Discharge Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discharge Planning - Essay Example Brown has been leaving a lonely life and in isolation. Supporting Mr. Brown to resume the normal physiological and mental functioning states requires that several people take part in maintaining, promoting and evaluating health care. The significance of health care practitioners is to ensure that quality and continuous health care is accorded to the patient regardless of the environment. The medical history of Mr. Brown reveals that he has had several cardiac diseases some which required surgical treatment. He suffered from hypertension which is basically a condition in which there is sustained high blood pressure in the arteries due to increased heart rate and cardiac stimulation. Ischemia heart disease is the occlusion of the coronary arteries due to fatty deposits limiting oxygen supply to the cardiac muscles and cells while coronary bypass is surgery performed to create a new path for blood flow to the heart muscles. Chronic heart failure is also cardiovascular condition whereby the cardiac function reduces significantly, the heart muscles weaken and there is reduced cardiac output. This is seen to be the complication of other cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and hypertension that form the medical history of Mr. Brown. Discharge planning; this is a usual feature in health care service provision system whereby patient needs are determined for an effective hospital-home transition with the aim of shortening hospitalization, preventing hospital readmissions and stepping up the coordination of home based health care services. A discharge plan also acts as a link between the hospital and the place of patient discharge unified by the common interest of providing quality continuous care. During discharge a number of people are involved, the doctor, nurse, social worker, patients significant others and the patient himself take an active part. In this group of people each individual plays a specific part in promoting

Grammatical aspect Essay Example for Free

Grammatical aspect Essay Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind. Examples: †¢ I saw a movie yesterday. †¢ I didnt see a play yesterday. †¢ Last year, I traveled to Japan. †¢ Last year, I didnt travel to Korea. †¢ Did you have dinner last night? †¢ She washed her car. †¢ He didnt wash his car. USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions [pic] We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. Examples: †¢ I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim. †¢ He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00. †¢ Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs? USE 3 Duration in Past [pic] The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc. Examples: †¢ I lived in Brazil for two years. †¢ Shauna studied Japanese for five years. †¢ They sat at the beach all day. †¢ They did not stay at the party the entire time. †¢ We talked on the phone for thirty minutes. †¢ A: How long did you wait for them? B: We waited for one hour. USE 4 Habits in the Past [pic] The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as used to. To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc. Examples: †¢ I studied French when I was a child. †¢ He played the violin. †¢ He didnt play the piano. †¢ Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid? †¢ She worked at the movie theater after school. †¢ They never went to school, they always skipped class. USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations [pic] The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression used to. Examples: †¢ She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing. †¢ He didnt like tomatoes before. †¢ Did you live in Texas when you were a kid? †¢ People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past. IMPORTANT When-Clauses Happen First. Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word when such as when I dropped my pen or when class began These clauses are called when-clauses, and they are very important. The examples below contain when-clauses. Examples: †¢ When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question. †¢ She answered my question when I paid her one dollar. When-clauses are important because they always happen first when both clauses are in the Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same thing: first, I paid her one dollar, and then, she answered my question. It is not important whether when I paid her one dollar is at the beginning of the sentence or at the end of the sentence. However, the example below has a different meaning. First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her one dollar. Example: †¢ I paid her one dollar when she answered my question. ADVERB PLACEMENT The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc. Examples: †¢ You just called Debbie. †¢ Did you just call Debbie? Past Continuous FORM [was/were + present participle] Examples: †¢ You were studying when she called. †¢ Were you studying when she called? †¢ You were not studying when she called. Complete List of Past Continuous Forms USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past [pic] Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time. Examples: †¢ I was watching TV when she called. †¢ When the phone rang, she was writing a letter. †¢ While we were having the picnic, it started to rain. †¢ What were you doing when the earthquake started? †¢ I was listening to my iPod, so I didnt hear the fire alarm. †¢ You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off. †¢ While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car. †¢ Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane. †¢ While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off. †¢ A: What were you doing when you broke your leg? B: I was snowboarding. USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption [pic] In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption. Examples: †¢ Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. †¢ At midnight, we were still driving through the desert. †¢ Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work. IMPORTANT In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action. Examples: †¢ Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner. I started eating at 6 PM. †¢ Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner. USE 3 Parallel Actions [pic] When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel. Examples: †¢ I was studying while he was making dinner. †¢ While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television. †¢ Were you listening while he was talking? †¢ I wasnt paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes. †¢ What were you doing while you were waiting? †¢ Thomas wasnt working, and I wasnt working either. †¢ They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time. USE 4 Atmosphere In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past. Example: †¢ When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service. USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with Always [pic] The Past Continuous with words such as always or constantly expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression used to but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words always or constantly between be and verb+ing. Examples: †¢ She was always coming to class late. †¢ He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone. †¢ I didnt like them because they were always complaining. While vs. When Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word when such as when she called or when it bit me. Other clauses begin with while such as while she was sleeping and while he was surfing. When you talk about things in the past, when is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past, whereas while is usually followed by Past Continuous. While expresses the idea of during that time. Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the sentence. Examples: †¢ I was studying when she called. †¢ While I was studying, she called. REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Past. Examples: †¢ Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct †¢ Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct ADVERB PLACEMENT The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc. Examples: †¢ You were just studying when she called. †¢ Were you just studying when she called? ACTIVE / PASSIVE Examples: †¢ The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store. Active †¢ The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store. Passive Past Perfect FORM [had + past participle] Examples: †¢ You had studied English before you moved to New York. †¢ Had you studied English before you moved to New York? †¢ You had not studied English before you moved to New York. Complete List of Past Perfect Forms USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past [pic] The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past. Examples: †¢ I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai. †¢ I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet. †¢ Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times. †¢ Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand? †¢ She only understood the movie because she had read the book. †¢ Kristine had never been to an opera before last night. †¢ We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance. †¢ A: Had you ever visited the U. S. before your trip in 2006? B: Yes, I had been to the U. S. once before. USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs) [pic] With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past. Examples: †¢ We had had that car for ten years before it broke down. †¢ By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years. †¢ They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for more than forty years. Although the above use of Past Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words live, work, teach, and study are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs. IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect [pic]. Unlike with the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary. Example: †¢ She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996. MOREOVER If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when before or after is used in the sentence. The words before and after actually tell you what happens first, so the Past Perfect is optional. For this reason, both sentences below are correct. Examples: †¢ She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996. †¢ She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996. HOWEVER [pic] If the Past Perfect is not referring to an action at a specific time, Past Perfect is not optional. Compare the examples below. Here Past Perfect is referring to a lack of experience rather than an action at a specific time. For this reason, Simple Past cannot be used. Examples: †¢ She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct †¢ She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct ADVERB PLACEMENT The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc. Examples: †¢ You had previously studied English before you moved to New York. †¢ Had you previously studied English before you moved to New York? ACTIVE / PASSIVE Examples: †¢ George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanics license. Active †¢ Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanics license. Passive Past Perfect Continuous FORM [had been + present participle] Examples: †¢ You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived. †¢ Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived? †¢ You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived. Complete List of Past Perfect Continuous Forms USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Past [pic] We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. For five minutes and for two weeks are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past. Examples: †¢ They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived. †¢ She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business. †¢ How long had you been waiting to get on the bus? †¢ Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work. †¢ James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia. †¢ A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to Ankara? B: I had not been studying Turkish very long. USE 2 Cause of Something in the Past [pic] Using the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect. Examples: †¢ Jason was tired because he had been jogging. †¢ Sam gained weight because he had been overeating. †¢ Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class. Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous If you do not include a duration such as for five minutes, for two weeks or since Friday, many English speakers choose to use the Past Continuous rather than the Past Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the past. Study the examples below to understand the difference. Examples: †¢ He was tired because he was exercising so hard. This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he was exercising at that exact moment. †¢ He was tired because he had been exercising so hard. This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he had been exercising over a period of time. It is possible that he was still exercising at that moment OR that he had just finished. REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Past Perfect. Examples: †¢ The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina bought it. Not Correct †¢ The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought it. Correct ADVERB PLACEMENT. The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc. Examples: †¢ You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived. †¢ Had you only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived? ACTIVE / PASSIVE Examples: †¢ Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurants fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris. Active †¢ The restaurants fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris. Passive NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.

Just Do What the Pilot Tells You :: Comparative, Stanley Milgram, Theodore Darymple

Stanley Milgram’s experiments on obedience are the focus of Theodore Dalrymple and Ian Parker. Theodore Dalrymple is a British physician that composed his views of the Milgram experiment with â€Å"Just Do What the Pilot Tells You† in the New Statesman in July 1999 (254). He distinguishes between blind obedience and blind disobedience stating that an extreme of either is not good, and that a healthy balance between the two is needed. On the other hand, Ian Parker is a British writer who wrote â€Å"Obedience† for an issue of Granta in the fall of 2000. He discusses the location of the experiment as a major factor and how the experiment progresses to prevent more outcomes. Dalrymple uses real-life events to convey his argument while Parker exemplifies logic from professors to state his point. Dalrymple starts his essay by stating that some people view opposition to authority to be principled and also romantic (254). The social worker Dalrymple mentions on the airplane with him is a prime example that certain people can be naturally against authority, but she quickly grants authority to the pilot to fly the plane (255). Dalrymple also mentions his studies under a physician and that Dalrymple would listen to her because she had far greater expanse of knowledge than him (256). Ian Parker writes his essay explaining the failed logic with Stanley Milgram’s experiment and expounds on other aspects of the experiment. One of his points is the situation’s location which he describes as inescapable (238). Another focus of Parker’s article is how Milgram’s experiment affected his career; the experiment played a role in Milgram’s inability to acquire full support from Harvard professors to earn tenure (234). Dalrymple states that he obeyed his superior because she was more knowledgeable over her job (256). The Milgram experiment demonstrates how ordinary people act towards authority in certain situations. Dalrymple accurately utilizes that point by describing when a boy is turned in for trying to steal a car and then the parents proceed to yell at the guards. The guards began to stop reporting kids because they wanted to avoid the conflict all together (257). Parker agrees with Dalrymple by explicating that the experimenter alludes to conflict when the teacher wants to discontinue the experiment, but stumbles to rebel when dictated to continue (238). Parker’s solution is to offer a button for the teachers to press when they are no longer able to continue the experiment (238).

Foundation and Empire 10. The War Ends

Lathan Devers felt definitely uncomfortable, and vaguely resentful. He had received his own decoration and withstood with mute stoicism the turgid oratory of the mayor which accompanied the slip of crimson ribbon. That had ended his share of the ceremonies, but, naturally, formality forced him to remain. And it was formality, chiefly – the type that couldn't allow him to yawn noisily or to swing a foot comfortably onto a chair seat – that made him long to be in space, where he belonged. The Siwennese delegation, with Ducem Barr a lionized member, signed the Convention, and Siwenna became the first province to pass directly from the Empire's political rule to the Foundation's economic one. Five Imperial Ships of the Line – captured when Siwenna rebelled behind the lines of the Empire's Border Fleet – flashed overhead, huge and massive, detonating a roaring salute as they passed over the city. Nothing but drinking, etiquette, and small talk now. A voice called him. It was Forell; the man who, Devers realized coldly, could buy twenty of him with a morning's profits – but a Forell who now crooked a finger at him with genial condescension. He stepped out upon the balcony into the cool night wind, and bowed properly, while scowling into his bristling beard. Barr was there, too; smiling. He said, â€Å"Devers, you'll have to come to my rescue. I'm being accused of modesty, a horrible and thoroughly unnatural crime.† â€Å"Devers,† Forell removed the fat cigar from the side of his mouth when he spoke, â€Å"Lord Barr claims that your trip to Cleon's capital had nothing to do with the recall of Riose.† â€Å"Nothing at all, sir.† Devers was curt. â€Å"We never saw the Emperor. The reports we picked up on our way back concerning the trial, showed it up to be the purest frameup. There was a mess of rigmarole about the general being tied up with subversive interests at the court.† â€Å"And he was innocent?† â€Å"Riose?† interposed Barr. â€Å"Yes! By the Galaxy, yes. Brodrig was a traitor on general principles but was never guilty of the specific accusations brought against him. It was a judicial farce; but a necessary one, a predictable one, an inevitable one.† â€Å"By psychohistorical necessity, I presume.† Forell rolled the phrase sonorously with the humorous ease of long familiarity. â€Å"Exactly.† Barr grew serious. â€Å"It never penetrated earlier, but once it was over and I could†¦ well†¦ look at the answers in the back of the book, the problem became simple. We can see, now, that the social background of the Empire makes wars of conquest impossible for it. Under weak Emperors, it is tom apart by generals competing for a worthless and surely death-bringing throne. Under strong Emperors, the Empire is frozen into a paralytic rigor in which disintegration apparently ceases for the moment, but only at the sacrifice of all possible growth.† Forell growled bluntly through strong puffs, â€Å"You're not clear, Lord Barr.† Barr smiled slowly. â€Å"I suppose so. It's the difficulty of not being trained in psychohistory. Words are a pretty fuzzy substitute for mathematical equations. But let's see now-â€Å" Barr considered, while Forell relaxed, back to railing, and Devers looked into the velvet sky and thought wonderingly of Trantor. Then Barr said, â€Å"You see, sir, you – and Devers – and everyone no doubt, had the idea that beating the Empire meant first prying apart the Emperor and his general. You, and Devers, and everyone else were right – right all the time, as far as the principle of internal disunion was concerned. â€Å"You were wrong, however, in thinking that this internal split was something to be brought about by individual acts, by inspirations of the moment. You tried bribery and lies. You appealed to ambition and to fear. But you got nothing for all your pains. In fact, appearances were worse after each attempt. â€Å"And through all this wild threshing up of tiny ripples, the Seldon tidal wave continued onward, quietly – but quite irresistibly.† Ducem Barr turned away, and looked over the railing at the lights of a rejoicing city. He said, â€Å"There was a dead hand pushing all of us; the mighty general and the great Emperor; my world and your world – the dead hand of Hari Seldon. He knew that a man like Riose would have to fail, since it was his success that brought failure; and the greater the success, the surer the failure.† Forell said dryly, â€Å"I can't say you're getting clearer.† â€Å"A moment,† continued Barr earnestly. â€Å"Look at the situation. A weak general could never have endangered us, obviously. A strong general during the time of a weak Emperor would never have endangered us, either; for he would have turned his arms towards a much more fruitful target. Events have shown that three-fourths of the Emperors of the last two centuries were rebel generals and rebel viceroys before they were Emperors. â€Å"So it is only the combination of strong Emperor and strong general that can harm the Foundation; for a strong Emperor can not be dethroned easily, and a strong general is forced to turn outwards, past the frontiers. â€Å"But, what keeps the Emperor strong? What kept Cleon strong? It's obvious. He is strong, because he permits no strong subjects. A courtier who becomes too rich, or a general who becomes too popular is dangerous. All the recent history of the Empire proves that to any Emperor intelligent enough to be strong. â€Å"Riose won victories, so the Emperor grew suspicious. All the atmosphere of the times forced him to be suspicious. Did Riose refuse a bribe? Very suspicious; ulterior motives. Did his most trusted courtier suddenly favor Riose? Very suspicious; ulterior motives. It wasn't the individual acts that were suspicious. Anything else would have done which is why our individual plots were unnecessary and rather futile. It was the success of Riose that was suspicious. So he was recalled, and accused, condemned, murdered. The Foundation wins again. â€Å"Look, there is not a conceivable combination of events that does not result in the Foundation winning. It was inevitable; whatever Riose did, whatever we did.† The Foundation magnate nodded ponderously. â€Å"So! But what if the Emperor and the general had been the same person. Hey? What then? That's a case you didn't cover, so you haven't proved your point yet.† Barr shrugged. â€Å"I can't prove anything; I haven't the mathematics. But I appeal to your reason. With an Empire in which every aristocrat, every strong man, every pirate can aspire to the Throne – and, as history shows, often successfully – what would happen to even a strong Emperor who preoccupied himself with foreign wars at the extreme end of the Galaxy? How long would he have to remain away from the capital before somebody raised the standards of civil war and forced him home. The social environment of the Empire would make that time short. â€Å"I once told Riose that not all the Empire's strength could swerve the dead hand of Hari Seldon.† â€Å"Good! Good!† Forell was expansively pleased. â€Å"Then you imply the Empire can never threaten us again.† â€Å"It seems to me so,† agreed Barr. â€Å"Frankly, Cleon may not live out the year, and there's going to be a disputed succession almost as a matter of course, which might mean the last civil war for the Empire.† â€Å"Then,† said Forell, â€Å"there are no more enemies.† Barr was thoughtful. â€Å"There's a Second Foundation.† â€Å"At the other end of the Galaxy? Not for centuries.† Devers turned suddenly at this, and his face was dark as he faced Forell. â€Å"There are internal enemies, perhaps.† â€Å"Are there?† asked Forell, coolly. â€Å"Who, for instance?† â€Å"People, for instance, who might like to spread the wealth a bit, and keep it from concentrating too much out of the hands that work for it. See what I mean?† Slowly, Forell's gaze lost its contempt and grew one with the anger of Devers' own.

Comprehensive Life Plan Essay

I spent my high school years dreaming of places I wanted to see, things I wanted to do, and people I wanted to meet. After graduation reality set in and I realized I abused my time in high school, making it difficult for me to transition into adult hood. I thought of what I was going to do rather than how I was going to get there; I could not have been more wrong. Therefore the importance of life planning has become a crucial component of seeing my dreams come true. Establishing attainable goals for today in order to determine what happens tomorrow is essential for lifelong success. Franklin Covey Mission Statement Builder (Covey, 2008) created a structured summary of my values and aspirations in life. With this new concept I have a new perspective of how to organize my thoughts and bring them to life on paper. I am excited about this new direction in my life and I believe this mission statement will be a constant reminder of who God is challenging me to become. Mission Statement: I am at my best when I am active and surround myself with people who are outgoing and love the outdoors. However, I am not at my best when I am careless about my diet and surround myself people who are ungrateful and selfish. I will enjoy my work by finding employment where I can make people feel happy, confident, and valued by God. I will find enjoyment in my personal life by reading, studying integrative medicine, and trying new cuisine. I will find the most enjoyment when doing and supporting things my loved ones are passionate about. I will find opportunities to use my natural gifts such as empathy, and honesty in relationships and discernment to guard my heart. I will also find opportunities to use my natural talents such as photography to capture God’s beautifully and wonderfully created people in photographs. I will use my eye for interior design and fashion to decorate my surroundings well and clothe others and myself in a successful way for different occasions. In the future, I have the confidence to start my own clothing company. This company will fund my organization that will provide self esteem workshops for women and girls as well as connect them with God. I will study to become a licensed cosmetologist, an integrative medicine practitioner, and obtain a degree in elementary education. I am also confident that I can accomplish my dreams to become a model for American Eagle, Roxy clothing companies and overcome my fear or heights. My God-sized dream would be to travel the world in an effort to rescue women and children from sex-trafficking. My goal would be to create a snow ball effect by eliminating the sex slave market which in turn would devastate business for drug cartels as well. My hope most important future contribution to others will be that I people would see all of God’s blessings in my life and that they would want the same Savior in their life. I will stop procrastinating and start working on: being forgiving, having self control and self motivation. I will strive to incorporate the following attributes into my life: Persevering, loving God with my life, and seeking to understand Gods word. I will constantly renew myself by focusing on the four dimensions of my life: Staying healthy and active, abiding in Christ and relaxing- reexamining-refreshing-reflecting-renewing my mind. Lastly, I need to be taking time to do things that make me happy and feel refreshed. I want people look at my life 61 years from now and say that I loved God with my life and inspired others to desire the same. I hope I am known for unconditionally loving and welcoming all who met me. I want to be remembered for having a zest for life and a teachable attitude. I also want my future husband to say he is as in love with me now as he was when we got married. The Covey Mission Statement builder was a great exercise and opened my eyes to how valuable it is to write things down that are important to you. By doing this, it feels real to me and now I will be challenged to achieve these goals and see my imaginations become reality. Another exercise that helped me look ahead in a constructive way was the Strategic Futuring Worksheet. This assignment challenged me to envision myself in the year 2026 as well as taking steps backwards in order to determine how I will accomplish this vision in the future. My vision is to be happily married and living in a humble home on the coast of a warm beach. I plan to live an organized, active, and balanced life. I plan to be a teacher, and volunteer with youth ministries such as Younglife. Most of all, I plan to be the best support system for my husband and his career and aspirations. To see my future come together, I need to focus on one goal at a time. The Strategic Futuring Worksheet (Hulme, Uknown) helped me come up with what I think are three attainable goals. My first goal is to be become a consistent person who never compromises with my end goals. Goal number two: Striving to love unconditionally and have a heart after God. Number three: I want to volunteer with organizations like YoungLife. I have a desire to pour into this generation of young people because I was blessed with a great life and I feel that is my calling to give what I so greatly received. Like the Franklin Covey Mission Statement Builder the Strategic Futuring Worksheet was a constructive way to assess what action steps I need to take to see my vision succeed. I feel the goals the Strategic Futuring Worksheet generated for me are measurable and will help me stay focused. It assisted me in gaining a better insight into my imagination. In conclusion, this realization aided me in formulating an attainable vision from my dreams. Since high school my mind has been a struggling mix of dreams and doubts. These exercises will help me focus on my transition into adulthood. Therefore, I am going to now take control of my future. My mission statement will be a valuable tool that I will use to keep me accountable of my choices. Everything I do today will affect tomorrow. This new mindset will challenge me own my mistakes and never compromise my end goals. Finding this great way to get excited about working towards my goals has made me feel like an artist who is creatively painting the canvas of my future.

Geography of the United Kingdom

Geography of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom (UK) is an island nation located in Western Europe. Its land area is made up of the island of Great Britain, part of the island of Ireland and many smaller nearby islands. The UK has coastlines along the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, and the North Sea. The UK is one of the worlds most developed nations and as such it has a global influence. Formation of the United Kingdom Much of the United Kingdoms history is known for the British Empire, its continuous worldwide trade and expansion that began as early as the end of the 14th century and the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries. This article, however, focuses on the formation of the United Kingdom. The UK has a long history that consists of several different invasions, including a brief entry by the Romans in 55 B.C.E. In 1066 the UK area was part of the Norman Conquest, which aided in its cultural and political development. In 1282 the UK took over the independent Kingdom of Wales under Edward I and in 1301, his son, Edward II, was made the Prince of Wales in an effort to appease the Welsh people according to the United States Department of State. The oldest son of the British monarch is still given this title today. In 1536 England and Wales became an official union. In 1603, England and Scotland also came under the same rule when James VI succeeded Elizabeth I, his cousin, to become James I of England. A little over 100 years later in 1707, England and Scotland became unified as Great Britain. In the early 17th century Ireland became increasingly settled by people from Scotland and England and England sought control of the area (as it had for many centuries before). On January 1, 1801, a legislative union between Great Britain and Ireland took place and the region became known as the United Kingdom. However, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Ireland continuously fought for its independence. As a result in 1921, the Anglo-Irish Treaty established the Irish Free State (which later became an independent republic. Northern Ireland however, remained a part of the UK which is today made up of that region as well as England, Scotland, and Wales. Government of the United Kingdom Today the United Kingdom is considered a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth realm. Its official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales). The executive branch of the UKs government consists of a Chief of State (Queen Elizabeth II) and a head of government (a position filled by the Prime Minister). The legislative branch is made up of a bicameral Parliament consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, while the UKs judicial branch includes the Supreme Court of the UK, the Senior Courts of England and Wales, Northern Irelands Court of Judicature and Scotlands Court of Session and High Court of the Justiciary. Economics and Land Use in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom has the third largest economy in Europe (behind Germany and France) and it is one of the worlds largest financial centers. The majority of the UKs economy is within the service and industrial sectors and agriculture jobs represent less than 2% of the workforce. The main industries of the UK are machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper products, food processing, textiles, and clothing. The agricultural products of the UK are cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables cattle, sheep, poultry and fish. Geography and Climate of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom is located in Western Europe to the northwest of France and between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. Its capital and largest city is London, but other large cities are Glasgow, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Edinburgh. The UK has a total area of 94,058 square miles (243,610 sq km). Much of the topography of the UK consists of rugged, undeveloped hills and low mountains but there are flat and gently rolling plains in the eastern and southeastern areas of the country. The highest point in the UK is Ben Nevis at 4,406 feet (1,343 m) and it is located in the northern UK in Scotland. The climate of the UK is considered temperate despite its latitude. Its climate is moderated by its maritime location and the Gulf Stream. However, the UK is known for being very cloudy and rainy throughout much of the year. The western parts of the country are wettest and also windy, while the eastern portions are drier and less windy. London, located in England in the south of the UK, has an average January low temperature of 36ËšF (2.4ËšC) and a July average temperature of 73ËšF (23ËšC). References Central Intelligence Agency. (6 April 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - United Kingdom. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html Infoplease.com. (n.d.). United Kingdom: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108078.html United States Department of State. (14 December 2010). United Kingdom. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3846.htm Wikipedia.com. (16 April 2011). United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_kingdom

Free Essays on A Reflection Of The Gospel Of St. Mathew

A Reflection of the Gospel of St. Mathew: â€Å"Jesus and the Pharisees: Friends and/or Enemies!† The Gospel According to Mathew was the first of the four gospels in the New Testament. It reflects both the view that it was the first to be written, a view that goes back to the late second century A.D., and the esteem in which it was held by the church; no other was so frequently quoted in the literature of earliest Christianity. The Gospel According to Mathew presents the story of Jesus, the demands of Christian discipleship, and the breaking-in of the new and final age through the ministry but particularly through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Readers learn of actions that are approved of and actions that are frowned upon. One of those actions is the love of enemies, family, and friends. The first part of the gospel starts out with a genealogy of Jesus starting with Abraham, the father of Israel. Yet at the beginning of that genealogy Jesus is designated as â€Å" the son of David, the son of Abraham†. I interpreted the meaning of this first section two different ways. First I interpreted it to mean that Mathew was trying to point out that Jesus is the son of Abraham as well as David. This strengthens the Son of God because it does not prevent Jesus from being Son of David, Son of Abraham through the ancestry of Joseph since Joseph accepted Jesus as his own. This beginning was very confusing to me. It was hard to keep track of who was who and how they became part of the story. The main thing I want to focus on is Jesus and the Pharisees: Friends and/or Enemies. This topic seems to come up a lot in everyday life today. In little quarrels between loved ones, friends, or neighbors. Mathew gives an idea of when hate has been used and when it should be used. Love is the opposite of hate and Mathew also describes what God has to say about it. Something that people always say is that â€Å"you should treat others how ... Free Essays on A Reflection Of The Gospel Of St. Mathew Free Essays on A Reflection Of The Gospel Of St. Mathew A Reflection of the Gospel of St. Mathew: â€Å"Jesus and the Pharisees: Friends and/or Enemies!† The Gospel According to Mathew was the first of the four gospels in the New Testament. It reflects both the view that it was the first to be written, a view that goes back to the late second century A.D., and the esteem in which it was held by the church; no other was so frequently quoted in the literature of earliest Christianity. The Gospel According to Mathew presents the story of Jesus, the demands of Christian discipleship, and the breaking-in of the new and final age through the ministry but particularly through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Readers learn of actions that are approved of and actions that are frowned upon. One of those actions is the love of enemies, family, and friends. The first part of the gospel starts out with a genealogy of Jesus starting with Abraham, the father of Israel. Yet at the beginning of that genealogy Jesus is designated as â€Å" the son of David, the son of Abraham†. I interpreted the meaning of this first section two different ways. First I interpreted it to mean that Mathew was trying to point out that Jesus is the son of Abraham as well as David. This strengthens the Son of God because it does not prevent Jesus from being Son of David, Son of Abraham through the ancestry of Joseph since Joseph accepted Jesus as his own. This beginning was very confusing to me. It was hard to keep track of who was who and how they became part of the story. The main thing I want to focus on is Jesus and the Pharisees: Friends and/or Enemies. This topic seems to come up a lot in everyday life today. In little quarrels between loved ones, friends, or neighbors. Mathew gives an idea of when hate has been used and when it should be used. Love is the opposite of hate and Mathew also describes what God has to say about it. Something that people always say is that â€Å"you should treat others how ...

Lorena and John Bobbitt Revenge Story

Lorena and John Bobbitt Revenge Story Lorena Bobbitt made headlines around the world when she cut off half her husbands penis and threw it out a car window on June 23, 1993. The Incident On the night of June 23, 1993, 26-year-old John Wayne Bobbitt came home to his Manassas, Virginia apartment after a night out partying and drinking. According to his wife, Lorena Bobbitt, John then raped her. The couple had already been married for four years and during that time, Lorena had allegedly suffered from years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by John. John also frequently boasted about his infidelities and had forced Lorena to have an abortion. All this built up to this particular night  when Lorena finally snapped. While John was asleep, Lorena got out of bed and went into the kitchen for a drink of water. While in the kitchen, she saw an eight-inch carving knife sitting on the counter. Lorena grabbed the knife, then walked back to the bedroom where John was sleeping. She pulled back the covers and then sliced John Bobbitts penis nearly in half. Throwing It Out the Window In a daze, Lorena got into her car and started heading to her work, while still holding both the knife and the severed penis. After driving for a little while, she rolled down her car window and threw the severed penis out the window. It landed in an empty field. Shortly thereafter, Lorena realized, at least partly, the severity of her actions and called 911. John was rushed to a hospital in the hopes of stopping the bleeding. After an extensive search by police, Johns severed penis was found, packed in ice, and also rushed to the hospital. After nine hours of surgery, John Bobbitts penis was reattached. The Trial and Worldwide Publicity The story of Lorena and John Bobbitt quickly became international news. The brutality of the Bobbitt incident seemed to have struck a chord with the public. Men feared that kind of brutal retaliation and many women cheered for the obvious revenge. It made many couples analyze their own interactions and relationships. It also brought public attention to spousal rape. In 1994, Lorena Bobbitt went to trial for her actions. After many witnesses confirmed the long history of abuse, the jury found Lorena to be not guilty due to temporary insanity. She was sentenced to undergo a 45-day evaluation period in a mental hospital, after which she was released. In 1995, Lorena and John Bobbitt divorced. Life After the Brutal Attack Because of the publicity from both the incident and the trial, Lorena and John Bobbitt had become public figures. However, while Lorena tried to hide from the spotlight, John seemed to delight in it. Since the incident, John has appeared in a number of celebrity shows and more notably, made two adult films. Lorena, on the other hand, has worked as a real estate agent and a hair stylist and established ​Lorenas Red Wagon, an organization to help other women who have suffered from domestic abuse.

Religion and Law in U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Religion and Law in U.S - Essay Example Though the government cannot interfere with religion itself, they may step in when and if they feel the need; especially if a certain ritual is putting a person at risk . An example of the conflict that is seen with the oxymoronic clauses which supposedly go hand in hand is in the religious cult refered to as the Jehova’s Witnesses. The government or authorities will not restrict the religion itself but the behavior and affects of the rituals can be brought to their attention. They therefore are obliged to restrict religious-related activities that interfere with the wellbeing of a person. Its’ all done in the name of â€Å"the law† Another example of the two clauses being inforced but yet scrutinized is in the prosecution of polygamy. The idea of polygamy states that as many can have more than one wife and father as many children as possible. The court upheld Mr. Reynold’s, in Reynold’s Vs. the United States, convition and they believed that if they did not stand up against such behavior, they were indirectly allowing other practices to take place such as human sacrifice. Combining both clauses together, the US has documented its existence in the 1st amendment and has named it the â€Å"religion clauses† because they both thereby state their involvement in protecting the human race while at the same time, giving freedom of religion itself and expression in a country and a land that is free. Without theses clauses, people would get away with murder claiming it was done in the â€Å"name of God or Allah.† Both clauses is an issue of preference allowing people to choose the religion they want to be involved in. Without their freedom, people are bound by regulations they perceived to have vanished before touching down on U.S. soil. The clauses also state that they cannot force anyone to worship a certain way nor can they create establishments favoring one form of religion or the other. With this

Introduction outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Introduction outline - Essay Example the country to withstand negative influences of the Western culture and protect it people against the danger of same-sex marriages, abortion, and drug abuse. Chinese is a religious nation and values their culture and their way of life which has enabled the country to increase its economic, social and political stability (Overview of Chinese Culture). The Chinese government monitors and censure internet access to protect against infiltration of global influence to its citizens. However, despite all the measure to protect it culture, Chinese people have abandoned some of their culture and embraced the trend in trade, commerce and economic integration among nations. Therefore, globalization have taken root and the country is now open to trade with any nation in the world. Globalization has not only increased the economic growth of China, but has ensured the transfer of knowledge in science, medicine and architecture from Africa and other Western countries (Pagel). Therefore, globalizati on has done more good to the Chinese than destroying their

Government Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Government Control - Essay Example The various laws and acts issued by the government to control the content of television and Internet for safeguarding the interest of children viewing have also been analyzed. The Internet today is one of the fastest and cheapest modes of transmitting information. It was initially build up as an international network. The main purpose was to establish a mode of networking among scientist and university professors worldwide. The US first amendment and information management; in the context of electronic data interchange is a popular ground for debating the government control on the Internet. (Davenport, p 59) There are however, certain risks involved with the use of Internet. Hacking is one of the predominant cyber crimes that involve breaching the electronic defenses to access restricted information. Children are the most likely victims to the risks involved with the Internet. Exposure to websites with adult content is one of the chief concerns. The presence of certain sites that may influence activities like writing threat letters or mails is another cause for concern for parents. The measures employed by the government to control such things are one of the topics of discussion undertaken. Television is yet another section of the information systems management that involves vulnerabilities. ... Government control on Internet usage: The US constitution does not provide for any legal protection of personal information. The restrictions that can be applied are limited and do not extend beyond the protection of information from plausible government infringement. The First amendment constitutes for protection of press and speech, overriding on protection of privacy. (Congressional Research Service, 2001) It has been reported that federal government is finding the fight against cyber crime to be more challenging than anticipated. Former executive director of National Cyber Security Division at DHS, Jerry Dixon had observed that more trained personnel at the local and state level is required to address the rising number of cyber crimes. Federal agencies are referred to regarding the computer security cases, since many of the cases are beyond state and even country boundaries. A bill in the US senate is one of the many steps undertaken by the government to guard the loopholes that is often exploited by criminals for their activities. (Search Security, 2003- 2008) The Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act, 2008 makes it easier for prosecuting hackers and others convicted of cyber felony. The law offers the flexibility to federal courts to prosecute the accused, if the latter and the victim live in the same state. The new law also broadens the definition of cyber extortion. (The Washington Post, 1996 - 2008) The CRS reports on Internet security measures undertaken by the government involve the passing of the USA Patriot Act. The Act serves to enhance the Internet monitoring process of various law enforcement

Cost-Benefit Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Cost-Benefit Analysis - Assignment Example The company should limit access to sensitive information and, as a result, prevent any leakage (Gantz & Philpott 4). Another threat is software attacks. The company may produce software that is vulnerable to certain software. People may decide to purchase alternative software if the problem persists. Trojans, worms and viruses that significantly affect the working of the software, may attack the software. Operating system update is instrumental in dealing with malicious software. Hardware encompasses the threat of theft. The theft of the hardware may be through employees or strangers who visit the various companies. The theft can occur during civil disturbances where there is no guarantee of security. Hardware can also be damaged when in transit or at the shops. Checkpoints and increased surveillance of premises are necessary where any suspicious activity is not instantly and dealt with immediately (Gantz & Philpott 4). The assumptions on asset value were based on their current values in the market, value to competitors, the replacement of an asset if lost and any compromising issues arising from external forces. The effects of liabilities in case of a compromised asset were put into consideration. I had to make the assumptions because hard data is not easily available though one could quantify the assets efficiently based on the expensive technological products. The frequency of the threats would be a challenge though in the technical business companies deal with similar products and therefore software violations can occur. The challenges were many as the determination of the many controls in the market and their differing prices. The choice of an effective control like setting up firewall was challenging since most of the products offer similar services but have different prices. The choice of an effective control like setting up a

A literature review. The purpose of such a characterization is to set Essay

A literature review. The purpose of such a characterization is to set up the need for your contribution. Summaries of a - Essay Example Amitai Etzioni asserts that regulations are the way to prevent an economic decline brought about by businesses. In terms of the consumer consumption, a culture change supersedes regulations, but it seems too difficult to develop such a change. Many Americans have continued to work hard to sustain their livelihoods in terms of reaching their wants. As he notes â€Å"what needs to be eradicated†¦ the obsession with acquisition that has become the organizing principle of American life† (Etzioni, 2012). People get to great length for the sole purpose of maximizing their earnings in an effort to meeting their physiological-motivated needs. The society has branded more money and more things to mean ‘good life’ when in real terms the struggles are too much compared to the benefits thereof. He continues to assert that the capitalism has been the key player in facilitating the consumer trends seen. However, capitalism cannot be solely blamed on the woes, what needs to be done is creating a balance between consumption and other engagements (Etzioni, 2012). The perception that increased income relates to increased happiness is misplaced and cannot hold. This is not an advocacy for laxity in striving to be economically stable, but a call for individuals to be cognizant of the need to regulate their consumption. Because of the perception taken against consumption, the public should be made to understand that manageable consumption could not be related to failure (Etzioni, 2013). On the other hand, Juliet Schor presents a view that consumption should be individualized and not be presented as a public affair. She talks about the misplaced thinking that prompts individuals to keep on spending. Her suggestions clearly depict a systematic approach to consumption. She notes that a decent living should be a factor of satisfying the needs and not the wants. In addition, she advocates that the focus should be to improve the quality of life and not a desire t o see the massive items all around them, pushing hard to belong to a consumption class is an irrelevant and displaced move. The consumption levels ought to be in a way that it encourages conservation of the ecology. Consumption also should be made to be free will without having influences from the producers and retailers (Schor, 1999). The two authors establish a common ground of argument. From their views, ‘political’ aspects in the consumption chain have hampered freedom of consumption. They strongly advocate for a change in consumption culture in an attempt to vary the current spending dynamics. Quality of life has also been emphasized; individuals should not only focus on earning and being reduced to shoppers who do not have even the time to do it. The little time available is fixed with one activity after the other. They also call for regulations through the government and the relevant stakeholders in order to create a need-related consumption. Revitalization of co nsumer and labor movements to focus on this hidden yet dangerous trend is an urgent need in an attempt to protect the consumers. At the end of their arguments, the suggestions provided are biased on cultural change among the consumers in order to prevent unnecessary hard work whose products are miserable spent in making acquisitions.

Soldier's home Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Soldier's home - Essay Example t at social gatherings, "he fell into the easy pose of the old soldier among other soldiers: that he had been badly, sickeningly frightened all the time." (Hemingway 153). Unlike, ordinary peoples conception of home as a secure and safe haven, Krebs home is a soldiers home where he is always on the alert for the unexpected; he is frightened all the time; and he has learned to not to believe in anything. His lifes associations are not the beautiful girls, belief in God, honor, work, friendship or love for ones family. Instead, he believed in these elements as instruments to survival and diversions. In the picture of himself with a corporal and two German girls for instance, indicates that they have been acquaintances who had passed sometimes with him but do not have any significant meanings. Krebs disillusionment of his hometown and people stems from his post at Belleau Wood, Soissons, the Shampagne, St. Mihiel and the Argonne, where the battles had been the most fierce and bloody. These battles have had a deep impact on Krebs yet he is reluctant to talk about them. This is partly because people in Kansas already "had heard too many atrocity stories to be thrilled by actualities" and partly because these experiences have more value to him than his audience. He has found lying to make himself heard by his hometown too demeaning, and hence have been unwilling to degrade his memory and experience of war. Instead, Krebs has assumed a secluded lifestyle so that he does not have to encounter such situations when he had to lie about his war experiences. He avoids active socialization with the community whether through work or interaction with women. He finds that to get involved in any of these socialization processes, he would have to lie and lying is too complicated for him. He feels that untruth and exaggeration would eradicate his memory of the war, which is his actual reality. For him his hometown and its people are the enchantment which he had taken to the war and

A literature review. The purpose of such a characterization is to set Essay

A literature review. The purpose of such a characterization is to set up the need for your contribution. Summaries of a - Essay Example Amitai Etzioni asserts that regulations are the way to prevent an economic decline brought about by businesses. In terms of the consumer consumption, a culture change supersedes regulations, but it seems too difficult to develop such a change. Many Americans have continued to work hard to sustain their livelihoods in terms of reaching their wants. As he notes â€Å"what needs to be eradicated†¦ the obsession with acquisition that has become the organizing principle of American life† (Etzioni, 2012). People get to great length for the sole purpose of maximizing their earnings in an effort to meeting their physiological-motivated needs. The society has branded more money and more things to mean ‘good life’ when in real terms the struggles are too much compared to the benefits thereof. He continues to assert that the capitalism has been the key player in facilitating the consumer trends seen. However, capitalism cannot be solely blamed on the woes, what needs to be done is creating a balance between consumption and other engagements (Etzioni, 2012). The perception that increased income relates to increased happiness is misplaced and cannot hold. This is not an advocacy for laxity in striving to be economically stable, but a call for individuals to be cognizant of the need to regulate their consumption. Because of the perception taken against consumption, the public should be made to understand that manageable consumption could not be related to failure (Etzioni, 2013). On the other hand, Juliet Schor presents a view that consumption should be individualized and not be presented as a public affair. She talks about the misplaced thinking that prompts individuals to keep on spending. Her suggestions clearly depict a systematic approach to consumption. She notes that a decent living should be a factor of satisfying the needs and not the wants. In addition, she advocates that the focus should be to improve the quality of life and not a desire t o see the massive items all around them, pushing hard to belong to a consumption class is an irrelevant and displaced move. The consumption levels ought to be in a way that it encourages conservation of the ecology. Consumption also should be made to be free will without having influences from the producers and retailers (Schor, 1999). The two authors establish a common ground of argument. From their views, ‘political’ aspects in the consumption chain have hampered freedom of consumption. They strongly advocate for a change in consumption culture in an attempt to vary the current spending dynamics. Quality of life has also been emphasized; individuals should not only focus on earning and being reduced to shoppers who do not have even the time to do it. The little time available is fixed with one activity after the other. They also call for regulations through the government and the relevant stakeholders in order to create a need-related consumption. Revitalization of co nsumer and labor movements to focus on this hidden yet dangerous trend is an urgent need in an attempt to protect the consumers. At the end of their arguments, the suggestions provided are biased on cultural change among the consumers in order to prevent unnecessary hard work whose products are miserable spent in making acquisitions.

Welfare state and globalization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Welfare state and globalization - Research Paper Example These traditional methods of social organization have now been dismantled by industrialization, which has put workers’ welfare at risk. Under this model, it is also assumed that the government has more resources because of the increased affluence brought on by industrialization processes, so the government can effectively perform the role of safeguarding its citizens’ welfare. On a larger scale, welfare systems may be regarded as a necessity of the openness of economic systems, which expose workers to external shocks thus causing governments to shield them from these shocks (Huber and Stephens 2). Alternatively, one may perceive welfare states as a reflection of state capabilities; some nations adopt comprehensive and all-encompassing welfare programs while others do not. These differences arise from the level of power dispersion in those countries as well as their capacities. Other than industrialism and state capacity, welfare systems can also be seen as manifestations of political or class struggles. In this school of thought, state policy is determined by the need to maintain a balance of power between capitalists and socialists. It is presumed that socialists mostly comprise of left wing party supporters and labor organizations; conversely, capitalists consist of right wing politicians as well as the government center. In some instances, left wing politics dominates politics thus putting right-wing advocates on the other end of the spectrum. In this theoretical school, a constant struggle exists between these two groups in the distribution of power. Capitalists want to e xtract as much output as they can from capital and labor while civil society wants to safeguard society’s interests; more often than not, these two entities clash, and a welfare system prevailed when the left outperforms the right. After examining how a welfare system comes about, it

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Essay Example for Free

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Essay The character Margaret is married to Brick, the son of Big Daddy. They live together in Big Daddys house, along with his wife, Big Mama. We, as readers learn a lot about her character from the way she speaks, by what is said about her and by the stage directions. We also gain a good insight into her relationships with the people around her. Margarets relationship with Brick comes across as quite bizarre. His lack of interest in what she has to say gives the impression that he doesnt care and also shows a slight lack of respect. For example, when Brick replies to Maggies first line in the play, he says Whad you say, Maggie? The stage directions prior to his response read A tone of politely feigned interest, masking indifference or worse. Other stage directions describing his attitude to Maggies statements share the same negativity; such as Without interest., Wryly, Absent mindedly, Dreamily, followed by sarcastic comments. We also get the impression that Brick doesnt find his wife as attractive as other men do. On page twenty-one, Maggie says Way he always drops his eyes down my body when Im talkin to him, drops his eyes to my boobs an licks his old chops! The fact that shes telling her husband how other men show interest in her comes across as a subtle hint to her husband that perhaps he should appreciate her more. Almost reassuring herself, as well as him that shes an attractive woman. Bricks response however doesnt seem like the reply she was looking for. He describes her talk as disgusting. Theres also a sense of insecurity on Maggies front. When she catches Brick staring at her, she asks him continuously what hes thinking when he stares at her like that. On page twenty-five, Maggie says I wish you would lose your looks This is a particular strange request to make of ones partner. It makes readers assume she doesnt want to be attracted to Brick any longer. This assumption is soon backed up with fur ther lines on page twenty-eight when the couple talk of the conditions Maggie has to follow in order for Brick to continue living with her. They also refer to their bedroom as a cage, giving the sense of entrapment. Margarets relationship with Mae seems strained and false. Maggies continuous insulting of Maes children gives the impression that they dont get along particularly well. The topic of children in Maggie and Bricks relationship also seems awkward. Mae seems to take a patronising tone with Margaret on page twenty-nine when she says Maggie, honey, if you had children of your own youd know how funny that is It seems that Mae is well aware of Maggies envy towards her for having children and likes to bring it up from time to time. Margaret often refers to Big Daddy when shes attempting to make Brick jealous. When she was talking of the man who was looking her up and down, she was talking of Big Daddy, Bricks father. She uses him as an example of a man who gives her attention to try and get Brick to do the same. She also talks of Big Daddy not getting along with Gooper, Bricks brother or Mae. On page twenty, she says Big Daddy dotes on you honey. And he cant stand Brother Man and Brother Mans wife Big Daddy is also supposed to be dying of cancer, therefore theres a lot of talk of who will be getting the large share of his will. Margaret is obviously very aware of her sexuality. On the first page of the play, a stage direction says She steps out of her dress, stands in a slip of ivory satin lace. She also cares a lot about her appearance and what Brick thinks of her. I feel this because of her asking Brick what he thinks of her when he looks at her and because of stage directions such as She adjusts the angle of a magnifying mirror to straighten an eyelash Her relationship with her husband seems one sided and cruel. It seems as thought she wants children and a happy marriage like her sister in law however its made obvious that Brick doesnt share the same passion. We know from the continuous talk of Big Daddys will that she has dreams of being rich. So far, Williams has made Maggie seem like a desperate, hurt character that covers her pain up with her loud personality.

Media, Sexuality And Teenagers

Media, Sexuality And Teenagers Youths living in the 21st century spend inordinate amounts of time with the media. They laugh with characters who are funny; they viciously attack and destroy evil creatures as they play their favorite video games; they see advertising for candy, makeup, and even liquor; they listen to rap lyrics about sex and violence; and they interact with people all over the world online. Needless to say, it is a completely different social world than the one their parents and grandparents faced during childhood and therefore, the effect media has on teenagers is overpowering. In constant contact with the media, Teenagers today are faced with often conflicting and confusing messages about how they are supposed to behave sexually. While adults, schools, and religious institutions are still reluctant to provide sexuality education for adolescents, the mass media is not at all reticent, portraying sexual behavior as riveting, common in everyday life, emotionally and physically risk free. Undoubtedly , the sexuality presented in the media has had a significant effect on the behavior of modern day teenagers, making the confusion between media and reality and the perception that teens have on reality. Considering the effect media has on adolescents. First of all, it must be recognized that over time, the amount of sexual content that is shown in the media has increased remarkably at a swift rate. Media and its leniency to what may or may not be shown or heard publicly have increased a great amount over the years. A study showed that Pornography is big business, generating $13 billion just in the U.S. in 2006 (IT Facts, 2007). Although sex magazines have greatly declined in circulation since the mid-1990s, that drop has been more than compensated for by video sales and rentals, cable and pay-per-view TV, and especially the explosive growth of Internet pornography, producing over 20% of the total revenue in 2006. (Bryant 305) Even the media that is meant for children is being tampered with and contaminated with information that most children do not and should not know. The book, Children, Adolescents, and the Media states that On television each year, American children and teenagers view nearly 14,000 sexual references, innuendoes, and behaviors, few of which (less than 170) involve the use of birth control, self-control, abstinence, or responsibility. (Strasburger 213) Adolescents today have too easy access to the variety of media and therefore, are more susceptible to any inappropriate or sexual content than their parents. There are four major sources of media that children and teenagers are exposed to. These are the shows that they view on television, the music, the games, and the Internet. When adolescents are exposed to this various media, they have a tendency to choose media and interact with it based on who they are or who they want to be at the moment. The assumptions of media uses are similar to gratifications theory, which suggests that media consumers come to the media with different needs and motives and that what they take away from the media will depend on why they came to it. (Brown 9) Moreover, what those adolescents learn also varies according to the adolescents sense of self-identity and lived experience. Since these teenagers are undergoing the crucial moment in their lives, shaping their own ego and identity and extremely vulnerable to all this tremendous amount of information from the media, what they choose to absorb from the media and what is sensational and stimulus in the media can be very influential. The exaggerated or distorted image of sex in the media is omnipresent and detrimental to adolescents who are not fully prepared to distinguish betwe en reality and situation that can only happen an unreal world, such as television show. One of the most influential media that affects teenagers is television. Many studies have documented televisions ability to transmit information and to shape attitudes. Television influences adolescents perception of social behavior and social reality. Television may offer teenagers a guideline for sexual behavior that they might not be able to observe anywhere else. Television stations such as Disney Channel, Nickelodeon or even Cartoon Network have been intensified and marketed in a way so that older children would continue to watch these channels. By doing this, the younger children who have initially always watched the shows are exposed to things that they shouldnt be experiencing. The most recent content analysis of television found that more than 75% of prime-time kids shows on the major networks contain sexual content, but only 14% of incidents include any mention of the risks or responsibilities of sexual activity or the need for contraception. This figure rises to 27% for sh ows depicting or implying intercourse. (Kunkel, Eyal, Finnerty, Biely, Donnerstein) Television is definitely one of the sources of media which convey wrong image of sex. Television has a tremendous impact on the behavior of children and teenagers over time by giving them improper knowledge of sex. The media and the amount of sexual and violent content that is allowed to be shown not only on childrens stations but on stations that are meant to be viewed as families have increased a lot. An example of this is just the commercials that are advertised on television. Even on channels such as Nickelodeon, advertisements that are shown are not necessarily appropriate for children. It is known that Nickelodeon guides children towards MTV by featuring artists whose music and actions are inappropriate for young children in concerts and in Kids Choice Awards. (McEntire) A major part of television is also music channels, such as MTV and many more. These channels are the most universally watched channels by teenagers both male and female. On these channels, there are not only reality shows in which they show characters as violent and show sex as accepted, but the re are many music videos which show many images of sex and violence. An example of reality shows on music channels are The Real World and Laguna Beach on MTV, or shows such as Jersey Shore, in which the main character was a girl who was known because of being a stripper and having pictures on MySpace with revealing clothes. On VH1 there are shows such as Flavor Flave in which a retired rapper is perused by many young women or I Love New York where a young, ignorant acting female is trying to be won over by many men. In these shows, there are many illustrations of promiscuous actions that were not necessarily sex, but may have led up to sex by what is shown in the show. However, music videos by themselves are a serious issue with the media. A surprising amount of illustrations of sex are shown in music videos, which were reported in the article by McEntire that said, The average music video contains 93 sexual situations per hour. This includes eleven scenes actually depicting interco urse or oral sex. (McEntire) These numbers are alarming, and to know that these are the programs that almost all teenagers view on a daily basis is upsetting. As Television has become increasingly sexually explicit, Music plays a large part in the media affecting teenagers and their behavior. Many different types of music, such as Rap, Hip Hop, and Rock music are mainly directing its sales to the younger generation of people. The lyrics of these songs portray sex and violence. In many of these songs, they downgrade the worth of women and promote violence as it should be accepted. When the younger generation listens to these messages, as it is played repeatedly they begin to believe that it is the way that they should act, and lose sight of reality. In these songs, they also encourage the use of illegal substances to the younger generation such as drugs or Alcohol. An article proves that As the popularity of music among youth grows, the number of teens who are becoming more violent, more sexually active and who are experimenting which drugs is steadily increasing. (Keshan) Teenagers who listen to large amount and genres of music are less li kely to be affected by the messages depicted in the music but those who mainly listen to one type of music are more likely to take in the message given out in this music. The particular genres of Rap, Hip-Hop and Rock and Roll have a large impact on the behavior of young females, especially those of the African-American and His panic races. A study shows that Girls who watch 14 hours or more of rap music videos are more likely to engage in unsafe sex with multiple partners and get a STD. (McEntire) Just like most teenagers never take off their head phones playing their favorite music, video games are played by all ages of children, from little toddlers who are starting out learning letters or how to count to the older teenagers who play games with more detail and different situations. Video games over time have gotten more violent with content that is not appropriate for teenagers. From games of racing and sports such as football or baseball, to games that involve shooting and killing as if it was normal. These games do not only affect the behavior of teens, but they desensitize the future generations and how they depict violence. Furthermore, the worst thing is that they include sexual images such as naked women and strippers roaming a town or even raping scene as a mission. These games provoke teenagers to have strong desire to try out those distorted sexual images in reality. Grand Theft Auto is a game that is popular among teenagers, especially boys. A study depicts that Gr and Theft Auto: Vice City, a video game rated M, was the best selling game among teens in 2002. In the game, players can simulate having sex with a prostitute and then killing her. (Greenspan) This is just one example of many ways that violence and sexuality can be shown in multiple different video games. These games are mainly marketed to males, between the ages of 13 and 17 who would be more likely to go out and ask for a game containing violence or cars. Although this game is marked as M for mature, many parents wouldnt know or check for the rating of a video game when purchasing the game for their child. Although adolescents enjoy their pastime playing video games, the largest source of information that teenagers spend most of their time doing would to be the internet. With search engines such as Google, it is possible to find any information that may want to be discovered, whether it is appropriate or not. However, this exposure to inappropriate content is not always by the free will of the person sitting behind the screen. According to a study shown in 2006 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.increased proportions of youth internet users were encountering unwanted exposures to sexual material and online harassment, but decreased proportions were receiving unwanted sexual solicitations (Online Victimization of Youth) which basically means that while being on sites that they had business being on, ads and pop-ups that were not necessarily appropriate appeared on the screen. This is the case on many children sites, such as Nickelodeon.com or NickJr.com. These advertisement and pop-ups which are mostly ab out pornography and mortgage increase teenagers curiosity and lead them to explore those inappropriate sites. All these contents in television, music, game, and internet, enhancing adolescents lust and injecting wrong perception of sex into teens affect the behavior of them and eventually lead to social catastrophe. A study manifests that Teens who see and hear a lot about sex in the media may be more than twice as likely to have early sexual intercourse as those who are rarely exposed to sexual contentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦12 to 14-years old exposed to the most sexual content in movies, music m magazines, and on television were 2.2 times more likely to have had sexual intercourse when re-interviewed two years later than their peers who had a lighter sexual media diet. (Lagorio) This has agitated the mindsets of young children, primarily in America. Teen pregnancies over the past 10 years have been largely affected by the change in censorship in the media. As the amount of sexual content increased in the media, the amount of teen pregnancies or children having children has elevated proportionally. With the portrayal of teenagers having children in shows such as The Secret Life of an American Teenager in which the main character is a girl who is pregnant, the idea of teenage girls getting pregnant is becoming more accepted and more common. This girl carrying a child in the television show is only depicted as a fifteen years old, and although she is carrying a child she still maintains a child-like innocence herself, which emphasizes the fact that she is only a child carrying another chilled. This however, is not only the case in television shows. Many girls between the ages of 14 and 17 are turning out pregnant, although it is obvious that they arent capable of supporting a child on their own. Since the statistic of young girls h aving babies has skyrocketed, many public school systems have felt the need to add Daycare Units into the schools so that they can promote the teenage mothers staying in school, and having free care for their child while they continue to get an education. This all comes back to the media, which is unmonitored for the most part, and promotes messages of sex, and becoming caught in a sensual moment, which would result in a lack of protection because of no preparation. When sex is illustrated in many television shows, they make it as though the couple has sex without needing protection such as condoms. All these uncensored information from the media bring out a huge social consequence in a long term. The media, at large, does have an effect on the beliefs and behaviors of teenagers over a long period of time. In a society that limits access to sexual information, teenagers will look to the media for answers to their questions. More important, the media may have a strong effect on teens without their even being aware of it, especially those whose parents do not instill in them a strong sense of family values. Although many adolescents try to get answers from the media about sex, unfortunately the media answers to these questions are usually not the healthy or accurate answers. Hence, in order to prevent any further tragedy befalling to teenagers, immediate solution has to be made. One of the possible solutions that would grant youth a healthier view of sex and sexuality is that widespread advertising of birth control in mainstream media. Advertising birth control represents one means of increasing teenagers access to it. Such advertising needs to address the risks of pregnancy, not merely the superficial difference that birth control pills can make. Unless new products such as the morning-after pill are widely advertised, teenagers will not know about them or use them. Comparative studies between the United States and Europe make it clear that countries that promote the use of birth control via advertising, sex education classes, and programming are rewarded with lower rates of teen pregnancy. (Strasburger 254), yet the media remain resistant. Given that eight studies now prove that making birth control available to teenagers does not increase the risk of early sexual intercourse, there is no longer any excuse to withhold access to it. Like advertising birth control, second solution would be having a greater responsibility and accountability of mainstream media for producing healthy and accurate messages about sex and sexuality. Entertainment industry executives need to realize that, their product is educating American children and teenagers, since media have become one of the most important sources for sexual information for young people today. Besides reforming mainstream media, middle and high schools should not underestimate the sex education and inform students the fallacy in the media. This would be resulted in teenagers being less likely to overestimate sexual activity among their peers and more aware of the truth about sex and sexual imagery in the media. Third key to protect teenagers from the unhealthy information from media is to execute more and better counter advertising. Only the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy has engaged in long term efforts to counterprogram through the media. Although no clear data exists about this organizations success, several successful efforts involving counter advertising against tobacco and illicit drugs with teens as the target audience through the media have been demonstrated. Fourth solution would be having a greater sensitivity of parents to the influence of the media on adolescents. Many parents often seem not to see the impact of media on their children and teenagers. The most important steps that parents can take are to set rules about TV viewing, monitor what shows are being watched, and keep TV sets out of the bedroom. The last possible solution is to conduct better research on getting statistics on the effect of the media. Considerably more research needs to be funded, use a variety of methods and a variety of populations, and will need to take into account developmental, gender, and ethnic differences. School systems and parents need to grant access to researchers, and foundations need to fund such efforts. Foundations need to recognize media research as a new and much needed priority. Society needs to accept the fact that teenagers should be able to give consent for such research on their own and that parents can be informed about ongoing studies explaining the research. Although it is apparent that the medias negative effect on teenagers is catastrophic, we can take these resolutions discussed above and make adolescents prepared for unhealthy information from the media and enlighten them that some of sex and sexuality expressed in the media are false. Work Cited Brown, jane, Steele, Jeanne, and Walsh-Childers, kim. Sexual teens, sexual media: investigating medias influence on adolescent. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Eribaum Associates, Inc. Publishers Bryant, Jennings, and Mary Oliver. Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research. 3rd ed. New York, NY: TaylorFrancis, 2009. Greenspan.Sam. How the Silver Screen Affects Your Teen. 2004, 10 Feb 2010 Hart, Eileen. Teens, Sex, and Media. 2002, 15 Jan 2010 Lenhart, Amanda. Teens and Social Media. 19 Dec 2007 InternetAmerican Life Project. 17 Feb 2009 Lagorio, Christine. Media May Promt Teen Sex. 03 Apr 2006 17, Feb 2009 McEntrie, Teresa. The Prevalence And Effects of Sex In The Media. 2002 Strasburger, victor. Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, inc, 2009.

To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway Essay -- essays research pape

To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway's novel, To Have and Have Not, is about a man named Harry. Harry is a fisherman, and when he goes fishing he brings along a black man named Wesley. Eddy, who is a rummy, and Mr. Johnson who chartered Harry's boat also accompanied him on one of his fishing expeditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On this fishing journey that Harry and all of his colleague's had taken, Harry said to Mr. Johnson, "I think you're going to have a chance to fight one today." About that time Mr. Johnson had a fish on his line. He kept on pulling on the fishing line and giving it slack. For a few moments, they all thought that the fish mighty be dead, but after he got off of the line they knew that Mr. Johnson had messed up and let the a great fish get away.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second fish that Mr. Johnson snagged was a black marlin. He fought and fought with the fish until his arms went numb. After a couple of minutes, the fish took the rod, the real, and the line. Harry wanted Mr. Johnson to pay for the tackle that he lost, but Mr. Johnson ran off without paying.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After all of his troubles with Mr. Johnson, Harry went to Donovan’s and had a drink, and purchased a drink for Frankie. Frankie called himself a businessman, and he would always say "Me Frankie; much politics." Frankie set it up so that Harry and a guy named Mr. Singer could meet to talk about a new job for Harry. They meet at the Perla. Mr. Singer was a nice looking Chink. He wanted to know about H...

B&Q Case Study Essay

As data and information are readily available, and information communication technology (ICT) has highly advanced, organizations such as B&Q need to understand how knowledge creation can assist to improve internal and external processes and also encourage innovation. In task one, the aim is to differentiate between possession of knowledge and practice of knowledge and examine which epistemology B&Q uses throughout their supply chain. B&Q uses possession knowledge whereby it provides all their vendors with a code of conduct guidelines which they need to follow through. Knowledge is defined as â€Å"awareness, consciousness, or familiarity gained by experience or learning† (knowledge, n. d) which are the ways people in a social situations would understand and make sense of where they are and what they are doing. When knowledge is conducted and embraced in an organization, it will result to a group of people who develop shared beliefs, behaviours and routines that shape organization capabilities. Experts such as Polanyi (1966), Nonaka (1994) and Cook and Brown (1999) divide knowledge into two categories called tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is associated with the skills or know-how that people developed through their own experience in specific contexts. Whereas explicit knowledge is something that has been codified, written down or spelled out and is communicable across context. 1. 2 Possession and practice From the word possession itself, one can understand that it is about the knowledge that people have in their mind (Cook and Brown, 1999). Blackler (1995), and Cook and Brown (1999) refer possesion of knowledge as â€Å"knowledge† and practice of knowledge as â€Å"knowing†. Knowledge is a mental or cognitive capacity which is hierarchical in nature and comprises of data, information etc. moreover, possession of knowledge is a personal property where people render meaning from subjective experiences, perceptions and previous understanding. As human minds are individually unique, hence different people may perceive and intepret the same information or data differently. Meanwhile, practice of knowledge sees knowledge as something that it developed through social interaction such as project work, group assignment or group discussion. When people practice knowledge, they convert tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, thus transferring knowledge from one person to another. This is done through sharing stories, experiences or creating norms to a group of people hence enabling the experience of an individual to be related to a wider community. 3. 3 B&Q case B&Q plc works with many vendors such as Kingfisher Asia (KAL) who supply products to B&Q. Hence to manage their vendors and ensure processes and procedures are followed, B&Q come up with code of conduct (B&Q Operational Standards for Supply Chains) for all their vendors. The code of conduct is based on the international labour and envirnmental standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions which factories and worksites of all vendors throughout the world need to comply to. In summary, vendors need to let B&Q have full visibility of the enitre supply chain and fulfill and obey the code of conduct criteria at all facilities. Any failure to meet the nine Critical Failure Points (CFPs) will result in B&Q not buying or purchasing their products. Through this code of conduct, we can deduce that B&Q adopts a possession of knowledge rather than practice of knowledge. B&Q receives knowledge about labour and environmental guidelines from ILO conventions and uses the basic context to write down or capture in an information technology (IT) system which is then made available as an organizational resource – B&Q Operational Standards for Supply Chains. This is in contrast of having a group discussion with the vendors and seeking their opinions and views on how to create a better working environment for the workers (practice of knowledge). For example, Baer (1987) and Abbott (1988) explained that in order to defend their position, occupational groups such as doctors would write down or ‘black box’ their skills and knowledge which is then used by others as guidelines or instructions to follow. B&Q is following the same concept as they wish to guard their position as a responsible organization or employer where the rights of all workers throughout the world are respected and protected. Thus, this results to an encoded knowledge (Blackler, 1995) for the vendors as information is transmited through the code of conduct.

Amy Tan Essay

Although the daughters know some Chinese words and the mothers speak some English, communication often becomes a matter of translation, of words whose intended meaning and accepted meaning are in fact quite separate, leading to subtle misunderstandings. †¢The first mention of this difficulty with translation occurs when Jing-mei relates the story of her mother’s founding of the Joy Luck Club. After attempting to explain the significance of the club’s name, Jing-mei recognizes that the concept is not something that can be translated. She points out that the daughters think their mothers are stupid because of their fractured English, while the mothers are impatient with their daughters who don’t understand the cultural nuances of their language and who do not intend to pass along their Chinese heritage to their own children. Throughout the book, characters bring up one Chinese concept after another, only to accept the frustrating fact that an understanding of Chinese culture is a prerequisite to understanding its meaning. †¢The Power of Storytelling Because the barriers between the Chinese and the American cultures are exacerbated by imperfect translation of language, the mothers use storytelling to circumvent these barriers and communicate with their daughters. The stories they tell are often educational, warning against certain mistakes or giving advice based on past successes. For instance, Ying-ying’s decision to tell Lena about her past is motivated by her desire to warn Lena against the pa ssivity and fatalism that Ying-ying suffered. Storytelling is also employed to communicate messages of love and pride, and to illumine one’s inner self for others. †¢Another use of storytelling concerns historical legacy. By telling their daughters about their family histories, the mothers ensure that their lives are remembered and understood by subsequent generations, so that the characters who acted in the story never die away completely. In telling their stories to their daughters, the mothers try to instill them with respect for their Chinese ancestors and their Chinese pasts. Suyuan hopes that by finding her long-lost daughters and telling them her story, she can assure them of her love, despite her apparent abandonment of them. When Jing-mei sets out to tell her half-sisters Suyuan’s story, she also has this goal in mind, as well as her own goal of letting the twins know who their mother was and what she was like. †¢Storytelling is also used as a way of controlling one’s own fate. In many ways, the original purpose of the Joy Luck Club was to create a place to exchange stories. Faced with pain and hardship, Suyuan decided to take control of the plot of her life. The Joy Luck Club did not simply serve as a distraction; it also enabled transformation—of community, of love and support, of circumstance. Stories work to encourage a certain sense of independence. They are a way of forging one’s own identity and gaining autonomy. Waverly understands this: while Lindo believes that her daughter’s crooked nose means that she is ill-fated, Waverly dismisses this passive interpretation and changes her identity and her fate by reinventing the story that is told about a crooked nose. †¢The Problem of Immigrant Identity At some point in the novel, each of the major characters expresses anxiety over her inability to reconcile her Chinese heritage with her American surroundings. Indeed, this reconciliation is the very aim of Jing-mei’s journey to China. While the daughters in the novel are genetically Chinese (except for Lena, who is half Chinese) and have been raised in mostly Chinese households, they also identify with and feel at home in modern American culture. Waverly, Rose, and Lena all have white boyfriends or husbands, and they regard many of their mothers’ customs and tastes as old-fashioned or even ridiculous. Most of them have spent their childhoods trying to escape their Chinese identities: Lena would walk around the house with her eyes opened as far as possible so as to make them look European. Jing-mei denied during adolescence that she had any internal Chinese aspects, insisting that her Chinese identity was limited only to her external features. Lindo meditates that Waverly would have clapped her hands for joy during her teen years if her mother had told her that she did not look Chinese. As they mature, the daughters begin to sense that their identities are incomplete and become interested in their Chinese heritage. Waverly speaks wishfully about blending in too well in China and becomes angry when Lindo notes that she will be recognized instantly as a tourist. One of Jing-mei’s greatest fears about her trip to China is not that others will recognize her as American, but that she herself will fail to recognize any Chinese elements within herself. †¢Of the four mothers, L indo expresses the most anxiety over her cultural identity. Having been spotted as a tourist during her recent trip to China, she wonders how America has changed her. She has always believed in her ability to shift between her true self and her public self, but she begins to wonder whether her â€Å"true† self is not, in fact, her American one. Even while a young girl in China, Lindo showed that she did not completely agree with Chinese custom. She agonized over how to extricate herself from a miserable marriage without dishonoring her parents’ promise to her husband’s family. While her concern for her parents shows that Lindo did not wish to openly rebel against her tradition, Lindo made a secret promise to herself to remain true to her own desires. This promise shows the value she places on autonomy and personal happiness—two qualities that Lindo associates with American culture. †¢Jing-mei’s experience in China at the end of the book certainly seems to support the possibility of a richly mixed identity rather than an identity of warring opposites. She comes to see that China itself contains American aspects, just as the part of America she grew up in—San Francisco’s Chinatown—containe †¢ Storytelling – Narrative Style, Symbolism, Figurative Language †¢She uses storytelling to in order for the different characters to understand each others struggles as well as the reader to understand the lives and emotions of both the mother and the daughters †¢The stories they tell are often educational, warning against certain mistakes or giving advice based on past successes. For instance, Ying-ying’s decision to tell Lena about her past is motivated by her desire to warn Lena against the passivity and fatalism that Ying-ying suffered. Storytelling is also employed to communicate messages of love and pride, and to illumine one’s inner self for others. †¢Another use of storytelling concerns historical legacy. By telling their daughters about their family histories, the mothers ensure that their lives are remembered and understood by subsequent generations, so that the characters who acted in the story never die away completely. In telling their stories to their daughters, the mothers try to instill them with respect for their Chinese ancestors and their Chinese pasts. Suyuan hopes that by finding her long-lost daughters and telling them her story, she can assure them of her love, despite her apparent abandonment of them. When Jing-mei sets out to tell her half-sisters Suyuan’s story, she also has this goal in mind, as well as her own goal of letting the twins know who their mother was and what she was like. †¢Storytelling is also used as a way of controlling one’s own fate. In many ways, the original purpose of the Joy Luck Club was to create a place to exchange stories. Faced with pain and hardship, Suyuan decided to take control of the plot of her life. The Joy Luck Club did not simply serve as a distraction; it also enabled transformation—of community, of love and support, of circumstance. Stories work to encourage a certain sense of independence. They are a way of forging one’s own identity and gaining autonomy. Waverly understands this: while Lindo believes that her daughter’s crooked nose means that she is ill-fated, Waverly dismisses this passive interpretation and changes her identity and her fate by reinventing the story that is told about a crooked nose. †¢ All the stories in her books are interlocking personal narrative in different voices. The narrators appear as characters in each other’s stories as well as tell their own stories, Tan does not have to fully develop the narrator’s voice in each story. While American daughters like Jing-mei employ personal narrative as a way of telling stories, the ’’ Because this indirect means is the only way Jing-mei’s mother c an interpret and express her experiences, she is shocked into silence when her daughter speaks directly about the daughters she abandoned in China years earlier. Point of View †¢In â€Å"Two Kinds† the perspective moves back and forth between the adult and then child. In this way, Tan tells the story through the child’s innocent view and the adult’s experienced eyes. This allows reader to make judgments of their own, to add their own interpretations of the mother daughter struggle. Figurative Language †¢This literary device also invites readers to think about the way memory itself functions, how we use events in the past to help make sense of our present. Literary critic Ben Xu explains that ‘‘it is not just that we have ‘images,’ ‘pictures,’ and ‘views’ of ourselves in memory, but that we also have ‘stories’ and narratives to tell about the past which both shape and convey our sense of self. Our sense of what has happened to us is entailed not in actual happening but in meaningful happenings, and the meanings of our past experience . . . are constr ucts produced in much the same way that narrative is produced. ’’ †¢In other words memory is a two-way street; it shapes the story as much as the story makes the memory. In Xu’s words, ‘‘memory is not just a narrative, even though it does have to take a narrative form; it is more importantly an experiential relation between the past and the present, projecting a future as well. ’’ Tan’s style is mainly composed of storytelling as a way for her characters to share their history and retell the significant events of their lives. The Chinese mothers find it exceptionally difficult to talk about their lives due to the language barrier; therefore Tan uses a strategy that is borrowed from Chinese folk tradition called talk story (Brent). E. D. Huntley defines talk story as ‘‘a narrative strategy for those characters whose ties to Chinese tradition remain strong. ’’ It allows these characters to ‘‘draw on traditional oral forms to shape their stories and to disguise the urgency and seriousness with which they are attempting to transmit to their daughters the remnants of a culture that is fading even from their own lives. ’’ This means that the mothers, ‘‘who have been socialized into silence for most of their lives,’’ learn to ‘‘reconfigure the events of hese lives into acceptable public utterances: painful experiences are recast in the language of folk tale; cautionary reminders become gnomic phrases; real life takes on the contours of myth (Huntley). † Story telling serves many different functions in the novel. Primarily, the mother’s use storytelling to communicate with their daughters about their past and better relate to their daughters. In Kitchen God’s Wife, Winnie and Pearl have a hard time understanding each other’s situation as they have had a disconnect since Pearl was a teenager. However, after Winnie tells Pearl the stories of the hardships she had to face living with her abusive husband in China and how that has made her the hard person she is today, Pearl is able to connect better with her mother and understand where she is coming from. Another purpose of storytelling is so the mother’s can teach their daughters important life lessons that can help them be happy as many of the daughters are struggling with their marriages. Thus, she knows that the only way to save her daughter is to tell her story, the story of how her submission to fate and other people’s wills led to discontent and even agony. In her novels, Amy Tan allows her characters to employ storytelling as a device for shaping their histories and making coherent sense of the significant events of their lives. For these characters, storytelling is a means of keeping the past alive and building a bridge between it and the present, of transmitting cultural codes and rituals, of subtly educating their daughters, and finally of somehow imprinting the essence of their selves on the next generation. Tan is especially gifted at weaving multiple stories with a variety of narrators into the intricate fabric of each book. Tan herself has recognized her own ability to construct distinctive and memorable narratives, commenting that her storytelling gifts are responsible in large measure for the ongoing popularity-with readers and critics alike-of her work. She has said that her childhood exposure to Bible stories as well as â€Å"tons of fairy tales, both Grimm and Chinese† (Wang) has made stories a significant element in her writing, and she credits her parents with both instilling in her the impulse to tell stories and providing her with models for unforgettable. In an interview with Gretchen Giles, Amy Tan reveals that she learned the craft of story construction from her father, a very busy Baptist minister who managed to spend quality time with his children by reading his sermons to them and then asking for their opinions on content and language. Citations Xu, Ben. ‘‘Memory and the Ethnic Self: Reading Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club,’’ in MELUS, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 3-16. Huntley, E. D. Amy Tan: A Critical Companion, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Brent, Liz. ‘‘Amy Tan Criticism Overview. ’’ Short Stories for Students. Ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 19–20: 288.