Saturday, August 31, 2019
Debut albums †Life Essay
This is a phrase, a philosophy phrase that is about living, daily living. But what do you think it really means or should we say what is the hidden meaning about it? Why just living is not enough? Living is not enough because we need to experience all the things we can. Simple as to explore the world or the things that was given to us by our beloved GOD. We need to experience all good, better and best, bad, worse and worst. From worst to best to know what the word LIFE truly means. It also doesn’t mean we need to do crimes in order to experience bad things, it’s just like problems, wounds and etc. We and I consider it as bad things because I don’t like any of that happen to me. Just living is not enough†¦. We need to explore and find the true meaning of life. He who hesitates is probably right. This is a philosophy that we can use daily, why? Because this is about decision making. And we always make decision in every aspect of our life. As a student I can relate in this because of our recitations in school. We always hesitate before we raise our hands to answer. We will suddenly know that our or my answer is right because someone answers it. And it’s too late to get the credit. The philosophy above is trying to teach or to tell us that if we have ideas, share it, tell it, explain it because we will never know if our ideas is right if we don’t try it. Not only for students but all individuals around the globe. Human life is purely a matter of deciding what’s important to you. This Philosophy is saying human life always choose what’s important to you. But why? All individuals are different from each other, different tastes, likes, dislikes and many more. But we all have similarities, we always choose what’s important to us in every problem that comes in our life. For some instances, family problems like marriage and your family doesn’t want your fiance or fiancee, you will decide what’s MORE important to you your family or your love one? If you choose your family, then go and it’s also the same if you choose your love one. I understand in this philosophy that this our instict that we always choose what’s important to us but it never assures us that what is important will be the best for us. Only friends can answer your calls everytime of day that matter. This is a simple philosophy that is about friendship. If we first read it, we will quickly understand what it means. But what do we understand? We all know we have many friends in our life, friends in school, friends in the neighborhood and many more. We also know not all friends are real, just like this saying says â€Å"Some friends are gold and some friends are silver†. The philosophy above is trying to tell us that only TRUE and REAL friends can answer your calls no matter what your problem is. The friends that are there for you no matter what. No matter what time of day it is, you could call them and they’d be there for you. And it’s true, they are the ones that matter. The people who you can really rely on to be there for you are the ones that should matter in your life.
Friday, August 30, 2019
A 24-hour society Essay
In a 24-hour society, when are people supposed to get a good night’s rest? The automobile industry, the airline industry, the medical industry, the manufacturing industry, the safety industry – all of these and others are industries which cannot simply close at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. People must work around the clock to provide for the health, safety, and entertainment of others. Unfortunately, scientists are becoming more concerned about the effects of the night shift on American workers. While the night shift cannot be obliterated from working class America, those that do work on this schedule and the companies that employ them must be aware of the physical and psychological factors that come into play for the employee as well as the risks for the company itself. Twenty to thirty million Americans have jobs that require them to work nontraditional schedules, which includes working during nighttime hours when other, traditional workers are asleep (Weiss, 1989).  This shift has been around since society became industrialized because the need for 24 hour services in prisons and hospitals necessitated a â€Å"night†person. However, these night workers have a much more difficult time than day workers in a variety of areas. Most of these problems can be traced back to the lack of sleep and light that these workers receive while they are awake. See more: My Writing Process Essay Scientists have been studying the body’s circadian rhythms in order to solve the puzzle of sleep deprivation and its effects.                                                                                                                         Circadian rhythms are the body’s reaction to the alternation of light and dark and  cues such as the timing of meals and sleep. This 24hour light-dark circadian cycle  is derived from the Latin circa (â€Å"about†) and dies (â€Å"day†). Since prehistoric times, circadian rhythms have regulated the pattern of working by day and sleeping by night†(Learning to live with light-dark cycles, 1996). This genetic functioning is the basis for how individuals are genetically programmed to sleep and to wake. According to scientists, the light from around a person travels through his eye to the hypothalamus in the brain – where the supposed â€Å"biological clock†is located. Then the impulse travels to the pineal gland at which point the production of melatonin (the hormone that allows people to sleep) is dramatically reduced. The rise and fall of melatonin in the body affects body temperature, perceived energy and enzyme and hormone production (Learning to live with light-dark cycles, 1996).    Basically, most of the body’s functions are related to this simple perception of light and dark. One researcher, Dr. Foster, studying this phenomenon,  â€Å"found cells in the human eye that do nothing but detect bright sunlight and tell the brain to reset the sleep cycle accordingly†(Pepper, 2004). He found that these eye cells do not help produce vision but are only set to respond to daylight. It is important to note that even on a cloudy day, the daylight produced is 500 to 1,000 times brighter than any type of artificial light used in factories or offices. These artificial lights do not fool these cells in the eye.    Pepper (2004) cites Foster in saying â€Å"You need light of a long duration and high brightness to shift the [biological] clock. This explains why business travelers crossing time zones eventually adapt, but night-shift workers never do. They get a dose of natural light on their way to and from work, too strong for a factory’s dim lamps to counter.† These special eye cells feed directly to the brain and tell the brain’s ‘biological clock’ which is really about 20,000 cells with the scientific name of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, whether the person is receiving daylight or not. If he is, the cells send out the word to stay away; if he is not, the cells send out sleep signals (Pepper, 2004). In addition to the sleepy or energized feeling that these cells can regulate, the human body is also affected in other ways. Scientific research has proved that people who work the third shift have a greater incidence of heart disease than those who work the first shift. They explain it by revealing that the less exposure to daylight a person has, the more the cholesterol is produced in the bloodstream, which will clog the person’s arteries (Fischette, 1992). â€Å"Blood pressure and pulse rates are slowest during the night, but rise dramatically upon wakening. Physicians see more heart attack and stroke patients in the morning hours. Studies also are finding that circadian rhythms affect diabetes and certain cancers. For people with asthma, coughing and respiratory arrest are most common between midnight and 6:00 a.m.†(Pepper, 2004).  Similarly, Glaxo, Inc. a research organization in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, notes other physiological effects that fall under control of these circadian rhythms: When parents remark that their children seem to grow overnight, they may not be far from the truth. During the hours of sleep, the human growth hormone is produced in greater abundance and is not inhibited from doing its job by activity hormones, like adrenaline, which are released during the day. Jet lag. When traveling to a different time zone, jet lag afflicts travelers and disrupts sleep and daytime functioning. The body’s circadian rhythm becomes â€Å"out of sync†with the rhythm of light and dark, taking up to several days to re-align itself to the new routine. Shift workers’ sleep disorder. Re-adjusting the body’s clock to different schedules on night or rotating shifts plays havoc with the natural circadian rhythm that responds to light and dark, making one’s temperature lowest at night and highest during the day. Although shift workers make up one-fourth of the nation’s workforce, they are twice as likely as nine-to-five individuals to report sleep disruption. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). For some people, the â€Å"winter blues†aren’t just a mood, but a chronic disorder that leads to depression, drowsiness, and carbohydrate cravings during the winter months. People suffering from SAD report longer periods of sleep, indicating that this disorder may be a circadian disturbance due to the shorter days of winter. Lung function. The body’s production of cortisol steroids, which control lung inflammation, drops at night and peaks in the morning. This means air flow in and out of the lungs is best at 4:00 p.m., often giving athletes a â€Å"leg up,†compared with other times of the day. Air flow drops to its lowest point at 4:00 a.m., explaining why people with asthma often have nocturnal problems.   (Learning to live with light-dark cycles, 1996). All of these negative affects will be exacerbated for those who must work during the dark, sleeping hours. Other problems can also arise from a lack of sleep due to working the third shift. A range of personality and behavioral problems may arise due attitudes related to shift work. These attitudes correlate to sleep habits and self-assessed feelings of vigor (Bohle & Tilley, 1998).  Even if third shift workers are able to stay alert on shift, they may not be able to sleep during the day which exposes them to all kinds of additional problems due to sleep deprivation.  â€Å"Studies show that one night’s loss of sleep results in a 30 percent drop in cognitive performance, rising to 60 percent after two nights†(Bohle & Tilley, 1998). This means that the ability to think and make decisions quickly, as may be required by the majority of third shift workers – police officers, air traffic controllers and medical personnel – may be seriously diminished if they cannot sleep well during the day. Of course, as previously mentioned, the amount of daylight makes this very difficult (Bohle & Tilley, 1998).                   The attitudes toward the night shift can also affect relationships and performance. Night shift was most frequently characterized as being tiring, having drowsy moments, being bad for family life and not starting too early in a study reported by Bohle & Tilley, 1998). Stickgold et al, 1999 reports also that night owls have slower reaction times, slower motor responses and slower levels of linguistic and associated processing. These could be very costly for some people.                                       Sadly, the vast majority of industrial accidents occur in the overnight hours when some workers may doze or suffer from lowered cognitive functioning. Such was the case with the accident at Three Mile Island, which began at 4 am. And the accident at Chernobyl, at 1:23 am (  the early hours when night-shift workers are prone to doze: the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island started at 4 a.m., Chernobyl at 1:23 a.m. (Bohle & Tilley, 1998).  â€Å"We are asking 20 percent of our work force, including pilots and surgeons, to operate when they’re massively impaired,†says Dr. Russell Foster, a molecular neuroscientist at London’s Imperial College (Bohle & Tilley, 1998).  Indeed, over 50% of shift workers admitted to falling asleep at least once while on the job (Weiss, 1989).Â Â Â Â Â Â Â à ‚  .                                 Scientists are working on some medications and false lighting systems to help with the physiological and psychological problems associated with third shift work. Until then, workers and their company’s should take steps to prevent accidents and illnesses which may result. References Bohle, P & Tilley, AJ. (1998). Early experience of shif twork: Influences on attitudes. Journal of            Occupational and Organizational Psychology 71, 61-79. Fischette, M. (1992). Working the heart-disease shift. Omni14 (11) Pepper, T. (2004). Night Shift. Newsweek (Atlantic Edition) 144 (16). Stickgold, R., Scott, L., Rittenhouse, C., & Hobson, J.A. (1999). Sleep-induced changes in    associative memory. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 11(2) Weiss, R. (1989). Safety gets short shrift on long night shift. Science News 135 (3)
Government Growth in an Age of Improvement Essay
Democratic accountability is supposed to be alive and well in any political system rather than a government ran on â€Å"auto-pilot†at the expense of neglected and so expected taxpayers and rightful citizens. Introduction It should sound ironical that the president should continue to choose cabinet and sub cabinet officers and both the president and the congress continue to remain accountable to the American people through elections and exercise the power of the purse unlike in other democratic countries a great lack of interest in political administration is evident in the United Nations, resulting to deeper strains in American Society at large. The US has never created a high level, government-wide-civil service or a highly skilled and experienced top executive political manpower. The control of government policies is vested in an informal enduring series of â€Å"iron triangles†who are a link between particular program proposed to the relevant executive bureau, congressional committees and interest groups clientele the iron triangles are disastrously incomplete since they hardly understand changes in politics and administration but rather look for the powerful actors with whom to do business (P. 88). The job of presidential appointees in controlling their own actions and managing the bureaucracy are ultimately complicated. The problem arises where politicians, officials and their fellow travelers fail to meet what the public can understand and accept; thus registering large strains of American politics and society. Organized politics are dissolved and organizational life throughout the nation is politicized. Government Growth in an Age of Improvement The late 1950s and entire 1960s witnessed a wave of federal initiatives in health, civil rights, education, housing, manpower, income maintenance, transportation and urban affairs all associated with low government expenditure. Newer types of welfare concerns such as consumer protection, the environment, cancer prevention, energy, etc. have characterized an ambitious, reform minded period and a big government. However, there has been astonishingly little increase in the overall size of the federal executive establishment. Federal employment never grew either in comparison with spending and regulations (P. 89). Higher costs of existing policies are just one explanation of expanding government and stable bureaucracy and has been important in income maintenance programs. Another explanation is lack of administering programs directly to general population but rather act through intermediary organizations such as state governments, city halls, third party payers, consultants, contractors etc. making the contract between the ordinary citizen and a federal bureaucrat quite rare. This promotes the idea of government by remote control. This in essence is advantageous to the federal government builds support for policies, translating otherwise indivisible collective goods into terms suitable for distributive politics (P. 91). Sidestepping the tremendously difficult task of creating a broad national consensus for the governments administered activities is another advantage. This method of policies has led to mushrooming of federal regulations much in common with federal spending – the government can use regulations and tell the public and private bureaucracies what to do. The federal policy makers are left to distribute funds and bear blames when things go wrong. The style of retailing promises of improved policies and wholesaling the administrative headaches connected with delivery has left the people to expect the government to solve problems but not to get in anyone’s way in the process (P. 93). These results to policy pile up. Washington has in the end been put to the worst of both world-blamed for poor delivery by its public customers and besieged with bills from its middlemen. The possibility of both politicizing organizational life and depoliticizing democratic leadership is an area of concern. Since 1950s greatest policy growth was advocated – programs seeking social betterment in terms of civil rights, income, housing, environment, consumer protection etc. otherwise known as welfare policies. The idea of compensation is a theme in the clamor of group politics meaning that the federal government should put things right fits well for the groups that are disadvantaged and special treatment is required for truly equal opportunity to prevail and for those representing the disadvantaged. The government action is required to redress the impact of the selfish private interests. The prevalent feeling in the US that â€Å"there oughtta be policy†and the connotation of getting in on society’s compensations is decidedly positive. New initiatives in federal funding and regulation have infused old and new organizations with public policy dimensions, especially when such groups are used as administrative middlemen (P. 96-97). Expanding welfare policies on indirect administration have encouraged the development of specialized subcultures composed of highly knowledgeable policy makers some of whom have advanced professional degrees and commonly shared detailed understanding of specialized issues (P. 100-101). Employees in the field and in Washington who perform the routine chores associated with direct administration have become less prominent whereas those with necessary technical and supervisory skills have become more important. This in essence, results to expansion of the upper and middle levels of officialdom rather than increase the overall size of the bureaucracy. More technical skills and higher supervisory levels have become a requirement. Stable sets of clear goals in all modern organizations, even non profit oriented are the causes of increasing complexities and specializations affecting leaders. The pressure for more expert staff assistance have become immense for decision makers in governments where policy goals have been neither stable nor clear in the last twenty years and this applies to legislators and public executives (P. 101). Weakness in executive leadership below the level of the president have never really been due to interest groups, party politics or congress, rather the problem lies on the lack of any democratically based power political executives yet their popular mandate to act in the bureaucracy secondhand, from either an elected chief executive in congress political democrats further weaken the scenario. As much as political administrators become close to specialized policy networks the gap between them and the ordinary citizen widens a typical presidential appointee hardly gets time to see or listen to an ordinary member of the public. Only a minority of citizens gets a chance to be moralized in the various networks while those who are not policy activists depend on the ability of the government institutions to work on their behalf (P. 118). Conclusion More communication may need to be involved incase the gap between the policy networks and the bulk of the population is created by information. Policy forensics among the networks yield more experts making more sophisticated claims and counter claims that non-specialists becomes inclined to concede everything and believe nothing that he hears. Many factors and events are linked to these changing public attitudes. The prominence of issue networks is bound to aggravate problems of legitimacy and public disenchantment. The influential systems for knowledgeable policy making tend to make democratic politics difficult (P. 118-119). References Hugo Heclo, 2007 â€Å"Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment. â€
Thursday, August 29, 2019
English Grade 12 - Araby questions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
English Grade 12 - Araby questions - Case Study Example 2. The bazaar seems like a very sorry excuse for a country fair. It is a place of bright lights and flash when it is fully running, but it is exposed as something cheap and empty when the lights are turned off. This is why the boy is disappointed when he gets there, because he is realizing that all that glitters is generally trash. The disillusionment he gets from the turned down lights is the physical embodiment of the spiritual disillusionment he gets regarding the nature of girls. 3. Throughout Joyce’s story, it can be seen that the boy’s desire for Mangan’s sister as well as his desire to go to the bazaar are truly both expressions of the same desire to escape from his everyday experience. This is made clear in the case of the girl by the things he associates with her: â€Å"These noises converged in a single sensation of life for me: I imagined that I bore my chalice safely through a throng of foes.†This reveals that his thoughts regarding the girl are more associated with ideas of adventure and romance than they are involved with the girl herself. His conceptions of the bazaar are equally tied to an idea of escaping his everyday experience. â€Å"The syllables of the word Araby were called to me through the silence in which my soul luxuriated and cast an Eastern enchantment over me.†Again, his response is not based on any consideration of what reality might be but is instead couched in terms of adventure and difference. The quickness with which the boy transitions from the girl to Araby to disappointment in both reveals the degree to which his true desire is to escape the unchanging reality of his daily
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Analysis of an Advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Analysis of an Advertisement - Essay Example d that the adverts which employ the use of colors attract more attention and recognition than the adverts that either uses only one color or no color at all. The use of many colors as illustrated in the advert above, triggers excitement from the audience and hence makes it appear more appealing to both the mind and the eye (Barnet and Bedau 140). The audience gets more attracted owing to the fact that many people associate certain colors of their choices to particular success in their personal lives. The general ambience of the advert is that which triggers excitement from the audience. The animation of the advert exhibits a world of happiness that eliminates technological strain owing to the introduction of a multi tasking device (I phone). The multi colored animation provides a universal satisfaction to many individuals who may have different tastes and preferences (Barnet and Bedau 143). Similarly, the advert creates a mood of acceptance of the product on display by exposing much of the extra benefits the audience would acquire than they would ordinarily expect. A number of features have been revealed through such colors as blue, red, white, black, yellow and purple which all represent certain features. The secondary features on display depict the additional efficiency and the functions of the device. Use of signs and symbols In addition to the use of many colors in the advert to gain the attention of the audience, there are a number of symbols and signs employed to create more meaning to the advert. Similar to the other forms of communication such as speeches, signs and symbols also give more meaning to the advert. These meanings are coded in particular patterns which may however be accurately interpreted by certain individuals and not others. An example of a... Analysis of an Advertisement Comparatively, researchers have established that the adverts which employ the use of colors attract more attention and recognition than the adverts that either uses only one color or no color at all. The use of many colors as illustrated in the advert above, triggers excitement from the audience and hence makes it appear more appealing to both the mind and the eye. The audience gets more attracted owing to the fact that many people associate certain colors of their choices to particular success in their personal lives. The general ambience of the advert is that which triggers excitement from the audience. The animation of the advert exhibits a world of happiness that eliminates technological strain owing to the introduction of a multi tasking device (I phone). The multi colored animation provides a universal satisfaction to many individuals who may have different tastes and preferences.. Similarly, the advert creates a mood of acceptance of the product on display by exposing much of the extra benefits the audience would acquire than they would ordinarily expect. A number of features have been revealed through such colors as blue, red, white, black, yellow and purple which all represent certain features. The secondary features on display depict the additional efficiency and the functions of the device. In order to attract more of the audience attention and attraction, framing the animation as well as including simpler signs and symbols that may also be understood by a majority of the audience if not a few targeted individuals.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
FOUNDATIONS FOR RESEARCH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
FOUNDATIONS FOR RESEARCH - Essay Example To amend this gap in knowledge about mood disorders in adolescents, it has been claimed that theoretical perspectives should develop from adolescents’ understanding and experiences (Griez 2005: 47). If not, the theorising process will continue to be removed from the perspectives of individuals who have really experienced mood disorders (Wolfe & Mash 2008: 83). The objective of the aforementioned study was to generate a theoretical perspective that essentially represented the perceptions of adolescents who had experienced mood disorders. Lewis (1995:372) investigated, employing qualitative methods, how participants personally experienced mood disorders, how they reached and perceived the label of mood disorder, and how they understood their experiences. In addition, Karp (1996: 91), in Speaking of Sadness, explained the identity-changing process that participants experienced as they eventually viewed themselves as depressed and carried on theorising about their own selves and h ow they acquired their mood disorders. In this paper, a thorough discussion on the different features of the grounded theory method will be provided by presenting an original research article, Meadus’s (2007) study, which contains the grounded theory method. The Application of Grounded Theory in Mood Disorder Research The grounded theory method, according to Straus & Corbin (1990), the goal of which is to form a theory that is closely related to the reality of the adolescents studied was used in the study of Meadus (2007). Through the grounded theory method, theory arises from evaluating the actual statements given by the participants, and is hence genuinely ‘grounded’ in them (Strauss & Corbin 1990: 17). However, the problem in using an inductive research method for mood disorder research, according to Griez (2005: 72), is that it inevitably results in analyses that go beyond the statements given by the participants. Stiles (1993) suggests that participants give relevant information to the researcher, but that the researcher should analyse that data to form a reflective theory. Meanwhile, reflexivity obliges the researcher to thoroughly think about the research process, which involves probing how strongly the interpretations of the researcher fit with the perspectives of the participants (Rennie, Phillips, & Quartaro 1988: 143). The grounded theory method was employed in the study of Meadus (2007) because it allowed a methodical analysis that enabled the creation of a theoretical perspective that was strongly connected to, otherwise ideally representative of, the explanations of the participants. According to Merriam (2009: 30), data analysis in grounded theory is performed using the constant-comparative method in which bits and pieces of data are compared in terms of their similarities and differences. Merriam (2009: 31-32) furthers that part of the data analysis is the identification of a core category. The core category is the central c oncept where all data revolves around and this is used to develop the substantive theory. Emphasis is given on the importance of identifying categories, hypotheses, and theories from the patterns seen among the relationships formed from the data gathered. To better understand the features of a grounded theory, the research of
Monday, August 26, 2019
Asia-Pacific Region Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Asia-Pacific Region - Essay Example The theme for APEC 2007, strengthening our Community, Building Sustainable Future, corroborates the APEC's principles namely: communication, cooperation, collaboration, and community among the 21 member economies of the organization (Australian Government). Australia, being the host country of the meeting, sees valuable opportunity to showcase their business, society and culture to their constituents; and at the same time, to provide Australia with a unique opportunity to guide its future direction (Australian Government). That direction is heading towards economic stability and growth of the region. In this regard, we can appreciate the action taken by the Australian Government of involving their youth in this affair in order to inculcate in their minds the importance of strengthening international relations so as to build sustainable future among the member economies. This approach is vital and effective; it is like putting the future in the hands of the next generation. As we can see, the main goal of the APEC is "to promote economic growth and prosperity in the region and strengthen the Asia-Pacific Community" (Australian Government). It is undeniably that many countries in the Asia-Pacific are economically poor. ... In some Southeast Asian countries, children are not only suffering malnutrition but also they are even subjected to force labor and have a minimal access to education and the use of technology like computers. They are quite far behind the technological advancement. In rural areas, many patients died in hospital because of lack of life-saving facilities that could have helped patients. The question "How can I/we build/create a better future" depends on the economic situation of the country which one belongs. Subjectively, the first thing that I can do is to help my self achieve my dreams in life. One cannot think of building or creating a better future if he does not have a dream or ambition in life. An architectural engineer for example can create an infrastructure design that will truly make a better community. A doctor can help patients in remote areas where access to hospitals is difficult due to financial problem. An educator can help educate people whose capacity to send their children to school are low if none at all. Objectively, there are many international non-governmental organizations such as the Green Peace Environmentalist group, the Human Rights Advocates and many other that endeavor so hard to reach out on people in depressed areas. Therefore, the same consciousness must also be taught to citizens of rich countries, in order to lend a hand for a better future of the region. Asia-Pacific Region is composed of both rich and third world countries, in which relationship between each of them is highly important especially on economic matter. As I see it, it is also of paramount importance to make out those countries of equilibrium in terms of economic privileges. Poorer countries should also experience healthier
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Manager - Essay Example This is so because according to many experts, in clinical settings, autocratic leadership styles lead to heightened stress, strain, and less job satisfaction. On the other hand, transformational leadership will help develop an increased level of commitment in the staff. Also, it is found that this will heighten morale among the employees and will empower nurses in management positions. The mere fact is that managers should have enough knowledge and consistency, and at the same time, should be able to empower the subordinates through delegation. According to Campbell and Sinclair (2004), it is highly necessary for the supervisor in an emergency department to develop close working relationship with the ED staff. This is so because this will give the supervisor a chance to know each of the staffs closely. That means the staff will be happily cooperate and even help the manager correct their errors. Another important point for a manager in an emergency department is to guide the staff through examples. It is so because this will help the staffs understand the fact that a member need not always limit their actions to the ones which are included in their job descriptions. Instead, they can be taught through examples how it is possible to help others when they are overloaded. It is highly necessary to ensure close communication with the staffs. This is so because this will give the supervisor a chance to know the responsibility and accountability of each staff. Also, the supervisor comes to know who can be trusted and who cannot be. That means the ones who can be trusted can be delegated later on when there is an emergency (Ducharme, Buckley, Alder & Pelletier, 2009). Another vital point is that the leader should listen to the staff. This gives the staff the feeling that they are valued and respected. Moreover, such a communication will develop the feeling among the staff that the
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Fashion provides one of the most ready means Essay
Fashion provides one of the most ready means - Essay Example The paper "Fashion provides one of the most ready means" explores what fashion is, from several perspectives, and highlights a number of difficulties in equating fashion with the expression of individual identity. The term â€Å"fashion†derives from the French verb faire which means simply â€Å"to make,†and it came to be used at first by the upper classes of Europe who began to mingle more freely with each other and exchange influences during the Industrial revolution. This connection with class, and with expanding European capitalism, continues into modern discourses about globalization and the dominance of Eurocentric ideas in the modern world. There is something about travel that encourages waves of imitation to cross from one culture to the next. It became obvious that different countries â€Å"fashioned†their everyday objects differently, and so the adoption of a â€Å"fashion†which imitated that of a distant place became an indicator of wealth a nd sophistication. An English aristocratic woman’s purpose in buying the latest pattern for dressmaking or interior design in Paris was therefore a celebration of difference, setting the owner apart from others of her own circle, and creating an insurmountable social gap between those who could afford such luxuries, and those servants and workers who could perhaps glimpse such wonders but never hope to ever own them. Already, then, it is obvious that the adoption of new fashions, from whatever source, is a complex undertaking that involves economic and social factors.
Friday, August 23, 2019
Gender and sexualities. Qustions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Gender and sexualities. Qustions - Essay Example From the very ancient age these rules and regulations are present which differentiate men and women in the society. Cultures of the people differ on the basis of their ethnicity, race, religion, class, age, nation etc. People of various cultures follow different rules and regulations. For this reason believes, values and actions of people of diverse cultures vary from each other. In this essay various theories, philosophies, social norms regarding sexualities and gender will be discussed. In the present scenario the idea and concepts of the people regarding gender are influenced by their professional world and social environment. Various issues of gender and sexualities are discussed in history by sociopolitical and historical theory. Racism and gender discrimination are major problems which are present in many countries of the world. For these issues the lives and activities of the people are influenced a lot. Many movements took place against gender discrimination and racism which helped to change the perception of the people regarding these issues. Question 1 According to me culture plays an important role in shaping up the perception of people regarding gender and sexualities. The lives of men and women are strongly affected by cultural rules and regulations.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
MicroEconomics Unit3 & 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
MicroEconomics Unit3 & 4 - Assignment Example Railway transportation is a government monopoly in most of the countries. Usually, government prohibits private companies from entering into rail road transport and thus makes it a government monopoly. For example, in India, government is the owner of rail road and no other competitors are allowed in this field. Monopoly eliminates all type of competition and thus results in low quality output. In addition, consumers have no choice to make but forced to buy the item supplied by the monopolist. Consumers are exploited most of the time. Major League Baseball (MLB) is one of the best examples of monopoly in US. Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League by a joint organizational structure. The structure developed between the National League and the American League since 1901. In 2000, the two leagues ceased to be separate legal entities, with the commissioners office assuming all responsibilities for running MLB. MLB operates as a single league and it is the most important sports leagues of the United States and Canada. It is currently composed of 30 teams  twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada. MLB is governed by the Major League Baseball Constitution. Under the direction of the Commissioner of Baseball, Major League Baseball hires and maintains everything related to baseball from umpiring crews to advertisements. It negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts. After the 1922 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Major League Baseball maintains a unique, controlling relationship over the sport, including most aspects of minor league
An Analysis of William Shakespeares Othello Essay Example for Free
An Analysis of William Shakespeares Othello Essay In the play Othello, the characters depend only on their eyes, and with that, they jump to major conclusions. Many times in life we often take things for what we see them as or what they appear to be instead of looking to see what something or someone really is. Reality is often disguised by appearance. The tragic plot of Othello hinges on the ability of the villain, Iago, to mislead other characters, particularly Roderigo and Othello, by encouraging them to misinterpret what they see. Through Iago’s manipulation of Roderigo, treachery towards Othello, and Desdemona’s deception towards her father, Shakespeare demonstrates that appearance is not always reality. Although Iago made it look as if him and Roderigo were partners in crime, it turns out Roderigo was just being manipulated. Roderigo is one of the many characters who are duped into believing Iago is actually trying to help him. He convinces Roderigo to to keep his hopes up for Desdemona by saying, â€Å"It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moorput money in thy pursenor he his to her . . . â€Å"(1. 3. 338-340). Iago is convincing Roderigo that the love between Othello and Desdemona cannot last much longer so he should just wait and everything will work out. â€Å"Honest†Iago, who only wished to further his plan of revenge on Othello, lied to Roderigo who had come to his â€Å"friend†for help. Roderigo had left after their conversation believing his good friend was helping him. Later in the play, Iago also convinces Roderigo that Desdemona loves Cassio. Iago subsequently manipulates Roderigo’s jealousy and resentment towards Cassio and Roderigo helps remove Cassio of his lieutenancy. Roderigo is merely a puppet to Iago’s treacherous plot to eliminate Cassio. To Othello, it may seem that Iago is an honest and trustworthy friend, but it turns out he is the opposite. Virtue! a fig! tis in ourselves that we are thus and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. (1. 3. 5). When Iago makes an analogy between gardening and exercising free will, were reminded of the way that Iago is the ultimate master gardener, so to speak. Part of what makes him such a brilliant manipulator of Othello is his ability to plant the seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othellos mind. Iago is only doing this to serve his own purposes so that is plan will work out in the end. Iago is able to manipulate people into falling for the traps he sets. This misplaced trust is what leads Othello to his downfall. Desdemona is continuously distrusted by those who love and trust her most, especially Brabanito. Brabantio refuses to believe Desdemona loves Othello. Brabantio thinks Othello used witchcraft to woo Desdemona. Desdemona elopes with Othello without her father’s permission. Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father, and may thee. (1. 3. 10). Brabantio suggests that, because Desdemona deceived her father when she eloped with Othello, Desdemona will likely deceive her husband. Desdemona, as we know, is completely faithful to Othello. Desdemona deceives her father in order to be with Othello. All of this manipulation, treachery, and deceit is what leads each character to their own downfall. Not only are looks deceiving, but looks alone, only cause trouble, trouble that is sometimes unfixable. People today, just like those in the Shakespearean period, jump to conclusions just by seeing. It is important to get all the facts before something tragic happens just like in Othello. Seeing isn’t always believing.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Gender In Respond To Stress And Overcome Stress Psychology Essay
Gender In Respond To Stress And Overcome Stress Psychology Essay The process of growing, different gender does have different respond on when facing the stress and even the way of copping the stress. In this study, we were targeting with both gender by category their age, race, culture and surrounding issue that influence or change them the point of respond to stress and the way of copping the stress. There are many issue and different causes of creating stress for our daily life but it is not a way for both genders. We could have more understand type of stress is facing on the certain age and different respond both genders. In the study, we had realize that a great changing view respond to stress and overcome the stress in both gender on category age of teenager and adult. Furthermore, changing view of stress found in different culture for both gender. It is reason for when reach an adult age. Working environment has making them change. Stress In this world, our daily life is filled with stress. Stress is a common issue that has become a discussion among researchers. There are many reasons why a person gets involve in a stressful condition. Based on Laheys study, sources of stress can be categorized into five category which are life events, frustration, conflict, pressure and environmental condition (Lahey,2012). Life events is one of the major sources of stress as people need to have adjustments in their life every day, regardless of any situations or conditions (Dohrenwend,2006;Lahey,2012). Negative events such as losing a loved one or losing a home after disaster creates anxiety, depression and physical illnesses and psychological illnesses (Lahey,2012) However, even positive events can be stressful too. Getting a new car or house, graduating from college, getting married are also happy situations where people need time to adjust to their normal living pattern ( Lahey, 2012). Frustration Other source of stress comes from frustration which is the result or decision that could not able to satisfy a motive (Lahey,2012). Continuous dissatisfactory of the results gained such as individuals being subjected to racial discrimination would be able to become major source of stress.(Gallo Matthews; Lahey,2012) Conflict The third source of stress is conflict in which a state of two or more motives cannot be satisfied because they interfere with one another. (Lahey, 2012) Conflict happens when two people have different goals or different opinions in which both of them are trying to get an agreement. In this condition, two major source of stress in conflict are trying to satisfy each other with their different opinions while being aware of each other to accept their individual decision. Pressure Stress can be aroused from pressure in facing threats of negative events ( Lahey, 2012). For example, college students feel pressure due to handing in assignments before dateline and preparing for exams. A single mother will feel pressure when providing provision for her family while performing well in her job. An employee will feel pressure in pleasing the boss with excellent work while competing with other colleague. Environmental conditions The environment that we are surrounded by is also one of the factor that causes stress ( Lahey, 2012). For instance, if a person lives in a an environment filled with noise pollution, chances of an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and respiration is high and hindrance in the digestive processes is possible ( Hughes M., 2010 ) . Introduction Different Gender in Respond to Stress and How Overcome the Stress. There are many reasons that cause stress; even we are still at a young age. We believe that both genders have their own methods in responding to stress. At the same time we also believe that both genders responses to stress can be influence by other aspect. In the sports field, both genders athletes have different methods to cope with stress. Researchers found that women use the coping strategies of venting motions, positive reinterpretation, dissociation, and emotional social support more often than men did to cope with stress. ( Hammermeister Burton 2004; Mark Toto 2009). Besides that, there is another study about racial discrimination and ways on how to cope with stress among African Americans (Utsey, Ponterotto, Reynolds Cancelli, 2000). It was found that between adult men and women, women tend to seek social support more than men do (Flora Rahim, 2006). Based on the studies, we understand that both genders have different ways of coping with stress. Furthermore, genders differences have an effect in anxiety disorders that appears to begin around the age of 6 where female are higher than male with ratio is already 2:1 (Robinson, 2006; Sharon Jennifer, 2011). From the statement we understood that stress begins at the adolescence stage. In the study of Kagan and Lewis (1965), it was found that girls are more mentally developed ahead of boys. Therefore, girls have better response to stress compared to male at the adolescence stage (Walter Terry, 1974). This led us to believe that different stress occurs in adolescence stage. Nevertheless, some studies have evidences that clearly stated the differences between genders affect stress. Girls have higher level of stress than boys do during their teenage years as they are more likely to be more aggressive to have conflict with parent and teacher. (Walter Terry, 1974). Based on the MacFarlane (1970) study, during period high school period, girls slightly manifest more anxiety than boys (Walter Terry, 1974). On other hand, women may also experience more school-related anxiety than men during both stressful events (examinations) as well as the long term events (Martin, 1997). Besides schooling period, a study showed that during college period, women experience more negative images of themselves and they are more likely to manifest neurotic symptoms than male (McKee and Sherriffs,1957 as cited in Walter Terry,1974). Other researches analysis provided us some insight on the differences between male and female supporting staff. There are differences in stress outcomes experienced by male and female workers between the age of 25 to 30 year old (Dr. Zafir Fazilah). A study showed that women suffer more stress from working environment compared to men because women also experience certain unique stressors such as gender inequality as well as experiencing stressors common to both genders (Kristina Stephen, 2004). Besides that, for married couples, it is believed that neighborhood stressors will have greater impact on womens mental health rather than mens (Flora Rahim, 2006).There is a considerable amount of evidence indicating that women are more psychologically and physiologically reactive to stressors than men (Liu, Spector Lin Shi, 2008). Through this study and the statement provided, we found that women have the higher percentage to develop stress compared to men. For ways of coping stress, there is a slight difference between both genders. In a study, adult men were found to resort to alcoholic method more than women (Christopher Alvin, 2009). Based on Jessicas study, since men are taught that it is unacceptable to express their depression to others, they may seek comfort from other sources such as alcohol. Indeed, one argument supported the idea that the different rates of depression between men and women are illusionary is that alcoholism is twice as common in men as in women (Murakumi J., 2002). Discussion Conclusion. After analyzing the studies and research papers related to the topic, our group agreed that the first thesis is different gender respond to stress in different ways. It is confirmed that the thesis we had made matches the evident to support it. Besides that, we found that different response in stress starts during teenage years with female developing faster than male. On the overall view, all members of our group believed that the methods used to cope with stress are different where female are far more mature than male. Furthermore, we found that the stress level is different for both gender at young age with females getting more anxiety and more depression especially in high school period when compared to males. The reason for higher level of females depression in high school is because female starts to gets themselves non-invisible attention in school through usage of make up so that they are able to follow the trend of teenage years. It is the reason that women have high stress ou tcome than men. Hence, it led us to believe that women have the higher risk to have psychological illnesses such as insomnia and anxiety disorder. However, female are better in managing with stress based on a study by Mark and Toto (2009). Female are known to vent their emotions, positive reinterpretation, dissociation, and emotional social support more often than men do. (Mark and Toto, 2009). Yet this does not mean that males are healthier than female. Males often use negative way to cope with stress compared to females. Examples like alcohol and smoking cigarettes are common ways for males to cope with stress. This brings great impact to the body heath such as lung cancer and liver diseases. Nevertheless not all of the male are using the same negative copping stress as males also use positive ways to cope with stress. For example they do sports to cope with their stress. The current statement had reached our other thesis which is that both genders have their different ways to cop e with stress. At the end, our group came out with a thesis that both genders have their own ways to respond to stress and to cope with stress because everyone have their own personality, thinking and stress outcome.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Trumps Immigration Policies: Implications
Trumps Immigration Policies: Implications Since the election of President Trump, American immigration policy has come to reflect an increasingly draconian, anti-immigrant perspective. Between Trumps trademark pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border, his harsh crackdown on deportations as well as his inchoate, legally fraught attempts ban immigration from majority-Muslim nations, the scapegoating of immigrants (both documented and undocumented) has come to represent a fundamental cornerstone of both his campaign and nascent presidency. While his arguments are largely economic in nature, claiming that his proposals will open up jobs for American workers and raise wages (Trump, n.d.), the practical implications of such legislation are much more dangerous, and ultimately economically unsound. This paper examines the effects of an undocumented immigration crackdown on the national grocery industry. In spite of Trumps fear mongering rhetoric that Mexico takes advantage of the United States by using illegal immigration to export the crime and poverty in their own country (Trump, n.d.), undocumented workers actually play a crucial role in supplying Americas groceries. With Reuters reporting that up to 70% of farm workers may be undocumented (Abbott, 2013), it appears that immigrants are not actually job thieves; rather, they take jobs that, even in their absence, Americans refuse to fill (Dwoskin, 2011). In the absence of that labor, Americas farm industry stands to lose as much as $9 billion annually (Abbott, 2013). This leaves two options for producers in the agriculture industry: shut down (causing nationwide food shortages and economic damage as the US adjusts to a forced spike in food imports), or raise wages to hire American workers. If Trumps policies (including a tax on Mexican imports) work as intended, the latter will still be the most economically sound option, and Amer ican farms will begin employing native workers at higher wages. In order to offset the increased labor costs, however, farms will be forced to raise their prices significantly or go out of business, causing a shift in the supply curve (as opposed to movement along the curve). However, the fundamental Law of Demand states that a correlate decrease in demand will follow the jump in prices. While the demand for fresh fruits and vegetables in the US is relatively inelastic, at 0.71 and 0.98, respectively (Andreyeva, Long Brownell, 2010), the inelasticity is not perfect; resultantly, disadvantaged Americans will begin consuming inferior goods such as processed foods (which have long shelf lives and cheap production costs). In this way, sourcing American laborers with higher wages would not be a profitable alternative to the current system, as illustrated in the following chart: At this point, the farm industry would again be left with three choices: either lower wages (causing an exodus of workers), lay off workers and align to a new, smaller economy of scale (causing more movement of the supply curve), or shut down entirely (causing, again, grocery shortages and greater importing of food). Interestingly, a possibility also exists that Trumps policies may actually have the effect of lowering wages straight away; this would result from one other noteworthy, though unintentional, consequence: decreased reporting by undocumented workers of labor violations (Jamieson, 2017). As undocumented laborers increasingly fear deportation, they may be less likely to inform authorities of violations such as forced overtime and wage theft. The lack of reporting would then ultimately strengthen (not weaken) the motivation for unethical employers to cheat their laborers. Combined with the Trump administrations lax attitude towards business regulation, the argument that his policies may backfire remains compelling. Regardless of the actual effect of Trumps crackdown on undocumented immigration, one consensus is clear: its will not go as planned, and may cause significant damage to the US economy. WORKS CITED Abbott, C. (2013, April 22). Import workers or food, U.S. farm bloc says of immigration debate (R. Krasny D. Grebler, Eds.). Retrieved March 08, 2017, from http://www.reuters.com/article/usa-immigration-farmworkers-idUSL2N0D91LR20130422 Andreyeva, T., Long, M. W., Brownell, K. D. (2010). The Impact of Food Prices on Consumption: A Systematic Review of Research on the Price Elasticity of Demand for Food. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 216-222. doi:10.2105/ajph.2008.151415 Dwoskin, E. (2011, November 09). Why Americans Wont Do Dirty Jobs. Retrieved March 08, 2017, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-11-09/why-americans-wont-do-dirty-jobs Jamieson, D. (2017, March 08). Donald Trumps Immigration Crackdown Is Silencing Exploited Workers. Retrieved March 09, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-immigrant-worker-abuse_us_58c03352e4b054a0ea66eef0 Trump, D. J. (n.d.). Immigration Reform That Will Make America Great Again. Retrieved February 08, 2017, from https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/Immigration-Reform-Trump.pdf
Monday, August 19, 2019
William James Essay -- philosophy of pragmatism
William James was a philosopher and psychologist but was most well known in the field of Psychology for developing the philosophy of pragmatism, or the Functionalist theory: "Theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function in its environment." He was also the first Psychologist to be born in America.      William James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr. was a Swednborgian theologian, and one of his brothers was the great novelist Henry James. Throughout his youth, William attended private schools in the United States and Europe. He later attended the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University and then Harvard Medical School, where he received his degree in 1869 in the field of Physiology. The way that William got into the field of Psychology was that he got his degree in physiology and also enjoyed studying philosophy in his spare time, in psychology, he found, linked the two together. Before finishing his medical studies, he went on an exploring expedition in Brazil with the Swiss-American naturalist Louis Agassiz and also studied psychology in Germany. During this time, William retired due to illness but that didn’t stop his from excelling in the field. Three years later, in 1872, at the age of thirty, William become an instructor in physiology at Harvard University. In 1875, William started teaching Psychology at Harvard and after 1880 he was teaching both cl...
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Crucible of War by Fred Anderson :: Civil War Slavery American History Essays
The Crucible of War by Fred Anderson An account of ex-slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass opens this chapter. When news arrived of the Confederacy firing on Fort Sumter, Douglass cheered the outbreak of the fighting and Lincoln's vow to maintain the Union. Douglass recognized that the Union was fighting solely to uphold the Constitution and preserve the nation, not to end slavery; but he also understood, much earlier than most, that a war to save the Union would inevitably become a war to end slavery. "And the War Came" President Lincoln was determined to stop the spread of secession and to take no action that would push the still undecided Upper South into seceding. He sought to reassure the Deep South of the safety of slavery, giving Unionists there the possibility of reasserting themselves and overturning the secession decision, but at the same time he made it clear that he was determined to uphold the Union. His Confederate counterpart, Jefferson Davis, was equally resolved to see an independent Confederate States of America. While neither man sought war, both knew one side would provoke it sooner or later, and the war would come. The Surrender of Fort Sumter Fort Sumter, a federally manned fort inside Charleston harbor, was a hateful symbol to the Confederacy of the nation it had abandoned. Union forces at the fort were running short of supplies and, unless they were reprovisioned, would have to evacuate. Lincoln knew that to surrender Sumter would be to abandon his commitment to preserving the Union, so he sent a relief expedition, telling Confederates that there would be no attempt to send troops or munitions unless the supply ships were attacked. The Confederates faced a dilemma: If they allowed the ships through, they would be submitting to federal authority, but taking the fort would make them the aggressors. The decision was made on April 12. When Fort Sumter's Union commander refused the southern order to surrender, Confederate shore batteries began shelling the fort, which surrendered on April 14, 1861. The Civil War had begun. The Upper South Chooses Sides Lincoln's proclamation calling for the loyal states to muster 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion forced the other slave states to choose sides. Over the next five weeks, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina seceded. The Confederacy now contained eleven of the fifteen slave states. In the border slave states of Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland, and Missouri, secession was thwarted by a combination of local Unionism and federal intervention, including the use of martial law to suppress Confederate sympathizers.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Differences Between Cyclops’
The comparison of Cyclops’ from historical contexts to new media In Greek mythology, the Cyclops was a member of the giant race, every one of them having one eye in the middle of their heads. The Cyclops’ were gigantic monsters who originated from Sicily which consumed human beings. Because of their horrific appearance there were banished to the underworld, but later set free from their prison by the Greek gods. In the X-Men series, the Cyclops is a character that is portrayed as a superhero. Published by Marvel comics, the Cyclops is a field agent leader who has a superpower from generated energy which is emitted through a laser beam.This energy comes directly from his eyes. This one eyed appearance is why he is called â€Å"Cyclops†as it originally comes from the one eyed Greek mythological monster. Cyclops is a sign of natural strength and force. In the X-Men series Cyclops is considered as one the members of the powerful circle of heroes. This strength was i nnate, Cyclops knew about this power from a young age, so he joined with the other cluster of superheroes to train and develop this power into a way in which society could benefit. In a sense this power is man-made; Cyclops developed a laser over his eyes as he could not expose his eyes to sunlight.This man-made creation therefore represents modern technology in society, as without societies’ innovative inventions, modern technology cannot expand. This in comparison to Cyclops in Greek mythology differs as the Cyclops’ forces and strengths are not man-made they are in fact raw and natural. The Cyclops from Greek mythology are said to be humongous and strong with natural force. The Cyclops’ appearance shows an insight to the promoted era. In the newly developed interpretation of the Cyclops, he is portrayed as a normal person with humanistic traits.Cyclops wears clothes such as pants, shirts, and jackets thus looking like a human. Also, Cyclops is portrayed with muscles and handsome to give that modern day attraction factor for its audience. He is also shown wearing sunglasses to cover his eyes to make him look even more fashionable to relate to modern day society. We can link this too the society of today as universally, the world is judged by fashion. As the Cyclops from the X-Men series is shown as a fashionable character, the audience can relate to him and this takes away that actually he is a monster in disguise.The Greek mythological representation of the Cyclops is comprised as a giant, ugly looking, one-eyed monster that has no teeth and no clothes. This is the total opposite to how the Cyclops is portrayed in modern day media through movies and comics. This shows the transformation of contemporary normalities from the before Christ era, to modern society. It is a social normality to be fashionable and to look good. So, by Cyclops adapting these qualities through his character in X-Men it derives a link between the character and soc ial conformities.The Cyclops represents a certain level of vulnerability. Cyclops from Greek mythology has one eye which we can indicate that the monster is somewhat exposed to the things around him. It is said that because Cyclops has only one eye, this therefore represents people who see through only one perspective. This narrow mind relates to susceptibility in actions as only having one eye limits the vision. The X-Men figure also has this exposure; in his case if his glasses or laser is removed he will be harmed by the light as it will burn his eyes.This shows vulnerability. This relates to humanistic traits in modern day society as everyone is assailable to things in life and it just shows even a monster can be too. So for the monster to be portrayed in such a way, it suggests that we are no different from the monster, and the monster is inside of us. The way the Cyclops is presented in new media represents technological expansion. The Cyclops from Greek mythology is portrayed to have no weapons, no clothes or no powers. As this era of living was before Christ, technology of any sort was a myth.On the other hand, Cyclops from X-Men is shown to have a laser as an eye, armour with his costume and other kinds of machinery. This relates to modern society as it shows how digital technology has enlarged over the generations. This also ties in to the monster having humanistic traits, as most of the innovative ideas of design and creative come from the human brain, all in which are presented with the Cyclops. Also, we can unravel that this represents the economic growth of the world. Without the funds, technology cannot expand and inventions cannot be made.Back in time this couldn’t have been possible as the money was non-existent. After uncovering all of these concepts, it’s clear that the representation of the Cyclops has come a long way from Greek mythology to the way modern day society is exposed to this monster in contemporary media. The new a nd improved Cyclops represents how humans have adapted from generation to generation, from innovative design, wealth and appearance. The director does a great job in tying these traits of the Cyclops together and linking them with the surrounding audience.The director uses all these humanistic views through the Cyclops very cleverly as the audience can relate to all of traits portrayed, from vulnerability to the cares of appearance, the urge to look good. Modern audiences are exposed to the Greek mythological representation of the Cyclops as a huge, ugly, raw character. So for them to be displayed to contemporary audiences through the X-Men version it gives them a better understanding of the origins of the Cyclops and how the visual adaptation has been altered to satisfy social normalities.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Demand Elasticity of Luxury Automobiles Essay
1. Introduction â€Å"As long as there is a society, there will always be fashion†. It was not surprised a fashion brands, especially a luxury fashion brands became a national treasure which effect the issues in business, political and social area in European countries. Since the Hermas established in 1837, a special development strategy model has formed and matured in European luxury group. Daniele de winter, the CEO of Daniele de Winter Cosmetics state that â€Å"the secret of successful fashion management is a complete blend of creative genius and business management acumen, skill and resourcefulness†. The develop strategy is the key issue for a successful luxury fashion company. With the development of economy and the increase of income, more and more luxury fashion companies expand their business into Asia- Pacific region, especially the Hong Kong and mainland China market. According to the annual report of Richemont, The Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR), Hemes, Bulberry and other luxury fashion companies, the sale revenue of Asia- Pacific region accounts for more than 30% of the Group total revenue. The Change of Global Luxury Fashion Market The word â€Å"luxury†origin from Latin word â€Å"luxuria†, which means an item that â€Å"is expensive and enjoyable but no essential (Waite, 2012)†. In 186 BCE, the victory of army of Gnaeus Manlius Vulso brought such overseas luxury as bronze couches, and costly cloth spreads into Rome. For some Roman historians, the triumph of Vulso marked as the beginning of luxury industry in Europe. With the development of centres, modern luxury fashion industry has become a cross-sectors industry which offers high price goods and service for target consumers. However, in the space of two decades, the modern luxury market has changed beyond recognition. The narrow range of need and demand of target consumers and the exclusive- distribution channels, represented by French Fashion, have been replaced by a mass industry, accompanied by expansion brands with an affordable price by a wider range of consumers. Since the beginning of 1990s, the luxury industry has been recognised and restructured by designers and the fashion designers become the creator of art. According to the statistics from France Economic and Social Council in 2008 (France Economic and Social Council, 2008), with the strategy of â€Å"physical shop/ store†and expansion brands benefit seven million euros. Depending on the diversion and internationalisation, the luxury industry becomes an industry with wider consumers. For example, Hemes, managed by Jean-Louis Dumas, diversities their goods and creates new products. The French luxury manufacture gets a successful on brand art by purchasing crystal brand Saint Louis and Silversmith Puiforcat. Similarly, Richemont Family, the main competitor of French brand, also control numbers of brands, such as Carites, Baume & Mercier and Van Cleef & Arpells. The second change of luxury industry is the transformation from the handmade custom to industrial standardisation. Taking LVMH as example, there are three cores of product, as wines and spirit, luggage and leather, and fashion and perfume industry. The famous brands in luxury world, like as Moet & Chandon, Loewe, Vuitton, Givenchy, Kenzo, Dior and Guerlain, standardise the products like other heavy industries. Along with the profit-seeking financial logic, the marketing and the product standardisation become the major notion with the concept of large-scale product. In the new centre, the concept of luxury industry and the demand of consumers are changing all the time. â€Å"Heritage and Prestige†is the landmark of lots of luxury brands and the enduring value of numbers of particular brands. Comparing with the old style luxury brand â€Å"which used to be a heritage brand†(Coste-Maniere, et al. , 2012), the new concept of luxury, developed by Louis Vuitton and Burberry, means accepted by more consumers. For the occasional customers, they just enjoy the â€Å"right of luxury†in physical store against with the traditional customer-exclusive. In the new era, increasing the number of customers buy the fashion product they could afford, rather than become the royal consumer due to the high price. Consequently, emphasis of consumer need and the competitive advantage means centralising the core value and expending brand boundary simultaneously. 2. 2 The Development Strategy Model of Luxury Fashion Brand The luxury fashion brand originate in European countries which have plentiful historical and cultural background. With the development of servial centres, the luxury fashion industry in European, American and Japanese have become mature and standarlisation. Under this circumstance, the strategy of luxury development in western countries centralize on the brand expansion, striving for the core products and development of brand reputation. 2. 2. 1 Brand Expansion: the Foundational Strategy Under the press of financial-seeking strategy and the changeable of luxury market, the old style luxury fashion brand faces the challenge of development in the mature market in traditional European, American and Japanese region. Under this circumstance, the expansion of brands has become the foundational strategy for a large number of luxury fashion corporates, which offer a new opportunity to stress the brand image, the most significant assets for a luxury fashion company. (Albrecht, et al. , 2013; Uggla & Lashgari, 2012; Hoffmann & Coste-Maniere, 2012)Many luxury companies breakthrough the traditional product boundary and expensed their business into new market segmentations. For instance, Louis Vuitton, beginning with luggage, invested in other creative spheres: ready-to-wear industry as well as jewellery market (LVMH, 2012), and Gucci, beginning with leather goods, developed all sets of fashion products including leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear, watches, jewellery and other products. (PPR, 2012). Meanwhile, there are some companies expensed segments into non-traditional area. For example, the luxury jewellery manufacture Bulgari and Italian brand Versace started to offer hotel under their brand (LVMH, 2012) and Armani provide different products from books, furniture and chocolates to restaurants, bars and spas. The another Italian luxury brand, Roberro Cavalli, famous for its fashion apparel for young generation, offer wine and vodka as well as run coffee bar (The Cavalli Caffe) and club (The Cavalli Club). 2. 2. 2 Striving for the Core: The Product Strategy For a global corporate, it is common rules of development depend on the core production or service and then diversification. However, even as diversification, the excellence core production and the strongest sectors within the luxury brands continued to earn the majority of its profits from the traditional products. (Ahrendts, 2013; Beverland, 2005; Miller & Mills, 2012). For luxury consumer, they expect to acquire a honorable brands and product so that they emphase on the value of core heritage. The leather goods, the core of Gucci Group, earn 59% of its revenue in 2012 (PPR, 2012). The iconic luggage is the tradition from the time corporate was founded and become the brand image of the LVMH Group. (LVMH, 2011) The turning of Burberry from a ageing British brand to a global luxury brand is a successful product strategy transition. Before 2006, through in a burgeoning global market. Burberry faced a low growth at a rate of 2 percentage every year and two competitors – LVMH and PPR had more than 12 times and 16 times Burberry’s sale revenue. By surving the sectors among Burberry products all over the world, the results indicate the outerwear, as the core, only accourted of 20% of Burberry’s global brand business. Figure 1: the Facts and Financial Statistics of Burberry (Resource from: Burberry, Yahoo Finance) [pic] After brainstorming and formalizing from the administrative board, the New Jersey factore which is making polo shirts was closed and invested in the Casteford factory in Yorkshire which make the heritage trech coat included traditional rainwear and exclusive waterproof gabardine. Burberry also hire Christopher Bailey as the global designer for innovation of core products. The facts and financial statistic of Burberry from 2006 to 2012 in Figure 1 showed that the decision to focus on the heritage opened up a wealth of creativity. By the end of 2012, the sale revenues and operating income had doubled than previous 5 years, achieving $3 billion and $600 billion respectively. (Burberry, 2007; Burberry, 2012) 2. 2. 3 The Brand Reputation: The Brand Strategy The brand is the most valuable part of luxury goods and the motivity of luxury consumption. Once separating from the luxury brand, the goods is the ordinary one. Every successful company sees the brand as the most valuable fortune. they use the advanced marketing logic and marketing operation to motivate the development, explore approaches to express the value and connotation of brands to luxury consumers and attract the royality of customers. As a tool of art, a carrier of history, and a spirit of classic, building-up a high quiality reputation is brand strategy for luxury companies. Since founded in 1847, Cartier, as one of the most established name in the jewellay market, is the reference of ture and timeless luxury. Designing by Cartier, the product distinguishes itself by the unique skills and excellence in design and execution. Nearly in 30 years, the extensive art activities are not competitive without the support by the Foundation Crtier pour l’Art Contemporain (Richemont, 2013). With the development of brand reputation, Cartier is the synonym of modern art and a pioneering approach. Meanwhile, most of luxury brands come from the centre of Renaissance 2. 3 The Features of Chinese Luxury Market Chinese market places the second place in the world of luxury consumption, surpassing the United States since 2008. Along with Japan, China is the strongest market with the increasing demand of 20 percentages. The consulting report from Glob Advantage estimate there are 18 thousand billionaires, 440 thousand multimillionaires and increasing the number of middle class achieving 250 million in 2015 in today’s China (Degen, 2009), which have the strong purchase power and need of luxury fashion industry. Even with the influence of the financial crisis, the sale revenue of luxury fashion in the mainland China rose by 16 percent, reaching about 64 billion RMB. The market research about Chinese market laid a foundation for the development and expansion strategy of luxury brands. The shifting attitudes to luxury brands, the greater sophistication of Chinese consumers and the new geographic markets have become the main features of Chinese luxury market. The three characteristics drive the global strategy of development for luxury brands. Figure 2. According to the survey of McKinsey & Company (KPMG, 2013), with the rapidly increase of income, more and more Chinese consumers shifts the attitude to luxury and feel comfortable to purchasing luxury products. The rich consumers which income over 300,000 RMB continued occupy the majority of the luxury purchase. Meanwhile, the statistics show that, the upper middle class (between 100,000 RMB and 200,000 RMB), which account for 22% of luxury goods purchase by the end of 2015, as the Figure 2 suggested, offers the biggest new growth opportunity. 2. 3. 1 The increasing number of overseas travel. In the information era, Chinese consumers have become more sophisticated than before. With the surge in the number of luxury stores, fashion magazine, the Web official site and the use of social media, Chinese consumers familiar with the luxury brands with the help of Internet, overseas travel, and the first-hand experience. For example, the research result indicated that in the last 12 months, the Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macro and Europe become the main destinations of overseas luxury purchase. Figure 3: Where did you purchase your cosmetics in the last 12 months? (Resource from: Global Reach of China Luxury of KPMG) [pic] 2. 3. 2 The increase of new market segmentation The rapidly growth of urbanisation and individual wealth emerge large quantity of geographic markets with sizable pools of luxury-goods consumptions. The luxury purchase and sale revenue of some medium and small cities, such as Qingdao in Shandong province and Wuxi in Zhejiang province, tripled than the previous 5 years. In the following years, the luxury consumption in these medium and small cities will achieve the same level with Hangzhou and Nanjing, the most developed market in mainland China, the sale of which will arrive at RMB 500 million yuan and account for 76% of whole market. 2. 3. 3 The increasing of Counterfeit goods Love for luxury, preference for counterfeit is a unique phenomenon in luxury consumption in Chinese luxury market. According to a report entitled â€Å"Transnational Organized Crime in East Asia and the Pacific†from Office on Drugs and Crime, almost 70% of global counterfeits luxury goods come from China and the value of counterfeit luxury goods imported into traditional luxury market on the order of $25 billion annually. In a confusion society , the luxury consumption of Chinese consumers become more irrationally than western consumer, which depended on the extenral need rather internal need (Zhang & Kim, 2013). For Chinese consumers, luxury brands are somethings â€Å"must to have†for them to reinforce their social status. however, the wealth gap between the rich and the poor in China is the largest all over the world, which offer the passion for consumption of luxury counterfeits. The young generation, aged 25 to 34 with limited budget for genuine luxury fashion goods, racked up nearly a quarter fo fake fanciers. 2. 4 The Passion for Luxury Consumption of Chinese consumers China is the second largest luxury market all over the world and attracting the attention of consumption of Chinese consumers. Under the influence of unique economic situation, cultural background and social factor, the behaviour of Chinese consumers in luxury fashion market have the distinctive characteristics. The bling factor influenced by economic situation, the saving face affected by the Confucianism and group orientation as the social factor drive the luxury consumption in Chinese fashion market. 2. 4. 1 The â€Å"Bling†Factor With the emerging of Internet, fashion magazines and social media, more and more Chinese consumers know the brands of luxury brands. However, the cultural concept and history of the luxury fashion brands are far away from numbers of Chinese luxury consumers. For many luxury fashion firms, there is not one typical luxury customer in China due to the different habits, different tastes and different income levels. The â€Å"bling†factor or following the whole market trend remains an important factor for the Chinese consumer in luxury fashion market. For example, according to luxury consumer report of Chinese market, almost 60 percent of the respondents in Tier 1 cities including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and other Tier 2 cities, stated that the key drivers for luxury consumption is the willingness to pay a product that just is popular or fashionable goods. Exclusivity or unique is an important understanding of luxury brand for Chinese consumption. There are about one fifth of customers consider that they will pay the luxury goods that are known and appreciated by the minority rather than the famous one. In terms of China’s unique cultural background, the Chinese consumers consider luxury brand value influenced by Confucianism. In the concept of Confucian, the notion of â€Å"mianzi†is defined as a reputation â€Å"achieved through getting on in through success and ostentation†. (Hu, 1944; Dong & Lee, 2007) The traditional cultural understanding and effecting about the face saving becomes the strongest and most conspicuous passion for luxury consumption, which means concerning about the impress to other and the visual display than the level of income. The Chinese consumer in luxury world trend to pay a premium product on the luxury brand rather than essential goods in daily life, due to strong desire and pressure of maintaining face. Taking the finding of KPMG as the example, comparing with the apparel, the stronger growth of market for fashion accessories is considerable. Nearly 40% of luxury consumers enjoy the luxury experiences and â€Å"the right of luxury†in a physical store/shop over purchases of luxury items. Overall, the face saving (saving mianzi) relates to the individual image of worth and reputation within a collectivism society. As the result, Chinese consumers are often careful not to lose face by standing out from the crowed when consuming luxury goods. The general strategy Although the market has its particular features, the development of luxury fashion strategy in Chinese luxury market is followed the general rules of luxury firms in global market. As the foundation strategy, the brand extension and production diversification also provide the base of the development in Chinese luxury market. The apparel, handbag, jewellery, fashion accessories and luxury servicers are offered in mainland China, especially in Tier 1 cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Promoting the sale revenue of the core products in mainland China, as the product strategy, enhances the brand awareness in Chinese market. Expanding the influence, luxury fashion firms invest large amount of money to popularize the brand reputation as a simple of elegance and grandeur as well as the means of fashion and art. The marketing strategy: raising brand awareness. Due to the lower brand awareness and lack of knowledge of brand value, the royalty of brand in Chinese market is lower than its in traditional European market. The special situation provides a strong externally powerful tool, which means not only expand the value of the luxury brand into a regular group of consumers, but also sway them making a purchase. In recent year, luxury fashion firm invest increasing the number of budget into Chinese market not only promote the brand awareness, but also help the consumers inform a notion about †luxury goods and luxury lifestyle†and why they should purchase luxury goods and luxury services. The brand building-up develop based not only the advertising on hard paper and television, also included the display on luxury goods exhibition and the customised publications. Nowadays, more and more luxury fashion goods exhibition held in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities, which offer a good opportunity for Chinese consumers to visit the luxury goods frequently displayed in store. Meanwhile, more and more consumers visiting the exhibition are not an onlooker. The localisation strategy The luxury fashion brand with high brand awareness contain the European and American culture and value which is living standard of high level, the product and design of high quality. Those values accepted by and attract young generation who trend to, however, it is not accepted by all Chinese consumers who have their own value. Respecting to Chinese traditional culture and integrated it into the product value is the essential of luxury fashion business in China. For example, Louis Vuitton setting Du Juan, the one of top Chinese model all over the world, and advertising as the Chinese image step one right place on direction and help western luxury fashion companies overcome the cultural barriers. This kind of strategy could build up strong attachments among Chinese consumers and help them accepted the unique characteristic of luxury fashion brands. The pricing strategy Price is one of the most significant signals in Chinese business world. For most Chinese consumers, price represented the value of luxury fashion goods. As a result, the luxury fashion products should not go on discount, no matter what the consumer is. The pricing strategy about goods, especially about core products, could bolster a brand’s prestige. For other items, companies could adjust the price according to the market condition and the inventory in order to long-term brand building. The retailing strategy A stupendous store belongs to the luxury fashion company located in the luxury area build up a sense of important and identified by the market. The luxury fashion positioning enhanced if the boutiques are visible to a lot of consumer in major fashion cities. The landmark stores opened in Chinese Tier 1 cities, such as Beijing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, are the best locations to building the brand image and attracting the target customer groups. The commercial centres and shopping malls in luxury area are welcomed by most of fashion lovers, luxury followers and luxury intellectuals. Meanwhile, the investment on the landmark store is the best and effective way to generate profits and build-up brand royalty. In an Internet era, shopping online has become the major shopping way, especially for the young people. Although most luxury fashion companies have shied away from online channels due to the fearing that e-commerce might reduce the value of the luxury brand. However, for a long-term return and brand building, online platform provides not only a purchase channel, but also an information exchange channel between luxury fashion brand and Chinese consumers. With the developing of GDP and individual income of consumers, the global luxury fashion market and such the emerging market as China, have become the strategic focus of luxury market researcher and the consult company. This report attempts to identify development strategy of the luxury fashion brand, especially in mainland China market through the analysis of the change of global luxury fashion brand, overview of Chinese luxury market and the passion for luxury consumption. All those factors were identified depend on a comprehensive review of luxury fashion goods related researches and market consulting reports. The findings of this study provide a new insight of global and Chinese luxury fashion market for the consumers who interests the luxury fashion brand and a clear strategy guide for market managers of the luxury fashion firms, particular in the time of the company expand their business in mainland China. In addition, the study helps reduce the risks and costs of market research and helps the company overcome the huge gap in a multicultural business environment. First, the findings about the global luxury fashion market and the general development strategy in luxury fashion market all over the world indicated that the achieving the growth while remaining exclusive positioning, and attracting more consumers without losing cachet of brand value is the core strategy for every luxury corporates. The more loyal consumers may weaken due to the popular brands launched in the market because they choose pay a premium goods that majority and identified by small group. Consequently, the balance between growth and unique, the price and quality may be tougher in China than in any other market. However, customization develops quickly as the new trend of luxury fashion industry. The customizing activities have launched in different business sectors, but which is yet adopted by the luxury industry on a board. At presents, the customization just limited on the area of fashion accessories, apparel, handbags, and jewellery, and emphasising on customizing standard products, point of delivery customization and service and producing bespoke goods. Secondly, the increasing the number of consumers, overseas traveller, new market segments and the counterfeits goods have become the main features in the Chinese luxury fashion market in recent years. The features are important of stress the benefits of investment in mainland China. Based on the research findings, International marketers should setting extension strategy that is coherent with branding, merchandising and global image by serving China’s globetrotting shoppers, striking the balance between store numbers and quality and focusing anti-counterfeit goods. For Chinese globetrotting shoppers, the customer relationship management should emphasis global view rather than on mainland China. In the view of higher management board, the corporate organisational structure of the luxury fashion company should reflect the significant of Chinese market by sorting up the processes for generating direct communication between Chinese luxury consumers and the home headquarter. Based on the new market segmentation, the luxury company should upgrade current stores and outlets in order to keep consistent with the global image and emphasis on the business in Tier 1 cities. As the market statistics indicated that the luxury counterfeit goods have become the barriers for development in China, including seizing sale revenue and weakening brand value. Luxury fashion companies should co-operate with customs officials to seize fake goods at ports. Working with international national organisation or international associations should be the third path for anti-counterfeit activities. The co-operation should ranges from such international associations as World Intellectual Property to regional groups like US-focused International Anti-Counterfeits Coalition. Thirdly, the research findings about the passions for Chinese luxury fashion consumption indicated that the â€Å"bling†customers who lack of knowledge about luxury fashion goods or just following the trend account of a part of Chinese luxury consumers. Besides that, Chinese luxury consumption deeply influenced by saving faces and group orientation, which are the part of traditional Confusion value. Targeting different drivers of luxury consumption, managers should have different strategies. For the bling customers, the global luxury firms should invest in improving the brand awareness and expanding the brand value, which could offer a global opportunity to attracting potential customers and building loyalty and repeat customer groups. For the consumers who care about saving face, International luxury fashion markers should draw the outline of visual and outward appearance of rank and status when unfolding their marketing activities. Meanwhile, the companies should emphasise the brand’s country of origin, so the Chinese consumers have the confident to identified and distinguished with other mass products. In addition, the package of luxury goods also need to be recognisable in order to fit the moderate and lifestyle associated with Chinese consumers. Furthermore, in light of the results about group orientation, the management board company should stress the profit of luxury fashion goods as a symbol of social marker and the sale assistants inspire consumer purchases because of the goods could generate a sense of group belonging and conformity of the elite. Due to the group belonging, a special attention should be given to the layout of the physical store and the luxury service of sale staff. No matter who is the consumer, friends will be involved during the decision making process and become potential consumers in the future. Proving high-quality services and creating luxury experience for non-buyers also benefit for making sure that the brand accepted by group and that the consumer does not stand out from others. Finally, about the current expansion strategy in mainland China market, most of luxury fashion companies emphasis the strategy on marking, localization, pricing and retailing coherent with the global business aims. Raising brand awareness and expressing the luxury lifestyle lay the foundation of marketing strategy. In order to respect to Chinese traditional culture, luxury brands should integrate Chinese culture and art into design, package, and store layout of products, which accepted easily by Chinese consumers in different social class. Meanwhile, the research findings indicated that the price is the most important factor which influenced Chinese luxury consumption. Luxury marketers should balance the price between Chinese market and overseas. As for the retailing strategy, the luxury brand stresses the developing of boutiques store and the setting up online distribution channels. However, there are several special attention should be given to price gap between China and overseas, and the online distribution channels. On one hand, comparing with that rarely go on discount in mainland China, the luxury fashion goods is often at a discount at overseas, especially for the non-core products and in the time of Christmas or Summer Sale. On the other hand, the high rate of tax and fees raise up the price of luxury fashion goods in mainland China. According to the law and regulations in China, a luxury fashion goods, such as the eye cream of Estee Lauder native to the UK, is imported into Chinese market with 10% import tariff, 30% consumption tax, 5% sales tax and 17% value-add tax. Including the managing fees, advertising costs and other issues, the price of the eye cream is double in the UK. In the respect of the luxury company, the appreciate discount in Chinese market could promote the desire of consumption and boost the sale revenue; in the respect of tax policy makers in mainland China, reducing the rate of import tariff and consumption tax of international luxury fashion goods could Finally, luxury fashion goods, as a subject of nature, play different or scenarios, different income level, education background, and social – economic factors, as well as exam the type of relationship that seek from luxury fashion brands. On the view of passions for luxury consumption, there are many other drivers, such as collection, appreciation, should take the consideration into further research.
My Educational Experience Essay
My education began in first grade in 1974. My state didn’t mandate kindergarten, so my parents didn’t send me, even though my brothers and sister went. It wasn’t easy for me, because school was the first place I ever got to interact with other people, mainly children, as an equal. Before school started, I was pretty much kept indoors, and not allowed to have contact with other people, except for members of my own family. Being the youngest, I was looked down upon as being inferior, a lower class citizen, and basically, a big joke. During the first 5 years of my life, I figured that was all I was entitled to, and even though I hated it, I lived with it. In first grade, I had to interact with other kids for the first time, which wasn’t easy. I did eventually learn that I could be an equal to them, and soon settled down into school. The quality of education that first year wasn’t bad, I learned a lot and grew a lot during that year. I had great teachers too, who really gave me the help I needed. Second grade at that school was a different story though, I had a different teacher, who wasn’t very good, and seldom offered the help I needed. I was also treated like I was lower than the rest of the students. I don’t know what her problem with me was, but it set me back a great deal, both academically and emotionally. When I needed help, it wasn’t given and I was often ignored. She felt that it wasn’t worth it to help those students who needed it. Fortunately, my parents saw this and intervened, first trying to negotiate, then after that broke down, transferred me to another school. The new school was very different, being more structured than the first, and being a boys’ school. When I started, I was behind in many ways due to the problems of my previous school, but I had a dedicated teacher who helped me catch up the best she could in a short time. I remember having difficulties with cursive writing, which my new teacher helped me with, but giving me a crash course in it for a few weeks at recess every day. I did learn it, but never learned it well, and always got poor marks in penmanship as a result. I don’t fault her for that because she did the best she could under the circumstances. In other areas, I began to excel, often being on the honor roll, being one of the top students in the class. In fact, my teacher was very surprised at how I had started the school behind, and had caught up and excelled. It was nice to be appreciated, both at home and school because I did so well, and it really felt good to accomplish something. I stayed at that school for over 2 years, and had one day hoped to walk across the stage and graduate from there. It never happened because while I was in fourth grade, for some unexplained reason, my parents, who had always respected this school, began to despise it. Among their complaints were I was always doing homework, the school is a â€Å"playhouse,†and â€Å"they don’t do anything,†which I meant they offered few extracurricular activities, which was a true statement, but in my opinion, wasn’t a problem. On one occasion, I was even picked on about the khaki uniforms we had to wear, which had been worn by my brothers at different schools with no complaints at all from my parents. They constantly harassed me knocking everything about the school and eventually, I gave in and agreed to go to another school, the same school my sister was attending. This new school was totally different from the previous school. It was coed, the classes were larger, and seemed to put academics in lower regard than I was used to. I was also introduced to the concept of â€Å"school spirit,†the mindless blind following and support of your school regardless of what they do. I also learned that being a boy who was not athletic was a serious strike against me, since they valued football and other sports over everything else. At my other school, we had always had textbooks that were current and up to date. At this new school, the books were often old and falling apart, if we were lucky enough to get one. During the second and last year I was there, fifth grade, I was basically forced to support my sister in her school band activities, in order to show â€Å"school spirit,†something I had no interest in. I was dragged to every single football game, which I didn’t enjoy at all, and even worse, my parents often tried to make me praise her and tell her how much I enjoyed it, which I didn’t. I would rather have stayed home taking it easy, than sitting in the cold stands being blasted with wind and rain, as we sometimes had to endure. I was also dragged to parades she marched in, and often had to listen to her complain about having to do it. My view was to exercise a little free will and not worry about it, but was told, â€Å"it’s a school activity.†She made a choice to play in the band, why not live with the consequences. One other new experience I had there was being used for slave labor. Since I wasn’t an athlete, I often spent P.E. periods picking up trash on the grounds, which many times, made me miss afternoon classes. In spite of my parents’ complaints, this practice continued. Fortunately, I was taken out of that school, not because of my difficulties, but because of the poor teachers my sister was forced to endure. Sixth grade was my first and only year in Catholic school. What was really strange was we wore khaki uniforms, the same design I had worn only a year and a half before, that my mother said were â€Å"awful looking.†I was also a hard year partially because of the previous summer, which was spent not doing things I liked, but having to go into the swimming pool everyday on my sister and mother’s command. That summer was so humiliating that I often couldn’t look at myself in the mirror, because I felt like a puppet, dancing on my mothers’ and my sisters’ strings. That year was difficult because many of the students didn’t accept me, because I was a transfer student, and I often felt like less of a person because of the humiliating summer I spent before. I also had a hard time going to my parents, since the previous summer had showed me they didn’t’ really care about how I felt or if I had a problem, but instead about forced conformity. It also seemed like my parents had something to prove to this school, which I don’t understand. In one instance, I had to write about what I had done that day, and my mother was determined I would put no TV on that piece, because she wanted to show I didn’t watch TV, which wasn’t true. She does often lie to get what she wants and even when caught sees no problem with it, but will not tolerate anyone else lying to get their way. At the end of the school year, my mother asked me if I wanted to have a swimming party for my class, to which I responded no. She went to my teacher and set one up anyway, which showed me how little my feelings meant to her. I didn’t know how to swim, and had no interest in it, yet she would do anything to force me to swim, enjoy it, and even devote my entire life to it. I honestly believe her goal was to eliminate everything from my life excluding school and swimming, a life I couldn’t have survived. Seventh grade was another school I was sent to because of my sister, she was going there so I had to go there. I did not at all fit in, mainly because most of the students in my class had been expelled from other schools, and I hadn’t. I also had incompetent teachers, many of whom were employed there solely, by the principal’s own admission, worked cheap. I was very unhappy there, not only for these reasons, but because I was discriminated against not only at school, but at home as well. At school, our class was banned from many events, because of a few problem students. That didn’t bother me much, but I also got discrimination at home. My sister would often brag to people about how I spent my summers as her slave because I had to drop anything I wanted to do when she wanted to swim, and often had other students call me â€Å"Igor†after the hunchback assistant in the old horror movies. If I ever said anything derogatory to or about my sister, I would be punished, yet she did all of these things to me, and even admitted to our parents she had done it, but was never punished. In fact, they often said that it was impossible for a girl to be bad, that only boys are bad. The school seemed to preach the same thing, in fact, she was once in a fight and there were no consequences, I was and was punished at school and at home. She should have been punished too but instead she was able to brag to my parents and everyone else about fighting, with no consequences. Another incident of discrimination was with my sister’s English class and my Math class. We both had to deal with incompetent teachers, who were neither certified nor held degrees. The classes were impossible and we learned little. What our parents did was to go down to the school and arrange for her to get special treatment, meaning the principal would teach her personally, while I got nothing. I felt if she got out, why shouldn’t I? When I said this, I got no answer, no discussion, other than â€Å"That’s just the way it is.†Fortunately, I only stayed one year at this school, which was more than enough. However, I wasn’t out of the woods, I had to spend another summer of forced swimming with my sister, which again, made my life miserable. Eighth grade was my first and only year in public school. My mother made numerous promises to me about how it would be better than anything else, but it wasn’t. I was basically harassed again, for being a transfer student, and because my voice had changed before everyone else’s. A lot of the students constantly grunted at me to make fun of my voice, and nobody would do anything about it. My parents said it had nothing to do with my voice, but instead, was because I â€Å"act goofy,†yet would never explain to me what I did that was so bad. I was very miserable, I didn’t know what to do, and suffered day in and day out, and many times, wanted to end my life. What finally brought down my life there was I didn’t participate in an optional project for the science class, and as a result, my science teacher, the only teacher out of six, wouldn’t recommend me for a gifted program, something my parents took very hard. Ever since, even now 18 years la ter, they call me uncooperative. I was also punished for the entire summer, being barred from TV, music, reading, and any other activity I found pleasurable, being allowed nothing but swimming when my sister wanted me to because â€Å"getting in that pool everyday will build you up until you are a human being again.†My sister in the mean time attended public school, and also refused to activities she didn’t want to do. She was downgraded by her English teacher for not doing some optional projects as well but was she punished, or course not. Our parents simply went to the school board, and got her grades changed, from C to A, and was given me as a swimming slave for the summer. I didn’t understand this, she gets a reward for her behavior, and I get punished. I guess my parents don’t believe in punishing girls, I don’t know. My sister went to college, but I ended up in another so-called Christian school. During my first year, I refused to be put through â€Å"Freshman Hell Week,†in which senior students are allowed to humiliate freshman for a whole week. To me, that sort of behavior had no business in school, and was far from the strict environment my parents told me it would be. What added insult to injury that year was when my parents saw the yearbook and pictures of Hell Week, my mother actually said â€Å"You should have gotten together with them and acted goofy.†First I’m accused for allegedly â€Å"acting goofy,†and them I’m criticized for not â€Å"acting goofy.†This makes absolutely no sense. My high school years weren’t very happy. My grades were ok, but I didn’t like it at all. I was often picked on because I didn’t do extracurricular activities, I didn’t date, and basically thought there was a world beyond football, proms, and cheerleaders. The worst came my junior year, I was turned down for the honor society, and my parents at first, thought it was politics, then turned against me condemning me for having no personality, not being nice enough, participating in no activities, and not being â€Å"glib,†which has been an obsession of theirs ever since. They often condemned me for believing that school grades are based on work, instead of personality, something I never understood, since I was nice and didn’t make any trouble for anyone. My senior year was uneventful, thank goodness, and I was glad to be out of that place. Many people complain about the ineptness of our public schools and want vouchers and other initiatives to privatize education. My experiences tell me this will not work. Many of the private schools I went to were no better and even worse than public schools. The public school I attended had textbooks for each student; I can’t say that about a few of the private schools I was associated with. In addition, the excellent school I went to between second and forth grade is now closed, due to lack of enrollment, while the football school continues to stay in operation. My school years were very painful for me, not only for what I went through at school, for what I went through at home, where it was often preached, â€Å"nothing matters but school and swimming.†If I made poor grades, I was punished, but if my sister did the same thing, it was the school’s fault. One day, I know I will completely heal of it all, but now, I’m just working towards that day. The answer is out there; I just have to find it. Amen.
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