Enhancing CSR in Saudi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enhancing CSR in Saudi - Essay Example This is in contrast to the Saudi government’s attempts to normalize the practice as a core business of the private sector. Moreover, social responsibility under Islamic teachings is obligatory with the Quran holding that there is due share for the deprived and beggars in wealth (Emtairah et al, 2009). This paper will seek to address what can be done to enhance CSR in Saudi Arabia at the government level, society level, and at the individual level. The belief held by sections of the Saudi society and corporations that CSR is a government responsibility requires concerted efforts by the government in steering debate by the public towards enhancing the acceptance by corporations of their CSR duties (Emtairah et al, 2009). This will also benefit the creation of a healthier society and stimulate growth of enterprise. The government’s role in convincing the private sector and motivating them to accept their obligations under CSR, however, may be inconsistent with free-market practices. Theoretically, the state should desist from forcing the private sector to act in any manner that is not dictated by market forces. Private corporations are, primarily, assumed to offer shareholders reasonable returns for their capital and Saudi business-people have interacted with Western capitalism for a while (Emtairah et al, 2009). Therefore, it will be difficult to alter perceptions, especially as there is increasing emphasis on profit and giving shareholders the highest returns financially. However, unlike the business community in the capitalist West, the government should take advantage of the fact that Saudi Arabia’s objectives of profit maximization do not mean that social problems cannot be solved economically as part of CSR. The government should seek to engage the private sector in debate about CSR from the perspective that there are differences between non-market factors and market factors, treating each aspect

Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Essay Example for Free

Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Essay The foundation of Euclidean geometry is the concept of a few undefined terms: points, lines, and planes. In essence, a point is an exact position or location on a surface. A point has no actual length or width. A line shows infinite distance and direction but absolutely no width. A line has at least two points lying on it. Euclid’s first postulate is that only one unique straight line can be drawn between any two points. Line segments are lines that have a set length and do not go on forever. Euclid’s second postulate is that a finite straight line, or line segment, can be extended continuously into a straight line. The last of Euclid’s undefined terms is a plane, a flat surface similar to a table top or floor. However, a plane’s area is infinite. It has never ending length and width but has no depth. Lines can intersect each other or they can be parallel. Intersecting lines can be perpendicular, meaning they cross at a right angle. Lines in a plane that do not intersect or touch at a point and have a constant, unchanging distance between each other are called parallel lines. Line segments can be used to create different polygons. As in Euclid’s third postulate, with any straight line segment, a circle can be drawn having the segment as radius and one endpoint as center. All the angles in a triangle add up to 180 degrees. An acute angle is less than 90 degrees. A right angle is 90 degrees; all right angles are equal, as stated in Euclid’s fourth postulate. An obtuse angle is greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees. Lastly, 180 degrees makes up a straight line. Two triangles with the same angles are not necessarily congruent. Today we know the fifth postulate as the rule that through any point that is not on a line, there is only one line that is parallel to the line. One kind of Non-Euclidean Geometry is Riemannian, or elliptic, geometry. It is a geometry based on curved/spherical, surfaces invented by a German man named Bernhard Riemann. In 1889 he rediscovered the work of an Italian mathematician which stated certain problems in Euclidean Geometry. The earth is round and spherical so elliptic geometry is useful, and directly related to our everyday lives. Elliptical geometry is not limited to spheres and can be used applied on cylinders (Roberts). Euclid’s first postulate is false in elliptic geometry. Between two points there are many different lines that will connect them. The shortest distance between two points is called a minimal geodesic. Also, because it is based on curved surfaces, straight lines are impossible. This makes Euclid’s second postulate untrue as well. If you extend a line on a sphere or cylinder, most of the time the line will curve back around and form a circle. A line will always curve in elliptic geometry. In elliptic geometry all the angles in a triangle add up to greater than 180 degrees. Two triangles with the same angles are not just similar, they are actually congruent. In Elliptic there are no parallel lines (Elliptic geometry). Another kind of Non-Euclidean Geometry is Lobachevsky, or Hyperbolic, Geometry. It is also called Lobachevsky-Bolyai-Gauss (Weisstein). It is a geometry based on saddle-shaped space, similar to a Pringle. Hyperbolic geometry was invented by a Russian mathematician named Nicholas Lobachevsky. Lobachevsky also expanded on Euclid’s ideas. It’s very hard to see how this geometry is useful but it can be used in gradational fields, space travel, and astronomy (Roberts).

Discipleship Essay -- essays research papers

Discipleship At the mention of the word "disciple", the image most people conjure up is that of a faithful pupil, a person more than willing to follow the teachings of their leader without question. However, the early disciples didn’t always conform to this stereotype. In fact, they sometimes showed a complete lack of faith, finding it extremely hard to accept Jesus’ word in their hearts. Jesus appointed twelve disciples to symbolize each of the twelve tribes of Israel. In doing so, it were as if he were replacing the Old Judaism with his new covenant. This symbolized a new, more personal relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ. In choosing his apostles, Jesus showed us that the call is open to all of us, as his chosen twelve all had a different trade, and led varying ways of life. With such a mixed group, it is no wonder there were a few differences of opinion. A good example is the relationship between Simon the Zealot, and Matthew the tax collector. While Zealots were political freedom fighters, tax collectors were the hated collaborates of the Romans. Therefore you can imagine that tax collectors and zealots, if left to their own devices, were normally sworn enemies. However, Matthew and Simon still managed to live relatively peaceful lives together, putting into practice the commandment "love thy neighbor as thyself". They were called, and rose to the challenge of that call by their commitment to respond. It was not necessary to posses any special quality to be a disciple of Jesus, and they were all of them far from perfect. Take Peter for example. He wasn’t particularly quick-witted. In fact, he often had trouble grasping the message Jesus was trying to get across, as shown in the Parables, where in the Parable of the Sower, (Mk 4:1-9), he found it no easier then the rest of the disciples to understand God’s message. Neither did he have unquestionable faith. He demonstrates this (as did the other disciples) when they were all in a boat together with Jesus in the middle of Lake Galilee on a particularly stormy night. He and the other disciples became so frantic with worry that they decided to wake Jesus (who was sleeping peacefully with his head on a pillow) (Mk 4:35-41) . Surely, if you cannot feel safe when you have the Son of Go... ...as possible is enabled. It may also be said by some that far fewer people are as devoted to Christianity as they were in the past, as we no longer have prophets, or the Son of God Jesus to guide us. However, there are still many people who are choosing to enter the Holy Orders, and all these people can serve as an inspiration to us all. People such as these are still choosing to leave their loved ones in order to devote their lives to God. Also, when Jesus preached his Good News almost 2000 years ago, there were no fewer people then there are now who opposed to his teachings. However, the one thing that the Christians of the past had that none of us will probably have the opportunity to see in our life times are miracles performed first hand. While it is true that humans have a tendency to believe only what they see, the Bible has, and will continue to be a great source of inspiration for many. It is true that the Bible is the closest thing we will ever get to an understanding of Jesus’ way of life and Christianity, so the Christian faith will remain to be, for us, an unraveled mystery.

The Stress Encountered by a Police Officers

There has been a lot of research on the negative effects of stress on people in general. I am sure you know that police work is one of the top rated professions for job stress next to air traffic controllers and dentists. A good way to start this presentation, I think, is to give a good working definition of police stress. Here it is: The feeling and desire along with the ensuing bodily effects, experienced by a person who has a strong and true longing to choke the living crap out of someone who desperately deserves it, but you can't. Now, while this may sound funny there is a real element of truth to it. An element of truth that says an awful lot about police work. And that is the part of the definition â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦but you can't†. Police work, by it's very nature, calls for an incredible amount of restraint. Continual restraint and draining restraint. It is stressful. The demands on police officers to show even greater restraint have been increasing over the years, and so has the effects of stress on police work. With the recent attention that police suicide has received in the media there have been a number of reviews on it. Between 1934 and 1960 police suicide rates were half that of the general population. Between 1980 to the present, suicide rates in some departments almost doubled. What is the difference? You can't choke them anymore! Street justice is all but gone. Everyone has video cameras. The media gets off on putting down cops. Politicians continue to throw new laws and restrictions for police officers that further tie their hands, and you can't choke anyone with your hands tied! So you start to feel that you're choking yourself. Lets take a quick overview of police work and look at the research of what the biggest stressors are:  · Killing someone in the line of duty.  · Having your partner killed in the line of duty.  · Lack of support by the department/bosses.  · Shift work and disruption of family time/family rituals.  · The daily grind of dealing with the stupidity of the public. Interestingly, physical danger is ranked low on the list of stressors by police officers. One of the worst effects of stress on police officers is of course suicide. We are becoming too familiar with police suicide, especially with the attention the media has given New York City. Twice as many police officers die by their own hand as do in the line of duty. (New York Times, 1994) A study of 2376 Buffalo NY police officers found that, compared to the white male population police officers, there were higher mortality rates for cancer, suicide, and heart disease. The suggested reason: Higher stress levels. Every study done points to the higher levels of stress police officers face, but what form does that stress take? With suicide there seem to be four factors: 1. Divorce. 2. Alcohol, not alcoholism. That was one of the early theories. But in actuality it was the use of alcohol right before the act to â€Å"get up the nerve†. 3. Depression. 4. A failure to get help. (Most officers who commit suicide have no history of having sought counseling). All four factors are symptoms that can come from an officer's stress levels. Police suicide is more directly related to relationship problems than to job stress. Of the last 14 suicides among the police officers in New York City, 12, or 86%, had to do with divorce or relationship breakup. Suicide is often an impulsive act, and the handgun at the officer's side is guaranteed to be lethal in the hands of an experienced shooter. UB professor, John M. Violanti, Ph.D thinks the biggest reason for the high rate of police suicide is because officers think they have nowhere to go for confidential help when personal problems or job stress overwhelms them. â€Å"Police officers are more hesitant than the average citizen to get help for emotional problems. Because of their role, they mistrust many things, and they especially mistrust mental health professionals,† Violanti said. â€Å"Departments should include some sort of suicide awareness training in their stress management program.† Police officers going through a divorce are 5 times more likely to commit suicide than that of an officer in a stable marriage. Relationship problems however, are highly related to job stress. If we consider that officers have an important relationship with their department, we can examine the effect of that relationship gone bad. Officers who get in serious trouble on the job, suspended or facing termination, are 7 times more likely to commit suicide. (Apparently cops like their jobs better than their wives). So we see that stress has an enormous effect on police officers lives, especially their home lives. Studies have called police work a â€Å"high risk lifestyle†. Not high risk in terms of the physical dangers of the job, but a high risk in terms of developing attitudinal problems, behavioral problems, and intimacy and relationship problems. So you learn something about the effects of police work. You learn if you ask the average cop â€Å"Hey, what's been the scariest experience during your police career?† They will answer â€Å"My first marriage!† The national divorce rate is 50%. All research shows police suffer a substantially higher divorce rate with estimates ranging from 60 to 75%. One of the casualties of police work is often the marriage. Although law enforcement officers deal with stressful situations in the normal course of their duties, excessive stress on individual officers may cause them not to carry out their responsibilities. In order to keep law enforcement organizations at 100%, administrators must be able to identify the causes of dysfunctional stress on individual officers. Much of the articles we find today on the causes of law enforcement stress, focus primarily on the factors that are personal to the individual officer. However, other researchers suggest that an officer's ability to live with this stress is hindered by the structure and operation of the organization within which he or she works. â€Å"Police stress† is considered by many to be an important societal problem (Cullen, et al., 1985), and police work is thought of as stressful (Kelling and Pate, 1975). Law enforcement officers must be aware of the dangers of psychological stress. Stress is the result of â€Å"demands placed on the system† and need not be harmful unless it is â€Å"mismanaged† or â€Å"present in large quantities.† However, some analysts say that occupational and life stress can cause mental and even physical problems. For example, one study of 2,300 officers in twenty-nine different police departments reported that thirty-six percent of the officers had serious marital problems, twenty-three percent had serious alcohol problems, twenty percent had serious problems with their children, and ten percent had drug problems. (Kendrix, 1989) Yet, police were well below the average in seeking [medical and] mental treatment. The â€Å"macho† image of a police officer may well keep a police officer from seeking such treatment. Law enforcement officers have significantly higher rates of health problems, premature deaths, suicides and general hospital admissions than other occupations (Richard and Fell, 1975). Law enforcement stress has been categorized into three sections. These are: 1) stress that is internal to the law enforcement system; 2) stress that is in the law enforcement job itself; and 3) stress that is external to law enforcement. Stress internal to the job may be found when police and correctional officers find themselves with conflicting roles. Police spend much of their time in activities not directly related to law enforcement functions, while correction officers are placed in both the role of providing â€Å"custody [and] treatment.† Law enforcement officers can develop personal conflicts by being placed in the position of having to choose between one or more contradictory goals. Such contradictions include the loyalty to fellow officers and honesty within the department. Post Traumatic Stress is a type of stress encountered at incidents that are, or perceived as, capable of causing serious injury or death. The person encountering the stress does not have to be the one whose life is threatened. This stress can also occur to witnesses. By it's nature, Post Traumatic Stress is one of the worst types of stress a person can encounter. It is stress of a nature that is threatening to a person's survival. The psychological and physical reactions of our mind and body to Post Traumatic Stress are at the extremes. Examples of life threatening traumas that can cause Post Traumatic Stress, in their general order of severity, include: natural disasters, serious accidents, serious accidents where a person is at fault, intentional life threatening violence by another person, life threatening trauma caused by betrayal by a trusted individual, and life threatening trauma caused by betrayal by someone you depend on for survival. Police officers, by the nature of their jobs, can be exposed to more stress and trauma in one day than many people will experience in a considerable period of time, maybe even their entire life. Some police officers thrive on stress. They seek out incidents that most people would not care to encounter in their lifetime. Many people seek out a job in police work for this challenge and the personal rewards it provides. Overcoming stress of great magnitude can provide great personal rewards, but these jobs can and do ruin many lives. Dr. George Everly, a noted researcher on emergency services stress, estimates that at any given time15-32% of all emergency responders will be dealing with a reaction to Post Traumatic Stress, and there is a 30-64% chance that they will have a reaction to it during their lifetime. For law enforcement working in urban areas, 20-30% of the officers will develop a reaction to Post Trauma Stress during their lifetimes. These figures are higher than the percentages for the general population (1-3%), urban adolescents (9-15%), and, surprisingly, Vietnam Veterans (15-20%). For a variety of reasons, some of which are not known, many police officers work through Post Traumatic Stress and its affects. The impact of Post Traumatic Stress on their lives is short-lived (if they suffer from it at all). In the Diagnostical and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), this is defined as Acute Stress Disorder. It lasts more than two days, but no longer than 4 weeks. There are those, however, that will not be able to cope with the Post Traumatic Stress they have encountered. They may have handled many traumatic incidents without a problem, until one happens that breaks through their ability to cope. These officers will develop what is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is Acute Stress Disorder that lasts more than 4 weeks. In their book on â€Å"Emergency Services Stress†, Dr. Jeff Mitchell and Dr. Grady Bray estimate that without proper Post Trauma Stress training, response, and follow-up, roughly 4% of all emergency workers will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These figures do not include those who will develop a reaction to accumulative stress, which can have affects similar to, and additive to, Post Traumatic Stress. They also do not include police officers who grew up in an urban environment and are Vietnam Veterans, of which there are more than a few. These figures also do not separate out those working patrol or traffic duties from those working specialty assignments (narcotics, vice, metro teams) from those working investigative or â€Å"inside† jobs. Uniformed assignments and certain specialty assignments place officers in positions that they will be more likely to encounter traumatic stress.

What You Pawn I Will Redeem Response Paper

â€Å"What You Pawn I Will Redeem† (Response Paper) â€Å"What You Pawn I Will Redeem† by Sherman Alexie is the story of the mission of the humorous character of Jackson Jackson. Jackson Jackson is a homeless Spokane Indian in search of money to repurchase the regalia that was stolen from his grandmother about 50 years ago. He embarks on a journey to collect 999 dollars, the amount of money the pawnbroker is willing to sell the regalia for. Throughout this journey, the humorous character of Jackson Jackson unravels to reveal a man of culture.Although Jackson has left Spokane to attend college in Seattle, his Indian culture remains an important part of him. He constantly speaks of his Indian beliefs, ways, and customs. In the opening sentence, Jackson immediately acknowledges that he is Indian and differentiates his race from â€Å"hungry white folks† (8). As the story progresses, he uses many other statements to distinguish his race; he explains that Indians â₠¬Å"don’t want to be perfect, because only God is perfect† (11). This distinctive Indian belief is used to prove that the regalia indeed belonged to his grandmother.Jackson’s culture also proves to play a substantial part in his decisions in regards to the money he needs for the regalia. Whenever he happens to gather a bit of money, it is always squandered almost immediately after, due to Jackson’s over-abundant sense of generosity. After winning one hundred dollars from a lottery ticket, he gives a fifth of it to Mary, the cashier in the Korean grocery store. At first, Mary refuses, but Jackson insists that it is, yet again, â€Å"an Indian thing† (18). His cultural sharing tendency also leads him to spend the remaining eighty dollars on whiskey shots for everyone at the bar.One can say that his decision was driven by alcoholism as well as ignorance, but the sense of family among those of his own race also impacted him when he decided that â€Å"[h e] and his cousins [were] going to be drinking eighty shots† (18). Clearly, Jackson’s Indian nationality not only distinguishes him from the white people of Seattle, but also makes a large impact on his actions and his decisions. Nevertheless, Jackson is not solely defined by his title of â€Å"a Spokane Indian. † Although his culture drives many of his actions, redemption also plays an important role in making up Jackson’s character.At first glance, the short story is about a man striving to repurchase his grandmother’s old regalia. However, if one looks deeper, the regalia may symbolize redemption, hence the name, â€Å"What You Pawn I Will Redeem. † Jackson’s hidden objective is to bring his grandmother back to life, or at least redeem some part of her. By redeeming a part of his grandmother, he is able to redeem a part of his home in India. Jackson’s longing to redeem his home in India also contributes to the theme of a lack of a place to belong. Jackson can be considered homeless both physically and symbolically.Because he does not have the financial means to provide shelter for himself, he is physically homeless. Jackson is also homeless symbolically, for he cannot find a home in society. He flunks out of his college, losing a place in the campus, and he ruins his attempts at marriage, losing his partner in life. In the beginning of the story, Jackson holds a place in the community of the homeless Indians, and he considers them â€Å"[his] teammates, [his] defenders, [his] posse† (9). However, he soon finds that one member of the group, Rose of Sharon, has left and hitchhiked back to Toppenship to live with her sister on the reservation.Later, he realizes that another member of his group, Junior, has also left and hitchhiked down to Portland, Oregon. When Jackson visits the Indian bar and befriends Honey Boy and Irene, he finds that at the end of the night, they too have disappeared. Finally, the Aleut cousins, also homeless Indians, disappear as well, said to have either drowned or disappeared north. Jackson’s status of a loner in society is further solidified as one by one, his â€Å"posse† (9) disappears. In conclusion, Alexie’s short story illustrates a cultural character looking for redemption, as well as a home.

Definition of Social Distance in Psychology

Definition of Social Distance in Psychology Social distance is a measure of social separation between groups caused by perceived or real differences between groups of people as defined by well-known social categories. It manifests across a variety of social categories, including class, race and ethnicity, culture, nationality, religion, gender and sexuality, and age, among others. Sociologists recognize three key types of social distance: affective, normative, and interactive. They study it through a variety of research methods, including  ethnography and participant observation, surveys, interviews, and daily route mapping, among other techniques. Affective Social Distance Affective social distance is probably the most widely known type  and the one  that is the cause of great concern among sociologists. Affective social distance was defined by Emory Bogardus, who created the Bogardus Social Distance Scale for measuring it. Affective social distance refers to the degree to which a person from one group feels sympathy or empathy for persons from other groups. The scale of measurement created by Bogardus measures this by establishing the willingness of a person to interact with people from other groups.  For example, an unwillingness to live next door to a family of a different race would indicate a high degree of social distance. On the other hand, willingness to marry a person of a different race would indicate a very low degree of social distance. Affective social distance is a cause of concern among sociologists because it is known to foster prejudice, bias, hatred, and even violence. Affective social distance between Nazi sympathizers and European Jews was a significant component of the ideology that supported the Holocaust. Today, affective social distance fuels politically motivated hate crimes and school bullying among some supporters of President Donald Trump  and seem to have created the conditions for his election to the presidency, given that support for Trump was concentrated among white people. Normative Social Distance Normative social distance is the kind of difference we perceive between ourselves as members of groups and others who are not members of the same groups. It is the distinction we make between us and them, or  between insider and outsider. Normative social distance is not necessary judgmental in nature. Rather, it can simply signal that a person recognizes differences between herself and others whose race, class, gender, sexuality, or nationality may differ from her own. Sociologists consider this form of social distance to be important  because it is necessary to first recognize a difference in order to then see and understand how difference shapes the experiences and life trajectories of those who differ from ourselves. Sociologists believe that recognition of difference in this way should inform social policy so that it is crafted to serve all citizens  and not just those who are in the majority. Interactive Social Distance Interactive social distance is a way of describing the extent to which different groups of people interact with each other, in terms of both frequency and intensity of interaction. By this measure, the more different groups interact, the closer they are socially. They less they interact, the greater the interactive social distance is between them. Sociologists who operate using social network theory pay attention to interactive social distance and measure it as the strength of social ties. Sociologists recognize that these three types of social distance are not mutually exclusive and do not necessarily overlap. Groups of people may be close in one sense, say, in terms of interactive social distance, but far from another, like in affective social distance. Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Definition and Examples of Conceptual Blending

Definition and Examples of Conceptual Blending Conceptual blending refers to a set of cognitive operations for combining (or blending) words, images, and ideas in a network of mental spaces to create meaning. The theory of conceptual blending was brought to prominence by Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner in The Way We Think: Conceptual Blending and the Minds Hidden Complexities (Basic Books, 2002). Fauconnier and Turner define conceptual blending as a deep cognitive activity that makes new meanings out of old. Examples and Observations Conceptual Blending Theory assumes that meaning construction involves the selective integration or blending of conceptual elements and employs the theoretical construct of conceptual integration networks to account for this process. For example, the process of understanding the sentence In the end, VHS delivered a knock-out punch to Betamax would involve a basic network consisting of four mental spaces . . .. This includes two input spaces (one relating to boxing and another to the competition between rival video formats in the 1970s and 1980s). A generic space represents what is common to the two input spaces. Elements from the input spaces are mapped to each other and projected selectively into the blended space, to derive an integrated conceptualization where the video formats are seen as being engaged in a boxing match, which VHS eventually wins.Blending Theory can be seen as a development of Mental Space Theory, and it is also influenced by Conceptual Metaphor Theory. However, u nlike the latter, Blending Theory focuses specifically on the dynamic construction of meaning.(M. Lynne Murphy and Anu Koskela, Key Terms in Semantics. Continuum, 2010) To monitor public opinion, and to sway it, Time Warner had, in November, launched a campaign called Roll Over or Get Tough, which asked customers to visit a Web site of the same name and vote on whether Time Warner should give in to their demand for massive price increases or keep holding the line. Eight hundred thousand people had done so. (Ninety-five percent of them thought that Time Warner should Get Tough.)Mark Turner, a professor of cognitive science at Case Western Reserve, explained that Time Warner’s use of the forced-choice device was wise from the standpoint of behavioral economics. In order to make choices, people need their options narrowed in advance.Turner saw other cognitive precepts at work in the Roll Over campaign. He explained, The purpose of the ad is to try to get you off your duff and realize, Hey, the situation around me is changing, and I better take action. And the campaign’s militaristic echoes, You’re either with us or against us, inco rporated, Turner said, a technique called blending, in which a rhetorician exploits what is already in people’s minds. Everybody’s got terrorism on the brain, so if you can have a little hint of that issue in your advertising about cable service: great!, he said.(Lauren Collins, King Kong vs. Godzilla. The New Yorker, January 11, 2010) [B]lending theory can address the meaning of construction in metaphorical expressions that do not employ conventionalized mapping schemes. For example, the italicized portion of this excerpt from an interview with philosopher Daniel Dennet involves a metaphorical blend, Theres not a thing thats magical about the computer. One of the most brilliant things about a computer is that theres nothing up its sleeve, (Edge 94, November 19, 2001). The input domains here are Computers and Magicians, and the blend involves a hybrid model in which the computer is a magician. However, the connection between these two domains arises purely from the context of this example, as there is no conventional COMPUTERS ARE MAGICIANS mapping in English.(Seana Coulson, Conceptual Blending in Thought, Rhetoric, and Ideology. Cognitive Linguistics: Current Applications And Future Perspectives, ed. by Gitte Kristiansen, Michel Achard, Renà © Dirven, and Francisco J. Ruiz de Mendoza Ibà ±ez. Mouton de Gruyter, 2006) Blending Theory and Conceptual Metaphor Theory Similarly to conceptual metaphor theory, blending theory elucidates structural and regular principles of human cognition as well as pragmatic phenomena. However, there are also some noteworthy differences between the two theories. While blending theory has always been more oriented toward real-life examples, conceptual metaphor theory had to come of age before it was put to the test with data-driven approaches. A further difference between the two theories is that blending theory focuses more on the decoding of creative examples, whereas conceptual metaphor theory is well known for its interest in conventional examples and mappings, i.e. in what is stored in peoples minds. But again, the difference is one of degree and not an absolute one. Blending processes can be routinized and stored if their outcome proves to be useful on more than one occasion. And conceptual metaphor theory is able to explain and accommodate novel figurative linguistic expressions as long as they are compatible with the more general metaphorical makeup of the human mind. Another, perhaps somewhat less important difference lies in the fact that while from the start conceptual blending has pointed to the importance of metonymic construals and thinking for cognitive processes, the conceptual metaphor paradigm has long underestimated the role of metonymy.(Sandra Handl and Hans-Jà ¶rg Schmid, Introduction. Windows to the Mind: Metaphor, Metonymy, and Conceptual Blending. Mouton de Gruyter, 2011)

Definition and Examples of Peer Response in Composition

Definition and Examples of Peer Response in Composition In composition studies, peer response is a form of collaborative learning in which writers meet (usually in small groups, either face-to-face or online) to respond to one anothers work. Also called peer review and peer feedback.In Steps to Writing Well (2011), Jean Wyrick summarizes the nature and purpose of peer response in an academic setting: By offering reactions, suggestions, and questions (not to mention moral support), your classroom colleagues may become some of your best writing teachers. The pedagogy of student collaboration and peer response has been an established field in composition studies since the late 1970s. See the observations below. Also see: Collaborative WritingAudienceAudience AnalysisAudience Analysis ChecklistFeedbackHolistic GradingImplied AudienceOnline Journals for Composition InstructorsRevisionWriting CenterWriting PortfolioWriting Process Observations The teacherless writing class . . . tries to take you out of darkness and silence. It is a class of seven to twelve people. It meets at least once a week. Everyone reads everyone elses writing. Everyone tries to give each writer a sense of how his words were experienced. The goal is for the writer to come as close as possible to being able to see and experience his own words through seven or more people. Thats all.(Peter Elbow, Writing Without Teachers. Oxford University Press, 1973; rev. ed. 1998)Writing collaboratively has all the characteristics that theorists of cognitive development maintain are essential for the intellectual commitments of adulthood: The experience is personal. The response groups promote intellectual risk-taking within a community of support. They allow students to focus on issues that invite the application of academic knowledge to significant human problems. Thinking and writing are grounded in discussion and debate. Reading and responding to peers writing a sks for interpersonal and personal resolution of multiple frames of reference. In this sense, collaborative writing courses at all levels provide an essential opportunity to practice becoming members of an intellectual, adult community.(Karen I. Spear, Peer Response Groups in Action: Writing Together in Secondary Schools. Boynton/Cook, 1993) Peer Review Guidelines for the ReviewerIf you are the reviewer, remember that the writer has spent a long time on this work and is looking to you for constructive help, not negative comments. . . . In that spirit, offer suggestions about how to revise some of the awkward places, rather than merely listing them. Instead of saying This opener doesnt work! indicate why it doesnt work and offer possible alternatives. . . .It is also important that you try to read the piece from the point of view of the intended audience. Do not try to reformulate a technical report into a novel or vice versa. . . .As you read, make no comments to the authorsave them for later. If you need to ask the writer for clarification of the prose, that is likely a flaw in the writing and needs to be noted for discussion after you have finished reading the entire piece.(Kristin R. Woolever, About Writing: A Rhetoric for Advanced Writers. Wadsworth, 1991)Students gain confidence, perspective, and critical thinking s kills from being able to read texts by peers on similar tasks. Students get more feedback on their writing than they could from the teacher alone.Students get feedback from a more diverse audience bringing multiple perspectives.Students receive feedback from nonexpert readers on ways in which their texts are unclear as to ideas and language.Peer review activities build a sense of classroom community.Benefits and Pitfalls of Peer Response[A] number of practical benefits of peer response for L2 [second-language] writers have been suggested by various authors:On the other hand, researchers, teachers, and student writers themselves have identified potential and actual problems with peer response. The most prominent complaints are that student writers do not know what to look for in their peers writing and do not give specific, helpful feedback, that they are either too harsh or too complimentary in making comments, and that peer feedback activities take up too much classroom time (or the corollary complaint that not enough time is allotted by teache rs and the students feel rushed).(Dana Ferris, Response to Student Writing: Implications for Second Language Students. Lawrence Erlbaum, 2003) Also Known As: peer feedback, peer review, collaboration, peer criticism, peer evaluation, peer critique

McDonald's Seniors Restaurant Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

McDonald's Seniors Restaurant - Assignment Example These elderly people do not have much to do, and can therefore comfortably spend half their day at her restaurant. According to the case, Quinn’s decision to accommodate her senior customers’ needs by allowing them to spend unlimited time at the restaurant does not improve the image of her McDonald’s franchise. Instead, it tarnishes it, and makes her restaurant appear like a rendezvous point for the old people in her town. The seniors spend a lot more time interacting within the facility than they do making actual purchases. They remain there for hours and fill up the chairs that would have otherwise been occupied by a consecutive number of people. If this trend continues, then Quinn’s profits may plummet. This is because the opportunity cost incurred per chair during these periods is too high to be overlooked. In addition, younger customers may also not want to be associated with a restaurant that has a predominantly elderly crowd. On the other hand, Quin n has successfully established a niche market for herself within the elderly population in her town. She is assured that she can rely on this crowd to bring in the bulk of her income. These seniors value the relationship that they have created with Quinn and her employees above the expenses that they incur whenever they eat at her restaurant (Blythe, 2005). It is almost certain that there will always be old people for Quinn to attend to. They are not as energetic and ambitious as the youth, and would therefore opt to remain where they currently reside. It is therefore necessary that she works towards retaining this loyal clientele. In this regard, Quinn should definitely encourage the senior citizens to keep coming to her restaurant. The party room area, which is able to hold as many as 150 people, should be converted into a recreational space for the seniors. These older people can play the bingo games there, and this would prevent congestion in the main dining area during the morn ing hours. It would also allow her employees to establish a similarly good rapport with the younger patrons who frequent the restaurant. Young customers are generally impatient, and thus if they feel neglected, then they would opt to have their meals elsewhere. Additional room in the dining area would also attract more people to the restaurant. However, there should never be, as Blythe (2005) puts it, â€Å"an over-emphasis of acquiring new customers, at the expense of ensuring that the firm keeps its old ones.† The seniors, who have been Quinn’s loyal customers all through, must continue to enjoy excellent services. Quinn McMahon should introduce the bingo idea during the slow morning hours of 9am to 11am. Since bingo games are popular with some senior citizens, she should ensure that the party room is available for the games. The bingo idea is very viable because it will earn her extra revenue above the normal food and drink purchases. The customers will be charged $ 2 each for the two-hour period and run the game with two of her employees who are underutilized. Quinn should also ensure that coupons are readily available as the prizes to make the games legal, and enable senior citizens to make purchases with them at her retail store. The coupons should also amount to a huge amount of the bingo receipts sold in small amount prices to

Testicular self-examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Testicular self-examination - Essay Example icular self-examination to men within that age bracket is important because it has been proven that men rarely seek medical advice unless they have serious symptoms and this contributes to the high morbidity and mortality of men due to cancer, as compared to women (American Nurses Association, 2010). Interventions are, therefore, necessary to reduce the current trend of mortality associated with testicular cancer in males. They should however be aimed at behavior change as opposed to information insemination since previous interventions have shown that although men may be educated on how to perform the testicular self-examination, just a few of them actually do it. Availing information on testicular cancer and testicular self-examination can have a positive effect on health promoting behaviors in men. This can be done through education using posters and other media such as videos and pamphlets put in strategic places such as in changing rooms and washrooms. Demonstrations using models peer-training and during health check-ups by a physician are other ways in which this information can be availed to the men. In conclusion, it is important that men check their testicles regularly since this can help detect testicular cancer in its early stages and increase chances of recovery (Benjamins, 2010). Testicular self-examination can help to reduce the incidence of testicular

An examination of colossians Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

An examination of colossians - Dissertation Example On the other hand, there are some scholars who are looking into the past using the lens of the current period. 4This approach also suffers from the pitfall of failing to see the uniqueness of the situation of the past, thus distinguishing it from the current human condition.5 The problem of ethnocentrism is crucial in interpreting past events, contexts, and narratives. In this regard, Colossians 1.12-13 presents an old theme and promise repeatedly told in the Old Testament that is fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament and yet a seeming contradiction to many in contemporary society, †¦Constantly give thanks to the Father who has empowered us to receive our share in the inheritance of the saints in his kingdom of light. He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son †¦ The verse offers a summary of God’s redemptive act of love. It speaks no longer of a promise, but of a reality that is made available to those â₠¬Å"the Father who has qualified .. to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light†.6 Likewise, it uses the imagery of â€Å"deliverance as presented in Exodus and Jesus theme of Kingdom†. ... The second concern raise against Colossians 1.12-13 is the fact that, the contemporary period, lives in the â€Å"age of syncretism†. The contemporary period is marked by the continued effort of many to harmonize existing religious differences. This is not in itself wrong, but it creates a system wherein Jesus is relegated as one of the founders of religion and Christianity is just one of the many religions.8 In the effort to create a harmonious space for the co-existence of various recognized religions, beliefs, ideologies, and other principles and philosophies, Jesus becomes just one of the leaders of religion, â€Å"they are not denying him , but they are dethroning Him and robbing Him of His rightful place of preeminence†. 9As such, there is a crisis in contemporary Christian faith. Since, many fail to give to God what is due to Him as they focus on other teachings, principles, teachings and beliefs that reduce their obedience, trust, and faithfulness to the Word of God. This same scenario is the primary concern that the faithful in Colossae were facing. In fact, one of the major themes of Colossians is how to address false beliefs that threatened faith of Christians in Colossae. Geographically, Colossae was one of the three cities situated 100 miles from Ephesus.10 The other two cities were Laodicea and Hierapolis.11 Colossae was considered as the melting pot of the East and West. There was a time that it was an important trade route. However, economic activities within the city started to slow down until it became a small town. Nonetheless, Colossae remained a significant city because of the numerous beliefs and philosophies mingled within the city. Ideas continued to influx the city.12 These ideas and

Time Management Matrix-Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Time Management Matrix-Leadership - Essay Example As such, the time management matrix may arguably be considered an effective time management resource thereby invoking the importance of its analysis. The first quadrant comprises of urgent and important items such as a crying baby and some calls. This implies that items in the first quadrant require immediate attention and cannot be postponed. The second quadrant is a composition of not urgent but important items such as exercise and vacation. Items in the second quadrant may be regarded long term due to their lack of urgency but should not be neglected. According to Covey, items in the second quadrant are somewhat neglected, perhaps, because they are not urgent. Nonetheless, it important to note that efficacy is achieved by working both strategically and tactically and items in quadrant two ensure this. For example, exercising is not urgent but it is an important aspect of healthy living. The third quadrant entails items that are urgent but may be regarded as not important such as other calls. This implies that quadrant three items could be eliminated but people feel the need to hold on to them. As such, these items consume the largest portion of people’s time thereby corrupting effective time management. Finally, the fourth quadrant is a composition of items that are neither important nor urgent such as trivia. Quadrant four items are generally those that people take as breaks from important activities hence they can be considered to add relatively little value. Therefore, quadrant four items may be eliminated in an effort to avoid wasting time. The time management matrix arguably provides a proper strategy of managing time effectively hence can be useful tool in leadership. After analyzing and comprehending the application of time management matrix, leaders should take time to categorize their different commitments into respective quadrants. Additionally, after categorizing commitments, calculations of percentage of

Medical Billing Specialist Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medical Billing Specialist - Personal Statement Example Certain life experiences also have inspired and motivated me towards this aspiration and goal. Significant among which is the event of my father falling seriously ill. Seeing him suffer and groan in pain and the kindness and timely action and intelligent decisions of the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals who battled for life made me realize the importance of professionals in the medical field. I decided that I will spend the rest of my life in the health care field serving the sick people and taking cognisance of my qualifications I knew where I was heading. It was towards a career of Medical Billing and Coding. Having the requisite patience and ability to focus on details and having the needed problem solving skills paramount in professionals in the medical field I realised that it was a Medical Billing and Coding professional that I was going to be. These factors have prompted me to evolve this decision and I am thereby requesting you to please appoint me as a med ical billing specialist in your reputed company. Dear Miriam I see you as the ideal Medical Billing and Coding Specialist. I have learnt that you are applying for a sales position. But I have a better alternative for you. I seriously think you should apply for the position of Medical Billing and Coding Specialist. You are wrong in thinking that you are not suited for the job. Actually you have all the requisite skills. Let me first tell you the job specifics. 2 When the patient has a disease the coder gives the diagnosis a number i.e. alphanumeric codes to specific illnesses, injuries, and medical procedures, under a system of coding that is used across the health care system, from doctor's offices and hospitals to insurance companies, federal agencies and international organizations. The codes are used by hospitals and doctors for internal data collection and planning, 3"while insurance companies and public agencies require the codes to reimburse health care providers. The codes are even used by international health organizations to track patterns of disease and the costs of health care." Coming to think of it you are also well remunerated and what's more you have all the requisite personality traits and skills. What is essential to this profession are computer skills and you work with computers all day using different programs. You also keep yourself updated regularly and learn new programs which is just the ideal position you are in. What is more you even have the personality for the job. Being detail oriented, making independent decisions on your own and refraining from a lot of interaction with people is the kind of personality that is required for this position and you are a perfect package. Hence I really think you should apply for this post as it really suits you and would give you a lot of job satisfaction and you will never regret your choice. Name: 028004 End Notes: 1All Allied Health Schools. "Your Guide to Allied Health Education." "A

Time Management Matrix-Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Time Management Matrix-Leadership - Essay Example As such, the time management matrix may arguably be considered an effective time management resource thereby invoking the importance of its analysis. The first quadrant comprises of urgent and important items such as a crying baby and some calls. This implies that items in the first quadrant require immediate attention and cannot be postponed. The second quadrant is a composition of not urgent but important items such as exercise and vacation. Items in the second quadrant may be regarded long term due to their lack of urgency but should not be neglected. According to Covey, items in the second quadrant are somewhat neglected, perhaps, because they are not urgent. Nonetheless, it important to note that efficacy is achieved by working both strategically and tactically and items in quadrant two ensure this. For example, exercising is not urgent but it is an important aspect of healthy living. The third quadrant entails items that are urgent but may be regarded as not important such as other calls. This implies that quadrant three items could be eliminated but people feel the need to hold on to them. As such, these items consume the largest portion of people’s time thereby corrupting effective time management. Finally, the fourth quadrant is a composition of items that are neither important nor urgent such as trivia. Quadrant four items are generally those that people take as breaks from important activities hence they can be considered to add relatively little value. Therefore, quadrant four items may be eliminated in an effort to avoid wasting time. The time management matrix arguably provides a proper strategy of managing time effectively hence can be useful tool in leadership. After analyzing and comprehending the application of time management matrix, leaders should take time to categorize their different commitments into respective quadrants. Additionally, after categorizing commitments, calculations of percentage of

Is ethics profitable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is ethics profitable - Essay Example The constantly changing competitive environments in the business world forces businesses to find new methods to counter the competition as opposed to the so-called traditional ways. These traditional methods included better products, more services, or lower prices. In the contemporary world, business firms are responding to these competition challenges by introducing partnerships and more mutual relationships with their customers and other stakeholders in the business. In the last years, there have been discussions regarding ethics practices in business firms. The general assumption of this subject is that firms need to do what is morally right for their customers as well as their employees. However, the common practice in the business field is that of unethical and illegal activities. Most organizations are yet to understand or realize the financial impact of high ethical standards in business firms (Heskett et al. 34). According to most businesses in the present world, ethical practices impose an unnecessary financial constraint. Tax evasion and underpaid personnel comprise unethical but, nonetheless, appealing practices. From this perspective, it seems that profits and ethics have an inverse relationship. Managers and directors of businesses assume that ethical practices and programs are very expensive activities. This means that ethical practices have no positive impacts on the profitability of business firms. In this case, this ideology suggests ethics as not being profitable to a business organization. It seems that companies with ethical practices record low or constant profits, and hence, most managers still rely on the traditional modes of improving profit levels of an organization. On a more positive aspect, ethics improves the profit levels of a business firm through various ways. Examples from the business field indicate that there is a positive correlation between a firm’s activit ies, ethical behaviors, and the firm’s bottom line outcomes. The reputation of a business in terms of ethical business activities can be a major source of competitive advantage in the business segment. The most important ways in which ethics contributes towards profitability of a company is through the minimization of the cost of business transactions, construction of a foundation of trust with stakeholders, and maintenance of social capital. More so, high standards of a firm’s ethics contribute towards an internal environment of successful teamwork amongst employees which, in turn, impact the profit levels. According to various studies, companies viewed as ethical by company stakeholders, for instance, employees, public, customers, and suppliers, enjoy several competitive advantages. These competitive advantages in the business community include higher levels of commitment, higher levels of efficiency in operations, and increased levels of

Just like Helen Keller Essay Example for Free

Just like Helen Keller Essay Marketing new services that will enhance existing organizations must be carefully thought out and planned to be considered a needed addition to any organization. Companies which have been founded on principles of ethics and quality services, ensure that every additional service provided to the many existing services must meet the expectation of each customer that is serviced. Team B has begun to target the process of marketing the expansion of processing packages that are undeliverable within the Fed Ex organization. Instead of returning the packages to place of origination, or re-delivering packages after an additional delivery failure, a process specifically geared to contact the person for whom the package is meant, will be the newly planned addition to the existing services which Fed Ex provides. Learning Team B will focus on reviewing the existing organization, providing a more detailed description of our LT goals in this process, review the importance to our success in planning and executing the idea, provide a SWOTT analysis on the project, and will develop a marketing strategy in order to be successful with this new process. Providing a consumer friendly service will give Fed Ex further success in the industry of package delivery to all consumers; both within the U. S. and Internationally. In today’s fast paced, high competition and deadline driven environment millions of people turn to FedEx Corporation everyday to get packages to the desired destination because of the assurance and commitment behind the name. FedEx Corporation was built upon providing top of the line innovative solutions and it continues to be an crucial part of the FedEx the overall culture and business strategy. FedEx Corporations commitment has been an instrumental part in the overall development of products, ideas and services that have given FedEx’s customers the ability to grow their businesses around the world. What is known as FedEx Corporation today, was originally introduced in 1971 as FDX Corp, and since their inception has engineered the shipping and logistics industry and has set the mark over and repeatedly, for all others in the business to meet. Since its beginning, FedEx Corp has been seen in the public eye as a leader in the transportation and logistics industry. The FedEx Corporations ability to collectively work together through their different entities demonstrate the leadership and foresight of the trusted FedEx brand. It is this loyalty which brings customers to FedEx every day. â€Å"FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. FedEx Corporation offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. † (FedEx Corporation, 2009). With a marketplace that is always changing FedEx Corporation is always putting forth full effort to be on the forefront of technology and to bring new and innovative ideas to maximize their profits and customer choices. FedEx currently handles an â€Å"averaged 3. 4 million† a day and delivers to over 213 countries† (E-Logi, 2009). Even in a hard international economical time, many Customers are increasingly seeing the value of using FedEx to reach new markets, grow their businesses and cut inventory carrying costs. The global economy is expanding steadily, particularly the manufacturing sector, giving our business more opportunities to grow in the future. (FedEx Corporation, 2009). As one can tell FedEx Corporation is a trend setting and revolutionary business force which continues to be on the forefront of innovation due to its ability to focus on the customer, ability to make tough decisions and always absolutely positively delivering on its promises. Federal Express is a global leader in getting packages to consumers. Business consumers already enjoy services like a hold feature for important packages and documents. This service is designed for the organization that ships a large number of packages and documents to regular business partners or employees. Employees and partners can retrieve their package from the closest sorting facility by having a hold placed on any or all incoming packages. Federal Express notifies partners and employees via pre-recorded voice mail that their package is available for pickup at the location nearest them. The service that is being contemplated is a kiosk idea, where customers business or individuals can send packages or documents, as well as pick them up all in an automated system that is based on the needs of the consumer. Undelivered packages and documents will be retained with in the kiosk, and consumers can pickup their delivery. This will be offered in a few different manners. Customers can log into the web site and obtain a pin number for the package, or it can be e-mailed or an automated voice mail can be sent to a cell or land line telephone. Customers whom do not want deliveries to be sent to there place of residence can have the option to have this become their primary way of receiving anything shipped by Federal Express. People in a specific delivery area will have the ability to ship and receive their packages and documents using the same kiosk based on geographic and delivery area. The kiosk will be totally automated and open twenty four hours a day, based on customer needs. Marketing is defined as the strategy-allocating resources (time and money) in order to achieve the objectives of (a fair profit for supplying a good product or service). The economy uses tactics to get buyer’s attention in order to gain maximum success. â€Å"Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large† (American Marketing Association, 2008, p. 1). Marketing is vital to any organization in meeting the needs and wants of the consumers and if the marketing department is not focusing on meeting the needs of the consumers, stakeholders or vendors, the organization will not be successful. Marketing helps the organization develop a plan, collect data on the target population, examine and explore areas of the organization that will improve services to his or her customers in order to provide top quality services. FedEx marketing department has decided to explore the problem of holding customers package when they are not home to receive these packages. With the current system, customers can pick up their packages at the nearest Kinko’s FedEx store, but in order to know if the package is there for pick up, the customer would need a tracking number then have internet access to see if the package is there for pick up but many times, the package is not there before the driver finishes his or her route, therefore, FedEx has decided to incorporate a kiosk system. This system will create a faster tracking system and enhance the quality of service provided to the consumers, vendors and stakeholders. The marketing department will create services that would fit the lifestyles of the consumers, by understanding demographics, psychographics, cost and time in providing a new service as well as if the new service will be beneficial to the consumer. Without a clear understanding of the importance of marketing in the success or failure of the organization, misrepresentation of marketing can have consumers going to the competition because of getting their needs better met with faster turnaround services, better customer service and overall, top quality management. Strengths of reputation and organizational processes of Federal Express now known as, Fed Ex are what they have worked hard to create. Companies which have the focus of excellence usually have the proper organizational values in a progressive environment. Weaknesses within Fed Ex are between the past upper management decisions to categorize delivery drivers as independent instead of employees of Fed Ex. In 1998, 203 drivers filed a lawsuit against Fed Ex, citing they were paid as independent contractors instead of regular employees with benefits. (1) This class action suit would cause competitors to think Fed Ex has less sensitivity to employee requests for better benefits and more importantly working relationships within the company. Opportunities may present of growth within a company for in-house middle management and upper management. Promotions are readily available to the employee who shows they are working toward the growth of the company. Threats may be exhibited in ways which show habits that are representative of carelessness and lack of ethical behaviors of employees. Intrusion of thieves which may attempt to sabotage or rob delivery persons of packages delivered is another type of external threat. Any action which causes the inability to provide the services for which the company is known for may be categorized as a threat. Major mistakes, poor decision making skills, package losses, or failure to deliver on time are all errors which represent key threats to an established business such as Fed Ex. Of these threats they are known as internal and external threats. Trends may be what a company starts and is shown throughout the city, state or world as a mainstream guide for other companies in similar fields of service. Other companies may begin to show the public how a stable company works; as a level of standards. As a company which is known for delivery, productivity, quality improvement techniques and reputation, Fed Ex is a trend setter. Analysis of the plans of a package holding process will aid with deliveries that cannot be delivered after the second attempt. This is an opportunity for Fed Ex to stand out from among the other delivery services. Creating a personalized processed to contact the recipient until located will cut costs with returned item shipping, in addition to up-building of customer services. Marketing research can be a quantitative or qualitative process. Quantitative research would be conducting surveys to the consumers. Qualitative research includes focus groups and observational studies. The best marketing research approach for our service would be a qualitative approach. It is the less expensive approach and a more efficient way of getting feedback from the consumer for our particular service. Marketing research follows the guidelines of the scientific process. The research project for this particular process is a 24 hour automated Kiosk for Fed Ex customers to send and receive packages based on their own needs. The next step would be to collect primary and secondary data about the new Kiosk service. Then we can perform qualitative research by use of observational studies, by picking a sample of Fed Ex customers to test the new Kiosk service. From the observational studies, we can then compile the data on how the customers reacted to the new Kiosk service. Once we have all this data we can then summarize our findings and determine whether or not this idea is feasible for Fed Ex. The market research process leads us to our marketing strategy for the new Kiosk service. A good marketing strategy includes a target market and marketing mix. Our target market would be adults over the age of the 18, and our marketing mix would include the 4p’s: product, price, place and promotion. References American Marketing Association. (2008). Marketing definitions. Retrieved January 22, 2009 from http://www. seologic. com/ E-Logi (2009). E-longi. net FedEx corp. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www. e-logi. net/index. php? ID=696 FedEx Corporation (2009). FedEx Corporation investor report. Retrieved January 5, 2009, from http://ir. fedex. com/releasedetail. cfm? ReleaseID=259392 http://www. fedexdriverslawsuit. com/ (1) Retrieved Feb. 8, 2008 http://www. fedex. com/Dropoff/start? locale=en_US Retrieved 2-7-09

Tetanus Toxin: Structure and Purification

Tetanus Toxin: Structure and Purification Tetanus is regarded amongst the most severe and fatal disease since ancient times [1]. Tetanus is termed from a Greek word ‘Tetanos’ which means- to contract *. The disease is generally initiated due to deep wounds, cuts, and during catastrophic situations like natural calamities, physical trauma, etc. [a] It was first discovered by Hippocrates in early 19th century *. However it was etiologically described by Carle and Rattone who were first to produce tetanus in animals by injecting pus extracted from an infected human with the same disease in 1884. During this same period Nicolaier also produced tetanus in animals from soil samples. Further research in 1889 by Kitasato revealed that animals were infected by this disease when they were injected with a particular organism isolated from a human patient *. Nocard in 1897 revealed that this disease can be treated by the use of its antitoxin. Moreover in 1924 the significance of toxoid came into existence during World War I which was formulated by Descombey and this passive immunization against tetanus was majorly used during World War II *. Structure of tetanus toxin: The tetanus toxin is of 150kD comprising of three fragments i.e. A,B and C having a molecular weight of 50kD each [n]. Fragments A and B were observed to be non-spastically toxic and also to block the release of catecholamine. It also inhibits the action of synaptic nerves and thus exhibits an important role in the toxicity of the toxin. On the other hand fragment C is regarded as the non-toxic subunit but retaining the required antigenic properties of the toxin. This fragment is seen to bind with gangliosides, motor endplates and synaptic membranes. It also helps in transportation of the toxin from the periphery to the central nervous system [o]. Krieglestein et al. in 1990 stated that tetanus toxin is a 151-kD protein. The complete amino acid sequence is known. The mature toxin is made of two peptide and contains 10 half-cystine residues. Treatment with 4-vinylpyridine in the presence of 6M guanidine converted six of them into s-pyridylethyl cysteine residues are determines by amino acid analysis. When alkylation was preceded by mercaptolysis, all 10 halfcystine residues were recovered in the s-pyridylethylated form. It was therefore concluded that the toxin contains six sulfhydryl groups and two disulfide bond [r] Mode of Action: Rossetto et al. in 2001 reported that the neuroparalytic syndromes of tetanus is caused by neurotoxins produced by bacteria of the genus Clostridium of 150 kDa proteins consisting of three-domains, endowed with different functions: neurospecific binding, membrane translocation and specific proteolysis of three key components of the neuroexocytosis apparatus. After binding to the presynaptic membrane of motoneurons, tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) is internalized and transported retroaxonally to the spinal cord, where it blocks neurotransmitter release from spinal inhibitory interneurons. TeNT cleave specifically at single but different peptide bonds, VAMP/synaptobrevin, a membrane protein of small synaptic vesicles [s]. Kegel et al. in 2002 stated that the 50kD ligh chain subunit comprises of zinc metalloproteases which cleaves synatobrevin that is not involved in neuroexocytosis [t]. Foster in 2009 Stated that TeNT enters the body via wounds and initially binds and internalizes into the peripheral terminals of motorneurons where it is transported by retrograde axonal transport to the motorneuron in the spinal cord. TeNT is transported to somatodendritic postsynaptic sites and is released into the synaptic cleft where it undergoes receptor mediated uptake into the presynaptic termini of the inhibitory interneurons, from where it translocates into the cytosol and inhibits neurotransmitter release. [u]. Starting material for purification of tetanus toxin: Raynaud in 1951 developed a technique of using non-autolyzed toxin direct from the organism i.e. Clostridium tetani [i] .This technique gave an advantage of obtaining a more concentrated form of toxin as compared to that obtained from the filtrates [i][j]. For this purpose the organism was generally cultured and subcultured using Tarozzi medium* and modified Tarozzi medium [j] Latham medium was also widely used for the same reason [j] [k]. M. Matsuda et.al in 1989 also used modified Latham medium for culturing of Clostridium tetani [o]. Muller and Miller in 1954 investigated that pancreatic digest of casein contained some inhibitory content which was solved by charcoal treatment [y]. Toxin was also extracted by treating the bacterial cells in hypertonic solution using 0.1M sodium citrate and 1M sodium chloride as stated by Bernard Bizzini et.al [q] Conventional method to produce tetanus vaccine: The Harvard strain of Clostridium tetani is grown in a fermentor for about a week using a semisynthetic medium. This leads the bacteria to lyze and release the toxin obtained in the supernatant. This method yielded about 60-80 Lf/ml. This yield is then filtered and detoxified using formaldehyde. This reacts with the toxin molecule mainly the amino groups of lysineresulting in imine formation, further reacts with the unstable groups of imidazole or phenol ring finally involves a cross-linking reaction between the both the amino groups. Formaldehyde also affects the 3-D structure, therefore making the toxic conformational epitopes [y]. Purification by HPLC: Kunihiro Ozutsumiet.al. in 1985 used extracts from the organism for purification of tetanus toxin using High performance liquid chromatographic methods (HPLC) [j]. The toxin extracted from the previously described method was initially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by ultracentrifugation in order to get rid of the unwanted particulate matter by filtering it through a 0.2 um membrane filter. The concentrated sample in the equilibrating buffer at a pH of 7.5 proceeded through a final step of purification by running it on HPLC using a column of a TSK G3000 SW of 0.75 x 60 dimensions. This column was equilibrated using 0.1M sodium-phosphate buffer at a pH of 6.8 and the flow rate was maintained at 0.6 ml/min. The fractions obtained were tested for its protein content at 280nm using a UV spectrophotometer [j]. Further the efficiency of HPLC was compared with another gel filtration method using Ultrogel column [j] [o]. Purification using Sephadex G-100: For large scale production of tetanus toxoid, Alcohol precipitation was used for immunization purpose by Pillemer L. et.al [b]. However, Levine et.al in 1951 used to purify the tetanus toxoid by ammonium sulfate precipitation [c]. Later, further purification and characterization of the toxoid was achieved by filtering it through Sephadex gels using G-100 columns as stated by Williams C. et.al in 1965 [d]. This simplified and low cost method yielded four separable fractions of the toxoid where the first two fractions of 55-65% non dialyzable nitrogen possessed significant antigenic properties. The next fraction obtained was of smaller molecular weight and showed poor antigenecity when injected in animals; however the fourth fraction obtained was not identified but was predicted to be metabolic by-products of the organism and had no significant role [d]. Before running on the column the protein concentration was determined using a UV spectrometer at 280nm. Chromatographic gel filtratio n was performed using a column of 1.2 x 0.062 m dimension. The column was packed and equilibrated with 0.1M phosphate buffer with a pH of 8.5, additionally 1% formaldehyde can be added to inhibit the bacterial growth. The void volume after equilibration was maintained at 800ml at the flow rate was fixed at 80ml/hr. The sample loading volume was around 50ml and was concentrated to about 100,000 Lf. The four fractions were collected and were further seperated by recycling them on the same column [d]. This method gave an efficient insight on how to purify and separate different components of the toxoid. M Matsuda in 1989 carried out the separation of fragment A-B treated with urea by running it on a ccolumn packed with Sephadex G-25, equilibrated with 0.02M tris-HCL buffer containing trace amounts of dithiothreitol and urea [o]. Other gels such as Sepharose 4B and Sephadex G-200 was also used by researchers like Bernard Bizzini, Immunodiffusion test was also carried out using Ouchterlony’s method [o] [p] [q]. Papain Digestion of Tetanus toxin: Further research by Helting and Zwister in 1974 made possible to obtain fragment C from Tetanus toxin which has significant antigenic properties but lack pathogenecity and thus occupies a major role in immunization [e]. Helting et.al stated that Tetanus toxin can be degraded in a specific pattern. The mild papain digestion cleaves the F(ab) region. The papain enzyme breaks the 150kD toxin into two parts, one comprising of the C-terminal of the heavy chain i.e. of 47kD which corresponds to the Fragment C of the toxin whereas the other part of 95kD consists of N-terminal heavy chain subunit along with the lighter chain polypeptide forming the fragment B (refer to Figure 2). This Fragment B was observed to have a toxic effect on mice when injected with a sufficient dose and also has an adverse effect on the nervous system, thus it was necessary to purify and obtain only Fragment C for immunization and to further study its immune response [f]. The purified Fragment C was separated and ob tained by chromatographic methods and by using anti-Fragment C IgG [f]. Ulrich Weller in 1989 performed papain digestion for 16 hours of overnight stirring of the toxin at 25Â °C at a concentration of 40ug/ml. The toxin was suspended in 10mM sodium-phosphate buffer at pH of 6.5 with 1mM EDTA and NaN3 and 10mM cysteine. After the incubation period 0.5mM of Ll-chloro-3-tosylamido-7-amino-2-heptanone was added as a stop solution in order to inactivate papain by further incubating it at room temperature for 30 min and was then cooled to 0Â °C with saturated ammonium sulfate solution at pH 6.5 with further centrifugation. The precipitate was resuspended in the same buffer mentioned. This further proceeded for its separation and purification on Sephadex G-100 column and the fractions were collected at the flow rate of 15ml/hr b*. These fractions were further pooled and contrated using a Centiprep 10 concentrator and the buffer was changed to 0.5 M NaCl with 30mM Tris-HCl at pH 7.5. The fragments B and C showed up homogenously on SDS-PAGE. The fragment C was further dialyzed against 10mM sodium phosphate buffer at a pH of 7.5. The samples obtained were further checked for its protein content at 285nm and was determined by modified lowry method after trichloroacetic acid precipitation. They also ran an SDS-PAGE using rerducing and non-reducing gels and was stained by Coomassie blue-250 and the chains and fragments of the toxin were determined according to their known amino acid sequence b* Other methods developed to obtain fragment C: Fishman et al. (1992) Pointed out that the non-toxic binding fragment of tetanus toxin (fragment C) binds avidly to neural tissue and has a growing number of neurobiological uses. Its current utility is limited by both its high commercial cost and the complex procedure for its preparation requiring highly purified tetanus toxin. A short procedure was developed which prepares fragments of tetanus toxin from crude C. tetani extracts. The resultant proteins are atoxic with molecular sizes and immunological properties closely resembling fragment C. These proteins undergo retrograde axonal and apparent transneuronal transport in a fashion similar to fragment C [v]. Ledoux et al. in 1994 Indicated that tetanus toxin once internalized via receptor-mediated endocytosis, form membrane channels in order to traverse the endosomal membrane and enter the cytoplasm of the nerve terminal forming an association between neurotoxin monomers which results in an oligomeric form of the neurotoxin necessary for assembly of a channel through the hydrophobic interior of the endosomal membrane, thereby allowing passage of the neurotoxin or its active fragment through the resulting pore [w]. Technique used to test the specificity of the heavy and light chain subunits: Matsuda and Yoneda in 1975 isolated the heavy and light chain subunits from a toxin reduced by treatment with dithiothreitol-urea[g] [h]. Kunihiro Ozutsumiet.al. in 1985 used the technique of electrophoresis using sodium-dodecyl-sulphate polyacrylamide gel i.e. SDS-PAGE as shown in Figure (3). and was further used to put up a western blot in order to check the specificity of the isolated subunits obtained [l] [m] [j]. SDS-PAGE allowed the toxin to stack at 49kD corresponding to the fragment C subunit and 85kD comprising of the 4heavy chain subunit [j] Goretzki and Habermann in 1985 characterized enzymatic fragments of tetanus toxin by immunoblotting using a set of previously characterized antibodies and a set of novel antibodies. The selected antibodies recognized the light chain, fragment C (ÃŽ ²1) and the complementary piece (ÃŽ ²2) of the heavy chain when blotted on nitrocellulose. All toxin preparations contained intrinsic esteroprotease activity which became manifest in the presence of urea. The main product of papain hydrolysis is fragment C, which appears as a double band under non reducing conditions but is homogeneous when reduced. Chymotryptic digestion hydrolyses the heavy chain well but leaves the light chain largely intact. Tetanus toxin is very resistant against trypsin as compared with other proteases, although this enzyme splits numerous different links [x].

Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - Hamlets Madness :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Hamlet's Madness         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   `What is madness?   Is someone mad merely because they are different, and do they in return see the same about the world?   The dictionary defines madness as, â€Å"1.   the state of being mad; insanity.   2.   senseless folly.   3.   frenzy; rage.   4.   intense excitement or hilarity.†Ã‚   Though is there a difference between madness and wrath or rage? Was Hamlet mad, or was it one big act in order to give reason for his irrational actions and to keep his vengeful motives confidential?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, these questions are continually asked and some are answered.   Hamlet, the protagonist, has lost his father by murder, and is urged to seek vengeance by his father who appears to him as a ghost. This raises the first bit of suspicion of madness.   Hamlet talks with his father and is told,      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet: If thou didst ever thy dear father love-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most would say that the fact that he saw the ghost of his dead father would be enough to warrant that he is insane.   The only fact that hinders this observation is the fact that others saw the ghost as well and were even the ones who told young Hamlet of his appearance.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many may see Hamlet being insane only by the worldly view of him being different. Though towards the end of the play in Act III, Gertrude calls her son to her chambers to discuss the reasoning of his putting on a play so closely related to the death of his father.   She tells him how upset Claudius is and is weary of Hamlet's recent actions.   At this Hamlet explodes on his mother and threatens to kill her.   Gertrude cries for help, and Pilonius answers this cry. Hamlet runs him through with his rapier without even thinking.   Hamlet tells her to report to Claudius this message:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gertrude:   Mad as the sea and wind when both contend   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Which is mightier.   In his lawless fit,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Behind the arras hearing something stir,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whips out his rapier, cries â€Å"A rat, a rat,†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And in this brainish apprehension kills   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unseen good old man.    This incident shows Hamlet's wanting others to think that he is truly mad.   But was it his insanity that brought about the rash action of killing the unknown man behind the tapestry or was it his postponed revenge that consumed him. Is there a difference?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet in many incidence's tells people of his insanity, he tells Guildenstern that he is mad.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Guildenstern: My lord, we were sent for.

Creating a Plan of Positive Influence

When creating a plan for positive influence leaderships must focus on an array of characteristics of the employee. Organizational culture is important to the success of the employees and the company. ABC Tax Preparation Company wants to engage its staff in creating new revenue streams for the company. The company must identify traits demonstrated by employees to help create a profile of how individuals are motivated and open to improving his or her performance in the workplace. Research has shown there are several methods to induce motivation, performance, and job satisfaction (Yukl, 2006). This is a description on a plan identifying the implementation strategies to create, engage, and sustain employee in the workplace. The methods employers use to engage employees concentrate on attitudes, emotions, personalities, and values of individuals. In addition, the importance of diverse behavior and the influence it has on team collaboration and cohesion in the workplace is addressed. Objective ABC Tax Preparation Company is a small company attempting to expand its business through the implementation of new products and services. The company has a very small budget so it is important to maximize efforts to stay within the specified budget. The objective is to create a plan to influence employees to generate ideas on how to growth the company with new products and services. ABC Tax Preparation believes by engaging all employees to get involved in the brainstorming process will help the company with its goals and stay within budget. Providing employees with incentives persuades employees to go above and beyond to differentiate performance levels from its competitors (Love 2 rewards,2013). Outline of the Plan ABC Tax Preparation Company creates a profile of all employees to determine individual motivators, skills, creativity, strengths, and weaknesses. This is accomplished thought a series of test and skill determining exercises. First, the company implements motivational exercises and incentive to build moral within the company. Developing employee excitement to accept change and learning new task is a dynamic process important to moving a company in a positive direction. The next phase is getting to know the employees by determining his or her stressors, stimulators, and how individual measure success (Bass, 1990). The individual’s attitude, beliefs, experiences, ethics, and values are evaluated to determine if he or she align with the company’s visions and goals. Once these factors are determined, the company trains employees on conflict resolution and problem-solving techniques to help in the education process. This type of training is important because knowing how to deal with problems helps individuals to learn to deal with situations and create alternative solutions to solve issues. After employees are educated on techniques and other skills the company allows the creative process to occur and wait for the positive feedback. Once feedback is rendered the company will select the best ideas and start the implementation process to build new revenue streams for the company. How differences influence Behavior Diverse workforces interact with leaders, management, and subordinate in a distinctive way. Individuals coming from diverse backgrounds and cultures respond to direction and commands different from individuals in a familiar setting. Behavior has a direct effect on the way people perceive things and how different personality traits play a role on the performance of the individual (Robbins & Judge, 2007). Understanding and recognizing the relationship between variables influences behavior and aids in creating productive and motivated employees. ABC Tax Preparation Company employs a multicultural staff therefore there are different languages, beliefs, customs, and ideas management must consider when make decision. Leadership has to take into consideration when selecting holidays and other factors that all parties are represented equally. If employees do not feel, they are treated like the majority than the company is open for potential legal issues as a result. How plan influences positive change Motivation is a key component to creating an environment offering optimization of performance in the workplace. Change can be difficult for companies some employees embrace change and others fear change. Developing a plan to influences positive change requires understanding, educating, and motivating the employee. Brainstorming allows the employees to highlight creativity, education, and other skill-sets that will develop growth for the individual. Encouraging employees to engage in business activities builds moral and creates a collaborative work environment. Productivity is generated when employees are working together to achieve the same goals and objectives. Setting examples to show employees everyone is important and involved in the developmentally stages of the process give team-members a sense of worth, thus producing positive results. Making the employee understand the behavior presented determines the level of growth him or her may experience. Positive attitude can dive the individual faster than negative or unsure attitude. Conclusion ABC tax Preparation Company chooses to prioritize the engagement of its employees to aid in the implementation of a new revenue source for the company. Creating a plan to influence its employees to experience positive attitude toward changes is imperative to the process. A clear objective is outlined to determine what is needed to reach the goals of the company. ABC Tax Preparation Company outlines the details of the plan as proves motivated employees are productive employees when leadership creates cohesion in the workplace. Diversity in the workplace influences behavior by allowing individuals to express themselves and collaborated among each other to create innovative products and services for the company. The Initiation of a plan produces positive results for the company by setting a blueprint of how the company will use new ideas to generate new revenue streams for the company.

English Study Topic By The Company He Keeps

A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses. This quote simply tells one that you become who you are around. This means that people who have bad company will become bad company themselves. But interaction with other people is not all bad. Instead of this, looking for company that will improve who a person becomes is the best idea. The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you associate; either for the good, or the bad.Sometimes hanging out less with certain types of people will improve life through decisions made (or not made). Setting the bar high for friends is an important aspect of maturity. An important attribute found in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. While it is better to be alone than in bad company, good company is even better. Anita Desai has long proved herself one of the most accomplished and admired chroniclers of middl e-class India.Her 1999 novel, Fasting, Feasting, is the tale of plain and lumpish Uma and the cherished, late-born Arun, daughter and son of strict and conventional parents. So united are her parents in Uma's mind that she conflates their names. â€Å"MamaPapa themselves rarely spoke of a time when they were not one. The few anecdotes they related separately acquired great significance because of their rarity, their singularity. † Throughout, Desai perfectly matches form and content: details are few, the focus narrow, emotions and needs given no place.Uma, as daughter and female, expects nothing; Arun, as son and male, is lost under the weight of expectation. Now in her 40s, Uma is at home. Attempts at arranged marriages having ended in humiliation and disaster, and she is at MamaPapa's beck and call, with only her collection of bracelets and old Christmas cards for consolation. Uma flounces off, her grey hair frazzled, her myopic eyes glaring behind her spectacles, muttering under her breath. The parents, momentarily agitated upon their swing by the sudden invasion of ideas–sweets, parcel, letter, sweets–settle back to their slow, rhythmic swinging.They look out upon the shimmering heat of the afternoon as if the tray with tea, with sweets, with fritters, will materialise and come swimming out of it–to their rescue. With increasing impatience, they swing and swing. Arun, in college in Massachusetts, is none too happily spending the summer with the Pattons in the suburbs: their refrigerator and freezer is packed with meat that no one eats, and Mrs. Patton is desperate to be a vegetarian, like Arun. But what he most wants is to be ignored, invisible. â€Å"Her words make Arun wince.Will she never learn to leave well alone? She does not seem to have his mother's well-developed instincts for survival through evasion. After a bit of pushing about slices of tomatoes and leaves of lettuce–in his time in America he has developed a hearty abhorrence for the raw foods everyone here thinks the natural diet of a vegetarian–he dares to glance at Mr. Patton. † Desai's counterpointing of India and America is a little forced, but her focus on the daily round, whether in the Ganges or in New England, finely delineates the unspoken dramas in both cultures.And her characters, capable of their own small rebellions, give Fasting, Feasting its sharp bite. –Ruth Petrie From Publishers Weekly Short-listed for the 1999 Booker Prize, Desai's stunning new novel (after Journey to Ithaca) looks gently but without sentimentality at an Indian family that, despite Western influence, is bound by Eastern traditions. As Desai's title implies, the novel is divided into two parts. At the heart of Part One, set in India, is Uma, the eldest of three children, the overprotected daughter who finds herself starved for a life.Plain, myopic and perhaps dim, Uma gives up school and marriage, finding herself in her 40s looking after her demanding if well-meaning parents. Uma's younger, prettier sister marries quickly to escape the same fate, but seems dissatisfied. Although the family is â€Å"quite capable of putting on a progressive, Westernized front,† it's clear that privileges are still reserved for boys. When her brother, Arun, is born, Uma is expected to abandon her education at the convent school to take care of him.It is Arun, the ostensibly privileged son, smothered by his father's expectations, who is the focus of the second part of the novel. The summer after his freshman year at the University of Massachusetts, Arun stays with the Pattons, an only-too-recognizable American family. While Desai paints a nuanced and delicate portrait of Uma's family, here the writer broadens her brush strokes, starkly contrasting the Pattons' surfeit of food and material comforts with the domestic routine of the Indian household.Indeed, Desai is so adept at portraying Americans through Indian eyes that t he Pattons remain as inscrutable to the reader as they are to Arun. But Arun himself, as he picks his way through a minefield of puzzling American customs, becomes a more sympathetic character, and his final act in the novel suggests both how far he has come and how much he has lost. Although Desai takes a risk in shifting from the endearing Uma to Arun, she has much to say in this graceful, supple novel about the inability of the families in either culture to nurture their children. (Jan. ) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Sustainable Lifestyle

Sustainable living is the maintaining of one's life or lifestyle at a steady level without exhausting resources or causing damage to the environment. It is a lifestyle that assumes continuous economic growth without irreversibly damaging the environment. Sustainable living is also a lifestyle that reduces an individual's use of natural resource. Having a sustainable lifestyle brings about change especially in the society.It provides us with the energy we need to be a positive force in the world. It is also about taking control of our own lives positively by getting what we need and to what we want, changing direction of the world and not destroying it, setting an intention that fosters and empowers the things we care about, which in the end gives us strength, clarity and purpose to live a better life. Living a sustainable lifestyle is more about common sense & making practical choices.Because sustainable living is all about making choices in the modern world, it is easily accomplishe d by breaking down the requirements of living into the following categories: Shelter, Food, Water, Power, Transportation and Waste. These categories represent all the areas in which sustainable living choices can be made. When it comes to Shelter, smaller homes are preferable as it creates a more fulfilling sustainable lifestyle both Indoor and outdoor. Smaller homes need less utility payment because fewer materials went Into its construction and therefore fewer materials are needed to maintain It.There would be fewer belongings, less debt and greater freedom for those who choose It. As for food, reducing consumption is the starting point towards achieving a sustainable lifestyle. According to Victoria Klein, the Author of 48 things to know about Sustainable living, â€Å"The mantra for sustainable living is: Reduce, Reuse and Recycling†. This way, we have the capacity to endure, save time, spend money wisely, and reduce waste and electricity. We would also have the ability t o simplify our everyday life.One of the challenges of living a sustainable life Is to find balance In our personal lives because for many people, sustainability Is all about balance. To find balance In our world, we must find balance In ourselves and we begin by taking care of ourselves, then our families and environment. Sustainable living Is very Important In the world we live In because there Is only a limited amount of natural sources on the earth and when It runs out, there would be none left.For example, you don't need to take your car If you are not going somewhere far, you don't need to throw away your plastic bottles when you know It can still be used (by recycling), you don't need to waste electricity during the day when you know there Is solar power (It Is sustainable)available. Changing your lifestyle to be more sustainable offers opportunities to save more money, help Increase the quality of home and possessions and contribute to a healthier style of living on the Earth .Living sustainable meaner that whatever we do has the least Impact, the least waste and Is a cycle and meaner that can be repeated Indefinitely without cumulative damage to the world. We need to eat the right foods, educate ourselves (know little of everything) and make friends. A sustainable life Is one In which physical and spiritual health provides us with energy to affect positive change In our society. In order for us to live a sustainable life, we need to find something positive that Inspires us. Positive reinforcement to the g things that inspire us would serve as a boost when maintain a sustainable lifestyle.