William Sheldon

The eNotes Blog eNotes Book ClubWater

Book ClubWater For this installment of our book club series, we chose the theme of â€Å"water.† If youre looking for stories that capture the fluidity of life and the beauty of nature, read on! â€Å"Tenth of December† by George Saunders Having just finished Lincoln in the Bardo, Id been wanting to read more stories by George Saunders. So, once we settled on the theme of â€Å"Water,† I grabbed the office copy of Tenth of December, opened to the titular short story, saw the mention of a pond, and away we went. Saunders prose style imitates the flow of thought in novel ways, revealing emotion and humor through wordplay, syntax variations, and point of view. In brief, Tenth of December is set in a park during winter and tells the story of a young boy and a middle-aged man who manage to help each other through their respective crises. While a few of us thought parts of the story were almost too sad, the group all felt the power of this emotional read. Its still unclear to us just how his writing had us suddenly full of tears right after belly laughing- and then back again. We found the style dazzling, the tone fascinating, and the way Saunders writes feeling as distinctly human. All in all, this piece- or another of his (yes, please read Fox 8)- is definitely worth reading. - Wes â€Å"A Guide to Sirens† by Lee Conell In response to this prompt, my first urge was to find a mermaid story. When that search brought up nothing but children’s stories, I tried â€Å"underwater.† Then â€Å"rain.† Then â€Å"beach.† I was dismayed and frustrated to find that my broad, atmospheric search terms were bringing up short stories focusing on failed marriages and/or divorced couples. Which is why, in my frustration, I was glad to find â€Å"A Guide to Sirens.† Though the story is (inevitably) about a divorced man, it seems to poke fun at the tired trope of failed love by introducing a semi-supernatural element to the mix. We enjoyed theorizing about the story: Is our protagonist led to his death by a siren? Is it an exploration of a depressed man’s imagination? Or, digging a little deeper, is â€Å"A Guide to Sirens† the story of this man’s suicide? As much as we enjoyed discussing our theories and predictions, we didn’t love Conell’s writing. Many of us felt her stiff, wordy language tries too hard and says more than needed; one of us described her language choice as â€Å"fake deep.† The dialogue is clunky, the characters surface-level, and overall, we felt Conell’s story lacks direction. â€Å"A Guide to Sirens† is a quick read, but don’t expect to be blown away by the prose. - Kate â€Å"A Perfect Day for Bananafish† by J. D. Salinger â€Å"A Perfect Day for Bananafish† is the first story in J. D. Salinger’s Nine Stories collection and is easily his most famous short story. I assigned this after reading Kate’s pick since both stories’ setting and mood had interesting parallels for us to explore. In â€Å"Bananafish,† we meet Muriel Glass as she’s on the phone with her mother, hiding from the Florida sun in her hotel room. While they discuss Muriel’s husband, Seymour, you get a sense of looming drama and foreboding regarding his disturbing actions, past and present, and mental state. We then find ourselves lounging with Seymour in a robe on the beach. He goes for a dip in the ocean with Sybil, a young girl, where the title of the piece is revealed on their hunt for Bananafish. After Sybil says she spots one, Seymour kisses her feet and abruptly leaves for his hotel room, where he shoots himself in the head with a pistol. This was the first read through for the group, and I was so excited to share it with them. A member praised this story as a â€Å"masterclass in showing not telling† due to the tight, believable dialogue- especially the opening scene with Muriel and her mother. â€Å"Bananafish† is one of those stories that gives and gives the more and more you look, with a variety of at-times paradoxical opinions and takeaways from the story. With so many discussion possibilities, takes, and interpretations, I can’t recommend this story more for your classroom or next book club. - Sam A Quartet of American Nature Writers As we discussed the topic of water, I became interested in the ways water has been depicted in prose. For my selection, I found myself drawn to works that combine linguistic exuberance with exposition. The first piece I chose was the opening of Rachel Carson’s The Sea Around Us. She brings to her writing on marine topics a keen attention to the conclusions of science elevated by a grand, almost biblical tone: â€Å"Beginning are apt to be shadowy, and so it is with the beginnings of that great mother life, the sea.† Her fascination with origins lends the piece an awe-inspiring scope. Next, I selected chapter 58 of Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick. Although fictional, Moby-Dick so often verges into expository tangents on marine matters that I deemed its inclusion warranted- even necessary, given its influence on American letters. As the Pequot glides through the Indian Ocean, Ishmael evokes the oft-forgotten horrors of the sea: â€Å"Baby man may brag of his science and skill†¦ yet forever and ever, to the crack of doom, the sea will insult and murder him.† Henry David Thoreau’s Walden offers a more placid view of water, particularly in the chapter â€Å"The Ponds.† In clear, sensuous prose, Thoreau tells of the joys of Walden Pond, such as â€Å"fishing from a boat by moonlight, serenaded by foxes and owls.† Thoreau describes the night sky’s reflection the dark water, which makes his fishing line appear to glide upward, in the direction of his thoughts, â€Å"to vast and cosmogony themes in other spheres.† Finally, I chose a passage from Ann Zwinger’s Run, River, Run. Zwinger, like Thoreau, foregoes generality in favor of specificity. Her book centers on the Green River, which flows through Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. Zwinger describes the river in prose that ranges from sharp observation to breathless awe to wry humor- the last of which can be seen in her description of the river’s confluence with the Colorado River: â€Å"There by Congressional proclamation, having fallen over 9,000 feet in 730 miles, the Green River ends.† - Zack â€Å"The Daughter Cells† by Daniel Mallory Ortberg I’ve been a huge fan of Ortberg’s writing since his days at The Toast and was thrilled with the opportunity to subject the bookclub to him. An immediately appealing aspect of â€Å"The Daughter Cells† is its unique approach to â€Å"water†- Ortberg’s underwater society is practical and utilitarian, and the literal liquidity of its borders is used to contextualize ideas of personal property rather than to describe the mystery and romance usually associated with mermaids. But, then, the heroine isn’t really a mermaid. â€Å"The Daughter Cells† is similar to Hans Christian Andersen’s â€Å"The Little Mermaid,† but it easily stands alone. It reads like a straightforward story told by an impatient older sibling; the depth of its world-building and the complexity of its themes seemed to sneak up on us. But once group discussion began, it felt like we could talk about this story for hours. Through the culture of his underwater society, Ortberg explores definitions of individuality, the confusion of necessary and unnecessary suffering, and the varying roles offered through different relationships. We enjoyed the multiple angles from which these topics were approached and the narrator’s colloquial- though somewhat condescending- relationship with the reader. And while there are places where the narrative voice is perhaps a bit much, there’s still the plain fun of Ortberg’s approach. For example, his heroine’s interaction with her unconscious prince on the beach seems hardly the stuff of fairy tales: She had never seen anyone who lived above water so placid before. It seemed eminently sensible, and so she decided to love him for it. She was delighted that she had been away from home less than a day and already she had found something useful to do. It’s just delightful. Our entire group found a lot to engage with, and everyone enjoyed the read, so we can recommend this one wholeheartedly. - Caitlin â€Å"Brawler† by Lauren Groff After hearing stories of oceans, lakes, and ponds, Lauren Groff’s â€Å"Brawler† took our book club to a different setting of water- a pool. I can only describe the short story from The New Yorker as a coming-of-age snapshot. Though the story lacks a plot, it effectively evokes feeling. It’s one of those reads that may be best to just let it wash over you and take from it what you will. We are introduced to Sara as she’s arriving late to a diving meet, knuckles bloodied from a fight she had with a boy in her class. Through a series of actions and flashbacks, we learn Sara doesn’t have many friends, often gets into trouble, and has assumed the role of a caretaker at home. The theme and imagery of water is flows throughout this entire story. Water is the place where Sara finds solace. It’s associated with the memory of her father, it’s where she excels as a diver, and it’s the only place where she can feel weightless. Our discussion sparked concerns for what will become of Sara. Some of us felt that she’ll figure it out, because of her strong will and independence. Others felt concern about the lack of guidance and support she receives at home, thus making her gravitate toward men who give her attention. Ultimately, we decided that Sara recognizes that she’s transitioning into womanhood, perhaps both physically and emotionally. Regardless of what that transition will bring, we feel confident she’ll survive anything because she is a â€Å"brawler.† - Savannah

Louis XIV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Louis XIV - Essay Example Also important was his concept of himself which enabled him to rule by Divine right, and the philosophies of the time that supported his notions. Louis was five years old when he sat on the throne with the regency of Cardinal Jules Mazarin, against whom the nobles and the Paris Parlement (a powerful law court), rose in 1648 at the beginning of the long civil war known as the Fronde.In the course of this war, Louis suffered humiliation,poverty, misfortune, fear, cold, and hunger, because he had to often leave his place in Paris and go into hiding for his own safety.These early experiences led him to have a lifelong mistrust in the nobility, they taught him that the nobility was one of the greatest threats to a French king and inspired him to set about implementing his absolutist concepts. Being a devout Catholic, he had no trouble in imagining that he was an agent ordained by God himself to rule the kingdom and made great efforts to cultivate an image for himself that was based on myth and legend, as well as on reason and political legitimacy. Louis chose the sun as his personal emblem, signifying that he was the source of all benevolence in the kingdom and that the entire world, including the nobles, revolved around him, and he soon came to be known across all Europe as the "Sun King". "On June 5th, 1662, a procession of monkeys, bears, nobles, and slaves, spiralled through the streets of Paris in celebration of the glory of Louis XIV. ......the king was represented as the serene and uncontested master of the world; each noble carried a shield bearing a device which affirmed his absolute subjugation to Louis Dieu-donne figured as the sun." (Lynn, 1998) Louis' concept received further legitimacy in his status as agent of God in the work of those like Thomas Hobbes and Jacques-Bnigne Bossuet, who argued that monarchy was the most natural and ancient form of government , and since kings receive their power and sanction from God, their authority was absolute and unchallenged. "The power of God makes itself felt in a moment from one extremity of the earth to another. Royal power works at the same time throughout all the realm. It holds all the realm in position, as God holds the earth. Should God withdraw his hand, the earth would fall to pieces; should the king's authority cease in the realm, all would be in confusion." (Bossuet, 1679) This belief in absolute authority, a megalomania of sorts, reinforced the monarch's stance on the nobility, as they represented a threat to his power and security on the throne.Nobles before Louis' reign were feudal lords, and had the means to raise private armies. This was because the lesser nobles acted as the king's agents and in his name collected taxes, posted edicts and dispensed justice. They and their overlords, the higher nobility, provided armies to the king in times of war as the kings before Louis did not possess a standing army of their own. The higher nobles could also build their own fortifications, which gave them the power to hold their ground if they rose against the king.Louis realized that if the nobility continued to hold so much influence, not only will they tend to rebel and create disorder, he himself would be accorded the status of first among equals, and this he found totally

An issue affecting two or more countries Article

An issue affecting two or more countries - Article Example While CIA provided information from the satellites about abandoned soviet trucks and weapon depots for the Taliban, ISI transferred the information to the men on ground (Coll p. 291) making it possible for the Taliban to conquer Afghanistan with astonishing speed uniting the country for the benefit of Pakistan, United States and Saudi Arabia (Reeve p. 191). After the September 11 attacks, US invaded the Taliban controlled Afghanistan asking all countries to cut off Taliban support. Pakistan ordered the Taliban embassy to be closed in 2001, allied with the US and supported the invasion by providing its forward military bases. The hard war in Afghanistan followed up by a bloody insurgency caused US to lose unprecedented amount of war founds trying to control Afghan territory. Adding to the troubles were lack of understanding of terrain and psyche of the local people. The overwhelming force and technology, while allowed the US to have complete air superiority and highly reinforced milit ary bases in the region, could still not help them achieve actual victory and control over the territory outside their bases. The insurgency caused alot of contention between USA and Pakistan as allies and the US still ended up blaming Pakistan for supporting Afghan Taliban after calling it their top non-NATO ally. This paper compares and contrasts BBC reports and The Washington Post with respect to the US allegations and Pakistani denials. BBC reports Pakistan being accused of playing a double game by the US (Collyns). After interviewing a few prisoners, according to BBC, the US officials concluded that Pakistan was actively supporting Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan for a hidden agenda. This can be seen as a fallacy of composition created from a single point of view being viewed as the resulting aim of country’s net actions. Pakistani ISI has been a powerful element both in the country and in its defense against the enemy powers when it came to proxy wars. The BBC uses th e circumstantial prisoner witnesses to support the accusation by the US officials. While attributing repeated denials to Pakistan in two instances, the report suggests the US accusations overly weighed and further states them as a fact by presenting a BBC documentary to back up the accusations as facts. This strains the neutral point of view of the report which should be there in an international news article fully attributing views to their actual sources and not stating contentions opinions or conflicting truths as facts. Furthermore, in addition to the US accusations, the BBC report itself alleges that Pakistan has helped and harboured Afghan Taliban in its territory stating it as a ‘plain to see’ fact (Collyns). The Washington Post, on the other hand, also attributes accusations to the US and denials to Pakistan but keeps it to that (Leiby). The report can be contrasted with that of BBC’s in a clear cut way. As a clear contrast to the BBC report, this report presents quotations of US accusations in text with conflicting quotations of Pakistani denials making it more balanced and neutral in its point of view. The Washington Post report also uses the BBC report as a reference but puts it in a more neutral way without any presumptions. The BBC excerpts are quoted to tell the US side of the story while the Pakistani foreign minister is clearly attributed to have categorically put

Study of a leader in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Study of a leader in business - Essay Example ere a psychological profile that identifies a leader, and if so are there different psychological attributes that can identify a great leader If these traits can be somehow quantified, are there other qualities which are present in differing degrees that determine a business leader. ... he mood and temper of the people as well as the critical components inherent in the objectives Or are leadership qualities constant, displaying inherent characteristics that in differing degrees can be found in examples of leadership throughout history Is it something that a person is born with, inherits, or is learned Is there a psychological profile that identifies a leader, and if so are there different psychological attributes that can identify a great leader If these traits can be somehow quantified, are there other qualities which are present in differing degrees that determine a business leader. Is it style, intelligence, insight, a Midas touch, or elements of luck Could it be that the qualities that determine a successful business leader are attributes one is born with, or is it the ability to respond to the demands of the consistently changing business climate by finding solutions which enable one to work through vicissitudes and come out on top One common thread which is obvious in all great leaders, be they revered or scorned, is that they viewed the world, events, history, the present as well as the future in ways that were different from their contemporaries, and in such a manner that distinguished them in their era. What great leadership is, how it manifests itself in certain individuals is a subject which could entail considerable debate, thus the examination shall limit itself to one particular individual and determine if we can understand what and why this person has exhibited and demonstrated the attributes which cause us to view him in such a manner. This study shall look at Sir Richard Branson as an example of leadership in that he represents a contemporary individual who rose from modest means to become one of the world's most successful

Supply Chain of Toyota Motors

Supply Chain of Toyota Motors In the automotive industry, supply chains are extensive and include elements of producing based on several forecasting techniques. The amount of money invested is large and fixed. Key trend in the automotive industry is the increase of the variant numbers on individual models and standardization of components in the supply chain. This means that models can be adjusted to the individual tastes of customers and new models are developed and produced continuously in order to meet the changing market demand. The uncertainty in the market place is translated into mix flexibility and volume flexibility in order to be competitive in the market place. The supply chain which was developed by Toyota was one of the premier in Low Cost supply chains. The entire chain was intended to reduce the costs and get the cost to minimal possible values. But there was no compromise on customer satisfaction, quality and delivery time. It maintained reasonable service levels. The objective of the SCM was to place the Right Product at the right store in right quantities catering to the right customer at right time and a right price. The supply chain created by Toyota (Exhibit 2) was highly integrated. It had a complete integration of right from the raw material providers to its Tier 1 and 2 vendors along with the manufacturing plants, warehouses , dealers and end customers. International collaborators were also a part of the supply chain which made it even more robust and inclusive. The analyses of some of elements of this highly integrated SCM are as below Suppliers Toyota organized its suppliers into functional tiers. The first tier suppliers worked together in a product development team and the second tier suppliers made individual parts. The first tier suppliers were highly co-operative. There is a high degree of co-operation and information exchange between them. This greatly reduces the lead time in new product development as it avoids Re-inventing the wheel. Toyota also believes in having an overall technological development throughout their suppliers as well. It sends personnel to suppliers to compensate for greater working load. Besides that it also transfers senior working managers for top positions at their suppliers. This not only gives the suppliers greater insights to Toyotas management practices but is also a move to make the suppliers master Lean production practices initiated by Toyota. Related to flexibility, the following can be said. Since Toyota strives for a long-term relationship with its suppliers and also pursues a single-sourcing strategy for their strategic components, it does leave the OEM vulnerable for disruptions. But, the single-sourcing strategy is also a means to establish a long-term and flexible relationship with a supplier. Since each supplier shares its destiny with other suppliers and Toyota, the level of collaboration horizontally and vertically is higher. Therefore, a singly sourcing strategy itself is considered to be as hazardous, the relationship itself is far more flexible then a more economic-oriented relationship between a buyer-and-supplier. The concept of minimal production cost is so well practice that the vendor pricing is also done on Market Price Minus concept rather than Supplier Cost Plus This is basically a value analysis to the end user. By this particular move they try to provide the necessary value to the end product at minimal manufacturing cost. Besides that the production smoothening concept enables the suppliers to maintain a constant business volumes. Overall the intention of the company is to maintain long term relationships with co-operation and team work. Procurement Toyota does not partner with its suppliers just functionally but in operation terms as well. Suppliers are integral elements of Toyota. They are geographically located within 56 miles radius. A security of guaranteed order is given which enables them to produce the best quality raw materials at cheapest cost achieving economies of scale. Toyota does not believe in choosing supplier as a lowest bidder. But it believes in gradual mutual improvement. It believes in vendor creation and development. As an initiative in this direction it trains its suppliers as per required. Packaging is also given a great importance with respect to transportation efficiency. Packaging is done in medium box size and small pallets. There is a dedicated transport service. Consistent daily route and periodic route revision is provided so as to cater to even smaller requirements. Supplier Relations Toyota has a supplier partnership hierarchy in which it develops or builds relations with its suppliers. This is called as supplier partnership hierarchy. This hierarchy is as described below. Kaizen and training 6. Interlocking Structure Joint Improvement 7. Mutual Understanding and Trust Information Sharing Compatible Capabilities Control System As per this particular hierarchy what Toyota tries to achieve is create levels of responsibilities in the tiers itself along with strict cost and timing awareness. It has integrated the JIT (Just In Time) approach also Toyota can be considered as the first automobile brand that introduced a clear need for flexibility in its entire business system. Toyotas lean philosophy is not only restricted to its manufacturing system: it describes a philosophy that incorporates a collection of tools and techniques into the business processes to optimize time, human resources, assets, and productivity while improving the quality level of products and services to their customers. Currently, several automobile brands clearly recognize the strength of lean thinking in relation to increase flexibility in their supply chain activities. In the dyadic relationship between a buyer and supplier, emphasis is put on how the work can be done smoothly in order to improve quality and reduce costs. Best value procurement becomes more important instead of merely a cost-oriented approach that ensures a close relationship with suppliers. First tier suppliers are incorporated into the production development program. This means that suppliers make their own engineering decisions instead of designing on the basis of blueprints solely. Next to this, these suppliers have their own 2ndtier suppliers under itself who supply parts for these components. This ensures that the exchange of information is possible horizontally which improves the collaboration between suppliers. This collaborative aspect is of major importance in a relationship when market demand (or other influences) requ ires changes of demand in the buyer-supplier relationship. This collaborative aspect among suppliers is rather uncommon in many industries since sharing information increases the risk of losing the next bidding process among suppliers to an assembler. As a preliminary conclusion, the Toyota cases sheds light on the mix, volume, new product and delivery time aspects of flexibility in SCM. MANUFACTURING Toyota believes in continuous development by adopting lean production process and is a pioneered in TPS known as (Toyota Production System). The system is designed on Pull strategy and customer is at the prime focus in the entire production facility. It implements lean production facility which has features like Cellular layouts and could be set up in small time. It has pull scheduling emphasizing decreased wastes. Loss aversion is one of the basic feature of lean. Besides that Toyota also assures six sigma qualities. The overall result of this policy being excellent quality at low costs combined with fast response abilities. Exhibit 3 shows some key principles of Lean manufacturing by Toyota DISTRIBUTION It applies Toyota way to manage dealers based on 3 key principles Complete freedom to dealers to make decisions. It helps them invest in right things to improve. Dealers become extremely proactive because of this move Toyota believes in joint development with dealers. It believes in organic growth with dealers Competition is key to improvement Exhibit 4 shows the geographical distribution of Toyota WHAT MAKES TOYOTA DIFFERENT FROM ITS COMPETITORS? Toyota has an earthquake resilient supply chain- An pioneering initiative Toyota and other Japanese automakers were forced to halt a large portion of their production both inside and outside Japan for months after the earthquake and tsunami cut off the supply of hundreds of parts from the countrys devastated northeast. Toyota was taking three steps to fight supply chain risks that he expected would be completed in roughly five years. The first is to further standardize parts across Japanese automakers so they could share common components that could be manufactured in several locations. The second step is to ask suppliers further down the chain to hold enough inventory perhaps a few months worth for specialized components that cannot be built in more than one location, or take anti-quake measures that guarantee safety against any tremor or tsunami. Part of the second step would involve developing technology that would provide more options for parts and materials, such as substituting rare earths found mostly in China. The third step to becoming more resilient was to make each region independent in its parts procurement so that a disaster in Japan would not affect production overseas.

How Stevenson Builds Suspense and Tension in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Es

How Stevenson Builds Suspense and Tension in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde After thoroughly examining the question at hand. I have understood that I should comment on at least three episodes of the novel and clearly stress out how the writer built up the suspense and tension of the story. However I am going to look at techniques such as using shot quotations and not being to repetitive. The episodes l am going to be explaining are the incident of the letter, the remarkable incident of Dr Lanyon and the Last Night. In the Incident of the Letter, Stevenson starts of the episode by telling us what Dr Jekyll's house was like through Mr Uttersons eyes. He later starts spicing up his story by describing Dr Jekyll's quarters as the," dingly windowless structure". Stevenson then also goes on to give a mystic filling to the reader by describing the light in Dr Jekyll's theatre as", falling dimly through the fogy copula." Stevenson then went on to put a scary touch to the story by telling us that Dr Jekll was," looking deadly sick", and that he, "held out a cold hand," when he met with Mr Utterson.When asked about Mr Hyde Dr Jekyll starts swearing out of knower and can be quoted saying,"l am done with him in this world". Later on in the episode Dr Jekyll produces the much-awaited letter, which he claims, came from Mr Hyde. Tension can also be seen building up as Dr Jekyll cried out when he spoke to Mr Utterson. Dr Jekll was described as he," seemed seized with a qualm of faintness", because Mr Utterson was talking about Dr Jekyll's will which he linked to Dr Hyde. Later on in the episode a stunning similarity is discovered between DrJekyll's handwriting and Mr Hyde's. The fog around the city is then described as," s... ...that the evening was full of mystery. Stevenson described how the,"scud", in the sky was, "banked over the moon" and also that Stevenson went on to also describing London as, "humming solemnly all around", and that the "stillness", was broken by the "sound moving to and fro the cabinet floor". Before the attack Stevenson put a note of scariness when he described Mr Utterson as "filled with a sudden chill of horror", when he had that Dr Jekyll had been weeping like a lost soul. As MrUtterson and Mr Poole attacked the cabinet door Stevenson used a high degree of tension and scariness to describe the sounds that came out the cabinet which he described as, "dismal screechs", as of mere animal terror". When they finally broke in to the cabinet the body they found there was described as, "sorely contorted and still twitching", and yes it was Mr Hyde's body.

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Essay

Aron Ralston’s physiological need was to satisfy his hunger, thirst, and a need to love and be loved. His desire was to be a father. This gave him a purpose to live. His will to live became greater than dying. But thirst and hunger overcame him to a point where he was saving and sipping his own urine to stay alive. I also believe that he had a divine appointment as he was shown insight into his reproductive future by the vision he had of a son. He was also shown that he was going to lose his arm when he saw the preschool boy being scooped up by a one armed man. I do not know if Aron believed in God or if he even had a relationship with my Lord and Savior or not, but I do think that his spiritual development should have grown through his journey. Hunger can put us in a life or death situation. After hours of driving alone in an unfamiliar city, you finally see a diner where you can eat. Even though it looks deserted and a little creepy, you end up stopping because you are really hungry. According to Maslow (pg 407) our need to meet the physiological need of hunger and thirst takes priority over our safety needs prompting us to take risk at times in order to eat. See more:Â  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay References Myers, David G. Psychology. New York: Worth, 1998. Print. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Essay With the exception of reflexes, the science of psychology portends that all human behavior is motivated. The subject is exhaustively dealt with by different schools of thought and each of which appears to be valid explanations of human behavior. Dr. Abraham Maslow (Halonen & Santrock, 1996) made a strenuous effort to arrange human motives in a hierarchy from stronger and lower at one end to weaker and higher at the other. Maslow essentially suggested that what man really wants is more of everything. Man desires a better and better situation for himself. He wants only what he does not already have, and thus satisfied needs do not motivate behavior. Maslow said that needs or wants can be arranged in a hierarchy of importance. Thus, when needs on the lower level are fulfilled, those on a higher level emerge and demand satisfaction. The hierarchy of needs he suggested placed physiological needs as lowest or basic, then safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and finally self-realization needs. In other words, Maslow believed that higher needs are expressed only when the prepotent physiological needs are satisfied. See more:Â  Perseverance essay This is also true of needs for safety and security. Until there is a basic amount of order and stability in meeting the lower needs, a person may have little interest in higher pursuits (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). A person with an empty stomach cannot be expected to write literary work or tasked to write an essay about the effects of war on Afghanistan. The paper attempts to scrutinize the validity of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory based on several criteria which shall be discussed as follows. Discussion Maslow’s theory is classified under the humanistic perspective as it emphasizes the direction towards an individual must proceed which is self-actualization. This point in his hierarchy, Maslow tried to explain in much detail. According to him, self-actualization when attained, demonstrates what it is to be a fully developed human being. It is described as elusive due to the fact that man must have to satisfy the lower needs or those needs preceding this highest need (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). To satisfy further one’s curiosity about this theory, the theory will be determined by the following: Freedom or Determinism: can a person control their own behavior or is it determined by internal or external forces? In Maslow’s viewpoint, human motives are ordered in hierarchy and thus, man responds to these as they arise (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). With this premise, the theory is basically leaning toward the philosophical idea of freedom. Man is free to chart his course and how he is supposed to fulfill his various needs; i. e. his physiological dimension. In addition, the manner with which he carves himself in a particular niche that satisfies his psychological domains is also based on his own volition. There is no flavor of unconscious thoughts pervading motivation like when the idea of psychological instincts being interpreted within Maslow’s understanding; in contrast to this notion, any individual can basically control their own behavior. Maslow’s theory believes on the capacities of human nature to achieve what man wants to achieve rather than be held captive by forces within him or in his external world; it is the internal determinants such as self-determination that separates the theory from the rest especially among those with the deterministic stance (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Hereditary or Environmental: are the characteristics a person has inherited and inborn or is it developed by social influences? Since the premise of this theory hinges on freedom, a person’s characteristics therefore are developed by social influences. According to Maslow then, people vary in their manner of satisfying their needs because of various environmental influences that surround him/her. Man is free to choose from several options adequately provide for his own needs or desires. What are essentials though, are man’s tendencies or propensity to follow the order of needs. Biology or heritability is deemphasized, rather the value of experience is pre-eminent in the theory (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Uniqueness or Universality: individuals are unique or people are all pretty much the same This theory eventually emphasizes individuality or uniqueness, as it fundamentally illustrates in its assertion that every one has the capability for breakthroughs in circumstances which may be difficult. Man is also capable to understand himself and others, showing a lot of hope on the potentials that man possesses that he can exhaust in his lifetime (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Proactive or Reactive: individuals act on their own initiative or just in reaction to external stimuli? Since man is free, unique and has the possibilities to accomplish whatever he is set to do, it is also asserted that man is proactive: he can choose how to respond in any situation and may even extend himself to advance his interests, both positive and negative at whatever goal or in whatever circumstance he may be in (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Optimistic or Pessimistic: individuals can change given the right environment or they are unchangeable? The Hierarchy theory by design is hopeful and positive in every essence, if one is to follow the line of thinking which Maslow attempted to direct his audience. Individuals then have all the chances to make their lives fulfilling, impact others on virtues of honesty, charity and generosity, if and when he determines himself to be one. Likewise, he can also influence and negatively affect those that surround him when he chooses to do so. In this perspective then, an individual has high hopes of changing his attitudes and disposition, as well as his physical arrangements in life (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Part II. Evaluation of the theory If this theory is to be evaluated, the strength of Maslow’s assumptions lies in his recognition of the positives that humans possess. It reminds the audience of the person as a whole being and not just an organism subject to either what the psychoanalysts termed as instincts or behaviorists’ position as merely organismic. The emphasis on developing the potentialities mark Maslow’s crowning achievement in terms of theoretical appeal (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). However, there are obvious or clear discrepancies or weaknesses in the theory. Since Psychology claims to start and end as a scientific endeavor, thus following scientific procedures to provide proofs to any of its claims, then Maslow’s theory must be ready to be tested accordingly. And this is where his theory fails in almost every measure in essence. At the outset, this viewpoint of explaining behavior is difficult to measure or put to test. Specifically, despite the details and emphasis Maslow placed on self-actualization the concept is still hard to operationally define. Scientists then and now are encountering various dilemmas in making the concept scientifically or empirically acceptable. In addition, there are illogical and inconsistent presuppositions in the constructs he postulated. He adheres to man’s capability to choose and yet how can he justify the existence of the structure of ordering needs in every individual if man is not born with it in the first place. How can he explain as well on those people who have achieved (jumped to the higher order needs) when they are barely existing or are starving at the same time; being altruistic and yet has no means to adequately meet their own needs (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Lastly, studies even show that many who adhere to this philosophical viewpoint shun the scientific procedures imposed on any scientific field or discipline, and choose to lean towards the clinical orientation for the explanation of specific behaviors or motivations. Others who examined this theory explained that the assumptions on human behavior are too high or exaggerating on positives or the freedom and the logical capabilities that humans possess. Maslow’s theory, especially his self-actualization concept, critics affirm, implies the tendency for man to reinforce his self-centeredness (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Conclusion If popularity and appeal are benchmarks for a theory to pass with flying colors, Maslow’s theory probably will go to the top. This is evidenced also as to the current prevalence of his theory in business; it is pervadingly present in almost every discussion in any business management course apparently (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). For convenience, I too would readily fall for his theory and its seemingly simplistic way of explaining behaviors. But if I were to stick to following empirical underpinnings, I should say that the theory is not deep enough to satisfy more difficult human dilemmas, though in some instances, the theory seems to point to some aspects of life’s realities. It is not sufficient to compel me to believe in the theory enough. To illustrate, pursuing many of our own self-centered needs only frustrates us all the time and eventually makes many of us disordered and mentally sick along the way. Can I use it to predict human nature? In fairness, yes; but to a certain extent only, because as I mentioned, it is not sufficient enough to merit full dependence. The theory can probably modified to some degree as a picture of several aspects of being human, but to explain about the potentialities, may imply believing too much when all that is in there is just hot air, so to speak. Self-actualization may provide hope for those who are so discouraged in life, but it is still very limited in reality. Some even say that a by-product of this belief is a sense of irresponsibility (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Remarkably, Maslow suggested that various famous personalities illustrate what his theory posited including Beethoven, the brilliant composer, and Lincoln, one of the greatest leaders of all time. Each of them exemplified individuals who had characteristics of the self-actualized person (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Reference: Halonen, Jane and John Santrock (1996). Psychology: Contexts of Behavior. Brown and Benchmark Publishers, pp. 453 and 553-556.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Abstract Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the most economically successful urban areas in the United Arab Emirates. These emirates’ economic and social progress directly depends on the development of the oil industry.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United Arab Emirates (UAE) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In spite of the controversial aspects which are associated with the issues of economic and environmental sustainability, the planning and housing in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the important developed sectors which are promoted by the governments to satisfy the citizens’ needs with the help of the developed housing programmes and projects. Although the housing policies and programmes developed and implemented in Abu Dhabi and Dubai differ in some conditions and aspects, the basic principles and norms on which the policies and programmes are based are similar and work to protect the citizens’ rights. T he projects worked out in Abu Dhabi and Dubai respond to the idea of social and environmental sustainability, and the housing programmes are developed to address the citizens’ needs and resolve the housing problems. Introduction The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consist of seven federal emirates, and the paper focuses on the discussion of the development of such emirates as Abu Dhabi and Dubai which economic and social progress is associated with the effective government policies implemented within the economic and social spheres. Several decades ago, the territories of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were deserts, and today they are prosperous urban regions. The main purpose of this report is to examine the functioning of governmental housing policies and programmes, the main trends in the real estate markets of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and the property rights followed in the emirates which can influence the development of the housing policies; it is necessary to analyze the data on the housin g programmes’ implementation and to compare the information on the functioning of the policies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The reason for writing the report is the necessity to examine the factors that shape the growth of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in relation to the accepted planning and housing policies. The results of this report can be used to work out the recommendations that can improve the economic and environmental sustainability of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The report is developed to address several significant assumptions. It is possible to assume that the rapid demographic and economic growth of Dubai and Abu Dhabi is based on the development of the oil industry in the country (Sayigh 2013, p. 131). However, it is also important to pay attention to the fact that there are different visions of the rapid economic development of the U AE in relation to the impact on the environment (Norton 2005). The study is conducted to examine the economic and environmental sustainability of the hosing policies, projects, and programmes used in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (Hawkins 2004; Kazimee 2012, p. 179). These assumptions are helpful for evaluating the development of these two emirates in relation to the efficiency of many housing programs implemented in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This report contains a literature review in which the history of housing policies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is discussed, the discussion of the urban development in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the discussion of property rights and housing policies in the emirates, the discussion of the government housing policies and programmes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with the focus on their similarities and differences, and the results and discussion sections which provide the comparison and overview of the report findings. Reference List Hawkins, R 2004, The Practical Guide to Waste M anagement Law: With a List of Abbreviations and Acronyms, Useful Websites and Relevant Legislation, Thomas Telford, London. Kazimee, B 2012, Heritage and Sustainability in the Islamic Built Environment, WIT Press, Ashurst. Norton, B 2005, Sustainability: A Philosophy of Adaptive Ecosystem Management, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United Arab Emirates (UAE) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sayigh, A 2013, Sustainability, Energy and Architecture: Case Studies in Realizing Green Buildings, Academic Press, New York.

Abortion Pro

Abortion Pro At present it is evident that the topic that elicits endless and hot debates is the topic of abortion. As a result there are two groups, pro-choice movement and pro-life movement supporting and opposing abortion respectively. Although there are various definitions for abortion, I will define abortion as a safe medical procedure aimed at early termination of pregnancy (Thomson 6).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Abortion: Pro-choice and Pro-life Movement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Statistics show that more and more women are carrying out abortion; in those countries where it is not legalized, women are forced to hide the fact of abortion (Boonin 92). They are compelled to do it in hospitals that do not have qualified personnel and necessary equipment. This ultimately results in serious health complications. Based on the arguments of Mills who brought forth the concept of utilitarianism and greatest good for the greatest number of people, abortion should be considered to be right in certain circumstances. For instance, if a woman from a given community is raped and gets pregnant, it is worth noting that the woman and the unborn child will be called names and scolded; this ultimately depicts a bad picture of that society (Boonin 34). Since there is no one who wishes to be called bad names, it would be rational to support abortion in this case since it will bring happiness not only to the woman but also the entire community. It has been shown that women who get pregnant from illegal acts such as rape, incest more often than not undergo serious psychological harm as compared to their victims particularly when they continue carrying the pregnancy and later in life when the child is born (Thomson 17). The question arises whether a woman should give birth when indeed she is living in extreme poverty. In my humble opinion, a decision to medically terminate the pregnancy is a lesser evil compared t o bringing the child into this world where he or she will not be provided with enough food, clothing, education, parental care and medical care. This can be exemplified by the happening in developing countries where there is increasing number of street children and street families. This could not be the case if these women had an option of legally terminating the pregnancy (Thomson 22). On the same line of reasoning, ethics and laws of the land advocate for personal freedom and privacy. This is where an individual is allowed to decide the course of his or her life. This is very important in terms of human civil rights. For this reason a pregnant woman is the one who knows what is happening in her body. If she concludes that she is not capable of bearing the stresses associated with pregnancy, then she needs to have a choice of either carrying the pregnancy or terminating it. When the law does not allow her to procure an abortion this amounts to serious violation of her right to basi c freedom (Boonin 23).Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As suggested by Thomson 12 another scenario is when doctors have shown that the unborn child is suffering from serious health complications and he or she will not lead a normal life. In this situation, it would amount to subjecting the mother and family to serious financial burden as well as stress in paying medical bills for the rest of the child’s life. In my view, it would be better to terminate such a pregnancy. Abortion should be legalized since there is increased a number of unsafe abortion which put the lives of women in danger. Boonin, David. 2003. A Defense of Abortion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Print. Thomson, Jarvis. A Defense of Abortion. Philosophy and Public Affairs, 1.1 (1971): 47-66. Print.

Paper on oxycodone Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

On oxycodone - Research Paper Example Oxycodone mechanism of action, entails stimulation of opioid-receptors inside an individual brain. Notably, it does not purge sensation of pain, but minimizes discomfort through increasing tolerance for pain. It also results in sedation plus respiratory depression (MedlinePlus, 2012). The key therapeutic intention of Oxycodone is to alleviate modest to relentless pain, and to enhance effectiveness of particular anesthesia drugs. It offers pain relief through binding to receptors located in spinal cord and brain, specifically the opiate receptors. Therefore, once the opiate receptors are blocked, it triggers discharge of dopamine from the brain (Portenoy & et al, 2007). Oxycodone is highly addictive, and can result in abuse plus dependency. Repeated use can result in the development of tolerance, and the prescribed dose will no longer be effective in creating intended results. Unintended use mostly involves managing respiratory depression, by trying to experience a sense of euphoria, in addition to to holding back withdrawal symptoms, and as such, many of its abusers turn to heroin (Roth & etal, 2000). Users seek its euphoric, but relentless withdrawal effects together with its sedative property, since its high opioid content makes it to be absorbed over an extensive period. They then become mentally and physically reliant on it. The sensation sought by users, especially those with chronic disruptive pulmonary ailments and respiratory depression, involves decreasing their respiratory impel, and this simply results in apnea. It also causes severe hypotension, since it compromises the capacity to maintain blood pressure, while producing orthostatic hypotension (Riley & et al, 2008). Thus, vasodilatation generated by Oxycodone further diminishes cardiac output along with blood pressure. Consequences of prolonged use include reduced levels of testosterone and enlargement of prostate. Other long term effects include

Marketing Essentials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Essentials - Essay Example ........................................ 3.2 Porter’s Five Forces – relevant concerns.................................................... 4.0 SWOT and competitor analysis............................................................................... 4.1 SWOT analysis............................................................................................. 5.0 New product idea for H&M...................................................................................... 6.0 Marketing objectives and strategy............................................................................ 6.1 Pricing........................................................................................................... 6.2 Product.......................................................................................................... 6.3 Place............................................................................................................... 6.4 Promotion....................... ................................................................................ 7.0 Segmentation, targeting and positioning.................................................................... 8.0 Three year financial forecast and budget................................................................... 9.0 Metrics and implementation controls......................................................................... ... Main competition such as L’Oreal maintains 41 percent of market share with double-digit growth in sales due to the hedonistic and collectivist characteristics of male target markets in China. Financial forecasts indicate a 29.1 percent profit margin in 2014, which is lower than desired due to the high costs of operational development in manufacturing and research and development that is necessary for a business not familiar with product line extensions and new branding strategies in this product category. Over time, however this profit margin increases due to more streamlined internal systems and better logistical strategy development. H&M represents a total market value of (forecasted) over 89 billion USD in China, offering ample opportunity for revenue growth of approximately 15 to 20 percent year-on year through 2016. 2.0 Mission statement H&M strives to understand the importance of male grooming in a contemporary cultural environment, recognising the professional and socia l implications of maintaining a precise and well-tailored appearance. The top quality H&M for men line provides superior value as best-in-class grooming opportunities with the freshness of modish and elegant style. 3.0 Market overview The male grooming products market has experienced significant and explosive growth since 2004. In 2004, approximately seven billion USD were spent on grooming products specifically tailored for male grooming needs, including hairsprays, conditioners, shampoo and even hair colouring treatments (Hairstyles-7.com 2004). In 2010, one of the most prominent beauty companies, L’Oreal, experienced a growth rate in sales of male grooming products of 30 percent (CBS 2011). It is estimated that demand for male grooming products will increase to a