Case Analysis: Profitability of Wendy’s Chilli Essay

Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s restaurant, opened his first restaurant on November 15, 1969 in Columbus, Ohio. Dave was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 2, 1932. He was adopted at six weeks old by Rex and Auleva Thomas. Dave moved from state to state with his father when his mother passed at the age of 5. At the age of 12, Dave obtained his first job at a restaurant in Knoxville. Thus, he began his love for the restaurant business. At the age of 15, Dave dropped out of high school to work full time in the restaurant business. While working full-time at the Hobby House restaurant, Dave met Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (now KFC). In 1962, Dave was offered the opportunity to turn around four failing Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Columbus, Ohio. Utilizing his past experience, Dave turned the restaurants around, sold them back to KFC, and immediately became a millionaire all at the age of 35. He then co-founded Arthur Treacher’ s Fish and Chips. Dave again capitalized on his experiences in restaurant management when he decided to establish his own restaurant. Since hamburgers were his favorite food, Dave decided to start a restaurant that would serve a quality hamburger without a 30 minute waiting period. Named for his eight year old daughter, Dave started Wendy’s. In order to focus on quality and remain competitive, the menu was limited to four basic products excluding beverages. The product line included hamburgers, chili, french fries, and Wendy’s Frosty Dairy Dessert. Wendy’s hamburgers patties consisted of  ¼ pound of 100 percent pure domestic beef, served as a square shaped patty rather than a round shaped patty, and served â€Å"hot ‘n juicy† in accordance with individual customer orders. The french fries were sliced slightly longer and thicker from high quality potatoes and cooked in specially-designed fryers to allow the inside to be cooked without burning the outside. Wendy’s Frosty Dairy Dessert is a thick blend of vanilla and chocolate flavors and must be served with a spoon as a dessert rather than a straw. Wendy’s chili is the fourth basic menu item. Whenever the cook overestimated customer demand, beef patties stayed on the grill beyond the recommended  time. This caused the beef patties to be well done. To avoid customer dissatisfaction, Wendy’s used the â€Å"well done† beef patties that had been refrigerated from the previous day and could not be served to customers. Each eight ounce serving contained about a quarter pound of ground beef. Wendy’s chili is prepared by the assistant manager or an experienced crew member using an original recipe. The labor cost for the assistant manager and crew member is listed in Table 1. The cost to prepare the chili is listed in Table 2 below. Table 3, illustrates the direct cost associated with the production of chili. Table 1. Labor costs for assistant manager or a crew member to prepare chili in 1978 Table 2. Ingredients and costs in 1978. Table 3. Direct cost for 1978 In the event of a shortage of overcooked patties, beef patties were cooked for the sole purpose of inclusion in the chili. In order to prepare a pot of chili, it took 10 to 20 minutes of preparation time. This process required chopping the meat into small pieces, adding the other ingredients and stirring the batch six times. Sixty percent of the total annual sales for chili occurred during the months from October to March. The chili product has the lowest gross profit margin. The 1978 labor and additional direct costs are listed in Table 4 below. Table 4. Cost of Chili Preparation, Overall Cost of Chili and Profit of Chili. In November 1979, Wendy’s became the first national restaurant chain to introduce a Salad Bar on the menu. Initial test marketing of the salad bar concept had been successful. This innovative idea also posed a dilemma. If Wendy’s was to follow their limited menu concept, the salad bar would potentially replace chili since it had the lowest profit margin on a full cost basis. Then, management would be faced with containing the cost of the overcooked patties that resulted from overestimating customer demand and  cooking too many hamburgers. While hamburgers comprised 55 percent of total sales, chili sales comprised of five percent of total sales. The chili was most popular between the months of October through March. During these months, 60 percent of the total annual chili sales occurred. Management was faced with deciding which product would be best to sustain long-term profitability. Wendy’s revenues were derived from the sales made from company-owned restaurants, from royalties paid to the company by owners of franchised restaurants, from fees paid by the owners of franchised restaurants for technical assistance and from interest earned on investments. By 1978, Wendy’s operated 1,407of restaurants. Of this number, 1,119 stores were owned by franchisees. Franchised stores were built to a uniformed specification and were not located within the same market areas as company-owned stores. Most restaurants were located in urban or densely populated suburban areas; a large volume of customers was a primary factor for Wendy’s success. Each franchisee paid a $15,000 fee for technical assistance prior to the opening of a restaurant for services such as site selection, construction plans, initial training for owners and staff members, advertising materials, national purchasing agreements and operations manuals. For 1978, company-owned stores generated 84.13% of revenue, royalties generated 12.65% of revenue, technical assistance fees generated 1.87% of revenue, and interest from investments generated 1.35% of revenue. The income statement from Moody’s is listed in Table 5 below (Moody’s, 1980, p. 1565). Table 5. By focusing on a product differentiation marketing strategy, quality food, quick service and reasonable prices, Wendy’s was able to achieve its financial success and to grow rapidly at a time when the fast-food industry appeared to be saturated. The adoption of the limited menu concept also contributed to this success. Having a limited menu concept allowed Wendy’s to concentrate on the quality of a few menu items and allowed Wendy’s to quickly prepare a meal to the customer specifications. The limited menu  concept does not allow for changes in consumer preferences nor does it allow Wendy’s to compete with other fast food restaurants serving items such as chicken. In 1970, Wendy’s broke new grounds by opening a second restaurant with a unique feature. This restaurant featured a drive-thru window with a special grill within the pick-up window. Wendy’s was able to achieve success in their drive-thru window concept, because their product was served fresh from the special grill within a short span of time. While other restaurants offered a standard product through their dive-thru window, Wendy’s differentiated their concept by offering a product that was prepared fresh to the customer’s specifications. Therefore, the product delivery time did not increase when preparing the order as requested by the customer, whether in the dining room or through the pick-up window. Wendy’s used a product differentiation approach for their hamburgers. By marketing the hamburgers as a square patty rather than a round patty, Wendy’s was successful in advertising their hamburgers as â€Å"old-fashioned.† Wendy’s also cooked each hamburger in a manner that provided a customized hamburger for each customer quickly and at a reasonable price. Innovations have been the key to Wendy’s growth. Their innovative style of management has made Wendy’s a leader in the fast-food industry. By catering to young adults and adults, Wendy’s has attempted to create brand loyalty among their target customers. Wendy’s recognized the dynamic needs of their customers and consequently offered a dining experience that emphasized quality food, fast and friendly service within a setting that is common throughout all their restaurants. Wendy’s has made growth a priority in their strategic plan in order to achieve high employee retention and satisfaction rates. According to Doorley and Donovan, â€Å"employee satisfaction rises when a company grows, probably because people experience new challenges and are excited about being on a winning team (Swanson, 2001).† The introduction of a salad bar will contribute to a diversification strategy that will also augment their  innovative approach. Chart 1. Sales comparison of Wendy’s and competitors. Quality was a foundational component in the first Wendy’s restaurant. This was due largely to uncompromising passion for quality by the founder, Dave Thomas. Quality still remains the top priority in the food, people and service industry. The mission statement of Wendy’s is: â€Å"To deliver superior quality products and services for our customers and communities through leadership, innovation and partnerships (Wendy’s, 2004).† The vision statement of Wendy’s is: â€Å"to be the quality leader in everything we do (Swanson, 2001).† This core value has guided the organization and helps to define the corporate culture and distinguished Wendy’s from the competitors. Business Creations recommends Wendy’s pursue adding salads to their limited menu concept; however, this should be done as a menu item rather than as a Salad Bar concept. Since Wendy’s has placed a high emphasis on quality, a Salad Bar concept introduces various risk factors which may cause dissatisfaction among the customers. Risk factors such as foreign objects falling into items on the Salad Bar and the food area remaining sanitized are just two of the risk factors. Also, the Salad Bar concept would require additional labor to replenish the stock. To maintain a consistent standard, Wendy’s should prepare the salad and sell the item as a pre-packaged menu item. We also recommend Wendy’s further evaluate removing chili from the menu in the 128 restaurants in the southern states during the summer months since sales decrease to 40 percent during this time frame. Excess beef patties can then be used as a topping for a salad, such as a Taco Salad. References: Hoover’s fact sheet. (2003). Retrieved from: www.hoovers.com/wendy’s/–ID__11621–/free-co-factsheet.xhtml, www.hoovers.com/sonic/–ID__13112–/free-co-factsheet.xhtml, www.hoovers.com/krystal/–ID__15659–/free-co-factsheet.xhtml, www.hoovers.com/burger-king/–ID__54531–/free-co-factsheet.xhtml, www.hoovers.com/mcdonald’s/–ID__10974–/free-co-factsheet.xhtml on May 2, 2004. Moody’s OTC Industrial Manual. (1980). New York, NY: Moody’s Investors Service, 1565. Swanson, B. (2001). â€Å"New strategic plan combines the best of Wendy’s and Tim Hortons.† Wendy’s Magazine. 13. â€Å"Wendy’s strategic plan†. Retrieved from www.wendy’s-invest.com on May 2, 2004.

Hypnosis. Psychological and Physical Aspects of Hypnosis

| Hypnosis. Psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis. Hypnosis is a natural state of mind that can be used for many purposes, in different settings. Nowadays research in the field of hypnosis and associated areas has blossomed and there are valuable evidence that hypnosis has real and measurable affects on both body and mind. During this essay I will be describing what is hypnosis including what the psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis are, further I will be discussing the role of relaxation in hypnotherapy. We experience the â€Å"hypnotic state† in everyday life and it often occurs without recognition as such. It is believed that our mind can drift from alert state into different level of consciousness whenever we do activities in automatic mode, like driving, jogging, taking a shower, walking, etc. These are hypnotic-like trances. The main differences between these sorts of trance and clinical hypnosis are specific motivation and suggestions to achieve some desired results. Therapist may use hypnosis to explore patient’s unconsciousness, to identity whether past events or experiences are associated with causing a problem. One of the most accepted axioms of hypnotherapy that nothing can be done with hypnosis that cannot be done without. Barber (1969) offered considerable experimental evidence for â€Å"Anything you can do I can do†¦ † At the same time, since hypnosis occurs spontaneously in therapy as well as in ordinary life it is impossible to ignore the part played by hypnosis in the service of the patient. It is important to understand that no two individuals will have identical experience as they progress from the state of alertness to a deep trance. The impact of hypnosis on a person's subsequent actions is dependent upon how suggestible that particular individual happens to be, a quality that can differ from one person to the next. Each person experiences the hypnotic phenomenon in his or her own way. However, it has been recognized that suggestions during the hypnosis could influence the physical processes in the body and in the brain. The earliest references of hypnosis date back to ancient Egypt and Greece. Both cultures had religious centres where people came for help with their problems. Hypnosis was used to induce dreams, which were then analysed to get to the root of the trouble. The man who most people associate with the beginning of hypnosis is an Austrian doctor Franz Anton Mesmer (1733-1815). Mesmer believed that a â€Å"cosmic fluid† could be stored in inanimate objects, such as magnets, and transferred to patients and cure them of illness. Eventually Mesmer discarded the magnets and regarded himself as a magnet through which a fluid life force could be conducted and transmitted to others as a healing force. He incorporated that into the theory of â€Å"animal magnetism†. Despite the fact that no evidence supports the existence of that theory, he had tremendous success. Mesmerism became the forerunner of hypnotic suggestion. Meanwhile, the marquise de Puysegur, believed that the â€Å"cosmic fluids† was not magnetic, but electric, that generated in plants and animals. Puysegur used the natural environment to fill his patients with healing electric fluid. During that activity some of the patients entered a somnambulistic state (a deep trance). The marquis had discovered the hypnotic trance, but had not identified it as such. Another forward thinker in the mid 1800 was a professor at London University, John Elliotson (1791-1868), who use the hypnotic state to relieve pain during the surgical operations. In India, a British surgeon, James Esdaile (1808-1859) recognised the enormous benefits of hypnosis for pain relief and performed hundreds of major operations using hypnosis as his only anaesthetic. This was accomplished by inducing the trance state to the patient weeks before the surgery and offering posthypnotic suggestions to numb the part of the body on which the operation was to be performed. The next real pioneer of hypnosis in Britain in the late 1800s was James Braid (1795-1860), who gave mesmerism a scientific explanation. He believed mesmerism to be a â€Å"nervous sleep† and coined the word hypnosis, from Greek word Hypnos, meaning sleep. He discovered that getting a patient to fixate upon something was one of the most important components of putting them into a trance. The French scientists were also taking the interest in the subject of hypnosis, and many breakthroughs were made by Ambroise Leibeault (1823-1904), a neurologist Jean Martin Charcot (1825-1893) and Charles Richet (1850-1935). Ambroise Leibeault and Hippolyte Bernheim (1837-1919) were the first who asserted that expectation is a most important factor in the induction of hypnosis and suggestibility is its essential symptom. The work of another Frenchman, Emile Coue (1857 – 1926), was very interesting. He is most famous for the phrase ‘Day by day in every way I am getting better and better'. His technique was one of affirmation and his idea was that the imagination is always more powerful than the will. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was also interested in hypnosis at this time. He was using it in his work, but eventually abandoned it in favour of psychoanalysis. With the rise of psychoanalysis in the first half of this century, hypnosis declined in popularity. Milton Erickson (1901-1980) is considered the leading authority of clinical hypnosis. Nowadays Erickson approach to hypnosis without question is the most effective. There are many physical and psychological problems can be effectively controlled by the use of hypnosis. Patients suffering with chronic illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, stroke and multiple sclerosis can benefits from hypnosis in many ways. In all this entire spectrum of diseases, pain is one of the most common symptoms. The most distressing an aspect of pain is the loss of control the patient feels. Through hypnosis is possible to show patients how they can use their own mind to change the subjective feeling of pain, restoring that sense of control and make patient feel empowered. Increased self-esteem, developing more positive attitude may even decrease the use of pharmacological agents. When done properly, hypnosis holds several advantages over drugs. It has no side effects, while drugs can leave a sense of dependence for the patient. Hypnosis not only gives the ability to relieve the pain, but removes the ever-present fear of pain’s return. For certain types of breast and thyroid surgery, a combination of hypnosis and local anaesthesia can aid in the healing process, and can reduce drug use and time spent in the hospital, according to studies reported at Euroanaesthesia 2011 in Amsterdam. According to the researchers, women who were hypnotized spent a few minutes more in the operating room (122 vs. 116  min), perioperative drug use was reduced, as was time in the recovery room and in the hospital. No patient in the hypnosis group converted to general anaesthesia during surgery. The major benefit is that hypnosis is modifying the cognitive response to sensation points, changing the expectations and reducing stress. Hypnosis can be especially helpful when dealing with diseases that have psychosomatic aspects, such as psoriasis, eczema, asthma. Study reviled that using hypnotherapy can improve those conditions. It concluded that the greater the depth of hypnosis the patient achieved the greater the improvement in patient’s condition. Using the relaxation techniques and post-hypnotic suggestion to discharge anxiety can significantly reduce the stress, which is a well known trigger for psychosomatic disorders. Hypnotherapy deals with psychological and physical disorders in variety of way. There are countless types of suggestion that can be given to patients while there in trance. Patients can even be age-regressed back to a time before they have been ill, injured or distressed and then received comfort and reassurance followed by relief. Imaginary, visualisation, metaphors are also the key factors in hypnosis. Through training the mind to imagine the desired outcome can help bring the desired result. This technique has great success in sport and help to achieve the peak performance. Relaxation is the first resource in hypnotherapy intervention that enhances the process of healing and recovery. Researchers have shown that being to tense or living with too much stress has a significant negative impact on our life. It can lead to physical illnesses and many psychological issues. The effect from relaxation on our body and mind is enormous. Relaxation in hypnotherapy helps in 3 ways; its completely turning off the sympathetic nervous system, changing our reaction to stressful events and build up our parasympathetic nervous system. The first goal in hypnosis is to achieve a very deep state of relaxation where our mind is more focused and the connections between our thoughts, emotions and behaviour are clearer. This type of therapy is very helpful to reduce anxiety, distress and fear. This is can be done in a trance state by guiding the patient through imaginary and visualisation. Once a patient is able to get into that state, the goal becomes lengthening the period of relaxation and teaching the patient how to control these internal images on his own. Most people will feel certain degree of anxiety in everyday life. Such feeling are generally reasonable and appropriate and it is only if that anxiety is exaggerated in intensity or duration, prevents to perform a required task or interfere with person’s life to a significant degree, than it is begins to regard as pathological reaction. Not surprisingly, using relaxation techniques can be very effective when patient get the rising heart and panic attack. This is another category of pathological anxiety reactions that includes phobic attacks to spiders, mice, rats, snakes, lizards and other creatures. Patients with such phobic reaction may be taught to rehearse so that every time they begin to get the racing heart signifying panic to that person, they begin to use their learned techniques of imagery to put their mind in a more relaxed place. The relaxation techniques can be used along with biofeedback instrument to increase the effectiveness of relaxation. Biofeedback is a tool which gives immediate and objective evidence to the patient of his ability to control such processes as heart rate, breathing rate, skin temperature, skin resistance and blood pressure. To those patients who are able to response moderately well to hypnosis, it offers a means of achieving some degree of voluntary or self-mediated control over these pathological reactions. It is important to ensure that anxiety is not the expression of underlying depression or major psychiatric disorder that is not yet manifest. Hypnosis has both a diagnostic and therapeutic role in eating disorders. For example, during hypnosis patients can uncover their past traumas or feeling of deserving self-punishment. Dr. Moshe S. Torem describes introducing hypnosis to eating disorders patient initially in the form of self-hypnosis, framed as a technique to improve calmness and relaxation. It appears that hypnotherapy is quite popular and sufficient way that could help you to illuminate negative behaviour patterns or bad habits. Focused relaxation techniques are used to modifier person behaviour and change the way one thinks about addictions and habits that affect the quality of life. Hypnosis connects modern practice with practices that have been used by ancient Egyptian and enlightened Zen masters. It informs our understanding of how the mind connects with the body, as well as how conscious mind connect with the unconscious. Hypnosis can be applied in physical and psychosomatic disorders in many ways. First, it can be effective in reducing pain and discomfort. Secondly, hypnotic techniques can contribute substantially to the reduction of distress, anxiety and fears. Thirdly, it can be employed to influence the psychological processes that can give the power and the ability to patients to improve their life in an infinite number of ways. Hellmut W. A. Karle and Jennifer H. Boys 2010. Hypnotherapy. A Practical Handbook Journals online. Journal of Health Psychology. The physical, Psychological and Social Impact of Psoriasis. Josie Hadley and Carol Staudacher 2002. Hypnosis for Change. Michael Heap and Windy Dryden. Hypnotherapy. A Handbook Medscape CME Nursing. Journal online. Euroanaesthesia 2011. , Combination of hypnosis and local anaesthesia for certain types of breast and thyroid surgery. www. ibshypnosis. com Clinical hypnosis: Something for you? By Olafur S. Palsson, Psy. D. www. hypnosisexpert. co. uk Top 5 Most Effective Uses for Hypnotherapy. By Anna Aengel 2010 www. systemthinker. com Hypnosis Past, Present and Future: Its Medical and Psychiatric Applications by Howard Ditkoff M. D. www. innerhealhstudio. com Relaxation Therapy For Body and Mind. By Candi Raudebaugh.

An Overview Of Student Affairs Professionals Education Essay

An Overview Of Student Affairs Professionals Education Essay Do you feel that the task is somewhat overwhelming or is it possible for student affairs professionals to take up this mantle of responsibility on a daily basis? What welcomes undergraduates to this agenda and what, perhaps, hinders their acceptance of this function of American higher education? Student affairs’ professionals do have the capacity to carry out their duties on a daily basis. However, it is imperative that these professionals are organized in their approach and appropriately trained. According to Colby, Ehrlich, Beaumont and Stephens (2003) student affairs professionals must make a â€Å"concerted effort to assist students from the very first time that they come in contact with the school† (pp.226-227). Professionals must make students aware of the extracurricular activities available to them and the ways in which they can get involved on campus and in the surrounding community. The first relationship that student affairs’ professional have with s tudents begins with campus tours. These tours often leave an important first impression with students. Beyond the first impression student affair professional must make a concerted effort to reach out to the students once they become a part of the University community. Reaching out to the students require several different elements including e-mails, telephone call and a personal letter. As it pertains to e-mails students should be sent e-mail correspondence a few days before the event actually occurs. Such correspondence allows them time to adjust their schedules, so they can attend a function. Likewise, a personal message is an important form of communication that can greatly assist students/confidence helping in becoming more involved in campus life. Other announcements should be placed on bulletin boards in dorms or other high-traffic areas. Although communicating with students in this manner does require a great deal of work, it is not an impossible endeavor. Undergraduates are welcomed to the agenda when they are encouraged by student affair professionals to get involved in campus activities and in community activities. According to Colby et al (2003) â€Å"community service projects are of particular importance in most campus organizations† (p.134). Some students may not be as familiar with the importance of community service and the vital role that volunteers play in the context of a community. Making students aware of this particular agenda is vitally important as it informs the way they react to opportunities associated with community service. To this end professional must be sure to inform students of the benefits associated with community service and other types of community involvement. Students, freshmen in particular have many issues that they face, for instance, adjusting to college life. In some ways, all of these new adjustments can prevent students from making the progress they need to make in becoming involved. In some instances, stu dents do not get involved in such things because they are not aware that certain activities are occurring. Student’s affairs professional cannot assume students will automatically get involved in other activities. In addition, depending on the size of the institution a student may be intimidated by all the activities and may not know where to start as it relates to involvement in activities. In the case of the student feeling intimidated, student affair professionals must make a concerted effort to engage students and assist them in understanding the importance of community and campus involvement.

Jews Christians and Muslims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jews Christians and Muslims - Essay Example Thus, wealth and/or influence may not be utilized under Jewish Law, to provide an advantage prior to judgements. Jews refer to Leviticus 19:15 for the right way to judge any case. (Spiro, K. 2012) Even the king is not above the law. A king should be a good example for the fulfilment of the law. 1.2 For Christians From the point of view of Catholics (Knight, Kevin 2009), charity is a supernatural virtue given by God for the soul seen whenever a person gives to the poor or needy believing in the Words of Jesus who said in Matthew 25:40 â€Å"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.† For those who have never heard of these biblical words or who do not know Jesus and his teachings, the act is recognized as natural charity. For other Christians, charity can simply mean love or compassion for the poor, and the calling to show the way taught by Jesus Christ, through acts of kindness and generosity (All About God 20 12) Justice, to many Christians, is the obligation of the church to inform the people about the proper criteria for judgements based on â€Å"the divine standards to which man and society must conform if civilization is to endure† (Mouw, R.J. 2010, p.3). For the individual, however, justice is taking the right stand based on the understanding about church teachings and the laws. There are times when man’s justice will not conform with God’s justice, in which case, divine retribution will follow at an unknown time. 1.3 Muslim Charity and Justice Benevolence of Muslims to others by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and educating the ignorant constitutes charity of â€Å"zakat†. With reference to the Koran, giving a part of a person’s wealth to specific persons is a way to cleanse one’s self. Ibrahim, R. (2009) cites Koran 9:103 to defend this statement. However, the giving should be to fellow Muslims in order to be called â€Å"zakatâ⠂¬ . There has been a question of funding to terrorists who were identified as jihadists. Will that constitute a qualified â€Å"zakat†? This is presently being clarified to the Muslim world as misguided charity, because the Koran does not promote terrorism. Baig, K.(2002) teaches that prophets were sent precisely to â€Å"establish justice† and to end injustice. He even states justice as â€Å"the sole purpose of sending the prophets†¦Ã¢â‚¬  For Muslims, justice is simply giving whatever is due each person or group of people based on what is right and wrong, fair and unfair, characterized by no hatred or favouritism for relatives, loved ones, or neighbours. Justice, in Islam, requires retribution calling for the eye of the evildoer for the eye of the victim. Judgements should be based on the truth even if the truth favors the enemy. 1.4 Differences Of Ideas In Each Tradition For the Muslims, charity involves giving to fellow Muslims, whereas for Jews and Chris tians, charity refers to any poor and needy regardless of religion or no religion. Justice is based on the truth for all three religious traditions. Impartiality is also a common factor for all three. The difference in defining justice is in a very narrow interpretation understood by Muslims by their belief that the only solution or right thing to do to establish justice is to practice the tradition of retribution—â€Å"an eye for an eye†. Christians believe in forgiving although the law should be enforced and the corresponding punishments should be imposed. Jews also believe in the

This is for an intro to American lit class. My topic is-- How does Essay

This is for an intro to American lit class. My topic is-- How does Benjamin Franklin's autobiography begin to articulate a distinctively American conception of - Essay Example He is no other than Benjamin Franklin, the â€Å"First American†. He has been given this title since he was an early proponent of Colonial unity He owes his personal integrity, the respect of his fellowmen as well as foreigners, not to mention his financial success over the years to the thirteen virtues listed in his Autobiography and his strict adherence to them. They are as follows: When Franklin framed his 13 virtues, he meant them not for himself alone but also for others to follow, particularly his progeny. He is said to have stated: â€Å"Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity at which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world and having so well succeeded, my posterity may like to know as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated.† (Franklin, 1791) Benjamin Franklin living out the 13 virtues, embodied the American identity. This is how he envisioned his compatriots to live out their lives. Today, for most Americans, most, if not all of the aforementioned character traits are lived out in their daily lives – whether or not they have patterned their actions on the example of Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin who lived from January 17, 1706 to April 17, 1790, was possibly the most famous 18th century American, next only to George Washington. He authored Poor Richard’s Almanac under the pseudonym Richard Saunders, which writing contained advice on how to get ahead in the world. Apparently, he followed his own advice and by 1757 made a small fortune for himself. His reports on electrical experiments and theories brought him fame among European scientific circles. It was about this time that he was starting a lengthy career as a politician. He became chief spokesman for the British colonies in their debates with the king’s ministers. In 1776, he was a member of the Committee of Five that

Hindu religion in yoga Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hindu religion in yoga - Essay Example yoga can hardly be called a religion; however, it is absolutely clear that it heavily relies on the spiritual tradition that was developed by the Hindu. In other words, yoga should be regarded a disguised religious practice and if it is really so, should not it be regulated by other rules and regulations that are different than those which are applicable at the moment? In addition to that, one of the biggest negative aspects of the influence of the above mentioned activities is that they eliminate the difference between ordinary citizens and believers: people who take up yoga classes end up operating a large array of terms that are used in Hindu tradition. It is quite obvious that the state should be concerned that a considerable part of the population is being converted into religious followers. Secondly, one would make no mistake arguing that yoga glasses have a negative impact on Christianity as a religion. Indeed, no matter how sorrowful it may be, but most people tend to go to church once a week – on Sundays. Contrary to that, yoga classes are at least twice or even three times a week. As a result, people tend to be in this religiously filled environment more often than they would be in the church that they associate themselves with. It is my strong belief that this distorts spiritual outlook of the people and does not allow them to be good Christians. In addition to that, it is quite obvious that the religious traditions that are being promoted in the course of yoga classes are quite different from the religious traditions that are preached in churches. There may be no doubt that if a believer spends one day in one religious environment and three days in a different one, the chances that his or her faith will become less strong are quite high. Finally, the great est threat lies in the fact that the views in yoga as well as in Christianity are incompatible. The latter is largely based on faith in Jesus Christ which is considered to be the cornerstone of

Critical Thinking Exercises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Thinking Exercises - Essay Example As a consultant, the data that should be reviewed and analyzed to determine whether the Ford Motor Company is discriminating against their employees because of age is the following: the age of the employees, the year the employees was hired, and whether the employees have reached or is approaching the age of retirement. First, the age of the employees would be evaluated because the lawsuits were claiming that the Ford Motor Company is discriminating against age. Should the Ford Motor Company be discriminating against age, the ages of most employees should range within the younger age brackets, depending on the age after which the Ford Motor Company considers employees to be "older." Second, the year the employees were hired is important because, in the Title VII class action age and reverse discrimination suit, President Jacques Nasser was accused of eliminating older employees because he wanted to build his management team with younger employees. The year the employees were hired would help determine whether the employees were employed on with the Ford Motor Company during Nasser's presidency. Lastly, whether employees have reached or are approaching the age of retirement is important because it would settle the reason why older employees who have reached or are approaching the age... Additionally, the Ford appraisal system is fair in that it rates the employees on job performance. Employees should perform their job well in order to maintain their position at the company. Ford has much to offer their employees, and they probably adopted the forced-discrimination approach to eliminating their employees because they needed to eliminate the employees that were employed but not performing their jobs well. 8.1 - Workplace Diversity Training The diversity program that will be designed for incoming freshman will, first, consist of training towards all of the ethnicities of the university. Further, all ethnicities of the university will be represented because the freshman will, most likely, encounter all of the ethnicities at least once during their term as a student at the university. Second, the diversity program will consist of training for both male and female students. Women are not the only ones that have problems with racial comments or sexual harassment in the workplace. Men are also subjected to this treatment. As a result, the training should be geared towards both men and women. Third, the freshman will be entered into groups where they will role-play situations in which they might find themselves. All ethnicities of the university might not be represented in the students present, but the role-plays will include a script for all ethnicities.Males will discover diversity and harassment in the workplace from a female's perspective, and the females will get to portray the males. The different ethnicities will have a chance to portray another ethnicity and realize the situations with which they are presented. The diversity program will also have training

Math Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Math - Speech or Presentation Example recommended’ puts the public under the impression that the moisturizing lotion must have undergone extensive tests and use by a collective group of skin specialists when no actual number of professionals is stated. On the assumption that people are generally aware that dermatologists constitute a credible skincare authority, the ad necessitates no more of essential statistical details to support the claim. ‘Dermatologist’ is taken to mean a group, especially an adequate number of skincare experts though the ad does not specify whether it is singular or plural so that a critical consumer may ask ‘what if only one dermatologist had the opportunity to test the lotion?’ or if there were several others, ‘why are such facts excluded where at least mentioning a ratio x number out of y number will do?’. So then it appears as if the insufficient information is intended for a strategic marketing to catch the public’s interest toward buying t he product immediately. Explanation: Apparently, the use of double negatives in this case makes the question itself biased in a way that it directs the public to understand that tutoring services are not only meant for students who fail in class. This could result to a range of interpretations where some may readily be swayed to consider that it is important for being an ‘extra’ rather than a ‘mandatory’ task so that because of this loose sense of obligation, people take chances of closing agreement to that option. On another occasion, the query may not be a good measure of obtaining reliable survey outcomes since its statement is more imperative than interrogative, as in demanding to be understood in the light of its implied position. Furthermore, instead of taking one’s original stand on the matter, the person might be misled to an ambiguous thought about ‘extra tutoring’ where it is possible to think that students who pass may need tutoring for an additional activity or it is also possible to assume

Innovative Organisations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Innovative Organisations - Research Paper Example Early computer-aided design (CAD) applications were direct replacements for manual drafting activities in the design process. Computing resources were derived from mainframes. There was little increase in initial drawing production efficiency, but drawing quality and clarity were greatly improved (Golish et al. 2003). The introduction of the remote workstation provided a technology platform to advance the CAE design process. Architect-engineering design services are project driven businesses. The typical project is a custom designed facility to satisfy the specific requirements of a single customer. Revenue is generated on a project-by-project basis (Kerzner 2002). It is estimated that over 35,000 firms are providers of A-E design services (Golish et al. 2003). Increased use of CAE technology will alter key financial measures used in the industry. Fig. 1 shows projected trends in TLM as CAE technology use increases (Schriener 1996). Productivity will increase and cycle time will decrease. Direct hours to produce projects will decrease and overhead costs will increase while overall design cost will decline. This cost allocation trend is consistent with that experienced in the manufacturing sector as computer-aided engineering and production methods evolved (Noori 2001). The objective of A-E design services is to interpret customer requirements for facilities and infrastructure, including performance expectations, cost, and schedule.

The war on terror Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The war on terror - Essay Example It felt very terrible and painful. I learnt that the current war on terror must be continued and every possible attempt must not be left to hunt down any terrorists who do not respect human values and human lives. Additionally, terrorists consider it reasonable and acceptable to kill someone on the basis that he or she has an American nationality or someone belongs to a particular religion. Although it is very financially painful to bear the cost burden of maintaining American or NATO troops in Afghanistan, what I believe that the sane leaders of the world have no choice but to stay their wipe out the heavens of terror. Most effective revision I revised the topic ‘Propaganda’. In this topic, the use and application of propaganda are greatly discussed and analyzed. First, I narrowly read this concept and submitted. However, it did not work. I was asked to revise the paper to provide some relevant but authentic references to the points that I initially did not provide in t he assignment. While revising this paper, I realized that the work of revision has provided me some greater and deeper understanding of the use of propaganda in different political and non-political events.

RSS feed Mobile Archive Search Ask me anything Submit Essay Example for Free

RSS feed Mobile Archive Search Ask me anything Submit Essay The Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the national airline of the Philippine and Asia’s first airline. Philippine Airlines has been the dominant air carrier in the Philippines since its creation in 1941. Philippine Airlines rebranded itself as â€Å"Asia’s sunniest airline† to cap its new marketing and advertising trust. We have identified the three (3) major competitors of Philippine Airlines which are Cebu Pacific, Cathay Pacific and Zest Airlines. Our recommended strategy for Philippine Airlines is Product development strategy this includes providing more services to attract the customer as well as improving the products and services that they offer to gain more profit and to satisfy the customers. Many airline companies offer lower fares to gather customers. We suggest that PAL focus on differentiation by making their customers experience the â€Å"class† of flying to remind them the pleasure of taking flight in the skies. This strategy will require extensive employee training in proper etiquette and quality service, to ensure the portrayed brand image lines up with the experience of customers. Second to our priority is increasing the number of salespersons, increasing advertising expenditures, offering extensive sales promotion items, or increasing publicity efforts to enhance market share especially for the local flights. The Philippine Airlines must know the strengths and weakness of the management for the strategists to know what things to improve and maintain. Based on the result of the competitive profile matrix, Philippine Airlines fall behind the Cebu Pacific and this is due to the fall of its local flight segment. Garnering a decrease of total market share from 50% in May 2009 to 35.4% in late December of 2009 According to the SPACE Matrix that Philippine Airlines is financially a strong company that has achieved major competitive advantages in a growing and stable industry. Market Development, Product Development, and Horizontal integration is the suited strategy that can be used by PAL. In the Boston Consulting Group Matrix, the Philippine Airline is in the position of â€Å"star† because Philippine Airline remains stable with the market growth and continues to be successful in the field of airline industry. PAL is in the quadrant II that represents the organization’s best long-run opportunities for growth and profitability. Horizontal Integration is appropriate strategies for these divisions to consider. PAL should increased control over their competitor and takeovers among competitors allow for increased economies of sale and enhanced transfer of resources and competencies. Base on the internal- external matrix of Philippine Airline that the company should hold and maintain. The company should pursue Intensive (market penetration and product development) strategies which can be the best and most appropriate things to do. With the standard of living of Filipino is improving gradually as well as the increase in tourism industry and lot of Filipino workers go abroad airline industry is stably increase, that is why given the rapid market growth of the airline industry. Philippine Airlines is in an excellent strategic position, for Philippine Airlines, concentration on product development is an appropriate strategy in terms of the specific circumstances that face the company. II. COMPANY PROFILE The airline was founded on February 26, 1941 by a group of businessmen led by Andres Soriano, hailed as one of the Philippines’ leading industrialists at the time, who served as its general manager, and former Senator Ramon Fernandez, who served as its chairman and president. The airline, headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, was founded in 1941 and is the oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name. Out of its hubs at Ninoy Aquino International Airport of Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport of Cebu City, Philippine Airlines serves nineteen destinations in the Philippines and twenty-four destinations in Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, Canada and the United States. Formerly one of the largest Asian airlines, PAL was severely affected by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. In what was believed to be one of the Philippines’ biggest corporate failures, PAL was forced to downsize its international operations by completely cutting operations to Europe and eventually Southwest Asia, cutting virtually all domestic services excluding routes operated from Manila, reducing the size of its fleet and terminating the jobs of thousands of employees. The airline was placed under receivership in 1998, gradually restoring operations to many of the destinations it formerly serviced. PAL exited receivership in 2007 with ambitious plans to further restore services to its previously-serviced destinations, as well as diversify its fleet. Philippine Airlines is the only airline in the Philippines to be accredited with the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) by the International Air Transport Association and has been awarded a 3-star rating by Skytrax. 1. Economic Forces In 1997, Philippine Airlines rebranded itself as â€Å"Asia’s sunniest airline† to cap its new marketing and advertising thrust. In addition to its re-fleeting program, Philippine Airlines commenced service to New York City (using Newark Liberty International Airport) via Vancouver. However, this caused the airline to be financially unstable, having acquired too many aircraft while matching them to unprofitable routes. The re-fleeting program was about halfway through when the full impact of the Asian financial crisis struck the airline industry early in 1998. By March 31, 1997, at the end of the 1996-1997 fiscal years, Philippine Airlines had reported its largest annual loss of P8.08 billion. PAL shareholders approved a quasi-reorganization plan, reducing the par value of PAL shares to P0.20 from P0.80 per share. It will also increase its authorized capital stock from P16 billion to P20 billion divided into 100 billion shares at P0.20 per share. Philippine Airlines income annual report showed an increase in revenues to US$1.634 billion, from US$1.504 billion the previous year, after carrying 17% more passengers due to acquisition of additional aircraft and growth in the domestic market. However, the cost of operating more flights, which involved higher maintenance expense and compounded by record-high fuel prices, raised expenses to US$1.9 billion, from US$1.539 billion the previous year. Fuel comprised 44% of Philippine Airlines income operating expenses. When the global crisis led to a travel slump in the latter part of the year, PAL’s passenger load factor fell to an average of 76.2%, three points lower than the previous year. PAL also reported paying US$165.4 million in principal and interest to its creditors, bringing to US$2.4 billion the total paid from March 1999 to March 2009. Total assets decreased by US$60.6 million to US$1.971 billion, while total liabilities rose by US$239.5 million over the previous year.With the protracted recession, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said its member-airlines are bracing for US$9 billion in total combined losses by the end of the current fiscal year. 2.1 Social forces The Philippine airlines conduct a promo for there passenger especially who belong to there membership. They can earn miles points in every board with the code share partners (air Macau, Cathy pacific ,emirates, etihad , Malaysia airlines and other airlines that belong to that agreement. they also earn miles point in staying hotels around the Philippines and worldwide. example they can earn point rates vary between 250 and 500 miles per stay in hotel. The points they earn can be donated to UNICEF or in PAL Foundation. Security control is a significant contributor to service quality, but service is underperformed in terms of efficiency, relative to passengers’ desired levels. Security needs to follow a similar pattern to safety. It is already part of IOSA, but I’m sure more can be done to formalize industry requirements. IATA and the various agencies around the world must find ways to harmonize security requirements. It is essential for the passenger experience, and it is essential for airlines. It would simplify operations considerably.At the same time, it is clear that security is a government responsibility. They should be paying for the majority of measures, especially at the airport. But airlines must show willingness too, and play their part. We can look again at security onboard the aircraft. Boarding -Airlines use a number of different group/zone boarding systems or boarding rules, the idea (there are numerous variations) it is significant to service quality. In-flight service is something that makes the passenger comfortable and relaxes while they are on board. 2.2 Cultural forces Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the national flag carrier of the Philippines and the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia. It began operations in 1941 by making one flight daily between Manila and Baguio. From its main hub at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippine Airlines now flies to 18 destinations in the Philippines and serves 26 destinations in Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, Canada and the United States. Mabuhay Miles is the Philippine Airlines frequent flyer program. It was established in 2002 by merging all existing PAL frequent flyer programs prior to the Asian financial crisis: namely, PALsmiles, the Mabuhay Club and the Flying Sportsman, with PALsmiles and Mabuhay Club members being moved to the new program on August 1, 2002. The Flying Sportsman program was subsequently transformed into SportsPlus, a three-tiered, subscription-based program which gives extra baggage allocations for sports equipment on PAL flights, aimed specifically at golfers, bowlers, scuba divers, tennis and badminton players, anglers and cyclists. The SportsPlus program is available only to Mabuhay Miles base members, as Mabuhay Miles members on higher membership tiers automatically receive SportsPlus privileges. Mabuhay Miles members earn miles that can be redeemed at face value on most Philippine Airlines-operated flights, as well as on code-shared routes of partner airlines. Some promotional fares and all flights operated by Airphil Express, however, are ineligible to earn miles. Miles may also be earned by patronizing the services of Mabuhay Miles partners, or by purchasing miles. Membership tiers include Mabuhay Miles Base, Elite, Premium Elite and Million Miler. 2.3 Environmental Forces In recent years, much attention has been given to the role of automobile emissions in climate change. But air travel—which has been rebounding since 9/11—is equally damaging to the climate, per mile of travel. Flight is one of the most fuel-guzzling forms of passenger transportation. Airplanes’ fuel use (and resulting emissions of carbon dioxide), per passenger and per mile, is almost as heavy as driving alone. Beyond their emissions of carbon dioxide, aircraft release other gases that have disproportionate but short-term effects on our planet’s climate . And data suggest that north westerners fly more passenger miles per capita than residents of most other states. Carbon dioxide has the same effects on the climate no matter when or where it is injected into the atmosphere. But other aircraft emissions-such as nitrogen oxides-have potent, climate-changing effects because of the elevation at which they are released. Over the short term, they more than double the effects of the CO2 alone Over time, these other pollutants disappear, but the carbon dioxide remains aloft capturing heat for decades. These short-term climate-altering effects of air travel are concentrated, along with the residents of affluent nations, in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, which includes the Pacific Northwest. The airline industries are responsible for about 11% of greenhouse gases emitted by the transportation sector. An aircraft engine contributes a global warming and global dimming even though it is least polluting forms of travel in the world. The rapid growth of air travel in recent years can contributes to increase the total pollution attributed to aviation and the reduction of achieved automobiles. The jet fuel can burned per passenger on a average 3200 kilometers airline flight about 353 kilograms. 2.4 Demographic Forces The population of the Philippines was 88.57 million people as of August, 2007. The 2009 projected population is 92.23 million people. This is an inflation rate of +1.5%. The 2008 population was 90.348.437, making it the 12th most populated country in the world. The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelagic nation located off the coast of Southeast Asia. Filipinos are descended from Austronesia people from Taiwan over a thousand years ago. The Aboriginal inhabitants consist of the Ati and Aetas, referred to as Negritos. Most of the country is comprised of Malayo-Polynesian ethnic groups including, the Tagalog, Visayans, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Bicolano, Moro, Pangasinense, Igorot, Lumad Ibanag, Mangyan, Badjao, Ivatan, and Palawan tribes. There is a significant group of other ethnic descendants including the Spanish, British, American, Japanese and Chinese due to the Spanish colonization and Americation occupation after World War II. These intermarried descendants are referred to as Filipino mestizos There are Twelve major regional languages each with over one million speakers: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Waray-Waray, Tausug, Bikol, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Kinaray-a, Maranao, Maguindanao and Hiligaynon. English and Spanish were both imposed on the country as official languages at one time in its history, so the languages can still be heavily felt within the country. The airline’s first flight took place on March 15, 1941 with a single Beech craft Model 18 NPC-54 on daily services between Manila (from Nielson Field) and Baguio. On July 22, the airline acquired the franchise of the Philippine Aerial Taxi Company. Government investment in September paved the way for its nationalization. PAL owns 30 Airbus aircraft and four Bombardier airplanes. The airline has also reconfigured its in-flight service to include first, business, and economy classes. PAL additionally offers flights to India and China, both among the world’s fastest-growing travel markets. The carrier offers almost 30 weekly flights to US destinations. In 2008 the company launched its low fare carrier unit, PAL Express, which serves mostly domestic island destinations.

Traumatic Experiences Faced by Tina Essay Example for Free

Traumatic Experiences Faced by Tina Essay 1.1 Traumatic experiences As a result of her mother’s commitment to her marriage, Tina may experience a wide range of traumatic experiences. As a teenage girl she is predisposed to being violated by the ‘step’ male relatives that she’s living with. In this sense, she faces emotional, physical and psychological abuse at the hands of extended family (Finkerlhor Browne; 1985). The type of foreseen traumatic experiences is mostly aggravated by Tina’s profile and situation in the family. Being a step daughter, whose mother constantly wants to make an effort to embrace the union places her in a disadvantaged angle where either one of her step family members may find her either as a threat or an accessory that can be utilised to his advantage. Looking at this scenario, one cannot rule out the huge possibility being of a sexual nature, this is due to the contemporary social behaviour within family units, where children have become ‘accessories’ to utilise for adults pleasure. Tina’s mother and her new union could be the beginning of Tina’s worst nightmare. A chain of traumatic events could arise from just one form of abuse, for arguments sake let’s take sexual abuse and unpack it to its worst possible chain of events. After being sexually abused by either one of her step family members, Tina’s could contract a sexually transmitted disease; she could fall pregnant and maybe be forced to go through an abortion because of fear of stigma and lack of support from her mother and extended family. Alternatively, Tina could end up deciding to commit suicide due to feeling trapped, alone and depressed. 1.2 1.2.1 Effects of Child Abuse Child abuse has been conceptualised by a lot of scholars in various ways, this has either distorted or diminished the intensity of its effects in children. I feel that how one conceptualises child abuse should capture the exact effects and aggravated meaning it holds for its sufferers. This is a broad concept that when narrowed gives birth to various other concepts that encompass children’s victimization. Hence, for the purpose of Tina’s case, I have adopted the meaning that was captured in a study conducted within the Nigerian region. This not only gives Tina’s story relevance but it also engages with the same factors that affect an African teenager within the boundaries of a family unit is subjected to. Hence Akhilomen sees child abuse as ‘an intentional or neglectful physical or emotional injury imposed on a child’ (2006). As mentioned above, Tina could be perceived as a threat or an outsider by either one of her ‘step’ family members and that could lead to emotional and physical abuse such as neglect, she could be rejected and side-lined by her family members. As culture dictates, women are expected to leave their ‘a bustard† child with their families when they start new families, Tina is then automatically subjected to such unspoken discrimination within the family. She may be at a disadvantage of favourism of the brother because he is the husband’s son; this making it an emotional injury and also the possibility of verbal and physical abuse arises. Children who suffer abuse within families are said to show certain behavioural traits in society or any other groups they were initially involved in before the abuse. Suffering from the above-mentioned forms of abuse could raise feelings of sadness, anger, betrayal, unworthiness and children will soon be withdrawn from social scene (Finkerlhor Browne; 1985). 1.2.2 Effects of Sexual abuse â€Å"The National Centre on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) describes sexual abuse as contacts or interactions between a child and an adult when the child is being used for the sexual stimulation of the adult† (Kempe Kempe; 1987 in Schoeman; 2013: 63). This conceptualisation finds relevance in Tina’s case as she is used for her step brother’s stimulation and benefit for sexual pleasure. Sexual abuse has four traumatic impacts in a child’s life; these are discussed from a clinical and socio-cultural view. Finkelhor and Browne (1985) came up with a conceptualization that could be used in research and treatment of sexual abuse victims. This is targeting people in pastoral roles away from the family unit where children are exposed to these stressors; in this case Tina confiding in her teacher is the first step to acknowledging teachers as social activists. These are labelled as the four traumagenic dynamics and they are impacts that alter children’s cognitive and emotional orientation to the world and create trauma by distorting children’s self-concept, world view and effective capacities (1985). †¢ Traumatic sexualisation Refers to a process in which a child’s sexuality is shaped in a developmentally inappropriate and interpersonally dysfunctional fashion as a result of sexual abuse. This stage consists of feelings towards the offender; it affects the ‘trust’ aspect of the relationship as this case is an intra-familial encounter. This is where more behavioural signs are seen, Tina will feel a disruption in her normal mental functioning. She will seem sad, confused and eventually she will withdraw from her ‘normal’ self. This is the first sign that people close to her will be able to notice a disruption in her life. †¢ Powerlessness Powerlessness impairs a child sense of efficacy, a reaction to this stage will be fear and anxiety and total loss of control in situations that resemble the abuse (Finkerlhor Browne; 1985) (Schoeman; 2012-2014). As noted in the scenario, Tina already feels like going back home is like being in a trapped hole where she has no control over what happens to her. She fears for her life, she feels more like an object to her brother than a family member †¢ Betrayal This refers to a stage in a victim’s life where a number of reactions are noted, during this stage, they suffer feelings of grief and depression. This is coupled with feelings of hostility and anger in young girls of Tina’s age. Distrust may manifest itself in isolation and fear and resentment of males which at a later stage affects their ability to engage in healthy heterosexual relationships (Finkerlhor Browne; 1985). Tina’s feelings towards her mother; as the person that subjected her to this; she feels †¢ Stigmatization Lastly, given the feelings her mother has towards Tina and their previous experience with her father, Tina will most definitely be stigmatised by the family and initially her mother as she has dismissed her attempts to report the case. This will affect Tina’s ability to trust and depend on her mother as she has deliberately failed to protect her (Schoeman; 2012-2014). She will have feelings of resentment towards her mother as she will feel she subjected her to this; by constantly forcing her to make effort to accept her new family. This is validated by my initial statement about cultural expectations with bustard children; Tina will not get support from anyone in her circle of family as her mother will be accused of bringing this misfortune to herself. These negative connotations will not only affect the mother but Tina as well as these feelings are associated with suicide attempts and other self-destruction behaviours. 1.3 Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs Fig 1.3.1 [pic] †¢ Safety Needs Tina’s sexual abuse has distorted her normal view and perception of the world and the people in it. This has ‘burst her safety bubble’ she no longer feels safe in anyone’s company because her mother, being the one person to protect her has failed to do so. This has crashed her emotional and psychological link to the mother and world she looks up to. †¢ Love/Belonging Feelings of powerlessness and betrayal have left her feeling that she does not belong anywhere in the world. People whose love needs have been destroyed lose their sense of being worthy and belonging to society and hence the sky rocketing statistics of suicide amongst teenagers of Tina’s age (McLeod; 2007). Tina may feel that her mother’s pressure to make an effort to the family has caused her all this pain and trauma and she may conclude that she does not love her or she chooses her new family instead of her. This eventually leads to rejection and feelings of worthlessness. This will affect her ability to engage in healthy heterosexual intimate relationships as she grows older, her ability to establish and maintain friendships will also be affected as she loses trust in people. †¢ Esteem Needs A child whose esteem needs have been destroyed will find difficulty perceiving herself as a normal worthy and valued individual. It affects person from obtaining a higher level of self-esteem or self-respect (McLeod; 2007).Children who are sexually abused usually turn to worse measures to deal with the inadequacy they feel inside. SECTION 2 2.1 Counselling versus Support for Learning Problems †¢ Counselling Defined as a facilitative process where the counsellor uses specific skills to help young people help themselves more effectively (Gillis; 1997). This facilitative process entails giving ‘common sense’ advice and it extends the teacher-learner, parent-child relationship. Counselling is a more emotional than logical process of problem solving, in this sense, the counsellor has to be more aware of the children’s’ perspective of things and be able to come up with an interactive plan to help that child cope and solve the problem at hand. Counselling provides the child with a chance for growth and change. In this instance, Tina needs her teachers, peer educators and mostly her mother to help her find a way to address and deal with the abuse in her life. †¢ Counselling versus Learning Problem âž ¢ Conceptualization: Learning problems refer to the difficulty faced by children in partaking to academic/educational activities. These may be unpacked as limitations to comprehension of study content as well as reading and writing (Schoeman; 2012-14). This is characterised by the inability to engage in class activities or carry out academic tasks like other children, these are then regarded as learning problems which; given the availability of professional help, the teachers may have to intervene and help. Counselling is a facilitative process where the counsellor uses specific skills to help young people help themselves more effectively (Gillis; 1997). This facilitative process entails giving ‘common sense’ advice and it extends the teacher-learner, parent-child relationship. Counselling is a more emotional than logical process of problem solving, in this sense, the counsellor has to be more aware of the children’s’ perspective of things and be able to come up with an interactive plan to help that child cope and solve the problem at hand. âž ¢ Order/Method of Practice The approach or method of addressing these two roles differs regarding the needs of the child as well expectation of performance from the person in the pastoral role. Counselling entails the use of emotional relations into facilitation to helping the children become better problem solvers. There are certain skills that are required from the person who takes on the counselling role. This then dictates the order or manner in which the counsellor can create a condusive environment for the children. In these one may include the categories for counselling responses. These are namely; evaluating, interpreting, supporting/reassuring, questioning/probing, advice, communication, verbal and non-verbal responses and silence. These are all broken down to give a scope of the ‘know how’ of counselling. Learning support is a different ball game when it comes to going about it. Here the teacher has to take into consideration the state of being of the child, have full understanding of the problem and its dynamics. Schoeman (2012-2014) provides a list of guidelines that teachers are to follow in order to effectively assist children with learning problems. These guidelines are as follows: keep sessions short, meet regularly with the learner, sessions should be highly structured, keep anxiety levels at minimum, focus on specific issues being addressed and keep morale high. 2.2 Trauma and its Effects on Tina’s life Trauma implies intense emotional wounding that may comprise of bodily wounds, it entails the wounding of a person’s emotion, spirit, will to live, beliefs about themselves and the world, dignity and sense of security (Matsakis; 1996 in Schoeman; 2012-2014). It refers to â€Å"any negative event that causes an individual to re-experience an earlier traumatic event so that the current event somehow becomes as traumatic as, or at least strongly reminiscent of, the earlier event must itself be regarded as traumatic† (Urman, Funk Elliot; 2001:403-4). The trauma suffered by Tina is unpacked to various stages of response and feelings, amongst these, one has noticed recurring processes as to those described for the purposes of sexual abuse, and as a result, this section will only address the retaliation feelings from Tina. In this sense, Tina’s story will be addressed according to Lewis’ three traumatic phases of response (1995:15-16). These are namely the impact phase, the recoil phase and the re-integration phase. †¢ Impact Phase This stage can last from a few seconds to days immediately after the trauma, Matsakis continues to state that the victim may appear emotionally disorientated, confused irrational and disorganised (1996:34-5). At this point Tina will need comfort and reassurance from her adult figures and pastoral actors such as her teachers. At this stage assurance, comfort and love are the key things she needs from people around her. †¢ Recoil Phase According to Lewis, this is the reality phase (1995:15). Tina will experience feelings of sadness, guilt and anger. At this point in her life, Tina will have developed feelings of post-traumatic stress resulting from a constant reminder or reality and flashbacks from her sexual incident. †¢ Re-integration This phase holds Tina captivated in her own mental and psychological body as she eventually assimilates this horrible experience as part of her life. She however slowly learns to reintegrate herself with people, this is her body’s way of trying to heal and overcome the traumatic experience. Here she will show enthusiasm to reconnect with people the way she did before the trauma (Lewis; 1999:16). 2.3 Parental Involvement versus Parental Counselling It has been established that children who suffer any form of abuse need the support of their elderly people to overcome the effects of the traumatic experiences. Amongst the people who can provide this form of support are parents and teachers. As a result it is important to note the angle in which parents can be included in the programs for assisting children. âž ¢ Parental Counselling This form of support is addressed to the parents as primary caregivers to the children with learning difficulties. In this support programme parents are taught how to handle and give support to their children as a form of partnership with the teachers in managing the problem a child may be facing. The focal point lies in this form of problem being intrinsic and more emotional for both the parent and child. In some cases parents suffer from ignorance and fail to understand or even identify the problem (Schoeman; 2012-2014). It is in this sense that parental counselling becomes useful. âž ¢ Parental Involvement Parental involvement need not only to be for the formal meetings with the school authorities but Schoeman (2012-2014) notes that parents should be involved in all that involves their children within the school. Amongst these activities; school learning and intervention programmes, they should be involved in teaching their children in particular skills that can be useful to their development. Their involvement in cultural and sport activities not only benefits the child but the entire school benefits from an involved parent. 2.4 Tina’s Intervention It is important for school teachers to be familiar with the mandated reporting laws and know to what agency they should report suspected sexual abuse (most often, Child Protective Services). To prevent Tina from feeling betrayed after she has confided sexual abuse, teachers must first get approval from the child to get the authorities and other institutions involved to resolve the matter. Remedial intervention comprises of six principles of practice (Schoeman; 2012-2014). In these the teacher will have to design a detailed and proper planned learning strategy for Tina. Tina needs patience as a result; I find it relevant to employ attention to basic skill, motivation and evaluation principles into practice. In this I feel helping Tina will require more time in between school breaks and maybe after classes to establish a proper workable strategy for individual treatment. The first step to reporting this incident will be to alert the school support system and the governing body of this situation. This will happen with Tina’s consent. The school governing body and committee will then summon Tina’s mother to school to make her aware of the problem as well as of Tina’s attempts to report the abuse. After this meeting, a decision to further report the police will be tabled and a decision will be reached to act in the benefit of the victim. After the formalities have been dealt with, Tina and her mother will be taken to a community wellness centre for children and get counselling as they have to get help with living beyond this abuse. Tina will continue to get remedial treatment in class until she shows signs of reintegration. Reference list Akhilomen, D.O (2006) Addressing Child Abuse in Southern Nigeria: The role of the Church. Studies in World Christianity, Vol 12(3) pp235-248. Available at http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0type=summaryurl=journals/studies_in_world_ch.. [Date Accessed 10th August 2013] Finkelhor, D Browne, A ( 1985) The Traumatic Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: A conceptualisation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Vol 55(4). Available at http://univerityofnewhemisphere.ac.za. [Date Accessed 10th August 2013] Harley, K., Barasa, F., Bertram, C., Mattson, E. Pillay, S (2000) â€Å"The real and the ideal†: Teacher roles and competencies in South African policy and practice. International Journal of Education Development Vol 20(2000) pp 287-304. Available at http://ukzn.ac.za.[Date Accessed 10th August 2013] McLeod, S. A. (2007). Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Simply Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html Schoeman, S (ed) (2012-2014) The educator in a pastoral role. University of South Africa

Visiting Marrakesh, Morocco †The Red City

Visiting Marrakesh, Morocco – The Red City Marrakesh – The Red City As-salam alaykom! (Hello in Arabic) Marrakesh is the third largest city of Morocco and is situated at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. It is the most important of the four imperial cities of Morocco and has a rich history. A city of palaces, tombs, markets and myriad entertainments, Marrakesh is a treat for the senses. It is easy to get lost in its many alleys and markets, and the action packed Djemaa El-Fna square at the city center is enough to keep you occupied and intrigued for an entire day. The modern half of the city, Gueliz is a contrast and offers a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Old Town. Visiting Marrakesh is an exhilarating experience that is sure to leave a lasting imprint on all travelers, who will return impressed with its beautiful architecture and unique culture. Best Season to Visit Marrakesh Marrakesh, with its sunny weather presents itself as a year round destination. However spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) are the best months to explore this city, with lower temperatures and lesser crowds. The Easter Weekend is an exception and crowds throng the city as a getaway from their hectic schedules. While early summer can still be pleasant enough, the later months (July to September) can be unbearable if you are not used to the heat. In spite of this, summer is the peak tourist season and prices for everything skyrocket during this time. Many festive events are held during summer. Winter (December to February) brings along sunny days and cold nights, and there is snowfall in the nearby Atlas Mountains. Tourists visiting around this time can take off to the ski resorts in the mountains and enjoy the snow. Highlights (Special Things to Do in Marrakesh) Visit the La Mamounia for a buffet lunch by the poolside and be floored by the splendor and glamour of this spectacular hotel. Go back in history and view artifacts from the past at the Dar Si Said Museum that includes exquisitely carved cedar wood pieces that have been rescued from the ruins and monuments in the city. Soak in the pungent and medieval experience of Marrakesh by visiting the Tannery District and watch the tanners at work as they cure the animal hides with foul-smelling liquids that transform them into finished leather products ready for sale. Head to a luxury bath at one of the many Hammams for an authentic Moroccan experience of luxury and indulgence For a belly dancing performance, head to the Comptoir Darna, the first lounge dining restaurant in Marrakesh. Beautiful ambience, great food and wonderful performances make it a perfect place to soak in the true feel of Morocco. Immerse yourself into street food at the Djemaa El-Fna and feast on the many exotic varieties of meat available at the various counters. Indulge in some souvenir shopping and visit the traditional markets known as Souks that sell everything from handicrafts to antiques, spices to ornaments, carpets, cashmere and even items made of â€Å"cactus silk†! Head out on a city break to the nearby sand dunes of Erg Chegaga or Erg Chebbi for an exotic camel ride and desert safari. Ski in the snow in the nearby ski resort of Oukaimeden, situated in the Atlas Mountains where snowfall occurs in the winter months. Attractions in Marrakesh Medina: Djeema El-Fna: Originally a place of public executions (back in AD 1050), this is the main public square of Marrakesh. Filled with snake charmers and medicine men during the day, the square really comes alive as the day ends. Musicians, story tellers and entertainers fill up the square and the open air acts begin as a visual treat. Hundreds of food stalls also line up to provide exotic, hot, mouth-watering delicacies. Koutoubia Mosque: The mosque is made of red sandstone and is the largest in the city. It is most famous for its minaret, built in Almohad style and rising to a height of 70m. The minaret was an inspiration for many later towers including the La Giralda in Seville, Spain. Non-Muslims are not allowed inside, but a walk around its periphery may be enough to marvel at this masterpiece. El Badi Palace: Largely in ruins, this impressive palace was built in the 15th century and its name translates into â€Å"The Incomparable Palace† in English. It is easy to imagine the grandeur and luxurious lifestyle of its royal inhabitants as you walk through the large pavilions, sunken gardens and abandoned pools. El Bahia Palace: Built in the late 19th century, this grand building is a great example of Eastern Architecture. Lavish decorations and beautifully landscaped gardens are reasons enough to visit this palace. Almoravid Koubba: Considered to be the oldest building in the city, it is also the only surviving monument from the Almoravid era. Bab Agnaou: It is one among the 19 gates that serve as entry and exit points to the Medina and was constructed in the 12th century. Ben Youssef Madrassa: One of the largest madrassas in North Africa, it is home to some very beautiful artwork. Saadian Tombs: The tombs were constructed to hold the graves of the Sultan Ahmed Al-Mansur who reigned in the 15th century, and his family. Lavishly built with Italian marble, cedar woodwork and intricate decorations and carvings, the tombs are sure to inspire awe among the visitors. Gueliz: Majorelle Garden: This delightful garden is worth a visit for the extensive use of the Majorelle Blue colored walls and ponds, as well as the many colorful fountains and large variety of cacti that are found within it. Spread over 12 acres, it offers a respite from the heat of the city. Menara: Menara Gardens: Situated near the outskirts of Marrakesh at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, The gardens are spread across orchards and olive groves with a pavilion and a lake in the center. The snowcapped Atlas Mountains form a great backdrop to the beautiful gardens. Shopping in Marrakesh Shopping in Marrakesh can be an assault on your senses, as you take in the colors, the atmosphere and the vibrancy of the markets. Almost all shopping in Marrakesh needs to done in the traditional markets that are called Souks and it is possible to find anything- yes, anything, in the narrow lanes of the souks that you navigate, as you move from one shop to the next. The Souk Semmarine is the main lane that runs from the Djemaa El-Fna to the Ben Youssef Mosque and is flanked by a never ending array of souks that sell a wide variety of products. If it is spices that you are interested in, visit the Rahba Kedima (Spice Square) that has stalls selling a plethora of spices from saffron to cumin, cinnamon to mace and even Argan oil that is almost exclusively produced in Morocco. A number of stalls selling herbal remedies, cosmetics, essential oils are also to be found. For shoes and footwear, look no further than the Souk Smata, where brightly colored Moroccan slippers are a must-buy. Other leather items can be found at the Souk el Kebir and Souk Cherratin that specialize in camel leather goods like belts, wallets and purses. Visit Souk el Attarin if it is fragrances and perfumes that you are looking for. Souk Zrabia is the place to be if Berber carpets interests you, and for clothing and fabrics, stroll through the Souk Larzal and Souk des Teinturiers markets. How to reach Marrakesh Marrakesh is well connected to many European cities due to its popularity with the European tourists. The Marrakesh-Menara International Airport has direct flights that connect the city with destinations like Paris, London, Stockholm and Madrid, to name a few. Those flying in from North America, Asia and elsewhere will need to change flights at Casablanca. The airport is located at a distance 5km from the city and there are air conditioned buses plying every 30 minutes between the airport and the city. Marrakesh is also connected by train service to other major cities of Morocco. There are regular trains connecting Marrakesh with Casablanca and Rabat. Night trains are also available with sleeper cars for farther off destinations like Tangiers. A number of long distance bus services are also available for those wishing to take the roadways to travel between the Moroccan cities. How to get around in Marrakesh Marrakesh has a good bus service that can get you anywhere within the city. The Medina is small enough that everything can be covered on foot, although an umbrella is necessary to protect you from the sun. Taxis and horse drawn carriages are also available to explore the city. The Bus service is quite good and covers all parts of the city that tourists will want to visit. Most buses stop at Djemaa El-Fna in the Old Town and Place Youssef Ben Tachfine in the New Town. Fares are dependent on the distance, but most of the time you will be paying between 2-5dh. Airport buses run at frequencies of 30 minutes from early morning until 9:30 in the night. An Open Topped Sightseeing Bus is available that will take you around the city with headphones to provide commentary on the various tourist locations. You can get down anywhere to explore the location at your leisure and then board another bus to continue. Tickets are valid for 24 hours and cost 145 Dh. An alternate way to get around the city is the small horse-drawn carriages called Caleche. It is better to negotiate on a price before getting onto them. The Caleche offers a romantic way to explore the city. Taxis are generally not to be preferred, since they will try to rip you off with high charges for getting you to the destination. Some may even try to charge you for the bags that you are carrying. If getting into one, always ask them to use the meter. Petit taxis are smaller taxis that accommodate 3 passengers and can be boarded on a sharing basis. If you are inside the Medina, Walking is the best way to cover all the destinations. All places are quite nearby and easily findable by directions from the locals or by using GPS. Top Areas of Marrakesh Medina: The Medina is the older, historic part of the city and is centered on the main square, Djeema El-Fna. A lot of the stay options in this district consist of the Riads, which are basically furnished Moroccan houses with a courtyard. Gueliz: This is the modern, European half of Marrakesh that is characterized by upmarket restaurants, cafes and luxury boutiques. Hivernage: Situated quite close by to the Medina, the Hivernage Quarter is a quiet, residential part of the town characterized by broad, tree-lined avenues, rooftop restaurants and luxury hotels. Palmeraie: The Palm grove Quarter is an oasis situated outside of the city. A few luxury resorts are available here. Agdal: An area of recent development, it is situated outside of the city and is being built as a major hub for further expansion of the city. A number of shopping arcades and expensive hotels are coming up in this locality. Shukran! (Thank you in Arabic)

Gender Segregation and Discrimination in CTE :: Females Women Discrimination Essays

Gender Segregation and Discrimination in CTE The Traditional Reality The CTE system before Title IX has been characterized as traditionally dominated by gender segregation and discrimination (National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education 2002). In many cases, females were denied entry into training programs for higher-wage, traditionally male, industry and technical occupations. Gender stereotyping in guidance and counseling practices and materials, bias in teacher practices, and harassment by other students discouraged nontraditional enrollment by females and in practice restricted CTE opportunities for females to lower-wage, traditionally female, health and cosmetology occupations. In short, systematic practices and expectations steered females into home economics and away from shop or auto mechanics. In the long run, the most damaging consequence of such gender bias was to limit females' access to the benefits of CTE—the living wage that provides females the same economic self-sufficiency that males have long enjoyed. The Continuing Reality Unfortunately, CTE is still characterized by pervasive gender segregation and discrimination (National Women's Law Center 2002). Thirty years later, there are still striking gender disparities in guidance and counseling practices, in CTE program enrollment, in the level and quality of classes available in traditionally male and traditionally female CTE programs, and in the wages earned by female and male CTE graduates. An interesting comparison of two surveys (reported in Gloeckner and Knowlton 1995-96), one in Montana in 1980 and another in Virginia in 1995, illustrates a large, enduring gender gap in a critical CTE program area: . In Montana in 1980, females accounted for half of enrollment in only one high school technical education course—51 percent of Graphic Arts students were female. Female enrollment was less than 10 percent in all other high school technical education courses. . In Virginia in 1995, only one high school technical education course, Communications Technology, had about 50 percent female enrollment. In the 32 remaining high school technical education courses, female enrollment was less than 15 percent in 27 course and less than 10 percent in 17 courses. . In 1995, Virginia students explained gender differences in terms that could be considered classic for CTE. Females and males both perceived technology education classes as "guy" classes; females perceived technology education classrooms are dirty, hence unfeminine.

The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Gatsby is written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nick Carraway is a neutral character and narrates this novel. He witnesses most of the interactions between the characters, yet states only what happens and not just his opinion. Nick moves from the mid-west to Long Island. Jay Gatsby lives next door to Nick in the East Egg. He lives in a mansion, which he bought with the money he made by being involved in organized crime. He lives across from Tom and Daisy. Daisy used to go out with Jay but she broke up with him because he could not support her lifestyle. While Tom is having an affair with another woman, Myrtle, Jay and Daisy have one. Tom gets bored with his affair and decides to stop Jay and Daisy’s. While Tom and Daisy are driving in car, Daisy hits Myrtle, yet Tom says it was Jay. Myrtle’s husband gets furious, kills Jay and then himself. Fitzgerald uses this book to tell Americans not to try to make dreams reality by corruption. To gain money by illegal sources is not the way to achieve the â€Å"American Dream†. Nick lives next to a mansion, which belongs to Jay Gatsby and becomes friends with him. Jay turns out to still like Daisy, who is Nick’s second cousin. Before Jay was sent to the army, he and Daisy were together. Yet because of Jay’s lack of money, Daisy broke up with him. Through his friend Meyer Wolfsheim, who fixed the World Series in 1919 and involved in organized crime, he gained his fortune. When he returned, Daisy had already been married to another wealthy person, Tom Buchanan. Nick arranges for the two of them to meet, and they have an affair. Tom, who is also having an affair with a married woman, Myrtle, confronts Daisy and Jay, and Daisy is forced to return to Tom. As Daisy and Gatsby are driving, they run over and kill Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s mistress. Tom lies to Mr. Wilson, and tells him that Gatsby was the driver, when actually, Daisy was driving. Wilson shoots Gatsby at his home afterwards and then commits suicide. Nick is disappointed with the life , which he planned for in New York and decides to go back to his hometown in the mid-west. The Great Gatsby took place during the Roaring Twenty’s. Nick graduated from New Haven in 1915 and â€Å"I came East, permanently, I thought, in the spring of twenty-two.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight What makes a man a hero? Where lies the line which when crossed changes a mortal man into a legend? Is it at the altar at Canterbury? in the Minotaur’s labyrinth? or is it an age or a time? Does a man become a hero when he transforms from a boy to an adult? or when he stops being a man and becomes a martyr? Where are the heroes of 1993? In whom do the children of this age believe? Like whom do they strive to be? Kennedy, Lennon, and even Superman are dead. World leaders are mockeries of real men, more like Pilates than Thomas Mores. Pop culture’s icons change daily. It is interesting that nearly 600 years ago someone was writing about heroism in a way that can be understood today. The poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight tells a tale in which a man is proven to be a hero through the seemingly un-heroic decisions made in the course of numerous tests. Sir Gawain is a hero for the 21st century. He is tried and trapped, he is inundated with opportunities to fail and yet he does not lose. More importantly though, in the end he learns an essential, inescapable fact about himself and human nature. What makes a man a hero? Just before he leaves Camelot in search for the Green Knight, Sir Gawain gives perhaps the best possible answer to this question: â€Å"In destinies sad or merry, True men can but try.† Tests and decisions are as numerous in any man’s life as are the beats of his heart. The consequences he incurs follow him forever; he is judged by them and they affect his entire existence. Gawain’s statement is not merely profound sentiment, useful even today as a measure of a man’s mettle. It is also, coming as early as it does in Part II of the poem, a harbinger of how Gawain’s tale may end. It tells a reader that Gawain means to do his level best in his grand endeavor and if in but one small way he should fail, do not persecute him until considering how a different man may have fared. Gawain, similar to most of the characters in the tale, is tested on several occasions. In the poem, as in real life, judgment should not be passed on a man’s single decisions individually, but only by observing how he has chosen to live his life. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers Sir Gawain and the Green Knight What makes a man a hero? Where lies the line which when crossed changes a mortal man into a legend? Is it at the altar at Canterbury? in the Minotaur’s labyrinth? or is it an age or a time? Does a man become a hero when he transforms from a boy to an adult? or when he stops being a man and becomes a martyr? Where are the heroes of 1993? In whom do the children of this age believe? Like whom do they strive to be? Kennedy, Lennon, and even Superman are dead. World leaders are mockeries of real men, more like Pilates than Thomas Mores. Pop culture’s icons change daily. It is interesting that nearly 600 years ago someone was writing about heroism in a way that can be understood today. The poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight tells a tale in which a man is proven to be a hero through the seemingly un-heroic decisions made in the course of numerous tests. Sir Gawain is a hero for the 21st century. He is tried and trapped, he is inundated with opportunities to fail and yet he does not lose. More importantly though, in the end he learns an essential, inescapable fact about himself and human nature. What makes a man a hero? Just before he leaves Camelot in search for the Green Knight, Sir Gawain gives perhaps the best possible answer to this question: â€Å"In destinies sad or merry, True men can but try.† Tests and decisions are as numerous in any man’s life as are the beats of his heart. The consequences he incurs follow him forever; he is judged by them and they affect his entire existence. Gawain’s statement is not merely profound sentiment, useful even today as a measure of a man’s mettle. It is also, coming as early as it does in Part II of the poem, a harbinger of how Gawain’s tale may end. It tells a reader that Gawain means to do his level best in his grand endeavor and if in but one small way he should fail, do not persecute him until considering how a different man may have fared. Gawain, similar to most of the characters in the tale, is tested on several occasions. In the poem, as in real life, judgment should not be passed on a man’s single decisions individually, but only by observing how he has chosen to live his life.

Alumni Tracer System

The Alumni tracer is a System that even they are far from the schools, the schools can communicate with the graduate students and to know more about their experiences and their careers after finished their studies. Technology is a tool and method used in solving problems and to make the work easier. In our modern generation, almost everything around us is made-up of technology and the most developed gadget in our generation is the computer wherein almost everyone needs it. Students, Teacher, or even a simple user can do anything they want in computers. It can make to help us to make our work easier and faster. Every schools-universities or institutions are using computers. Some of schools wants to remember all those person who have been part of their society, that’s why they want to know if the students from their school has a capability to compete their knowledge or skills to everyone and they want to know more about the students who are already graduated. College has always placed great emphasis on the importance of maintaining a close rapport with its alumni. In order to build and enhance the alumni network, the Alumni Affairs Office was established to act as an intermediary platform in bridging the gap between the College and its vast alumni members. It actively plays its role in maintaining a good relationship between the alumni and College as well as extending dynamic network between alumni from various School of Studies. The Alumni Affairs Office also plays an integral part in organizing various homecomings, thus effectively keeping the communication channel between the College and its alumni open, providing countless opportunities for its alumni in strengthening its networking ties and forging an everlasting bond of fellowship. Thus the researchers came up with an idea of creating an online alumni tracer. The Alumni Tracer is being used by several schools to conduct significant feedback, to reconnect graduates to their alma mater and to know the demographic profile of the employment record of the respondents. Several schools in the Philippines nowadays have been using it and integrate it through their official websites and/or alumni association’s page.