Friday, November 29, 2019

X-Men Movie Essays - Fictional Secret Agents And Spies,

X-Men Movie I am critiquing the movie X-men. This movie is based on a comic book and on an animated series. Both the animated series and the comic book revolve around mutants. These mutants often look human, however many look quite different than any normal human and also their powers are quite extraordinary. This creates one problem when converting to movie form. Make-up gadgets and special effects must be used so that our reality where the film is made may accurately reflect the reality where the film is set. Also, the characters from the animated series and the comic books all have personalities and physical features that the actors in the film must try to match. This is a difficult thing to do. Not only must the actors physically look like the character concept but they must also be able to play the correct personality. The movie also must keep in context with the animated series and the books. The sources both share a timeline and general background knowledge and stories that the movie must conform with. When you add this onto the feat of making a movie that is aesthetically and engaging for audiences you have a very tall order. For the most part however, the movie was successful in many of these areas. The special effects were well done in this movie. Storms power over the elements is well displayed. I believe that it is one of the high points in the movie when we get to see storm use her powers. Cyclopss eye beam was also well done special effect wise. However the head gear that they used, while close enough to the original, was very bulky. This hindered the actors acting capability. Actors do a lot of acting with their faces and facial features. Entire messages are sent with the eyes. This did create some problems for Cyclops in the movie. The headgear, while it was aesthetically pleasing, should have been reduced somewhat in size in order to better see the actors features. Rouges powers are well displayed as well. At this point in the timeline she has not yet gained her super strength or power of flight. So that is one less problem. She still however has the power of pulling other mutants powers from them. This tends to be a case of simply overlaying the special effects onto her from the original. However the only power that she really takes advantage of is wolverines healing. The special effects on this part seemed realistic enough. However I have never seen that kind of healing in real life, so I really must take it for granted. Speaking of Wolverine, his claws had a bit of a metamorphosis from the original sources. They were much bigger and thicker. This detracted slightly from the idea of the original sources. The claws appeared much more unwieldy however this did not seem to impair wolverines use of them. And so it did work out well. The claws also brought up the question of how they fit into wolverines hand, being so much bigger. However, wolverines healing power did seem to work well. The mind powers of others in the movie were slightly under done. However there were a few scenes that focused on the mind powers of various individuals. Mystiques costuming was very well done. So were her shape changing special effects. The various effects of her shape changing were believable looking and true to form with the various sources. Magnetos powers of magnetism were also well done. The sheer force of will and power behind Magneto was well represented by the special effects. The toad guy was an obvious extra, however, his tongue stretch effect was quite striking and caused the viewer to shrink back and go ugh. The rest of the minor roles were also well supplied with effects. Kitty Prydes phase and Icemans flower were well done special effect wise. The general acrobatics and fighting that went on were well choreographed. Many of the maneuvers were a little super-human, however, that is to be expected because of the nature of the film. There was a small amount of special effects used here as well and those effects were used well. The

Monday, November 25, 2019

Human Sacrifice Rituals and the Ancient Maya

Human Sacrifice Rituals and the Ancient Maya We forbid and place strict sanctions on cannibalism, incest, and human sacrifice, considering they epitomize savage or barbarian behavior. Not everyone or every civilized group has shared our sensibilities. Many groups of people have performed human sacrifices as a way of pleasing or appeasing their gods. The Maya were no different in this regard. Inscribed stones bear witness to the Maya practice of human sacrifice. Precious feathers appear where blood would be expected coming from the wounds in some depictions of Maya human sacrifice ritual. Perhaps this symbolizes how valuable the life-giving fluid is to the gods. In the accompanying illustration [see larger image], instead of spurting blood, there are serpents. The common method for human sacrifice seems to have been for the ah nacom (a functionary) to extract the heart quickly, while 4 people associated with Chac, the rain/lightning god, held the struggling victims limbs. Human sacrifices seem to have been made, as well, with arrows, by flaying, decapitation, hurling from a precipice, and throwing the victim into a limestone sinkhole. Warfare was one source of human sacrificial victims. It is thought that losers in the ballgames may also have sometimes been victims, and sacrifice appears to have been connected mainly with ballgames, festivals, and the assumption of power by a new king. Besides humans, the following objects were offered as sacrifices: manatees, jaguars, opposums, parrots, quail, owls, turtles, pumas, crocodiles, squirrels, insects, feathers, dogs, deer, iguanas, turkeys, rubber, cacao, maize, squash seeds, flowers, bark, pine boughs and needles, honey, wax, jade, obsidian, virgin water from caves, shells, and iron pyrite mirrors. Why did the Maya Practice Human Sacrifice? Sign up for the Maya Newsletter Sources: Archaeology and Religion: A Comparison of the Zapotec and Maya, by Joyce Marcus. World Archaeology, Vol. 10, No. 2, Archaeology and Religion (Oct., 1978), pp. 172-191. Procedures in Human Heart Extraction and Ritual Meaning: A Taphonomic Assessment of Anthropogenic Marks in Classic Maya Skeletons Procedures in Human Heart Extraction and Ritual Meaning: A Taphonomic Assessment of Anthropogenic Marks in Classic Maya Skeletons, by Vera Tiesler, Andrea Cucina. Latin American Antiquity, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Dec., 2006), pp. 493-510. Human Sacrifice at Tenochtitlan, by John M. Ingham. Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Jul., 1984), pp. 379-400. Gordon R. Willey and American Archaeology, by Jeremy A. Sabloff, William Leonard Fash

Friday, November 22, 2019

Can the animal testing done to find cures for diseases be done Essay

Can the animal testing done to find cures for diseases be done humanely or is it by nature inhumane - Essay Example animal testing because much more relaxed standards on what a researcher could do to his animal were in place that allowed for very torturous acts to be undertaken in the name of science. It is extreme cases like that which prompt modern opposition to animal testing. However, research institutions much more tightly regulate live animal testing today in order to protect the interests of animals when they are being tested, and there is no reason to believe that animal testing cannot be conducted in a humane fashion. Animal testing endures a great number of regulations in order to protect the interests of animals. At Stanford University, scientists adhere to the Animal Welfare Act and must submit proposals for how they will use their animals in experimentation. This requires a researcher to think beforehand about the best way to use his animal resources to achieve his intended outcome, and this allows other scientists to criticize that method if it is cruel. Scientists also sit down to discuss concepts of cruelty and the appropriate use of animals in a laboratory (Stanford News Service). With grant money depending on these scientists’ abilities to understand and apply these concepts of humane treatment, there is a strong incentive to treat animals with a measure of respect they have not been given in centuries prior. The Canadian Council on Animal Care proposes additional practical ways in which animal tested can be conducted humanely, summarized as the â€Å"three R’s† (CCAC). The first â€Å"R† refers to â€Å"replacement,† or the preferred use of an inanimate system or model instead of a live animal model. Cell and tissue cultures are sometimes even better than a full-scale live animal model because there are fewer variables to consider. â€Å"Reduction† is the second â€Å"R,† which means decreasing the number of animals used in experimentation. This is a good scientific practice anyway, regarding the number of confounding genetic variables that may arise in a

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Compare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Compare - Essay Example In this paper, two passages are taken from two different writers namely Elie Wiesel and Cynthia Ozick. The aim of the paper is to undertake a comparative discussion on their writings namely â€Å"Night† and â€Å"The Shawl† respectively. This means that any major similarities or differences that are noticed in the two passages selected shall be discussed from the perspectives of the themes used by the writers, style of writing, themes covered in the writings, as well as any identified problems. Style of writing Reading through â€Å"Night† and â€Å"The Shawl†, readers get a sense of feeling that two different forms of writings are presented. This is rooted in the general approach used by the two writers, manifesting in the style of writing they used to present their work. Generally, â€Å"Night† is presented by Elie Wiesel from a more juvenile perspective of wording, making the whole style of writing easy to read and understand. There are not much use of literary devices and other technical literature terms. Rather, the reader to have a smooth flow of the storyline with no meandering of ideas entertained. The advantage that this had on the text was that it made it very easy for the reader to get along with the ideas being portrayed by the writer without any difficulty in understanding. Indeed, events were described in a down to earth approach making statements like â€Å"I decided to give my father lessons in marching in step, in keeping time. We began practicing in front of our block. I would command: ‘Left, right!’ and my father would try.† (PAGE 55). On the other hand, â€Å"the Shawl† is presented in a more classical manner, disbanding the use of naive and juvenile techniques to making the theme of the story flow. This was seen through several perspectives of the writing including the use of complex sentence structuring, idiomatic expressions and a number of literary devices. Along the way howev er, Ozick gets comic just as Elie had been throughout his writing by stating that of Stella who wanted to be in the shawl like Magda that â€Å"A thin girl of fourteen, too small with thin breasts of her own, Stella wanted to be wrapped in a shawl, hidden away, asleep, rocked by the march, a baby, around infant in arms† (PAGE 3). Themes The family as an agent of socialization Throughout both stories, the role of the family in society is clearly defined as both Ozick and Elie make statements that suggest that the family is an agent of socialization. By this, reference is being made to the larger concept of family and how the family plays its role in ensuring that the people that are born into it fit in perfectly. In â€Å"Night†, socialization is depicted as a bilateral responsibility between children and their parents. That is, parents socialize children and children socialize parents. The relationship between Elie and his father is shown to reflect the popular saying that if your parents take care of you for you to make teeth, you also take care of them till they loss their teeth. From another perspective, it could be said that the marching training that Elie gives to the father represents a reverse of role because it is fathers who are normally expected to teach their kids to walk. In â€Å"The Shawl† also, the role of family in socialization is resounded as Rosa makes frantic efforts to cater for her two daughters, Stella and Magda. Stella was 14 years and Magda was only 15 months. Due to economic

Monday, November 18, 2019

Supporting Organizational Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Supporting Organizational Strategies - Essay Example According to a survey conducted by New Zealand’s Business NZ and the Industry Training Federation in 2003 (Jeremy et al, 2003), 55% responding firms indicated that the need to continue to provide training, or begin providing training, within the enterprise depends on shortage of skilled workers and if suitable courses to meet such training needs were available. Other important drivers for training were identified as customer requirements (49%), a desire to growth within the enterprise (48%), skill shortages in the industry (where these exist) (48%), and actual growth in the enterprise (47%). All in all, it was realized that firms involved in training and skill development gained much from the training. When firms take on extensive training and skill development, there is that tendency that quality of output will improve. Employees who have gone through such training learn new ways of production and ameliorate their ideas of the whole production process. Looking at theories of motivation, employee motivation leads to survival and positive productivity within the firm (Smith, 1994). It is absolutely important for managers to understand what makes employees motivated, because employee motivating factors are complex and change everyday (Bowen and Radhakrishna, 1991). Therefore, just that aspect of recognition within the industry to undergo training and skill development to some employees is a motivating factor (Vroom, 1964). When employees are motivated, there is increase in productivity and consequently growth in the business. Therefore through skill development and training programs, there is obviously employee motivation and increase knowledge in knew production skills and consequently, business growth. When employees gain new skills, there is considerable positive effect on health and safety of the enterprises. This is because, when new skills are gained, the company stands a better competitive place on the market with her competitors

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Identifying and Meeting the Needs of an Individual Client

Identifying and Meeting the Needs of an Individual Client Olufunmilayo Adegbore Am study this course healthcare support to help me gain a better and clear understanding of the best provision require to meet the needs of my clients and to become a healthcare assistant. In this assignment I will be discussing about three clients and will change their names for security purpose. I will be identifying and meeting the needs of my individual clients. Firstly I will discuss about my first client who is suffering from memory loss due to dementia, physical disability and social isolation a little background of my client. Julia a seventy-six years old woman, a lovely wife and mother with grandchildren. Her mother is a registered supervisor that supervised the little kids. Julia has always been very family oriented because she knows her family members are the people who will always be there to support her. Julia love travels a lot she been to Rome and she have a good time when she is in Rome and she have the opportunity to meet the pope in Rome. Julia family member took her to the GP because she was suffering from cough and Julia was transferred to the hospital because Julia has developed infection through the cough and she admitted in the hospital. Memory loss which can make it difficult to carry on a long and thoughtful conversation for example Julia thinking that her mother is still alive and she very distress because of the noisy environment and become confused and upset of the disoriented ward she been put in. this can be easily distracted. By maintaining a safe environment is everyone responsibility in Julia case she needs to be supervises to prevent her wandering the corridors or she may walk out front door. Julia supposed to be in a separate room that have much space to walk around because of slips trips falls or trying a barrier like a curtain to mask the door. Julia be very able to walk, stand and strong enough to pack her things by giving Julia a job such as folding laundry might help her to make her feel needed and useful and to support her independence and ability to care for herself. Showing Julia a family picture so that she can remember things and to make time for a regular exercise and GP appointment. By maintaining a safe environment locks high or low on the door has to be installing. To give Julia ability to maintain connectedness, social relationships and networks within and outside and also Julia should be engage in meaningful activities. To enable Julia to maintain contact link to the priest and family. And a meaningful relationships with those around her. Try distracting with a snack and cup of tea Meaningful and respectful engagement with Julia has to be encouraged. Julia should be treated with kindness, respect and consideration. To communicate with Julia and to make some connection with her through touch, sound or visual stimulation that can enhance her personhood and bring out the best in her. My personal learning is to make sure I look for her responses through her facial expression, the opening of the eyes and other eye contact, body or hand movement and her strong hand-grasp to observe a smile or giggle, to see her head turn in the direction of my sound to know that Julia is listening to the story or looking through the picture album showing to her then I know I make a difference and contributed to Julia quality of life. Mr jones is a 67 years old India man, who had lived long in Ireland with his family members, his family members was the one taking care of him, until they decide to take him to care home. Mr Jones was suffering from stroke, and he was stroke on the right side of his body. I will be using (Gibbs reflective cycle Gibbs, 1998.) to explain my points. Stroke is a disease that mostly affects people in the later part of their lives. Stroke attacks peoples brain either because of their life style or what they eat or as a result of some dysfunctional aspect of the body. In this regard American Heart association (2015) Said that A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carriers oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by clot or burst (raptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die. Mr Jones like i said, has stroke on one side of his body, he cannot bath himself and feed himself because he is on a wheel chair and a little difficulty in his speech. Mr jones has difficulty in swallowing and this can cause fits of choking and coughing when he try to drink liquids and his loss of intellectual and thinking ability has a difficulty with his attention, concentration, and working out problem and his emotional distress. Mr Jones can still make use of his other hands, by holding the shower hand to run the water to his body, use the hand to brush his teeth, to comb his hair. By doing this I have to give Mr Jones independence by asking him if he can do any aspect of the bathing by using the other hands. By providing Mr jones wheel chair and took him for a walk to a nearby shopping mall for fresh air and to have a good communication and interaction with Mr jones and to arrange a GP visit for therapy for a day care basis and occupational therapist (OT) to assess Mr jones activities of daily living (washing, dressing etc.) physical abilities and to get Mr jones practising the techniques and to carry out daily living activities at weekends and in evenings. Maintaining safe environment special equipment such as hoist to make sure Mr Jones is moved safety. A special mattress designed to prevent pressure sores and by getting Mr Jones position is important in lying and sitting to support the weak side and to reduce muscle caused by inactivity and altered muscle tone. By adjusting the height of the armchairs and providing a handrail beside the toilet or bath and shower. Being easily distracted by noise, and other peoples conversation and showing responses and taking time to process what is be heard. My personal learning outcomes is to reduce as far as possible, background noise such as TV or radio and by keeping my sentences short and uncomplicated. By allowing Mr Jones to do things for himself it may take longer but I have to require a lot of patience. However it is well spent as it will help Mr Jones to rebuild his self-confidence. Currently m randy is 81 years old, and he reaching the end of his life, and his self-imposed isolation is being encroached upon by the forces of government. Mr Andy has lived all alone after his wife passing away 25 years ago, he lived on the shores Lake OHiggins in a house built from the remains of a shipwrecked fishing vessels. Mr Andy is a pastoralist in a small community of several hundred people, 25 miles away horseback ride through rugged mountain. One day Mr Andy makes this ride to sell his cattle in town when he had a fall and he was rush to the hospital, m randy doesnt like going to the hospital or a nursing home because he taught going to a nursing home makes someone useless. While Mr Andy he still in the hospital the social worker get involve in his case and he was being transfer to a nursing home for proper care. Mr Andy having problem with his health problem and disability to walk and to stand for a long period because Mr Andy is very old and his sensory impairment such as hearing loss. Based on Mr Andy lack of social relationships his strong risk factor for his mortality as physical activity makes him depress. Mr Andy can still maintain a balanced healthy and notorious diet because m randy is very fit and can walk and still able to do thing on his own. Social isolation has shown in Mr Andy and it has effect his health and well-being, by helping Mr Andy is by offering a counselling and support bereavement, local groups, offer a drop in centre and telephone advisory line for Mr Andy. To improve Mr Andy situation because he is very old man and not that strong anymore is to gather a smaller group of people who can share an interest for example bible study, gardening or sport and local activities that for an elderly people like Mr Andy and a daily activities like exercise and reading newspaper. Lonely people like Mr Andy need encouragement and guidance on how to be creative and to make a positive approach in meeting others, they should be allow to reaches others so that m randy retain active involve in his pattern of his own lives, rather than sitting and waiting for a doorbell to ring. My personal learning is to being nice to Mr Andy and taking trouble to find out his hopes and fears. Because m randy doesnt have anybody around him to visit him or call him on phone, I have to organise a visitors like priest, counselling or going on outings. Finally alternative therapies (e.g. massage and aromatherapy) can relieve Mr Andy. Looking at the challenges, the measures and the competences of my three clients makes me have a lot of knowledge to encourage them in their effort as to maintain independence that can provide them with sense of accomplishment in what they do and the ability to maintain independence always.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Pompeii :: essays research papers fc

Pompeii Pompeii is possibly the best-documented catastrophe in Antiquity. Because of it, we know now how the Pompeians lived because they left behind an extensive legacy of art, including monuments, sculptures and paintings. Pompeii lay on a plateau of ancient lava near the Bay of Naples in western Italy in a region called Campania, less than 1.6 kilometers from the foot of Mount Vesuvius. With the coast to the west and the Apennine Mountains to the East, Campania is a fertile plain, traversed by two major rivers and rich soil. However, in the early days, it was not a remarkable city. Scholars have not been able to identify Pompeii’s original inhabitants. The first people to settle in this region were probably prehistoric hunters and fishers. By at least the eight century B.C., a group of Italic people known as the Oscans occupied the region; they most likely established Pompeii, although the exact date of its origin is unknown. â€Å"The root of the word Pompeii would appear to be t he Oscan word for the number five, pompe, which suggests that either the community consisted of five hamlets or, perhaps, was settled by a family group (gens Pompeia)†(Kraus 7). In the course of the eight century B.C., Greek and Etruscan colonization stimulated the development of Pompeii as a city around the area of the Forum. A point for important trade routes, it became a place for trading towards the inland. Up until the middle of the 5th century B.C., the city was dominated politically by the Etruscans. In the course of the 6th century B.C., the influence of Greek culture is also documented by terracottas, ceramics and architecture. A group of warriors from Samnium, called Samnite, invaded the region in the 400’s B.C. Pompeii remained a relatively unimportant village until the 200’s B.C., when the town entered a prosperous period of building and expansion. The Romans defeated the Samnites, and Pompeii became part of the emerging Roman state. Pompeii joined th e Italic revolt against Rome, the Social War of 91-87 B.C., and was crushed by Sulla. Although the city was not destroyed, it lost its autonomy, becoming a colony called Colonia Veernia Cornelia P, in honor of its conqueror L. Cornelius Sulla. By 79 AD, Latin had replaced Oscan as the principal language, and the laws and culture of Imperial Rome were implanted. The â€Å"romanization† had began. Pompeii grew from a modest farming town to an important and sophisticated industrial and trading center.

Monday, November 11, 2019

New Historic Criticism of Pudd’nhead Wilson

The striking lack of agreement about the merits of Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson, is undoubtedly related to the equally striking disagreements over the interpretations and analysis of the novel. In a crucial senses, related to all the thematic analysis presented so far, leave important aspects of the novel unaccounted for. As a result, those who are inclined to praise the novel dismiss certain parts as finally inconsequential evidence of Twain’s predictably careless technique. On the other hand those who have serious reservations about its merits stress its lack of coherence, lack of an action suitable to embody what appear to be the author’s chief concerns.Although the interpretations vary widely, ranging from the view that its theme is the conflict between reality and appearance to the assertion that it has no clear meaning, two interpretative emphases are most common. First, there are critics who stress upon racial themes, especially slavery and misceg enation or marriages between different races. And second those who argue for the centrality of the theme of environmental determinism and see slavery as simply a metaphor for Twain’s more general concern, with the influence of training of the individual. While both these approaches give valuable insight, both are unsatisfactory because they leave too many questions unanswered.It was once considered that the integrity of imagination was violated by interpretation, considerations of race, class and sex have not entered into the most formalist readings.In Pudd’nhead Wilson, Twain presents a critique of slavery and race relations in the American South. He highlights the arbitrariness of racial distinctions and classifications by showing how easily Roxana, a slave is able to switch her own son with the offspring of her master. The young usurper grows among the whites without suspicion, and Twain is able to demonstrate how artificial and constructed racial distinctions actua lly are.Race, Conflict and CultureThe recently increased interest in Mark Twain’s â€Å"Pudd’nhead Wilson† is a text that turns the misapprehension of gender and race in a mid-nineteenth century Southern town into a complicated spoof of the â€Å"fiction of law and customs† in the United States. Pudd’nhead Wilson depicting race and custom identity within legal and scientific discourses lends itself readily to the new kind of historic readings related to â€Å"Race, Conflict and Culture.†A white skinned man, robs and murders and he subsequently discovers, through the science of fingerprinting, that he is actually a descendent of African race and a slave. In his infancy, he was changed with his young master, Valet de Chamber or (Chambers), alias Tom Driscoll, seems almost to be tailor-made for the audience of 1990’s. This book is considered as an intriguing depiction of complexities and constructions of race in the late nineteenth centu ry United States.Recent attention to racial issues, and renewed interest of literary criticism in history, has helped define the precise nature of cultural tragedy which is presented in the novel. The traditional plot of European comedy in which confusion over identity disrupts a hierarchical order that is restored when true identity is revealed, does not seem to work in democratic America, especially not when the confusion involves race. As in Pudd’nhead Wilson, Roxy tries to justify her act of cradle exchange of her son for her master’s and reasons with herself, â€Å"white folks has done it.† But her efforts as a mother to have her son defy the fate allotted a slave in racist America, ends in futility.The new historical criticism of the text certifies the different ways of reading narrative incoherence and different ways in formulating relationship between culture and literature. Some critics argue that Twain was unaware of Pudd’nhead Wilson’s p enetrating indictment of race slavery and that the discontinuities of the text mark a retreat to the illusion when none has occurred. While Myra Jehlen (1990) sees more ambivalence than outright evasion and manifests a familiar dilemma in Twain as a stalemate, between racial criticism and implicit conservatism. David Wilson stands in for the author, who recognizes competing rights that render incompatible social order and social justice.Carolyn Porter (1990) sees similar ambivalence in Roxana’s powerfully subversive, and David Wilson’s repressive plots. She also argues that the novel does not resolve, but only plays out the tension between them. Some read a more deliberate authorial strategy into the text’s disjunctions. Through David Wilson as a businessman, Twain meditates on the speculative postwar economy as an outgrowth rather than rejection of the slave economy. If the new historicism performs a textual reading of culture, they have not ceased to read the literary text as a special entity. When the critics analyze a fictional character or episode, there is no way the analysis can be proven wrong and all take satisfaction in being right. But whether Pudd’nhead Wilson is an extension, a reflection or a critique of cultural dynamics remains a matter of debate.Main Characters in the novelRoxana or Roxy in Pudd’nhead Wilson is cited as an exceptional woman, â€Å"her gestures and movements distinguished by a noble and stately grace,† is the rarest of beings depicted in Twain’s work, though the white women characters in his work tend to be static and stereotypical.   She is a passionate and an attractive woman and according to Fishkin (1995) is cunning, physically possessing, enterprising and genuinely interesting and engaging. She is conceived by Twain as something other than matronly old ladies or prepubescent schoolgirls. Roxy is also more complex of the stereotypes which were most commonly used by white au thors to portray women of her race and status.David Wilson, â€Å"Pudd’nhead Wilson,† is a character that gained its name from the book but many critics have ignore, denied, or belittled his significance to the story. The result is that Wilson role is considered that of a mere lever, or someone who moves the plot along but has no intrinsic importance. Though Wilson is referred to as an ass in the opening chapters, but like a donkey he has a number of admirable attributes. He is intelligent, courteous and diligent and it’s only Roxy who describes his as â€Å"de smartes’ man in dis town.† His hobbies though they seem odd to the average townsperson, demonstrate his sharp and meticulous mind.Thomas a Beckett Driscoll (Tom) is the name given by Percy Driscoll to his child and after Roxy switches the babies, the slave usurper is referred to as â€Å"Tom.† From the beginning, Tom turns out to be a bad boy and his bad behavior continues to grow wit h age and is described by Roxy as â€Å"fractious.† He is cruel towards Chambers and rude towards Roxy’s affection, viewing his mother as â€Å"merely a slave and chattel.† Valet de Chambers, (Roxy’s son) on the other hand is raised as a slave and grows up to be docile and meek but a strong fighter and a good swimmer. Tom not only forces Chambers to be his bodyguard but is also cruel and jealous of the slave’s natural physical abilities. But even upon discovering that he is the real Tom Driscoll and is rich and free, Chambers still   feels uncomfortable in the company of whites because of his slave upbringing.Slavery in the mid-nineteenth centuryAccording to Jehlen (1990), Mark Twain while associating the black race with the female sex, represents racism in the unconventionally loathsome form of slavery. Roxana’s status as a mulatta (feminine) is clearly crucial to Twain’s story. Roxana as a mulatta most certainly exposes the covert tradition of miscegenation, but her serial ordeal as a mulatta mother intent on saving her son exposes much more ( Porter, 1990). The ideologies of race and sex Mark Twain used in the novel Pudd’nhead Wilson were not controllable through literary form, because the writing posed problems that the history of racial and sexual thinking in America, impossible to resolve.Percy Driscoll on having some money stolen threatens to sell the guilty servant â€Å"down the river† which shows that life for the slaves on large cotton plantations was far harsher than for the Missouri slaves. To be sold â€Å"down the river† was equivalent to be condemned to hell, with old slaves being sold away to be replaced by the new slaves. Dawson’s Landing is a highly stratified hierarchical society and at the apex of this social order were the first descendants of Virginia, represented by Judge Driscoll down to the lowest rung of the social ladder-the slaves.And so powerful is this social hierarchy, that those on the bottom were forbidden from eating or sitting with citizens of higher status. This segregation was visible in the layout of the town structure where the snug houses for the white population were situated up front while the portion for the slaves was hidden in the backcountry. Through constructing this social framework, Twain delivers a stinging critique of slavery and in the South of America. Pudd’nhead Wilson is unique to its time in portraying the slave characters as dishonest, lazy and at times dangerous. But in Roxy’s views, slavery is a crime committed by the whites against her race.ConclusionCritics seem intent on challenging the new directions in literary analysis and laying down the terms of debate as to what standard   has the literary works been classified to up to this point and the terms by which we read literature and by analyzing the relationship of literature to the larger question by which we govern our lives. Today the problems of race and sex have become vastly complicated than when a literary work was thought to invent its own sufficient language.The task of the critics then was to show how all parts worked together to reveal coherence. But today, with no available assurance no one can be certain that in a particular work the history is internally coherent or that the issues it treats finally hang together. Though not simple, but the task of literary criticism is to analyze works, not to dismantle them. In the light of these questions, Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson contributes not only to Twain’s single work, but also adds to the growing number of works both participating in and questioning new directions in the study of literature.BIBLIOGRAPHYJehlen Myra. Spring, The Ties That Bind: Race and Sex in Pudd’nhead Wilson. American Literary History. Vol. 2, No.1. 1990. pp. 39-55.Fishkin, Shelley Fisher. Mark Twain and Women. The Cambridge Companion to Mark Twain. Cambridg e University Press: New York, NY. 1995.Jehlen, Myra. The Ties that Bind: Race and Sex in Pudd'nhead Wilson. Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson. Duke University Press: Durham, SC. 1990.Porter, Carolyn. Roxana's Plot. Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson. Duke University Press: Durham, SC. 1990.Wald, Priscilla. Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson: Race, Conflict and Culture. Studies in American Fiction, Journal Article. Vol. 23, 1995.Thomas, Brook. Tragedies of Race, Training, Birth and Communities of Competent Pudd’nheads. American Literary History, Vol. 1, No.4.   Winter, 1989. pp. 754-785.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Questions Essay

1. What political offices were black men elected to – and not elected to –during Reconstruction? federal office,state office and local office 2. What issues most concerned black political leaders during Reconstruction? 3.Why were so many white southerners so opposed to black and white Republications exercising political power? 4. Were black political leaders unqualified to hold office so soon after the end of slavery? 5. What did black political leaders accomplish and fail to accomplish during Reconstruction? What contributed to their successes and failures? 6. Why was the Ku Klux Klan founded, and how effective was it? It was established by anti modernists. They believed that things were better in â€Å"the good old days† before the Civil War, and not only in regard to Blacks; they also felt that a woman’s place was in the home.The Klan was effective in systematically keeping black men away from the polls, so that the ex Confederate gained political control in many states. 7. What was the Fifteenth Amendment enacted? The 15th Amendment to the Constitution granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the â€Å"right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude 8. How and why did black and white Republicans lose control of every southern state by 1877? The old conservative democrats regained the state governments. Also, blacks, who back then unanimously voted Republican, were beginning to be disenfranchised. 9. Why did the Republican Party fail to maintain control of southern state governments during Reconstruction? 10. How and why did Reconstruction end? Reconstruction ended because of the compromise of 1877. It was an unwritten agreement that stated Hayes would win the presidency, if he were to remove troops from southern states(political).Reconstruction also failed because many people in the south did not want to accept a life different from what they were used to soical. 11. How effective was Reconstruction in assisting black people to move from slavery to freedom? How effective was it in restoring southern states to the Union?

Thursday, November 7, 2019

What role should business and government play in advancing the sustainability

What role should business and government play in advancing the sustainability Introduction Recent trends in the business world have raised concerns as to whether businesses and countries will be able to successfully have resources to sustain production in the future. Issues of environmental pollution and depletion of resources have led governments, leading industrial companies and even regulatory bodies together with other organizations like the United Nations to raise their concerns as to whether the world will run out of resources soon (Olson 1999).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What role should business and government play in advancing the sustainability? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Current trends that have brought about changes in global climate patterns in the world have led countries to reconsider their stand and commitment towards sustaining the environment (Brown 2002). Corporate entities together with governments and individuals are all responsible for taking care of the enviro nment and have embarked on strategies that will preserve water bodies, the soil air, vegetation, and animals which have all become casualties because of the various commercial human activities taking place in the world (Natural Resources Defense Council 2005). Although many corporate bodies have time and again been blamed for using unorthodox operation techniques that have led to the detriment of the environment, governments around the world have been forced to intervene and to lead from the front by discouraging pollution and abuse of the environment by employing environment management that will force business to come up with sustainable business activities (Bullard 2007). It has thus become imperative that businesses embark on efforts that will ensure that they replenish the stock of natural resources under their jurisdiction as they continue to grow and produce finished products. The concerns of Sustainability have turned out to be a very central part of business for numerous fir ms that are global businesses because firms have realized if they behave irresponsibly, there may be no future resources for them to engage in production and this will lead to the death of economies and many corporate entities. Corporate leaders are incorporating sustainable business strategies into the complete cycle of the processes of the entire business processes especially when sourcing raw materials, manufacturing and even disposal after use by their loyal consumers.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The concept of sustainability can be said to be â€Å"the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (Desjardins 2007). ‘Triple-bottom line’ approach is now a common term that is used by experts to ensure that businesses are able incorporates; environmental/ec ological stewardship, social stewardship (equity and well-being of humans and community) and economic stewardship (valuing financial continuity over profit). The triple bottom line in this case has changed the historical business orientation that forced businessmen to dwell only on issues of profitability and making money now entrepreneurs and corporate entities must also aim to improve the environment and also the society as they take care of shareholder interests (Gifford 2006). The government has thus put in place necessary mechanisms and procedures that aim to ensure that businesses in the long run become a part of Sustainability efforts this is because government efforts alone will be futile without incorporating efforts of the largest stakeholders which are businesses (Mira d’Ercole Salvini 2003). Essay Question What role should business and government play in advancing the sustainability debate especially knowing that there can be no future for business and industrial growth if issues of sustainability are put on hold or ignored in the present? Main Body Natural resources are a very important factor of production and the process of manufacturing products are responsible for adding and creating value, with this in mind the key role of the government in SD is to use command and control regulation tools in order to ensure businesses are responsible and adhere to the SD standards. Bodies like United Nations through United Nations Environmental Programme, World Bank, IMF, other bodies such as Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources are able to set international standards and give policy suggestions/guidelines which are considered very important in SD.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What role should business and government play in advancing the sustainability? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Th ese Standards serve as key to setting performance standards and government policies in various places within the world. Governments are responsible for overseeing the entire SD process within their countries and region by fostering policy integration, setting the necessary timeframe, analyzing and assessing the actual situation, ensuring that all stakeholders play their part by participating appropriately, setting the indicators and targets and finally monitoring and evaluating performance. In the United States of America, the government has set up numerous agencies to take care of the countries SD concerns the Environmental Protection Agency is one such agency that takes care of Environmental and Social concerns of the triple bottom line. The EPA ensures that businesses and corporate giants implement sustainable development strategies that will not only conserve the environment but also guarantee future availability of resources. A good example of the EPA swinging into action is wh en General Motors was found to have violated environmental quality standards by releasing excessive wastes into the Hudson River (CorpWatch 2010). The river is a source of livelihood and part of the society and ecological system and it is thus the duty of the organization to come up with appropriate waste disposal techniques that do not violate and endanger those who depend on it and this is why the agency intervened. It is thus clear that the government is responsible for overseeing integration and implementation of SD policies (Epstein 2008). The Japanese government for example has developed an eco fund together with the largest Japanese companies such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Honda and many more, this way; the government can easily work together and partner up as far as sustainable development is concerned. Additionally, the country has been able to launch a number of SD initiatives including the famous Green charter which was formed back in 1999; with the help of the governmen t the Charter has brought together many major stakeholders on sustainable development in Japan and make Sustainable development efforts more successful (Friedman 2003; Brown 2002)Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consequently, businesses also have a very big role to play they are expected to initiate corporate strategies that are in line not only with government policies but international SD policies which are set by bodies such as BCSD in order to ensure that the SD concerns are part of their corporate strategies (Markandya 2002). In Japan for example, companies operate within a corporate responsibility charter, Japanese companies have understood and accepted that all elements of the triple bottom line are important therefore, they apply a lot of effort ensure social and environmental aspects of business are well taken care of. Mitsubishi is one of Japans largest companies with operations in over 90 countries and over 500 companies under its group (Desjardins 2007). The company is among the leading in SD efforts and has put in place Conservation of ecosystems and wildlife programs that will ensure that living organisms are protected and that their business activities do not harm fauna and f lora (Fitzmaurice 2009). The company also funds education and research in ecology and conservation in numerous parts of the world advocating for SD. Moreover the company is funding numerous scientists to research in the field of Global warming and alternative energy sources so that the pollution levels can be cut down around the globe (Cherp, George Kirkpatrick 2004). Xerox is a company that has become a sustainable company due to the fact that they use a technique known as greening the supply chain, this technique allows the company to manufacture more friendly and efficient products such as printers and copiers which are made of 100% recyclable materials additionally the company uses upstream and downstream supply chain movement to recall old parts of their machines and replace them for their clients with newer more biodegradable parts and inks (Hiles 2010). This practice has enabled the company be able to lessen the demand of fresh raw materials directly from nature, this move i s a clear move indicating environmental and societal concern that Xerox has put in place in their CSR charter (Goldstein 2009). Conclusion It is both the duty of the government and businesses to ensure that the efforts of sustainable development succeed and that future generations are able to exist in the presence of enough natural resources and a healthier society. The outcomes of decisions made by businesses and the strategies they employ are being examined more closely than they were in the past with the aim of ensuring that sustainable business becomes a reality and that the future of next generations are well secured. The government should thus be in the forefront in setting strategies and policies and also coming up with realistic timelines, and offer the proper control and supervise businesses to make sure that SD is a key part of business. References Brown, A. D., 2002. American Heat: Ethical Problems with the United States response to global warming. Maryland: Rowman and Li ttlefield Publishers Inc. Bullard, R., 2007. Growing Smarter: Achieving Livable Communities, Environmental Justice, and Regional Equity. Cambridge: MIT Press. Cherp, A., C. George Kirkpatrick, C. 2004, A Methodology for Assessing National Sustainable Development Strategies,† Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 2004, 22(6). CorpWatch, 2010. â€Å"The Case against General Electric.† Corpwatch. Viewed on https://corpwatch.org/article/us-case-against-general-electric Desjardins, J. R. 2007. Business Ethics and the Environment: Imagining a Sustainable Future. South Yorkshire, U.K.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Epstein, M. J. 2008. Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing, and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental, and Economic Impacts. South Yorkshire, U.K.: Greenleaf Publishing. Fitzmaurice, M., 2009. Contemporary issues in international environmental law. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. Friedman, F., 2003. Practical Guide to Environment Mana gement. Washington: Environmental Law Institute. Gifford, C., 2006. Pollution: Planet under pressure. Oxford: Heinemann Library. Goldstein, N., 2009. Global warming. New York: InfoBase Publishing. Hiles, A., 2010.The definitive Handbook of Business Continuity Management. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. Markandya, A. 2002. Environmental Economics For sustainable growth. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. Mira d’Ercole, M. and A. Salvini (2003), Towards Sustainable Development: the Role of Social Protection, OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers No. 12. Natural Resources Defense Council, (NRDC), 2005. â€Å"Global Warming Basics: What it is, how its caused, and what needs to be done to stop it.† Nrdc.org. Viewed on https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101 Olson, S.S., 1999. International environmental Standards handbook. Orlando FL: Lewis publishers.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Interview with a manager on management system Essay

Interview with a manager on management system - Essay Example The individual was interviewed for the position of Strategy formulation manager, who is right below the strategy head. Answer 2 A questionnaire set of eight questions was set up for an interview to find out the strategic implemter and strategic formulator strengths of a manager. The interview was face-to face where the manager and the interviewer interacted in order to fill the queationnaire. The major objective of the questionnaire was to evalute the approach of the manager towards strategy implementation and formulation (Marcic, Seltzer and Vaill, 2001). Each question were provided with two options, one of which reflected strategic formulator strength and other represented strategic implementer strength. These questions were answered and analysed with the help of bar chart. Graph 1: Strategic Formulator Strength In the first chart, the strategic formulator strength has been analysed. After evaluation of the answers it was found out that the total points scored by the manager in thi s category was five out of eight. This meant that the manager posses five qualities of strategic formulator as discussed in the questionnaire. When compared to my results it was found out that I scored very low in tis category. ... when comapred to my results, it was found out that my results were very high in this category. I scored seven points out of eight. this means that I posses most of the qualities of a good strategic implemeter as discussed in the interview. Answer 3 From the questionnaire set and its results, many evaluations came out. According to the queationnaire if the difference between two scores of an individual is 2 or less, this means the individual posses balance formulator and implementer qualities and will be able to work well in both strategic situations. However if the difference between two score is four or five, the individual posses a fairly good streghth in the category of high score and will work best in that particular field. If the diffierence is seven or eight points, then the indivual has a distinct quality and should remain in his/her domain rather than the opposite one. From the overall score it can be said that the manager posseses major formulater strength while very little implementer strength. While comparing the individual results of the manager it was found that there was a difference of two points between startegic formulator streghth and strategic implemter sterngth. Thus it can be said that the manager has qualities of both formulation and implemetation. However, the overall score is average, which indicated that the manager lacks specific skills and expertise in both the categories. Answer 4 From the above analysis it is clear that the manager was selected for his strategy formulator skills. Though the manager posses some of the qualities of strategic implementer, it will be wise for the manager to focus on his/her domain in order to get

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Managing change in orgainsations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Managing change in orgainsations - Essay Example The common definition of globalisation suggests that globalisation is fuelled by the interrelationship between various central trigger factors including economic, technological, socio-cultural, political and biological factors, resulting in the interconnectivity of states. In turn, the proliferation of the globalisation phenomenon has offered novel business opportunities regarding expansion in international business strategy. The integration of the globalisation phenomenon into business with the increased movement of capital and commodities has had a significant impact on international business strategy (Tomlinson, 1999). Additionally, Held and McGrew argue that globalisation represents the interconnectedness of states, societies and culture, which has thereby propelled global trade, ideas and capital (Held & McGrew, 1999). Furthermore Brah et al, argue that globalisation as a novel cultural paradigm is exemplified by the internet revolution, which has challenged methods of dissemination (Brah et al, 1999: 3). Moreover, Tomlinson posits that globalisation has had a concomitant effect on traditional cultural models with the creation of new cultural models (Tomlinson et al, 1999). The digital era fuelled novel business opportunities and the continuous evolution of online business channels has made multi-channel retailing a reality, with the customer now placed at the forefront of business strategy. In turn this has reshaped business distribution and marketing models in addition to competing in a product marketplace; in certain industries the customer is the marketplace. Indeed, the e-commerce business model has challenged traditional adage that â€Å"location, location, location† is critical to commercial success (Chaffey, D. 2006); which has threatened the traditional business model for travel agencies in the tourism industry; compelling agencies to formulate novel strategic moves to sustain continued growth (Zhou, Z. 2003). A prime