Chance As A Concept Throughout Literature †English Essay

Chance As A Concept Throughout Literature – English Essay Free Online Research Papers Chance As A Concept Throughout Literature English Essay Chance (or coincidence) has an ambiguous role in the outcome of different situations; it can work in or against one’s favour. As in real life, chance in literature has considerable influence on the circumstances of the characters and where those circumstances lead. In two particular literary works, Roman Fever and A Small, Good Thing, chance happenings have grave results on the lives of the characters concerned. In Roman Fever, old friends meet by chance and reveal disturbing secrets about the past; while in A Small, Good Thing a boy is injured on his birthday placing his parents in a desperate situation. Although chance generally seems to go unnoticed- a spontaneous purchase of candles, followed by a power failure- the impact it makes is often not so subtle. Edith Wharton, author of Roman Fever, depicts two upper class women friends; one, Mrs. Slade, fiercely jealous of the other and the other, Mrs. Ansley, pitiful of her childhood friend. The depiction is real in that it epitomizes the American upper class wife- responsibilities include making the husband happy and entertaining his guests; a typical day may consists of shopping, lunch and the exchange of rumours with the other wives of other rich husbands; in essence, they waste away the time until the rich husband arrives home from work or until he makes a request. Mrs. Slade, in reflection, felt â€Å"a certain conjugal pride† about being such a wife (Wharton, 84). The most prominent aspect of such individuals presented by Wharton is the limit in which they will endeavour to undermine even a supposed friend to achieve an end, generally the richest husband. And, of course, with such rules of play, one needs all the luck the stars can afford. Mrs. Grace Ansley and Mrs. Alida Slade, both widowed, who had met as young girls in Rome, were now, in the very spot they had met as girls, lunching together. The two old friends had not seen each other in years, but met again in a hotel in Rome where they were both vacationing with their respective daughters. Naturally, it seems, the two daughters develop a friendship. Such occurrences would otherwise be unfathomable if it was not for the precise meaning of chance; the unpredictable element in happenings that cannot be assigned a cause (Hougton Mifflin, 2000). Chance provides an understanding, not an explanation, and, hence, an acceptance of such occurrences. The chance meeting of these two old friends sets the stage for the revelation of secrets that were also influenced by the unexpected. Knowing that Grace had romantic interest in her then fiancà ©, Mr. Delphin Slade, Alida writes a letter posing as Delphin inviting Grace to meet him after dark in the Coloseum. Alida had simply intended for her dear friend Grace to catch the roman fever and disappear for a few weeks until â€Å"[she] was sure of [Delphin],† (Wharton, 91). However, it was also revealed that the unexpected happened and Grace replied to the letter saying she would be there. Thus, Delphin arranged for the meeting to take place. Whether irony or bad luck, Mrs. Slade had blindly provided her fiancà © with the opportunity to have an affair, one he gratefully accepted. If Grace had not replied to the letter, if, in fact, Alida had considered the possibility of her friend replying to the letter, then the meeting would never have happened, and, as was revealed, Mrs. Ansley would not have given birth to her present daughter because it was Mr. Slade who impregnated her, not Mr. Ansley. Still, it i s difficult to place all this on one single factor, as it is in all cases of chance. It could also be argued that perhaps if Mrs. Slade was not so fiercely guarded against her friend then she would not have been driven to compose such a letter. Chance simply plays too big a role to be quantified. Nonetheless, even the setting in which the friends presently find themselves is coincidental: both share fond memories of the same event that occurred in the Colosseum, but each memory is of an entirely different genre. While Mrs. Ansley looks back at it fondly as the place she courted the man she loved, Mrs. Slade looks at it laughably; seeing her friend waiting out in the cold for a love that never arrived. Both these views are unexpectedly shattered by the revelations the characters make: Mrs. Ansley discovers that the one true memory she held of her love does not exist and, so, she does not know if he truly loved her, for it was not Delphin who wrote the letter; Mrs. Slade discovers that the satisfaction she’s felt in winning Mr. Slade and finally beating Grace was all but a fantasy, for not only did her fiancà © meet her friend that night, he also gave her a beautiful daughter, Barbara (Wharton, 93). Further to this, the terrace where they stand reminiscing also happened to be the place where the two met as young girls. As Mrs. Slade commented, â€Å"It’s a view they’ve both been familiar with for a good many years† (Wharton, 82). Thus, it seemed a mutual setting for the two to not only to clear their consciences, but to see each other in the way they should have so many years before. So, in this way the ending seems just. For perhaps if they had really known each other as young girls there never would have been an attempt at friendship, thus, it would have ended right then and there. Instead, here the two were years after, ending it where it started and where it should have ended long ago. Indeed, chance cannot be quantified. In another effect of chance, Raymond Carver, author of A Small, Good Thing, details the dramatic turn of two very different lives when an eight year old boy, Scotty, is hit by a car on his way to school on his birthday. One life affected, of course, is that of the parents, but the other is that of a baker, generally unaffected by the goings and comings of his customers, but in this instance, he was chosen to bake the cake for Scotty. And so it began. While in the hospital waiting for their son to awake, it is decided that Howard will go home to shower and rest. While at home Howard receives a phone call regarding a cake that was not picked up, â€Å"A sixteen-dollar cake† to be precise (Carver, 307). Confused, Howard hangs up the phone. Later, after his return to the hospital, he tells Ann about the call (Ann had been the one who ordered the cake), but he neglected to mention that the caller had asked about a cake, instead he told her it was just someone with nothing else better to do (Carver, 307). It is this chance miscommunication that leads to the subsequent phone calls from, what appeared to be, someone evil. Had Howard mentioned that the caller asked about a cake, Ann would have most likely realized that it was the old baker. Thus, avoiding the future disturbing phone calls and the angry visit they made to see the baker. After being reassured by Dr. Francis- a stereotypical rich, handsome doctor- that there was still hope and that all the tests were negative, Ann decided to go home. On her way out, she is unable to find the elevator and encounters a family in the waiting room. The father explained that his son, Franklin, had been stabbed and was in surgery and Ann explained her son had been hit by a car. The accidental encounter with this family allowed Ann to see that she was neither alone in circumstance or in pain. Short thereafter, the death of Franklin enabled her to infer and prepare for the possibilities with her own son. Fittingly, after returning to her child, Scotty awakes briefly and then dies. What he dies of Dr. Francis called a â€Å"hidden occlusion†¦a one in-a-million circumstance† (Carver, 319). Perhaps it was hatched by the hit-and-run driver to seek out and run down a boy named Scotty on his eighth birthday and inflict the rare circumstance of a hidden occlusion, whereby he would die only after both his parents were at his side. Otherwise, chance can be credited. But, what of the seemingly dispassionate baker only concerned with collecting his sixteen dollars. Of all the bakers in town, Ann chooses this one. Surely if she had any indication of this man’s nature she would have sought out another. But, this decision, though haunting at first, turns out to be a beneficial one. From this seemingly evil man they receive the honest compassion they sought in Dr. Francis. Dr. Francis had continued with his false reassurances almost up to the very moment of Scotty’s death, creating false hope in Howard and Ann. But, the baker did not create any kind of faà §ade; he admitted his mistake after learning of their loss, apologized emphatically, and then gave them something to eat. Ann’s chance selection not only benefited her and Howard in the end, it also advantaged the baker; an otherwise lonely man was given the opportunity to disclose his story. Essentially, the baker and the parents were able to fulfill each other’s longing for understanding and comfort. Thus, had Howard mentioned to Ann from the first phone call that the man was talking about a cake, this opportunity may have been missed. Yet, it is perhaps chance insincerity that has the most influence on the lives of the characters. Ultimately, it provided the parents and the baker the opportunity to speak. After all, if the baker was in fact sociably mannered, he would not have conducted himself in such a way on the phone; in other words, he may have been able to communicate himself effectively without upsetting the parents. But, had that happened, the visit from the parents would not have been necessary. Similarly, had the driver of the car stopped after hitting the boy or had he called an ambulance, Scotty’s life may have been saved. This is particularly noteworthy because normal protocols in such a severe situation were ignored by the driver. Further to that, had the doctor been more straightforward with the parents, the trauma may have been lessoned or more might have been undertaken to save Scotty. All in all, the deviation from standard courtesy contributed to the state of Ann’s and Howar d’s life, as well as to the lonely baker’s. The outcome in each of the above stories is one that begins with a chance occurrence. Chance seems to create a kind of chain reaction that slowly winds its way to a conclusion which leads to another conclusion; whether good or bad depends heavily on luck. In the case of Roman Fever, it seemed to have played an equally destructive role in the lives of Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade. But in A Small, Good Thing, while its effects were tragic; it also had a few positive implications. However, the same aspect of chance holds true in both cases: though its effects rarely go unnoticed, its role in events almost always do. If it were at all anticipatory Alida would have pondered the possibility of Grace responding to the letter and Ann would have dropped her son at school that day. Indeed, if chance were predictable it would loose its very nature; its swaying force would be futile and life would go on otherwise unruffled. Carver, Raymond. â€Å"A Small, Good Thing.† A Pocket Anthology: Third Ed. R.S. Gwynn. New York: Longman, 2002. 304-326. â€Å"Chance.† The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. www.atomica.com. Wharton, Edith. â€Å"Roman Fever.† A Pocket Anthology: Third Ed. 81-93. Research Papers on Chance As A Concept Throughout Literature - English EssayStandardized TestingMind TravelHip-Hop is ArtHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Fifth HorsemanLifes What IfsComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyCapital PunishmentWhere Wild and West Meet

The Many Feminist Themes in Black Swan

The Many Feminist Themes in 'Black Swan' To call Darren Aronofskys Black Swan a chick flick might be a misnomer, but  the film  confronts nearly every significant issue facing girls and women today in a way that few mainstream films dare. The storys simplicity (an up-and-coming ballet dancer earns the coveted main role of White Swan/Black Swan in a production of Swan Lake) belies whats really going on: an internal/external struggle that touches on the duality of womens lives and asks what were willing to sacrifice to achieve success. Plot Summary Nina Sayres (Natalie Portman) is a 20-something ballerina in a famous New York City company. She displays tremendous skill but almost none of the fiery passion that could elevate her from the corps de ballet to a featured dancer role. As the audience soon learns, she is controlled to a disturbing degree. Despite the glamor of her profession, she does little more than shuttle back and forth between home and work. Home is an apartment shared with her mother Erica (Barbara Hershey). The warren-like environment, with its dark halls and various closed doors, suggests repression, hidden secrets, and sealed-off emotions. Her bedroom is little-girl pink and chock full of stuffed animals. This speaks to her arrested development better than any narrative could, and her wardrobe of white, cream, pink, and other pale shades emphasizes her passive, unassuming personality. An opportunity to break out of the pack and become a principal dancer arises when the company decides to perform Swan Lake. The leading role of the White Swan/Black Swan is a part Nina - like every other ballet dancer before her - has dreamed of performing all her life. Although its clear she has the skill and grace to play the innocent, virginal, and pure White Swan, its doubtful she can embody the dark deception and commanding sexuality of the Black Swan - or so the companys demanding artistic director Thomas (Vincent Cassel) believes until a heretofore unforeseen act on the part of Nina abruptly changes his mind. When newcomer Lily (Mila Kunis) barges into the dance studio and interrupts Ninas audition for Thomas at a crucial point, a triangle is established between the three that involves lust, passion, competition, manipulation, seduction, and possibly murder. Adding to the drama, Thomas turns the introduction of Nina as the new principal dancer into an opportunity to kick Beth (Winona Ryder), the companys aging star, out the door by announcing her retirement. Characters and Relationships Its a perfect setup for director Aronofsky to weave various themes into the film, including the nature of female friendship and competition, the mother/daughter relationship, sexual harassment, lesbian relationships, the transition from girlhood to womanhood, the pursuit of perfection, aging and women, and female self-hatred. Each relationship Nina is engaged in - with her mother, with Lily, with Thomas, and with Beth - mines these themes at several levels and twists the perspectives so completely its not clear whats real and whats imagined. In Erica, we see a mother who appears supportive but later reveals her animosity toward her daughter. Erica alternately cheers on Nina and attempts to sabotage her. She lives vicariously through Nina while resenting her achievements. She pushes Nina forward, even as she continually infantilizes her now-adult child. In Lily, we see a friendship thats both liberating and destructive and an attraction that may be purely platonic or steeped in sexual overtones. Is Nina attracted to Lily because she admires the other dancers wild child lifestyle and passion over perfection? Or is she afraid that Lily will supplant Nina in the company as Nina has supplanted Beth? Does Nina want to be Lily? Or does Lily represent what Nina would be like if she embraced both light and dark aspects of herself? In Thomas, we see various facets: the positive mentor who believes Nina can outshine even Beth in the role, the ruthless artistic director bent on breaking Nina and molding her into what he wants, the sexual predator who harasses and seduces women to dominate and emotionally control them, and the manipulative boss who sees what his subordinates are up to - yet turns a blind eye. In Beth, we see Ninas fascination with the companys fading female star played out against the backdrop of societys disdain for aging females. Eager to emulate Beth and feel what its like to be in her shoes, Nina steals her lipstick, an act which foreshadows Nina stealing her role and her power. Ninas guilt over assuming the mantle of female power in the company and her constant feelings of inadequacy build until they erupt in an unnerving hospital scene that is rife with self-loathing and self-hatred. But is  it Beths actions or Ninas deep-seated feelings we witness on screen? Good Girl/Bad Girl Themes in Black Swan Underlying these themes is the idea of perfection at any cost and the good girl/bad girl tug-of-war. Its a seesaw of wills that knocks Nina off-balance mentally, if not physically. The audience sees Nina physically mutilate herself, a cinematic echo of the real-world issue of cutting. This is a self-destructive behavior many females turn to in order to release feelings of pain, fear, and emptiness. The simple donning of a black camisole - the apotheosis of the transition from innocent to worldly - initiates Nina into a world where drinking, drugging, and hooking up with either sex is no big deal. And when Nina literally has to fight herself to play the Black Swan with conviction and passion, we see how great a sacrifice one woman is willing to make to achieve perfection. Black Swan or White Swan? The films trailer makes no bones about the fact that Nina goes mad as she immerses herself in the role of a lifetime. Its a dark Gothic tale of suppression, betrayal, desire, guilt, and achievement. But at some level, it also addresses how women fear their own power and abilities, believing that if they fully exercise both, they risk obliterating and destroying those around them - including themselves. Can women still be good and kind and be successful, or must women always morph into those despised and hated Black Swans when they fiercely go after what they want? And can women live - or live with themselves - after that pinnacle is achieved?

Art black market (Iraq war missing art work) Term Paper

Art black market (Iraq war missing art work) - Term Paper Example however, this was later found. There was also an Assyrian headboard in the 900 BC which was specifically ivory headboard and was later recovered by the Jordanian officials in the custom department when it was stolen from the museum into the black market. The existence of the art work of in the museum of Iraq lead into more loses. Some additional missing artwork in Iraq was Bassetki statue. This statue was for a sitting nude male figure created in the period of 2300 BC.1 This sculpture was an artistic work which could be used by the Iranians to enhance the skills of art work. It was majorly suspected by the officials that these artifacts were taken out by foreigners who came into Iraq. Another lost art work in the museum was Sacred Vase of Warka. It existed from 3200 BC. The lost art work was very significant in the prehistoric artistic nature of the Iraq. Investigations by both Iraq and US investigators ensured that they brought back the lost art work in the Museum.2 With respect to the events, it facilitated siphoning of the art works outside Iraq. There are several art works that are still missing to date in the black market. One of the most prominent art works was Lagash statue, a headless limestone inscribed statue of Fanatum in the years dating to 2450 BC. The war facilitated stealing of many artistic works in nature because of the confusion during the time hence there was search for these items later after the war as hatched by the Iraq government. In 800 BC, there was also Nimrud lioness made up of ivory that was taken away from the museum.3 This was one of the pre historical art works in Iraq that had been taken away during the war by the soldiers and other foreigners. In the Babylonian empires, there were cuneiform bricks which were the nine royal bricks for inscription that originated from Sumerian. The bricks were beautifully made and they reflected the most artistic work of the Iraq. They were stolen during the war but later they

Quality assurance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Quality assurance - Assignment Example In the leadership, this serves as the head to a functioning body. The head houses the brain that guides the body’s processes through the brain. This is the same as the company in which its functions are all linked by the leadership or head office. Without this, there is a high chance of chaos and as such products being produced will be substandard. Sub-Standard material doesn’t attract customers and the lower the number the customers, the lower the profit made. Leadership and customers and production quality are all connected, and thus leaders should be carefully chosen (Bounds, 2004; 45). While a company should be able to produce good material remember well is the enemy of great. In order to get to a great one should be able to improve one’s good level and make it better by the day. The customer as well as the leadership will be able to note this in terms of the output. The production in the end is not the only way improvement will be noted. The workers too will be able to note the improvement of the company in terms of the environment. This attracts more customers to the organization, hence profiting the company. In management, there are various roles that ensure a company goes in the right direction. The position limits of the workers make sure that the workers do not interfere in the others work. How does this make effective quality assurance possible? It enables specialization, and specialization produces better products when each producer in a line of production processes makes sure their process is fully mastered and understood (Hakes, 2011; 34). This brings the end product as a high-quality product that a customer is happy to use. This ultimately brings the customer back and thus the act of loyal customers who are satisfied from the work done. The other role is that the role of team-play comes in the picture, and this enables the group to work cohesively. This action of team-play allows for contribution of effective quality

Disaster in Franklin County Essay Example for Free

Disaster in Franklin County Essay The role of the major public health personnel, including the public health nurse, is to provide the public with accurate information, and to assure the community, as well as ensure the immediate safety and well-being of the members of the community, while being competent compassionate and accessible. The public health director was contacted by the incident commander to attend the incident briefing due to immediate and long term public health impacts. The fire chief gave report concerning how many people were confirmed dead, what time it occurred and what county(s) were affected. He made the public aware if any hazardous materials had been released and where and whether the hazardous materials team had been dispatched. He also notifies the community of areas of flooding, and any impassable roads and the roads that are closed, as well as any power outages, and possible long term problems that may occur from power loss such as water contamination, and food loss due to spoilage. The fire chief also informs the public that the plan for search and rescue has been initiated. The public health staff had previously had National Incident Management System (NIMS) training. The deputy director sets up the incident command center and does the head count of available responders. The most ideal personnel were not totally available; there were an appropriate number to set up section chiefs and command staff. The chain of command that was used in the simulation consisted of the Public Health Team which included the County Public Health Director, Environmental Health Specialists, and Community Health Nurses, as well as Franklin county staff members, mental health, and social workers, which allowed the community health nurse to have resources available that were used to deal with situations that were outside the nurse’s scope of practice included reporting to EOC well treatment hazardous waste removal. Actions taken by the community health nurse when she encountered possible emergency situations during the door-to-door interviews was to Calm and triage families and offer reassurance and instruction on safety. The public health personnel had to deal with multiple problems both during the initial period and after the immediate danger had past. Actions taken by the community health nurse to help the people who were interviewed cope with the situations after the flooding were: to advise them to stay at shelter where there is electricity and food to contact Environmental health specialists for toxic waste To contact Social services to address immediate needs and resources. To arrange for instruction on safe use of generators in English and Spanish. To make arrangement for medications to be delivered the next day. Techniques that were used or could have been used to calm the fears of the people interviewed are to use short and concise statements. Perform active listening and confirm statements by repeating it back to the person being spoken with, use confrontation avoidance, and De-escalation. The other nursing personnel could be prepared to help in responding to a similar emergency with a much larger affected area (e.g., the effect of Hurricane Katrina). Through the development of a well-organized disaster response plan. Public health staff requires National Incident Management System (NIMS) training. Emergency preparedness training should be performed at least every six months. There needs to be a method of communication in case power lines, towers and electricity are not available; have a backup system in place and know where they are located (e.g. include, walkie talkies, Morse code and emailing). Community nurses should have car stock that includes protective gear (PPE) such as N-95 mask, barriers for CPR, gloves, biohazard containers and isolation gowns. Knowledge of the basic steps that are needed to take to ensure patient safety, such as safe evacuation, and early notification will help prevent unnecessary casualties during emergencies (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. www.ahrq.gov/prep. Accessed July 21, 2006. References Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://cpheo1.sph.umn.edu/fcs/index.asp Health Care: Public Health Emergency Preparedness. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/prep

Reverend Dimmesdales Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter

The Guilt of Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter God does not like the sin of adultery. He does not like lying. He does not like hypocrisy. There are two roads that one can choose. In the end, what may seem like the easy way may have far greater consequences than the hard way. Arthur Dimmesdale chose the easy path and learned that the pain of guilt is far greater than the pain of shame. From the start, Dimmesdale did not want to live with the consequence of his sin. To begin with, he must of told Hester not to tell anyone about his sin, because on the scaffold, she will not tell anyone (pg. 64). Clearly, Dimmesdale was afraid of the justice and the shame that would follow. He thought that if no one knew, he could continue with his life normally. Yet, he began punishing himself secretly (pg. 133). Slowly though, the sin began to nag at him, and he had to beat himself to sooth his conscience. This shows that he has a conscience and that he is beginning to feel convicted. Late in the book, he finally confesses before the town, but then dies (pg. 231-233). As can be seen by his confession, he had the heart to change, but only then he realized that it was too late. His death marked the effect of the poisonous sin that had accumulated in him. The Bible says the wages of sin is death, just as repentance leads to salvation, a lesson Dimmesdale did not learn until it was too late. Dimmesdale is very hypocritical in how he handles the subject of his sin. For example, he says "Be not silent from any mistaken pity or tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty he... ...glimpse of human affection and sympathy, a new life, and a true one, in exchange for the heavy doom which he was now expiating." (pg. 184). Hester's offer to him for a new shot at life could not lift the guilt. He had sinned against the townspeople, and he needed to confess to them. When Dimmesdale is dying at the end, he asks Pearl to kiss him (pg. 233). This kiss signifies the breaking of the hold that sin had on his life. Sadly, it was too late-the sin had already consumed the last bits of life that he had left. Even though he died shortly after he confessed, he still repented, and that was his goal. Once he confessed his sin to the community, his guilt was gone too. Even after Dimmesdale repented, God still did not like the sin. But, once he repented, he was separated from that sin. God shows mercy on those who repent, and He showed mercy on Dimmesdale.

Motivation Report

Describe the motivational problems of the staff at Health-Time using Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy.The staff at Health-time will be worried because Matthew’s first action as manager was to go in and fire most of the office staff. This will have them feeling that their safety, their need to feel secure and stable is being threatened. When Matthew puts a complete stop to idle chatter on the job he is taking some of the receptions chance to interact with other people. When you sit at a desk and answer phones all day it is nice to have that little time of interaction with customer or clients when you can.When Matthew starts the meeting off immediately complaining about the workers they are not going to be receiving the esteem that they need to feel that they are getting recognition for what they have done. Instead Matthew is only telling them what to do. He is not giving his workers any kind of respect or recognition for what they have done and then moving on to what could be do ne to make them even better at their jobs. 2.Describe the motivational problems of the staff at Health-Time using the expectancy theory of motivation. Discuss the staff’s outcome valences, effort-to-performance (E-to-P) and performance-to-outcome (P-to-E) expectancies.The E-to-P theory objective is â€Å"to increase the belief that employees are capable of performing the job successfully.†(Book) Matthew was already ahead of the game when it came to his staff. The E-to-P theory tells you to select people with the skills needed to accomplish the job. When Matthew became manager he already have workers in place that had the skills and the know  how to accomplish the jobs they were assigned. Matthew was so quick to try to lay down staff rules that he did provide the staff sufficient time and resources for them to be able come to terms with all the changes that were happening in the club.He needed to give the staff fewer changes at a time and work the staff up to where he felt that they need to be. In the P-to-O expectancy theory the objective is â€Å"to increase the belief that good performance will result in a certain outcome.† (Book) To do this Matthew needed to do was give his workers example of workers who are already doing the things that he feels need to change for everyone and show them how these workers are receiving higher rewards.This could be that they have received a pay raise or they have a demand from clients for more classes or even individual classes that could pay more. 3.Describe the motivational problems of the staff at Health-Time using the equity theory of motivation. Discuss whether the staff is in a situation of underreward inequity or overreward inequity, and how they are attempting to restore a feeling or sense of equity.The staff at Health-Time is underrewarded. The receptionist are only being paid minimum wage to check people-in, write receipts, answer phones, and clean up the facility during downtime. Along with Matthew not showing them any respect and reward other than a sweatshirt they are feeling that they are not valued and that they are not needed. They realize that they could work other places for the same pay and have a more sense of equity.Most of Matthew’s workers are students at the local university and they have to be able to make changes at last minutes. They could have a change is schedule or a test that have to be taken at a certain time of day. If Matthew is not going to let them do this then they are going to leave and find a job that understands the demands of a college student and let they feel rewarded and that they are receiving equity out of their job. 4.What strategies would you recommend to Matt to deal with the problem?First of I would suggest that Matt take the time to make a survey that cover all of the problems that he feel Health-Time is having; then take the time and get feedback from customers and see how they feel that Health-Time needs to change. This would also be a good time for Matt to get his employees  involved in making Health-Time a top in the Fitness industry. He needs to have each employee give feedback on how they think that they daily run of Health-time could be increased. Have each employee make their own goal setting, they could set specific goals for themselves and how they could start to accomplish these goals.Matt needs to take all this information and see what is top priority to customers and employees and slowly start implementing ways to make Health-Time better. Employees feel more secure and needed when they are in some way included in changed made around a facility. I can give an employee a sense of accomplishment that they were one of the reasons their company is used by more people.

Propelling the Salvation Army Towards Success Essay

In light of the massive adverse publicity surrounding non-profit organizations and charities, the key objective of the Salvation Army (â€Å"the Army†) in the coming years is to increase public confidence. Increasing public confidence arguably leads to increase in public donations that will allow the Army to extend its reach to more needy people in Singapore. This calls for a major overhaul in the Army’s organisation strategy, as new strategies need to be formulated to rise to the challenges of the turbulent environment. An organizational change is expected of the Army and the communication of change represents the key to a successful implementation of the new corporate strategy. Engaged to engineer the change, our consulting team will orchestrate the process in four stages. Firstly, we scrutinize the external environment in which the Army operates in and identify the key threats and opportunities in the near future. Next, we would perform a critical strategic analysis of the Army’s existing strategic framework and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses against the environmental threats and opportunities. Subsequently, we will propose changes to its strategic framework to better minimize the threats and capitalize on the opportunities. Lastly, we recommend the use of the Balanced Scorecard as a strategy management system to communicate the organizational change and execute its strategies. Designed by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, the Balanced Scorecard has been used by many profit-maximizing organizations and received spectacular success. As a strategic management tool that aligns employees to organizational goals and objectives, the BSC is equally applicable in the context of a charitable organisation. We espoused that if the pitfalls are cautiously avoided and the difficulties circumvented, the benefits brought about by the BSC will outweigh the cost of implementation. Careful use of the BSC will propel The Salvation Army towards sustainable success. The Salvation Army is a worldwide non-profit organization that provides social aid to the poor, destitute and hungry with the intention of bringing the message Christian Salvation to the world with no discrimination towards any race or religion. With its operations spanning globally, the Army has employed a highly de-centralized organisation design to better cater to local needs. While the London Headquarter provides guidance, the operations are run predominantly by a selected group of passionate local citizens. In Singapore, the Army provides social aid through its churches (corps) and a wide range of social and community programmes. The range of aid provided includes child care centres, children homes, personal development programmes for secondary school students, youth development centres, tuition centres, corps community services, family support services, elderly care, nursing homes and rehabilitation centres, prison-support ministries and services. The accounting scandals of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) took the Singapore public by storm. There was huge media coverage about the impropriety of usage of funds and the management was unable to account for the money received and spent. In a spate of scandals about charitable organizations hitting Singapore, public confidence towards these charitable organizations took a huge plunge. The need for the Army to improve its image and to adopt a new strategy is imminent in order to deliver its objectives continuously. These lessons are critical to the future success of The Army. †¢Transparency in Operations Consequent to the decreased public confidence, the public has become more careful in selecting the organizations they donate to. While it is uncertain as to the motivation of philanthropic acts by individuals, there is a healthy desire for more transparency about public funded activities. [Gallagher and Weinberg, 1991] This suggests that the more transparent the charitable organisation is, the more individuals are willing to donate to that charitable organisation. Corporate Governance The second lesson that can be drawn is the importance of good corporate governance practices in charitable organizations. Governance in the charity sector refers to the systems and processes concerned with ensuring the overall direction, effectiveness, supervision and accountability of an organisation. [CGC IPC, 2007] Charities are for the benefit of people by the people, it is just a form of organizing and making sure that the resources in cash or in-kind are being directed to those in need. Therefore, it is imperative that the charitable organisation be accountable to the public as to where the funds are directed and how they are allocated. Good corporate governance is fast becoming an important criterion for the public in deciding whether to donate to a charitable organisation and even a more important factor for volunteers when choosing which charitable organisation to volunteer at. To achieve this, the Army’s Board is entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that there is good governance in the company to build the firm foundation for maintaining clear accounting and high public awareness and trust. This also contributes towards performance indicators and operational structures. †¢Corporate Culture Corporate culture is perhaps the most vital towards promoting ethics in a company. Having a corporate culture that emphasizes ethical behaviors provide great boost to public confidence. Consequent to the NKF Saga, we have seen how the employees of NKF decided against blowing the whistle on their superiors despite being aware of the fraudulent practices of the upper management. This ill culture where unethical behaviour is condoned has brought down an otherwise successful and good-intentioned organisation. Our consulting team will perform a critical review on the Army’s existing strategies and tactics and propose changes to lift the Army out of the current situation through boosting public confidence and ultimately increase their donation funds to deliver its intended objectives. Subsequently, we propose the use of Balanced Scorecard (â€Å"BSC†) to implement the pro posed strategies and tactics in view of its success in the corporate world.

does media violence effect society essays

does media violence effect society essays Media is undoubtedly the greatest medium of communication in our society, but how does medias portrayal of violence affect us as a whole? Is musics explicit lyrics and televisions raunchy and violent content the cause of our downfall, or is it merely an accurate depiction of todays society? Two young males were fatally shot with multiple gun wounds to the head and chest, how many times have we all heard these words on the evening news? Although the news is a media to educate us on the goings on in the world, much of America chooses not to view these daily programs due to the fact that most of it concentrates on violence. Though, violence is not only limited the local news which merely exposes us to what actually takes place, but what about the many violent television programs that frequent our airwaves. With the eruption of professional wrestling, our children now view beating each other up, breaking chairs, choke holding and the various other violent gimmicks used by these wrestlers as an exciting norm. Hasta La Vista Baby, the famous words of Arnold Schwarzenegger as he as he literally annihilates a mall full of shoppers. These are the types of gruesome acts that moviegoers pay millions of dollars a year to see. Do the R ratings attract us? Is it the gore that we view on the TV previews? Or, is it the mentality that society has cultivated towards violence? The more gruesome the movie, the more likely we are to run out to see it on opening night. Our society is such that we tend to put on a pedestal the actors and actresses that use profanity, expose themselves and are more violent on the silver screen. Ultimately sex and violence sells, and in this society the almighty dollar is of utmost importance. Parents cannot stop children from witnessing the harsh realities of society, violence, sex and crime. However, it is their role as parents to enforce a strong sense of m...

Famous Blessings, Sayings, and Songs About Hanukkah

Famous Blessings, Sayings, and Songs About Hanukkah The name of this Jewish holiday can be spelled many different ways, but the two most widely accepted are Hanukkah and Chanukah. The holiday is also known as the Festival of Lights. In honor of the celebration of Hanukkah, here are some blessings, proverbs, thoughts, and even a song from famous people such as American film producer Ralph Levy, American author Dave Barry, poet Hannah Senesh, and many others. Dave Barry In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it Christmas  and went to church; the Jews called it Hanukkah and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say Merry Christmas!  or Happy Hanukkah! or (to the atheists) Look out for the wall! Chinese Proverb It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Allen Ginsberg From: Psalm III Let the crookedness and straightness bespeak the light. Ralph Levy Now, near the Winter Solstice, it is good to light candles. All the nice meanings of bringing light to the world can be beautiful. But perhaps we are concentrating on lighting the world because we dont know how to light up our own lives. Hanukkah Blessing May This Festival of Lights bring Blessings upon you and All Your Loved Ones for Happiness, for Health, and for Spiritual and Material Wealth, and May the Lights of Chanukah Usher in the Light of Moshiach and a Better World for All of Humankind. Rabbi David Hartman The major question, which we must ponder on Hanukkah, is whether the Jewish people can develop an identity that will enable it to meet the outside world without feeling threatened or intimidated. The choice, hopefully, need not be ghettoization or assimilation. We can absorb from others without being smothered. We can appreciate and assimilate that which derives from foreign sources and at the same time feel firmly anchored to our particular frame of reference. Emma Lazarus, The Feast of Lights Kindle the taper like the steadfast star Ablaze on evenings forehead oer the earth, And add each night a lustre till afar. Ralph Levy Hanukkah - Another View We have focused on the miracle-thing and I think we often overlook the message of Hanukkah. To me, the core of the holiday is the cleaning of the temple... The accomplishment was in restoring the temple to the purpose for which it was built. Now think of the temple as a symbol. Perhaps it represents my life. The world has tried to use me for its own (perhaps good, but none-the-less extrinsic) purposes. But now I can rededicate myself to my own original purpose. II Maccabees 10. 6-7 They celebrated it for eight days with gladness like Sukkot   and recalled how a little while before, during Sukkot,   they had been wandering in the mountains and caverns like wild animals. So carrying lulavs ... they offered hymns of praise   to God who had brought to pass the purification of His own place. Charles Reznikoff From the poem: Meditations on the Fall and Winter Holidays The miracle, of course, was not that the oil for the sacred light - in a little cruse - lasted as long as they say; but that the courage of the Maccabees lasted to this day: let that nourish my flickering spirit. Adam Sandler From the song: The Hanukkah Song   Put on your yarmulke, Here comes Hanukkah! So much funukah, To celebrate Hanukkah! Hanukkah is the festival of lights. Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights. Hannah Senesh Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame. Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart.

Assignment 4 Brief therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assignment 4 Brief therapy - Essay Example or â€Å"How can the therapist provide what is needed to get the patient unstuck?† (Budman, Hoyt & Friedman, 1992). Among the approaches presented, I am partial to the cognitive behavioral techniques. In this paper, two of the known ones shall be discussed, namely Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy pioneered by Aaron Beck. It is believed that much can be said about how a person reacts to a situation. In times of successes and positive moments, most people celebrate with joyous reactions. However, in troubled times, people react with different shades of negative emotions. Some spring back right away and take positive action while others dwell in doom and even fall into a dark depressive state. For these people, how do they find their way back to the light? Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is considered to be the forerunner of Cognitive Behavior therapies. Its basic hypothesis is that our emotions stem mainly from our beliefs, evaluations, interpretations and reactions to life situations. Ellis believes that we have an inborn tendency towards growth and actualization but we often sabotage our movement toward growth due to self-defeating patterns we have learned. Through therapeutic processes, the client learns skills to isolate and dispute their irrational views which were mostly self-constructed and maintained by self-indoctrination. REBT helps clients replace such irrational views with rational and constructive ones, thus resulting in more productive change in behavior and reactions to situations. Although Ellis believes that therapists maintain unconditional regard for the client, he also warns against giving too much warmth to the point of coddling, as it encourages clients’ dependence for approval from the therapist. Maturity is expected of the client as great