All Quiet On The Western Front - 826 Words

Paul is German, but he can just as easily be any soldier. To an American reader, Baumer is the enemy since he is a German soldier in WWI. But through the expression of Baumer s thoughts and emotions, we quickly realize the commonality between soldiers of both sides, and the pointlessness of war, with thousands of men dying for nothing. All Quiet on the Western Front separates the cold sterile facts and figures and gives the reader insight into the experiences of an ordinary soldier. The author’s main theme centers not only on the loss of innocence by Paul and his soldiers, but the loss of an entire generation. The soldiers of all nations watched their friends die, starve and lose a part of themselves. Paul’s story is universal and relevant today as was when it was first published. All Quiet on the Western Front is told from the perspective of German soldier, Paul Baumer, who journals about the brutality and callousness of war. The novel chronicles the demise of Paul and his classmates from high school graduation and military basic training to the trenches of WWI battlefields. Paul Baumer, is as an idealistic young poet swept away by the Rhetoric of his teacher and the misguided patriotism of his peers. He is in many ways just a child that hasn’t traveled beyond his own backyard. The novel starts off with Kemmerich dying a slow and painful death. Kemmerich owns a nice pair of boots. Fellow soldier, Muller, want them for himself. He is focused on his own survival,Show MoreRelatedAll Quiet of the Western Front756 Words   |  3 PagesPlot Summary: All Quiet on the Western Front Written by Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front is the tale of a young man by the name of Paul. Paul who is nineteen years old gathers several of his friends from school and together they voluntarily join the army fighting for the Axis alliance. Before they are sent off into actual battle, they are faced with the brutal training camp. Along with this they face the cruelty of the life of a soldier. This made them question the reason forRead MoreAll Quiet on the Western Front700 Words   |  3 PagesThe greatest war novel of all time, All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, is a novel that depicted the hardships of a group of teenagers who enlisted in the German Army during World War 1. Enlisting right out of high school forced the teens to experience things they had never thought of. From the life of a soilder on the front line to troubles with home life, war had managed to once again destroy a group of teenagers. Throughout the novel, we saw the men of the Second CompanyRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1797 Words   |  8 PagesTitle: All Quiet on the Western Front Creator: Erich Maria Remarque Date of Publication: 1929 Class: War Novel Anecdotal Information about Author: -Erich Maria Remarque was conceived on 22 June 1898 into a working people family in the German city of Osnabrà ¼ck to Peter Franz Remark (b. 14 June 1867, Kaiserswerth) and Anna Maria (nà ©e Stallknecht; conceived 21 November 1871, Katernberg). -During World War I, Remarque was recruited into the armed force at 18 years old. On 12 June 1917, heRead MoreAll Quiet on the Western Front943 Words   |  4 Pages The book All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, is about a group of 19 year old young men who are changed by the ways of war. There is paul: the main character; Tjaden: a tall, skinny locksmith, also the biggest eater; Albert Kropp: a lance-corporal and the clearest thinker; Muller: studious, intelligent, and likes school; Leer: has a preference for the girls from the prostitution houses and has a beard; Haie Westhus: a peat-digger, and big in size; Deterring: a peasant, he alwaysRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front2393 Words   |  10 PagesAll Quiet on the Western Front: Book Review Erich Maria Remarque, author of All Quiet on the Western Front, actually fought in WWI (Remarque 297). Because of this, he was able to write this book with accurate depictions of the war. He writes how being in combat can really take a toll on a person and affect them in a negative way. He also writes of the pain and suffering that the soldiers must cope with that comes along with living in constant fear and danger. When looking at the title of theRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front2085 Words   |  9 PagesThis essay will consider the different effects created by Erich Maria Remarque in his novel All Quiet on the Western Front. As a writer, Remarque unknowingly left his novel open to readers with completely different perspectives, and to various forms of criticism. This undoubtedly meant that every single reader had been affected by the novel in many different ways which unfortunately for Remarque may have been an effect that he never intended. This essay is divided into 5 main sections. Firstly itRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1089 Words   |  5 Pages In Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, human nature is the only abstract periphery between belligerent barbarism and justifiable violence. Through the insipid bombardments that rained shells over the Germans’ heads and noxious implementation of mustard gas, Remarque dexterously misleads the reader into believing that he fights in an apathetic war where all remnants of human nature and identity have been destroyed with the introduction of trench warfare. Through Paul Baumer’sRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1509 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"He fell in October 1918, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the army report confined itself to a single sentence: All quiet on the Western Front† (Remarque 296). Paul Baumer, the narrator of All Quiet on the Western Front, enlisted into the German army at a young age of nineteen with a group of friends from school. Kantorek, Paul’s teacher, â€Å"gave us long lectures until the whole of our class went, under his shepherding, to the District Commandant and volunteered† (RemarqueRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1129 Words   |  5 PagesIn Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, soldiers at the front have a better idea than civilians of the true n ature of war because they have experienced the war while civilians have only read about it or listened to government propaganda. Remarque is trying to tell us that only those who experience the war can understand how awful war truly is. In All Quiet on the Western Front, the main character Paul goes back to his home, the people he meets still think that the Germans are winningRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1790 Words   |  8 Pagessmell of cigar smoke, gunpowder, and dirt that filled the air. There was no nationalism; all Paul wanted was survival. World War I was supposed to be about nationalism and the propaganda forced upon the soldiers to feel superiority over other countries, but Paul helps to prove otherwise, as his story tells what is was like to be at the front, and how tough it was to be a soldier. â€Å"All Quiet on the Western Front† portrays war as it was actually experienced, replacing the romantic picture of glory and

Literature Has The Power Of Literature - 3178 Words

Literature has the power to free. Books have the strength to break the bondages of slavery, both literally and figuratively. Literature has the ability to give enslaved men hope for a different life and the drive to achieve it. Books have the power to shatter the racism and the prejudice found in every corner of the world and free the people who are locked into the stereotypes of their race, their religion, their family, their friends, their neighborhood. Even zealous individuals, who feel strongly about their religion or their views on racism and controversial issues such as abortion, marijuana, or LGBT rights, can be changed by one book. Prejudiced minds and racist hearts are nothing to the power of literature. Books and poems, short stories and plays have all changed lives. To some people, reading takes them to other places, places they could never afford to go to, nor have the chance to go. Books help them understand why some people think a certain way, or it helps them forget th eir problems. Books feed different perspectives, and help erase prejudices. Though, to be honest, looking at the other side of the coin, it can also strengthen biases that are already in place. Regardless of people’s stances on issues, some find solace in reading; others find solace in writing. Anne Frank said, â€Å"I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.† Books inspire people. Just by Anne Frank’s diary alone, has inspired over that 25 million people.Show MoreRelatedLiterature Has The Power Of Free2443 Words   |  10 Pages Sandra Gonzalez Mrs. Enix Period 7 19 December 2014 Literature Frees Literature has the power to free. Books have the strength to break the bondages of slavery, both literally and figuratively. Literature has the ability to give enslaved men hope for a different life and the drive to achieve it. Books have the power to shatter the racism and the prejudice found in every corner of the world and free the people who are locked into the stereotypes of their race, their religion, their family, theirRead MorePullmans Ideolgy in Northern Lights1420 Words   |  6 PagesChildren’s literature has become one of the major branches of literature. The first literature written specifically for children was intended to instruct them. Critics who study childrens literature have found that what is viewed as appropriate reading for children adheres closely to a cultures notion of what a child is a notion that may change considerably from time to time. In the 18th and early 19th Centuries John Newbery - an English author and bookseller- , was the first publisher to dedicateRead MoreFrankenstein And Mary Shelly : The Definition Of Literature823 Words   |  4 PagesThere is no one definition of literature. Nothing about this term—which is so vital to our lives—can be placed into that black and white corner that this question endeavors to force it into. What is literature? What is the feeling of experiencing life through another set of eyes? What is it like having your very soul poured out and sorted out into words on a page? What is that feeling? Traditionally, when I contemplate literature, I recall the beloved classics of William Shakespeare or Jane AustenRead MoreAnalysis Of Anthem And Brave New World 883 Words   |  4 Pagesand a lust for systematic power. During this period of unrest, authors like Ayn Rand and Aldous Huxley realized the importance of individualism and freedom to a society. As a result, both books share a common message; individuality is the most important freedom we have, and the government has variou s ways to hinder that individualism. The first tactic that the government uses to hinder individualism in both novels is by moderating or banning certain literature. Literature is an important form of expressingRead MorePolitics And Literature : Politics1186 Words   |  5 PagesPolitics and literature Politics, derived from the Greek word politika meaning ‘affairs of the cities’ which is ultimately derived from the Greek word meaning polis meaning ‘city state’. From here one can derive the ultimate meaning of the widely used word politics; it is the arrangement, organisation and making of decisions relating to a populace. Politics can take many forms, from a small tribal council to international organisations such as the UN, from utopian democracies to totalitarian fascistsRead MoreA Brief Note On Business Negotiator And International Business Managerial975 Words   |  4 Pagesdedicated to business negotiator and international business managerial. The objectives of this literature are: †¢ Identify the strategies and tactics for different ways of arguing †¢ Identify how culture influences the ways of arguing †¢ Evaluate the effectiveness of ways of arguing at different cultures †¢ Identify the interaction of the two strategies when different cultures meet In this literature, most of the literature collected is through online platforms, such as UWE online library and Google Scholar whileRead More Augustan Poetry Essay830 Words   |  4 PagesJulius Caesar, some of the most powerful and influential literature in the western world was developed in that timeframe. During the Age of Augustus (approximately 43 BC – 17 AD) such great writers as Virgil, Horace, Livy, Propertius, and Ovid created epic masterpieces of literature and philosophy. It was through the collective efforts of these great poets and writers as well as Augustus himself, that the rise of a new facet of Roman literature was possible. Seeing the opportunity to foster a greatRead MoreWhy Do We Read Literature?938 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature has become an unalienable part of human life for centuries. However, it is worth asking, â€Å"Why do we read literature?† What powers does it have that we prioritize literature in our lives and culture? There can be in numerable answers to this question. I recall a famous dialogue from the movie Dead Poets Society (1989), â€Å"Medicine, law, business, engineering: these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. Poetry, beauty, romance, love- these are what we stay alive for.† LiteratureRead MoreLiterature as a Lense745 Words   |  3 PagesLiterature as a Lense Photography over the last few years has developed and changed drastically. Cameras today take pictures that cameras the year before were not capable of capturing due to their ability for larger pixels and higher frame rates. With the ever increasing and technological advancement of the camera itself, the lenses have also undergone major redesign in order to more effectively capture the photographer’s subject. Two lenses today that are very popular are the twelve and forty millimeterRead MoreNew Historicism Is A Really Good Way For Analyze Texts And Show Correlation Between Ideas And Timelines1408 Words   |  6 Pagesconcepts, beliefs, truths, and even standards of truth can be understood only in the relation to the whole moral, intellectual, religious, and aesthetic cultures of the historic periods in which they would begin to arise. A New historicist looks at literature in a more wider and more historical context and they examine how the write affected the work and the work will reflect on the writers time. It recognizes the current cultural contexts that critics have conclusions about. New Historicism was developed

Analysis On Economic Stability Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Analysis On Economic Stability. Answer: Introduction The paper conducts an analysis on economic stability. Microeconomic stability implies stability in a single market whereas macroeconomic stability means stability in some major indicators. A stable economy is defined as one that manages to minimize vulnerability from external shocks. In a single market, price works as an invisible hand to maintain stability. Australia is one of the developed nations relying on the market-based decision. Current stability of the Australian economy is prime concern of this paper. GDP and price level trends and corresponding government policies related to stability are discussed. Stability Analysis The above figure explains stability adjustment mechanism with the forces of demand and supply. Point E defines the standard equilibrium position obtained from prevailing demand and supply condition (Kreindler Young, 2013). Point E entails P* as equilibrium price and Q* as equilibrium quantity. Any deviation from E, if rings back equilibrium again then E is defined as a stable equilibrium. Consider the deviation of price from the equilibrium price. Lets consider price increases from P0 to P1. At this price, suppliers in the market supply a larger quantity, QS1. The buyers on the other hand demand a less quantity, QD1. At price P1 the market will have an excess supply. To match supply with demand price has to be reduced to equilibrium level. Now suppose price decreases to P2. Lower price encourage buyers to demand more, demand rises to QD2, Supply will reduce at the lower price and become QS2. At price P2, there exists an excess demand. Here, price will increase to attain the equilibr ium level (Boland, 2014). Therefore, price is the main adjustment mechanism for restoring stability. Intervention of the Government Government is a central authority that takes proper steps whenever the economy is at risk. Stability for the overall economy cannot be maintained as easily as described above. Aggregate demand replaces the individual demand curve and aggregate supply replaces individual supply in macroeconomic analysis (Ball, Sadka Tseng, 2016). Aggregate supply and aggregate demand together determines output and price level. However, the economy does not always remain stable autonomously. Then government intervenes in the market using fiscal and monetary policy tool. Fiscal policy instruments are taxation and government expenditures. Money supply is the only tool used under monetary policy. Both are demand sided policies and works through its countercyclical effect on aggregate demand (Corsetti et al., 2013) Australian Economy: Stability Scenario: The economy of Australia can be classified as the capitalistic economy. The government of Australia plays a role of supervisor rather than acting as the regulator. The economic decision of the Australia is not reliant on the centralized method of planning rather it is more reliant on the demand and supply factors present in the market (Rader, 2014). The suppliers often take the pricing decision that forms the foundations of price dynamics in the domestic and overseas market. Though the ultimate motive is to maximise profit however customer satisfaction also forms an important criterion. The Australian economy stability can assessed with the help of statistics obtained from the GDP in the recent years. The above defined statistical figure represents that the Australian GDP growth rate over the span of six years has remained consistent. In spite of the numerous variations, the variations in GDP does not represents a large decline with the Australian GDP has been on gradual increase from 853.76 billion USD in the economic year 2006 to 1204.62 billion USD for the year 2016 (Tradingeconomics.com, 2017). The data derived from the GDP growth rate represents a somewhat better economic growth however, following the year 2013 where Australia recorded a highest GDP growth rate of 1567.18 billion USD; the GDP of Australia has somewhat not been able to repeat that performance. The prevailing overall price level of Australia reflects the stability scenario because variations in the price level significantly contributes to the deviations in equilibrium. The prevailing rate of inflation reflects the changing aspects of price levels of a nation. As evident from the above stated figure, it can be ascertained that the inflation rate of Australia, similar to GDP, is understood to be steady and reasonable. In spite of the occasional variations, there has not been any instances of significant fluctuations in inflations. Policy Framework: On the event of economic fluctuations every nations makes the use of different tools in order to stabilize the economy, they are namely; Automatic Stabilizer: An automatic stabilizer makes the use of the tax and expenditure structure of the government. The method represents a counter cyclic procedure of influencing the aggregate demand in an economy without creating an influence on the treasuries of the government (McLean, 2012). With the help of this tool, adjustments in budget is made by turning the deficit into surplus. Automatic stabilizer tool also uses the tax structure CGT and GST in its system to stabilize the economic conditions. Structural Stabilizer: Structural Stabilizer comprises of the introducing the changes in the budgetary situations along with the changes in the structure of tax, introducing new structures of taxation and expenses having impact on the aggregate demand in an economy (Rios et al., 2013). Structural stabilizing policies are undertaken on the event of severe economic fluctuations, when automatic stabilizer fails to introduce equilibrium in economy. Conclusion: To conclude with, it can be stated that the stability equilibrium is attained when an economy returns to the normal equilibrium level. In regard to the above defined concepts an assertion can be put forward by stating that Australian economy is reliant on market dynamics to attain stability. Currently, Australian economy can be classified as the stable dynamic equilibrium economy. On the event of variations, the governments strong economic policies and instruments of regulatory framework can restore the stability of the economy. References Australia GDP | 1960-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast | News. (2017).Tradingeconomics.com. Retrieved 22 September 2017, from https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/gdp Ball, R., Sadka, G., Tseng, A. (2016). Aggregate Supply and Demand Shocks and Asset Prices. Boland, L. A. (2014).Methodology for a NewMicroeconomics (Routledge Revivals): The Critical Foundations. Routledge. Corsetti, G., Kuester, K., Meier, A., Mller, G. J. (2013). Sovereign risk, fiscal policy, and macroeconomic stability.The Economic Journal,123(566). Kreindler, G. E., Young, H. P. (2013). Fast convergence in evolutionary equilibrium selection.Games and Economic Behavior,80, 39-67. McLean, I. W. (2012).Why Australia prospered: The shifting sources of economic growth. Princeton University Press. Rader, T. (2014).Theory of microeconomics. Academic Press. Rios, M. C., McConnell, C. R., Brue, S. L. (2013). Economics: Principles, problems, and policies. McGraw-Hill.

Punishment Of Offenders Essays - Sentencing, Criminal Justice

Punishment Of Offenders According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the year 1980 we had approximately 501,900 persons incarcerated across the United States. By the year 2000, that figure has jumped to over 2,014,000 prisoners. The current level of incarceration represents the continuation of a 25-year escalation of the nations prison and jail population beginning in 1973. Currently the U.S. rate of 672 per 100,000 is second only to Russia, and represents a level of incarceration that is 6-10 times that of most industrialized nations. The rise in prison population in recent years is particularly remarkable given that crime rates have been falling nationally since 1992. With less crime, one might assume that fewer people would be sentenced to prison. This trend has been overridden by the increasing impact of lengthy mandatory sentencing policies. The proliferation of harsh mandatory sentencing policies has inhibited the ability of courts to sentence offenders in a way that permits a more problem solving approach to crime, as we can see in the most recent community policing and drug court movements today. By eliminating any consideration of the factors contributing to crime and a range of responses, such sentencing policies fail to provide justice for all. Given the cutbacks in prison programming and rates of recidivism, in some cases over 60% or more, the increased use of incarceration in many respects represents a commitment to policies that are both ineffective and unfair. I believe in equal, fair and measured punishment for all. I dont advocate a soft, or a hard approach to punishment. But we must take a more pragmatic look at what the consequences of our actions are when we close our eyes and blindly carry out sentencing which is neither fair, nor warranted, given the circumstances. I would like to address two primary areas in punishing offenders that I believe need attention, Mandatory Minimums and Three Strikes Policies. Our lawmakers must take on these misguided policies, which have thus far been inefficient and ineffective. They must do this in order to curb our rising prison populations and return us to a level playing field of fair punishment for all persons regardless of race, sex, or ethnic background. The mandatory minimum sentencing policies that now exist in every state have been used disproportionately for drug offenders, who now constitute one of every four inmates nationally. Because of the severe and rigid sentencing scheme mandated by the drug laws, low-level drug offenders face years in prison. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, of the total population of drug offenders in custody, the average maximum sentence for first time felony offenders convicted of drug related charges range between 87.6 months for Class B felonies to 42.4 months for a Class E felony. These statistics also reveal that one in five of the drug offenders incarcerated had no prior felony convictions. Nearly two-thirds of these drug offenders also were never convicted of a violent felony in the past. What we are dealing with here is non-violent, first time offenders and judges have no choice in most states but to incarcerate them for lengthy periods of time which only places more pressure on our prison systems. As I stated earlier, I have a down the middle approach to punishment, not too hard or not too soft. Stiff prison sentences can be appropriate for addressing violent crimes and protecting our communities. But such sentences are misguided and destructive when it comes to these types of nonviolent drug offenders. Also, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons they cost the American taxpayer approximately $20,747 per inmate per year. Another bi-product of mandatory sentencing is a disparate impact on non-white offenders. The United States Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center have found that among offenders who engaged in conduct warranting mandatory minimums, white offenders were less likely than blacks or Hispanics to receive the mandatory minimum term. I belie ve there are better alternatives to this policy that can more effectively express our values and accomplish our goals without increasing our prison populations and disparaging minorities. Another sentencing policy that is having a major impact on punishment and its fairness are the so called 3 Strikes Laws that many states have enacted. These

Essay Mills and Why to Avoid Them

Essay Mills and Why to Avoid Them Essay Mills and Why to Avoid Them Struggling with deadlines? College life feeling stressful? You might be tempted to take a shortcut, especially if someone points you toward an essay mill. But what are essay mills exactly? Wrong kind of mill. Sorry. To help out, we’re here to explain what they are and why you should NEVER use them. Essay Mills and Essay Banks Some online businesses offer essays to students at a price. These come in two main types: Essay mills provide custom essays based on a specified topic, word count and deadline Essay banks sell pre-written essays, which are cheaper but less tailored These businesses sometimes say that the essays they sell are just â€Å"templates† that students can use to generate ideas. However, using an essay mill is widely seen as cheating. The Problem Maybe you’ve read the descriptions above. But maybe you still think it sounds like an easy way to get a paper done without all the hard work of researching and writing it. Think again. If you use a paper from an essay mill or essay bank, you will regret it for several reasons: Using someone else’s words without citing them clearly is plagiarism If you are caught submitting a paper from an essay mill, it will count as academic fraud Colleges have software, such as Turnitin, designed to spot plagiarism Papers from essay mills can cost hundreds of dollars and there is no guarantee of quality As a result, using an essay mill could leave you poorer and get you kicked off your course! Essay Mills vs. Proofreading But what if you still need help on a paper? If essay mills are a bad idea, what is your alternative? Well, the good news is that we can help! Having your work proofread has many advantages. We can: Correct your spelling, grammar, and punctuation Make sure your vocabulary is academic and that terminology is consistent Check that all of your sources are referenced correctly Tighten up your writing to make sure it is clear and concise And all of this without making any major changes that could count as plagiarism. You will, of course, have to do the research and writing yourself. But that is how you learn things in the first place! The key is that we’re here to support you.

Antigones Defiant Monologue by Sophocles

Antigone's Defiant Monologue by Sophocles Here,  Sophocles has created a dramatic female monologue for his powerful protagonist, Antigone. The monologue gives the performer the opportunity to interpret classic language and phrasing while expressing a range of emotions. The tragedy, Antigones, was written around 441 BC. It is part of the Theban trilogy that includes the story of Oedipus. Antigone is a strong and stubborn protagonist who holds her  duty to her family obligations above her own safety and security. She defies the law as enacted by her uncle, the king, and holds that her actions obey the laws of the gods. Context After the death of their father/brother banished King Oedipus (who, you may recall, married his mother, hence the complicated relationship), sisters Ismene and Antigone see their brothers, Eteocles and Polynices,  battle  for control of Thebes. Both perish. One brother is buried as a hero. The other brother is deemed a traitor to his people. He is left to rot on the battlefield. No one is to touch his remains. In this scene, King Creon,  Antigones uncle, has ascended to the throne upon the deaths of the two brothers. He has just learned that Antigone has defied his laws by providing a proper burial for her disgraced brother. Antigone Yea, for these laws were not ordained of Zeus,And she who sits enthroned with gods below,Justice, enacted not these human laws.Nor did I deem that thou, a mortal man,Couldst by a breath annul and overrideThe immutable unwritten laws of Heaven.They were not born today nor yesterday;They die not; and none knoweth whence they sprang.I was not like, who feared no mortals frown,To disobey these laws and so provokeThe wrath of Heaven. I knew that I must die,Een hadst thou not proclaimed it; and if deathIs thereby hastened, I shall count it gain.For death is gain to him whose life, like mine,Is full of misery. Thus my lot appearsNot sad, but blissful; for had I enduredTo leave my mothers son unburied there,I should have grieved with reason, but not now.And if in this thou judgest me a fool,Methinks the judge of follys not acquit. Character Interpretation In one of the most dramatic female monologues of Ancient Greece, Antigone defies King Creon because she believes in a higher morality, that of the gods. She contends that the laws of Heaven overrule the laws of man. The theme of civil disobedience is one that can strike a chord in modern times. Is it better to do what is right by natural law and face the consequences of the legal system? Or is Antigone being foolishly stubborn and butting heads with her uncle? The strong, defiant Antigone is convinced that her actions are the best expression of loyalty and love to her family. And yet, her actions defy other members of her family and the laws and traditions she is bound to uphold.

How Big Global Businesses Compare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How Big Global Businesses Compare - Essay Example The other GM rival Ford Motor Company keeps up with the modern trends, deploying  iPhones  for corporate use to employees worldwide replacing BlackBerry  smart phones in order to attract more corporate customers(Ford to replace BlackBerrys with Apple iPhones, 2014). The other carmaker Toyota Motor Corporation reported about twenty- three percent up from the previous year, notwithstanding the fact that it is recovering from a series of troubles several years ago caused by the global financial crisis that led to company’s losing money for the first time since the 1950s. However, now it retained its lead over Volkswagen and General Motors top-selling automaker in the world in the first nine months of the year, according to reports (Soble, 2014). Organization culture refers to the certain values, beliefs, principles and ideologies as well as policies that certain organization follows. According to Edgar Schein, to adopt such cultural peculiarities, an organization should go through various changes, adapt to the external environment and learn how to solve problems, be able to adjust changes to the new culture and form the appropriated culture of the workplace. It is believed that there are three models of culture within organization: the artifacts, the values and assumed values. Thus, the  Toyota Production System is appreciated as well as its outstanding performance and a manufacturer. By introducing the scientific method at all levels of the manufacturing, Toyota provides people with the clear state of the expectations, when implements the changes (Spear & Bowen, 1999). The other model of culture within Toyota is in its values, which put customer on the first place, respect its employees, focuses on the international mark ets, thus satisfying more consumers by continuous improvements and innovations in the automobile industry (Our vision, n.d.). While there are three main economic systems,

Philosophers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophers - Essay Example His life is so blended with myths that today nobody can actually say what is true and what is legend about him (according to some legends, he was born at 62, after growing in his mother womb until that age). Some place his existence during the same period with that of Confucius', others centuries later, while others just argue the fact that he ever existed. Due to the major impact on people's life, Lao-Tzu is sometimes considered a divinity, or, at least a messenger of a Divine force. His constant efforts to teach the others how to respect order and harmony at all levels have materialized into the work that is presently known as Laozi. These writings have numerous interpretations, from various points of view, and are still arising philosophical debates. The Daoistic influences on Chinese culture, literature, philosophy and religion are incontestable. This ancient humanistic move hasn't only influenced the Chinese; Daoism is practically the support of many religions and cultures throughout Asia (Hong Kong, Taiwan and parts of Southeast Asia), an undeniable fact that clearly makes its founders remarkable people. With Bertrand Russell, mathematical logic and analytic philosophy meet, blend and create one revolutionist perception over words, language and implication. Our verbal mechanisms are studied and explained in a work that will become the foundation of the analytic philosophy of our times. ... His early studies in the field of mathematics had a surprisingly prolific result in the field of philosophy; he explored the uncertain, but fascinating fields of logical and philosophical mixture, aiming to answer that one, impossible and tormenting question about knowledge: is it really possible for humans to really know anything Maybe the motto of his quest should be precisely his question: "there is one great question [...] Can human beings know anything, and if so, what and how This question is really the most essentially philosophical of all questions." Russell's social and political philosophy has also had a great impact on the society of his times: he was a fierce opponent of nuclear weapons, and, generally, of any kind of forced attempt to disturb the natural social and cultural balance. Although his activism has brought him a great deal of trouble (beginning with his anti-war protests during the First World War and continuing through all his life), he never ceased to influence, educate and inform generations of readers through his inspiring writings on the social and political and philosophical issues of his day. Maybe no other quote could speak more about Andy Clark's work: "As our worlds become smarter, and get to know us better and better it becomes harder and harder to say where the world stops and the person begins. The Professor of Philosophy and at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, thus expresses one of our days most pregnant anxieties: are we becoming the robots that we have dreamed to build Are we so influenced by the reality of the virtual world that we ourselves are becoming more machine-like than human-like creatures The contemporary cognitive scientist explores the

Is Psychology a Science Essay Example for Free

Is Psychology a Science Essay Psychology is commonly defined as scientific study of human behaviour and cognitive processes. Broadly speaking the discussion focuses on the different branches of psychology, and if they are indeed scientific. However, it is integral in this to debate to understand exactly the major features of a science, in order to judge if psychology is in fact one. There must be a definable subject matter this changed from conscious human thought to human and non-human behaviour, then to cognitive processes within psychologys first eighty years as a separate discipline. Also, a theory construction is important. This represents an attempt to explain observed phenomena, such as Watsons attempt to account for human and non-human behaviour in terms of classical conditioning, and Skinners subsequent attempt to do the same with operant conditioning. Any science must have hypotheses, and indeed test them. This involves making specific predictions about behaviour under certain specified conditions, for example, predicting that by combining the sight of a rat with the sound of an iron bar banging behind his head, a small child will learn to fear the rat, as is the case of Little Albert (1923). Also, empirical methods are used in scientific fields to collect data, relevant to the hypothesis being tested, as is the case in many psychological experiments, such as the use of brain scanning in Dement and Kleitmans 1957 study. Science is meant to be objective and unbiased. It should be free of values and discover the truths about what it is studying. Positivism is the view that science is objective and a study of what is real. For example, schizophrenia, when diagnosed as being caused due to excess dopamine, is being studied in a scientific manner. The explanation does not take into account any cultural customs or individual differences that might lead to schizophrenic behaviour. However, even in scientific research like this the person is doing the diagnosing has his or her own views, and may misinterpret behaviour because of his or her own subjective biases. For example, if someone talks about hearing voices, they may be referring to a spiritual experience, but a medical practitioner might well diagnose schizophrenia. So objective, value-free study is not easy, because the scientist has views and biases, and cultural or other issues are perhaps important factors. Some say that a truly objective study is not possible. In conclusion, its a science.

The Challenge of Having Faith in God Today Essay -- Philosophy Religio

The Challenge of Having Faith in God Today In Elie Wiesel’s book Night, one character professes to have â€Å"more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He’s the only one who’s kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people† (77). After all they have gone through in their rich and lengthy history, Jews have every right to feel angry toward God for not keeping His promises. God told them that they were His chosen people; but who would feel privileged to be a Jew if being â€Å"chosen† meant having to live through Auschwitz? For many Jews who lived through the Holocaust, their faith in God will never be the same. The question that many of them ask is â€Å"Why?† Why the gas chambers? Why the Jews? â€Å"Why has God apparently forsaken us?† Many survivors feel great anger towards the God of their ancestors, and through this anger they try to understand the â€Å"whys.† For many, this is the only way they can live after what they have been through. Throu gh anger, survivors can assert their presence: â€Å"To overwhelming death one must respond with overwhelming life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Greenberg 330). In a post-Holocaust age, a logical and reasonable way for many survivors to relate to God is through anger and controversy rather than through a passive acceptance of God's will. Elie Wiesel is probably the best known Holocaust survivor alive today. He has written several books about his experiences in the concentration camps and his reflections on the Holocaust. Wiesel’s work is known for the hard questions that it poses, and the sensitive issues that it discusses. Wiesel himself is an excellent example of how the Holocaust destroyed or at least significantly altered the faith of many of its victims. Before he was deported, the 15-year-old Wiesel wa... ... Otherwise, how do we know that He is listening to us? Or how do we know that He cares about what happens to us? How do we even know that God did not hang on the gallows of Auschwitz? Works Cited Brown, Robert McAfee. Introduction. The Trial of God. New York: Schocken Books, 1979. vii-xix. Greenberg, Irving. â€Å"Cloud of Smoke, Pillar of Fire.† Holocaust. John K. Roth and Michael Berenbaum, eds. St. Paul, MN: Paragon House, 1989. â€Å"The Book of Job.† The Harper Collins Study Bible. NRSV. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 1989. Kushner, Harold S. When Bad Things Happen to Good People. New York: Avon Books, 1981. Mauriac, Francois. Forward. Night. by Elie Wiesel. New York: Bantam Books, 1960. vii-xi. Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: Bantam Books, 1960. Wiesel, Elie. The Trial of God. New York: Schocken Books, 1979.

Morality and Utilitarianism Essay

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that holds that an action is right if it produces, or if it tends to produce, the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people affected by the action. Otherwise the action is wrong.  This cost-benefit analysis is a form of utility calculation. People in business theory use utility curves to plot the results of various actions, choosing those that maximize whatever it is that they wish to achieve. This utility approach is not foreign to most people. It is widely used in many forms of general decision making and can be applied to moral issues as well as to strictly business issues. A defense of utilitarianism as an ethical theory is that it describes what rational people actually do in making moral decisions. It explicitly formulates for them the procedures they intuitively and spontaneously use in moral reasoning. The theory renders explicit what is implicit in the ordinary moral reasoning and argumentation that we ourselves use Utilitarianism adopts a teleological approach to ethics and claims that actions are to be judged by their consequences. According to this view, actions are not good or bad in themselves. Actions take on moral value only when considered in conjunction with the effects that follow upon them. Act utilitarianism holds that each individual action, in all its concreteness and in all its detail, is what should be subjected to the utilitarian test. Rule utilitarians hold that utility applies appropriately to classes of actions rather than to given individual actions. Thus, by looking at the general consequences of breaking contracts in the past, we can determine that breaking contracts is immoral. One objection claims that utilitarianism is ungodly because it proposes utility, rather than the Bible or God, as a basis for moral judgments. A second objection frequently brought against utilitarianism is that no one has the time to calculate all the consequences of an action beforehand. A third objection to utilitarianism is that we cannot know the full results of any action, nor can we accurately weigh the different kinds of good and evil that result. The calculation is artificial and not practical. 1.Accurately state the action to be evaluated. 2.Identify all those who are directly and indirectly affected by the action. 3.Consider whether there is some dominant, obvious consideration that carries such importance as to outweigh other considerations. 4.Specify all the pertinent good and bad consequences of the action for those directly affected, as far into the future as appears appropriate, and imaginatively consider various possible outcomes and the likelihood of their occurring. 5.Weigh the total good results against the total bad results, considering quantity, duration, propinquity or remoteness, fecundity, and purity for each value (kind of good and kind of bad), and the relative importance of these values. 6.Carry out a similar analysis, if necessary, for those indirectly affected, as well as for society as a whole. 7.Sum up all the good and bad consequences. If the action produces more good than bad, the action is morally right; if it produces more bad than good, it is morally wrong. 8.Consider, imaginatively, whether there are various alternatives other than simply doing or not doing the action, and carry out a similar analysis for each of the other alternative actions. 9.Compare the results of the various actions. The action that produces the most good (or the least bad, if none produces more good than bad) among those available is the morally proper action to perform Bribery in business is an interesting kind of action to examine from a utilitarian point of view, because those who engage in bribery frequently justify their actions based on something similar to utilitarian grounds. Utilitarianism, far from being a self-serving approach to moral issues, demands careful, objective, and impartial evaluation of consequences. It is a widely used—but often misused—approach to moral evaluation. A powerful tool of moral reasoning, it is a technique well worth mastering. An Airplane Manufacturing Case An airplane manufacturer has spent a great deal of money developing a new airplane. The company badly needs cash because it is financially overextended. If it does not get some large orders soon, it will have to close down part of its operation. Doing that will put several thousand workers out of jobs. The president of the company bribes a foreign minister to insure the purchase of the planes, arguing that the good done overall justifies the use of bribery.

Hipster

The word Hipster in the dictionary is described as a person who is Hip, I however think there is much more to the term than that. Hipsters are people who represent certain ideals and stand up for causes significant to them through their fashion. Their fashion allows them to make a statement on a particular issue. They also value independent thinking, politics, and art appreciation. Really, being a Hipster is more than being cool or popular; it is a state of mind.My definition of Hipster would be, someone who is able to stand up to society and defend what they think regardless of he discrimination they may receive as a result of their actions. A Hipster needs to be steadfast in their decisions and be a leader amongst his or her peers; standing up against their adversaries. The first example I have to prove my definition of the ‘Hipster' is their sense of fashion. Fashion statements, which are symbols of subcultural lifestyles that are being discriminated by the higher classes, a re a tool the Hipster utilizes to make his statement known.Their fashion sense consists of them wearing vintage and thrift store merchandise. As a result, their clothing choices are meant for attacking the ulturally-ignorant and mainstream consumers. They also enjoy expressing themselves through their hair styles. The haircuts used by Hipsters are considered edgy and effortlessly cool. These hair styles are a combination of messy shag cuts and asymmetric side-swept bangs; thus, giving these styles the Hipster feel. The combination of attire and hair doe's exhibited by these folks leaves an impression on the viewer.To most of society, Hipsters seem as unintelligent hippies who are looking for trouble. They are the outcasts striving for attention. On the contrary, many Hipsters are well educated and very intelligent. Most Hipsters delve into the Liberal Arts world earning respected degrees in that field of study. Others have been known to earn degrees in mathematics and science. They are independent thinkers that value counter-culture, progressive politics, creativity intelligence, and witty banter. Being well educated also requires certain analytical thinking abilities.These abilities allow them to analyze their political surrounding and understand their rights from that view point. It goes to show that you cannot always Judge a book by its cover and you need to dig deeper to truly pass Judgment on another. As I stated previously, the word Hipster referrers to people who are so called hip or popular. Although, â€Å"hipsterism† is an actual state of mind, Hipsters have different political appeals than most people, but they are equally matched to any actual politics.Looking like a Hipster doesn't mean you are necessarily a Hipster; once again don't Judge a book by its cover. The true meaning of being a Hipster is the ability to understand the cultural, artistic, and political appreciations around the world. Although they like to express their feelings tow ards issues by their fashion, they mainly stick to their rights and stand by their beliefs. Sometimes being a Hipster is a mental state only intertwined with distinct fashion sensibilities.Either way one has to respect the ideology of these people and commend them on their tenacity to conform to traditional beliefs. To conclude, a Hipster is someone who expresses their problems through their clothing and through their actions. They will style and dress themselves to their liking as only a part of the cause they are supporting. Through their actions they are able to speak out for those who cant do it for themselves. They know how to start movements and how to keep them going until they receive the appreciation and ompensation they desire.

Fdrs Influence As President Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Fdr's Influence As President Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Fdr's Influence As President Some have called him the best president yet. Others have even claimed that he was the world's most influential and successful leader of the twentieth century. Those claims can be backed up by the overwhelming support that he received from his citizens throughout his four terms in office. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began a new era in American history by ending the Great Depression that the country had fallen into in 1929. His social reforms gave people a new perspective on government. Government was not only expected to protect the people from foreign invaders, but to protect against poverty and joblessness. Roosevelt had shown his military and diplomatic skill as the Commander in Chief during World War II. This wartime leadership and international relations policy won him an award in the hearts of many Americans. Roosevelt threw his hat in the ring in 1931 in order to prepare for the election of 1932. Democratic Party chairman James A Farley directed his campaign. He started a nationwide radio address, outlining a program to meet the economic problems of the nation. He coined the term forgotten man to mean all of those who had been hard hit by the evils of the depression. These radio addresses were the start to what he called the fireside chats. Overall, Roosevelt was the most energetic and dynamic candidate, and he was nominated by the party on the fourth ballot. Although he displayed excellent characteristics, his competition was fairly tough. He was up against John Nance Garner of Texas (who would be his Vice Presidential running mate); Newton D. Baker of Ohio, who was former Secretary of War; and former Governor Alfred E. Smith of New York. For three ballots, Roosevelt held a large lead, but lacked the two- thirds margin necessary for victory. Farley then promised John Garner the vice presidential nomination, which he accepted grudgingly. Then FDR took the presidential nomination on the fourth ballot. One of the purposes of the national convention is to bring the party together in a movement of support behind the nominated candidate. Although there was rough competition during the choosing process, most party leaders were happy with the Roosevelt choice. It would help pull votes from the urban-Eastern region of the country. Also, Roosevelt made a dashing introduction at the Chicago convention by being the first nominee to ever write an acceptance speech. In this speech, he brought emotions from the audience in his last line, I pledge to you, I pledge to myself, to a new deal for the American people. During the November campaign against Hoover, Roosevelt suggested a few parts of the so called New Deal. He spoke of relief and public works money. He wanted to develop a plan to cut agricultural overproduction. He was for public power, conservation and unemployment insurance. The repeal of prohibition and stock exchange regulation were also big items on his platform. However, other than the aforementioned items, Roosevelt was quite vague about other plans. He mentioned little about his plans for industrial recovery or labor laws. As much foreign policy experience as he had, he talked very little of it during the campaign. Many believe that he was simply trying to home in on the problems that the American public saw most prominent at the time. When it came to election day, Roosevelt was the only viable alternative to Hoover, who many blamed for the Great Depression, although critics argue that it was the presidents preceding the Hoover Administration. The outcome reflected this thinking: Roosevelt won 22,821,857 votes compared to Hoover's 15, 761,841. Roosevelt also won the electoral 472 to 59. The voters had sent large majorities of Democrats to both houses as well, which would enable Roosevelt to accomplish more by pushing through more bills. Roosevelt's second election was in 1936. The Democratic National Convention re-nominated him by acclamation no vote was even taken. Vice President Garner was also nominated. The Republican opponents were Governor Alfred M. Landon of Kansas and Frank Knox, a newspaper publisher. Republicans, seeing Roosevelt's overwhelming popularity, were reaching for a tomato to throw. They claimed that he had not kept his promise to the people to balance the budget. Roosevelt replied by pointing to the actions of fighting the depression and

Biography of Mao Zedong, Father of Modern China

Biography of Mao Zedong, Father of Modern China Mao Zedong (Dec. 26, 1893–Sept. 9, 1976), the father of modern China, is not only remembered for his impact on Chinese society and culture but for his global influence, including on political revolutionaries in the United States and the Western world in the 1960s and 1970s.  He is widely considered one of the most prominent communist theoreticians. He was also known as a great poet. Fast Facts: Mao Zedong Known For: Founding father  of the  Peoples Republic of China, ruling the country as Chairman of the Communist Party of China  from 1949 until 1976Also Known As: Mao Tse Tung, Mao Zedong, Chairman MaoBorn: Dec. 26, 1893 in Shaoshan, Hunan Province, ChinaParents: Mao Yichang, Wen QimeiDied: Sept. 9, 1976  in Beijing,  Peoples Republic of ChinaPublished Works: The Warlords Clash (poem, 1929), The Tasks of the Communist Party in the Period of Resistance to Japan (1937), Maos Little Red Book (1964–1976)Spouse(s): Luo Yixiu, Yang Kaihui, He Zizhen, Jiang QingChildren: Mao Anying, Mao Anqing, Mao Anlong, Yang Yuehua, Li Min, Li NaNotable Quote: Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed. Early Life On Dec. 26, 1893, a son was born to the Mao family, wealthy farmers in Shaoshan, Hunan Province, China. They named the boy Mao Zedong. The child studied Confucian classics at the village school for five years  but left at the age of 13 to help out full-time on the farm. Rebellious and probably spoiled, young Mao had been expelled from several schools and even ran away from home for several days. In 1907, Maos father arranged a marriage for his 14-year-old son. Mao refused to acknowledge his 20-year-old bride, even after she moved into the family home. Education and Introduction to Marxism Mao moved to Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, to continue his education. He spent six months in 1911 and 1912 as a soldier in the barracks at Changsha, during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Mao called for Sun Yatsen to be president and cut off his long braid of hair (queue), a sign of anti-Manchu revolt. Between 1913 and 1918, Mao studied at the Teachers Training School, where he began to embrace ever more revolutionary ideas. He was fascinated by the 1917 Russian Revolution, and by the 4th century BCE Chinese philosophy called Legalism. After graduation, Mao followed his professor Yang Changji to Beijing, where he took a job at the Beijing University library. His supervisor, Li Dazhao, was a co-founder of the Chinese Communist Party and greatly influenced Maos developing revolutionary ideas. Gathering Power In 1920 Mao married Yang Kaihui, the daughter of his professor, despite his earlier marriage. He read a translation of The Communist Manifesto that year  and became a committed Marxist. Six years later, the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang, under Chiang Kai-shek massacred at least 5,000 communists in Shanghai. This was the start of Chinas Civil War. That fall, Mao led the Autumn Harvest Uprising in Changsha against the Kuomintang (KMT). The KMT crushed Maos peasant army, killing 90% of them and forcing the survivors out into the countryside, where they rallied more peasants to their cause. In June  1928, the KMT took Beijing and was recognized as the official government of China by foreign powers. Mao and the Communists continued to set up peasant Soviets in the southern Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces, however. He was laying the foundations of Maoism. The Chinese Civil War A local warlord in Changsha captured Maos wife, Yang Kaihui, and one of their sons in October 1930. She refused to denounce communism, so the warlord had her beheaded in front of her 8-year-old son. Mao had married a third wife, He Zizhen, in May of that year. In 1931, Mao was elected chairman of the Soviet Republic of China, in Jiangxi Province. Mao ordered a reign of terror against landlords; perhaps more than 200,000 were tortured and killed. His Red Army, made up mostly of poorly armed but fanatical peasants, numbered 45,000. Under increasing KMT pressure, Mao was demoted from his leadership role. Chiang Kai-sheks troops surrounded the Red Army in the mountains of Jiangxi, forcing them to make a desperate escape in 1934. The Long March and Japanese Occupation About 85,000 Red Army troops and followers retreated from Jiangxi  and started walking the 6,000-kilometer arc to the northern province of Shaanxi. Beset by freezing weather, dangerous mountain paths, unbridged rivers, and attacks by warlords and the KMT, only 7,000 of the communists made it to Shaanxi in 1936. This Long March cemented Mao Zedongs position as leader of the Chinese communists. He was able to rally the troops despite their dire situation. In 1937, Japan invaded China. The Chinese Communists and the KMT halted their civil war to meet this new threat, which lasted through Japans 1945 defeat in World War II. Japan captured Beijing and the Chinese coast, but never occupied the interior. Both of Chinas armies fought on; the communists guerrilla tactics were particularly effective. Meanwhile, in 1938, Mao divorced He Zizhen and married the actress Jiang Qing, later known as Madame Mao. Civil War Resumes and the Founding of the PRC Even as he led the fight against the Japanese, Mao was planning to seize power from his erstwhile allies, the KMT. Mao codified his ideas in a number of pamphlets, including On Guerrilla Warfare and On Protracted War. In 1944, the United States sent the Dixie Mission to meet Mao and the communists; the Americans found the communists better organized and less corrupt than the KMT, which had been receiving western support. After World War II ended, the Chinese armies started to fight again in earnest. The turning point was the 1948 Siege of Changchun, in which the Red Army, now called the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), defeated the Kuomintangs army in Changchun, Jilin Province. By October 1, 1949, Mao felt confident enough to declare the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China. On December 10, the PLA besieged the final KMT stronghold at Chengdu, Sichuan. On that day, Chiang Kai-shek and other KMT officials fled the mainland for Taiwan. Five Year Plan and the Great Leap Forward From his new home next to the Forbidden City, Mao directed radical reforms in China. Landlords were executed, perhaps as many as 2-5 million across the country, and their land was redistributed to poor peasants. Maos Campaign to Suppress Counterrevolutionaries claimed at least 800,000 additional lives, mostly former KMT members, intellectuals, and businessmen. In the Three-Anti/Five-Anti Campaigns of 1951-52, Mao directed the targeting of wealthy people and suspected capitalists, who were subjected to public struggle sessions. Many who survived the initial beatings and humiliation later committed suicide. Between 1953 and 1958, Mao launched the First Five-Year Plan, intending to make China an industrial power. Buoyed by his initial success, Chairman Mao launched the Second Five-Year Plan, called the Great Leap Forward, in January 1958. He urged farmers to smelt iron in their yards, rather than tending the crops. The results were disastrous; an estimated 30-40 million Chinese starved in the Great Famine of 1958-60. Foreign Policies Shortly after Mao took power in China, he sent the Peoples Volunteer Army into the Korean War to fight alongside the North Koreans against the South Koreans and United Nations forces. The PVA saved Kim Il-Sungs army from being overrun, resulting in a stalemate that continues to this day. In 1951, Mao also sent the PLA into Tibet to liberate it from the Dalai Lamas rule. By 1959, Chinas relationship with the Soviet Union had deteriorated markedly. The two communist powers disagreed on the wisdom of the Great Leap Forward, Chinas nuclear ambitions, and the brewing Sino-Indian War (1962). By 1962, China and the USSR had cut off relations with one another in the Sino-Soviet Split. Fall From Grace In January 1962, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held a Conference of the Seven Thousand in Beijing. Conference chair Liu Shaoqi harshly criticized the Great Leap Forward, and by implication, Mao Zedong. Mao was pushed aside within the internal power structure of the CCP; moderate pragmatists Liu and Deng Xiaoping freed the peasants from communes and imported wheat from Australia and Canada to feed the famine survivors. For several years, Mao served only as a figurehead in the Chinese government. He spent that time plotting a return to power and revenge on Liu and Deng. Mao would use the specter of capitalist tendencies among the powerful, as well as the might and credulity of young people, to take power once again. The Cultural Revolution In August 1966, the 73-year-old Mao made a speech at the Plenum of the Communist Central Committee. He called for the youth of the country to take back the revolution from the rightists. These young Red Guards would do the dirty work in Maos Cultural Revolution, destroying the Four Olds- old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas. Even a tea-room owner like President Hu Jintaos father could be targeted as a capitalist. While the nations students were busily destroying ancient artwork and texts, burning temples and beating intellectuals to death, Mao managed to purge both Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping from the partys leadership. Liu died under horrific circumstances in prison; Deng was exiled to work in a rural tractor factory, and his son was thrown from a fourth-story window and paralyzed by Red Guards. In 1969, Mao declared the Cultural Revolution complete, although it continued through his death in 1976. Later phases were directed by Jiang Qing (Madame Mao) and her cronies, known as the Gang of Four. Failing Health and Death Throughout the 1970s, Maos health steadily deteriorated. He may have been suffering from Parkinsons disease or ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease), in addition to heart and lung trouble brought on by a lifetime of smoking. By July 1976 when the country was in crisis due to the Great Tangshan Earthquake, the 82-year-old Mao was confined to a hospital bed in Beijing. He suffered two major heart attacks early in September, and died September 9, 1976, after being removed from life support. Legacy After Maos death, the moderate pragmatist branch of the Chinese Communist Party took power and ousted the leftist revolutionaries. Deng Xiaoping, now thoroughly rehabilitated, led the country toward an economic policy of capitalist-style growth and export wealth. Madame Mao and the other Gang of Four members were arrested and tried, essentially for all of the crimes associated with the Cultural Revolution. Maos legacy today is a complicated one. He is known as the Founding Father of Modern China, and serves to inspire 21st-century rebellions like the Nepali and Indian Maoist movements. On the other hand, his leadership caused more deaths among his own people than that of Joseph Stalin or Adolph Hitler. Within the Chinese Communist Party under Deng, Mao was declared to be 70% correct in his policies. However, Deng also said that the Great Famine was 30% natural disaster, 70% human error. Nonetheless, Mao Thought continues to guide policies to this day. Sources Clements, Jonathan. Mao Zedong: Life and Times, London: Haus Publishing, 2006.Short, Philip. Mao: A Life, New York: Macmillan, 2001.Terrill, Ross. Mao: A Biography, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1999.

The Applications Biological Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Applications Biological Concepts - Essay Example As the research declares a woman may seeks the intervention of the court to give orders compelling a man pay for the upkeep of the children, the woman’s claims that a particular man is the father of her child may be refuted by that man. In such cases, the DNA of the child and that of the suspected father will be matched before the court compels the man to take full responsibilities of taking care of the child. From the report it is clear scientist uses the microbial populations to help in recycling of environmental wastes. If microbial life was not evolving, our environment would consist of heaps of wastes that are difficult to recycle using microbes, however, evolution of populations in the microorganisms like Fungi has made it possible to degrade environmental contaminants like lignin. Microbes have important application in the wastewater treatment practices. The microbial life helps in the removal of organic matters from the sewerage system. Such practice makes it safe to return the water to the streams and the rivers. The evolution of microbes is utilized in the treatment of sewerage. The diversity of microbial population in the environment plays a critical role in nutrient recycling. Scientist use microbes in the discovery of essential products through a process called biosynthesis. Examples of biosynthetic products are the vitamins C and vitamin B12, which are obtained from using the fermentation practices of specific bacteria.

Improving Patient Flow in Emergency Departments Essay

Improving Patient Flow in Emergency Departments - Essay Example AD: The hospital is also faced with crowding issues especially after disaster attacks. The hospital can be understaffed or overcrowded during large scale emergencies or during normal operations. The issue alters communication channels significantly and subsequently slows down service delivery (Hoot & Aronsky, 2008). AD: the challenges were evaluated based on the occasional complaints at the complaint box. The complaints have further been raised by staffs and patients at the Ethics Department. Bearing the frequency of the complaints, i decided to take action on the matter (Hoot & Aronsky, 2008). I employed simulation model in the collection of data. I decided to analyze the admission records at the ED so as I can have a generic outlook of the queue. I took a keen assessment on Monday’s admissions which are normally the busiest, so as I could forecast and have an estimate on busy day admissions. I also evaluated the empty in-patient beds at the hospital so as I could measure the department’s capacity (Hoot & Aronsky, 2008). AD: The Hospital management and i instituted the Six Sigma model so as to enhance patient flow at the ED. After instituting questionnaire surveys on 400 inpatients at the ED, the management decided to improve boarding time during patients’ treatment at the ED (ACEP, 2014). AD: The management decided to employ internal measures to curb the situation. The management reached on stringent accountability measures. It was concluded that in case of any delays or bed missing by the patients, the responsible nurses would be held accountable. The CEO and the nursing vice president would be called so as to provide corrective or disciplinary measures. Bed meetings would be instituted before the start of every shift so as the practitioners can understand the current situation (ACEP, 2014). Case Managers would also be allocated to specific physicians in order to follow up on patients treatment procedures. In addition, the

Excel Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Excel - Assignment Example The airline is also socially responsible in ensuring that it relates well with the public. Good relationship with the public is a good move and this helped the airline to increase its profit margins. It can also be noted in the table 1 of sheet 2 that the revenues of the airline were increasing as the sales continued in different quarters. This can as well be seen with the increment in the net profit of the business. Success of a business is seen by increment in profits, reduction in expenses or even when the production gets reduced further while the passengers realize the full consumption of the commodity. In my position as the sales and marketing director, I use all the resources within my proximity in the attracting of passengers to use our airline and make them know and came to reality that the services we offer are of high quality and that they cannot regret the value of their money after the consumption of the transport service. A lot of factors need to be well addressed by the management on the operations of the airline effectively and efficiently. In this, it is worth considering that the airline is operating in different market and with the expansion, it is therefore important for the management to do proper supervision on the staff in the other markets as well as thorough auditing of the financial records that are prepared by the accountants in those markets. In this regard, what can been be very useful to prevent any losses that may rise due to in accuracy, omission and commissions. The management should also give discounts to the passengers who make online reservations as this will make most of them o book online whenever will want to travel. Online reservation is a good way to save the time for the various passengers as it also reduces the cost of spending say for the people living far away from the operating locations of the airline. It is also a safer way since

The Main Contractors Estimators Action On Receipt Construction Essay

The Main Contractors Estimators Action On Receipt Construction Essay 1. Introduction 1.1 Structure of sub-contracting The Hong Kong Construction Industry are made up of mainly three layers though the process of tendering, which include the tendering from developers to main contractors and the sub-contracting main contractors to sub-contractors. In the report, sub-contracting will be further discussed. In the process of sub-contracting, the estimator of main contractors breaks down the whole construction work into various tasks. For instance, breaks down a building construction work into basement, substructure, bamboo scaffolding, superstructure and finishes. The estimator will then undergo tendering process and sub-contract these various works to favourable tenderers. In addition, quotation is a document plays a role in the tendering process. It is a priced document which derived from tender that main contractor released and can be regarded as a reduced size of priced Bills of Quantity that tenders submit to the main contractor. Since quotation contains monetary terms and which can result in several companies interest, it has to be kept highly confidential to avoid collusion or unequal situation to happen. 1.2 Role of cost estimator To clarify, it is to discuss the role of main contractors cost estimator in this report. First of all, the estimator is not merely one person but a team with, for example, quantity surveyor, project manager, contract manager and planning engineer. The roles of cost estimator before award of project are to estimate the cost of construction works, prepare initial budget, price the Bills of Quantity and arrange for man power, materials supply and plants for proposed project. After the award of project, the cost estimator will break down the works as described above, prepare sub-contacting schedule which stated the time to finish tendering of specific tasks and deadline of commencement of different work, and prepare the tender document with self estimated budget not enclosed. After the receipt of quotation, the cost estimator will select to sub-contract to the most suitable tenderer with equal basis. Besides, there is other role that is significant to cost estimator. They are to balance the quality and price for selection of sub-contractors, materials and plant, keep all the monetary details highly confidential even within the company and do not receipt of any kind of interest to avoid collusion which keep the tendering process undergoing in equal basis. 1.3 Sub-contracting procedure after receipt of quotation The general sub-contracting procedure can be illustrated by figure 1.3. After the preparation of the quotation documents and the sub-contractor list for open invitation of quotation, a request for quotation will be issued to the sub-contractors on the list. Interested sub-contractors will prepare their quotations and submit them by depositing to the bid box before the deadline set in the quotation documents. Upon the deadline for submission, a number of quotations would be received from different sub-contractors. The main contractors estimator is then started to assess and evaluate those quotations being received. The major actions of the estimator after receipt of quotation include checking of the quotations for their compliancy, errors and adjustments as well as selection of the preferred quotation by quality/price mechanism. A quotation report will also be prepared afterward. If the main contractor finally gets the tender from the client (i.e. the developer), performance evaluation may be conducted by the estimating team for future works. à ¥Ã…“-à §Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã¢â‚¬ ¡1.png Figure 1.3 Sub-contracting procedure after receipt of quotations 2. Checking of the quotations (with Appendix 1) Upon receipt of quotations from the sub-contractors, the date should be entered on the enquiry record. Basic information of the sub-contractors should be checked and the database is to be updated wherever necessary. To avoid any erroneous price submitted, the estimator of the main contractor then has the responsibility to read, check and verify the quotations for the following: Whether the quotations are in line with requirements set out in the enquires; Whether the costs are consistent If there are any errors; If the prices provided by the sub-contractor are reasonable How are the prices when they are compared with the market prices. 2.1 Checking of compliancy with requirements After the quotations are received from the sub-contractors, the main contractors estimator has to make an in depth examination on the quotations in order to assure that they are made in accordance with the enquires requirements and no alternative offer have been submitted. Any breakdowns of price should always be checked while the rates are being entered into a computerized estimating system to ensure they are correct. The quotations should also be checked against the terms and conditions (Fig.2.1.a) and content of the enquires (Fig.2.1.b) for any arithmetic errors, missing items, reality and consistency of rates, tender qualification, validity period of tender, and signatures properly provided. 2.1.1 Quotations from Material Suppliers The quotations for material supply should be recorded on a Materials Comparison Form (Fig.2.1.1.a) and in accordance with the enquires provided by the main contractor or the clients. The rates are entered during the pricing stage, and any divergence discovered from the provided enquires are to be recorded for later assessment. The estimator should check for the followings: The materials adopted comply with that stated in specification; The quantities of materials are sufficient to meet the required amount as stated in the enquires; The methods of delivering, unloading and handling of the materials comply with that required by the main contractor, special conditions for ordering and payment, and the suppliers with the most competitive prices should be contacted to ensure that they had noted all the relevant restrictions on delivery to site; The delivery dates meet with those required, otherwise additional enquires to maintain a full enquiry list may need to be sent; The intended on-site or off-site storage of the materials and settlement of payment; The conditions stated in the quotations is as same as the terms and conditions stated in the enquires and the quotations are not alternative offers. 2.1.2 Quotations from Plant Suppliers The quotations for plant supply should be recorded and on a Plant Quotations Register (Fig.2.1.2.a). Wherever a performance specification for the usage of the plants is given, the quotations should be checked cautiously to make sure that all the plants provided accomplish the enquires requirements. The estimator should check for the followings: The plants are sufficient to meet the needs of the construction programme; The wages for plant operators are included; The working hours of plant operators comply with the intended site working hours; The responsibilities and charges for maintenance are clearly identified. 2.1.3 Quotations from Labour-Only Sub-Contractors The quotations for labour should be recorded on a Domestic Sub-contractors Register (Fig.2.1.3.a) which is used as a form for sub-contract comparison. Any divergence from the enquires discovered should also be recorded for later assessment and unit rates pricing when selecting quotations. The estimator should check for the followings: The conditions stated in the quotations is as same as the terms and conditions stated in the enquires and the quotations are not alternative offers; The discounts comply with the enquires requirements; The payment basis of the labour; The ambiguities concerning the responsibilities for protections, storage, clearing up, unloading are resolved; The supporting information including the schedules of rates and the programme information are given. 2.2 Checking of errors and adjustments The main contractors estimator should check whether the quotations are basing on complete and accurate information. 2.2.1 Domestic Sub-contractors The main contractors estimator should ensure that all the items for a particular trade are priced properly, and should request the sub-contractors for any missing rates. The rates provided should be checked for consistency with the bill of quantities, and they should be realistic although the cost will vary depending on the quantities, location and timing. The main contractors estimator could withdraw or change an offer and report to the client if any obvious errors are detected or the tender document is found to be altered. The estimator may apply a percentage or add a lump sum to certain rates in cases where considerations are taken for the following: Work of specific builders which is not measured somewhere else is needed; Certain attendances are needed to be included in the measured rates; Specific trades requirement provided by the contractor; Margin for over-heads and profit are to be included in the measured rates so the estimator could spread the over-heads to works which seems to be under-measured. 2.2.2 Nominated Sub-contractors Nominated subcontractors are subcontractors required by the client to enter a contract for execution of work or the supply of things designated as Prime Cost of PC items. The main contractors estimator should ensure that the PC sum is included in the bill calculations and a percentage for profit is added to the PC sum wherever necessary. 2.2.2.1 General and Special Attendances The main-contractors estimator should also access the costs for general and special attendances. The costs for general attendances are normally provided in the evaluation of project over-heads for logistical requirements; while the special attendances are to be priced separately in the measured bills of quantities and the estimator may price the work if those attendances are properly described. Figure 2.2.2.1.a shows different types of attendances to be provided to the sub-contractor by the main contractor. These attendances should be priced in project over-heads and the amount required should depend on the sub-contractor. Therefore, the main contractors estimator should adjust the amount of lump sum or added percentage to different types of sub-contractors carefully. 2.3 Comparing of Prices 2.3.1 Comparing with Market Prices The main contractors estimator should compare the quotations provided by the sub-contractors with the market prices. 2.3.1.1 Variations in unit rates While comparing the prices, the estimator should also consider factors which may affect the rates of materials, plants, and labour. The rates for materials may depend on the suppliers locations, the sizes of the materials, the delivery costs, and whether alternative materials are to be adopted should also be considered. The rates for plants could be affected by the prices for erecting and dismantling, maintenance, and insurance of the plants in the construction sites. As for the rates for labour, they depend very much on whether skilled labour is available in the area or extra payment for labour with special skills are needed, the location at which jobs are to be carried out should also be taken into consideration. 2.3.2 Comparing with other quotations The main contractors estimator should carefully compare each quotation submitted by all the sub-contractors. A spreadsheet such as the Sub-contract Comparison Sheet (Fig.2.3.2.a) may be used for comparing as it facilitates listing, rates comparing as well as mathematical checking. 3. Selection of the quotation (with Appendix 2) Price3.1 General criteria Quality TimeIn most of the case (i.e. except in case of nominated sub-contractor), there is still a long-list of sub-contractors, who compliant with the requirements, remain after checking the quotations with the enquiries. In order to identify the preferred sub-contractor(s), hence, a short-listing with several criteria should be processed. The most significant factor is price, while other criteria include experience and qualifications, financial and resources standing, reputation and management system. 3.1.1 Price The quoted price in the quotation constitutes substantial effect on the decision making of the cost estimator. With a lower cost to hire a sub-contractor, the main contractor can turn out give a lower bid in the tender to the developer and therefore, increase the opportunity of getting the project. 3.1.2 Experience and qualifications An experienced and qualified sub-contractor on the type of work of the project means it can finish the work in a more effective way compares with those without (i.e. the completion time may be shortened due to its experience on the trade). In the case of specialized works such as demolition work and foundation work, experience is even more important. The cost estimator can evaluate the sub-contractors past performance with the company or refer to different Registers  [1]  and professional bodies for determination its competence on the work. 3.1.3 Financial and resources standing Financial standing of the sub-contractor is an important factor since inadequate working capital of the sub-contractor may hinder the working progress and lengthen the completion time. In addition, the cost estimator needs to ensure the sub-contractor is having sufficient resources (i.e. man power, material, plant, etc.) to deal with the work, especially in the case of supplier. By investigating into the liquidity, credibility and adequacy of resources of the sub-contractor, the cost estimator can so avoid delay of the entire construction of the project to minimize loss to the client. 3.1.4 Reputation and management system Reputation of a sub-contractor is generated when it provided quality services in the field. By investigating the past performance (i.e. workmanship, time management, worker and material quality, etc.) of the sub-contractor, the cost estimator can reasonably select sub-contractor(s) who can provide up-to-standard work. The management system should also contribute to the decision of the cost estimator, as proper management can generate synergy effect to the labour performance. 3.2 Establishment of the quality/price mechanism The major concern for the main contractors estimators to select an appropriate quotation is to have a quotation of both low price and good quality. Hence, in order to maintain a good balance between quality and price, a quality / price mechanism should be established to facilitate the process. 3.2.1 Formulation of the quality / price ratio The quality / price ratio should be formulated at the first stage. The ratio can depend on the complexity of the work, the degree of innovation and the flexibility. For instance, straightforward projects should be less complicated and less innovative. Therefore, the price factor should be given a higher weight. Thus, the quality / price ratio of 20/80 could be considered. Similar approach can be adopted for complex and repeat projects to obtain the ratio. Fig. 3.1 shows the relationship between quality and price for different kinds of projects. 3.2.2 Weighting of the quality criteria Different quality criteria should be weighted according to their importance to the project. Basically, there are four major criteria. They include the practice of the company, the project organization, the key project personnel and the project execution. Practice of the company comprises the organization structure, financial stability, quality assurance, resources, management systems, relevant experience of the company and etc. Project organization refers to the organization of the proposed project team and the authority level of team members. Key project personnel includes the qualifications, communication skills and enthusiasm of the team members and the extent they understand the project brief. Project execution refers to the programme, method and approach, as well as the management and control procedures of the project. To weight the criteria, it is suggested that the key project personnel can occupy around 30 to 40% of the total weight, 20 to 30% each for the practice of the company and the project execution, 15-25% for the project organisation. 3.2.3 Establishment of the marking (scoring) system After the quality / price ratio is formulated and the quality criteria is weighted at the first and second step, a quality threshold should be introduced to the marking system. It is the minimum marks that must be scored by the short-listed sub-contractors in the quality assessment so as to allow further consideration of the quotations. An assessment sheet can then be prepared for subsequent assessments of the quotations. In the assessment sheet, both the quality and price scores will be given and an overall score will be added. An unfilled assessment sheet is shown as Fig. 3.2. 3.3 Assessment of the quotations After returning the quotations from various sub-contractors, the main-contractors estimators can start to do the assessment on the quality and price. 3.3.1 Quality assessment Marks should be scored according to the quality criteria (i.e. practice of the company, project organization, key project personnel and project execution) and the weighting and marking system set down previously. If the scored mark of a quotation is below the targeted quality threshold, the quotation should not be further considered and should be discarded. However, if it is the situation that all the submitted quotations are below the threshold and there is a common failure of a specific criterion, then the estimators may re-assess the requirement to see if there is a need of amending it. 3.3.2 Price assessment Price assessment should be considered only if a quotation has passed the quality assessment. It is done in the way that the quotation with the lowest quoted price is considered to score 100 marks in this section. While for other quotations having a higher quoted price, their scored marks will be deducted with a proportional percentage. However, for particular quotations having an extraordinarily low price, they should be reviewed in order to ensure full compliance of the requirements. Finally, the quality and price scores should be totalled and the assessment sheet should be dated and signed for later auditing purposes. Fig. 3.3 shows an example of a completed assessment sheet. 3.3.3 Final assessment After all the qualified and assessed quotations have been obtained, their overall scores can be compared with an assessment comparison sheet. The sub-contractor with the highest overall score will eventually win the bid. Fig. 3.4 shows an example of a completed comparison sheet. It is seen that the assessments of different firms (i.e. firm A, B, C and D) have been done and the overall scores have been calculated onto the same sheet. Since firm A has got the highest overall score among the competitors, its quotation will be considered by the main contractor. 4. Quotation report A quotation report is used to summarize all the necessary information and evaluation result of the assessment, and as a reference for the cost estimator to refer to if finally sub-contractor is needed to be awarded. The quotation evaluation report should include the followings: The sub-contractor list established at the beginning A summary of the quotations received and opened The results of the checking and selection of the quotations The evaluated price of each quotation, showing any corrections, errors or adjustments The scores and rankings of the quotations, according to the assessment Recommendation to award the contract 5. Actions after tender is awarded by the developer If the main contractor finally gets the tender from the developer, there are still several actions that the main contractors estimator needs to do. Firstly, notification to the wined sub-contractor (i.e. the highest scorer in the final assessment) to ensure the selected team is still available. Once the award is made, advisement to all other discarded sub-contractors in writing should be processed. Secondly, the estimating team should evaluate the performance of both the selected sub-contractor(s) and the quality/price mechanism. Evaluation to selected sub-contractor can be by the way of inspection during work or after completion. The results may be used in selection of sub-contractor in future works as mentioned in Part 3. Besides, the evaluation of the appropriateness of the quality and price ratio and the weighting system can used to adjust the mechanism and improve its operation in future works. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, the main contractors estimators actions on receipt of quotations from their sub-contractors are first checking for their compliancy with the quotation documents, and sorting out any errors and adjustments. Secondly, the estimator needs to select the preferred sub-contractor(s) by considering their quoted price, experience, financial and resources standing, reputation, etc with the quality/price mechanism. Thirdly, a quotation report will be prepared afterward. And if the main contractor finally gets the tender from the client (i.e. the developer), performance evaluation may be conducted. The above actions and procedures conducted by the cost estimator can be further illustrated by the case study in the next part. 7. Case study The case is from the main contractor Chun Wo Constrcution and Engineering Limited, of project Tuen Mun Western Trunk Sewerage (DC/2009/11). The cost estimator proposed to sub-contract the installation works of temporary water and electricity of site offices and underwent the following procedure. In the first stage preparation of documents, the estimator prepared the description of required work. Simply, it includes the description and details of proposed installation works. They then decided the adaptation of selective tendering rather than open tendering as time was limited and selected two contractors in the sub-contractor list. They are Wing Wo and Sky. Lastly, they prepared the tender document of the work, which contains common items to all tender documents, including general conditions of contract, standard conditions of sub-contract, special condition of contract, general specification and standard methods of measurement, and specific item details such as particular specification, particular preamble, schedule of rates and drawings. Figure 7a is the tender document list of the work. After prepared the tender document, they issued request of quotation to the two contractors. In the second stage the selection of sub-contractor, the estimator received the quotations by bid box and checked with the compliance, errors, adjustment and price as described in previous section. They selected the criteria for the work as quality to price ratio, experience and reputation. After the comparison of those criteria, they recommended Wing Wo as the sub-contractor since it had better quality to price ratio and experienced. Figure 7b is the tender report for comparison. Since the score of Wing Wo was the highest, its director was invited to have further negotiation to assure all details were known and the same in two parties, and price adjustment had done at that moment. Finally, estimator prepared sub-contract for the work in which an item concerning wage payment was added, and signed with the director and project manager. Figure 7a Tender list Figure 7b Tender report

Defining Writing Style :: Writing Style Styles Essays

Defining Style In a search for the meaning of true style, I consulted two books on the subject. These texts differ on many levels, but most strikingly are their styles of presentation. Strunk and White, authors of The Elements of Style, lean more towards the rule-book approach, telling us what to do and when to do it without much explanation. John Williams, on the other hand, uses his book Style: Toward Clarity and Grace in almost a lecture form, filled with comparative examples of correct and incorrect ways to approach his stylistic suggestions. While the Strunk and White text is smaller and therefore seems to be the better read by default, its guidelines and helpful hints tend to be vague and often contradictory. Williams offers the reader a longer, but manageable, text full of detailed examples and prompts for the reader to test their understanding of his suggestions. When it comes to defining style, Strunk and White can give us no precise definition. They believe that "there is no satisfactory explanation of style, no infallible guide to good writing, no assurance that a person who thinks clearly will be able to write clearly (S&W 66)." In addition to this statement, Strunk and White, give the beginning writer 21 rules that will help them find their style. If I already know these rules (which Strunk and White suggest I do) then they should already be embedded in my style. I shouldn’t need to read about them. In truth, I do. Even skilled professional writers need a refresher course on form every now and then. The Elements of Style offers just that, a quick reference guide for refining your style-not defining it. With a contrasting approach, Williams sets his definition of style as something that cannot be directly taught. Instead of giving us rules to follow, Williams presents devises used by graceful writers, what he calls "ingredients of a modestly elegant style (Williams 153)." As a beginning writer, I found Williams to be helpful. I was able to identify and understand where he was coming from. Several of his "ingredients" were elements that I already try to incorporate into my writing, but now I feel I can do so more seamlessly. One such element, the 4th ingredient in Williams style recipe, is the use of the metaphor.

Assessment History Essay

Then and Now: History of Assessments Used in Special Education In today’s world students are being diagnosed every day for multiple disorders. Over the history of special education both standardized (formal) and curriculum based (informal) assessments have been created and implemented to help make sure that students are receiving the proper support to help them meet their educational goals. Assessments within special education are implemented to determine a student’s strengths as well as pinpoint areas where they may need extra support and guidance. (Pierangelo & Giuliani, 2007) The results of the assessments given to students will be used to decide if the student qualifies for special education services. The assessments used in the United States have developed in conjunction with special education services, to what we know and use today. This paper will outline the history of assessments administered in the United States, discuss how today’s application of assessment differs, and how these changes have impacted special education as a whole. History of Assessments The history of special education has evolved greatly over the years. Prior to the 1970’s there were very few individuals with special needs being served within the public school system. There were two federal laws passed in 1975 that would aid in the process of children enrolling in the public schools. The first law was Education for All Handicapped Children (EHA), this law requires that children of all ability levels receive the right to public education. The second law that played a key role in providing students with disabilities appropriate education is the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). The IDEA not only requires students with disabilities access to public education but that the school district provides personalized services (special education) for individuals who qualify. (Special Education News, 2013) The laws and legislative acts passed advocate for these students, making sure they receive free and appropriate education. As special education evolved over the years so did many of the tools used to assess students with special needs. Although â€Å"Interest in intelligence dates back thousands of years, it wasn’t until [the early 1900’s that] psychologist. Alfred Binet was commissioned to identify students who needed educational assistance, that the first IQ test was born. † (Cherry, 2013). This type of assessment was a standardized test that measured the individual in areas such as their: skills, character traits, attitudes, knowledge, and educational measurement. As the special education field grew, the use of the Simon-Binet method spread quickly across the Western world. (Reschly, 2002). â€Å"Historically, educational assessment in the United States has been dominated by psychometric assumptions and approaches,† such as the Simon-Binet Scale. (McLaughlin & Rouse, 2000). However, as time as the years have gone by the assessments and protocols used for special education have adapted and evolved. Today’s Assessment / Impact of changes In today’s world there are a variety of assessments and tools to choose from when working with and identifying students with special needs. These assessments fall under two categories, the first being standardized assessments, and the second being curriculum based assessments. The Binet scale, now known has the Stanford-Binet Intelligence scale has been adapted since it was introduced to educators in 1905, and is one of the many standardized assessment tools still used today. Although standardized tests are a great starting point for diagnosing students with special needs it should not be the sole contributor to the diagnosis of a student. Two main concerns when using a standardized test such as the Stanford-Binet scale are that it is culturally unfair and testing conditions and interpretation of test results influence how the student will do on the assessment. Often the standardized tests that are implemented within the school district have been created in the UK or the United States and are mainly designed to be used among white, middle-class children. Therefor if this test is used for any child outside of the specific target group it will be unfair and could lead to the misdiagnosis of students who need special education services. (Newton, 2009) â€Å"For example, if a student with limited English proficiency were assessed using an IQ measure where the directions are given in English, this student’s performance would likely be compromised based upon limited understanding of the instructions, resulting in a significant underestimate of the student’s true intelligence. † (GCU, 2013) It is  extremely important for educators to properly assess the students and to make sure we work with them in their areas of struggle prior to labeling them as needing special education. Since every assessment has its pros and cons it is a teachers responsibility to become familiar with their students and know what assessment would best fit their needs. Since there can be some limitations with standardized tests educators may want to explore various curriculum based assessments to aid in the process of identifying these students. One common curriculum based assessments that is used today is the Response to Intervention (RTI). RTI is a type of educational intervention that is implemented to provide students who are having difficulties extra assistance prior to referring them to a special education program. This informal assessment tool is a multi-level prevention system that helps students succeeds in their education. Teachers will follow RTI by monitoring the students’ progress on a regular basis, implementing evidence-based interventions of varying intensities depending on how the student is responding. (NCRTI, 2010). Curriculum based assessments such as RTI have many benefits to students and Educators. Educators today may choose to use these types of assessments because it allows them to be proactive about the problem at hand, they are easy to implement into a classroom routine, if interventions are successful the child will be brought back up to grade level without needing special education services. (Wilmshurst & Brue, 2013) Conclusion The assessments and protocols developed throughout the history of special education have evolved and implemented to benefit the students, as well as special education as a whole. Each assessment and intervention has been created to aid educators in the process of serving their students to the best of their abilities. School systems went from using one assessment tool to identify and work with students with disabilities to having a vast selection to choose from. Both formal and informal assessment tools used by educators in today’s society aid in the process of diagnosing and helping students who qualify for special education services. Although, there are some assessment tools that may be better than others, each one will have their pros and cons. Educators can create and use assessment tools that reflect what we know about the student and their learning abilities. The educators and their school districts â€Å"can do so by building on what we have learned during the past decade, and ensuring that the process and outcomes of their approach to alternate assessment are transparent and subject to review, stand up to both technical and ethical scrutiny, push practices and outcomes in the expected and desired directions, and can be improved through data-based oversight over time. † (Quenemoen, 2008). Educators will have to use the best judgment and knowledge to decide what assessment(s) will best work for them. Whether educators use one assessment or a variety of assessments, the main objective is to give the student the best chance to succeed in their education and assist them in becoming functioning members of our their community. References Cherry, K. (2013). History of Intelligence Testing. Retrieved from: http://psychology. about. com/od/psychologicaltesting/a/int-history. htm Grand Canyon University. (2013). Types of Evaluation. Received from: www. my. gcu. edu McLaughlin, M. & Rouse, M. (2000). Special Education and School Reform in the United States and Britain. New York, NY: Routledge. Newton, C. (2009). Problems with IQ and Psychometric Assessment. Retrieved from: www. inclusive-solutions. com/word/IQ_Problems_Jan. doc? NCRTI. (2010). Essential Components of RTI. Retrieved from: http://www. rti4success. org/ Pierangelo, R. & Giuliani, G. (2007). Understanding Assessment in the Special Education Process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Quenemoen, R. (2008). A brief history of alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (Synthesis Report 68). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes. Retrieved from: http://www. cehd. umn. edu/NCEO/onlinepubs/Synthesis68/Synthesis68. pdf Reschly, J. D. (2002). Change Dynamics in Special Education Assessment: Historical and Contemporary Patterns. Peabody Journal of Education, V77 n2 p117-36. Retrieved from: http://owl. english. purdue. edu/owl/resource/560/10/ The History of Special Education in the United States. (2013). Special Education News. Retrieved from: http://www. specialednews. com/the-history-of-special-education-in-the- united-states. htm Wilmshurst, L. & Brue, W. A. (2013). Advantages of Response to Intervention. Retrieved from: http://www. education. com/reference/article/advantages-rti/