Bullying in Schools Today - 839 Words

When people think of bullying they think of the big guy picking on the little guy, but in most cases the victim is a bully themselves. Bullying will not go away all together, but determining if the situation is actually bullying or not, and standing up to the bully is a great start to decrease bullying in schools today. Drama sometimes is difficult to differ from bullying, and it is important to understand the difference. (1b: SV, and SV.) Bystanders need to become involved to start the end of bullying. Also, respect is needed to start to lessen bullying in schools today. Students have difficulties telling the difference between bullying and drama; there is a very fine line between the two. (1: SV; SV.) Bullying is continuously putting someone down for no reason (Walker 8). This happens quite often in schools today; many students act disrespectful which causes the illusion that their behavior is okay. Bullying is intending to harass someone and hurt their feelings; however, the major ity of the time the situations fall under the drama category. (1a: SV; however, SV.) Drama is a conflict that will blow over and does not reoccur (Walker 8,10). When the harassment doesn’t repeat it is considered drama because there isn’t intention of bothering that individual again. The majority of the time high school and middle school students get caught up in drama, which eventually will blow over; whereas when a student gets bullied, the harsh treatment and the hurt feelings do not blowShow MoreRelatedBullying And Its Effects On America s Schools Today2729 Words   |  11 PagesBullying, often labeled as just a part of growing up, is a major problem in America’s schools today. Although it is such a hot topic in our country right now, it is also a long ignored problem that only seems to worsen. The complication with bullying is that no one quite understands it, and it is not taken seriously. The definition of bullying is an overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people. In more simple terms, bullying is not a onetime incident; it is repetitiveRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Bullying1714 Words   |  7 Pagesdrug and alcohol use in school students along with students carrying weapons to schools, and it seemed as if no one was recognizing the significance of school bullying. For victims of bullying, they go to school every day facing harassment, taunting, and humiliation. Kids today come home and kill themselves or never want to go back to school because of BULLYING. â€Å"Studies show that 25-35% of teens encountered some type of bullying in their lifetime (Nansel et al,).† Bullying is a form of violent behaviorRead MoreBullying Essay971 Words   |  4 Pagesbullying has created lots of problems in school and outside of schools in society today. Picking on someone could very well change someone behavior. Bullying can ruin people lives if they are teased often. Younger and older kids in school are fatally injured, which needs to be taken care of before it starts and get out of hand. Bullying in first grade or going into middle school. Television violence, families in poverty, mis-teachings, music, and pictures have influence younger and older people,Read MoreThe Social Issues Affecting Our Children1304 Words   |  6 PagesAn Introduction of the Topic One of the top social issues affecting our children in schools is bullying. In recent reports, one out of every four students reports being bullied during school (National Center for Education Statistics, 2015). Bullying is very important to me because I have been bullied through my schooling career. I remember how it was not only the bullies that made my time in elementary hard but also the bystanders that did nothing to stop them or stand up for me. This issue has definitelyRead MoreThe Effects Of Bullying On Children And Young Adults Essay1528 Words   |  7 Pagesis by bullying others. Bullying is a huge problem in younger teens and young adults. It causes people to have low self esteem, depression, loneliness, suicidal thoughts,making them not want to go to school anymore, anger and hurt, and many more causes.Bullying isn t only hard for the victim it is hard as well for those who are surrounded by the victim.Most teachers and parents who are trying to fix or solve the bullying can t do it in just one step. They have to detect what type of bullying it isRead MoreBullying Is A Threat From A Parent Or Guardian888 Words   |  4 Pagesa victim of bullying? If you were ever asked what the greatest adversity most teens have to overcome today what would your answer be? In my opinion the greatest adversity most teens overcome today would have to be bullying. Despite all the programs and laws against it, bullying is a continuing adversity for many children and teens as most schools will not do anything to resolve the problem without a threat from a parent or guardian. â€Å"Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year.†Read MoreProposing a Solution Essay Bullying767 Words   |  4 PagesSolution: Bullying Bullying among American elementary, middle and high school students is a growing problem. Bullying has been defined many ways, by many people. One definition is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power. (stopbullying.org). Bullying is a very negative act and honestly needs to be stopped. This essay will provide my solution for the growing bullying problem in our schools. Over the years, bullying has becomeRead MoreEssay on Effects of Child Bullying1066 Words   |  5 PagesThursday February 24th 2011, my daughter Hailey came home from school distraught over a boy in her class who had shot himself the night before in his home. The doctors were not expecting this young man to make it through the night. I asked Hailey, â€Å"What would cause him to want to do such harm to himself?† Hailey replied to me â€Å"that he was just different Mom; no one liked him because he was different, and Nick was made fun of everyday, for his unusual sock choices and for being bi-sexual.† As sheRead MoreChanging My Wardrobe by Deb Hanrahan1337 Words   |  5 PagesLindsey Ames, a soon to be high school freshman, views her new school as an opportunity to start over. With the help of her new established friends, Teeny and Grouper, she believes that a change in her wardrobe will eliminate her image that was so haunting and discomforting in the past. Lindse y is successful for a while until her worst possible nightmare appears, her long-time adversary, Avery. The same spoiled bully that ruined her whole middle school life, now reminds Lindsey of her place. AsRead MoreBullying And Victim Problems Among Middle School977 Words   |  4 PagesBullying is a big issue that occurs more often then it should. People who bully don’t think about the consequences of their actions and the effects. A person is being bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons .(Boulton, M.J. Underwood, K.(1992)†Bullying/Victim Problems Among Middle School Children,† British

The Loss of Identity Portrayed in a Range of Literature

Report: Loss of Identity portrayed in a range of literature For my report I chose to look at the loss of Identity portrayed in a range of different literature. The texts that I chose to study were: ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys, ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by Robert Louis Stevenson, ‘I am not Esther’ by Fleur Beale, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Oscar Wilde and ‘Face Off’ directed by John Woo and written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary. In all five texts that I studied the theme â€Å"loss of identity† was apparent, and in every case the main characters are the ones that experience a loss of identity. In ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ the main characters lead a†¦show more content†¦I believe that setting has a major influence on Kirby Greenland from ‘I am not Esther’ as the environment that she is placed in is something that she is not used to and reacts in a negative way. When Kirby is forced to join The Children of the Faith her relatives try change everything about her - her name, appearance, attitude and even the way she talks. â€Å"The women of our faith all have biblical names. As do the men... We have given you the name Esther.† This quote explains why Kirby’s relatives want to change her but they don’t have the right to. In John Woo’s film ‘Face Off’ Sean Archer, FBI agent, is fixated with catching Castor Troy, terrorist; because of their fixation with hurting each other they have both inflicted damage to each other’s personal lives. When the FBI convinces Sean to go undercover as Castor Troy, literally, everything changes. As Sean is now in prison with Castor’s face he is expected to act like Castor Troy. The environment that Sean is in is not a good one as it forces him to do things he wouldn’t normally do which, in time, causes him to forget who he is. Meanwhile, Castor Troy now has Sean’s face and is walking around the FBI office learning about things that a terrorist should not know. I think that in this movie the setting and environment that Sean and Castor are put into are to blame for the loss of their identity. I think thisShow MoreRelatedPride and Prejudice and Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen.1574 Words   |  7 Pages‘A d eeper understanding of relationships and identity emerges from pursuing the connections between Pride and Prejudice and Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen.’ Compare how these texts explore relationships identity. Through the contextualisation of texts, connections can be made which reinforce or challenge responder’s perspectives on universal values. Universal truths carry meaning which are able to transcend changes in social, cultural and historical context in order to continue influencingRead MoreThe Well Being Of Children Impacted By A Parent With Cancer1527 Words   |  7 PagesBefore beginning the study process, researchers composed a method to specifically follow. The devised method was very detailed and tedious. There were three different and specific steps in the method’s process. The first step was an integrative literature review. This means to determine new understandings of the topic, parental cancer affecting children, through the process of reviewing and critiquing the results of the interview. Also, the researchers analyzed other tests, of the same origin, inRead MoreThe Psychopathology Of Children Of Holocaust Survivors1895 Words   |  8 PagesThe Psychopathology in Children of Holocaust Survivors The implications of the Holocaust and the extent to which perceptions of the event have shaped Jewish views of identity are among the most crucial in today’s society. Literature revealed that although children of Holocaust survivors and perpetrators did not experience events directly, they might suffer in some form. Jewish descendants experience symptoms of trauma and bear the burden of replacing the dead. According to clinical experience andRead MoreDisopora of Inheritance of Loss3231 Words   |  13 Pagesit was published in 1998. She spent eight years writing her second novel â€Å"The Inheritance of Loss† [3] . Much has been made of the parallels between the book and Desais family history but its not an autobiography. Desai herself has said that in places its about experiences within her family – such as the experience of immigration and going back to India. Kiran Desai’s second novel The Inheritance of Loss can be viewed as a Diasporic [4] novel. The various themes which are intertwined in the novelRead MorePoems Comparison Essay examples2477 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿ICCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE POETRY COURSEWORK In the poems you have studied a recurring theme is that of ‘loss’. This can take many forms: death; identity; hope or loss of innocence Discuss the poets’ treatment of any aspect of the theme of loss in at least 6 of the poems you have studied. A minimum of 3 poems should be taken from the anthology. Poems for discussion: In detail - Prayer Before Birth (Louis MacNeice) - Do not go gentle into that good night (Dylan Thomas) -Read MoreSerial Killing Is A Diverse Topic With Multiple Explanations1967 Words   |  8 Pagescauses of serial killings are evident in this post-modern era. The fascination with serial killing has provided mass media the ability to instill upon serial killer with celebrity status. The main issues that allow serial killers to perform their acts range from Kevin D. Haggerty’s (2009) exploration of social impacts such as the society full of strangers, a broken rationality which is disconnected from values and morality, cultural diversity, ability for planned out killings and an intention to transformRead MoreAdapting Culture Shock By Noah Webster3416 Words   |  14 PagesTherefore, there is no definite way of preventing culture shock. Jhumpa Lahiri in her work The Namesake very beautifully depicts the journey of Ganguly family in order to throw light upon the topics like clash of cultures, immigrant experience, identity crisis, the problem of assimilation and most importantly the tangled ties between generations. It is a story of a struggling couple, Ashima and Ashoke who originally belong to a Bengali descent in India. After getting married they migrate to MassachusettsRead More Brendan Behan’s The Quare Fellow and Samuel Beckett Essay1845 Words   |  8 Pagesexistentialism covers a wide range of ideas and influences almost to the point of ambiguity. An easy, if not basic, approach to existentialism is to view it as a culmination of attitudes from the oppressed people of industrialization, writers and philosophers during the modern literary period, and people who were personally involved as civilians, soldiers, or rebels during WWII and witnessed the worst aspects of life and war. These attitudes comb ined the aspects of loss of identity and autonomy, the uselessnessRead MoreGender Roles And The Potential Impact On Children s Gender Identity Socialization3189 Words   |  13 Pagesand the potential impact on children’s gender identity socialization. ‘Media corporations, with a commanding role over commodity markets have become the primary educational and cultural force in shaping, if not hijacking, how youth define their interests, values and relations to others’. (Giroux 2011) My argument throughout this essay will be that children’s programs have a significant impact and influencing effect on shaping and forming a child’s identity. It is without doubt that children’s programmingRead MoreEssay about Anorexia Nervosa - Introduction: Statement of the Problem2385 Words   |  10 Pages2008). While the characteristics of the afflicted population are changing, so too are some of the theories about the disease’s origin. Consequently, the current literature has done and in depth exploration and outline of some of the more prominent etiological models of eating disorders. Overall, the scope of the modern literature is limited to a discussion of the causes and implications of eating disorders in females. Much of the body of present research conducted on this topic has been

Comparing Kundera and Khaled Free Essays

Comparing and Contrasting Works by Kundera and Khaled Hosseini The unbearable lightness of being was published in Paris in 1984 by Czech author Milan Kundera. The novel is a mix of genre-defying mix of historical fiction, love stories, philosophy, and experimentation with narrative technique. Set mostly in Prague in the late 1960s, the novel focuses on the love lives of four Czech intellectuals as they struggle with relationships, sex, politics, and the military occupation of their country. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing Kundera and Khaled or any similar topic only for you Order Now The narrator frequently interrupts the story to analyze his own characters and discuss the fictional plotline in the context of the novel’s central philosophy: the dichotomy between lightness and weight. On the contrary of The Kite Runner, the book was published in New York in 2003 by Afghanistan author Khaled Hosseini. The novel is a work of post- modern literature telling the story of how the author grew up and the relationship he had with one of his servant boys. However the similarity here is the Kite Runner is also written about a time of war for its country while telling the story of the two boys. The author Kundera is unique narrative by presenting himself in the third person, suggesting that he is a character in the story. But he soon confesses to be the author, not the spectator of the fictional tales. He actually proceeds to comment on the characters his own fictional creations and analyze his own novel for us. What he trying to do which we cannot do in real life is disrupts the linearity of time by telling a non-chronological narrative. He achieves this by repeating the same scenes a second or third time. The novel explores the human struggle to give our lives weight despite its necessary and unbearable lightness. The novel itself is the narrator’s attempt at doing just that for himself. Contrary to Khaled is writing is Classical and he speaks as the author telling a story. He also allows the character themselves to define who they are. He does not disrupt the time of telling a chronological narrative. He allows the characters to feel the actually weight of their lives like real life. There is a quote in Kundera book â€Å"novelistic† to you, and I am willing to agree, but only on condition that you refrain from reading such notions as â€Å"fictive,† â€Å"fabricated,† and â€Å"untrue to life† into the word â€Å"novelistic. Because human lives are composed in precisely such a fashion. † (Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness Of Being) both authors are similar in that even though Kundera uses fictional characters and Khaled using real characters. Kundera is saying it is his way of using fictional novel and fictional characters to explore real ideas. Just because my characters are fake, he seems to be saying, doesn’t mean that they aren’t a completely accurate reflection of real life. His novel may be intricately structure and full of artistry but so is life. The novels are different when it comes to the plot. Khaled, follows a typical plotline. Khaled uses his characters to serves as the climax as a whole in the story. The events are placed in chronological order. Kundera, on the other hand no typical plotline, the novel features several different, interwoven, plotlines. If you identify a climactic situation for one character in one plotline, it doesn’t necessarily serve as a climax for the plot as a whole. The reason the same events are narrated more than once from different characters’ points of view. You can’t break this story into purely plot-driven stages. The bowler hat was a motif in the musical composition that was Sabina’s life. It return again and again, each time with a different meaning, and all the meanings flowed through the hat like water. â€Å"You can’t step twice into the same river† (Kundera, Milan) Sabina was touched by the sight of the bowler hat in a Zurich hotel and made love almost in tears was that its black presence was not merely a reminder of their love games but also a memento of Sabina’s father and of her grandfather, who lived in a century without airplanes and cars. The bowler hat carries weight primarily because it has recurred. This is exactly why motifs give meaning to an individual’s life because they recur over and over again. This is how we are able to give our lives meaning despite the fact that our life occurs only once. The kite was a motif in Amir’s life. It returns season after season and each time with different meaning. All the meanings flowed like the quote mention above. Amir’s longed for the kite runner contest because it was a chance for him to bond and make his father proud of him. The kite recurs over and over every year. This kite running gave him the chance to make his father finally proud of him when he won the contest that last year before war and things change between him and Hassan. Many years later the kite comes back to help him to reach his nephew. This like Sabina gave his life meaning despite the fact he lives only once. Both books show betrayal from one character to the other. In the Kite Runner Amir betrays Hassan on more than one occasion we see it when he was raped by Assef and the other boys. We see it when he places the money and some gifts under his pillow and tries to convince his father that he stole the items. Tomas betrays Tereza by making all his sexual life to so many women, he makes he and Tereza’s private life public. He violates her privacy. Tereza reads Tomas’s letters. Sabina betrays Tomas when she takes his sock and hides it so he will go home with one sock short. This made Tomas realize Sabina resents his love for Tereza as much as Tereza resents his lust for Sabina. In the book by Khaled there is a quote â€Å"For you a thousand times over† (Hosseini) Hassan used this quote to show his devotion to Amir and that there was nothing he would not do for his friend and master, yet unknowingly to him also his brother. His thousand times over was shown when he went after the kite for Amir and it cost him being raped and shamed. At the end of the story you have Amir using the same quote as he and Hassan’s son Sohrab are flying the kite and he noticed a slight nod and smile come across his face. He knew there was no great big change but like spring when it comes it melts the snow one flake at a time; he thought he might have just witnessed the first flake melting. Just like Hassan Tereza would show Tomas â€Å"For you a thousand times over† (Kundera) her devotion and love for him. Even though he cheated on her many times over she stayed with him. She believed he was her soul mate that was why she went to Prague to offer up her life to Tomas. Tomas himself was faithful to Tereza in that he would not let anyone possess a special area which he might call poetic memory and which records everything that charms or touches us, that makes our lives beautiful. Since meeting Tereza he did not allow a woman to leave the slightest impression on that part of his brain. Hosseini, Khaled. â€Å"The Kite Runner. † Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Penguin Group, 2003. 371. Novel. Kundera, Milan. â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness Of Being. † Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness Of Being. New York: harperCollins, 1984. 88. Novel. Kundera, Milan. â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness Of Being. † Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness Of Being. New York: Harper Row, 1984. 59. Novel. How to cite Comparing Kundera and Khaled, Essay examples

Civil Rights Movement Essay Example For Students

Civil Rights Movement Essay Civil Rights Movement Essay: 1890-1900 1890: The state of Mississippi adopts poll taxes and literacy tests to discourage black voters. 1895: Booker T. Washington delivers his Atlanta Exposition speech, which accepts segregation of the races. 1896: The Supreme Court rules in Plessy v. Ferguson the separate but equal treatment of the races is constitutional. 1900-1910 1900-1915: Over one thousand blacks are lynched in the states of the former Confederacy. 1905: The Niagara Movement is founded by W.E.B. du Bois and other black leaders to urge more direct action to achieve black civil rights. 1910-1920 1910: National Urban League is founded to help the conditions of urban African Americans. 1920-1930 1925: Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey is convicted of mail fraud. 1928: For the first time in the 20th century an African American is elected to Congress. 1930-1940 1931: Farrad Muhammad establishes in Detroit what will become the Black Muslim Movement. 1933: The NAACP files -and loses- its firs suit against segregation and discrimination in education. 1938: The Supreme Court orders the admission of a black applicant to the University of Missouri Law School 1941: A. Philip Randoph threatens a massive march on Washington unless the Roosevelt administration takes measures to ensure black employment in defense industries; Roosevelt agrees to establish Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC). 1942: The congress of Racial Equality (CORE) is organized in Chicago. 1943: Race riots in Detroit and Harlem cause black leaders to ask their followers to be less demanding in asserting their commitment to civil rights; A. Philip Randolph breaks ranks to call for civil disobedience against Jim Crow schools and railroads. 1946: The Supreme Court, in Morgan v. The Commonwealth of Virginia, rules that state laws requiring racial segregation on buses violates the Constitution when applied to interstate passengers. 1947: Jackie Robinson breaks the color line in major league baseball. 1947: To Secure These Rights, the report by the Presidents Committee on Civil Rights, is released; the commission, appointed by President Harry S. Truman, recommends government action to secure civil rights for all Americans. 1948: President Harry S. Truman issues an executive order desegregating the armed services. 1950-1960 1950: The NAACP decides to make its legal strategy a full-scale attack on educational segregation. 1954: First White Citizens Council meeting is held in Mississippi. 1954: School year begins with the integration of 150 formerly segregated school districts in eight states; many other school districts remain segregated. 1955: The Interstate Commerce Commission bans racial segregation in all facilities and vehicles engaged in interstate transportation. 1955: Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person; the action triggers a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, let by Martin Luther King Jr. 1956: The home of Martin Luther King Jr. is bombed. 1956: The Montgomery bus boycott ends after the city receives U. S. Supreme Court order to desegregate city buses. 1957: Martin Luther King Jr. and a number of southern black clergymen create the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). 1958: Ten thousand students hold a Youth March for Integrated Schools in Washington, D.C. 1959: Sit-in campaigns by college students desegregate eating facilities in St. Louis, Chicago, and Bloomington, Indiana; the Tennessee Christian Leadership Conference holds brief sit-ins in Nashville department stores. 1960-1970 1960: Twenty-five hundred students and community members in Nashville, Tennessee, stage a march on city hallthe first major demonstration of the civil rights movementfollowing the bombing of the home of a black lawyer. 1960: John F. Kennedy is elected president by a narrow margin. 1961: Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy hold a secret meeting at which King learns that the new president will not push hard for new civil rights legislation. 1962: Ku Klux Klan dynamite blasts destroy four black churches in Georgia towns. 1962: President Kennedy federalizes the National Guard and sends several hundred federal marshals to Mississippi to guarantee James Merediths admission to the University of Mississippi Law School over the opposition of Governor Ross Barnett and other whites; two people are killed in a campus riot. 1963: Black students Vivian Malone and James Hood enter the University of Alabama despite a demonstration of resistance by Governor George Wallace; in a nationally televised speech President John F. Kennedy calls segregation morally wrong. Kangaroos Essay industrial slavery, and lawful and civil inferiority, then as a people Blacks of that time should protest even if it meant disagreeing with Washington and going against the grain of .

Descartes Origins Of Knowledge Essays - Epistemology, Ren Descartes

Descartes: Origins Of Knowledge Descartes believed that the origin of knowledge comes from within the mind, a single indisputable fact to build on that can be gained through individual reflection. In the first meditation he casts doubt on the previous foundations of knowledge and everything he has learned or assumed. He says But reason now persuades me that I should withhold assent no less carefully from opinions that are not completely certain and indubitable than I would from those that are patently false. In order to evaluate and discern what is actually true he divides the foundations of knowledge into three sources: the senses, reality, and context. In the second meditation he has found one true fact I think, I am. Descartes then attempts to discover what this I is and how it perceives reality. The I is a body, a soul, and a thinking thing. It gains perception and recognition through the senses, the imagination, and the mind. He runs into two major problems in these meditations. One is the existence of reality . Two is the connection between body and mind as he defines them. Descartes is clearing away all knowledge that can be called into doubt. By doing this he hopes to create something real and lasting in the sciences, a foundation to build on. This indisputable fact will become the starting point or origin of all other true knowledge he can build upon it. He starts the first argument by attacking the very beginning of knowledge, human senses. Descartes states, Surely whatever I had admitted until now as most true I received either from the senses or through the senses. Anyone will admit that their senses have deceived them at least once. According to Descartes it is a mark of prudence never to place our complete trust in those who have deceived us even once. However, something seen from a distance is much more easily mistaken than something seen up close. The senses show us some things more clearly than others. Descartes then compares the average mind to that of the insane. Insanity, he defines as those who doubt what is obvious to the senses. From this perspective we must give our senses some credence, otherwise we could not function in reality. At this point Descartes questions how we can know that the reality we perceive is true. He likens it dreaming How often does my evening slumber persuade me of such ordinary things as these: that I am here, clothed in my dressing gown, seated next to the fireplace-when in fact I am lying undressed in bed! There is no way to distinguish between being awake and asleep. Perhaps, even now we are dreaming, this not my body, and I am not writing this paper for philosophy but I am really lying in bed somewhere sleeping. However, dreams are based on reality. Whether this hand is real or dreamed, it is my hand, and it exists somewhere. Also, certain things are true in any context. Two plus three equals five and in no context can it be said to be untrue. The power to distinguish cannot be called into doubt as long as we hold that there is a reality whether we perceive it or not. This brings up the question, does there exist a true reality. Assuming that there is a God, he is all powerful, and created this world; Descartes asks How do I know that he did not bring it about that there is no earth at all, no heavens, no extended thing, no shape, no size, no place, and yet bringing it about that all these things appear to me to exist precisely as they do now? Without a guarantee of reality, maybe context, in general is wrong. He doubts the supreme goodness of a God that would let him be deceived even occasionally. And if there does not exist a perfect God then it becomes more probably that he himself is increasingly imperfect. Descartes will assume the worst scenario, that God is really an evil genius. Therefore he must treat all external things as traps and deceptions. By the second meditation Descartes has found the fact he is looking for, I think, I am. The simple fact that

History of the Invention of Fireworks

History of the Invention of Fireworks Many people associate fireworks with Independence Day, but their original use was in New Years celebrations. Do you know how fireworks were invented? Legend tells of a Chinese cook who accidentally spilled saltpeter into a cooking fire, producing an interesting flame. Saltpeter, an ingredient in gunpowder, was used as a flavoring salt sometimes. The other gunpowder ingredients, charcoal and sulfur, also were common in early fires. Though the mixture burned with a pretty flame in a fire, it exploded if it was enclosed in a bamboo tube. History This serendipitous invention of gunpowder appears to have occurred about 2000 years ago, with exploding firecrackers produced later during the Song dynasty (960-1279) by a Chinese monk named Li Tian, who lived near the city of Liu Yang in Hunan Province. These firecrackers were bamboo shoots filled with gunpowder. They were exploded at the commencement of the new year to scare away evil spirits. Much of the modern focus of fireworks is on light and color, but loud noise (known as gung pow or bian pao) was desirable in a religious firework, since that was what frightened the spirits. By the 15th century, fireworks were a traditional part of other celebrations, such as military victories and weddings. The Chinese story is well-known, though its possible fireworks really were invented in India or Arabia. From Firecrackers to Rockets In addition to exploding gunpowder for firecrackers, the Chinese used gunpowder combustion for propulsion. Handcarved wooden rockets, shaped like dragons, shot rocket-powered arrows at the Mongol invaders in 1279. Explorers took knowledge of gunpowder, fireworks, and rockets back with them when they returned home. Arabians in the 7th century referred to rockets as Chinese arrows. Marco Polo is credited with bringing gunpowder to Europe in the 13th century. The crusaders also brought the information with them. Beyond Gunpowder Many fireworks are made in much the same way today as they were hundreds of years ago. However, some modifications have been made. Modern fireworks may include designer colors, like salmon, pink, and aqua, that werent available in the past. In 2004, Disneyland in California starting launching fireworks using compressed air rather than gunpowder. Electronic timers were used to explode the shells. That was the first time the launch system was used commercially, allowing for increased accuracy in timing (so shows could be put to music) and reducing smoke and fumes from big displays.

Administration management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Administration management - Essay Example Brendan Murphy has a list of requirements, which he wants us to finish. The total budget for the project is US $60,000. The plan is to fit the scope and the schedule of the work. 2. Scope The scope of the project is to conduct two major tasks, to landscape the garden, and to fence. Apart from the core objectives, there are other tasks involved in the project such as installing electric lines and construction fishponds. The water pipes also have to be fitted in order to provide constant supply of water through all the seasons. All the tasks and processes that the company can garden have to fit within the budget of US $ 60,000. 3. Change Management Process Change management process is a very critical factor to consider because once the changes are executed, some of them are irreversible. The change management process considers the present condition of the garden and the expected results after its completion. This requires engagement of Mr. and Mrs. Murphy in a detailed interview. The i nformation they provide will be the guideline for the scope of the project. During the review of the change process, there will be need to assess the inherent risks involved and how to mitigate the risks before the change initiative can begin. If certain processes are attached to high-risk activities, then, there will be need to decline the processes and seek alternative actions (Chudley & Greeno, 2008). 4. Change Request After the interview and the risk assessment process, our company presents the request for change to our client with a summary of all the factors to consider and the expected results. As we do the request, we are mindful of the presence of our competitors who may present lower cost bids. Upon approval of the change request, we proceed to prepare the work schedule for the project (Diaz, 2013). It clear from the problem definition, that not all aspects of the garden need a change. Chang request feasibility has to be determined, and only when the change request feasibi lity has been ascertained can it move to the implementation of the activity schedule (McIntyre & Strischek, 2005). Similarly, there are areas that are completely new, including the fishpond project. The desire of our company is to encounter changes that can add value without necessarily having to attract legal challenges. The complete work schedule 5. Risk Management Risk assessment and control procedure will be required to consider the effects of these tasks on the environment and third party entities. Some of the risks to assess in this plan include: Legal Risks The processes have to be documented in a standard that complies with the regulations and policies of the government (Wood, 2012). For example, the fencing plan must coincide with the map from the government authorities in charge of planning. This is in observation that violation of legal regulations has heavy penalties. Risks of Insecurity The fencing of the garden is based on the survey of the environmental security. If t he risk is highly rated, then the control of having stronger fencing will be necessary. Additionally, there will be need to install live electric fence, and to employ security guards. Weather Changes The possibility of rainfall shortage is critical risk to the projects in the garden. The management for this is the plan for irrigation through the water pipe connections. 6. Communication The infrastructure in this environment has to support communication between the workers in the garden and between the owners and external service providers. Transport network will also be a vital factor to consider in this project (Chudley & Greeno,

Individual Reflective Summary of the Project - How the reflection has Essay

Individual Reflective Summary of the Project - How the reflection has helped you in your learning about knowledge management in - Essay Example The conclusion of this procedure is evident in transformed conceptual viewpoints (Boyd and Fales, 1983). Boyd and Fales concentrated more on self actualisation. Here refection not only enhances the existing information, but challenges the theories and belief systems that are accepted. Atkins and Murphy (1994) improved on this concept by proposing that for reflection to have real effect on the people who practice it, it has to be followed by an intention to act according to the information acquired from reflection. The only issue that is not comprehensively addressed by these different observations of reflection is that they do not address the significance of having action come after reflection. Reflection refers to the dynamic, continual and careful assessment of any kind of knowledge on the basis of its supporting premises and any potential conclusions (Dewey, 2009). Reflection is indicative of the fact that a concept is disbelieved or believed because of some data, evidence, or bas is for that belief. Dewey (2009) stated that there are some three qualities that are evident in most reflective people: liberalism, wholeheartedness, and responsibility. Open-mindedness or being liberal denotes having the capacity to listen and accept more than one explanation of an issue (Hislop, 2009). It also means listening to different perspectives, and acknowledging the fact that even the accepted facts can be questioned. Responsibility refers to the desire to dynamically seek for truth and use the facts that have been revealed in particular problem situations (Fitzgerald 1994). Wholeheartedness is suggestive of the fact that a person can conquer his or her uncertainties and fears by making significant changes, as well as by assessing him or herself and the society at large (Samter and Burleson, 1984). Dewey observed that there were five stages of reflective thought: 1. Suggestion: A challenging situation is construed as being problematic, and a number of proposals are created and viewed as being potential solutions. 2. Intellectualisation: The consequences of the problem have been experienced, and are intellectualised so that the difficulty may be resolved. 3. Guiding Concept: One proposal after another is employed to be a potential solution, or hypothesis; the primary proposal can actually be perceived as a working hypothesis to start and direct observation as well as other functions in the gathering of factual material. 4. Reasoning: Reasoning connects all past and present concepts and contributes towards elaborating on the fact that the reflective inquiry has revealed 5. Hypothesis Testing: The refined concept is agreed upon, and the examination of this hypothesis commences (Dewey, 2009). Dewey viewed reflection as a kind of liberty from the practice of routine behaviour. He affirmed that reflection frees people from impulsiveness as well as routine behaviour. It allows them to direct our actions through foresight, and makes it possible for them to m ake preparations according to the purposes they reached through their deliberations (Dewey, 2009). Donald Schon's ground breaking views on concepts like, 'double-loop learning', 'the learning society', and 'reflection-in-action' grew to be accepted in educational practices. In the 70s, Schon, along with Chris Argyris, came up with the concept of double-loop and single-loop learning (Schon, 1984). Single-loop learning

Airplane accidents- Who is responsible Should families of victims be Research Paper

Airplane accidents- Who is responsible Should families of victims be entitled to compensation - Research Paper Example No matter the case, families of the victims stand a chance of compensation depending on the occurrence of the accident and the contractual obligations of the airline company. The airplane manufacturers are the most responsible for the airplane accidents. This is because most of the airplane accidents are due to engine mechanical failures, which come as a result of poor engine design and manufacturing. As explained by one of the passengers in the Asiana Flight 214 â€Å"Then I heard the noise of the pilot trying to send more power to the engine to push the plane back-up† (Irving 52). This illustrates that due to poor design of the airplane engines, which cannot function normally throughout the journey is one of the causes of the airplane accidents. It is the manufacturers’ responsibility to ensure that all their airplane engines are of good quality to avoid causing accidents midway through the journey. The other manufacturing default is the use of poor fuselage skin used in manufacturing the airplanes (Norris 22). When the fuselage skin used in the manufacturing of the airplanes is very weak then there are high chances of occurrence of the airplane accident. This is because the fuselage skin cannot stand the high outside pressure compared to the pressure inside. This forces the air into the plane hence causing the pressure imbalance which cannot be controlled by the pilot resulting into accident. Manufacturing companies’ negligence is another factor that makes them responsible for the airplane accidents. The article Irving continues to state that W. James the chief engineer of Boeing asserted that the problem that resulted into the Southwest airlines Flight 812 accident was due to the poor manufacturing of the airplane and not a broader design (54). This indicates that most of the manufacturers are negligent on their part to ensure that they manufacture quality planes which do not have such serious defaults. But even when such manufacturing problems occur

Business Process Redesigning At Starbucks

Business Process Redesigning At Starbucks This research paper discusses the reversal of the growth momentum achieved by Starbucks Company and the problems facing its internal business process which in turn would decrease the customer base of the company in the long run. The paper suggests some positive steps to stall the decline by introducing redesigning in areas like information system for better interaction and adding value in its whole supply chain process. In order to be more cost effective in the whole of the value chain of Starbucks the paper has introduced certain tools like lean management and IT software to smoothen the process of interaction in a much better way. Starbucks Company has attained a unique place in the world for the brewing and retailing of extra rich coffee experience that it gives to its millions of customers. The company has more than 16600 stores in over 40 countries and is still expanding. Starbucks sells different varieties of coffee like drip brewed coffee, espresso hot drinks, coffee beans, salads and other snacks, besides offering mugs and tumblers with its logo over the counter. Starbucks also runs an entertainment division and markets music and films apart from the sale of books and other stationery. Although Starbucks Company is seen to be the worlds largest producer and retailer of specialty coffee, offering the widest range of regular and decaffeinated coffee and beverages, it is not likely to be so in the future due to stiff competition and price war. This means that most likely the competitors which are both local cafes and large retail giants are gaining ground in this niche area where Starbucks previously had a firm foothold. This is quite likely as the current trends of the worlds largest coffee brewer suggest and necessitated the giant to close down shutters on many of its promising coffee stores around the world. The recession has further taken its toll with many consumers preferring similar coffees at cheaper price. Therefore, there is every reason to suggest that Starbucks carries out a total redesigning of its existing levels of functions right from the stage it procures its materials like raw bean purchase to the stage when the final output passes on to the hands of the customers at its various stores. This is not an insurmountable task as Starbucks own system has so far allowed it to function without much of hindrance. But given the fact that the current market conditions have changed drastically and the stiff competition has brought a price war, Starbucks would have to make some changes in the methods pertaining to this problem. Hence, this paper suggests certain important steps in the right direction which could make Starbucks a formidable challenge to it customers as well as retain its large customer base almost intact. The first and primary step is to make some changes in the way the information system at Starbucks functions and the second is the way the lean management system could be introduced in its value chain starting from the procurement of raw materials to the sale of coffee beverages at its retail counters. In order to bring out the required focus on these two foremost activities it is necessary for Starbucks to introduce a newer and better Information System to solve this problem. This would mean that Starbucks would have to implement new software which helps in allowing the free flow of information through the complete supply chain process. As we move into the information age, the success of the organization depends upon its own experience and that of others and by the right method of collecting this information it attains the greatest competitive advantage (Fairfield, 2001). The second problem is to curtail wastages as well as avoid the fluctuating prices of coffee beans while procuring through a series of checks and pragmatic forecasting. The fluctuation in prices could be seasonal and the procurement could be done by meticulous planning. For instance, coffee procurement could be made by coming into terms with the suppliers on a long term basis where prices of coffee beans could be fixed. In this Starbucks is way ahead of all other competitors and can dictate terms in the market to some extent and there by reduce its procurement costs. For all this to be made into a seamless operation the rapid flow of information with the help of Internet and intranet is of paramount importance and hence the right software facilitating this flow for stage by stage implementation of lean management and the consequent training of the staff for the fulfillment of the whole process are the prerequisites. Here, the Information System is quite different from the Information Technology and should not be confused. At Starbucks the information system includes the component known as Information Technology and this is allowed to function in tandem with that of other processes in order to get the maximum effect. The Information system at Starbucks should achieve alignment of processes, the use of hardware, the installation of the requisite software and the relevant flow of data from one end of the value chain to the other. At Starbucks it is therefore suggested that there should be a different approach for the flow of information and they must add value at every level of the supply chain. For this reason the staff ought to be trained in the right direction for understanding the whole processes at Starbucks in order to give the customers the best experience they can get anywhere else at affordable and competitive pricing. The information system at Starbucks can be made to use for procurement of supplies, the passing of the materials into the inventory, supplying and cooking section and to the counter where the items pass into the hands of the customers. In order to make this operation smooth and almost effortless the staff must be trained with skills in usage of the intranet and the Internet as well as lean management system. The basic idea is to get everyone right from the procuring stage to the customer service section the knowledge and skills are required of lean management system. Not only this, the staff at each level of function adds something of value by carefully monitoring the items that pass through his or her hands and add value to it. The ultimate product when it reaches the hands of the customers is one of rich and mind-boggling experience which the competitors would fail to do as it is Starbucks competitive strength. This culture once when imbued to all the areas of the Starbucks with the help of the fastest method in the form of unique software could become a marvel to its own employees as well as other stakeholders. The key determinant is how a brand is positioned and successful positioning involves associating the b rand to the category which the customers can easily recognize and quickly differentiate (Iacobucci, 2001). Aligning Corporate Goal with Lean Management The mission statement of Starbucks is to inspire and nurture the human spirit and in fact means one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. The mission statement thus is quite ambitious for Starbucks and had not there been much of competition and every additional store that it established in one neighborhood made money for it then the mission is quite in line with practicality. However, this is not so for Starbucks has to buckle under the pressure of world wide recession and many of its stores had to close down. In order for the mission statement and its objective are made practical Starbucks would have to implement the lean management system at each stage and to put that into affect it must have a smooth information flowing system in place. As lean management would put a check into the wastage apart from adding quality and value to the product at every stage it would allow the mission and the objectives of the company to be achieved without any hindrance. Perhaps the lean ma nagement system being quite effective especially during crash crunch, there would be more liquidity infused into the system as well as there would be money available to fulfill the need for one store per neighborhood as per the mission statement. With proper checks in wastage through this system there would be better checks and controls over items that are not cost effective or which are not quite in line with Starbucks brand. Again, apart from quality the product looks and the way it is served should be appealing and this is also achieved by the staff who is involved in adding value to it. Product quality by itself does no make a sale for the customers must understand that the items they receive are of good quality and value (Reddy, 1994). Cost Benefits of Systems Change One of the chief factors for introducing lean management techniques at Starbucks is to control wastage and give priority to procurement of supplies and produce coffee beverages, snacks and other food products according to the demand. The software developed for the purpose would ensure the smooth function of the whole system so that neither there is any lag in quality of the product nor any wastage results out of it. In case of such careful alignment the functions of all departments in the supply chain remain uninterrupted and the end product attains a value that is truly an experience for the consumers. Again, by reducing the overall cost effectively the margins achieved are on the higher side and give the Starbucks Company the flexibility to manipulate the price and if need be can reduce it significantly enough which is not at all possible for the competition. The other advantage is that during peak season there would be enough liquidity for expansion plans, especially in emerging economies where the affect of recession has not been felt so badly. So even if the Starbucks management thinks of expanding further it would not face resource crunch. But the best of all in this system is the performance of staff which would be quite in line with mission statement of the company. The trained staff of Starbucks would be better placed in tackling any difficulties or problems and can be entrusted with even greater responsibilities. The very culture would pave way for work life balance as a whole with total quality management being the focal point in the behavior of staff. Apart from that the employees would work in a more efficient manner as they would be rewarded and promoted based on the systems efficiency. All these actions finally translate into increase customer service and further improve upon the customer service information by receiving feed backs such that the system is again made more efficient and productive. Implementation of the System The implementation of the lean management system could be made in a phased manner than in an abrupt manner. The fact is that Starbucks has already got a system in place which is quite good as far as the standards are concerned. But this does not necessitate the system to be perfect as the cost effectiveness of its operation along with total quality control is of primary importance. However, while introducing a system over that of another or scrapping one altogether may not be quite to the liking of the employees and even managers as they would have already made themselves comfortable with the older system. Besides, they would not want another system to be thrust upon them for there is no written guarantee of sorts whether the new system would perform better or worse. Besides, it is quite a well known fact in the industrial circles that redesigning and reengineering have backfired on several well known companies. Many of these companies have had success over time only after several ea rlier attempts at reengineering had proved to be futile. This naturally brings all sorts of apprehension in the minds of the employees and they might resist these by deliberate acts of underperformance or vociferously. Hence, on its part the management should be aware of these changes and try to implement them in a phased manner. In many instances the employees as rightfully seen are the first target as they may be shifted or transferred or even asked to leave. This may be good for the company, but it surely upsets any employee who has given honest service to the company for many years. With the proper implementation of mechanisms that would address such issues the management may make the move for change in the system and introduce in a phased manner the lean system of management. They should also form an ideal mutually acceptable condition for this change and all employees are to be made aware of the fact that the customers nowadays are more discerning than ever before and if the c ompany does not change or address this problem then it would have to down its shutter permanently. Customers are more discerning than they used to in the past when they purchased simply depending upon their whims and fancies (Griffin, 2002). This sums up that the customer is the most important person at the premise of the stores of Starbucks and that the customer satisfaction should be the objective of the company policies and any change to that end has to be implemented whether it is acceptable to the employees and the management or not. The new system which would be implemented in a phased manner can be done within a stipulated period of time of one year. In order to implement the lean management system a good project plan is required and the management must ensure that the proper project management software is used for the purpose. There are many types of software and the management as well as the other employees may be taken into confidence for the most suitable software after getting their feedback and response. The resulting software could be chosen in consultation with a software company to suit the business. One of the prerequisite part of the project planning which actually relates to work schedules and the period of time that is required for their completion can be derived from a Gantt chart. These again can be developed with the help of a good software company or if it is to be used for each individual store then the same could be downloaded from various websites. Under the project plan the scope of the pro ject is defined and then steps are taken and drafted for the completion of the same. That is various areas that require changes at Starbucks are stated and written down and these are then grouped in order the specific jobs could be allocated to individual employees. This can be more easily done with the help of a software program and the logical interrelationship between the different tasks like supplies, logistics, inventory, kitchen and counter can be very well defined with the help of a diagram drawn or charted in the computer and then passed on to various stores with the help of the Internet. Here, the management as well as the employees can quickly get an idea of the important parts of the system as well as their most critical areas. With the help of this project planning Starbucks management can estimate the cost of resources that are necessary under the lean management system and the cost of implementation of each type of activity. This would enable them to get the total project cost and which again would lead to trimming and pruning of the budgetary allowances and the cost of implementation by foregoing some areas while making the necessary changes in the others. Conclusion The Starbucks systems change by introducing lean management with the supplementary help from flow of information can be made into an effective tool for the overall growth of the organization, especially in retaining its large customer base and getting new ones. The system which is almost foolproof in nature is a concerted action on part of all level of employees and stakeholders in the supply chain. This redesign mitigates most of the fear that would have arisen had Starbucks lost a good number of its customers to its competitors. The risk of losing business is in fact greatly curtailed and Starbucks can look forward to a complete turnaround in its profitability and share value after the system is made operational. One of the most important factors in this type of lean management technique is the overall focus which would make the staff and the management even more involved as their benefits would soon be perceived at all stages of the company. There would be no paucity of funds for day to day operation or if Starbucks had wanted to introduce an item on no profit or no loss basis for creating more value and goodwill then the same could be done without much affect on the overall profits of the company. The introduction of kiosks and digital retailing solutions and self service kiosks which could be established anywhere could be implemented as they are all a perfect match to the system of lean management.

Essay --

Ancient Greece is one of the most important civilisations in human history. It was a period that saw Greece militarily dominate much of the southern Mediterranean that began around 1100 Bc during the dark ages and ended around 146 bc with the invasion of the Roman empire. During this period, Greek civilisation gave birth to many new ideas and ways of thinking in the areas of politics, medicine and philosophy, many of which are now considered Greek legacies as they have endured the test of time and can still be seen in use today. Democracy is defined as â€Å"a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people collectively, and is administered by them, or officer’s appointed by them, the common people, a state or society characterised by recognition of equality of rights and privileges for all people, political, social or legal equality† (Chambers Dictionary). Some of the earliest examples of democratic practices date back to 600 Bc. Ancient Greece was split up into many different city states. These city states had different cultures, some were agricultural based whi...