of the rawness and bluntness of his emotions It is evident his poetry was used as an escape for Abee. His attachment to his wife leads the reader to think as a child there were issues with his family. Romance isn’t the only type of love Abee discusses, as he also mentions the love he has for his children. For his youngest daughter, Abee states â€Å"her voice opens me like breath. † He continues on to state â€Å"I’m trying to be good now I’m trying not to be bad†, this gives the reader the idea that his children are now the motivation for him. It seems as if he had previously struggled with a personal issue that has disappeared because of the arrival of his children. Substance abuse seems appropriate as he refines it in the poem â€Å"Sucks† when he says â€Å"beer sucks. It’s good but it sucks. Marijuana sucks†¦ Crystal Meth sucks so bad. † His allusions to these substances would tie in as a strong connection to the title, â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers. † Abee never fails to insert a sexual innuendo within the majority of his poems. One example of his sexual references arise in the poem â€Å"Gas†, Abee states â€Å"when I lick your secrets, bombs begin to fall from your thighs. † His continual sexual references tie in greatly with the title, Great Balls of Flowers because it alludes to the 1957 hit song discussing sex. Sex seems to be a dominant theme throughout the book, as it was throughout many of Jerry Lee Lewis’ songs as well. Abee’s continuous blunt sexual references free him from the shackle soft society as he isn’t scared to discuss topics that seem controversial. His direct statements give the book a potent feel and, honest take on life. As the book goes on you can see the meniscal details in life that are typically overlooked are what Abee thrives upon. His poems are real portrayals of his daily routine and it gives the reader a personal connection with him and his mindset. Great Balls of Flowers consists of poems covering the themes of sex, love, family and life. His title is so appropriate these four themes are the pieces of Abee’s life which he discusses in his poetry giving readers in insight into his alternative perspective on life and love. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses imagery to help develop his tone and themes in his various poems. His use of imagery creates a clear picture that the reader can connect with. Those images, which are typically familiar to the reader help the reader, better understand the point Abee is trying to make. Abee uses a mix of concrete imagery alongside symbolic imagery, creating numerous layers for the reader to divulge in as the poems go on. One example of the imagery used is in the poem â€Å"Hail to the Things I Can Not See. † Abee states â€Å"Oh wind keeping seagulls aloft, squawking and hovering over my daughters and my hot dogs at Santa Monica Pier. † His use of imagery in this quote sets the setting for this poem. Along with it building a setting, it gives the poem a nostalgic feel because that’s where the author grew up. The familiar sounds he describes connect the reader to the beach, which carries light and happy connotations, reinforcing the nostalgic feel while integrating the positive tone. The city scape imagery portrays Abee as a city boy, giving readers an image of him. His juxtaposition of the city scene with more symbolic imagery gives the reader insight to what he sees life as helping him break free from the connotations that come with â€Å"city boy†. The stanza after the one previously stated says, â€Å"oh the gravity that holds the trees up and my bones together†, using imagery in more of a symbolic sense. Although gravity is something not visible to the human eye, Abee portrays it in a way that is viable to the reader. The contrast of the tangible with the symbolic give the poem a deeper feel. Another example of imagery can be seen in the poem, â€Å"Poem to My Wife†, Abee states â€Å"the innocent sea shore of our kiss, where hippies play on tambourine brain fried ukulele and we dance on crab grass sand†. His use of imagery in this quote not only sets the scene for this particular stanza but sets the mood for the entire poem. His use of the word ukulele gives the reader the view of the upbeat instrument that plays purely cheerful melodies, while the sand gives the reader an image of the beach giving the poem a bright tone. As he explains how they dance to the upbeat tunes, the reader can feel the joy radiating off the happy couple. This portrayal of why Abee is so infatuated with this wife, not only gives readers an insight into his marriage but an insight to his heart and what makes him happy. Within the poem previously discussed Abee states, â€Å"words†¦ rising up into a ball of Christmas lights, poof, explosion of holiday love. † This use of imagery is purely symbolic; words are personified to express his love for his wife giving the reader an idea of how extreme his passion is for his mate. His use of the image â€Å"Christmas Lights† give off the connotations of the holiday which is centered on love and happiness. These connotations give the poem an upbeat and warm tone, while the reader starts to see Abee in a different more loving sort of light. Along with the holiday connotations, his use of words like explosion give the poem a more passionate and yearning sort of feel, giving readers visuals of the intensity of his love. Abee’s use of imagery greatly constructs the tone and theme of the poem. Throughout the book there are instances where symbolic and tangible imagery contrast, following the same sort of pattern showed in this poem. This contrast sets the setting then divulges into Abee’s inner thoughts, giving readers a better perception of the author and a deeper understanding of his poetry. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses personification, similes and metaphors in various poems. Each of these devices holds a different effect over the reader, emphasizing and creating different images for the reader. Each example of figurative language holds a different effect on the reader but in all the point of the insertions of the figurative language is to accentuate the purpose of each poem. Steve Abee uses various similes in the poem, â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, one example of this can be seen in the quote, â€Å"loving you is like surfing the wave of benevolent impulse. † In this poem he is describing the intese love he feels for his wife and uses a simile to explain to the reader the extensity of his overwhelming emotions for her. Using the word benevolent describes the gentleness of the love the duo share while impose gives readers a sense of the intensity that kindness carries. Abee compares the love they share to surfing a wave giving readers a familiar image to compare the ‘ride† he feels with her. The insertion of a metaphor adds another layer to the poem , leaving room for interpretation from there reads, which contrasts well as Abee is explaining like his poetry , his love for his wife has numerous layers. Within the poem previously discussed, Abee uses personification to further explain the love he feels for his wife. The quote goes as follows, â€Å"But it (poem) wouldn’t be able to help itself. † Abee is explaining what a poem to his wife would consist of, and that is where he inserts the above quote. The use of personifications gives the reader a sense of how alive his love for his wife is. The intensity of his love can’t be explained with the used of an inanimate object so personifying the poem gives his love an image. Along with the aspect of imagery rat personification brings, it sets a tone for the entire poem. The personification of the â€Å"poem† gives the literal poem a loud but allusive tone. In the poem â€Å"Gas Station†, the entire first stanza consists of metaphors, Abee states, â€Å"Steve Abee is a gas station. † To start things off the first impression this holds on the reader is a whirlwind of thoughts in hope to analyze what he could possibly mean by this statement. As he continues on he states numerous other figures are â€Å"gas stations† such as Jesus Christ, and Jack Kerouac. Continuing on he states how gas stations are â€Å"lonesome and lovely† and sit on the â€Å"edge of a sandy skirt desert†. His descriptions of gas stations set the tone for the poem as morbid and sad  as the reader is visualizing a delegate area that people use then leave. Both Fries and Christ underwent great suffering throughout their lives which ultimately resulted in their deaths, which connects to the end of the stanza where Abee states, â€Å"As we move from seashore to graveyard. † Using the metaphor not only on himself but on other figures not only gives readers an image to connect his emotions to but it also shows readers that personally this is what he perceives life as, a journey where humans are used and abused , then die. His metaphor emphasizes his main idea for that poem while accentuating the tone that is apparent throughout the rest of the poem. Abee uses all these forms of figurative language to emphasize are ideas and highlight the tones that are seen in his various poems. They also all help connect back to the main themes which can be seen throughout the poem. In all each device helps give readers the image in which Abee intends from them to see, while showing readers how he personally feels. If I was to write a poem to you it would go something like this As I sit and reminisce, a wave of nostalgia overcomes me, leaving me choking and gasping for relief, as I drown in memories of forgotten promises faded secrets Next, id talk about how your laugh was like the church bells ringing on Sunday morning, clear and crisp in the sunny sky, particles of sound dancing with the rhythm of love If I were to write you a poem I would use words like gifted and good, the gentle gem in a mound of rocks, something like that. I would have pointless passages explaining the magnetic pull we felt between us, I would illuminate the page with the sparks we once shared, fireworks over a lake of washed out feelings, calmly disappearing into a an abyss of darkness If I was going to write you a poem it would have words It would have words describing our love, words only cupid knows, words of joy and happiness. Words to explain how you make me feel , words that would flow out of my mouth into my hand and onto paper like a stream flows into the ocean, twisting and turning then eventually colliding with the salty sea water, slowly integrating themselves till they are one. To be honest the poem I would write would have a dark side, a side of sadness and longing, unreasonably irrational and unhealthily attached. I would say things like I miss you and come back. I love you more than you could ever know; I need you more than the grass needs rain. Your love warms me and keeps me alive, your love completed me. The poem would say you can’t love another, you can only love me. I would say please come back, I would say I’m sorry. I would say we were perfect together, we were soul mates. I would say no one else can hold you; no one else can touch you or call you theirs. The poem would say how could you? How could you love another, how could you be with another or kiss another. How could you leave me? The poem would be like that, angry. Yes angry, sad, mournful and dark, with flashes of light flickering in the darkness. The poem would be sealed in a bottle, and thrown into space, where it only company would be the sun, until eventually it would fade away, never to be read by my forgotten love.