Friday, November 29, 2019

Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) an Example by

Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) A: The subject is the life and works of the first African American poet, Phillis Wheatley. The article focuses on the struggles of an African slave who bought and educated by her master John Wheatley. Though she wrote a book of poems entitled Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral in 1774, no publisher in America would publish it. So it could be published from London with the help of Mr.Wheatley and other influential people. Later recognition for her talent came from celebrities like Voltaire and John Paul Jones. As many doubted the ability of a black woman to write poetry, she had to appear in a court and examined by Boston luminaries including John Erving, Reverend Charles Chauncey, John Hancock, Thomas Hutchinson, the governor of Massachusetts, and his Lieutenant Governor. She passed the test successfully and was awarded a certificate. She is regarded as the first poet of African American literature. In 1778, African American poet Jupiter Hammon paid his tribute to her by writing an ode on Phillis Wheatley. It is very unfortunate that she had an incompatible mar riage and died in penury, and her second volume of poetry remained unpublished. Need essay sample on "Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed College Students Frequently Tell EssayLab professionals: I'm don't want to write my essay. Because I want to spend time with my family Professional writers propose: Your Best Essay Helper B: I think John Wheatley proved with success that given the right opportunities, black people can develop their potential in the same way as white men do. It also shows that all white are not necessarily racially biased. They truly believe in Christian virtues like kindness and charity. C: John Wheatleys racial impartiality is evident from the fact that he not only nurtured a slave girls talent, he also liberated her from the bond of slavery. The kind-hearted man also gave her his surname to improve her social status. But it is very unfortunate that her name did not appear on the stone of her grave. D: Mr.John Wheatley actually fought a silent war against slavery and racism. He did not preach it from the house top, but he made his contribution to a harmonious multicultural society. He must have been pained by what Phillis wrote in her poem, "On being brought from Africa to America": "Their color is a diabolic dye. Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train. E: The rise and fall in the life of Phyllis Wheatley shows how with hard work and sincerity, even a black woman can find her place in a white-dominated society. It also highlights how a poet with social recognition dies in poverty. People by and large do not care for sensitive souls like poets. John Wheatley stands for the liberal American who shows us how love and nurture can turn an African slave girl bought mainly for domestic work to admirable intellectual height. Though her grave remained unmarked, it is heartening to know that now a building has been named in her honor at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her life and work, though brief, would inspire generations of new aspiring souls belonging to backward communities. Work Cited https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillis_Wheatley 7-Dec-08

Monday, November 25, 2019

Daniel Elazar essays

Daniel Elazar essays The thesis of Daniel J. Elazars article is that the government is an ongoing transformation between centralization to decentralization. The changing forces of centralization and decentralization are unclear. Elazar supports his theory with three main arguments. The author first examines the early years of the Republic. The events of the Revolutionary War up to the New Deal was a direct result of politicians, citizens and interest groups relying upon their states as arenas to fight battles and accomplish goals. Elazar argues that the New Deal was an acknowledgment that decentralization had its weaknesses. Centralization through federal programs during the New Deal counteracted the effects of the Great Oppression. The Nations economic system became centralized as national corporations purchased locally owned firms. Federal intervention became apparent in the legal and educational systems. Also the development and advancement of mass communication led to a total focus on Washington D.C. as the center of power. Elazar argues that states act as fail safe mechanisms and polities. Through the Nixon administration, the states acted when one part of the political system could not. The states organized the distribution of limited oil and gas resources. Governors and state agencies settled strikes and the resettling of Asian refugees. States discovered that they had power that came from being states and they did not need to wait for federal initiatives to act. State Supreme Courts began to build state constitutional foundations for public policy. Ronald Reagan attempted to implement policies that reversed government power to the states. By shifting government priorities, reorganizing grant programs, and reducing federal domestic expenditures as a proportion of the total federal budget, it established new attitudes among state governments. States learned that it no longer needed to turn to the federal government f...

Friday, November 22, 2019

River Woods Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

River Woods Case - Assignment Example Once a horizontal powerbase is established, the employees will feel more inclined to work as a team and less inclined to go directly to the CEO, as would occur in a vertical power base. In order to assist in establishing a horizontal structure as quickly as possible, I plan to be a flexible and visible as I can, while setting clear expectations that all employees buy into and feel empowered by. In terms of weekly meetings, each employee needs to understand their role and what’s expected and single person has all of determinants or information. Clear communication channels will be established which include my office as the first stop for any new ideas or if employees are having problems. I plan to become more relevant to my employees by increasing the amount on which I rely on the concept of centrality or in other words, my network. As part of this strategy, I will be ad I will encourage my employees to display certificates for courses they completed and I will begin to show them my close relationship with the CEO to establish trustworthiness by demonstrating that I am indeed, close to the powerbase. This should help ease the problems and drive productivity up as everyone will feel more confident. The short answer is that the key to getting my management team on board with me is trickle up leadership and in order to â€Å"lead up†, it is time for me to speak up. My team needs to be refocused and the artificial constraints and excuses for the rise in customer complaints needs to be ended by renewing their dedication to the specialized role that them and their units play in this special company. I must act assertively to neutralize those individuals in my company who are having a toxic effect by being late or having attendance issues. This is an opportunity for employees to have input and take the lead in solving the issues and I will certainly be open and encouraging of any viable solutions

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Nursing and Human Resource Sector of the Health Care Industry Assignment

Nursing and Human Resource Sector of the Health Care Industry - Assignment Example The present research has identified that there is a rising cost of providing healthcare to over 230,000 individuals, a task that is making hard for the health care system to retain and attract employers who are discouraged by the premium costs. The employers are facing the effect of having to reduce or absolutely not offering any health care benefits to the employees. The Mercy Health plans are also finding it very difficult to get a local health plan for the employers. There is also the issue of competitors who offer national health plans and worse, they have a large share of the market. As such, the mercy health plan has to strategize themselves so as to face the existing competition in the market. Among the solutions considered by the Mercy Health Plans in the face of the problem of attracting employers into their health plans, they have decided to attract employers through offering them more attractive health plans that apply to the long-term relationship they have with their emp loyee. They encourage the senior management teams of the employers to take up their health plans in order to solve this problem. This is in opposition to the selection of short-term health care plans by the senior management. This is because the short-term health plans tend to be a source of cost shifting solution to the employer and mostly offered by consumer-directed programs for health benefits. Further, the mercy health plan realizes that they have to design a health program that would cover the overall health of the entire population. This includes the consumers that do not have a high risk of healthcare complications and their probabilities of getting sick is also low. As such, it is possible that the Mercy Health plan can reduce the cost of health and attract more employers.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Contemporary Study of the Impact of Standardization and Harmonization Dissertation

Contemporary Study of the Impact of Standardization and Harmonization of Accounting Standards - Dissertation Example However, the existence of dissimilar accounting practices can be a crucial challenge linked with the aforesaid procedure. In this similar context, ethical dilemma plays an imperative part in harmonising along with standardising the accounting standards as it concerns certain significant moral values that include honesty, reliability, durability and integrity among others. From research methodological viewpoint, both quantitative as well as qualitative research approaches have been taken into concern. Moreover, valuable data associated with this research study has been collected through the execution of structured interviews in the form of questionnaires that has been administered to the officials of the companies following different accounting standards like IASB and IFRS among others. Besides, hypothesis testing by utilising a statistical tool of correlation as a form of meta-analysis has also been considered for this particular research study. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Chapter 1 : Introduction 5 1.1Background 5 1.2Research Problems 6 1.3Research Aims and Objectives 7 1.4Methodological Overview 8 Chapter 2: Literature Review 10 2.1 Importance of Standardization and Harmonization of Accounting Standards 10 2.2 Advantages of Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 12 2.3 Challenges of Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 14 2.4 Role of Ethical Dilemma in Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 15 2.5 External Influencing Factors to Support or To Oppose the Benefits of Standardization and Harmonization 17 Chapter 3: Research Methodology 19 3.1 Research Design 19 3.2 Data Collection and Evaluation 22 3.3 Ethical Consideration 24 Chapter 4: Findings 25 4.1. Benefit of Standardisation and Harmonisation to Its Users 25 4.2 Benefits Accordingly Achieved by Companies in the Recent Phenomenon 26 4.3. Role of Ethical Dilemma in Obtaining the Benefits from Standardisation and Harmonisation 29 4.4. Exte rnal Influencing Factors to Support or To Oppose the Benefits of Standardization and Harmonization 30 4.5 Hypothesis Testing 37 Chapter 5: Discussion 40 5.1. Reasons or Motivations behind Standardisation and Harmonisation of the Accounting Standards 40 5.2. Advantages and Challenges of Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 43 Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations 49 References 53 Bibliography 61 Appendix 64 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Background The perception of standardisation is fundamentally described as the process of creating uniform business methods throughout different locations or divisions. This particular concept tends to diminish the jeopardy of failure by consistently complying with the business related operational expenditures as well as the performance based objectives (Richen & Steinhorst, 2005). Relatively, the conception of harmonisation is commonly described as the adjustment of the inconsistencies or the differences prevailing amid var ious business policy standards, procedures, specifications and protocols (NSCA, n.d.). Contextually, the Accounting Standards (ASs) are primarily recognised as the specific guidelines which are duly authorised by the skilled professionals relating to any accounting, regulatory or government body. The ASs comprises the significant

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Current Zynga Strategy Diamond Marketing Essay

The Current Zynga Strategy Diamond Marketing Essay Launched in 2007, Zynga has expanded its portfolio from exclusively Facebook API services to provide independent and multiplatform social gaming on personal computers, tablets and mobile devices (Zynga, p 1-2, 2013). However, less than a year after appearing on the stock exchange Zynga has fallen on hard times (Zynga, p 1, 2013). The challenge of satisfying evolving consumer needs and the microeconomic climate have severely impacted your bottom line. Your stock price has fallen over 70% and you have recorded net losses of nearly $53 million in Q3 2012 alone (Zynga, p 1, 2013). In order to stay relevant in todays market and return Zynga to the social gaming pioneer it once was, you must employ radical changes. I have identified four main challenges facing Zynga today. Firstly, Zynga is in the business of casual gaming with a social twist. But because casual games notoriously have the shortest life cycle it is hugely problematic that Zynga has neither innovated nor replicated successful games at the same rate that customers have grown tired of the available offerings. Secondly, Zynga does not have a sustainable source of revenue due to considerable customer churn. Cycling through customers and not generating repeat business is not a strategy for a freemium company. Thirdly, while Zynga is moving towards a more independent business model, the business was built on and still largely depends on Facebook. The close association between your corporations and your recent decision to sever ties with the social media giant has been negatively affecting your bottom line. Lastly, the corporate culture in place at Zynga thrives on imitation. Rather than being forward thinking and innovative, Zynga ha s enjoyed enormous success by mimicking already popular games and reverse engineering them for a simpler, social experience. Given these challenges I have developed a strategic recommendation to reinvent Zynga. Zynga must return to its original ambitions of being an independent social gaming giant and create a social gaming ecosystem unlike any other. By partnering with hardware manufacturers and developing a new operating system Zynga can not only reclaim its lost share of the social gaming market, but capture a population of consumers with unmet social gaming needs. With this innovative model, Zynga will once again demonstrate financial success. Goals and Objectives: The ultimate goal of my strategic recommendation is to revert Zyngas declining financial status and decreasing Monthly Average Users (MUAs). The new business model will pursue the goals upon which the company was founded upon: Reach, Retention and Revenue; however, these goals may only be achieved if Zynga remains true its original ambitions and strives for stable growth built on its own success, rather than piggybacking off the growth of another corporation. Contextual Analysis: Mark, you created Zynga to address an unrealized consumer need: socially integrated gaming. But while you correctly predicted that consumers wanted an immersive and integrated social gaming experience, as they do with most other tech experiences, you failed in your execution. The original customer reach, retention and revenue model aided the explosive growth you enjoyed in the past, but it did not create a foundation for your company to be further built on. You were too consumed with rapidly growing the company and collecting profits to see that strategically Zynga would have benefited from a slower, more premeditated climb to success. Your original ambitions to build an independent company were correct, yet instead you chose to piggyback off of the success of Facebook to catapult yourself into overnight, mass-market penetration. Accordingly, there are four challenges facing Zynga. Firstly, Zynga is in the business of casual gaming with a social twist. That is, simple games with uncomplicated, vibrant graphics and easy inputs and controls. Since casual games are not intimidating and easy to play, they appeal to a large audience (primarily [60%] a normally disinterested group of middle aged women). However, casual games notoriously have the shortest life cycle (Microsoft ). In fact, most estimates give casual games a 300 day life cycle (______). The gameplay in Zyngas games is particularly known for its simplicity (_____). Look at Farmville as an example. A users constant diligence and effort will ultimately be rewarded if they maintain their crops and animals (unless they choose to buy virtual currency with real currency to speed up the game). It is evident that there is hardly any skill component involved in casual gaming. Accordingly, game fatigue occurs relatively quickly. Your frequent introduction of new games is evidence that you understand this trend; ho wever, what you have not accounted for is that users become exhausted by the entire category of simple games. Once you have built a farm, city, mafia and castle using virtually indistinguishable principles, a similar game is less likely to be pleasing. This is especially true in a category of games that Zynga succeeds in: non goal-oriented games. That is games that have no definitive end or prize. It is hugely problematic that your company has neither innovated nor replicated successful games at the same rate that customers have grown tired of the available offerings. Cycling through customers and not generating repeat business is not a strategy. Secondly, you have neither a stable, nor sustainable source of revenue due to the previously discussed customer churn. Zynga operates on a freemium, free-to-play model. That is, the vast majority of your customers play your games for free while only a small portion of users constitute paying customers. Financial analysis reveals that over 83% of your revenue is generated by less than 3% of your customers. As such, Zynga faces grave financial risks if you lose the attention and enthusiasm of your core 3% of paying customers. Thirdly, while Zynga is moving towards a more independent business model, your business was built on and still largely depends on Facebook (Zynga 10-K, 2013). In 2012 86% of Zyngas revenue was from Facebook API services and revenues were down 20% from the prior year, while Facebook reported a 40% increase in gaming profit (Zynga, p , 2013) (Zynga 10-K, 2013). Note this discrepancy. Although the social nature of your games requires the use of a social network platform, Facebook is a social media monopolist. As such, you are buying and using services providing by a monopolist. This has severe financial implications for Zynga. When a company does not make considerable profits, it is not in Facebooks interest to charge a high transaction fee. Instead, Facebook encourages use of its services by maintaining low fees since the applications use increases the usage of Facebooks platform. However, if the company becomes financially successful, as Zynga did, Facebook begins to charge higher tra nsaction fees. This is standard microeconomics and a problem plaguing Zynga. Facebook is capitalizing on your success by taking over 30% of each transaction your games attract (Zynga, p , 2013). Additionally, the close association between your corporation and Facebook, as well as your recent decision to sever ties with the social media giant has been and will continue negatively affecting your bottom line. While costumers may recognize your games, your corporate brand has been dissolved and shadowed by Facebook. You should not have so closely associated Zynga with Facebook and so heavily relied on Facebook to grow your company. While Facebook will always have game developers to replace you, you will not always have the customer awareness you enjoyed on while using Facebooks API services. You are competing in an industry where you are highly replaceable and are at the mercy of your customers in your fight to stay relevant (Exhibit A). Lastly, the corporate culture in place at Zynga thrives on imitation. Zynga is present in the rapidly evolving industry of gaming in which technology is critical. Such an industry requires companies to be at the forefront of change and lead innovation. Normally companies employ sizeable RD teams that look to new game development (in your case to combat game fatigue and customer churn) as well as new distribution channels (in your case to combat the dependence on Facebook). You did genuinely pioneer social gaming, but that is where you stopped. While copying competitor games worked in the short term, it is not a sustainable strategy. You must refocus on innovation. Furthermore, this attitude blinded you to the importance of the smartphone as a new gaming platform. Only recently have you realized the potential of mobile games. Rather than being forward thinking and innovative, Zynga has enjoyed enormous success by mimicking already popular games and reverse engineering them for a simpl er, social experience. Strategic Options Alternatives: With regard to customer acquisition and retention, Pincus wondered whether Zynga should invest to improve its viral distribution model, or if the company needed to encourage users to connect with strangers who also happen to be Zynga game players. One of the unmet needs social media sites address is the desire to meet new people. Consumers enjoy being around like minded individuals and tend to seek out and gravitate to those who share similar interests and values. In most cases an individual has a set amount of friends in their social network that closely share their values, but not necessarily enough to satisfy their social needs. As such, it is in Zyngas best interest to encourage users to connect with strangers who also enjoy social gaming. Consumers would be attracted to the idea that they would be introduced to those most like them satisfying their social need. Furthermore, for Zynga the viral avenue is slowly disappearing since Facebook has amended its algorithm to limit game post viability to those who are not signed up for the Zynga services. Additionally, depending on a viral distribution model implies that there is a large enough customer base to promote to. Zyngas creation of an independent platform is a positive and progressive step, but you must remember that you will not have the same customer base that Facebook has, and it certainly will not attract 1 billion users overnight. With regard to product, Pincus debated whether he should invest primarily in evolving existing successful casual games, or if he should invest to expand Zynga into other markets, such as real money gambling and mid-core gaming. Zynga should invest in other markets. Social games have a very short life cycle and are becoming increasingly more expensive for Zynga to create and maintain. As such, Zynga should focus on investing and developing games that are more interactive, slightly more complex and retain customers for longer periods of time such as gambling games and mid-core games as these markets theoretically address the problems facing Zynga. With regard to corporate strategy, Pincus had to decide whether Zynga should continue to focus on being a content producer, or if it should focus on becoming a platform for hosting its own and 3rd party developers games. Zynga should not limit itself on content development as its only competency. You should begin building a platform or operating system or even venturing into hardware manufacturing in order to release yourself from the fetters of Facebook. In truth, this is the hardest strategy because it has the highest risk, but if properly implemented, it would also reap the great ROI as well as serve as the most long term option. Strategic Recommendation: Successful tech companies are those that do not just create products, services or experiences, but rather immerse their users into complete, closed ecosystems. Google, Amazon and Apple are three examples of lucrative companies that have enjoyed stable growth throughout the past decade of tumultuous technological uncertainty. They have fully integrated their consumers by enticing them to choose a digital lifestyle that is almost controlled by their gadgets and software. For instance, Google has vertically and horizontally integrated to provide social services (Google+) and created not one, but two platforms (Android and Chrome) available on a multitude of devices (computers, tablets, smartphones) to engage consumers on all levels. Apple has done the same with its iPhones, Macs and iPads and its OS. Amazon has the Kindle and Amazon Prime. In each company, consumer hardware is fully integrated with the other products and the platform/software addresses both known and unmet social needs. This occurs while the hardware and software provide the standard professional and personal solutions expected of computing devices. Even Facebook, your rival is making its foray into software and hardware integration with the release of its operating system: Home. Like Google, Apple and Amazon, Facebook will now have its own ecosystem to lock its users into. Creating an ecosystem employs the walled-garden concept where a company locks a consumer into its product by providing all the services necessary to address the consumer needs and effectively locks a consumer into the product. Zynga should follow lead and focus on creating a social gaming ecosystem with high walls (barriers to entry) by leaving the consumer facing high switching costs. The best way to create this ecosystem is by developing your own, independent platform and operating system and partnering with hardware manufacturers to deliver integrated devices to fanatical gamers. Implementation Plan Zynga should begin to secede from Facebook in a gradual 3 year plan. Each year you should refrain from renewing 1/3 of the games on the Facebook API service. Zynga should begin with the weakest performing games and gradually the best games to retain maximum customer awareness through the succession process. The goal will be to not only retain current Facebook customers and move them to Zynga.com, but also to generate enough buzz to secure to customers directly through Zynga.com. By slowly transitioning existing Facebook users to Zynga.com the customer base of your social network will grow and attract new users. Year One: Zynga should reach out to hardware manufacturers HTC is a great candidate to negotiate a contract and develop a smart phone and tablet adapted for Zynga games. Simultaneously, Zynga should begin developing the OS and gaming platform for the device. It is also important to reach out to retailers and wireless companies to secure subsidy contracts for the new device. It is also necessary for Zynga to pursue marketing and promotional partnerships with both the device manufacturer(s) and the wireless carrier(s) in order to split the cost of an aggressive marketing campaign. Year Two: During Q1 and Q2, Zynga should begin production and continue the marketing campaign. Zynga should also focus on developing a robust network of games to be deployed on its device. It would benefit Zynga to allow third party developer rights to innovate games for Zynga. In Q3 Zynga should begin selling the device. Year Three: Zynga should focus on a 10 month life cycle for its devices to stay relevant to consumers. As such, RD and production of the generation two Zynga device should take place during the middle of Q1 2016 and conclude at the end of Q2 2016. Sales of the gen 2 device should begin at the beginning of Q3 2016. Exhibit 1: Porters Five Forces: Competitive Rivalry High Zynga, Wooga, 5 Minutes, Playfish, Playdom, Kabam, Crowdstar, EA, among others. Power of Buyers Moderate to High Customers dictate the content and their needs change daily. Because there are so many alternate companies providing the same/similar services, game providers have to adapt to retain customers. Power of Suppliers Moderate to High While there are many game hosting platforms, few garner the attention of mass amounts of users. As such, the power of the supplier fluctuates based on its user base. Threat of New Entrants Very High The cost and time required to develop a social game is very low (single-digit millions and months) relative to the cost of developing a more traditional graphic-intense console game (tens of millions and years). This lower cost allows much smaller game developers to try their hand at developing the next big hit and has resulted in a proliferation of new competitors. Substitute Products Very High There are not only identical products out there by competitors, but also there are many substitute products: hardcore games, board games, tv, blogs, anything people use to pass the time. Exhibit 2: Current Zynga Strategy Diamond Arenas Casual gaming Vehicles exclusivity contracts, social platforms (mainly Facebook), early stages of their own social platform. Differentiators highly integrated social features. Economic Logic freemium business model. 97% of consumers receive free services while 3% of consumers pay to advance quickly through game and receive premium services. Monetization relies on 3 revenue streams, affiliate offers, virtual goods sales and advertizing Staging biweekly game updates. Release new games every ____.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Controversial Predicament Essay -- Social Issues, Abortion

A pregnant woman patiently waits in an office for doctors to call her up. As she is called up, she feels very nervous and tense. She is told by the doctors to prop her legs on the bed as they get out their surgical devices. Several minutes later, she finds herself being operated for an abortion and sees her newborn being pulled out of her. Unfortunately, it is dead, lifeless, and decapitated. It is later discarded into an incinerator and the mother leaves casually to her home. This situation happens every day and it is seen as a common action like taking a walk. This occurrence should be condemned for the countless lives it has taken away. Abortion is remorseful because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There are many reasons for which abortion is morally incorrect. For example, in the bible, Exodus 20:13 specifically states that â€Å"you must not murder† (Bible 104). Influencing the idea to this topic, anyone can conclude that murdering is part of abortion. When abortion is done, the life of an innocent person is taken away. Another reason for which abortion is immoral is because even doctors recognize that what they are doing is regretful. â€Å"Nerville Sender, M.D., who runs an abortion clinic [even stated] ‘we know it is killing, but the states permit killing under certain circumstances.’† (Williams 38). An abortion specialist mentioning that he willingly knows it is murder shows that something is wrong with this picture. The reason for abortion being approved is because of the court case Roe vs. Wade. It â€Å"effectively legalized abortion throughout pregnancy for virtually any reason, or none at all. It is responsible for the grief of millions of men and women, and the killing of millions of unborn childre... .... Besides their rights being denied, science is coming up with reasons so that they should not be born. â€Å"Prenatal testing has become so sophisticated that doctors can now identify many disabilities before birth. But since most have no cure, the only way to ‘prevent’ the disability is to prevent the baby’s birth† (Williams 149). There is no good reason to kill a baby just because they have a physical or mental defect. Infants should not be culpable for being created that way and they should not have to suffer just because he/she will have adversities as he/she grows up. It is for these reasons why abortion promotes racism. Abortion is a horrific action because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There is no need to see that abortion is a necessary evil. It should completely be banned so that the lives of future generations can flourish. The Controversial Predicament Essay -- Social Issues, Abortion A pregnant woman patiently waits in an office for doctors to call her up. As she is called up, she feels very nervous and tense. She is told by the doctors to prop her legs on the bed as they get out their surgical devices. Several minutes later, she finds herself being operated for an abortion and sees her newborn being pulled out of her. Unfortunately, it is dead, lifeless, and decapitated. It is later discarded into an incinerator and the mother leaves casually to her home. This situation happens every day and it is seen as a common action like taking a walk. This occurrence should be condemned for the countless lives it has taken away. Abortion is remorseful because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There are many reasons for which abortion is morally incorrect. For example, in the bible, Exodus 20:13 specifically states that â€Å"you must not murder† (Bible 104). Influencing the idea to this topic, anyone can conclude that murdering is part of abortion. When abortion is done, the life of an innocent person is taken away. Another reason for which abortion is immoral is because even doctors recognize that what they are doing is regretful. â€Å"Nerville Sender, M.D., who runs an abortion clinic [even stated] ‘we know it is killing, but the states permit killing under certain circumstances.’† (Williams 38). An abortion specialist mentioning that he willingly knows it is murder shows that something is wrong with this picture. The reason for abortion being approved is because of the court case Roe vs. Wade. It â€Å"effectively legalized abortion throughout pregnancy for virtually any reason, or none at all. It is responsible for the grief of millions of men and women, and the killing of millions of unborn childre... .... Besides their rights being denied, science is coming up with reasons so that they should not be born. â€Å"Prenatal testing has become so sophisticated that doctors can now identify many disabilities before birth. But since most have no cure, the only way to ‘prevent’ the disability is to prevent the baby’s birth† (Williams 149). There is no good reason to kill a baby just because they have a physical or mental defect. Infants should not be culpable for being created that way and they should not have to suffer just because he/she will have adversities as he/she grows up. It is for these reasons why abortion promotes racism. Abortion is a horrific action because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There is no need to see that abortion is a necessary evil. It should completely be banned so that the lives of future generations can flourish.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Inauguration Reactions: The Making of a Memory in January

As a â€Å"baby boomer†, I have seen and done many things during my 60 years in the world. I grew up to see technical innovations, the space race, and the transformation of the United States in the 1960’s. I have traveled all over the country as a child with a father, who was a career military man. I have even traveled the world during my stint as a Seaman. I have seen the hard life of the streets and walked the hallowed halls of the university, receiving a Master’s in Criminal Justice, some twenty-plus years ago. The events of my past tie into the major event I will soon see in my future, President-elect Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration. I must admit that this milestone in our nation’s history brings to me pride, wonder, and nostalgia. Along with all these emotions, comes what a man like me finds hard to admit, fear. Barack Obama has been talking about change and I know all about and I have seen change, I have embraced it. I will embrace inauguration day with as much enthusiasm as I can, even though I am still filled will wonder. I must admit that the new transformation of the nation is difficult for me and many like me. I grew up, as a young boy, to understand that the integrity of a military person was never to be questioned. It was an inconvenient truth in my twenties, during my own military experience to see the opposite. Many Vietnam veterans were not received and revered like the military men of my father’s wars. To me, McCain was the epitome of courage and strength during that misunderstood war in Vietnam and to see the shift away from the honor that men like him deserve brought up many painful memories for me. I must add too, that I am white. But, color has never been an issue with me in this situation. Most of us, who remember the 60’s, have evolved from pointless racism. As a man, though, who has seen the ins and outs of criminal justice, it is hard to trust the integrity of an attorney. Most in the criminal justice field feel similar. As an older person, as well, it is hard to trust the unfounded optimism of the youth and their vote. I remember when I was young and saw many activists hitting the streets in protest and to me it was simply chaos. But, then it was â€Å"word of mouth† grassroots campaigning while now technology has advanced us to internet activism and social networking. Some have even said the Obama won because of his extensive internet presence. All of this is a wonder in itself. I must admit that some of the fear, too, comes from recalling the tragedies of innovative men like Obama. I vividly recall the assassinations of both Kennedy brothers, Martin Luther King Jr. , and Malcolm X. When I hear reports of dissidents in the U. S. , I fear for this man, because I know that this can happen, because it has happened. I wonder if the youth think about that much. In closing, I would like to say that I was proud of both candidates that ran for President in 2008 and will be proud of Obama, when he takes the honor in 2009. I feel as if I am passing the torch into a new era, a torch that has been burning now for some years without me even realizing it. It will take a lot of acceptance and expectations for this new generation, but I am confident that they can handle the charge appointed not just to the President, but to them, as well. As long as the conception of honor and integrity stay always on the table, I can rest assured that the next four years will be memorable and momentous.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Courage of a Black Women Essay

The story tells of one lady who goes through all kinds of hardships, discovers the proficient, content, and proud woman hidden inside of a young shut-mouthed girl. The Color Purple, the third novel written by the Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, has been both respected and berated in numerous essays and reviews. Although the critics agree to disagree about many aspects of this novel one thing is clear, The Color Purple shows that â€Å"the survival and liberation of black women through the strengths and wisdom of others. (Draper, 1810) In Walker’s personal view, the Black women’s history falls into three parts; the woman suspended, the artist confused and held back in her desires to create, living through two centuries when her main role was to be a used unvalued source of labor in the American society, and the modern woman. The feminist Alice Walker writes in a pattern. Her female characters move in a common cycle, first the woman were cruelly abused, and their spirits and bodies scarred, then the confused woman desires most to be a part of the American life, and lastly the modern woman shows the qualities of the developing an uprising model. Before Celie who is the main character, makes her way into the cycle the story sets her as a child with energy of wanting to learn, love, and enjoy life. She and Nettie, her sister attend school on a regular basis, complete all of their chores, and still make time to talk to play, or to just spend time together. Then, just as Celie reaches womanhood, she finds her way into the first stage of the cycle; the rejected woman. The rejected woman plays the role of the brutal abuse with a corrupted spirit as well as body. Celie’s body is first desecrated through her stepfather’s sexual abuse. Followed by this comes continuing sexual and physical abuse by her husband Mr. ______. Here, Celie slips into the second stage of the cycle; the woman who is held back. In this stage the character desires most to become a part of mainstream American society. In most cases, they are also victims of psychological abuse that separate them from their roots and real contact to the world. The profanity and abuse her body survives, not accepting that her spirit is broken when not only have her children been taken away from her by her stepfather, but Nettie is forced by Albert, to leave his and Celie’s house. During this time of sorrow and loneliness, there is one unique sparkle in Celie that surfaces with the thought of a lady named Shug Avery. â€Å"Shug Avery was a woman. The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She more pretty then my mama. She bout ten times more prettier then me. I see her in furs. Her face rouge. Her hair like somethin tail. . . An all night long I stare at the picture. An now when I dream, I dream of Shug Avery. She be dressed to kill, whirling and laughing. † (Walker 16) The final stage of the cycle; is the modern woman, one who realizes her strengths, her weakness and accepts them. In this stage, the lady works with what she has. Celie approaches this stage only with the help of Shug Avery during her stay with Albert and Celie. As fate would have it, Shug becomes deathly ill after a performance in Celie’s hometown. All of Celie’s years of wondering about Shug Avery comes to an end here. In the story, Albert goes to see Shug sing and Celie wants to ask him so many questions. â€Å"What she wear? Is she still the same old Shug, like in my picture? How her hair is? What kind of lipstick? Wig? She stout? She skinny? She sound well? Tired? Sick? Where her children at while she singing all over the place? Do she miss ’em? † Shug and Celie start off on a bad foot, however, after Celie begins to take care of Shug and nurse her back to health they develop the only kind of friendship and love, that can snap Celie back to reality. Through Albert and Shug’s relationship, Celie finally hears from her sister Nettie. Thirty years has passed since they last spoke. Why? Well, Albert never let Celie go through the incoming mail. By doing this, he keeps her in a innocent unaware state. Which anyways, thanks to Shug who takes the letter from the mailbox, she gives Celie a sense of hope for herself. In that letter Celie learns that Nettie is still alive and that her two children are with her. After searching the rest of the house, her and Shug find all of the letters that Nettie has sent to her for the past thirty years. Celie learns that her family is coming home. Eventually Celie leaves Albert, seriously only to become attached to Shug. Anyways, when Shug needs to have her â€Å"last fling† and leaves Celie, Celie realizes that she can do just fine by herself, like that completing the cycle. This is one of those stories with a lot of self-help potential. Celie loses everything that matters to her, becomes a victim of unthinkable abuse both in her child life and adulthood. Then, she reunites with her sister. Nothing is impossible for a woman to accomplish in this world. After Celie leaves Albert, she starts her own business and runs it throughout the rest of her days. The novel really declares the truth behind the belief of â€Å"survival and liberation of black women through the wisdom and strength of others. (Draper, 1810) Celie’s survival through this story is due greatly to Shug, and even Albert. Her gratitude to Shug is the most definitely recognized, because if it was not for Shug ,Albert never would have stopped beating her, in addition to that her spirit would never have been renewed, and lastly she never would have heard from her sister again. Basically if it isn’t for Shug, Celie’s existence will have been a pointless one. If she hadnâ€⠄¢t gone mad, she probably would have died from loneliness and despair. Like Shug, Albert is a character who significantly affects Celie’s life. Albert represents Celie’s stepfather at the beginning of their marriage. He controls her and aparts her of everything she holds with love, but him, himself, is victim. He has a weak will and no initiative to accept responsibility for his actions. He shows her that he is just as lonely as she. Albert helps her to reach an understanding about her stepfather and about himself. Through a friendship, that develops after their marriage ends, she also forgives them. Celie’s stepfather, who she calls Pa, and Albert are two of the major male characters in the novel. They share more similarities than what they differ. Celie’s stepfather, Pa, is a cheater . After Celie’s real father dies, this man who has received word that there is a new well-off, slightly out-of-sorts, widow in town, settles in and sweet-talks Celie’s mother right down the aisle. Celie is two years old at the time. Well, this man enjoys his new life and his new wife, but when she refuses to do as he says to him who does him turn to? Pa uses his power of authority to force Celie into a situation no barely fourteen year old girl should be in. Never had a kine word to say to me,† Celie says, â€Å"Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn’t. . . When penetration begins to hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it. But I don’t never git used to it. † (Walker, 1) Even sadder is that after her mother dies, not only must she take care of the house and her sisters and brothers, but she has to willin gly offer herself to Pa in order to spare Nettie. Pa is a true abstract of a tyrant, using his authority for low blows like this. Of course Albert begins the same way. Albert marries Celie because first of all he can’t have Nettie and secondly he needs someone to watch his children. After his decision to marry Celie, him and Pa have a little chat. â€Å"Pa say, Your sister thinking bout marriage. Didn’t mean nothing to him. My brother pull my dresstail and ast can he have some blackberry jam out the safe. I say, Yeah. She good with children, Pa say, rattling his paper open more. Never heard her say a hard word to nary one of them. Just give ’em everything they ast for, is the only problem. Albert say, That cow still coming? No love materializes between these two and their marriage is one similar to one of arranged royal weddings. Of course when he reaches his house, him on a horseback, her on foot, a young Harpo â€Å"laid her head open with a rock. † His punishment is a oral punishment. Albert is, like an uneasy child, running from his responsibilities and avoiding the consequences of his actions. Not to mention, Alber t has a set free quality he, like Celie finds an understanding about himself and attempts to adjust for all that he has done in the past. He makes peace with Celie, and although he releases himself from his past. Albert is truly the most compelling character in this novel, next to Celie. In looking at Albert and Pa we find many incite into the human psyche. As symbols, one represents an immense amount of bad will, the other represents the same but allows for change. The major symbol of the novel is the color purple. It has many meanings, positive and negative. Purple symbolizes love of truth, patience, humanity, and spirituality along with sublimination, martyrdom, and resignation. In connection with the novel, Celie is the symbol of patience and humanity. She never asks for anything from anyone. When things don’t go her way, she waits. For example, she waits for Nettie’s letters for thirty years. On the other hand, Celie also shows a great bit of surrendor in her patience. Culturally, purple signifies virtue and faith just as Celie does. During her and Shug’s conversation about sex, Celie tells Shug she feels nothing during sexual intercourse with her husband. Shug understands this to mean she is still a virgin, but in reality Celie provides her body to Albert but not her spirit or her soul. Another purple reference is to the Easter holiday. How coincidental that the color purple is associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and this novel, considering that Celie does have a â€Å"rebirth† of her own as she moves through Walker’s cycle. Overall, the color purple, as a prize, represents a winner over all classes, strangely coincidental isn’t it. The use of purple as a symbol is a virtue to this novel but also a fault. In the preparation of death, Roman soldiers carried amulets of purple amethyst. There are many virtues as well as faults in this novel. One of the most obvious faults in the story is its likeness to a fairy tale. â€Å"Celie becomes the ugly duckling who will eventually be redeemed through suffering. This trait links her to all the heroines of fairy tales from Cinderella to Snow White. † (Harris, 159) At the conclusion of the story not only does Celie find her sister but also both of her lost children. Another example of the novel’s surreal quality, the woman Celie fantasizes about for years, not only lands in her house but falls in love with her. Likewise, let’s ask what The Color Purple, ultimately, predicates. â€Å"In true fairy-tale fashion, it affirms passivity; heroines that do little to help themselves,† says Trudier Harris in â€Å"The Color Purple Stereotypes and Silence. † The entire novel contains a virtual acceptance of cruelty, violence, and violation. Some things about this novel are too good to be true. Others are too horrifying. In uncovering a novel’s differences and meaning, the story can become a vehicle of the social and political views of the author. Being a feminist, there are a few strands of admiration to the feminist community in Celie. She is a woman that triumphs over impossible odds. The feminine relationship between Celie and Shug has been said to pay a debt to lesbians. â€Å"She pays homage to the lesbians by portraying a relationship between two women that reads like a schoolgirl fairy tale in its ultimate adherence to the convention of the happy resolution. † (Harris, 160) Born-again feminists receive their dues in Albert and career-minded women are acknowledged in Shug. The Color Purple, a story of one lady, named Celie, who triumphs through adversity to discover a proficient, content, and proud woman hidden inside of a young timid girl, is one that brings hope to any woman. A novel written by Alice Walker, it has been reviewed many times over, but even though the critics analyze and pull apart what very well could just be an enjoyable yet thought provoking story, they agree that one thing is clear, The Color Purple affirms the idea that the survival and liberation of the black woman can only come through learning from our past misfortunes and manipulating them to meet beneficial ends.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Lady Gaga Can Teach You How to Never Give Up

Lady Gaga Can Teach You How to Never Give Up Everybody fails. Even the fanciest and most successful of celebrities, historical figures, and our most idolized idols. Even Lady Gaga. She’s won 5 Grammy awards. She’s been Billboard’s Artist of the Year as well as one of Forbes’ 100 most powerful women, and one of TIME’s most influential people. She’s broken records for record sales and made absurd amounts of money on global tours. Plus, she’s universally accepted as analogous for cool.But before she was Lady Gaga, she was Stefani Germanotta, a little girl who lived in Manhattan and played the piano by the age of four. She went to NYU’s conservatory to study music at the age of 17, but dropped out two years later to try and make it as a musician. The Stefani Germanotta band played a few local gigs, and netted her a manager, but was disbanded within a year.That manager, Rob Fusari, took her on, but had a very difficult time convincing the major labels to do the same. She was to ld she didn’t have the right look, the right sound, and that her songs just weren’t hits. She even left one meeting at Sony in a rage of tears.Then, an accident of autocorrect occurred. Fusari typed her name and his phone corrected it to â€Å"Lady Gaga.† A star was born? Not so fast. The newly named Lady Gaga then got a great deal with Island Def Jam records and began work on an album, only to be dropped without explanation after three months. She hit a low point, turning to drinking and drugs for solace, trying not to give up on her dreams despite being told she wasn’t pretty enough to be a singer songwriter and simply play and sing at a piano. The only work she could get was writing songs for other artists, which did nothing to satisfy her desire to perform herself.For the next couple of years, she took to the NYC underground scene, experimenting, working with performance art, dressing like a goth stripper, drawing attention, making waves. She died her hair platinum blond after being confused with Amy Winehouse. And then, finally, another artist took notice and forced the Interscope label head to listen to one of her songs. That song was â€Å"Just Dance.† A star was born? Yep. You know the rest.At any point, Gaga could have given up. But she didn’t. She tried and tried and failed, and she changed her tactic, changed her brand. When she hit on the right one, she was ready for the results.So remember: don’t be afraid of failure. Use it to push yourself in a better, new direction. One that just might put you in the groove and get you where you need to go.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Managing Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Managing Change - Essay Example Introduction and Overview The University of Bradford is a traditional British University  established by Royal charter in 1966. There are around 12,000 students studying at the Bradford campus in the UK and another 6,000 studying the  University of Bradford degrees around the world. The University’s academic strengths are in the fields of computing, engineering, health  studies and life sciences, management and social and international  studies. Recently, the International Office at University of Bradford opened its first Regional Office in Dubai Knowledge Village to offer admission support  to students who would like to study for a Bradford degree in the UK and assist in delivering it’s prestigious and worldwide recognised MBA programme in Dubai as well.   In 2001, the International Office was reorganised to become part of Marketing and Corporate Communications. By mid 2001, the International Office had a cohort of six staff. Over the following five years, the International Office continued to evolve. As international student numbers grew and the university diversified into new markets, an additional eight staff were appointed. Appendix one provides information on International Student numbers. ... The International Office is one of the areas based within the HUB along with the following services: 1. Accommodation 2. Admissions 3. Bursaries and Financial Support 4. Education Liaison 5. Enquiries 6. Finance and Credit Control Group 7. Front of House 8. Pay zone 9. Student Administration and Support The International Office has developed considerably under its current management and has played a significant role in helping the University to achieve its current high proportion of international students from over a 110 different countries with a total population of 2000 International students which represent approximately 20% of the University of Bradford total population. Today the International Office has a total of 14 staff. Please refer to Appendix Two for the International Office chart. 2. The review methodology It was usual, at appropriate intervals, for the University to review areas of its activity; not only to reflect on its operation but to ensure that the role, purpose a nd function of that area of activity still meets the needs of the organisation and the market. International activities are of increasing importance to the University and currently represent approximately 20% of the University’s turnover. Change management and successful implementation of change in any organization is crucial for the expansion and success of the organization (Balogun and Hope Hailey 2004). Therefore, the university shows interest in bringing in positive change for the betterment of the institution. Given the changes within the HE Sector, the economic situation, volatility in overseas markets and perceived increasing competition from other Universities, it is important that the

Saturday, November 2, 2019

A Ladder of Citizen Participation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Ladder of Citizen Participation - Case Study Example Tangent basically comprises studio practice and field practice, where the former includes architectural design and consultation, while the latter deals with the design, participatory place-making, make workshops, and also planning. Both the components involve the company’s work with students and professionals belong to different fields such as design, education, performance, carpentry, and emergency shelter building as well as a variety of community groups. For my internship, I worked with two of my classmates as a team to provide assistance to Sally in terms of completing two projects in a deadline of three weeks, and more projects for the remaining two weeks. The majority of time was spent working at Sally’s private studio in Centrespace, while the remainder was spent working in UWE. The first project involved helping the Architecture Centre in Bristol to set up an exhibition for May 1st, in terms of celebrating Bristol’s victory of being the European Green Capital 2015. The main idea behind this event was to bring people together through the exhibition, workshops talks and other activities in order to provide a forum to discuss and come up with solutions to maintain a more sustainable future (The Architecture Centre, 2015). The second project, on the other hand, revolved around collaboration with the history department in UWE, in order to hold the event ‘Crafts Walk’ for the 7th of June. This walk that will be held within the Bristol historic center is aimed at restoring the value of historic monuments so as to revitalize the old culture and traditions in a better light. The main focus of these projects was on different theories of planning, and after the undertaking of this internship, I have been able to gain an in-depth understanding of planning in its practical aspect. This experience has rendered good insight into the world of planning, and this will significantly help me to make up better plans and take better planning decisions in my future.