Ethical Considerations - 883 Words

The Impaired Employee and Liability Identify and explain at least three ethical considerations. I believe that the first ethical consideration is the fact that the potential employee was upfront in revealing that he had a degenerative progressive condition that could result in a disability. He did not have to bring this to our attention and his physicians are not even able to predict when the disabling condition will appear or if it will appear at all. The candidate was demonstrating his own highly ethical behavior which is ultimately what we are looking for in an employee. The second ethical consideration is that we are responsible for displaying the same kind of ethical behavior we expect from our employees. The basis†¦show more content†¦The second legal consideration could be that the screening committee shared confidential information about the candidate without his knowledge. The physicians of the candidate did not even know whether or not the disability would occur or to what extent so there was no reason to share this information with anyone else. The last legal consideration is the liability that could come with hiring this candidate. Healthcare organizations have a corporate responsibility to exercise reasonable care in selecting and retaining employees (Showalter, 2008, pg. 137). If the Health Service organization were to hire this candidate knowing he could possibly become disabled and then get hurt on the job because the facility did not properly accommodate his disability then they would be liable for any injuries that the employee might incur while on the job. Identify and explain at least three Business considerations. One business consideration is what the candidate could potentially bring to the business. His skills and qualifications ranked him as the number one candidate which would make him an asset to the company. The possibility of the candidate costing the company money is a vague at best but the potential good he could do the company is set forth in his qualifications. Another business consideration would be the cost to the company if the candidate were hired and did end up withShow MoreRelatedEthical And Scientific Considerations Regarding Animal Testing And Research759 Words   |  4 Pages Article 4 Article 4 is Ethical and Scientific Considerations Regarding Animal Testing and Research. The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique, which emphasized reduction, refinement, and replacement of animal use, principles, many scientists referred to the three R’s. These principles encouraged researchers to work to cut down the figure of animals utilized in experiments to the minimum considered necessary, refine or limit the pain and distress to which animals are exposed, and replace theRead MoreEthical Considerations1331 Words   |  6 PagesAfter careful consideration of the lawsuits presented in Chapter 20 of the text, this writer chose two lawsuits that violate standards in which important future cases were based upon due to the outcomes of these cases. The first case is that within an employment setting in which testing was used to determine employee performance, yet was considered to not be valid or reliable. Griggs vs. Duke Power Company, 1971 brought to question if the testing that was being used to hold back African AmericansRead MoreEthics : Ethical And Ethical Considerations1741 Words   |  7 Pages The idea of being ethical shouldn’t only play a role in business fields, but also in a normal person’s everyday life. Being ethical pertains to what one thinks is right and wrong. For some one thing may be right while for others that same thing may be wrong, it all depends on your own beliefs and morals. In the accounting world being ethical deals with morals and embedding trust into a company. For small business investors, creditors and managers being ethical is a simple way of staying out of troubleRead MoreThe Ethical Consideration Of The Ncaa1153 Words   |  5 Pages The Lack of Consistency: The Ethical Consideration of the NCAA Kamren Gilliam Old Dominion University  The Lack of Consistency: The Ethical Consideration of the NCAA In recent years, collegiate athletics has evolved from the original spectrum of rivalry competition into a business model that focuses on branding and expanding markets. According to Stephanie Harrison-Dyer (2011), â€Å"Sport is too much a game to be business and too much a business to be a game† (p. 1). Although competitive sportRead MoreThe Ethical Considerations Of Undercover Essay1074 Words   |  5 Pageswork is within the scope of the law. It is mob related or connected to any other line of criminal activity that may jump into a person’s head, but rather is a part of law enforcement. Undercover work takes its toll on all involved. The ethical considerations involved are tremendous. What are acceptable activities for the undercover officer is a grey area that creates a backlash of debate on a regular basis. Is it acceptable for an undercover officer to smoke weed or shoplift in order to maintainRead MoreThe Ethical Considerations Of Ethics1132 Words   |  5 PagesEthical Considerations Ethics is one of the most important considerations when making a decision about end of life. It is also where the most controversy lies as arguments, using ethical theories, can be made for and against laws on end of life. â€Å"Ethics has at least two primary functions: to guide our actions, and to provide justification for the guidance given† (Schuklenk et al., 2011, p. 42). A duty-oriented ethicist would be against euthanasia and physician assisted death. They believe â€Å"weRead MoreLegal and Ethical Considerations1046 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Legal and Ethical Considerations in Healthcare BAT 1 Shadow charts were developed to gather data and information for additional departments and medical personnel that need access to part of a patient’s file or records. The original records should always remain in the patient’s primary chart allow copies may be available to ancillary departments that may need access to the information. The same level of confidentiality and security applies to the shadow charts. They must be in aRead MoreETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN COUNSELING2605 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN COUNSELING Counselors, like all professionals, have ethical responsibilities and obligations. The counseling literature contains numerous references to ethics and the legal status of the counselor, but for a number of reasons ethical problems pose particularly difficult situations for people in the various helping professions. First, clear-cut, specific ethical codes that provide adequate guidelines for ethical behavior in the very wide range of situations encounteredRead MoreLegal and Ethical Considerations2093 Words   |  9 PagesLegal and Ethical Considerations in Marketing, Product Safety, and Intellectual Property Kellie L. Plowden LEG 500 Doris Mitchell December 12, 2013 Everyone knows that direct- to consumer-marketing is focused on the patients. There are a lot of ways to get the attention of these patients. Advertising can be done through social media, print, radio, television, and word of mouth. â€Å"Prescription direct-to-consumer advertising has become a highly scrutinized and researched topic in healthcareRead MoreThe Ethical And Legal Considerations1813 Words   |  8 PagesBackground/Aims/Introduction Abuse is of no surprise when looking at the history of medical examinations and experiments, especially with children. As a result, there have been many ethical and legal considerations taken to ensure the safety and protection of participants within research and clinical trials within the medical field. When it comes to assessing a child’s decision making capacity, researchers often need to avoid two pitfalls: imposing complex medical decisions on children who are

Farnehiet 451 by Ray Bradbury - 727 Words

To â€Å"wake up† means you conform your mind to reality. When you â€Å"wake up† you have a new silence for thinking. You have a different perspective on the things around you. We are living in a real world where real things happen. We need to know our surroundings and know how to act according to them. The book Fahrenheit 451 happens in the future when books are against the law. A fireman named Montag just so happens to undergo this situation of â€Å"waking up†. This essay will tell how he started to â€Å"wake up†, what things he needs learn, contrasts in cultures, and reflections on these contrasts. One night, while coming home from work, Montag meets a girl named Clarisse (pp. 3-4). She says she’s â€Å"seventeen and crazy† (p. 5). She starts to ask Montag very strange questions that have him thinking. At the end of their conversation she asks him, â€Å"Are you happy?† (p. 7). He thinks to himself, â€Å"Of course I am.† Later, however, he realizes he’s not happy (p. 9). Happiness is part of this book. In the beginning Montag thinks he’s happy, but realizes he’s not (pp. 7-9). This is the first part of â€Å"waking up† for Montag. Self- reflection helps him to start â€Å"waking up†. After this he begins to notice how far apart he is from everyone. He starts to ponder about things people say, like what Beatty says, and he eventually starts to hide books. Once Montag actually starts to hide books in his house (it takes a while), he starts to read them. He doesn’t

Theoretical Framework on Information Technology and Systems

Questions: 1. Three ways to approach systems security risk.2. Four international business strategies in the digital world by Valacich.3. Knowledge Worker in terms of todays business environment.4. Reviewing.www.informationweek.comwww.itwire.comwww.delimiter.com.auwww.computerworld.com.au5. Primary and secondary storage.6. Four services available from a network.7. List and explain three benefits of using extranets.8. List and describe the five typical revenue models for e-commerce.9. What are the advantages of storing information in a relational database using a database management system (DBMS)?10. Contrast technological safeguards and human safeguards in information systems security. Answers: 1. Three ways to approach systems security risk: IT risk administration as of now plays more imperative part in very nearly all parts of contemporary associations' usefulness.(Rot, 2008) It requires dependable and cyclical acknowledgment of its key assignment which is risk investigation. The three ways to approach systems security risk can be: Risk Evaluation: Identifying the probability of it occurring.(Rot, 2008) Examining the consequences if it should occur. (Rot, 2008) Assessing the Risk. (Rot, 2008) Quantitative Approach: where estimation of risk worth is joined with application of numerical measures estimation of assets is characterized in sums, the recurrence of danger event in the quantity of cases, and vulnerability by the estimation of likelihood of its misfortune, those strategies present results fit as a fiddle of marker (Rot, 2008) Qualitative Approach: Which don't work on numerical information, displaying results as depictions, proposals. (Rot, 2008) 2. The four international business strategies in the digital world by Valacich are: Outsourcing: If an association in a far off area can perform a bit of a business' administrations better and less expensive, employ that association. As such, its no longer judicious or important for the greater part of a business' administrations to be performed in one area, or under one top. Supply Chains: Find the gear and supplies expected to achieve business objectives effectively and monetarily by utilizing worldwide, not simply nearby, sources. Consulting: so as to contend in a level world, it may bode well for organizations to counsel data benefits that can exhort them on the most proficient method to end up worldwide. For illustration, Infosys Technologies counsels with customers inside eighteen commercial ventures, running from the aeronautic trade, to health awareness, training, and utilities commercial ventures. Employment: To contract the best and the brightest, look for workers from nations around the world, or utilization the livelihood acquirement administrations of a worldwide occupation administrations. 3. Knowledge Worker in terms of todays business environment: When we attempt to characterize administration, our first thought is typically of a chief who involves a part and who has power over individuals.(McCrimmon, 2010) Be that as it may on account of knowledge workers, who oversee themselves, administration is seen as a process, one which can captivate everybody.(McCrimmon, 2010) Consequently, when we characterize administration as a part, we limit it to something that alludes to supervisors just. Such a definition is not just a restricting one, it is one that does not represent the route in which work and obligation has changed. (McCrimmon, 2010) Mechanical age associations were formal progressive systems that alloted particular parts to workers. The spotlight on parts put all force in the hands of administrators, who administered workers by arranging, sorting out and controlling their work. This is basically what made administration a top-down, limiting capacity.(McCrimmon, 2010) 4. Reviewing: www.informationweek.comwww.itwire.comwww.delimiter.com.auwww.computerworld.com.au According to the website https://www.informationweek.com/ Cyber security seems to be the topic of most discussions, whether it be on computers, mobiles, tablets or even cloud computing. (https://www.informationweek.com/) On https://www.itwire.com/ I was personally most intrigued by the launch of Windows 10 operating system, they will have a live preview of it.(https://www.itwire.com/) The most important announcement on https://delimiter.com.au/ would have to be its closure. After a successful stint online, the website seems to have run its course and has decided to shut shop. (https://delimiter.com.au/) Virtual Reality, especially the use of glasses seemed to be the burning topic in the case of https://www.computerworld.com.au/ after Google had announced its virtual reality glasses, it seems Microsoft is going to beat Google at this game, as it has announced its soon to be launched HoloLens.( https://www.computerworld.com.au/) 5. Primary and secondary storage: Primary memory storages are impermanent; whereas the secondary storage is lasting. Primary memory is costly and littler, where as secondary memory is less expensive and bigger Primary memory storages are speedier, where as secondary storages are slower. Primary memory storages are associated through information transports to CPU, where as the secondary storages are join through information links to CPU 6. Four services available from a network: There are various diverse system administrations, for example, directory services is an arrangement of programming that sorts out, stores and gives availability to data inside the machine registry working frameworks instant messaging is a class of online talk known for offering content transmission of ongoing through the web video on demand are the frameworks permitting the clients for selecting and viewing substance of feature or listening substance of sound focused around distinctive decisions Simple network management protocol is a convention of web standard for the administration of gadget on the systems of IT. 7. List and explain three benefits of using extranets: An extranet can increase the value of your organization by helping you impart and work together all the more successfully with customers, clients, and accomplices.(AllBusiness, n.d) Especially in the business-to-business showcase, an extranet can give your organization an edge over the opposition and spare you cash by streamlining conventional business capacities and cutting overhead expenses. (AllBusiness, n.d) Extranets offer little organizations numerous different points of interest: Expanded profit. As you robotize forms that were generally done physically, bottlenecks will vanish and your organization's gainfulness will increment. Basic data won't lose all sense of direction via the post office or covered in an email inbox, and occupied workers won't miss or overlook key occasions. An extranet can, for instance, screen business exercises and trigger particular activities, for example, consequently submitting a request with a supplier when your stock drops beneath a certain level. (AllBusiness, n.d) Lessened room for give and take. An extranet can decrease your safety buffer, particularly when you utilize it to give particular gatherings access to inner applications. This could include something as basic as giving clients access to their request histories, or something as mind boggling as transforming requests from merchants and suppliers. (AllBusiness, n.d) Adaptability. When you utilize an extranet to make data and applications accessible to accomplices, customers, and clients, everybody can work when and where its generally advantageous. This serve toward oneself methodology liberates you from unnecessary gatherings and telephone tag, and it eliminates the expenses connected with in-individual data trades. Case in point, an extranet may permit you to give client administration data outside of general business hours.(AllBusiness, n.d) 8. List and describe the five typical revenue models for e-commerce value recommendation - how an organization's item or administration satisfies the needs of clients. Ordinary e-trade quality recommendations incorporate personalization, customization, accommodation, and decrease of item pursuit and value conveyance costs. revenue model - how the organization arrangements to profit from its operations. Real e-business income models incorporate the publicizing model, membership model, exchange expense model, deals model, and subsidiary model. market opportunity - the income potential inside an organization's expected marketspace. competitive environment-the immediate and aberrant contenders working together in the same marketspace, including what number of there are and how beneficial they are. competitive point of interest - the elements that separate the business from its rival, empowering it to give a predominant item. 9. Emulating are a percentage of the favourable circumstances of utilizing a database over a customary record transforming framework: Potential for implementing measures. (nrttechnology, n.d) (nrttechnology, n.d) Lessened application improvement time. (nrttechnology, n.d) Accessibility of progressive data to all clients. (nrttechnology, n.d) Economies of scale.(nrttechnology, n.d) 10. Contrast technological safeguards and human safeguards in information systems security Technological safeguards are the steps implemented by associations to secure equipment and programming parts of data frameworks. There are three noteworthy levels where this protection is connected and this is distinguishing proof and verification, malware security and encryption and firewalls. Recognizable proof and confirmation includes systems, for example, utilization of biometric information, single sign-on and utilization of smartcards. These are technological developments which are connected to secure data security in associations. An illustration is the utilization of biometric information where human body parts, for example, fingerprints and retina are utilized to validate clients. Human safeguards are steps implemented by associations to protect the data framework security, and they include control of individuals who access the data framework. Human safeguards include different levels of managing the human asset and they incorporate procuring and screening, position definition, scattering and implementation and end. Position definition permits clients to have employment titles with comparing security rights while spread and implementation guarantees that all staff are mindful of strategies took after when getting to the framework. End includes change in representatives obligations while contracting and screening distinguishes workers who represent a danger to the association. Screening of workers through record verifications against law requirement organizations when procuring is an illustration of human protect in data security. References: AllBusiness (n.d) Benefits of Extranets, [Online], Available: https://www.allbusiness.com/technology/computer-networking/1283-1.html [22 January 2015]. McCrimmon, M. (2010) A NEW ROLE FOR MANAGEMENT IN TODAYS POST-INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION , August, [Online], Available: https://iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/leadership/a-new-role-for-management-in-todays-post-industrial-organization#.VMCnTC6pfQE [22 January 2015]. nrttechnology (n.d) DBMS, [Online], Available: https://www.nrtechnology.com/education/database/lecture%201/lecture%201.htm [22 January 2015]. Rot, A. (2008) 'IT Risk Assessment: Quantitative and Qualitative Approach', World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science, San Francisco, USA.

Their Eyes Were Watching God Essays (458 words) -

Their Eyes Were Watching God Their Eyes Were Watching God, (1937) presents strong evidence of love as a symbol of a true friendship that lasts forever. When Tea Cake comes home with his hard earned money, he says to Janie ?What Ah tell yuh Ahm gointuh bring it, Ah don't lie.?(122) Tea Cake is straight forward with Janie that's one of the things that Janie admires about him. Unlike, her other husbands, Logan, and Joe, who controlled her on one way or the other. Because they have the trust they can rely on one another anytime. Tea Cake gives Janie whatever he can offer. ?From now on, you gointuh eat wahutever mah money can buy and wear de same. When Ah ain't got nothin' you don't git nothin.?(122) Tea cake loves Janie and wants her to be happy. He's the only one who gives Janie the freedom to be who she is, not who someone wanted her to be. All of Janie's life she was hidden behind a mask that only was taken off with Tea Cake's love. ?He drifted into sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place.'(122) The love that both Tea Cake and Janie shared gave Janie's soul the freedom and the food it starved for many years. After Tea Cake's death, Janie did not feel alone. ?She called in her soul to come and see.?(184) Tea Cake had given so much love to Janie that would last her whole life. Tea Cake not only encouraged Janie's growth to independence, but also given her a direction toward her new life. Even though Tea Cake is gone physically, he is there with Janie. ?He could never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking. The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall.'(184) Tea Cake's death freed Janie for the rest of her life. When he was gone she had nothing else to look after in life except herself. She was like a little seed, able to blow in the wind and go wherever she chose to go.? She pulled the in her horizon like a great big fish net?she called in her soul to come and see.?(184) Janie's mind and sprit, and body were free. Janie has Tea Cake's love in her soul. He will always be with her. With having Tea Cake there Janie is a whole person. In conclusion, Janie has found her true love and a new life with Tea Cake. Tea Cake is the catalyst in her inner blooming. For Janie and Tea Cake being in which they have learned and grown together. After Tea Cake's death, he himself is not there physically, but he's always with Janie. The spiritual growth of love they both shared will always be there.

Crucible Lying Essays - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible

Crucible Lying Notes for an essay on human weaknesses that are prominent in the Crucible Lying (pg. 10 - Abigail Williams) Abigail lied to Parris when he asked if she had slept with Proctor. (pg. 17 - All the Girls) They all agreed to say that they had only danced, nothing more. (pg. 109 - Elizabeth Proctor) Goody Proctor lied in court and said that her husband had not committed lechery. Greed (pg. 29 - Thomas Putnam) Mr. Putnam got angry with John Proctor for taking wood from what he thought was his own land when really Proctor bought it from Goody Nurse's husband five months ago. (pg. 63 - Reverend Parris) Parris thought he needed golden candlesticks for the church so he had preached nothing but golden candlesticks until he had them. (Abigail Williams) Abigail wanted to marry John Proctor and when he let her know he only loved Elizabeth, Abigail tried to get rid of Elizabeth. Lack of Strength (pg. 42 - Tituba) Tituba could not take the abuse she was getting any longer so she gave in and confessed to compacting with the Devil. (pg. 113 - Mary Warren) Mary was not strong enough to stand up to the girls and she turned on John Proctor and said that he was the Devil's man. (Deputy Governor Danforth) Danforth could not stop hanging people when he knew they were innocent because he had already killed so many, he was not strong enough to take responsibility for his error.

Catch Verb Example Sentences in All Tenses

Catch Verb Example Sentences in All Tenses This page provides example sentences of the verb catch  in all tenses including active and passive forms, as well as conditional and modal forms. Uses of Catch The verb  catch  is often used with ball sports. See if you can catch this ball.Ill throw you  the ball and you catch it.   It is also used to express a transfer from one person to another: I caught the bug at schoolShe caught a cold from Tim.   As well as transportation: I caught the subway on 34th Street.Ill catch a plane for Denver tonight. Catch  can also be used for discovering people doing something wrong: Ive caught my boy stealing cookies a number of times.Lets catch the thief.   Common phrasal verbs with catch include: catch up, catch on Forms of Catch Base Form catch  - used in simple forms /  Past Simple caught - used in the past  / Past Participle caught / Gerund catching Examples Sentences With Catch Present Simple He catches the train at nine oclock.I often catch students colds.   Present Simple Passive The ball is caught by the player at first base.The flu is caught by many during the winter.   Present Continuous They are catching on fast!Hes catching up with me. Run faster! Present Continuous Passive The train is being caught by a number of fans.The fish are being caught in the thousands this month. Present Perfect He has caught a cold.Ive caught up with my work.   Present Perfect Passive That train has been caught by more than one million travelers.That fish as already been caught! Present Perfect Continuous He has been catching on slowly.We have been catching up this week. Past Simple Peter caught the ball.Did you catch the train to New York last week? Past Simple Passive The ball was caught by Peter.His meaning was caught be all.   Past Continuous He was catching the train when he bumped into her.We were catching up when she walked in the door.   Past Continuous Passive The train was being caught by hundreds of travelers when the announcement rang out.The ball was being caught as the runner started for home.   Past Perfect I had caught twenty butterflies by the time she arrived.They had caught the bus before I called them to cancel the meeting.   Past Perfect Passive Twenty butterflies had been caught by the time she arrived.Thirty fly balls had been caught by the outfielder before he won the award.   Past Perfect Continuous She had been catching butterflies when they arrived.Wed been catching up on our lives for three hours when we left. Future (will) Anna will catch the next train to Boston.Throw the ball. Ill catch it! Future (will) passive That fish will be caught soon.This ball will be caught by the outfielder.   Future (going to) Michael is going to catch the ball!Hes going to catch a flight this afternoon.   Future (going to) passive The ball is going to be caught by Michael!The flu is going to be caught be everybody if we dont do something.   Future Continuous This time next week I will be catching the train to Boston.He will be catching up with Peter this time tomorrow.   Future Perfect By the end, he will have caught more than 50 butterflies.He will have caught more than 300 pitches by the end of the game.   Future Possibility She may catch a cold.He might catch the ball.   Real Conditional If she catches a cold, she should see a doctor.Unless he catches the ball, well lose the game. Unreal Conditional If she caught on faster, she would do better in school.If he caught more balls, theyd win more games.   Past Unreal Conditional If they had caught the early train, they would have arrived on time.If he had caught the ball, they would have won the game.   Present Modal I can catch the next train.You should catch a show on Broadway. Past Modal He cant have caught the wrong train!He shouldnt have caught a cold.

Rights and Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rights and Freedom - Essay Example The Bill of Rights guarantees the privacy of citizens and grants them the right to a fair judicial trial process. There are two procedures of amending the US constitution is not fair since it entails a lot of lobbying and scrutiny all the States and houses of the legislature. Rights and freedom Introduction The First Amendment of the US constitution prohibits the Congress from making any law that may prohibit the right and freedom of worship, the right and freedom of peaceful assembly, the freedom of petition, the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech. The First Amendment is an important aspect of US constitution since protestors could be silenced by the federal government and press could not criticize the government without fear of reprisal. In addition, the citizens could have been constrained in petitioning the government in agitation of social change through peaceful assembly. Without the First Amendment, religious minority groups could be prosecuted since the government could have the powers to establish a state religion. Personally, I believe that the freedom of speech is the most important freedom that is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US constitution. The freedom of speech includes both words and symbolic speech that is safeguarded by the 1st Amendment. The freedom of speech is a freedom of expression that allows citizens to express themselves without any government interference. The US Supreme Court requires the government to make substantive explanation and justification in all attempts that aim at regulating the contents of the speech. Although the freedom of speech is guaranteed, this excludes any speech that is aimed at causing violence or propagating illegal activities. I have realized that the level of protection that the speech will attract will depend on the forum in which the speech takes place. Some types of speeches are either unprotected or less protected and include commercial speech, advocacy of illegal activities, figh ting words, and obscenity. In the case of Meyer v. Grant, 486 U.S 414, 108S. Ct. 1886, the Supreme court clarified that political speech entails any interactive communication that concerns political change while Buckley V. Valeo, 424 U.S 1, 96 1976, asserted that circulating petitions, placards, making speeches and orations was a safeguarded political speech. Speeches that incite illegal activities are prohibited if they aim at directly inciting or producing lawless action. However, the government can not punish anti-war protestors who oppose the government actions through speech. Fighting words such as derogatory messages receive lower protection while obscenity and pornographic speech is controlled by the government. The First Amendment also safeguards some symbolic expressions which are likely to be understood by the audience unless the symbolic expression is against societal interests. Advertising speech is also safeguarded than fighting words due to consumers’ need of ma rket information. However, political speech is granted the utmost protection by the constitution. The Bill of Rights and subsequent notable amendments to U.S constitution democracy are of significant importance. The Bill of Rights consists of first 10 amendments of US constitutions and safeguards the freedom of religion, and freedom of expres

Gone With The Wind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gone With The Wind - Essay Example In this story, the main character, Scarlett O’Hara, must come to grips with the loss of her childhood wealth and comfort as a true Southern Belle of the Old South as the Civil War rips apart the Georgia countryside of her home and renders her penniless in the devastation of the Antebellum South. This is an important distinction that is made much of in both the book and the subsequent film. At the beginning of the novel, the grandness of the plantation does not seem to equal later impressions of it. Scarlett herself doesn’t seem to really being placing the mansion and grounds into their sweeping concepts until somewhat later in the book, when the city of Atlanta is under siege. It is here that she begins considering â€Å"the sprawling white house with fluttering white curtains at the windows, the thick clover on the lawn with the bees busy in it, the little black boy on the front steps shooing the ducks and turkeys from the flowerbeds, the serene red fields and the miles and miles of cotton turning white in the sun!† (339). As the war rages on and Scarlett is forced to exist in the relative squalor and deprivation of the Reconstruction, these images become even more distanced from the real. For example, Rhett Butler decides to leave Scarlett to her misery as he goes to â€Å"hunt in old towns and old countries where some of the old time must still linge r† (1009) while Scarlett continues to place her memories of the old plantation in terms of the romantically idealized: â€Å"the banks of cape jessamine bushes, vivid green against the white walls, the fluttering white curtains† (1011). The ending impression of Tara before the war thus takes on the image that is eventually put forward at the opening of the film by the same name. For the film, it was important to portray the sprawling wealth of a southern plantation to explain both Scarlett’s headstrong, princess-like attitude as well as her expectations regarding other people’s behavior. The mansion

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Research Paper - 6

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness - Research Paper Example In the last few decades, globalization has become a crucial factor in business, as it affects business in different ways. In the case of Kmart, globalization has led to increased competition in the market. For instance, Target and Wal-Mart are new entrants in the market, having come after Kmart. These later replaced Kmart as the leading retailer. In addition, consumers today have a wide range of options to choose from. With increased technology that comes with globalization, consumers in America can now shop from other international companies, out of America. Being operational only in Guam, the United States, and Puerto Rica, Kmart has not stabilized and diversified enough to adapt to the competition that is globalization presents. In addition, the company has not adopted technology to the required global standards, therefore, cannot fully exploit new business opportunities globally (Turner, 2003). Technology is an important factor in companies today, considering the benefits it presents. In Kmart, the factor of technology made it lag behind and lose it to Wal-Mart. This is because Kmart took a long period to adopt technology to the standards of its competitors. Wal-Mart, which is Kmart’s main competitor, used technology since the early 1970,s as the key to its success. During these years, the company used computers in its stores, electronic cash registers, and used scanners to read UPC bar codes. Later, Wal-Mart started using virtual documents in placing orders and receiving shipping notices. Since Kmart did not take the initiative of integrating technology in its business, this made Wal-Mart have all the competitive advantage, as advanced technology brought effectiveness in the business. However, during the end of 1980s Kmart started to adopt advanced technology in its business process gradually. Nonetheless, the sluggish adoption of technology due to lack of

Public Transport And Traffic In Penang Tourism Essay

Public Transport And Traffic In Penang Tourism Essay Chapter 1 Infrastructure is a broad concept linked to every facet of the economy and human life. Accordingly, the list of associated issues is long. For any purposeful analysis of issues in infrastructure development to lead to an action-oriented way forward, it is necessary to narrow down the definition of infrastructure and associated issues. The term infrastructure has been used since 1927 to refer collectively to the roads, bridges, rail lines and similar public works that are required for an industrial economy to function. Transportation, communication, sewage, water and electric systems are all a part of infrastructure. These systems tend to be high-cost investments. In general, infrastructure is location-specific and cannot be moved from place to place (www.unescap.org). Transportation infrastructure cannot operate without transportation and transportation cannot run without transportation infrastructure. Different transportations have their own infrastructure to support each other. For air transportation, their infrastructure will be the airport. Port will be the infrastructure for water transportation while infrastructure for land transportation such as public bus will be the bus terminal or bus stop. Transport infrastructure development in East and South-East Asia has played a key part in the phenomenal growth of world trade. The infrastructure backbone for international trade has been the container shipping network and increasingly the airfreight network. World container port traffic, which expanded by 9.2 per cent to 266 million TEUs in 2003, is dominated by Asian countries. They accounted for 46 per cent of container ship operations, 62 per cent of container port throughput, and 83 per cent of container ship building. Twelve major South and East Asian exporters together account for half of the worlds containerized exports (www.unescap.org). Bus terminal or known as bus station  is one of the most important transportation infrastructure where  buses  stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It may be intended as a  terminal or station  for a number of routes or as a transfer station where the routes continue. It is larger than bus stop where bus stop is usually built at the road side for the bus to stop for a while but not to wait for passengers. Tel Avivs new central bus station was officially inaugurated recently, after 26 years of off-and-on construction, legal and financial disputes (Encyclopedia.com). A majority of the Dan and Egged Tel Aviv-area buses are now based at the new station; 5,000 buses pass through the station daily, carrying some 150,000 passengers. The station is the largest bus station in the world, encompassing 197,600 square meters indoors, and 34,400 square meters outdoors (Encyclopedia.com). The largest underground bus station in Europe is  Kamppi Center  of  Helsinki,  Finland  completed in 2006. The terminal cost 100 million Euro to complete and took 3 years to design and build. Today, the bus terminal, which covers 25,000 square meters, is the busiest bus terminal in Finland. Every day, the terminal has around 700 bus departures, transporting some 170,000 passengers (www.webcitation.org). Since bus station play a vital role in strengthening the volume of traffic as well as in providing better services to the passenger, the bus service undertakings, specially in the public sector, should come up and encourage the emergence of the bus station management as an independent discipline in the field of traffic management. (Kulshrestha, 1993, p.9) Penang, as most of us may already know, is one of Malaysias most popular destinations for travelers coming from the local or the international communities (Talk Malaysia 2010). One of the main reasons for Penang to have so many travelers coming and going out annually is partly because there are a lot of interesting places to visit in Penang. Most of the interesting places in Penang are located at mainly around Georgetown and Seberang Perai (www.talkmalaysia.com). Therefore, transport infrastructure especially bus terminal or station in Georgetown play an important role in order to pick up and drop off passengers from a destination to another destination. This is because Penang has traffic problem, therefore public transport are used. Komtar Bus Terminal is the hub of bus services in George Town. All the bus routes of Penang radiates from this terminal. To be exact, Komtar Bus Terminal is not a terminal proper, but rather a bus station, because buses do not actually start from here, but rather, from the Weld Quay Bus Terminal. Nevertheless, most people will know it by that name. At the Komtar Bus Terminal, you can catch buses going to the north, central, south and west parts of Penang Island, as well as some buses that go to the mainland. Among the bus companies that use the terminal includes Rapid Penang, Milan, Transit Link and KGN-Hin. The terminal is located along Lebuh Tek Soon, although buses approach it via Jalan Ria and they emerge from the terminal into Jalan Ria once more (www.penang-traveltips.com). As a bus stop user, not satisfied with bus terminal in Georgetown. Some of the same complaint had been made by locals and tourists too. This is because they have the difficulties in determine which bus to ride in order to reach their destination. Therefore, this study is to find out what are the factors which make the tourists satisfied and not satisfied with the bus terminals in Penang. This study also includes, to identify the present condition of transport infrastructure, the cleanliness in the bus terminals and the safety and security in the bus terminals. From these factors, this study is able to conclude what are their expectations towards bus stop in order to let the government make improvement. 1.2 Statement of Problem Transport and traffic management have always been a bone of contention for Penang. Many feel that rapid economic development has not been met with an equal amount of attention given to proper traffic management and planning. There are about 1.4 million vehicles (motorcycles, cars and other vehicles) for a population of about 1.4 million people in Penang. This is about double the number of vehicles in 1999 (Sympologic, 2008). For the above reason, public transportation had played a very important role to reduce the traffic in Penang. But without a good infrastructure, public transportation will not be able to run smoothly. There are 2 main transport infrastructures for bus in Georgetown which are Komtar Bus Terminal and Weld Quay Bus Terminal. But, locals and tourists are not satisfied with the bus terminals in Georgetown. This is because there are no proper route information and bus timetable. It is difficult especially for tourists to identify which bus to ride in order to reach their destination. Tourists always have to ask the bus driver one by one to ask for the destination. This had slow down the traffic also. Besides, from the observation, the bus terminals are not well-maintained in term of cleanliness and safety. 1.3 Goal Objectives The goal of this research is to study tourists satisfactions and expectations towards bus terminals in Penang. In order to achieve the above goal, there are some objectives need to be done. To examine tourists satisfactions towards bus terminals To examine tourists expectations towards the bus terminals To examine the present condition of bus terminals To identify the cleanliness in the bus terminals To identify the safety and security in the bus terminals 1.4 Hypothesis From the objectives above, the below are the hypotheses which had concluded: Locals and tourists are not satisfied with the bus terminals. Locals and tourists have high expectations on the bus terminals in term of cleanliness and security. There is no proper route information or sign board in the bus terminals. The bus terminals are not clean. The bus terminals are not secure. The above hypotheses are made based on my own experiences and observation. Significance of the Study This research is able to let the government and private sector to make improvement on the bus terminals in order to let them become truly efficient. From the questionnaires which will be distribute and collected, they able to tell us the satisfaction level and expectation of locals and tourists towards the bus terminals. From their expectation, the improvement can be made. For example by putting up the route information and sign board, locals and tourists able to know which bus to ride to reach their destination. Besides, clean the bus terminals daily so that locals and tourists will feel comfortable and assign more security to secure the bus terminals. When the improvements have made, the locals and tourists will have the chance to use better bus terminals. All these will make the business of the bus increase too. 1.6 Scopes and Limitations of the Study The scopes for my research are Penangites and tourists in Penang. Penangites and tourists who are the user of bus terminals are targeted. 80% Penangites and 20% tourists are chosen to carry out this research. In order to complete this research, distribution of questionnaires will be made to these 2 groups of people mentioned above. Besides, observation in the bus terminals will be done by my own selves too. The bus terminals in Georgetown which would like to research on are Komtar Bus Terminal and Weld Quay Bus Terminal. These are the two popular bus terminals in Georgetown which crowded by people every day. This is because these are the two main stops which the bus will pick and drop passenger. There are also limitations for this research. The first limitation is resources. There is very few information on books, journals or articles about transportation infrastructure. The next limitation will be the time. Only 5 months to complete this research. Last but not least, the limitation is the manpower. I am the only one who doing this research. Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Transport and Tourism Page (2005) said that transport act as one of the important that contributed to the international development of tourism. According to Page (2007), the mode of transport can be one of the main motivations for the tourists to travel. He also said that in the growth of domestic and international tourism, transport is the most critical element in the promotion. He continued said that transport links the tourist from the origin area with the destination area. Therefore it enables the holidaymaker, business traveler and other categories of traveler to purchase the products and experience what they have purchased. He added that transport may be an attraction in its own right. Tourists who travel by road may use public transport or private transport to experience a variety of destinations. 2.2 Transport and Tourism in Penang, Malaysia A combination of East and West, Penang continues to grow in modernity but at the same time holding its traditions and old charm. Recently, because of the harmony of multiracial in Penang and the heritage buildings which are well preserved, these make the Georgetown being accorded a listing as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Penang, long regarded as the food capital of Malaysia, it also attracts tourists with its beautiful beaches and delicious cuisines (www.tourismpenang.net.my). Transportation in Penang is convenient. You can travel in or out of Penang by the well-connected of road, rail, sea and air. Not only the air and train service is good in Penang but the seaways also offer good transportation. Ferry and seaports are there to create convenient to the people in Penang and Buttterworth. Penang ferry is provided by the Penang Ferry Service that connects George Town, Penang and Butterworth. There are four terminals, one on Penang Island (Swettenham Pier) and three on the mainland. Next, railway act as one of the transportation in Penang, but they are not popular due to their low speed. Besides, international flights are available in Penang International Airport which situated in the Bayan Lepas area of Penang, Malaysia (www.asiarooms.com). Goh (2010) said that traffic jams in Penang especially the major roads including Jalan Burma, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Jalan Jelutong and Jalan Mesjid Negeria re common although the population is small. Outside the city, jams are found even in Bayan Lepas and Telok Kimbar. He added that although the Jelutong Express Way had provided some relief to Jalan Jelutong and Jalan Mesjid Negeri, but the costs to Penangnites have yet to be calculated, although the highway is touted to be free. He suggested that Penang should follow the example of Crutiba. Crutiba is a city where the people rely on buses to avoid traffic jam. Recently, Rapid Penang buses are introduced for those who do not have car or have chosen not to use their cars. 2.2 Public Transportation Zegeer (2002) said that good public transportation is an important to the quality of a community as good roads. According Ramanathan and Parikh (1999, cited in Ramanathan, 2001; Banister and Berechman, 2001; Ramanathan and Parikh, 1999; Eisner, 1991), transport is a vital element for the modern society now and key to sustained economic growth. But, Ortuzar and Willumsen (2001) argued that the world of transport still face many problems of the past such as congestion, pollution, accidents, financial deficits and so on. They continued said that these problems will not get away until the traffic management improved. Figure 1 Car and Public-transport vicious circle Car and Public-transport vicious circle cited in Ortà ºzar, J.d.D., Willumsen, L.G., 2001, p. 8 They continue said that the transport problems have spread widely in both industrialized and developing countries. According to them, fuel shortages which are temporarily not a problem, but the increase in road traffic and transport demand has resulted in congestion, delays, accidents and environmental problems well beyond what has been considered acceptable so far. These problems have not been controlled to roads and car traffic alone. They added that economic growth seems to have generated levels of demand exceeding the capacity of most transport facilities. They continue argued that these problems are not likely to disappear in the near future. They suggested that it is necessary to ensure that a major effort in improving most forms of transport, in urban and inter-urban contexts. With respect to the quality of prices and services, transport services have been traditionally been subject to tight economic regulation with respect to entering and exciting the market. In many countries, road and rail networks and airport and port systems are traditionally designed, built, and operated by the public sector itself, which is the ultimate form of regulation. This type of government intervention has resulted in excessive costs that are not matched by prices or quality, therefore creating an outcome that reflects the interests of the sectors civil servants of contractors, unions, and other interests groups more than preferences of users and taxpayers (Estache and Rus, 2000). According to UITP (2004), government and public transport share a same goal to make sure the public transport is accessible to all especially the traffic environments have to be well-designed and managed to let the people to reach and use public transport safely and with confidence. UITP suggested that government and the public transport community to work together to reduce not only the physical but also the psychological barriers such as cognitive, information, fear and discrimination to travel safely in cities. UITP continues said that at any one time, an average of 25% of the population may have a degree of reduced mobility due to a physical or mental disability, impaired sight or hearing, or through having to carry heavy bags or travel with small children. UITP added, physical and sensory disabilities are often related to age and, as is well known, the proportion of the elderly population in western countries is growing and will continue to do so well into the 21st century. These are clear of the importance of improving accessibility to transport systems. According to UITP, benefits from improvements in transport accessibility are accrued not just to the disabled and ageing communities, but to all clients of the transport system. 2.3 Transport infrastructure Traditionally, building extra capacity has been addressed due to the blockages in transport infrastructure. But the possibility is small for the further expansion of infrastructure in many urban areas where the demand for transport is highest. Furthermore, a number of reports have found that the construction of new roads and airports to relieve congestion is ineffective because it only serves to induce new traffic. On the other hand, a study undertaken by a Norwegian research organization, the SINTEF Group claims that infrastructure capacity increases are directly linked to decreases in polluting emissions from motor vehicles. Using a traffic micro-simulation, it showed, for example, that upgrading narrow, winding roads or adding a lane to a congested motorway can yield decreases of up to 38% in CO2 emissions, 67% in CO emissions and 75% in NOx emissions, without generating substantially more car trips (EurActiv.com, 2008). According to Cà ¡rcamo-Dà ­az and Goddard (2007, cited in IADB, 2000), Infrastructure, defined as the set of engineering structures, equipment and facilities with a long-term, useful life employed by households and the different productive sectors of the economy, is essential for economic growth (cited in Easterly and Serven, 2003) and integration. As pointed out by IADB (2002), there is a positive relationship across countries between income levels and the quality of infrastructure. According to Tanzi (2005), the implicit assumption about the direction of causation goes from infrastructure to growth, although this issue is still debated in the literature. In many cases, the objective of transport infrastructure investment is to improve the accessibility of a given region by reducing travel time or increasing the potential to travel. Accessibility can be measured as the quantity of economic or social activities that can be reached using the transport labor, leading to increased competition and centralization. On the other hand, the impact for region concerned could be both positive and negative, depending on its initial level competitiveness (OECD, 2002). According to ITF and OECD (2008), there are some features of surface transport infrastructure that make its provision distinct from many other areas of the economy and which will likely have to be accounted for when different models are being considered. They claimed that transport system does not exist for their own sake but rather to serve other economic and social activity, this is because transport is a derived demand. This means that the possible wider implications of capacity shortages in, and overall standard of, the transport system, must be taken into consideration in the design if any model for providing transport infrastructure. 2.4 Transport Infrastructure in Different Countries 2.4.1 Luxembourg The pressure of congestion, excessive strain on transport infrastructure and environmental have led to a challenge due to a large and increasing number of commuters (OECD, 2008c). These pressures stem from both resident and cross-border commutes, which are broadly similar in number. High and increasing number of commutes among residents is reflected in Europes highest car ownership rate and one of the highest annual distances covered by automobile per capita. For cross-border commutes, 85% are made in passenger cars without use of public transport. These patterns lead to alarming levels of congestion on the main road transport corridors and there are now severe bottlenecks at the entrance to urban areas, notably in the city of Luxembourg. This results in wasted time, unsafe driving conditions, noise and high levels of emission and local air pollution (OECD, 2010). 2.4.2 France According to Willis (2010), the transport infrastructure in France is one of the most modernized to be found anywhere in Europe and this makes international freight movements streamlined and effective. In the area of modern tramways, France is a world leader in railway technology. Rail transport is therefore always a best option for shipping companies and freight forwarders operating in France. The transport network is built as a web, with Paris at the center. There is a total of nearly 32,000 kilometers of track in France, most of which is operated by the French railway company, SNCF. Over the last twenty years, a set of high speed LGV (lignes a grande vitesse) have been constructed to connect most parts of France with Paris. There are same gauge rail links to adjacent countries of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Sweden, as well as the Channel Tunnel link with the UK. The TGV, the French high speed train has broken world speed records is a sign of the way that France is a tr ue global leader in rail transport. For freight transport, rail is a model in France. 2.4.3 Germany According to Willis (2009), Germany has a transport infrastructure that is the envy of the world and this has helped enable the development of a highly effective freight services industry. The phrase Germanic is often used as a byword for efficiency and with good reason, if the freight services industry in Germany is seen as a measure. He continued said that when consider that it is less than twenty years since the Berlin Wall came down and East Germany started its process of integration within Germany, the efficiency of the transport network throughout the country is all the more remarkable. There is a very efficient network of waterways, railways and motorways that make internal connections fast and straightforward and also connect Germany with other countries throughout the world. 2.4.4 Middle East Timon Singh (2010) claimed that the Middle East and North Africa region has invested heavily in its transport infrastructure and for the likes of the UAE in particular over the past few years. He continued claimed that the money has gone into planes and trains in order to better improve between states, but to turn the region into both a business and tourist hub. Air traffic in the Middle East is the fastest growing in the world, and in order to cater for the increasing number of passengers at their various airports and thus improving their general transport infrastructure, the UAE has been implementing various aviation projects. According to him, rail is another part of the regions transport infrastructure that has gathered support in the Middle East from Dubais Metro System to plans for an expansive network connecting the GCC states. Qatar and Bahrain have one of the most ambitious projects, combining both rail and metro lines, which is set to transform the emirate into a major transport hub. The project, which is rumored to be costing over US$36.6 billion (QR133.5 billion) and estimated to take six years, is expected to be finished in phases over the next six years, with three major sections being the focus of the scheme the metro network within Greater Doha, the over-ground railways covering the whole of Qatar and then, linking it to the rest of the GCC region and cargo trains. 2.4.5 London, United Kingdom McDougall (2010) asked how do cities meet the needs of a growing population, promote diverse and healthy communities, improve the environment and tackle climate change. The answer is its a tall order and one that London is tackling head on with their aptly named London Plan. He said that the London Plan sets out to ensure that Londons transport is easy, safe and convenient and encourages cycling, walking and electric vehicles. The ambitious plan sets out the overall strategic direction for an integrated economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the development of London over the next 20-25 years. He continues said that the London Plan identifies what are termed Opportunity Areas in and around Londons major reservoirs of brown-field land. These areas are characterized by their potential to accommodate new housing, commercial and other development linked to existing or potential improvements to public transport accessibility. It is important to make sure that they can be developed without undue additional pressure on Londons already-crowded public transport, or on the limited funds available for anything beyond committed transport improvements. 2.4.6 India According to Pradhan (2010), transport is a key infrastructure in the present study, as causes energy consumption as well as economic growth in India. Therefore, he suggested that increasing transport facility along with energy consumption will lead to more economic growth in India. The achievement of higher economic growth through transport infrastructure and energy consumption could be due to its various direct and indirect benefits in the economy. But he claimed that the level of transport infrastructure is not so good, both in quantity and quality, in contrast to developed countries in the world. He suggested that if there is sufficient transport infrastructure in the economy, the result would be much better. He continued suggested that a suitable transport policy should be required urgently to boost economic growth and to maintain sustainable economic development in the country since transport infrastructure is a big deal to economic growth. 2.4.7 Malaysia The greatest advantage to manufacturers in Malaysia has been the nations persistent drive to develop and upgrade its infrastructure. Over the years, these investments have paid off and serious bottlenecks have been avoided. Today, Malaysia can boast of having one of the well-developed infrastructures among the newly industrializing countries of Asia (www.mida.gov.my). The latest development of Kuala Lumpur Sentral has become a futuristic self-contained city, providing the perfect live, work and play environment. A modern transportation hub integrating all major rail transport networks, including the Express Rail Link to the KLIA and Putrajaya, the governments new administrative center. Besides, the Peninsular Malaysias network of well-maintained highways is a gain to industries. These highways link major growth centers to seaports and airports throughout the peninsula and provide an efficient means of transportation for goods. (www.mida.gov.my). Malaysias central location in the Asia Pacific region makes her an ideal gateway to Asia. Air cargo facilities are well-developed in the five international airports the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Penang International Airport and Langkawi International Airport in Peninsular Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Sabah, and Kuching International Airport in Sarawak. Malaysias biggest airport, the KLIA, surrounded by four main cities of Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, Seremban and Melaka has a capacity of handling 25 million passengers and up to 8 million tons of cargo per year. Cargo import and export procedures are fully automated at the KLIA to cut down delivery time (www.mida.gov.my). Recently, Rapid Penang has introduced a state-of-the-art Intelligent Commuter Information System (ICIS), which provides real-time information on the arrival times of buses at terminals in Penang. The ICIS system, the first of its kind used by stage bus companies in the country, would enable some 75,000 commuters who use Rapid Penang buses daily to plan their journey more efficiently. It proved to be a success and has since been expanded for usage at the Komtar bus terminal, which sees the highest number of people boarding buses daily. A total of 200 buses operate from the Komtar bus terminal on a daily basis. The ICIS display system uses global positioning system (GPS) to map out the movement of all Rapid Penang buses and calculate the exact time of arrival of each bus at the Komtar bus terminal. The ICIS display system will later be extended to other strategic areas throughout the state including the possibility of having it installed in shopping complexes (newstraitstimes, 2010). 2.5 Bus Stop and Bus Terminal There are bus stops all over the Penang and there are three main bus terminals for buses in Penang, Malaysia. They are Weld Quay Terminal, Komtar Bus Terminal and Sungai Nibong Terminal. According to Zegeer (2002), a well-designed transit routes a reachable stops are essential to usable system. He continues said that bus stops should be located at intervals that are convenient for passengers for safety purpose and should be comfortable places for people to wait. UITP (2004 cited in Grenoble, 2004) argued that if the related infrastructure is inaccessible or inappropriately designed, much of the accessible vehicles will lost. Grenoble has carried out extensive research and development work to design tram and bus stops, starting some 20 years ago. The principle adopted by Grenoble was that the bus services should be made as accessible as the tram. According to Grenoble, the design standards found to be most effective for accessible bus stops were 14m(standard bus) and 20m(articulated bus) for overall length of bus boarding platform, 2.1m(minimum) and 2.6m(if a shelter is provided) for overall breadth of boarding platform, 3% for gradient of access ramp at end of platform, 21cm for height of boarding area, 60cm back from front edge of boarding area for safety line and 1.1m(minimum) and 1.3m(preferred) for clear space between front end of bus shelter and front edge of boarding area. Zegeer (2002) said that besides the bus stop signing, a bus shelter with seating, trash receptacles, and bicycle parking are also desirable features. He suggested that bus stops should be highly visible locations where pedestrian can reach them easily by means of accessible travel routes. Therefore, a complete sidewalks system is essential to support a public transportation system. Convenient crossings are also important. He continued suggested that proper placement of bus stops is key to user safety. For example, placing the bus stops on the near side of intersections or crosswalk may block pedestrians view of approaching traffic, and approaching drivers view of pedestrians. Approaching motorists may be unable to stop in time when a pedestrian steps from in front of a stopped bus into the traffic lanes at the intersection. Far-side bus stops generally encourage pedestrians to cross behind the bus. Reallocating the bus stop to the far side of the intersection can improve pedestrian safely since it climates the sight-distance restriction caused by the bus. Placing bus stops at the far aside of intersections can also improve motored vehicle operation. Besides, he also suggested that the bus stops should be fully accessible to pedestrians in wheelchairs, should have paved connections to sidewalks where landscape buffers exist, and should not block pedestrian travel on the sidewalk. Adequate room should exist to operate wheelchair lift. Yet, it is also useful to install curb ramps at bus stops so that a passenger can board from the street if bus-lift deployment is blocked. According to Iles (2005), problem may arise at bus stations which are used as intermediate stops for buses passing through the town or city when services are operated to schedule. Iles gave an example on when a full bus with a few passengers drop enter the station, they have the capacity to pick up same number

My Best Friend Essay

My Best friend. My best friend is a very special lady I grew up with, my sister Roberta. My sister Robert is two years younger than me, but everyone always assumes she is older than me. She always laughs at me when I tease her by saying it must be because I look younger than her. We have been there for each other through all the important milestones in our lives; from our wild and fun childhoods, to our first day of school, to the births of our first born children.My sister Roberta loves working and being outdoors when she can. She also loves building things and using power tools; sometimes I think she is half man and half woman. And she loves playing volleyball with a passion, when we play for fun or in any volleyball tournament; we always play on the same team. She was my maid of honor when I married my husband twelve years ago, when I walked up to the alter, she jokingly told my husband, â€Å"I’m giving her to you, and once your married, you can’t give her back ok. She made all of us laugh. She has been there for me and my husband and children when we needed help for anything. My sister has been there through the births of all my children, and she has seen me through the darkest times of my life when I lost two of my children and when I went through post-partum depression. She has always been a source of strength, and happiness throughout my life. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my sister Roberta, as she has done so much for me.She calls me mom sometimes, because I am always looking out for her and everyone in my family after we lost our mother. We make sure we get together at least once or twice a week for a girls night of stories, jokes, movies and laughter, or when we travel somewhere, we try to travel together and we always have tons of fun. We are always joking around; there is never a dull moment when we are together. I thank the good Lord for blessing me with my awesome sister.

Behavior problems in children and adolescents

Studies regarding substance abuse (alcohol included) yielded results that clearly associate self esteem closely to it. Those who are engaged in alcohol use in later or older age do so because they have learned the use of it in their early and moldable years (11 years old or 5th & 6th grade). Consequently, attempts have been made to deal with the area of self-esteem in hopes that when this psychological problem among teens is addressed properly, substance abuse might somehow be curbed.There are programs that cater to this need and they are actually placed side by side with the traditional curriculums of some schools. Experts and researchers believe that this quandary of alcohol abuse among teens may be helped by treating it in a stage where it is less obvious – that is, when the youngster is not yet manifesting or is obviously using alcohol, but on the brink of experimenting on it (Donnelly, 2007). The line of attack of this particular method is directed towards factors that ar e crucial to the make up of adolescents’ life experiences.Understanding the transitions that teenagers most likely will go through is the underlying principle that facilitated the study that eventually led to the formation of this program. Hence, the high hopes that the proponents of this program maintain. In this paper, the author tries to explore and explain the rubric of the particular synopsis mentioned above and to finally (in the process) convince its readers of its viability in decreasing the problem of alcoholism among teens and young adults in the coming years.It explains the rationale behind the effectiveness of the curriculum since the whole program is aimed at the core level of the perpetual potential problem of alcohol addiction. ~What you learned. The National Association for Self-Esteem (NASE), as the very name of the association clearly implies, believe that the self-esteem of the individual plays a major role why or why not that particular person is using/abu sing or not using/abusing alcohol. The observation is that teenagers with low self esteem have higher likelihood to experiment not only with alcohol but with other harmful psychoactive substances than those with high self-esteem.Furthermore, their studies yield evidences that point to the fact that individuals with positive self-esteem show not only little serious involvement with addictive substances but lesser tendency to risk trying the pleasures of these drugs. Convinced of this observation, self-esteem proponents constantly research and write articles that speak to the issue. They support a prevention program which has within it as crucial part â€Å"self-esteem enhancement. † Not any prevention program or traditional approach to the problem will achieve a longer-lasting effect.Overwhelming data available have proven that traditional school programs are not sufficient to address the issue; in order to be really effective in curbing alcoholism among teenagers, it is very important that as researches yield additional information, new strategies should be incorporated and employed as well. Important factors along with self-esteem that must be tackled include: personal efficacy, ability to decide wisely for oneself, and communication skills, etc. These areas must be developed since they influence and affect the behavior of an individual.It is believed that when these basic skills are taught and cultivated, rather than concentrating on the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, the benefits will be much more than the reduction of the likelihood of teenagers and young adults to use and abuse drugs. Involvement with other behavioral correlates like unsafe sexual encounters, and teenage pregnancy, will also diminish. The timing of the implementation of this kind of preventive program in schools for it to really achieve its goal among teenagers is also emphasized. It has to be implemented early, or else, its efficacy will lessen.Dr. Joseph Donnelly (self-esteem proponent) said: â€Å"It is much easier to prevent adolescents from ever engaging in the use of substances than it is to deter that use once it has begun. † ~One question you have. Self-esteem is indeed all important aspect that influences other facets of an adolescent’s life. Question remains especially to one who had had enormous experiences in psychotherapy and in dealing with myriad problems and situations/scenarios besetting the youth experimenting with alcohol: cynics question the simplistic apprehension and approach.What about the role of modeling by parents hardly making breakthroughs in these adolescents who make alcohol their refuge but also as a way of life like their parents did? Reference: Donnelly, Joseph. Self-Esteem and it's Relationship to Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention in Adolescents. Dept. of Health Professions/PERLS National Association for Self-esteem. Accessed January 2008.

Agricultural Adjustment Act Essays - 73rd United States Congress

Agricultural Adjustment Act Essays - 73rd United States Congress Agricultural Adjustment Act 1.Purpose -The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was a United States federal law of the New Deal era which reduced agricultural production by paying farmers subsidies not to plant on part of their land and to kill off excess livestock. Its purpose was to reduce crop surplus and therefore effectively raise the value of crops, which would provide relief to the united states common man. The money for these subsidies was generated through an exclusive tax on companies which processed farm products. The Act created a new agency, the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to oversee the distribution of the subsidies. 2.Background- President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office Soon after his inauguration, Roosevelt called the Hundred Days Congress into session to address the crumbling economy. From this Congress came the Agricultural Adjustment Administration to replace the Federal Farm Board. The Roosevelt Administration was tasked with decreasing agricultural surpluses.Wheat, cotton, field corn, hogs, rice, tobacco, and milk and its products were designated as basic commodities in the original legislation. Subsequent amendments in 1934 and 1935 expanded the list of basic commodities to include rye, flax, barley, grain sorghum, cattle, peanuts, sugar beets, sugarcane, and potatoes.[9] The Administration targeted these commodities for the following reasons: Changes in the prices of these commodities had a strong effect on the prices of other important commodities, These commodities were already running a surplus at the time, These items each required some amount of processing before they could b e consumed by humans. 3.Why -Farmers faced the most severe economic situation and lowest agricultural prices since the 1890s."[7]"Overproduction and a shrinking international market had driven down agricultural prices 4.interest groups- focused on farmers and the common man 5.Groups opposed to the program Agriculture Adjustment Act (1933, 1938) Relief for the farmers

How to Calculate Gross Tonnage of a Ship

How to Calculate Gross Tonnage of a Ship The term gross tonnage refers to the internal volume of a water-going vessel, and is normally used as a means for categorizing commercial vessels, especially those used for shipping. This volume measured includes all areas of the ship, from keel to funnel and from bow to stern. In modern usage, the measurement deducts the crew spaces and other parts of the ship that cannot hold cargo. Since 1969, gross tonnage has been the principal means by which a  commercial ship is defined. The gross tonnage measurement has a number of legal and administrative uses. It is used to determine regulations, safety rules, registration fees, and port charges for the vessel.   Calculating Gross Tonnage Calculating the gross tonnage of a ship is a somewhat complicated procedure, due to the fact that most ships have an asymmetrical shape that makes calculating volume difficult. There are many ways to make this calculation, depending on the level of precision required and the agency requiring the measurement. Different formulas are used depending on the shape of the vessel, and even the types of waters on which the ship sails. A simplified set of gross tonnage formulas is set forth by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center, which are based on three measurements: Length (L), breadth (D), and depth (D). Under this system, the means of estimating gross tonnage is as follows:   For a boat with a simple sailing hull, gross tonnage (GT) (.5 * L * B * D) / 100For a sailing boat with keel, GT   (.375 * L * B * D) / 100For freighters with angled or cylindrical hulls, GT   (.67 * L * B * D) / 100For ships with square barge-shaped hulls, GT   (.84 * L * B * D) / 100 The  International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships  sets forth another, more precise formula for calculating gross tonnage of a vessel, which says GT   K  *  V. Here, K .2 .02 * log10(V), and V interior volume of a vessel in cubic meters (m3). History of Gross Tonnage as a Measurement Standard Since most commercial ships were originally involved with the transport of goods, otherwise known as cartage,  ships at first were rated and valued on the maximum amount of cargo that could be stuffed into every nook inside a ship. On long sailing voyages, after selling their loads of cookware, tools, machinery and other products, private traders often bought bundles of lumber, spices, cloth, and decorative goods to sell upon return to home port. Every space was stuffed full to maximize profit on both legs of the voyage, and thus each boats value depended on just how much open space was available in the vessel. One of the few exempt spaces in these early calculations of a ships volume was the bilge area, where ballast was held. In early shops, no cargo could be stored here without damage since in these wooden ships the bilges were wet. Ballast stones were used on sailing ships that were leaving with a light load and returning with a heavy cargo. This might be the case when transporting a finished metal such as copper to a port where raw copper ore was loaded for the trip back to England for refining. As the lighter load was unloaded and the heavier load brought aboard, the bilge stones were removed to compensate for the extra weight. Today, piles of these foreign stones, roughly the size of bowling balls, can be found underwater near historic ports all over the world. Eventually, with the availability of mechanical pumps,  water as ballast  became the norm,  since it was much more efficient to simply pump water in and out of the bilge to adjust the ships weight rather than use stones or other forms of weight.   Ã‚   The term  tonnage originally  came into usage as a means for referring to the physical space occupied by 100 cubic feet of ballast  water, an amount of water that was the equivalent of about 2.8 tons. This can be confusing since a ton is usually thought of as a measurement of weight, not volume. In the context of maritime shipping, however, the term tonnage refers to the volume of space available to hold cargo.

Beta Blocker Treatment in Heart Failure Literature review - 1

Beta Blocker Treatment in Heart Failure - Literature review Example Studies confirm that Carvedilol therapy is more superior to the latter two Beta Blockers compared. This is due to its nature characteristics that entail possessing Alpha1 Beta1 and Beta2 whereas the two have only Beta1-selective receptors. Besides Carvedilol has vasolidilating characteristics, which is not evident in other Beta Blockers. However, not all people having Systolic malfunction qualify for Beta Blocker therapy. Since, it necessitates that one be in a stable condition and non-hospitalized. Random admission of the therapy on patients with absence of meticulous scrutiny normally results to patients’ death or complex predicaments, besides physical deterioration of the body. Admission of Beta therapy encompasses starting with small and regulated dosage until the patient attains the tolerable state for large doses. This therapy also sternly shuns attempts meant for abrupt discontinuation of the dosage because of its grievous effects. Since it yields to circulatory deterioration characterized by electrophysiologic unsteadiness. Finally, it has various side effects that if not attended to effectively may yield to be ruinous to the patients. For instance, some comprise Bradycardia, Fatigue, lightheadedness and frequent headaches, Insomnia, Chronic chest aches, High triglycerides and depression. Beta Blocker besides its present efficacy as a remedy for heart malfunction, it requires further study to reduce both the evident and future derivatives. This will ensure ailing persons do not suffer other complications while trying to cope with the main grievous predicament (chronic heart failure). Nakamura, K, Murakami, M, Miura, D, Yunoki, K, Enko, K, Tanaka, M, Saito, Y, Nishii, N, Miyoshi, T, Yoshida, M, Oe, H, Toh, N, Nagase, S, Kohno, K, Morita, H, Matsubara, H, Kusano, K, Ohe, T, & Ito, H. 2011, Beta-Blockers and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Heart Failure, Pharmaceuticals,

Pain Sounds Aesthetically Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Pain Sounds Aesthetically - Essay Example The Ballade starts with what sounds like several first clumsy words of a speaker. The speech’s resolute, yet there’s no audience to listen. This feeling of solitude firstly comes from a chordophone only sound: that single speaker is a piano. Secondly, those first â€Å"words† are conveyed by a low pitch. They sound full and resolute due to the loudness of dynamic and long dramatic intervals. Along with overtones that imitate echo, a feeling of no audience’s achieved. Then, phrase by phrase, â€Å"a speech† becomes more normal, logical as dynamic becomes softer, there’re already shorter intervals, and feeling of description comes from a developing accompaniment (basically, chords). Yet a general nervousness stays in this section as well as during the whole Ballade. To oppose the first melody, Chopin starts a new one in a second section (3:18) with the higher pitch (â€Å"Zimerman plays Chopin Ballade No. 1†). The second melody’s dreamy, and it’s developing brings a feeling like a compositor’s dreaming or remembering some nice times. Sound becomes generally, more relaxing due to softness in dynamic; more water-like or misty due to vanishing intervals. It seems that the composer gives listeners an opportunity to have some rest until the dynamic part begins. There’s a minimum of attacks, maximum of decays when performing the second section, but not for long. The first melody returns in the third section (4:20) bringing a feeling of screaming or at least, a loud dramatic, maybe accusing, monolog again. This feeling comes from dominant dynamic loudness, from intervals between accompaniment and the melody, and dominant attacking style of performance, until suddenly, Chopin gets lost in own images, and feelings in forth section (5:23). The feeling of a noisy mess’s achieved by a higher pitch and that now they're more sounds for each time with dominantly, a stable loudness and no interva ls.

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 12

Research Paper Example The payment is made through secure servers where the merchant website redirects to the consumer’s online bank account, allows a secure login and subsequent initiation of electronic payment in favour of the merchant. (Karnouskos and Fokus, 2004). Web 2.0 is the latest technology that has taken the internet worl and the internet community by storm. It is characterised in the way a user interacts with the web. Unlike its predecessor the â€Å"Static Web†, this version of online Web interaction is a 2 way information exchange system. It not only allows the user to view and download content like text, video, audio, flash files etc, but also gives the user freedom to contribute to the online content. The technology behind, blogging, online user profile maintenance, twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, Google+, Linked In etc is Web2.0 which allows the user to customise his space or in other –words his profile. This is a frequently encountered feature in open chat rooms or discussion boards where users can either create profile or simply type text in the text boxes posting messages which mainly are polls, opinions, review or feedback about some product, service or technology. Forums like Physics forums, Maths forums, and online help forums are spreading like wildfire where users can interact with a team of experts from the comforts of their homes and get their queries answered by specialists. In such cases the users are separated by time and space which is what makes the interaction even more breathtaking Web2.0 redefines user interaction and has in fact changed the way people use the web. People use its much more like an online repository, a well organised, catalogued, tidy storage system capable of safe, secure and reliable storage of thousands of Gigabytes of information. Executive support systems or Manager Support Systems (as referred in some Enterprise Resource

Post-modern management Essay Example for Free

Post-modern management Essay It has always been the goal of man to be able to describe humanity and the world in which they live in. In doing this, we are inclined to search for answers, to find resolutions to our needs and problems. Decisions become important and the ability to use knowledge to make intelligent choices become essential. It is not such a wonder then that through all those years, man has developed countless theories and practices and had reinforced them with countless examples. In the world of management and leadership, the conventional approach to things involves a rigid and tested way of creating solutions. Traditional management science, furthermore, involves the use of computational processes to organizational decision making. It starts off with the recognition and definition of the problem in the real world. The ultimate goal then is to find what is needed is to be able to bridge what the present situation lacks to what the intended result is. It is a beginning of the search for improvement. Conventional methods use an idealized and linear manner to fuse the problem and a known pattern or puzzle to create a solvable model. To make a good intellectual decision, it is necessary to conduct optimization, forecasting, modeling and simulation, and decision analysis. It involves finding out what the best feasible option is, what it entails for the future and what its result would be for varying situations. Models are used wherein the object is to be able to match a puzzle to represent the problem in the real world. Traditional models such as linear and dynamic programming, queuing, discrete-event simulation and causal models are used and from all of these, ultimately the best decision is made. This discipline has become integrated to the basic field of management and has become a standard for various functions of business. (Whalen, 2001) In the context of marketing, traditional methods of simplification and reduction to formulae are used. Highly structured devices, pre-determined market and brand standards are employed to achieve desirable goals. Marketers are the one controlling and driving these goals and therefore consumers respond to this. (McKernon) Robbins, in the article of Summers et al. , further reinforces these patterns of cause and effect by relating organizational behavior through scientific methods. The real world is â€Å"mirrored† by organizational behavior through methods of investigating behavior†. (Summers, 1997) Robbins argues that most of the generalizations of man are made on the basis of intuition, not proven facts and thus investigation is needed. Intuition is likened to common sense and that, most of the times, it is inaccurate. Robbins further explains that common sense is different for different groups of people and that investigation tackles diversity. By investigating, managers can better and more precisely handle and predict the behavior of their personnel. This investigation must be coupled with good research especially on the comparison and weighing trade-offs. The use of case studies, surveys, and experiments must be implemented. Robbins further reiterates that generalizations and conclusions must be based on systematic study, scientific evidence supported by verified data. Organizational behavior knowledge is attained by avoiding intuitive approach and focusing more on knowledge based on meta-quantification analysis and surveys. (Summers, 1997) The leader or manager eventually uses these techniques to properly guide the organization and his/her employees. Optimal leadership ultimately depends on internal and external factors. In the organizational behavior perspective, leaders use contingencies such as national culture, gender and race to improve and strengthen the relationship with subordinates. This contingency theory theoretically provides the manager with the capability to independently make decisions and to do amendments necessary to obtain the desired result. Summers et al. , argue that this is a one-sided view. The conventional organizational behavior methods only show how managers can exercise their influence on the workers but not the other way around. Traditional ways involve exploitation and discipline and encourages an ideology of domination. â€Å"Managers are taught skills in getting workers to accept the status quo, to get ahead and to get along with others but not to question the game plan†. (Summers, 1997) As evident in the deconstruction of Robbins article, Summers et al. propose a de-emphasis on this rigid structure of conventional management. Whalen et al advocate this postmodern view and puts focus on discourses and de-emphasized precise and fixed meanings. With this premise, the dynamic quality in knowledge is established. Soft computing is rallied to be a faster, more creative approach to solutions although admittedly, it welcomes inaccuracy and ambiguity. In the perspective of knowledge management, however, this postmodern approach provides ways for problem management that cannot be quantified through mathematical computations. Whalen et al. further discuss three types of knowledge approach, creation by means of evolutionary and neurocomputing, deployment through decision support systems, and discovery by data mining, applied virtual reality and data visualization. In neural methods, the model build on gathered data and experimentation and proceeds by the random systematic search. The model is based on a fixed database and relies on the matching that of an existent criterion. With experimentation, on the other hand, the aim is to look for an action from a set of choices and parameters that would result to the desired outcome. Decision support systems may also use the case-based approach. Knowledge is derived from various case studies and banks on experiential logic to create the optimal response to a problem. Moreover, data mining utilizes different techniques to look for patterns that associate and correlate various fields of databases. Data visualization and virtual reality applications likewise bring the important contribution of human perception that is irreplaceable by artificial computer simulations. Whalen et al. stress the importance of humanizing the decision process and that the organization’s stakeholders are best catered to when managers are able to produce the right choices that assert the organization’s goals and mission. As the world is getting more complex and dynamic, a postmodern stance must be advocated and that this will â€Å"greatly advance our ability to understand how humans make perception based rational decisions in an environment of imprecision, uncertainty and partial truth† (Whalen, 2001) The postmodernism approach also applies to consumer marketing. The media and marketing are important to aid the people in knowing and explaining the things around them and the events that are occurring. While the consumers are getting smarter, a need for a more suited method arises. In postmodern marketing, the styles of consuming and strategies of the consumer are given more emphasis and focus. In an environment that is mobile and complex, sustainable dynamic techniques must be employed. This approach challenges diversity and creates avenues for discourse among differing people. This is beneficial to managers, employees, consumers, and stakeholders alike. With the right facilitation of information, a brand can reach more of its market and thus generate more favorable returns. Postmodernist approach also banks on the use of critique and story-telling for consumers. Effective stories would be able to connect to the consumer and that its result relies on its ability to provide the consumers with meaning and explanations. Critique, on the other hand, is essential for a brand in that it generates feedback; whether it was a success or not depends on the informed reactions of the users. Reinvention and smooth changing of styles are important techniques in a rapidly changing world. A careful way of guiding the consumers from the familiar and traditional to the contemporary and new must be done with good aptitude. McKernon) It is a fact that the world has increasingly become more complex and ever-changing. At the very least, the knowledge that we have to gain and understand about life in general is much more vast and challenging and that traditional methods and techniques for problem solving, whether in organizational behavior or marketing might actually be lacking in such that they may not be able to solve and explain the entirety of the world’ s troubles and unquantifiable conceptions. It is therefore imperative that a healthy mix of traditional and postmodernist approach to business and management be utilized to be able to grasp more of what the world is telling us. Leaders, employees, customers and stakeholders alike must be able to make informed decisions and take into consideration the various models, theories and practices both old and new for them to make real and objective sense of the world and its organization.

Henry VII & Richard III :: European Europe History

Henry VII & Richard III Richard the Third had just recently become King of England. But he did not know that soon he would not Henry Tudor was from Wales. His surname was really spelt 'Tewdwr.' It was changed to the English way though when he became King of England. Henry was too to France by his Uncle Jasper in 1471, fourteen years before the Battle of Bosworth. His uncle took him to Brittany. There, Henry learnt a lot. He learnt about warfare, treachery and betrayal. He also learned about court politics and how to keep supporters. This helped Henry very much with the Battle of Bosworth. Henry landed at Milford haven in South Wales. He had about two thousand soldiers with him. He marched all through Wales and the Midlands. When he got to the battle site he had around five thousand troops. He had gained more than three thousand on his journey. The battle was fought up on a hill at Bosworth. At the battle site there was a third army. It was small and led by Lord William Stanley. It did not know what side to join. Henry started the battle by moving up the hill and charging at Richard. Stanley decided which side to join. It would be Henry's. He hit on the rear of Richards army causing the Kings forces to run. Richard fell from his horse in the rush and was eventually killed. As the battle ended, Stanley found the Kings crown hanging on a thorn bush. Lord Stanley crowned Henry the King of England. Henry then married Edward the IV'S daughter Elizabeth. This united both of the families together. The battle of Bosworth wasn't any old battle. It was very important in history. The Lancastrian, Henry Tudor defeated the Yorkist, Richard the third at the battle of Bosworth field in 1485 and became King

Commentary: An Advancement of Learning by Seamus Heaney Essay

In An Advancement from Learning by Seamus Heaney, he describes a retrospective childhood experience. The narrator compels himself to face a deep-seated and preposterous fear which he consequently conquers. He shares his terror and revulsion by implementing vivid and vibrant imagery presented in nine quatrains. The conquest of an irrational fear depicted in this poem is perhaps a metaphor for overcoming greater fears in life. As the title suggest, this poem is about An Advancement of Learning- facing and subsequently conquering sometimes strong and private fears. Heaney describes a lone stroll along a polluted, ‘oil-skinned’ river bank. The almost sombre introspective tone of the opening two stanzas rapidly changes into one of revolt and terror as a rat emerges from the river. In a moment of panic, the poet attempts to escape, only to find another on the far bank, which encouraged a deeper impact. The second rat provoked the author to question his response to and fear for these animals. He then ‘incredibly’ decides to courageously maintain his ground and face the rodent. Despite Heaney providing the reader with a vibrant image of the animal to reinforce his contempt, he almost battles the rat until he ‘stared him out’. Eventually, as if the narrator won the ongoing battle, the rat retreats into a sewage pipe. Heaney then advances his way and triumphantly crosses the bridge, as he conquered a fright which has bedevilled him since childhood. An Advancement of Learning is written in nine quatrains consisting of short and sharp lines, which almost present the reader with a succession of flashing images. Heaney employs a loose and alternate rhyming scheme- stanzas one, three, six, eight and nine follow the pattern abcb, whereas stanzas two and four follow the abac pattern. Where the seventh stanza follows the abab pattern, Stanza five has the different but effective rhyming scheme abbc. The regularity of the rhythm in this stanza contributes to the reader’s sense of the poet’s rising self control. Heaney makes active use of enjambment and caesura to emphasise many of his emotions and sentiments. The astute use of enjambment from lines ten to sixteen increase the tempo and excitement of the poem, which in turn aid to convey the poet’s  fright and aspiration to flee. Furthermore, the writer applies enjambment between one stanza and the next to allow his descriptions to flow smoothly, which appropriately reflects the fluidity of the river described. Interesting is that the verses reflect the writer’s gradual gaining of self control. The main entity in the poem is the bridge as it symbolises the tree stages in the writer’s conquest of fear. At the sight of the first rat, the poet initially refuses to cross the bridge. Once faced with his ‘enemy’, he establishes a ‘dreaded Bridgehead’ which in military terms means to hold a defensive position. He is fearful but determined. Finally, as the poet defeats his foe and fear, he, with a vestige of triumph, ‘walked on and crossed the bridge.’ The bridge is mentioned at these three key stages of Heaney’s experience as well as structurally in the first, central and closing stanzas to emphasise the stages of overcoming his fear gradually. Heaney’s most striking feature in terms of style and language are unmistakably his effective use of alliteration and sibilance, as well as the appealing use of lexis. The repetition of the sharp consonant sounds s and c, especially conspicuous in the third stanza, contribute to both the sickening nature of the rat and the writer’s feelings towards it. An example of words carefully chosen to enhance and reflect the meaning of the poem is ‘Insidiously listening’, which is despite its impact, neither alliteration nor assonance. The narrator also employs extraordinary and emotive vocabulary, such as ‘slimed’ and ‘nimbling’ to describe the rats, allowing the reader to accurately experience the fear and loathing which he suffered. Remarkable about this poem is that as the writer overcomes his revolt and fright, the description of the animal becomes more forgiving. Where at the beginning the rodents were Insidious, ‘slobberedâ€℠¢ and ‘slimed’ around, they are, less forbiddingly, observed as animals with ‘the raindrop eye’ and ‘the old snout’ towards the end. This indicates how the writer’s fear and terror disappears with the rat into the sewage pipe, and how he now views the rodent in its proper perspective. An Advancement of Learning successfully conveyed the writer’s feelings and  emotions while conquering a lifelong phobia. The use of enjambment and caesura as well as the alternating rhyming patterns, which reflected the increasing order of the situation, all contribute to the vibrant image the reader is provided with. Furthermore, the poet employed the motif of the bridge as a foundation for the poem’s structure while adding more dimension to the text by enforcing it as a symbol of the poet’s route to overcoming his deep-rooted fears.