Harrison Bergeron Essay Essay Example

Harrison Bergeron Essay Essay Example Harrison Bergeron Essay Essay Harrison Bergeron Essay Essay Kurt Vonnegut’s short narrative â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is about a futuristic society where beauty is destroyed to make equality. It centers around the highest functionary. suitably named. the General Handicapper. His lone function to to seek out and happen to people who are skilled. reasonably. or good at athleticss and forced them to conceal off these endowments through masks and delaies. It is through basic literary elements that Vonnegut creates and develops the subject that general conformance leads to the distortion of humanity. The short narrative begins in the hereafter. â€Å"The twelvemonth was 2081† and Vonnegut instantly puts out the benefits of this futuristic society. saying â€Å"everybody was eventually equal† and non merely equal â€Å"before God† but in â€Å"every way† possible ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 7 ) . Vonnegut’s description foreshadows what is to come in the novel and surely this forced equality can merely take to a unsafe and potentially lifelessly stoping. Conformity and the effects of uniformity is a common subject in the majority of scientific discipline fiction literature and Vonnegut’s short narratives are no different. : However. in â€Å"Harrison Bergergon† non merely the subject of uniformity is explore but besides the depriving off of humanity. This short narrative. the authorities forces everyone to be equal –â€Å"nobody was smarter than anybody else. Cipher was better looking than anybody else. Cipher was stronger or quicker than anybody else. † ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 7 ) . Government agents force people who are beautiful to have on ugly masks and people who are thin are forced to transport around weights. The end of all this control is to do certain that everyone has the same disability. the same characteristics. and the same feelings. Even odder is that smart people were forced to have on wirelesss which interfered with there encephalon functional making a human society where everyone was every bit stupid. By extinguishing the the issues. which modern society still deals with. of racism. sexism. and favoritism based on expressions. Vonnegut’s future society should be healthy and happy because everyone is the same. However. in the chase of equality the loss of humanity took topographic point. Humanity is based on the thought of independency and individuality. The featured supporter of this short narrative and namesake is Harrison Bergeron. He is a bright and friendly male child who has the most despised qualities in his society. He is intelligent. handsome. tall. and strong. Due to Harrision’s characteristics he is required to make several things to counterbalance for all his good quality. He is capable to wireless noises which stops his concentration and focal point. He has to transport 100s of lbs of excess weight. He besides have to have on Sun spectacless which gives him a caput and he has to undergo surgery garrison Os make him ugly. While expecting his surgery he escapes and takes over a intelligence station. On air he takes off his disabilities and is revealed to society. When enters the station he is looks â€Å"like a walking debris pace. † required to have on â€Å"a ruddy gum elastic ball for a olfactory organ. maintain his superciliums shaved off. and cover his even white dentitions with black caps at snaggle-tooth random† ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 21 ) . He besides meets up with a danseuse and she excessively casts off her imposed disablements. When the twosome dances they shrug off the jurisprudence of gravitation and the Torahs of gesture as good. † jumping to snog the thirty-foot ceiling until eventually â€Å"they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling. and they kissed each other for a long. long clip. † It is so that Glampers enters with her shotgun† ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 22 ) . Unfortunately both are killed by the General Handicapper. As a bomber secret plan his parents are watching the intelligence station but one time everything is said and done they can non retrieve what has happened due their forced disabilities. Irony is another literary device that Vonnegut uses in this short narrative. Vonnegut remarks on the look-ism which is evident in American society. Vonnegut even appears misanthropic about what passes every bit mean in America. â€Å"Hazel had a absolutely mean intelligence. which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts† ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 20 ) . The observation on the danseuse continues the undercutting wit: â€Å"They weren’t truly really good–no better than anybody else would hold been. anyway† ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 20 ) . Heavy sarcasm emerges in the drudgery Hazel’s losing the point. as when she sympathizes with the bumbling announcer for seeking â€Å"real hard† to make his best or suggests George might take some of his weights in the eventides. Intensifying the sarcasm she says. â€Å"‘I think I’d make a good Handicapper General. ‘ ‘Good as anybody else. ’ said George. † The scope of sounds and the amusing ferociousness of their consequence provides another beginning of comedy. One of George’s winces prompts Hazel to inquire the cause. â€Å"Sounded like person hitting a milk bottle with a cock. † he replies. Another sounds like a 21 gun salutation that leaves George â€Å"white and trembling† and leaves two of the danseuse on the floor seizing their temples. The concluding 1 is a absorbing gun. â€Å"Gee–I could state that one was a doozy. † said Hazel. â€Å"You can state that once more. † said George. â€Å"Gee–† said Hazel–â€Å"I could state that one was a doozy. † ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 41 ) Hazel’s stupid behaviour and mentality symbolizes the dumbing down of America. In add-on the telecasting is every bit symbolic. When this book was written. the telecasting was now found in every place throughout the state. It became the manner that people communicated and received intelligence. Reading. literature. and human interaction decreased and was replaced by the mindless yak of telecasting shows and governmentally run intelligence broadcasts. Hazel’s antipathy to the old yearss when she could be made to experience like â€Å"something the cat dragged in† ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 22 ) evidently is non really persuasive The narrative in â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is besides interesting. This is because the narrative is 3rd individual. as if individual is looking back on the events that merely happened. Third individual omnipresent is an interesting pick for narrative because it allows the reader into the heads of all characters. For illustration Vonnegut reminds the readers. in 3rd individual narration Cipher can be in any manner superior to anybody else. as guaranteed by â€Å"the 211th. 212th. and 213th Amendments to the Constitution. and to the ageless watchfulness of the agents of the United States Handicapper General† ( Vonnegut. 1968. p. 20 ) . In peculiar. the motives of each character which inspire their actions and words. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is a really alone short narrative because Vonnegut manipulates basic literary elements and creates a sarcasm of American ideals and social norms. Vonnegut is able excessively. in a lingua and cheek mode. demo how the authorities can make a society which lacks humanity. A authorities that is left uncontrolled can exercise such great power that it can destruct what makes human alone animals on this planet. In making so. people become mindless and vulnerable to the governmental propaganda that tells the citizens of a society that these regulations are for their ain good.

Laborers of the 1920s essays

Laborers of the 1920's essays Laborers in the 1920's had it made. New technology and machinery produced products twice as fast and rolled in the big bucks for companies. This new technology and machinery made working life for them easier and less stressfull. There was less to do, yet they produced a lot more while doing less. In buisnesses like Ford Motor Company the new technology, which in this case was the assembly line, helped Henry Ford produce thousands of Model T's a month for the wanting public. The workers in the Ford production plants got more leisure time due to the decrease in work hours in the factories, which was made possible by the major decrease in production time. Before the inventions of the new technology and machinery in factories, workers had to put everything together by themselves using nothing but their hands. After the inventions of the new technology and machinery workers had to do less with their hands because the machines helped them out. The assembly line pushed the cars along while passing through different stations one after another. Each station had a specific task that was to be done there. Instead of of the workers hauling the car around on dollies while it was being put together the assembly line carried it along, this decreased the production time dramatically, Which helped workers get paid more because the buisness was making more. New technology brought new consistant ways of working. This for the most part, eliminated human error and brought in new, more efficient. These new products could now be mass produced because of the new machinery and inventions. The mass production helped workers produce more products which again brought in the big bucks for the company and the workers. Laborers of the 1920's also had another part of their life, their leisure time. The inventions of new products some of which they produced themselves, brought more fun and less work to their normal lives. The automobile brought a sense of ad...

Human Involvement in Hazardous Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Involvement in Hazardous Evolution - Essay Example Number of species that evolved resistance to a minimum of one insecticide had gone beyond 500 by the year 1990. It takes on an average 10 years for a species to develop resistance to a particular drug (1786, 7 September 2001, Science's Compass). The evolution is caused by the change in traits of an insect that were susceptible to a particular insecticide. As a natural adaptation to the drug by genetic variation in its offspring, it supports the survival of that particular species. It appears as a genetic directional change to overcome the lethal influence of the drug. Thus evolution triggered by excessive human activities gives way to undesirable and more resistant type of insects that would put forth a new challenge that is much more difficult to overcome. I believe human activities need to have controlled commercialisation to reduce the speed of such evolution.

Education in Texas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Education in Texas - Essay Example Origins of Public Education in Texas The origins of the public education system in Texas grew out of the dissolution of an alliance between Mexico and Texas. Prior to 1835 the agreement between the two states stipulated that Mexico be responsible for education in that particular region of the United States. Because of the dissolution of the agreement and the enactment of the Texas Declaration of Independence of 1836 the responsibility of educating the public shifted from Mexico to the State of Texas. Major Milestones The education system in Texas has progressively evolved over the last 150 years. The development of the education system grew in response to the needs of the citizens and the demands of regional commerce. Some of the major historical milestones of the education system in Texas include: 1840 – First Anglo-American school opened; 17,712 acres of land in each county in the state designated for public schools (Texas Education Agency, 2011). 1845 – A specific pe rcentage of annual tax revenue set aside for free public education; creation of the Permanent School Fund (McClellan, 2011). 1876 – State Constitution of 1876 set aside 45 million acres of public lands for schools; funds held within the Permanent School Fund invested in bonds (Texas Education Agency, 2011). 1884 - School laws rewritten; re-creation of the duties and responsibilities of the State Superintendent of Education; ad valorem tax affirmed to create a consistent source of income for the public education system (Texas Education Agency, 2011). 1885 - Statewide school accreditation system developed and implemented (Texas Education Agency, 2011). 1949 - Senator A. M. Aikin and State Representative Claud Gilmer organize committees to reform education system (Gilmer-Aikin laws); teachers’ salaries and standardization of teaching credentials established (Erekson, 2010, p. 1033) 1957 – Assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Gilmer-Aikin laws (Texa s Education Agency, 2011). 1984 - House Bill 72 increased teachers’ salaries and restructured school financing enabling a shift of resources from wealthier school districts to poorer performing districts (Texas Education Agency, 2011). 2001- No Child Left Behind (U.S. Department of Education, 2011). Reforms and Revisions The development of the education system, management agencies, state municipalities, along with individual school districts throughout the State has been an ongoing process. Pivotal events in the United States’ history such as the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and integration influenced the formation of the education system in Texas. From the inception and establishment of the first public school in 1840, leaders, elected administrators, and lawmakers sought ways in which to deliver the highest quality of education available for the residents of Texas (Texas Education Agency, 2011). Provisions for permanent funding for the education system did not occ ur until 1845 in which the Permanent School Fund was created. The fund created specific financing options for educating students in Texas; its purpose was to lighten the burden on citizens paying taxes and to produce an alternate way of funding public education. The predecessor of the Permanent Sch

How Effective Was Elizabeths Government Essay Example for Free

How Effective Was Elizabeths Government Essay Elizabeth needed to win support of her people including nobles at court and ordering people in the country. She needed to do this in order to gain respect and run the government successfully form everyone, and good publicity was a good way of doing this. Elizabeths first chance to achieve goods publicity was at her coronation. She held it in London on the 15th January 1559. Elizabeth was determined to make it as impressive as possible. There were colourful procession and a royal journey by barge along the river Thames. The streets were lined with people and many important visitors attended. There was also grand for them that lasted ten days and all the costs led up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½16000 a huge sum of money in those days. Also, Elizabeth used portraits to let ordinary people see what she looked like and for publicity. In these portraits, she made the artists paint her powerfully. In her portrait of Elizabeths coronation, she was painted holding an orb and a sceptre, the symbols of a monarchs power and authority. Elizabeths portraits were very important and she wanted them to show five main things: * Strength and power: She wanted to show than she was ruling the country wisely and successfully. * Wealth: It was important to distinguish Queens financial difficulties. * Ageless: As Elizabeth grew older, it was important to hide signs of age because this is a sign of weakness. * Success and wisdom: Elizabeth wanted her paintings to show that she was strong and powerful. She often had symbols of strength in her paintings such as pillars. * Legitimacy and purity: Roman Catholics thought that Queen Elizabeth had no right tot be Queen and was illegitimate. Therefore, to show her purity her face and clothes were usually white. Elizabeths portraits and coronation showed her as a successful ruler but even good publicity cold not distinguish failures. In addition, Elizabeths success would depend on how well she governed the country. She also needed to win the support of her wealthy and powerful. The Queen was the most important member of the court. Elizabeth used patronage, which is the power to appoint people to important jobs. This is how she attracted the loyalty and support of her most important subjects. I think that Queen Elizabeths ways of peoples support were very successful. For example, the system of patronage was effective as this gave people jobs, which was what they wanted, she made them respect her by making herself the most important person in court and the person with the most power over decisions. Elizabeth chose and controlled her privy council. By January 1559, Elizabeth had appointed nineteen experienced men to her privy council. None were strong Catholics and she appointed William Cecil as her secretary of state the most important position on the Privy Council. Sir William Cecil (secretary of state): He was hard working and he knew about all government business. He was not afraid to disagree with the Queen or others on the Privy Council. Queen Elizabeth trusted him completely and he was a loyal adviser to her for forty years. Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester): He disliked Cecil and often disagreed with him. He was a loyal advisor to the Queen but they had several quarrels. Sir Christopher Hatton (Parliament): Organised the Queens progresses and was elected into parliament several times. Helped Elizabeth to pass laws and control MPs. Also made lord councillor, in charge of judges and law courts. Sir Francis Walsingham (Secretary of State): Worked mainly on foreign affairs. He was put in charge of Elizabeths secret service controlled a number of spies all over Europe. Also often disagreed with Cecil, and he often made Elizabeth angry but she knew he was completely loyal. He found evidence in 1586 Mary Queen of Scots was involved in a plot to kill the Queen. Robert Devereux: commanded attacks on Spain and Ireland. Often argued with Elizabeth. In 1601, he led a rebellion and was executed for treason. The Privy Council met nearly every day and although Elizabeth didnt go to all meetings. She was determined to show that she was a cautious ruler. She didnt like making big changes or being rushed into making decisions. This often frustrated her councillors but they were completely loyal to her apart for two exceptions: Duke of Norfolk Earl of Essex I think that this aspect of the government was very effective and successful as they helped Elizabeth and they were nearly all completely loyal to her apart from two people (mentioned above). I think that this was successful because she let all the members know who was boss and was not rushed into anything. She also chose her members very wisely and each member had their own speciality. Parliament in the sixteenth century was much less powerful than it was today. It could only meet when the monarch called it. Although Elizabeth didnt have to call the call parliament at all and she could close it whenever she liked. She chose to call in only thirteen times in her forty-five year reign. Elizabeth only called parliament for three main reasons: * To help pass ACTS OF PARLIAMENT laws which were approved by both house of parliament and the monarch. * To approve taxes, which could only be collected if parliament agreed to them? * To provide her with support and advice It was very useful for monarchs to know the opinion of MPs and win there support. This part of the government was not as important to Elizabeth as the Privy Council. I think that she did not like opening and going to parliament but she had to in order to get what she wanted. I think she just used parliament for her own needs. Although she was pretty, effective at getting what she wanted from them. Elizabeth never explained why she didnt marry. Although there were some rumours that she was in love with Robert Dudley and wanted to marry him, there is no evidence to prove this. Elizabeth kept her thought on marriage private. Parliament asked her to marry several times but she only gave a vague answer. Later in the reign, when her MPs asked who was her successor, she always refused. A few things that may have caused her not to marry are: * Marriage might have been unpopular and cause a rebellion * Lose friendship with other countries and become enemies. * If she married an English nobleman her other nobles would be disappointed and start a rebellion. * That she thought her husband would try to take control. Why Elizabeth didnt marry became a mystery and although parliament tried to force the issue of her marrying, she never did. If Elizabeth was going to govern the country successfully, she had to control all her people. This wasnt easy. Elizabeth didnt have a permanent army or a police force to help her. However, Elizabeth appointed officers around the country, to help her control local areas. Also in towns wealthy citizens elected councils to look after the towns affairs and keep the law in order. The local officials with whom most people met were the Justice of the Peace (JPs). Elizabeth elected about forty of them in every county. They were usually landowners who knew there area well. This work was voluntary, however many landowners still wanted to become a JP as it meant that they were the most important person in the area. The Queen expected her Justice of the peace to carry out a range of duties. JP were given more and more work to do during Elizabeths reign. They were often given instruction form the Privy Council to carry out new laws form parliament to enforce. I think that this method was an effective way of keeping the country in order. However, it became less efficient as Elizabeths reign progressed. In addition, Elizabeth had a big enough reputation to persuade people to become JPs voluntarily. Overall, I think that Elizabeths government was very effective. I think she controlled the country well and thorough out her reign there were no wars or rebellions in England and she had a good relationship with other countries. In addition, Elizabeth knew how to get her point across and she made herself the most important person in court and made sure that she was in control and never let anyone take control away for her. Maybe that was the reason that she never married because she was afraid that her husband would try to do so. Also Elizabeth publicised herself well and let people know what qualities she had and let people know that she was suitable for queen as was the right person to run the country.

Virtual Banking :: essays research papers

TABLE OF CONTENTS 01.00............ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 02.00............ TRENDS IN RETAIL BANKING 03.00............ ABOUT THE INTERNET 04.00............ VIRTUAL BANKING AND APPLICATIONS 04.01............ SMART CARDS 05.00............ EXAMPLES 06.00............ SECURITY ON THE INTERNET 06.01............ CRYPTOGRAPHY 06.02............ FIREWALLS 06.03............ TRUSTED OPERATING SYSTEMS 07.00............. REGULATIONS AND PROBLEMS 08.00............ CONCLUSION . 09.00†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. REFERENCES 01.00 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Internet is emerging as an efficient delivery channel for financial services. With Internet banking, customers do not need to have special bank-issued software. Banks maintain their identity and can differentiate themselves by customizing the services And information they provide over the Internet. 02.00 TRENDS IN RETAIL BANKING What does better customer mean? Increasingly, customers are demanding more convenient ways to do their banking. An Ernst and Young study (Technology in Banking Report) concluded that "nothing changes in the banking world if customers cannot get financial services when and where they wish...this means anywhere, at any time." Statistics show that ATM's, telephone banking, and home banking account for over fifty percent of all banking transactions today, and total non-branch activity is growing at fifteen percent a year. In one survey (Web-Tech, Inc., May 17, 1995), eighty-two percent of 18- to 34-year olds polled preferred banks with 24-hour service. Customers are also demanding a more sophisticated mix of products tailored specifically to their financial needs, and non-bank competitors are better fulfilling these needs. Banks today hold only 20% of household financial assets, versus 34% twenty years ago; they have 30% of business deposits, versus 42% only seven years ago. Nonbank credit card providers have gained inroads against banks, holding a 25% market share versus 5% in 1986 (WebTech, Inc., May 17, 1995). Internet banking offers an attractive solution to this redesigned products and services. Customers have 24-hour graphical-interface access to their accounts and appreciate that their bank is doing something to make banking easier for them. 03.00 ABOUT THE INTERNET The Internet has exploded in the last two years thanks to the invention of the so-called "browser." A browser is a point-and-click software program that allows "surfers" to navigate around the Internet without knowing any UNIX commands. The first browser was developed by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, a government agency. With a browser and access to the Internet, you can order a pizza, listen to and purchase a CD, stroll through the Louvre, or view satellite photographs of Scotland. Although it may get congested from time to time, the Internet itself is extremely reliable. There is not actually any one network that is the Internet; it is made up of thousands of networks that connect to each other through common routes, and they all agree to carry each other's traffic. There is a lot of money flowing up from local

Calyx & Corolla

Calyx & Corolla formula 1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Calyx & Corolla formula? Strengths ?Through working closely with the supplier or grower Calyx & Corolla provides a much fresher product to the customer than their competitors. Through Federal Express Calyx & Corolla have an excellent relationship with the growers. Calyx & Corolla uses 30 quality growers to supply their flowers. The top eight of these growers supply close to 80% of their orders, however no one grower supplies more than 25% of its products to Calyx & Corolla (Wylie and Salmon, 1999).Calyx & Corolla has exclusivity agreements with all growers they do business with. The management of Calyx & Corolla works very closely with the growers on a continual basis to ensure that quality arrangements and packaging are achieved. Growers are paid wholesale prices and an extra surcharge to provide the extra services of arranging and packaging the flowers. To accomplish these extra services or retail responsibilit ies, the growers employ additional people.Calyx & Corolla senior managers stay in close contact with representatives from each grower they do business with to collaborate on availability of flowers, arrangements, schedules, accessories and packaging supplies. Calyx & Corolla's relationship with their shipper, Federal Express, is just as strong and critical as their relationship with the suppliers. They have a special contract with Federal Express that includes special handling of the packaged flowers. During peak periods, Federal Express provides trailers to the growers to expedite the shipping process. During adverse onditions, such as extreme weather, Federal Express provides extra delivery services by not leaving packages in situations where the flowers could be damaged or ruined. To help track shipments and provide better customer service, Federal Express provides computer terminals to both Calyx ; Corolla and the suppliers. Because the majority of their business is realized dur ing peak periods, around holidays, Calyx ; Corolla is working to help alleviate the peaks. By offering continuity programs, promotional tie-ins and corporate client business, they can offset slow periods and lessen the mpact of sudden demand during peak periods. The management team at Calyx ; Corolla works very closely with their own staff. Realizing the importance of a high quality sales and customer service staff, they hire serviceoriented people with a genuine interest in flowers and plants. Senior managers are personally involved in the training and daily working environment of their employees. Calyx ; Corolla had nearly an 80% margin of flower sales (Wylie and Salmon, 1991), and possessed an experienced and dedicated management team and a sophisticated information system and customer database to analyze sales.Calyx ; Corolla appears to have a strong potential for a bright future, but the company also had some apparent weaknesses in their business. Weaknesses 1. Why has Calyx ; Corolla been successful? 2. What are the potential sources of channel conflict in the Calyx ; Corolla system? 3. What steps should Ms. Owades and her associates take next to more fully develop Calyx ; Corolla? 4. How would you determine the life-time value of a customer? 5. Visit their website. How has this helped Calyx ; Corolla? It can effectively target potential buyers who patronize florists and other retailers versus mail order.

Apocalyptic Literature

The immediate thought most of us have when hearing the word apocalypse is destruction. From modern doomsday novels to movies like the Viet Nam era Apocalypse Now, we associate the word with war and destruction. The word apocalypse actually comes from a Greek word meaning to reveal or to uncover. So, right off the back we have to adjust our view of Biblical apocalyptic literature. In and of itself, it does not refer to disaster and hopelessness. Instead, it refers to an unveiling of something hidden. In this case, it is the final chapter in the story of Jesus Christ and His victory over sin and evil. In this paper I plan to shed some light on the understanding apocalyptic literature, the characteristics of apocalyptic literature, and how a person should interpret biblical apocalyptic literature. How to understand apocalyptic literature? Understanding the meaning of the word apocalypse is key to grasping apocalyptic literature. Apocalyptic, as a term in the common language or dictionary definition, means something that is written in a warning and threatening way. It is scary, awkward, and about boding evil. The dictionary tells us it is presaging people of imminent disaster, exaggerated predictions, or allusions of the last days. However, this is not what it meant in the original Greek or Hebrew or in the time this term was penned. What did it mean? It means â€Å"discourser of events,† and that is what it literally and truly means to us today, too. It also means an â€Å"uncovering† or â€Å"unveiling,† and â€Å"Revelation† means â€Å"discourser of the apocalypse. † Apocalyptic is not meant to scare us or keep us away from interpreting Scripture; rather, it is meant to help us understand God, victory, hope, grace, God’s plan, and that He is indeed in control. The only people who should be scared are those who reject and hate Christ. When we see how this literature operates, it will help us greatly as it discloses for us the unfolding of historical events past, present, and future, with God’s plan and purpose being the ultimate goal. There for, if we take the time and effort to understand this type of genre, it will make things clearer for us it will expose, not conceal what God has for us. We need to realize that all languages use symbols and metaphors including Greek and Hebrew. If we assume a word is literal when it is not, we will make a wrong conclusion that will lead us and others away from the correct teaching. Then, if we teach it, we lead others astray from the correct teaching all because of our pride or ignorance of not correctly interpreting Scripture or reading the Bible for all that it is worth. For example, a parable should not be treated as history, nor should poetry (both of which contain many symbols) be treated as straightforward narrative; the same goes for apocalyptic literature. Most of the apocalyptic literature in Daniel and Revelation came to the writer as inspired by the Holy Spirit in visions. These are visions that came to them from God and or an Angel, with imageries that need to be put into human based words, but no words have the power or substance to contain the meaning. Therefore, a metaphor is used, as it is able to contain far more information about the â€Å"secrets† of Heaven and End Times than what a few sentences could. These images are usually explained and known to the writer and audience, but not so much to us today (Dan. –12; Rev. 4:9). What are some of the characteristics of apocalyptic literature? Apocalyptic literature is written in symbolism, poetry, and imageries, as well as in an Old Testament prophecy style (Matt. 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21; Rev. 1:2-4; 19:9; 22:7-19), all intertwined as a textile to describe literal events but with a twist, using language with symbols that are cataclysmic, words that are exaggerated, a nd metaphors that may be lost to a 21st century person. Such imagery is often used for God’s judgments and the end of days. These forms of language are often combinations of narrative and poetry written in vivid imagery and rhythmical phrases that are intended to express a deeper but not necessarily a hidden meaning that a regular word would not convey. Take our English word, â€Å"bull. † It normally means a male cow, but in context, it refers to not just a farm animal, but also could mean someone who is aggressive, an upswing in the stock market, someone who is clumsy, or slang for someone who is telling a lie. This simple word can be exaggerated for a purpose just as Daniel and most of Revelation uses language to express a point. Apocalyptic writing is also found in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Matthew 24. Apocalyptic literature is a combination of narrative and poetry written in vivid imagery and poetic phrases that are intended to exaggerate for a purpose, such as in Daniel and most of Revelation. Apocalyptic writing is a more specific form of prophecy. Apocalyptic writing is a type of literature that warns us of future events, but the full meaning is hidden to us for the time being. Apocalyptic writing is almost a secret, giving us glimpses of what is to come through the use of symbols and imagery. We may not know the meanings now, but time will flush them out. How to interpret apocalyptic literature? We have to be careful how we interpret the Bible. Most of the time, we are to take his word literally; it means what it means and says what it says. However, in the genre of apocalyptic literature, the language is clear, such as the word, â€Å"lamb,† which is used often. We know what a lamb is and we know that Christ is described as a lamb, but do we also know that Jesus is the lamb been slain which means that Christ is the sacrifice? A lamb is the common animal that was slain and sacrificed for the atonement of sin and used for trade. Jesus replaces this lamb as the ultimate sacrifice, the sacrifice for our redemption. When you see the word, lamb, it is most likely referring to sacrifice and our Lord who offers us salvation (John 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:18-20). In contrast to the image of a lion which means sovereign and judge, the lamb was considered the weakest of all animals, needing constant attention and care just to survive. A lamb would die in the wild, whereas the lion would thrive. The image of the lamb was common in apocalyptic literature, also meaning victory and power through, and sometimes over death (Ex. 12:12-13; Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29; 21:15; Rev. 17:14). You can see that these images and themes have or will have history and significance. When we come to words that seem peculiar to our modern minds, such as stars, the first-century Jews would know that it meant â€Å"angels†. Lampstands meant â€Å"churches;† the phrase, â€Å"wife of the Lamb† meant â€Å"Jerusalem,† and the great prostitute was a covert slogan to refer to â€Å"Nero† or any corrupt leader in power. Babylon usually referred to Rome (Rev. 1:20; 17:1-5, 18; 21:9-10). Babylon the Great mainly referred to Isaiah’s mockery of sin and those who follow it as a harlot does. It is a contrast of evil governments in resentment to God and God’s Kingdom, the captivity of the Jews under Babylon and its moral decadence, and the early Christians under Rome, which was also steeped in immorality. This is also a reference to how people are led captive into sin. It was a metaphor that meant to sin and fall into seduction, meaning what lures us away from faith and what replaces faith. The application of this phrase is that seduction becomes corruption; this can range from pagan worship and atheism to following what is fruitless and meaningless while ignoring our Lord. This is not necessarily referring to one specific person or entity or political system, but pointing the faithful to what is evil in general. Nor, does this mean that Babylon will be rebuilt or restored in some way. This theme is about enmity to God and people’s participation in it which is in direct contrast to what Christ offers and is—Pure and Holy (Is. 1:9; Jer. 51:7-8; Dan. 2:35, 4:30; 44; Rev. 13:1-18; 16:19; 17:1-5; 18:3; 18:2, 10, 21, also 4 Ezra). Another apocalyptic word is star. A star in ancient cultures was a popular expression for divinities or angels; context is the key. Is it talking about messengers, things to come, or stellar events such as astrology? If it is a message being delivered, it could refer to a mighty angel, or refer to a cosmic disturbance, an Angel or ser vant, or an instrument of God (Rev. 8:10; 9:1-11; 20:1). Context and commonsense are the keys. These images are metaphoric, or symbols of specific themes in judgment. The obvious is that the actuality of this passage is pointing to God’s power, but these events are not necessarily verbatim, as it would be seemingly impossible. How could one star, much less billions upon billions land on this plant that is a billion times a billion smaller? The answer is, it is figurative, and it is a mystery how this will be eventually played out and what we will see. This is a depiction, just as a first century Jew would read and write. What we do know is that it will not be the same! The point of this metaphor is that no one is immune from experiencing God’s judgment. The entirety of the universe will bear witness to God’s will as an incredible phenomenon, displayed in the cosmos, that will herald Christ’s Second Coming (Mark 13:24-26; Luke 2:25-27). Overall, it is important to note that 28 percent of the Old Testament is prophecy, most of which came to pass in the life and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament has over 20 percent of some form of prophecy too, of which most (although this is debated) has not yet come to pass. Therefore, apocalyptic literature is important because God has dedicated a significant portion of his word to it. Again, do not read in what is not there. We are given a clear warning in Revelation 22:18-19 not to add in our ideas or take a way His precepts and then teach what is false. I believe it is ok to speculate academically, research, and argue and deliberate over the views, but we are not to seek or read in what we want and then miss what he as. Bibliography Stein, Stephen L. , ed. The Encyclopedia of Apocalypticism. Vol. 3, Apocalypticism in the Modern World and the Contemporary Age. New York: Continuum, 2000. McGinn, Bernard, ed. The Encyclopedia of Apocalypticism. Vol. 2, Apocalypticism in Western History and Culture. New York: Continuum, 2000. Himmelfarb, Martha. The Apocalypse: A Brief History. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. Cook, Stephen L. The Apocalyptic Literature. Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon, 2003.

Sustainability as a Key Critical Success Factor The WritePass Journal

Sustainability as a Key Critical Success Factor Executive Summary Sustainability as a Key Critical Success Factor Executive SummaryIntroduction:Literature Search:Objectives:Research Questions:Research Design:Data Analysis:Limitations/Ethical Risks:ReferencesRelated Executive Summary Sustainability is one of the popularly emerging principles in project management and is rapidly becoming a critical success factor as considered by some businesses. However, there are also a number of other critical success factors in project success which include time, money, and the involvement and skills of employees and management. However, sustainability is viewed as socially responsible behavior and may be beneficial in promoting a business’s sales and media relations. Contrarily, some businesses still view it as a fourth constraint in project management against time, scope, and money. Businesses such as Zara’s and Nike have implemented sustainability in their project specifications and have gained a favorable reputation with consumers. However, while all companies may not be duly aware of how to implement such processes, knowledge transfer may be an important consideration in the further implementation of sustainability principles. These issues are further discussed in this proposal and outlined in the form of research questions for the final dissertation. The data for the dissertation is proposed to be a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data which will be in the form of a literature review of secondary data and a questionnaire dispersed to 30 employees in 3 project-based organizations. Results will be combined to arrive at an appropriate conclusion and recommendations will be made accordingly. Introduction: Project management is one of the most vital disciplines within business management and is crucial to economic prosperity for both the public and private sectors. While there is ample emphasis upon project management within various industries, it is often seen that many projects fail due to a lack of emphasis upon critical success factors. As there are numerous factors that affect a project’s success, it is often difficult for managers to choose those that are most vital in improving the success of a project (Schieg, 2009). As the business environment is highly competitive and complicated, success factors for a project are likely to be relative to the industry the project is aimed at and the objectives that the individual project is trying to achieve. While efficiency, cost, and time management are all vital resources within a project or any business process, managers are always aiming to reduce the cost and the time allocated to each project while also aiming to increase efficiency, productivity, and turnover (Shrivastava Berger, 2010). Hence, it is generically considered that projects which are completed within budget and on time are successful. However, with increasing research it has become evident that there are numerous other factors which affect the success and outcome of a project such as the involvement and decision power of leaders and managers, the skills of employees, the organizational culture practiced during the project, the level of teamwork shown by the team, and many others (Eid, 2009 ). Accordingly, the contemporary business environment has recently explored a new concept, sustainability, which is becoming highly popular amongst society and may also be considered as a vital factor to success for businesses in the future or may already be considered so in the present (Gitsham Peters, 2010). With the quest to improve the environment and ensure businesses implement environmentally-friendly processes, society is becoming highly conscious of businesses performing unethically and harming the environment. Thus, this increases the pressure upon business operating in the contemporary environment to adopt sustainable processes which are environment-friendly (Talbot Venkateraman, 2011). Literature Search: Sustainability is a highly interesting and important concept in the contemporary business environment because there has often been heavy debate regarding the necessity of its adoption by businesses. While some businesses may easily be able to adopt appropriate sustainability processes, it is more difficult for other businesses to implement such processes specifically in the industrial sector. Thus, while aiming to implement sustainability may raise a business’s costs substantially, choosing the correct manner in which to implement sustainable practices may also substantially reduce a business’s operating costs and other costs (Morelli, 2011). Moreover, the current business environment demands businesses to be socially responsible and ensure that they perform ethically ( Lindsey,2011). Thus, a business implementing and including sustainability as a criterion in its project specifications is likely to gain a good reputation in the corporate world, media, and society which may in turn benefit the business in the form of increased sales, higher consumer confidence, and positive press releases (Zainul-Abideen, 2008). Recently, it has been seen that organizations are increasing their emphasis upon sustainability and consider it to an extent of 25.9% in their project management specifications. While this does show a positive trend, it also shows that business may not be implementing sustainability in their project specifications because of adopting a socially responsible approach, but is more aimed towards adopting a â€Å"less unethical† approach. This is to ensure that they can escape the blame when questioned regarding the manner in which they run their business (Badiru, 2010). However, there is no doubt that there is an increasing emphasis upon principles of sustainability and awareness of social pressure upon businesses. Companies such as Zara, Toyota, Nike, and many others have changed their production processes in order to make sure that they uphold sustainability as a principle and thus, these companies have increased their credibility in the consumer market (Artiach et al, 2010). However, in order to increase the emphasis upon sustainability it is essential to indulge in knowledge transfer between industries and businesses to properly disperse information regarding the importance and applicability of sustainability principles. Such information dispersion and knowledge transfer may be organized by large governmental or business organizations to facilitate open communication between businesses in order to find viable solutions (Badiru, 2010). However, the problem of the perception of sustainability as a further constraint upon projects in the essence of time, cost, and scope also is widespread. Accordingly, this dissertation proposes to discuss the critical success factors affecting businesses today, how sustainability affects businesses today, the importance of sustainability and the reasons why it is considered interesting, corporate social responsibility as a determinant of project success and gaining contracts, knowledge transfer as a determinant of the application of sustainable principles, and whether sustainability is viewed as a fourth constraint in project management (Barnard et al, 2011). Objectives: Discuss the Critical Success Factors affecting businesses in the contemporary business environment Determine the importance of sustainability as an emerging critical success factor in project management Illustrate the examples of businesses who have adopted sustainable practices successfully Discuss the benefits of credibility when adopting socially responsible business practices Discussing the importance of knowledge transfer in implementing sustainability principles Analyzing the extent to which sustainability is considered a fourth constraint in project management Research Questions: Main Research Question: To what extent is sustainability considered a critical success factor in project management in the contemporary business environment? Subsidiary Research Questions: How does the implementation of sustainability affect the project outcome? How does sustainability affect a business’s credibility and image of being socially responsible? Is this beneficial for the business? What is the importance of knowledge transfer in the implementation of sustainability? To what extent is sustainability considered a fourth constraint in project management besides those of time, cost, and scope? Research Design: Data Collection: The study is designed to be an exploratory study which will investigate the concept of sustainability in businesses today. The study will make use of both quantitative and qualitative data in order to further explore the research questions outlined above. The study will also rely upon both primary and secondary data in order to thoroughly explore the topic in question. The mixture of both types of data will be appropriate for this dissertation in order to validate the opinions and information presented in the literature review and as the topic of sustainability as a success factor of project management is an evolving topic, it is also essential to get first-hand and recent information regarding its current importance in the business environment. Data will initially be collected via the internet, journals, articles, magazines, and other databases in order to obtain relevant literature regarding the concept of sustainability. The literature will then be analyzed and duly criticized in order to determine popular opinion regarding the concept of sustainability and arriving at conclusions regarding the research questions mentioned via secondary data. Primary data will then be collected via an industrial questionnaire dispersed to three project-based organizations regarding their opinions and practices of sustainability as a criterion for success in project management. The questionnaire will be dispersed to approximately 30 respondents working in the three respective organizations and this sample size has been chosen for researcher convenience, access, and appropriateness in attaining sufficient information. The questionnaire will be quantitative in nature in order to avoid irrelevant responses and to limit the discussion towards the points made in the literature review. The results of the questionnaire would then be used to validate or conquer the findings in the literature review. Data Analysis: The qualitative secondary data collected will be analyzed through content analysis in order to extract the most relevant and important points from the arguments presented in the literature review. The quantitative survey results will be analyzed through the use of the statistical software, SPSS. The results of the quantitative survey will then be analyzed against the results of the literature review in order to arrive at appropriate conclusions for the research questions mentioned above. Recommendations will then be given accordingly for issues like knowledge transfer and eradicating the perception of sustainability as a fourth project management constraint. Limitations/Ethical Risks: One of the limitations of this study is gaining access to 30 randomly selected individuals in three different project based companies. Permission must be obtained and the individuals must be randomly chosen in order to avoid biasness. Moreover, there may be issues of confidentiality or their unwillingness to respond to questions regarding their own personal sustainability practices and principles. There is also the risk of people answering dishonestly only to maintain their image or respondents not paying particular attention to the survey because of lack of interest or boredom. The questionnaire may be prone to researcher bias and the data obtained in the literature review may be outdated and not applicable in all countries. Thus, appropriate care must be applied to ensure contemporary data is collected and data is relevant to the topic in question. One of the major ethical risks of this project is ensuring that confidentiality is maintained while conducting the survey of project-based companies and ensuring that no information is dispersed openly which may negatively affect their reputation. Timescale: Obtaining Permission from Companies Beginning Literature Search Organizing and Analyzing Secondary Data Writing Literature Review Conducting Survey Formulating Results of Survey Analyzing Results Writing Complete First Draft Proofreading Dissertation Submission References Artiach, T., Lee, D., Nelson, D., Walker, J. (2010). â€Å"The determinants of corporate sustainability performance.†Ã‚  Accounting Finance, 50(1) pp.31-51. Badiru, A.B. (2010) â€Å"The many languages of sustainability†. Industrial Engineer, Vol. 42(11) pp. 30-34. Barnard, L.T., Ackles, B. and Haner, J.L. (2011) Making Sense of Sustainability Project Management. Explorus Group Inc. Eid, M. (2009) Sustainable Development Project Management. Lambert Academic Publishing Cologne. Gitsham, M., Peters, K. (2010). Thoughts on Sustainability-Principles into Practice. Lindsey, T. C. (2011). â€Å"Sustainable principles: common values for achieving sustainability.†Journal of Cleaner Production. Vol. 19(5) pp. 561-565. Morelli, J. (2011). â€Å"Environmental Sustainability: A Definition for Environmental Professionals†.  Journal of Environmental Sustainability. Vol.119-27. Schieg, M. (2009). â€Å"The model of corporate social responsibility in project management†. Business: Theory Practice. Vol.10 (4) pp. 315–321. Shrivastava, P., Berger, S. (2010). â€Å"Sustainability principles: a review and directions.†Organization Management Journal. Vol.  7(4) pp.246-261. Talbot, J. and Venkataraman, R. (2011), â€Å"Integration Of Sustainability Principles Into Project Baselines Using A Comprehensive Indicator Set†. Journal of International Business Economics Research. Vol.10 (9) pp. 29-40. Zainul-Abidin, N. (2008) â€Å"Achieving Sustainability through Value Management: A passing opportunity?† International Journal of Construction Managem pp. 79-91.

Get the Facts of the Burj Khalifa

Get the Facts of the Burj Khalifa At 828 meters in length (2,717 feet) and 164 floors, Burj Dubai/Burj Khalifa was the tallest building in the world as of January 2010. Taipei 101, the Taipei Financial Center in the Taiwanese capital, was from 2004 to 2010 the worlds tallest skyscraper, at 509.2 meters, or 1,671 ft. The Burj easily exceeds that height. Before their destruction in 2001, the World Trade Centers Twin Towers in Manhattan were 417 meters (1,368 ft) and 415 meters (1,362 ft) tall. Burj Dubai/Burj Khalifa was dedicated on Jan. 4, 2010.Cost of the Burj: $1.5 billion, part of downtown Dubais $20 billion redevelopment program.The name of the tower was changed from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa at the last minute in honor of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi, and in recognition of Abu Dhabi providing Dubai $10 billion in December 2009 to bail out Dubais bankrupt sovereign wealth fund.Construction began on Sept. 21, 2004.More than 12,000 people will occupy the buildings 6 million square feet. Residential apartments number 1,044.Special amenities include a 15,000 square foot fitness facility, a cigar club, the highest mosque in the world (on the 158th floor), the highest observation deck in the world (on the 124th floor) and the highest swimming pool in the world (on the 76th floor), as well as the first Armani Hotel in the world.The Burj is expected to consume 946,000 liters (or 250,000 gallons) of water a day.Electricity consumption is expected to peak at 50 MVA or the equivalent of 500,000 100-watt bulbs burning simultaneously. The Burj has 54 elevators. They can speed up to 65km an hour (40 mph)The equivalent of 100,000 elephants worth of concrete was used during construction.31,400 metric tons of steel rebar used in the structure.28,261 glass cladding panels cover the exterior of the tower, each panel cut by hand and installed by Chinese cladding specialists.12,000 workers were employed at the site at peak construction. Three workers died while working on the site.The number of underground parking spaces at the Burj: 3,000.The lead contractor was South Korea-based Samsung, along with Belgiums Besix and the UAEs Arabtec.The building was designed by Chicagos Skidmore, Owings Merrill and developed by Dubais Emaar Properties.The buildings structural engineer is William F. Baker, who on July 11, 2009, became the first American to win the Fritz Leonhardt Prize For Achievement In Structural Engineering.

EMTALA Scenario Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

EMTALA Scenario Analysis - Term Paper Example An Analysis of the Situation From a casual glance, the situation is one that appears simple and dismissible, going by the orthopediatrician’s correspondence. This is because; at a casual glance, the status of the patient which is characterized by a non-displaced, splintable and easily detectable fracture is one that is not serious enough to warrant an emergency. Nevertheless, a critical reflection on the situation makes it clear that it is possible that the case may be complicated enough to warrant a legal suit against the hospital. This is especially the case if it turns out that the hospital’s orthopediatrician was either being economical with the truth, or read from an inaccurate source. Conversely, it is also possible that the participating hospital (the hospital that intends to transfer the patient) could be trying to refer the patient as a way of dumping the patient. How the Situation Is Impacted By EMTALA The situation, as misty (due to scantiness and contradicti on of information) as it is, totally applies to EMTALA mandate. The place of the participating hospital may be insignificant to the matter at hand. This is because the hospital could be having a deficiency of an emergency department. Secondly, the nature of the fracture is relatively less serious but may be very complicated. This is because to the layman, the fracture is less serious since it is less visible than compound, open and displaced fractures. However, the fact that pain, swelling and stiffness accompany non-displaced fractures is a matter that directly invokes emergency and thereby necessitating the consideration of EMTALA provisions. According to Bitterman (2011), EMTALA provisions describe medical emergency as a condition that manifests itself by acute and severe symptoms to an extent that failure to administer immediate medical attention places the patient’s health in danger and physiological and anatomical impairment. It is a fact that the non-displaced fracture is causing the patient severe physical pain and will also precipitate swelling and stiffness to the injured arm. Over time, bone and blood infections may ensue as the patient is left untreated. Nonetheless, despite all of these, the fact that EMTALA applies when there is an individual having a medical emergency, and when a request has been made on behalf of the individual for examination, treatment of a medical condition or both, makes the consideration of the patient more binding. In this case, there is a patient with a fractured arm, alongside a request placed by a participating hospital. Above all, even Levy and Pravikoff (2012) acknowledge that EMTALA stipulates that it matters not that the condition is palpable or perceptible to others or that the patient or the participating hospital is able to adduce evidence of the emergency or not. This means that the counterargument by the orthopediatrician that the fracture is a non-displaced one and that it can be splinted and seen in t he office is neither here nor there. The Decision to Make As the Administrator In the case presented, it will be important to have the patient with the fractured hand referred, even if his fracture seems not to warrant strictly urgent medical attention since it is non-displaced, splintable and easily detectable. The Rationale and Thought Process behind the Process The decision to have the patient referred to the hospital for an emergency treatment is very informed and

Price Discrimination in Cinema Market Research Paper

Price Discrimination in Cinema Market - Research Paper Example A price discrimination strategy is a common tool adopted by cinema operators for maximizing business profit. Through the implementation of a versioning or product line stretching program, these companies charge higher prices to same groups of customers for superior and newer services. Golden Village charges $8.50 per movie ticket on weekdays. However, for the same shows, the company sets $ 11.50 price per ticket on weekends. At the same time, the company charges $ 4.50 per ticket for the show on weekdays for senior citizens; whereas, charges $7.00 for the same ticket on the same day for young students. Thus, if observed in details, the company discriminates on its ticket prices on the basis of time, the degree of iteration of customer visit and age. From the above analysis, it can be claimed that the company implements third and second-degree price discrimination strategy while setting prices of its movie tickets. Under the regime of second-degree price discrimination, the company ch arges higher for each ticket when a movie new releases in the market and lowers the ticket prices gradually.Given that customer’s willingness to pay falls with time, a price of the ticket for a movie released also drops. Through third-degree price discrimination, the company charges separate prices to different groups of customers, as per their age and time of ticket purchase. An elasticity of demand measures degree of responsiveness of rate of change in quantity demanded with respect to a rate of change in the price level of a product or a service.