International and Cooperative Strategies

Downsizing employees is the process of reducing the scale of work force to cut losses due to redundancy (Baumol, Blinder, and Wolff 1). This is an unavoidable step for companies in times of economic crisis. However, managers should conduct such a process in a humane way that preserves the reputation of the company and allows the affected employees to cope beyond the period.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International and Cooperative Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The process of downsizing should be steady and methodical. The manager should organize for prior communication with the affected employees thus giving them time to adjust and air their opinions. The managers should also reflect on the legal procedures and strive to exceed them by giving preference to the affected employee’s welfare. The application of company’s policies for downsizing should be fair and acceptable to both the company and the employees. The necessity of downsizing should be communicated to all other stakeholders and their opinions taken into consideration. In most cases of downsizing, particular groups of vulnerable employees are immensely affected, upon comparisons with their colleagues. Elderly employees and physically challenged become the greatest casualties in the process (Business in the Community, Briefing Note). The management should therefore balance the diversity of the employees so as not to disfavor the disadvantaged. Apart from this, the management should initiate sustenance services for the affected employees. This can be in form of new job searches, counseling and trainings on coping skills. For instance, Woolworths arranged with their partners who where purchasing their premises to absorb some of their outgoing staff (Business in the Community, Briefing Note). The management should also maintain contact with the outgoing staff with the aim of re-employing them when condit ions become better. The company can choose to offer sabbatical leaves instead of laying off. For instance General Motors opted to keep away some of their staff for a period of nine months from January to September 2009. During this time, the employees received a third of their monthly salary (Business in the Community, Briefing Note). Training for downsized employees staff Downsized employees need both economical and psychological support (Business in the Community, Briefing Note). To meet the needs, the management can offer-counseling sessions aimed at handling mental health and stress related factors. They can also initiate trainings that widen skills in the employees that will suite them for their next job. Moreover, the management can search for employment on behalf of their retrenched staff and link them with other employers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Benefits of acceptable downsizing strategies The way a firm carries out the downsizing process is significant to its reputation. If an organization carelessly dismisses employees without prior considerations and contingency measures, it may easily lose favor with the community. Customer devotion and preservation is subject to distortion. This reputation may be very hard to regain, and the firm may fail to attract decidedly practiced staff in the future. During downsizing, the firm loses a great deal of the employees that it had invested in training. If the process is conducted in a non-humane manner, the outgoing employees may not return even when they are needed back after the crisis is over. The firm can only call back some as consultants hence their services will be hired at a more expensive cost. The remaining employees may also feel stressed and lose morale for work hence diminishing output. Research carried out by BITC/Ipsos MORI revealed that entities that carried out responsible downsiz ing improved on financial gains without losing reputation (Gebler). This proves that responsible downsizing has benefits that goes beyond the welfare of the outgoing employees and profits the firm. Conclusion Downsizing is a challenging procedure for both the management and the employees. However, it is an effective weapon for business survival in times of economic meltdown. Nevertheless, it should be done in a way that protects the affected employees’ well being and the organizations reputation. Works Cited Baumol, William. Blinder, Allan. Wolff, Edward. Downsizing in America: reality,  causes, and consequences. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation, 2005. Print. Business in the Community, Briefing Note. Responsibility in recession: A checklist for  restructuring and downsizing. 2009. Web. Gebler, David. Ethical downsizing, protecting your reputation during layoffs. 2002. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International and Cooperative Strategie s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on International and Cooperative Strategies was written and submitted by user Keyla Boyle to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Informative Essay Sample on Cars and New Technology Safety and Comfort

Informative Essay Sample on Cars and New Technology Safety and Comfort I will cover several main ideas in this report. First, I will cover an overview of the technologies that will make driving more comfortable, such as In-car Internet and Coast-to-Coast Radio. I will then cover different ways to make driving easier, such as intelligent cruise control, and voice control. Finally, I will cover technology that will make driving safer. This will include push-button help, seeing through fog and NightVision, and smart seats. I will now give an overview of the new technologies that are aimed at comfort. You will soon be able to send and receive e-mail, get news, traffic reports, sports scores, and stock quotes all without taking your eyes off of the road. This will all be done on the Internet through voice commands and a voice synthesizer. In order to activate these functions, all the driver has to do is say, â€Å"Start my E-mail† into a microphone on the steering wheel and the onboard computer will go to a specified web site where it will download the requested information and convert the text to spoken words for hand and eye free operation. The price will be about $2000 and a monthly fee for connecting to the Internet. This technology will be offered on the 2001 Cadillac Seville or DeVille and the 2001 BMW 750iL and Z8 models. Another form of comfort technology is Coast-to-Coast radio. This technology is used so that you will never need to face static or have trouble finding good stations in areas away from home. By the end of the year, two companies, XM Radio and Sirius Satellite, are expected to have satellites In place that will be able to broadcast synchronized radio signals all over the country. In addition to the high fidelity, static free sound, you will be able to listen to one station, from coast to coast. There will be about 100 channels to choose from with 50 being commercial free. Youll need to pay a monthly subscription fee of $9.95 to enjoy this benefit. BMW, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler have announced to have this as an option on new models soon. A final comfort tech is active body control. This sophisticated active suspension system is designed to counteract all types of body lean. It stops all lean from cornering, braking, or acceleration so that the car stays flat at all times. The result is a plush, comfortable ride. This also gives you the ability to control the car’s ride height and give you better clearance or better aerodynamics. This is currently only available on the Mercedes Benz CL-Class. There are several new technologies that will make driving much easier for drivers. The first of these is intelligent cruise control. Any cruise control system can maintain a set speed. This new system also maintains a set distance from other cars too. This system uses radar to detect any cars ahead for about 500 feet. If a slower vehicle is detected in front of your car, the system will slow down the car until you reach the set distance that you selected earlier. This is currently only available on the Mercedes Benz CL-Class. The next technology geared towards making driving easier is the electronic parking guide. This simple system uses radar to measure how close the vehicle’s bumper is to other objects and signals the driver with both visual and audio alerts to stop the need for guessing if your close or not and gets rid of the chance of scraping your bumper. This is currently only available on the Mercedes Benz CL-Class. The next piece of sophisticated technology is voice-recognition technology, or simply the ability to control systems by talking to the car. This lets the driver keep his eyes on the road and his hands on the steering wheel. The hard part about developing this technology was getting it to recognize different voices and inflections. There are still some bugs, but it’s a good first try. You will be able to control audio, climate-control, and cellular phone systems easily. With just a word or two, drivers can control radio station, CD tracks, and volume, adjust temperature, switch audio sources, dial a number, and lots more. The driver must remember several key words for the technology to operate properly. It doesn’t always work though, sometime you have to repeat the word or the system will just ignore you. This technology will eventually get much better though since the current technology is first generation. You will be able to enjoy this feature on the Jaguar S-Type and the Mercedes Benz S-Class. I will now discuss several safety features that will be put into high tech cars. The first safety feature is push-button help. With the push of a button, you can get travel information, roadside assistance, and emergency aid with the Mercedes Benz Tele Aid System. It connects you to a 24-hour center that can track your vehicle’s location via GPS. In an accident, the system will automatically call for help and transmit your location, while center personnel direct emergency help to the vehicle. This will also easily and quickly locate your car if it is stolen. This is currently only available on the Mercedes Benz CL-Class. The next technology which will make the roads safer are Thermal Imaging and NightVision to see through fog and at night. This technology uses a heads-up-display, like on fighter jets, mounted on the dashboard in front of the driver. This heads-up-display, or HUD, then projects the image onto the windshield. This NightVision gives the driver a view of the road ahead and picks up any heat-emitting objects., such as people, animals, and running cars. Heat-emitting objects appear in white on a black background. This can sense anything three times as far as low beams. When you are driving, you don’t look directly at the HUD, but your peripheral vision would pick up the bright object in the NightVision display. This can be used to avoid deer, see cars in dense fog, or even see a parked police car with its lights out and its engine running sitting by the side of a highway. This is only available on the 2000 Cadillac DeVille. The final safety technology that I will cover is smart seats. One new system has 10 air cells which sense the passenger’s weight distribution and automatically adjusts for better support, while other seats have heaters and cooling fans in them for maximum comfort. There are even massaging backrests to calm you down. For safety, seats are being tied into the passenger airbag systems. One system uses sensors that actually detect the electrical activity in a person’s body. Using this, the system can tell if a child is in the seat (by monitoring the height) or if a person is leaning against the door. In either case, the side airbag is deactivated and the front bag deploys at a lower speed. These various systems will be options on Cadillac’s, Mercedes-Benz’s, Lincoln’s, Lexus’, BMW’s, and Acura’s. In this paper, I have covered many topics. I have shown how you can use your car to check e-mail, get the weather, or listen to the radio without interference. You will be able to let the cruise control drive for you, park easily and without worry, drive without any sort of movements inside of the car, and control the car with voice commands. You will be able to get help with the push of a button, see on a pitch-dark night, and won’t have to worry about airbags hurting you. Your life will be affected in many ways from these new technologies. You will have much less things to worry about and have more fun driving. You will be more comfortable, and also safer. With these new technologies and the other technologies that will surely come, the roads will be a much safer place with less accidents and faster trips.

English Test Options for ESL Students

English Test Options for ESL Students Students need to take English tests, as well as other tests! Of course, learners need to take English tests at school, but they are often required to take English tests such as the TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC or FCE. In a number of instances, you can decide which English test to take. This guide will help you begin to choose the best English test to take for your English learning needs and goals for both further education and career. Each of the major English tests is discussed and point towards more resources to study and prepare for these all important English tests. To begin with, here are the major tests and their full titles:   TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign LanguageIELTS - International English Language Testing SystemTOEIC - Test of English for International CommunicationFCE - First Certificate in EnglishCAE - Certificate in   Advanced EnglishBULATS - Business Language Testing Service These English tests are created by two companies that dominate the English learning system word wide: ETS and the University of Cambridge. TOEFL and TOEIC are provided by ETS and IELTS, FCE, CAE, and BULATS are developed by the University of Cambridge. ETS ETS stands for Educational Testing Service. ETS provides the TOEFL and the TOEIC test of English. It is an American company with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey. ETS tests focus on North American English and computer based. Questions are almost exclusively multiple choice and ask you to choose from four choices based on information you have read, heard or have to deal with in some manner. Writing is also tested on the computer, so if you have difficulties typing you may have difficulties with these questions. Expect North American accents on all listening selections. University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge based in Cambridge, England is responsible for a wide range of English exams. However, the main international tests that are discussed in this overview are the IELTS the FCE and the CAE. For business English, the BULATS is also an option. Currently, the BULATS is not as popular as the other tests, but that may change in the future. The University of Cambridge is a dominate force in the entire English learning world, producing many English learning titles, as well as administering tests. Cambridge exams have a wide variety of question types including multiple choice, gap-fill, matching, etc. You will hear a wider variety of accents on University of Cambridge exams, but they tend towards British English. Your Objective The first and most important question to ask yourself when choosing your English test is: Why do I need to take an English test? Choose from the following for your answer: I need to take an English test for study at UniversityI need to take an English test to get a job or improve my careerI want to improve my overall skills in English, but not necessarily for a purpose such as getting a better job or going to a university Study for University If you need to take an English test for study at a university or in an academic setting you have a few choices. To focus solely on academic English, take the TOEFL or the IELTS academic. Both are used as qualifications for entrance into universities. There are some important differences. Many universities around the world now accept either test, but they are more common in certain countries. TOEFL - Most common exam for study in North American (Canada or United States)IELTS - Most common exam for study in Australia or New Zealand FCE and CAE are more general in nature but are often requested by universities throughout the European Union. If you live in the European Union, the best choice is either the FCE or the CAE. Free TOEFL Exam PreparationFree IELTS Exam PreparationFCE Exam PreparationCAE Exam Preparation Resources Study for Career If career motivations are the most important reason in your choice of English test, take either the TOEIC or the IELTS general test. Both of these tests are requested by many employers and test an understanding of English as used in the workplace, as opposed the academic English which is tested in the TOEFL and IELTS academic. Also, the FCE and CAE are excellent tests for developing overall English language skills in a wide range of areas. If your employer is not specifically asking for the TOEIC or the IELTS general, I would highly recommend considering the FCE or CAE. Free IELTS Exam Preparation General English Improvement If your goal in taking an English test is to improve your overall English, I would highly recommend taking the FCE (First Certificate in English) or, for more advanced learners, the CAE (Certificate in Advanced English). In my years of teaching English, I find these tests to be most representative of English usage skills. They test all aspects of English learning and the English tests themselves are very reflective of how you would use English in everyday life. Special Note: Business English If you have worked for a number of years and want to improve your English skills exclusively for Business purposes, the BULATS exam administered by the University of Cambridge is by far the best choice. For more information from the provider of these tests you can visit the following sites: TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language IELTS - International English Language Testing System TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication FCE - First Certificate in English CAE - Certificate in   Advanced English BULATS - Business Language Testing Service

Video Games and Their Benefits Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 21

Video Games and Their Benefits - Research Paper Example The work tries to summarize all research on the positive impact of playing video games, focusing on four main domains: motivational, cognitive, emotional, and social. By assimilating understandings from positive, developmental and media psychology, as well as social psychology, we suggest some candidate ways by which playing video games may lead to real-world psychosocial benefits(Gunter, 1998). The main objective of the work is to provide solid enough evidence and a theoretical rationale to inspire new programs of research on the fundamentally unexplored mental health benefits of gaming. And finally to call to the intervention researchers and practitioners to test the constructive and positive uses of video games and giving the way forward and suggestion of doing so.  Most people normally use diverse media is in order to manage their moods and to enhance their emotional states. Through video games which are the most efficient and effective means by which youths and children genera te positive feelings which in turn improve their mood and increases their positive emotions, for example, playing puzzle video game, a game with minimal interference, high degree of accessibility and short-term commitment, improves players moods, promotes relaxation, and ward of anxiety(McGonigal, 2012). From the 2009's Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine, gamers who suffered from mental health issues like depression and stress are able to vent their aggression and frustration by playing video games, this leads to great improvement in their state of mind. Also, most people play video games for enjoyment and improving their mood, the game also distracts them from real-world problems (e.g. bulling and other negative behaviors from young children). When the gamer succeeds in the game they get to have positive feelings, becoming more relaxed and reduced anxiety.

Being Digital - Social Networking Platform Coursework

Being Digital - Social Networking Platform - Coursework Example Best practice # 1: objectives of the media Identifying the objectives of the social media is the first best practice when developing a social media. This is a critical phase the help in deciding what the social media will do. This objective is the main thrust of the House party, therefore, shaping all subsequent practices. Objectives of a social media have more influence on the features and the operations of the social media under development (Evans, 2010 p. 291). To refine this objective, the task of keeping all students informed about parties in campus must be broken down into simpler tasks that students can achieve using the social media. For instance, students can use messaging, chats, and writing notes on their walls. Best practice # 2: Knowing the target audience Understanding the target audience forms a critical part of the developing the House Party social media. To understand the audience, it is critical to evaluate the characteristics of students, and tailor the services ac cording to their needs. For instance, most students use their cell phones to access social sites. In addition, student prefers sharing content such as photos or video clips with one another. Segmentation of the audience is a necessary step in defining the audience and meeting their needs (Powell, Groves, & Dimos, 2011, p.114). It is also valuable to determine the average age, location and gender of students, and how they access internet. Most important, it is essential to understand how students communicate with other student about parties and how these parties are organized. This information will be helpful in deciding on the strategy. Best practice # 3: Applying a strategy Selecting a proven strategy is one of the essential tasks of building a reliable and efficient social media (Golden, 2011, p. 56). With consideration of the users of House Party, the strategy will centre on the development of a social tool that will accomplish the above-identified objectives, and for a specific audience (University students). The social media must allow other students to create party events and other to join them. Typically, the strategy will be to mimic the usual activities that university student engage in relation to parties. Best practice # 4: implementation-picking the right tools With a well-defined social media—House Party, it is essential to select the right tools to implement the above strategy. Successful implementation require both software and hardware resources to design, build and run House Party giving it an online presence. The required are:- a) Computers: The developers of House party will require 3PC and 2 Macs. In addition, one Server will be required, as well. Developers will use two PCs will be used to develop the social media using website authoring tool selected for this project. These PCs will have all software using in building House Party. The Mac’s will also help in creating stunning images that will form part of House Party. Dell P recision workstation with Dual Core i3, Windows 7 professional, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard drive, and Intel graphics will cost with 17† LCD screen will cost$ 1169. Two Macs each with 2.5Gz speed, 4 GB RAM, AMD Radeon graphics adapter with 511MB, 500 GB hard drive will cost $ 1199 apiece. These Macs will help in producing graphics for the website. For a server, Dell Power Edge

The Stone Angel Plot Summary Essay Example for Free

The Stone Angel Plot Summary Essay Hagar Shipley is an older woman who lives in western Canada with her son and his wife, Marvin and Doris.She starts to recall her life in Manawaka where she spent her childhood with family and friends. While the plot returns to present, her son Marvin and his wife Doris are trying to persuade Hagar selling their house and buying a smaller one. The proposal has been intensely rejected by Hagar, because she believes that the house is hers.Then, plot moves to the interview with the minister, Mr. Troy, however Hagar does not spend much time with him because she was suffering rib pain. Plot returns to her childhood while the interview finished, she recollects the memory while she backed to Manawaka from a young ladies academy in Toronto. She had conflict with her father when deciding her future because her father wanted Hagar to work with his company but Hagar wanted to become a school teacher.Finally, Hagar stayed in his father’s company as an accountant.At a dance, Hagar met Brampton Shipley who married with her. As a result, Hagar’s father removed the Hagar’s name from his will because of her marriage. Back to present, Hagar found out the information about the nursing house on newspaper and discovered that Marvin and Doris are planning to send her to there. Hagar was refractory while Marvin and Doris drove her to visit the nursing house. In there, Hagar recalled Bram’s business which is raising horses and Marvin’s birth. After visiting the nursing house, Hagar had a physical examination. As a result, the doctor suggested her to live in nursing house so that she can get better care. However, Hagar resisted the suggestion and still lived in her house. One day, Marvin tells Hagar that he booked a spot at nursing house so that Hagar has to move to there on Monday. Hagar was afraid and anger, therefore she planning to use her annuity for fleeing. At that time Hagar recalls the decision while she leaves Bram. Back to present, Hagar went to a place named Shadow Point alone and found an obsoleting house near to cannery. In the obsoleting house, she recalls her life when she w as a housekeeper for Mr.Oatley. Also she reminds the time when she went back to Manawaka because of the Great Depression, Bram was sick at that time and John who is second son of Hager took care of Bram until he passed away. Back to present, Hagar saw two children playing on the sand that makes her recalls the death of John and Arlene. In a night, Hagar encounters a man named Murray in the obsoleting house. Murray left in the morning next day but he returned to find Hagar with Marvin and Doris. Marvin and Doris sent her to hospital. She does not like the ward because they are many patients in the room that makes her no privacy. Finally, Hager has been moved to a private room, shares with another girl. Mr. Tory, Doris, the grandson Steven and Marvin visits her successively. The story ends while Hagar holds a glass of water and ready to drink.

Risks and Responsibilities of Coaching Swimming Essay -- Swimming Coac

Risks and Responsibilities of Coaching Swimming Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this paper is to look at the area of risk management with reference to the sport of swimming. There is no doubt that the ability to prevent any types of injury to athletes is of the utmost importance. The safety of the athletes should therefore be the primary concern of both facility managers and coaches. By working together, one would hope, that all unnecessary injuries could be prevented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most severe injuries that can occur is that of a spinal injury. The area of prevention that addresses this issue is that of spinal injury management and it will be looked at more closely later in this paper. Even with all the extra emphasis in this day and age on safety issues, these kinds of injuries are still far too prevalent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1996, Michael Berger and Judith Middleton state that in the United Kingdom, there are around 40,000 children each year that suffer from head injuries. Some of these individuals will have received severe injuries, in that they will have been unconscious for at least 20 minutes and so will most likely have suffered brain damage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sport of swimming has the obvious danger of drowning. There are also potential risks of spinal injuries caused by collisions with the floor of the pool, the walls in the pool and other swimmers. Many other injuries can be the result of a slippery deck or training equipment not correctly stored away. There is also a risk of injury from the chemicals which are present at a pool such as chlorine. Risk Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aquatic injury prevention should be part of any facilities risk management program. Risk management involves identifying and reducing dangerous conditions that can cause injuries and financial loss. Thus, the aim of a risk management is in a way a kind of preventative medicine, to tackle the issue of a problem thus ensuring that those kinds of accidents will not occur. There are some that would contend that those individuals that suffer an injury are unfortunate victims of circumstance. Many injuries can be avoided through an understanding of the factors that can cause injuries to occur and then a knowledge of how to go about preventing such situations to occur.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Charles Bucher and March Krotee (1998) explain that there is an added risk in any physical education exercise as opposed to a ... ...water conditions, many dangers are in and around water.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Risk management in a pool environment is basically concerned with aquatic injury prevention. A highly developed risk management program will substantially reduce the risks of injury. By understanding how injuries are caused, one can better prevent them. Effective communication with patrons is critical for helping to prevent injuries. Through this communication, the patrons can have fun in a safer environment. References American Red Cross (1993). Community First Aid & Safety. Mosby Lifeline, St. Louis. (pg. 184) American Red Cross (1993). CPR For The Professional Rescuer. Mosby Lifeline, St. Louis. (pg. 10) American Red Cross (1995). Lifeguarding Today. Mosby Lifeline, St. Louis. (pp. 44-204) American Red Cross (1988). Safety Training For Swim Coaches. Mosby Lifeline, St. Louis. (pg. 26) American Red Cross ( 1992). Swimming & Diving. Mosby Lifeline, St. Louis. (pp. 33-317) Berger, M. & Middleton, J. (1996). Head Injury: Some Consequences For Injured School Pupils, Their Teachers And Schools. The Partnership, Southampton. (pg. 3) Bucher, C.A. & Krotee, M.A. (1998). Management of Physical Educ

Bob Dylans Social Commentary Essay

During an interview with the Los Angeles Free Press in 1965, Bob Dylan said, â€Å"All I can do is be me, whoever that is,† (Dylan) which perfectly describes the sentiment you get from his works. During his music career, he has changed many aspects of his image, music style and religion, going so far as to legally change his name from Robert Zimmerman to Bob Dylan. Living during a very fast changing society, his works reflect on the Civil Rights movement and other historically significant events. He is seen as a spokesperson for his generation through his deep and meaningful songs. Bob Dylan uses his pieces to comment on life and humanity, sparking social reforms. Bob Dylan was born named Robert Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota on May 24, 1941. He grew up in a supportive, Jewish household, and began writing poems at the age of 10. When he was 14, he taught himself to play guitar, and played in a couple different bands in high school. In college, he read an autobiography of Woody Guthrie which had a tremendous impact on his music career. Bob Dylan performed his versions of the Woody Guthrie’s songs at local coffee houses. Soon, he left college and hitchhiked to New York to visit his sick idol. After his death, Bob Dylan told Rock 100, â€Å"Guthrie was my last idol. My future idols will be myself.† This confidence contributed to his success as a musician. Bob Dylan got his break with a talent scout John Hammond. He released his self-titled first album in March 1962, which was filled with interpretations of old folk songs two original songs. A second LP came out soon after that was only original compositions. Bob Dylan released two more folk LP’s before his big transition into a more electric rock type of music. In 1965 he released a half acoustic half electric album that received a lot of criticism from fans of his folk music. One of his most popular albums, Blond on Blonde, released in 1966 featured many famous rock songs, and received much praise from critics. This album contains many protest songs including â€Å"A Hard Rains a Gonna Fall,† and â€Å"Masters of War.† These songs are thought to have been protesting the arms race during the Cold War, and exemplify how Bob Dylan used songs to comment on humanity and life. After this album, Bob Dylan broke his neck in a motorcycle accident and spent the next couple of years in recovery. After releasing many more successful albums, he went through a major transition from Judaism to Christianity. His next three albums reflected that transition, which confused much of his fan base. Bob Dylan continued to record and toured with a couple different  bands during the 80’s. In 2001, he received a Golden Globe for the best original song in a movie for â€Å"Things Have Changed†. Bob Dylan is still alive and continues to make public appe arances and occasionally perform. Bob Dylan’s songs use symbolism and imagery to reflect his views on life in a different way. The song Blowin’ in the Wind is one of his most famous works. This song uses the phrase â€Å"blowin’ in the wind† to answer multiple questions about humanity that it puts forth. The song also has war themes, shown when it asks the question, â€Å"How many times must the cannonballs fly before they’re forever banned?†(5). The lyrics exemplify his distaste for violence. The whole poem reflects his view that humanity will never learn from their mistakes. Bob Dylan also has some less political and more love themed pieces. In the song Watered down Love, he talks about how pure love will only hurt you so you need to look for a â€Å"watered down love†. The repetitious phrase, â€Å"You don’t want a love that’s pure, you want a drown love, you want a watered down love† (12). The song â€Å"Love is just a Four Letter Word† further continues the theme of true love being impossible. The song begins with him hearing others saying that love doesn’t mean anything, but in the end of the song he believes that himself. This is shown when it says â€Å"Though I never knew just what you meant when you were speaking to your man, I could only think in terms of me and now I understand,† (28). The songs are examples of how Bob Dylan uses his writing to comment on parts of life such as love and war. Bob Dylan’s writing does not go without criticism. His frequent changes in music style and image cause distaste from many critics. Jann Wenner in Rolling Stone Magazine said, â€Å"Dylan created so many images and expectations that he narrowed his room for maneuverability and finally became unsure of his own instincts,†(Wenner,†The Rolling Interview: Bob Dylan.†) There are also arguments of Bob Dylan’s role as an artist. Some believe that his songs do not qualify him as an artist and should not be read and studied as poetry. Others, such as Christopher Rooks, believe that his songs, even if they are not written in a traditional poetic way, are still art because of the â€Å"what they mean and what they can tell us about the human condition, about the nature of reality as it concerns man, which is the  very definition of art,† (Karwowski, â€Å"Is Bob Dylan an Artist?†). In another critical essay, Ellen Willis points out in Cheetah Magazine that although he may be seen as a poet, his poetry ha s â€Å"horrendous grammar, tangled phrases,  silly metaphors, embarrassing clichà ©s, muddled thought; at times he seems to believe one good image deserves five others, and he relies too much on rhyme.†(Willis, â€Å"Dylan†). Although his songs receive a lot of criticism for his changing images and whether he should be seen as an artist, no one can deny the unique way Bob Dylan portrays humanity and his role as a spokesperson for his generation. Bob Dylan is considered to be the greatest influence on popular culture of all time. His surroundings inspired him to write about important historical moments such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy’s assassination, the Civil Rights movement. Many of his songs are directly written about these events, most notably, â€Å"The Death of Emmett Till.†, which was written about the murder of 15 year old Emmett Till, a black boy who was accused of flirting with a white girl. Other songs such as â€Å"Blowin in the Wind,† â€Å"The Times they are A Changing,† and â€Å"A Hard Rains a Gonna Fall† all have political and social meaning behind them. He said that â€Å"the folk songs showed me†¦that songs can say something human.† (Dylan, 86) about his social commentary pieces. Bob Dylan was also a major player in the anti-war protests, sparked by the Vietnam War. His anti-war songs influenced activists, mostly college students who listened to his music. No other artist has had such a profound effect on the cultural evolution in America. He had an incredible influence on social reforms in this generation, as well as inspiring many other famous bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. No one can deny that he was a factor in the revolution of hundreds of thousands of people. Bob Dylan uses his songs as a way to comment on life, humanity, sparking social reforms. His childhood during the time period he lived in influenced his writing greatly through watching major historical event occur such as the Civil Rights Movement, World War Two, the Vietnam War and the assassination of President Kennedy. A famous song, Blowin in the Wind talks about society’s inability to change their views, and can be translated to be an antiwar anthem or a Civil Rights commentary. Bob Dylan is criticized mainly on whether his songs can be called poetry and if he can be considered an artist. Also, the politics brought into his writing are very controversial. All in all, Bob Dylan’s songs had a considerable impact on society because of his commentary on humanity. Works Cited â€Å"Bob Dylan.† Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Student Resources in Context. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Karwowski, Michael. â€Å"Is Bob Dylan an Artist?† Contemporary Review 1 June 2004: n. pag. Print. Wenner, Jann S. â€Å"The Rolling Stone Interview: Bob Dylan.† Rolling Stone 29 Nov. 1969: 32-35. Rolling Stone. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. Wenke, Joseph. â€Å"Bob Dylan.† The Beats: Literary Bohemians in Postwar America. Ed. Ann Charters. Detroit. Gale Research, 1983. Dictionary of Litereary Biograhy Vol 16. Literature Resource Center. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. Yaffe, David. Bob Dylan: Like a Complete Unknown. New Haven [Conn.: Yale UP, 2011. Print.

Hard Times and Utilitarianism Essay

â€Å"NOW, what I want is, Facts†, and so starts Charles Dickens novel Hard Times which first appeared as a serial publication in 1854. Dickens regularly took inspiration from the prevailing conditions as topics of his writings and proceeds to make social commentaries through his brand of creative fiction. Examples of these are Oliver Twist (Dickens, 1837) and Bleak House (Dickens, 1952). Hard Times was similarly inspired. The novel is mainly a critic of Utilitarianism, the dominant philosophy at the time the novel was written. As Geoffrey Scarre (1996) stated in his book entitled Utilitarianism, â€Å"The eighteenth century was the green youth of utilitarianism, as the nineteenth was its prime† (p. 49). The term utilitarianism was first coined by Jeremy Bentham in 1781 (Bailey, 1997, p. 3). His ideas were much derided even then and at the House of Commons at that when Lord Brougham dismissing Bentham as, â€Å"’having dealt more with books than with men† (Mack, 1963, p. 2). Yet, despite his seeming notoriety the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 was passed which defined and classified the poor and outlined how should be handled. â€Å"The Act was and is seen as more or less Benthamite† as concluded by Peter Stokes (2001) in his article entitled Bentham, Dickens and the Uses of the Workhouse (p. 711). It was against this Act that Dickens created Oliver Twist. Dickens’ continues his propaganda against such philosophy with Hard Times. While personifying the basic tenets of utilitarianism in his book, he is, on the other hand, equally condemning it in the same breath. This is already evident as you read the second paragraph where he strips his purported hero of facts of any semblance of respect when he describes the character that is Thomas Gradgrind rather comically with his hair and head as â€Å"a plantation of firs to keep the wind from its shining surface, all covered with knobs, like the crust of a plum pie† (Dickens, 2007, p. 10). This is a deliberate ploy to set an image in the reader’s mind which can effectively cloud anything the character will expound upon even if it may lean towards the rational and acceptable. Dickens’ use of various figures of speech is also ironic as it runs contrary to the basic tenets his character is espousing. This form of mockery can be seen all throughout the novel up until the end when Gradgrind sees the lights and begins â€Å"making his facts and figures subservient to Faith, Hope, and Charity†(Dickens, 2007, p. 387). What is it about utilitarianism that Dickens’ seems to be vehemently opposed to? Several of its principles were taken up in the book. Dickens took a one-sided approach and presented it on an extreme scale and argued against it. We will explore how these were countered by Dickens by using excerpts from the book. In Bentham’s (1996) An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation he declared that â€Å"An action then may be said to be conformable to the principle of utility . . . when the tendency it has to augment the happiness of the community is greater than any it has to diminish it† (p. 12-13). Simply, put, as long as the number of people who are happy is greater that those who are not happy, then all is well. However, this main concept was methodically censured by Dickens by using examples that touched heavily on human interest which therefore, from the perspective of the humane, such reasoning would not be justified at all. A question on prosperity was posed to girl number twenty to which she replied: I thought I couldn’t know whether it was a prosperous nation or not, and whether I was in a thriving state or not, unless I knew who had got the money, and whether any of it was mine. But that had nothing to do with it. (Dickens, 2007, p. 82) With this illustration, it is maintained that the individual good should not be relegated to any mathematical computations. The point was further driven home with the next example. And he said, This schoolroom is an immense town, and in it there are a million of inhabitants, and only five-and-twenty are starved to death in the streets, in the course of a year. What is your remark on that proportion? And my remark was – for I couldn’t think of a better one – that I thought it must be just as hard upon those who were starved, whether the others were a million, or a million million. And that was wrong, too. (Dickens, 2007, p. 82) It is thus contended that such principle cannot and should never be adapted in the formulation of policies and the establishment of institutions when it comes to people’s well-being as we are more than mere data and statistics. This, however, is not the case in Coketown. Coketown is the community where the all the main characters worked and dwelled, survived and tarried about. This was where the major events occurred. Since it has already been established early on that following the tenets of fact can not lead to anything fanciful, it is not surprising that Coketown was depicted to be very spartan and has retained only â€Å"what was severely workful† (Dickens, 2007, p. 37). It is an industrial town that is generally void of lively entertainment and distractions if one can see through the smoke with the textile plant as the main source of income and employment for the â€Å"Hands†, a rather curt label to its workers as if there are no living and feeling beings attached to those appendages. Coketown, as John R. Harrison (2000) described it in his essay, â€Å"represents the domination of an inhuman, utilitarian, industrial ethos† (p. 115). Yet, Coketown can be viewed as the reality of fact. It embodies the concrete representation of the theories of utilitarianism which further belies its effectivity on a community that lives to live and not just survive. Within the town, there is the school run by schoolmasters who share Gradgrind’s methods and beliefs. It can be gathered that they have great memorization skills and would most likely be able to rattle off any observable characteristics of any person, place or thing. The teaching is so rigid that there is simply no place for any sort of creativity. There is just black and white. â€Å"Murdering the Innocents† indeed as the chapter is aptly called. That in itself plainly shows Dickens’ disapproval of such a stiff approach in education where minds are dictated to rather than molded. A further commentary on the misleadingly laudable wealth of knowledge was given, â€Å"If he had only learnt a little less, how infinitely better he might have taught much more! † (Dickens, 2007, p. 18). Another argument against utilitarianism is its apparent support of inequality while still following the happiness principle of the greater good. Utilitarianism claims that a relevant reason for tolerating inequalities is a gain in efficiency; that is, we should be prepared to tolerate the fact that some persons’ lives go less well than others if some aggregate of personal good is greater. (Bailey, 1997, p. 10) This principle is personified in the book by Josiah Bounderby, owner of the textile mill, owner of the bank, owner of the loudest mouth in Coketown. How he came about his wealth was not detailed in his narration of his rags-to-riches story. However, he is not one who attracts admiration and awe for his accomplishments. On the contrary, he is morally ruined by choosing only what he deems to be advantageous to him. He fully appreciates what he has with no regard to level off the disparity. Instead, he maintains and continues to attempt to raise his status even more by denigrating the lives of others. It was a fundamental principle of the Gradgrind philosophy that everything was to be paid for. Nobody was ever on any account to give anybody anything, or render anybody help without purchase. Gratitude was to be abolished, and the virtues springing from it were not to be. Every inch of the existence of mankind, from birth to death, was to be a bargain across a counter. And if we didn’t get to Heaven that way, it was not a politico-economical place, and we had no business there. (Dickens, 2007, p. 375) Dickens demonstrates here that the greater good is subject to a lot of interpretations and it is normally self-serving in that the one who seems to be higher on the scale will never relinquish his power to those who had now been branded as the lesser good. However, the tentacles of the stick-to-the-facts approach did not stop within the boundaries of the town. It must be noted that Gradgrind was being aided by a government official during his discourse with the students in the first chapter who more than willingly shared his beliefs and even went on to imply that these teachings must be applied at all times, at every opportunity and in every aspect of one’s life even at something as mundane as papering your walls or carpeting your floors. Do not do anything that is contrary to reality. There is no form merely function. What is all the more alarming is that Gradgrind was later made a Member of Parliament, â€Å"one of the representatives of the multiplication table, one of the deaf honourable gentlemen, dumb honourable gentlemen. . . â€Å" (Dickens, 2007, p. 127). Dickens makes it known that despite the fallacies and inhumane improbabilities of the radical teachings of utilitarianism, it can still muster followers and influence policies. Therefore, Dickens continues with more events and inevitable results and consequences in his book to trample any other doubt remaining as regards unyielding adherence to facts. One thing that can be said about living things is that their behavior can never be predicted. Take, for example, the white tiger which mauled the magician Roy Horn in spite of it being with them for several years without any incident. More so with people whose thinking processes are more complex. One cannot take a general rule and expect that all will react and comply with it unvaryingly. Current studies have now shown that â€Å"all aspects of personality are fundamentally unique and idiosyncratic to each individual† (Deary, 2003, p. 6). Despite lack of any scientific proof, Dickens’ had already concluded that even individuals who practically grew up living, studying, acting out a way of life are merely suppressing their true nature and would inevitably fight back one way or the other. With these, let us now take a look at Tom, the whelp and Louisa. Tom and Louisa first made their appearance in the book in Chapter III aptly entitled The Loophole. The â€Å"eminently practical father† was basking in his conviction that his children were the models of factual upbringing when he came upon his two eldest children one peeping through a hole in the wall and other peeping through the crack underneath the wall. It could be imagined that time came to a stop with all three just looking at each other with incredulous expressions on their faces. It was bound to happen that children’s innate curiosity will get the better of them and explore realms outside their scope. The rule of thumb is when met with rules, immediately find ways to go around it; look for loophole. There were already indications of deviations from the inflexible path provided them. The mere fact that Louisa has began to wonder even if she was chastised to â€Å"never wonder† (Dickens, 2007, p. 71). There is no room for sentimentality or â€Å"fancy†, if you will, and is simply not allowed for the logical reason that it is e not concrete. It is not based on the real. It has no parts that can be broken down and studied. It cannot be calculated. Utilitarianism hinders that aspect that distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom and that is the ability to feel and think in abstracts. Utilitarians, may contend however, that anatomically, it would be the opposable thumb that sets us apart. The gradual breakdown of the children who had such an upbringing took on different routes but both led to a destruction of their seemingly perfect lives. Tom gave much credence to his pseudo-freedom from the stifling rigidity of science and math and into the arms of vice. No productive outlet or substitute was provided for his suppressed emotions and was therefore easily addicted and resorted to get-rich quick schemes. Louisa, on the other hand, had no choice but to give in to expectations of her and that is to get married which led to the further repression of her emotions. Questions on social issues can be gleaned from the discussion of marriage between Gradgrind and his daughter where Gradgrind, typical of a man and worse, a man blinded by facts and practicality could not read between the lines as he itemizes the pros and the cons of the proposal of marriage as if it is a mere business proposal and must be approached with much objectivity. What should take precedence when it comes to marriages? Should it be for practical purposes or tests of compatibility? If neither is no longer present, should one cut ties altogether? Anyway, as Gradgrind continues to be practical, his daughter laments as she is about to enter into next phase of adulthood when she has yet to experience childhood. ‘Why, father,’ she pursued, ‘what a strange question to ask me! The baby-preference that even I have heard of as common among children, has never had its innocent resting-place in my breast. You have been so careful of me, that I never had a child’s heart. You have trained me so well, that I never dreamed a child’s dream. You have dealt so wisely with me, father, from my cradle to this hour, that I never had a child’s belief or a child’s fear. ’ (Dickens, 2007, p. 138) And to this, â€Å"Mr. Gradgrind was quite moved by his success, and by this testimony to itâ€Å" (Dickens, 2007, p. 138) only to listen and break down and do some soul-searching himself when Louisa has finally allowed herself several years later to break free from her suppression and made her father understood the misery in her heart and the consequences it will ultimately bring. Another hapless victim was Mrs. Gradgrind herself who was reduced to something quite insignificant as she had been unable to cope with the academic precepts. She was however given the chance to salvage what remained of her true self and only because she gave up trying to absorb the useless facts that cluttered and rattled in her mind. It also makes a resounding statement that the redeeming characters in the book were only partly or not at all exposed to the tenets prescribed by Gradgrind. There was Sissy Jupe a. k. a. Cecilia to Gradgrind a. k. a.  girl number twenty to her schoolmasters. She only joined the family later on and while she was not spared the rigors of fact bombardment, she was able to escape intact having had a solid upbringing in an atmosphere of discipline, fun and love. On impulse and on love, she was able to right the wrongs. She was able to persuade Harthouse, Louisa’s intended lover from leaving not through logic but by faith. She was able save Jane, Gradgrind’s younger daughter from the plight of Louisa by opening to her a childhood not before experienced in that household. Then there was Rachael, a Hand in the textile mill who did not have any formal schooling. Yet, this did not belittle her in the reader’s eyes because she had enough compassion to carry the whole town. Then there were the circus people. They were the only community who consistently showed a semblance of emotion, of camaraderie, of caring. Even the dog, Merrylegs, manifested human attributes and possibly gained more sympathy than Bounderby who publicly embarrassed himself for lying about his own mother and denying his heritage. All the proponents of utilitarianism met their downfall while those who showed humanity led fulfilling lives. Gradgrind himself has discovered that aside from the â€Å"wisdom of the Head. . . there is the wisdom of the Heart† (Dickens, 2007, p. 295) and Dickens was magnanimous enough to give his character a chance at true happiness. We end this paper with words from Sleary, circus owner and philosopher as he sums up how it is and how it should be when dealing with your fellow men and when dealing with life.

After january essays

After january essays The novel, After January, deals with some of the important issues for young adults in Australia in ways to which they can easily relate. Some issues that are raised include social acceptance, broken families, choices about the future and independence. The novel talks about the main character, Alex, and how he is waiting for his school results to see if he is going to get into university. It gets a bit more complicated when he meets a girl called Fortuna and they end up in a relationship that sees Alex postponing his trip back home to the city. Two of the issues that the novel deals with that can be linked are the pressure of social acceptance and also self-respect. On one hand we see Fortuna, who seems very confident, wears what she wants and doesnt worry what others think of her, yet she still comes across as attractive to Alex. On the other hand theres Alex, who sees himself as less than perfect and is always worrying that people see him as a bit of a loser. Alex is a pessimist who always sees the worst in a situation even when it comes to Fortuna when they first meet. The text seems to deal with the high number of Australians who are just like that and are always striving to be better than they are and never get there. It also shows the how wide of the mark people are in this idea, as Fortuna seems to believe that Alex is fine just as he is and in the end she helps him to gain that self-respect he needs. A second issue that is raised deals with families that are broken up through divorce and other factors. The text seems to speak to the thousands of other adolescents who have had to grow up in a house with only one parent and it shows to the reader the effect that it has had on Alex and how he sees his parents divorce. It also shows the contrast between Alexs family and Fortunas family, who are very close with both parents still together and happy. ...

15 Best Jobs in the World [Video]

15 Best Jobs in the World [Video] The job possibilities out there extend beyond your wildest imagination. Astronaut? Sure, that seems pretty awesome. But what if you could get paid to ride waterslides and tell how you feel about them? More awesome. Or how about getting paid to taste chocolate? Sign us up, please. Check out the following Wacky Wednesday profile of jobs that seem too good to be true: from Professional Zombie (really) to Luxury Bed Tester. Here are the 15 Best Jobs in the World right now!

2. How did global trade patterns and relations Essay

2. How did global trade patterns and relations - Essay Example Trade patterns started changing from 1450. At this time, the trade routes were mainly internationally focused. The exchange was mainly among Europe, Africa and Asia. The trade was mainly across some overland ways in addition to sea routes across the pacific, the Indian and meticulously the Atlantic ocean. These seaways were particularly very important mostly for the slave trade (Riad et al. 6). However, as time passed by the Americans also started to involve themselves in trade. This was by 1750. Soon the Pacific Ocean also became a sea full of trading activities. The world’s geographical position changed fundamentally; however, the trade routes remained the same. Many visitors came to Africa in 19th century, and they settled along the coastline. The visitors came from Portugal, china, and Europe. They brought goods such as porcelain, corn, glassware and clothes. When the visitors came and realized that the blacks country had raw materials, they began shipping cotton, silver, gold, oil back to their countries. They also manufactured goods with the materials and sold the finished products to the Africans Additionally, the relations between different countries also changed. The Europeans particularly came in the eighteenth century and started colonizing African states. The Africans started viewing the white man as a conquer, superior to them. Language barriers were also broken. This is because the explorers such as Dr. Livingstone learned the local languages and started communicating with the locals. The local’s also learned French, English as well as Portuguese. This improved on the relations of the Africa and the white men. The Blackman also became very dependent on the white man (Held and Mc Grew 16). The major triggers of these changes in trade routes, as well as the improvement of relations, were missionary work. Missionaries traveled to many places in a bid of spreading the gospel. They were able to discover new places, as well as trading