History of Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China and Taiwan, and its one of the official languages of Singapore and the United Nations. It is the most widely-spoken language in the world. Dialects Mandarin Chinese is sometimes referred to as a â€Å"dialect,† but the distinction between dialects and languages is not always clear. There are many different versions of Chinese spoken throughout China, and these are usually classified as dialects.   There are other Chinese dialects, such as Cantonese, which is spoken in Hong Kong, that are very distinct from Mandarin. However, many of these dialects use Chinese characters for their written form, so that Mandarin speakers and Cantonese speakers (for example) can understand each other through writing, even though the spoken languages are mutually unintelligible. Language Family and Groups Mandarin is part of the Chinese family of languages, which in turn is part of the Sino-Tibetan language group. All Chinese languages are tonal, which means that the way words are pronounced varies their meanings. Mandarin has ​four tones. Other Chinese languages have up to ten distinct tones. The word â€Å"Mandarin† actually has two meanings when referring to language. It can be used to refer to a particular group of languages, or more commonly, as the Beijing dialect that is the standard language of mainland China. The Mandarin group of languages includes standard Mandarin (the official language of mainland China), as well as Jin (or Jin-yu), a language spoken in the central-north region of China and inner Mongolia. Local Names for Mandarin The name â€Å"Mandarin† was first used by the Portuguese to refer to the magistrates of the Imperial Chinese court and the language they spoke. Mandarin is the term used through much of the Western world, but the Chinese themselves refer to the language as æ™ ®Ã©â‚¬Å¡Ã¨ ¯  (pÇ” tÃ… ng huà  ), å› ½Ã¨ ¯ ­ (guà ³ yÇ”), or è  ¯Ã¨ ¯ ­ (huà ¡ yÇ”). æ™ ®Ã©â‚¬Å¡Ã¨ ¯  (pÇ” tÃ… ng huà  ) literally means â€Å"common language† and is the term used in mainland China. Taiwan uses å› ½Ã¨ ¯ ­ (guà ³ yÇ”) which translates to national language, and Singapore and Malaysia refer to it as è  ¯Ã¨ ¯ ­ (huà ¡ yÇ”) which means Chinese language. How Mandarin Became Chinas Official Language Due to its immense geographic size, China has always been a land of many languages and dialects. Mandarin emerged as the language of the ruling class during the latter part of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). The capital of China switched from Nanjing to Beijing in the latter part of the Ming Dynasty and remained in Beijing during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912). Since Mandarin is based on the Beijing dialect, it naturally became the official language of the court. Nonetheless, the large influx of officials from various parts of China meant that many dialects continued to be spoken at the Chinese court. It was not until 1909 that Mandarin became the national language of China, å› ½Ã¨ ¯ ­ ( guà ³ yÇ”). When the Qing Dynasty fell in 1912, the Republic of China maintained Mandarin as the official language. It was renamed æ™ ®Ã©â‚¬Å¡Ã¨ ¯  (pÇ” tÃ… ng huà  ) in 1955, but Taiwan continues to use the name å› ½Ã¨ ¯ ­ (guà ³ yÇ”). Written Chinese As one of the Chinese languages, Mandarin uses Chinese characters for its writing system. Chinese characters have a history dating back more than two thousand years. The early forms of Chinese characters were pictographs (graphic representations of real objects), but characters became more stylized and came to represent ideas as well as objects. Each Chinese character represents a syllable of the spoken language. Characters represent words, but not every character is used independently. The Chinese writing system is very complex and the most difficult part of learning Mandarin. There are thousands of characters, and they must be memorized and practiced to master the written language. In an attempt to improve literacy, the Chinese government began simplifying characters in the 1950s. These simplified characters are used in mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia, while Taiwan and Hong Kong still use the traditional characters. Romanization Students of Mandarin  outside of Chinese-speaking countries often use Romanization in place of Chinese characters when first learning the language. Romanization uses the Western (Roman) alphabet to represent the sounds of spoken Mandarin, so it is a bridge between learning the spoken language and beginning the study of Chinese characters. There are many systems of Romanization, but the most popular for teaching materials is Pinyin.

Global Warming Not Our Fault - 850 Words

Global Warming: Not Our Fault The earth is constantly undergoing changes. This ranges from tectonic activity to atmospheric and climate changes. The most recent change that we have noticed, is the increase in temperature. Some believe that this increase is the result of human activity. However, this is not the case. The increased temperatures are within the normal tolerances from the past few thousand years (Robinson, Robinson, Soon, 2008). This and other changes to the atmosphere have been going on for millions of years. Global warming is not our fault because it is a natural occurring phenomenon. The increased temperatures are part of a natural cycle that the earth goes through. These cycles include both warming and cooling periods. The most recent warming period was approximately 1000 years ago known as the â€Å"Medieval Climate Optimum† (Robinson, Robinson, Soon, 2008). During the Medieval Climate Optimum the average temperature was much warmer than what is no w. 1000 years ago they didn’t burn hydrocarbons like we do now, and the temperatures then were warmer than they are now. 200 - 500 years ago the earth went through a cooling period known as a â€Å"Little Ice Age† (Robinson, Robinson, Soon, 2008). We are currently recovering from that cooling period. During the Little Ice Age temperatures dropped well below average. However, a study of more recent history temperatures can also show that the climates are cyclic and not the result of human activities.Show MoreRelatedThe Group 1 Takeover : Is Global Warming Our Fault?952 Words   |  4 Pages The topic focused on climate change or global warming. The message of the presentation asked if the cause of the current increase in temperatures is attributed to the increase in CO2 emissions by humans. The value and of this conversation comes at a time when there is lots of politics involved creating gridlock not only for citizens but also for scientists. Jonathan Armentrou t, Devonta Williams and Ariana Ireland-Nelson ask, â€Å"Is Global Warming Our Fault?†, and immediately you start to think aboutRead MoreMy Exam Choice : Home Final Essay1020 Words   |  5 PagesEssay Com 310 Spring 2015 Instructor: Dan Dullea Student Name: Destini Brodi ID: #0473731 The Topic Questions: Most scientists, using scientific evidence, believe that Global Warming and Global Climate change are the defining problem of our time and how we address the problem will determine the fate of our species. Other interest groups believe that either there is no problem or that we will find technological fixes to overcome any potential climate disaster: You are to examine how theseRead MoreGlobal Warming : Natural Or Man Made1328 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal Warming: Natural or Man-made There has been researches that show that all the efforts to relieve global warming was useless. What this means is that global warming, which we considered it as a manmade disaster, might just be a part of the Earth’s fluctuating cycles. Before we move on to the clashes regarding global warming, I want to clarify the definitions of the terms that I will be discussing. Referring to NASA, global warming is the increase in Earth s average surface temperature dueRead MoreGlobal Warming Essay example699 Words   |  3 PagesGlobal warming has many pro’s or people who believe global warming exists not because it is a good thing. People who believe global warming exists and want to fix the problem as soon as possible because it may cause a catastrophe. Al Gore and the IPCC are the main people who believe global warming may change our lives and sometimes create an illusion that it is our fault. There are many examples that it may be so like a hot summer in Edmonton, no negative temperature days in Glasgow, Montana howeverRead MoreGlobal Warming: Natural or Man Made? 1139 Words   |  5 PagesMan made global warming has been a topic of uncontrollable controversy for many decades now. Global warming is the increase in the average global surface temperature in the Earth’s atmosphere. There are many theories as to why there has been such a drastic change in the Earth’s atmosphere throughout the years. These theories have ignited many debates amongst scientists. According to multiple scientists, humans are the ones responsible for the alarming change in the Earth’s atmospheric temperatureRead MoreGlobal Warming, Not Caused by Humans1343 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal Warming, Not Caused by Humans In modern America few problems prove to be as fundamentally problematic as the theory of human induced global warming. Its repeated coverage from within the media and political arena are influencing people worldwide, putting those who think differently in an outcast shadow. The truth of the matter is, to not believe in human induced global warming has become politically incorrect and unacceptable in the public eye. The theory of human induced global warming canRead MoreClimate Change Is Our Fault922 Words   |  4 PagesClimate Change is Our Fault The truth is earth is heating up and it is partially humans fault. The simplest of human activities can alter the climates to change. Humans are not the only climate drivers. There are also natural factors (â€Å"How Much Does Human Activity Affect Climate Change?†). The earth is changing due to the climate changes . For future generations the earth may perhaps look different (Nuccitelli). Human activity is advancing global climate change rapidly. Humans are the main factorRead MoreFactors that Contribute to Global Warming, Such as Carbon Dioxide743 Words   |  3 PagesOver the recent years, global warming has become a hot topic, due to the melting of polar ice caps and extreme temperature changes across the globe. Since 1960, the percentage of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by 20%, which is the highest recorded in 800,000 years. The true question though is whether this is due to natural causes or whether it’s the impact humans have on the earth’s delicate ecosystem. The main signs that global warming is currently affecting our world is the rapid temperatureRead More Pollution Essay: Don’t Blame Me for Global Warming1033 Words   |  5 Pageswrong by one body of people. This body is our government, for many years now they have spoke of the horrendous situations stemming from global warming. This makes no sense; with the facts and information that we have received over the years they still support this preposterous idea. Humans do nothing to contribute to global warming; the irregular climate events are just natural occurrences. These occurrences are no stranger to our history either. (â€Å"Global Warm Up†)(â€Å"An Inconvenient Truth†) TheRead MoreThe Effects Of Global Warming On The World868 Words   |  4 PagesDisputed Global Warming Affects Global Warming is in the minds of critical thinkers and scientist as well as the Industrial World. In this paper, we will look at man-made causes of Global Warming, and natural causes in Global Warming Affects. The man- made cause would be (GHC) which abbreviates to greenhouse gases and the chemical (SO2) represents sulfur dioxide from cars and Industry. The natural cause in the climate would direct more to a cooler climate. The Global Warming remains,augmented that

Procedures of Educating Patients-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Patient Education. Answer: Patient education is the procedure by which healthcare professionals and others impart health related information to patients and their caregivers. This is helpful in altering the health behaviors of the patients and family members that thereby help in improving their health status. Patient education is an individualized, structured and systematic process that helps in proper assessment and imparting of knowledge regarding health of the patients[1]. This helps the patient in being careful about their activities and help in development of skills that will help to modify the incorrect habits and bring out changes in behaviors. The main goal of patient education is to increase comprehension as well as participation in proper self-management strategies and health care needs[2]. The following assignment will show how patient education is important in ensuring good health of patients. It will also show the procedure by which healthcare education is given to patients. Situation, importance of client education and aim of the patient education: An old woman was admitted to the hospital after she faced a fall. She was not hurt as she had the fall on her bed. She was lying on the bed after her meal. She was about to step off the bed when she felt uneasy and fell on the bed with her back. Immediately, her son and daughter in law admitted her to the healthcare center. It was diagnosed that she had an insulin shock. Although, she was safe in the healthcare center after treatment, it could have resulted her more suffering if she had this fall elsewhere like in garden, stairs or floors. It was also noticed that she had no knowledge about her disorder and did not know why he she was taking medicines and insulin injections. She had grown old and tends to forget her medicines or takes them more than once. For these reasons, on the day of the accident, the patient had taken insulin twice - once before and once after the meal. This had resulted in overdose of insulin and excessive decrease in sugar level in blood. This affected her phy siological systems. Therefore, it was necessary to teach her and her family caregiver about the disorder, ways it affects human beings, issues it may cause and ways to overcome the issues with proper medication. Dosing is very important which is not followed properly, can lead to detrimental errors[3]. Therefore, the main aim of the health education plan is to make the patient understand the disorder in details and teach her the correct medication intake so that insulin shock or high blood sugar level due to forgetting of medication do not take place. Scope of practice and initiatives to develop a plan for proper health education: Scope of practice can be defined as the procedure, processes as well as actions that every health care professional are permitted to undertake for the safety care of patients. This should follow the proper guidelines, laws, and boundaries of their professional license. Every healthcare professional should follow a particular procedure that in order to provide proper patient education [4]. The first step is called the proper assessment of the learning needs of the patient. It is important for the healthcare professionals to assess the learning needs, style of learning and readiness of the patient to learn. This would include what the patient already knows what they want to or need to learn. They should also have the idea about what the patients are capable of learning. The nurse should also develop the knowledge about the best ways by which they can educate the patients. Proper open-ended questions can be asked in the interviews. This will help the caregiver to know the lifestyle of the patient and would help in assessing her needs[5]. Moreover, the nurse should also ask question to identify the patients learning style so that she can correctly develop the teaching strategies as closely as possible for the patients preferred style. Questions for patients readiness to learn should be also known. The next step would be developing the learning objectives. The healthcare professionals should be able to define the outcomes that she herself and the patient are expecting from the teaching learning procedures. Learning objectives are very different from learning goals, as they are not general and long-term. Rather they are specific, attainable, measurable and short term. In case of the patient noted, an example can be provided[6]. The learning goal of the patient would be to make her learn how to maintain the blood sugar levels between 70 and 150 mg/dl at all times of the day. However, reaching to such goals will never be successful until the patient develops learning objectives that will help him to achieve the goal. The patient in such situation should set objectives like where she would be able to state five symptoms of hypoglycemia after the completion of program by the time of discharge. She should understand linking her medications with her physical conditions by the need of education proper discharge and similar others. The next important step would be planning and implementing teaching. The teaching plan will have a number of aspects. The teaching plan will be based on when the teaching would be conducted. This would include the length of hospital stay or the number of home health visits available in the patients account[7]. The plan will also state when the teaching will be conducted which would be based on the patients comfort and her privacy. The healthcare professional would also plan the ways by which she would teach. This would involve different teaching methods like one on one sessions, small group discussions, and demonstrations and return demonstrations, role playing, programmed instruction and games. The different teaching materials would be using of models, pamphlets and brochures, posters and flip charts, transparencies, audiocassettes, computer assisted instructions and internet CDS, videos and closed circuit televisions and many others[8]. These are the best resources and tools which will bring put positive outcomes. The next step would be evaluating teaching and learning procedures adapted by the professional and the patient. This is the last phase of the teaching procedures. This is mainly an ongoing appraisal of the learning progress of the patient during and after the education. This step mainly helps to evaluate if the patient has successfully learnt what had been taught to them. This would be done by maintaining a proper checklist which the healthcare sector had prepared for evaluating the patients health literacy skills. This may vary from one to another healthcare center. The nurse will need to observe return demonstrations of what the patients had learnt regarding the necessary skills[9]. The patient can be asked to restate the instructions in their own words. The patient should be confirmed whether she needs more training in any area. Simple questionnaires of education on diabetes can be asked to the patient to develop ideas about her knowledge. The patient can be also taken in practica l sessions where the professional can review her own record of self-monitored glucose levels in blood, how she injects insulin, how she schedules her timings for medication and others. If any reminder apps are advised, the educator would also check whether she is able to use the app successfully or not. Content of the teaching session: Some of the important points that should be inculcated in the teaching sessions should be jotted down prior to the development of education tools and resources for the patient. The patient was seen not to have any ideas about the entire disorder of diabetes and therefore large amount of information should be provided to patients[10]. The content should contain material that would help the students to understand exactly about the disorder of diabetes and the procedure by which this disorder affects the physiological system of the body. Secondly, it should contain information about the ways of working o medicines for diabetes. The education plan would also contain ways by which the patient would be able to educate themselves about the types of food he would take and how meals should be planned. It would also contain suggestion charts, apps as well as other tools that would help in providing reminders and helping in tracking progress. It would also provide ways about how the patient cou ld handle stress and solve different problems arising from diabetes treatment. She should be educated about oral medication like metformin and insulin injections as she is to pursue combined dose of oral medication and insulin. Community services required for the patient: Social care worker helping her with her daily activities until she gets fit Weekly monitoring sessions held by communities where overall health can be checked Community workshops for lifestyle management [11] Weight and diet management sessions as obesity has associations with diabetes Regular checkups by GP Documentations: Documentation is very important as it helps in meeting purposes like communicating patients progress across all team members, maintain continuity of care, prevent duplication of teaching, serving of evidences of fulfillment of teaching requirement according to policies and procedures and others. It can be done in flowcharts, checklists, care plans, traditional progress notes and many others. The document would contain: Readiness of the patient to learn and patients preferred learning style. Learning needs of the patient Information and skills that are taught Patients current idea and knowledge about her condition and healthcare managements Learning objectives and goals set by the patient and professional [12] Teaching methods that had been used Evaluation results. Conclusion: When a nurse follows these procedures of educating patients in a planned manner, she or he can provide the safest care to the patients ensuring that the patient leads better quality life. Every nursing professional should try to learn and apply proper steps for educating patients. Patients with health literacy show better quality lives than those who do not have proper health literacy. References: Bell, K.J., Smart, C.E., Steil, G.M., Brand-Miller, J.C., King, B. and Wolpert, H.A., 2015. Impact of fat, protein, and glycemic index on postprandial glucose control in type 1 diabetes: implications for intensive diabetes management in the continuous glucose monitoring era.Diabetes Care,38(6), pp.1008-1015. Chrvala, C.A., Sherr, D. and Lipman, R.D., 2016. Diabetes self-management education for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review of the effect on glycemic control.Patient education and counseling,99(6), pp.926-943. Coppola, A., Sasso, L., Bagnasco, A., Giustina, A. and Gazzaruso, C., 2016. The role of patient education in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: an overview.Endocrine,53(1), pp.18-27. Cryer, P.E., 2016. Management of hypoglycemia during treatment of diabetes mellitus.UpToDate, Waltham, MA.(Accessed on March 25th, 2014.) Retrieved from https://www. uptodate. com/contents/management-of-hypoglycemia-during-treatment-of-diabetes-mellitus. Devchand, R., Nicols, C., Gallivan, J.M., Tiktin, M., Krause?Steinrauf, H., Larkin, M. and Tuncer, D.M., 2017. Assessment of a National Diabetes Education Program diabetes management booklet: The GRADE experience.Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners,29(5), pp.255-263. Inzucchi, S.E., Bergenstal, R.M., Buse, J.B., Diamant, M., Ferrannini, E., Nauck, M., Peters, A.L., Tsapas, A., Wender, R. and Matthews, D.R., 2015. Management of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes, 2015: a patient-centered approach: update to a position statement of the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.Diabetes care,38(1), pp.140-149. Inzucchi, S.E., Bergenstal, R.M., Buse, J.B., Diamant, M., Ferrannini, E., Nauck, M., Peters, A.L., Tsapas, A., Wender, R. and Matthews, D.R., 2015. Management of hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes, 2015: a patient-centred approach. Update to a position statement of the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.Diabetologia,58(3), pp.429-442. Pal, K., Dack, C., Ross, J., Michie, S., May, C., Stevenson, F., Farmer, A., Yardley, L., Barnard, M. and Murray, E., 2018. Digital Health Interventions for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Qualitative Study of Patient Perspectives on Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support.Journal of Medical Internet Research,20(2), p.e40. Powers, M.A., Bardsley, J., Cypress, M., Duker, P., Funnell, M.M., Fischl, A.H., Maryniuk, M.D., Siminerio, L. and Vivian, E., 2015. Diabetes self-management education and support in type 2 diabetes: a joint position statement of the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,115(8), pp.1323-1334. Rosland, A.M., Kieffer, E., Spencer, M., Sinco, B., Palmisano, G., Valerio, M., Nicklett, E. and Heisler, M., 2015. Do pre-existing diabetes social support or depressive symptoms influence the effectiveness of a diabetes management intervention?.Patient education and counseling,98(11), pp.1402-1409. Sohal, T., Sohal, P., King-Shier, K.M. and Khan, N.A., 2015. Barriers and facilitators for type-2 diabetes management in South Asians: a systematic review.PloS one,10(9), p.e0136202. Xiang, Y., Luo, P., Cai, X., Tang, Y. and Wu, Z., 2017. results of a pilot study of patient-to-patient education strategy on self-management among glycemic uncontrolled patients with diabetes.Patient preference and adherence,11, p.787.

The Achievement of Desire free essay sample

In this article I guess the author In details described his passion to reading and his steps to his adult life, to life nowadays. In this text, Richard Rodriguez gains his undying interest in reading. This is where he realizes what he believes would be his true calling. He believes reading would open up a new chapter of life to him whew using Hostages book to describe his life, it wasnt until he came across that book that he knew what category of student he fell under. The main idea is observed briefly at least for me.The piece more looks like an autobiography. Although After spending many years lost in the academic world, Rodriguez began questioning his life and the life that he left behind. He also began to realize that things he was running away from Is what he desperately needed. He finally came to the conclusion that his life of closeness with his parents Is something not to be ashamed of. We will write a custom essay sample on The Achievement of Desire or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When he finally figured that out, his education had ended. I truly believe that Rodriguez key to peppiness was to find a balance between his childhood home life.I liked the way the author described his childhood years although the one not understandable thing for me was his behavior with his parents. He was ashamed of them however they always tried to be with him when needed. He had good parents but the author is purse-proud of his achievement in education. As for the piece itself it was written perfectly and understandable and interesting, because throughout the piece it was hard to find the main point of it, so I really wanted to finish it.

New Employee Essays - Furniture, Office Equipment, Business, Locker

New Employee Essays - Furniture, Office Equipment, Business, Locker New Employee Dear New Employee, Welcome to your new job! The position you have decided to undertake is one, which welcomes great variety on a day-to-day basis. The following information is meant to help you as you learn more about Best Buy and the things that make it run. Your job covers many different aspects of the department store, from maintenance to typing forms. Hopefully everything will be covered in this manual. However, if something new arises, feel free to add to this notebook for the next person. Update anything old and delete anything, which is obsolete. Your areas in the office are your locker, located underneath the old staff lockers, and the second drawer of the reception area desk. Here you will find any supplies, mailers, and the phone book. Feel free to store anything else in this drawer, but please be aware that other employees also have access to this drawer for the phone book. We hope that you enjoy working with Best Buy!

Learn How to Make Green Fire

Learn How to Make Green Fire Its easy to make brilliant green fire. This cool chemistry project requires only two household chemicals. Green Fire Materials Boric acid:  You can find medical-grade boric acid in the pharmacy sections of some stores for use as a disinfectant. It is a white powder. Its not the same chemical as borax. You might try  Enoz Roach Away, which is 99 percent boric acid and is sold with household insecticides.Heet Gas-Line Antifreeze and Water Remover:  Heet is sold with automotive chemicals or through many online retailers.A metal or stoneware containerA lighter Instructions for Making Green Fire Pour some Heet into the container. How much you use will determine how long your fire will burn; 1/2 cup of Heet will provide about 10 minutes of fire.Sprinkle some boric acid- about 1 to 2 teaspoons- into the liquid and swirl it around to mix it up. It wont all dissolve, so dont worry if some powder remains at the bottom of the container.Set the container on a heat-safe surface and ignite it with a lighter.   Tips and Warnings Boric acid is a relatively safe household chemical. You can rinse the residue remaining in the container down the drain.This is an outdoor project. There isnt a lot of smoke produced, nor is it particularly toxic, but the heat is intense. It will set off your smoke alarm.Set your container on a heat-safe surface. Do not set it on a glass patio table, and dont use any container that might shatter. Use metal or possibly stoneware, not glass, wood, or plastic.Heet is primarily methanol (methyl alcohol). Try this project with other types of alcohol, such as ethanol, vodka, Everclear grain alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). You might also try other common household metal salts for different flame colors. For example, try substituting rubbing alcohol for the Heet. The result will likely be a fire that alternates from orange to blue to green. It may not be as spectacular as the Heet fire, but it will still be pretty cool.The green fire could be used as a stunning Halloween dec oration in a cauldron or possibly inside a jack-o-lantern. Keep the chemicals for this project out of reach of children or pets, since methanol is harmful if swallowed. Read and follow any safety precautions listed on the labels of the specific products you use. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Discussion Question Benjamin Franklin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Question Benjamin Franklin - Essay Example Franklin made education accessible to the common man as he believed it should not be a privilege only for the elite. He founded the first non-sectarian college in America, which later became the University of Pennsylvania. He was also credited for establishing the first library, hospital, and police force in Pennsylvania. A true believer in serving one's country and mankind, he was said not to patent his inventions. Franklin was also a printer. By the age of 22, Franklin owned and operated his own printing office and used his printing skills to print paper money. Franklin helped to establish the paper currency system in America that today, his contribution to the economy is honoured with his face on the $100 bill. In research, Franklin was the first person to conduct an extensive study on electricity. It is said that in June 1752, he used a kite to prove that lightning was a stream of electrified air called plasma. This study later led him to develop the lightning rod to protect people, especially on ships. Franklin personified the striving, ambitious, rising system of individual achievement, hard work, thrift and optimism found at the heart of the American spirit. In fact, Franklin is often introduced to elementary school children as a Renaissance man, someone who seemed to master all fields of knowledge.

Media Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media Response - Essay Example Reality check, they too are humans. Thus the world has to start treating them equally. In a contest they too can lose I mean do they always have to win? Amazingly, Asians are considered superheroes. But yet are they? Based on the short film by Chris Tashima and Tom Donaldson, about Sempo Sugiwara, who risked his live going against the most powerful institution in a country- The Government, just to save people he had no blood relations with. Hero or no hero it’s the perfect show of humanity. A war is not only fought using guns and swords alone, the brevity displayed in the film the Lil Tokyo Presenter shows how a single individual can make law his tool of war and use it to liberate his people (the Japanese) from the chaining bonds of the American law. I find this interesting as all the efforts bore fruits much greater than he anticipated. In the modern world, Asian Americans have been integrated in the society. They are rarely segregated as they can walk the talk in a whole different way than anyone expects! The best part is that they always stick together. My friend told a joking story when an Asian guy broke up with his American girlfriend only to hook up with an Asian American girl. This got me thinking how Asians stick and stay together like a pack of wolves! Harm one face all that’s their motto I presume. Asian Americans embrace all cultures but mostly cling to the Asian side a bit more. Anyway who can blame them? Asian culture is diverse and unique. From the food and spices all the way to martial arts there is a lot to share and discover. Personally is more into their fashion and mode of dressing. Their taste is just unarguable. As in the film Model Minority, we see that Asian Americans are depicted as going through struggles in the 21st century. The new generation of Asian Americans is faced with family drama such as parents forcing their kids to do hard subjects such as science or math. This has in turn led to the kids rebelling and dropping out

Stylistic Imitation Catcher in the Rye Essay Example for Free

Stylistic Imitation Catcher in the Rye Essay Goddamn it’s bright out here, all the phonies going to the lousy lake that depresses me. It really does. Everyone and they’re phony smiles just trying to get on a boat. It’ll make you puke just seeing these goddamn girls with their tits all in their face, make you want to puke. It really will. The only girl worth looking at was old Jane Gallagher; you could stare at that ass of hers all day long. You really could. She looked like one of those playboy models. Those girls sure are nice to look at. One of my friend’s mom was in one of those magazines. We sure used to tease him a lot but when his mom came down everyone got real quiet and just watched the way she would walk, goddamn it was nice. Stradlater always had those magazines all over the place. Ackley kid was always saying how he necked with one of them, you always knew he was lying but you went with it anyways. That kind of stuff made me sick to think about. You see it all the time, you always see some old man with a young girl. It’ll make you sick. I heard Ackley kid call my name so I walked over to him. I’ll admit it, I wasn’t too crazy about him, but he had his license and a car. He was a lousy guy. He really was. He was always looking for a fight like he was a tough bastard and all. I have only been in one fight in my life, the bastards name was Billy the kid. He was a big guy about 6 feet tall, the bastard picked me up and threw me on the ground just about knocked me out then I got up and he hit me again knocking me over, that’s all I remember though I don’t like talking about it much. I hate when people start talking about something and they just drag the story on too long that kind of thing pisses me off. It really does. Then they start talking about there brother or what they had for lunch. Those bastards just start annoying me. Ackley kid said â€Å"Caulfield what the hell are you doing? † I replied â€Å"trying to rubberneck old Jane Gallagher but you stopped me goddamnit. † Ack said â€Å"Well let’s go to the pub and get a drink. † The pub is the only local bar that’ll sell you booze if your underage. â€Å"Alright well let’s get the hell out of here then, I want to get stinking drunk. †

Psychoanalysis :: Psychoanalytic Theory and Methods

Psychoanalysis is a system of psychology originated by the Viennese physician Sigmund FREUD in the 1890's and then further developed by himself, his students, and other followers. It consists of three kinds of related activities: (1) a method for research into the human mind, especially inner experiences such as thoughts, feelings, emotions, fantasies, and dreams; (2) a systematic accumulation of a body of knowledge about the mind; and (3) a method for the treatment of psychological or emotional disorders. Psychoanalysis began with the discovery that HYSTERIA, an illness with physical symptoms that occurred in a completely healthy physical body--such as a numbness or paralysis of a limb or a loss of voice or a blindness--could be caused by unconscious wishes or forgotten memories. (Hysteria is now commonly referred to as conversion disorder.) The French neurologist Jean Martin CHARCOT tried to rid the mind of undesirable thoughts through hypnotic suggestion, but without lasting success. Josef Breuer, a Viennese physician, achieved better results by letting Anna O., a young woman patient, try to empty her mind by just telling him all of her thoughts and feelings. Freud refined Breuer's method by conceptualizing theories about it and, using these theories, telling his patients through interpretations what was going on inside the unconscious part of their minds, thus making the unconscious become conscious. Many hysterias were cured this way, and in 1895, Breuer and Freud published their findings and theories in Studies in Hysteria. CLASSIC PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY Traditional psychoanalytical theory states that all human beings are born with instinctual drives that are constantly active even though a person is usually not conscious of thus being driven. Two drives--one for sexual pleasure, called libido, the other called aggression--motivate and propel most behavior. In the infant, the libido first manifests itself by making sucking an activity with pleasurable sensations in the mouth. Later similar pleasures are experienced in the anus during bowel movements, and finally these erotically tinged pleasures are experienced when the sexual organ is manipulated. Thus psychosexual development progresses from the oral through the anal to the phallic stage. (Phallic, in psychoanalytic theory, refers to both male and female sexual organs.) During the height of the phallic phase, about ages three to six, these libidinous drives focus on the parent of the opposite sex and lend an erotic cast to the relation between mother and son or between father and daughter, the so-called Oedipus COMPLEX. However, most societies strongly disapprove of these sexual interests of children. A TABOO on incest rules universally. Parents, therefore, influence children to push such pleasurable sensations and thoughts out of their conscious minds into the unconscious by a process called repression.

Marketing Communication Essay

â€Å"Brand positioning is an attempt to create and maintain a unique representation of the brand in customer’s mind, a representation that is expected to stimulate choice of that brand† (Rossiter, 2005, p.42). Positioning, in fact, refers to how customers think about different brands in a market. Through brand positioning a company attempts to build a sustainable competitive advantage on product attributes in the consumer’s mind. Nevertheless, developing a successful positioning strategy is not easy. Positioning products in a complex market can be one of a company’s most difficult decisions (Gwin, 2003, p.30). Brand positioning is the first stage of marcoms planning. â€Å"Before the manager can make a reasonable decision about where the brand should be headed via its marcoms, the manager first has to decide – to change, if necessary, or to shore up and reconfirm – the brand’s positioning† (Rossiter, 2005, p.32). The three-level procedure for positioning, presented by Rossiter and Bellman (2005, p.42), contains T-C-B positioning model, I-D-U benefit analysis and a-b-e benefit claim model. The T-C-B positioning model requires managerial decisions on three factors – Target Customer (T) for the brand, Category Need (C) into which the brand should be positioned and Key Benefit (B) which will be offered by the brand. In order to correctly determine the category need, benefits sought and the purchase decision process, managers have to rely on a customer research. The most useful types of research are individual depth interviews and Marcoms Situation Audit (Rossiter, 2005, p.44). The Target Customer decision answers the question â€Å"Who is the brand for?†, and it has to be defined for different types of customer, known as stakeholders. However, the most important is the decision on End-Customer target for brand positioning, and it should be defined as broadly as possible, including all current and potential users of the brand. Category Need (C) is another positioning decision, and it aims to answer the question â€Å"What is the brand?†. It is essential that the Category Need is identified and described in customer language and from customer’s point of view. The Key Benefit (B) decision is the third factor in the brand’s positioning, and it includes several sub-decisions. Firstly, managers have to decide between central, differentiated and central me-too benefit positioning within the category. Secondly, the decision on the emphasised benefit type has to be  made. The benefit to be emphasized, or the Key Benefit, can be instinctual, archetypal, emotional or rational. Finally, managers must decide on entry-ticket benefits that have to be mentioned, and any inferior benefits, which should be tr aded off or omitted in the marketing communications. Key Benefit (B) selection for the T-C-B brand positioning decision is accomplished by conducting an I-D-U Benefit Analysis of competing brands in the category. The manager has to select the Key Benefit that is important or motivating to target customers (I), deliverable by the brand (D) and unique to the brand (U) (Rossiter, 2005, p.62). To decide which benefits are important, deliverable and unique, managers have to evaluate the potential of multiple benefits, using multiattribute model. Importance or desirability of benefits could be determined by identifying the important customer benefits in a product category, and asking users to rate the desirability of each benefit. To find out the Delivery, the same customers who provided the importance ratings could be asked to rate how well each competing brand delivers on each of the important benefits. Uniqueness, or differentially superior delivery, could be determined by calculating Brand Preference score from I-D-U ratings – by multiplying delivery rating of the brand by the importance weight for each benefit and then summing them (Rossiter, 2005, p.64). After completing the I-D-U analysis, managers have to choose one of five strategic options for increasing the brand’s market share via Key Benefit positioning. These options are: to increase the brand’s perceived delivery on an important benefit; to increase the perceived importance of a benefit; to decrease a competitor’s perceived delivery; to add a new benefit; and to change the choice rule. The a-b-e benefit claim model is the third, final stage of positioning. This model looks at the structure of benefit claims, and distinguishes between attributes (a), which are ‘what the brand has† (objectively), benefits (b), which are â€Å"what the customer wants† (subjectively), and emotions (e), which refer to â€Å"what the customer feel†. Decisions made in T-C-B positioning model, I-D-U benefit analysis and a-b-e benefit claim model are incorporated in the positioning statement for the brand. In our consultancy report we used T-C-B positioning model to perform the  positioning analysis for Mortein insect spray. Keeping in mind that the definition of Target Customer should be broad and include all current and potential users of the brand, the End-Customer target for Mortein insect spray was defined as â€Å"Consumers of household insecticide products†. Category Need into which Mortein insect spray is to be positioned was defined, from the customer’s point of view, as â€Å"Insect killers†. The benefit to be emphasised, or the Key Benefit, was identified as â€Å"Fast killing of insects†. We decided to adopt central positioning within the category because Mortein is the leading brand in the Australian household insecticide market. Rational approach, or Rational Selling Proposition, which is focused on a functional performance benefit, was used to identify the Key Benefit. Since the choice between brands of insect spray is Informationally motivated, the rational approach is the best alternative for identifying the Key Benefit. In order to identify the importance or desirability of benefits, we provided a small sample of users of insect spray with a list of benefits, and asked them to rate each of these benefits on a 9-point scale from extremely desirable to extremely undesirable. From their responses we found out that the most important benefits were fast killing, low price and safety. To determine the delivery by each brand we asked the same group of users to rate, on a five point rating scale, how well different brands perform on each of the important benefits. Mortein insect spray scored 4.5 on fast killing, 1.5 on price and 5.0 on safety. Uniqueness was estimated by calculating the Brand Preference score for Mortein insect spray, which was 32.5, or72% of the Ideal brand score. Based on that analysis, first I-D-U strategy option – to increase our brand’s perceived delivery on an important benefit – has been selected. We would like to increase the delivery rating on the most important benefit – fast killing, and, also, to slightly increase delivery rating on price. Regarding the a-b-e benefit claim model, since Mortein insect spray is an Informationally motivated product, we decided to use e-→b (negative emotion → benefit), or Problem-solution benefit chain. People feel annoyed because of the presence of insects in their homes (they have a strong negative emotion), so Mortein will offer them a benefit of fast killing of insects. There are also other models for brand positioning that managers can employ. Perceptual mapping techniques are frequently used to aid managers in making brand positioning decisions (Kohli, 1993, p.10). Perceptual maps could be used to determine where the brand is positioned with the respect to the competitive brands, and to help identify product or service attributes which are important to customers, and which can be used to differentiate one company’s offering from the others in the category. The perceptual mapping delivers a graphic map of the various attributes, locating in space the different brands already in the marketplace with relation to each other and with relation to various attributes uncovered by quantitative surveying of customers and potential customers (Cahill, 1997, p.101). Amongst various techniques of perceptual mapping, the most frequently used are Factor Analysis, Discriminant analysis and Multidimensional Scaling. Factor Analysis is essentially a data reduction technique in which the objective is to represent the original pool of attributes in terms of a smaller number of dimensions or factors (Kohli, 1993, p.10). After the factors have been identified, the brand’s ratings on these factors are used to position the brands in perceptual space. Factor Analysis works best for promotional and communications strategies because it yields more affective dimensions (Gwin, 2003, p.33). Discriminant analysis is also used to reduce the number of attributes to a smaller number of underlying dimensions. However, unlike Factor Analysis, it focuses on attributes which show differences between brands (Kohli, 1993, p.11). Since it yields more objective dimensions, Discriminant analysis is most often used for new product design. Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) enables managers to map brands spatially, so that the relative positions in the mapped space reflect the degree of perceived similarity between the brands. Respondents are asked to evaluate brands in pairs, judging the overall similarity of the brands, not individual attributes (Kohli, 1993, p.12). The best use of Multidimensional Scaling is in established markets, with numerous brands available to respondents. On the other hand, Gwin and Gwin (2003) favour another tool, the Product Attributes model, over perceptual mapping techniques. Product Attributes model assumes that consumer choice is based on the characteristics (or attributes) of a brand. The consumer’s choice is based on maximizing the level of satisfaction received from the product attributes  subject to a budget constraint (Gwin, 2003, p.32). The main strength of this model is the ability to incorporate the impact of price into assessment of brand positioning. Perceptual mapping is useful because it makes easier for people to see and understand relationship when they are presented graphically, rather than when they are offered in columns of figures or in long verbal descriptions (Cahill, 1997, p.101). If we used perceptual mapping in our consultancy report it would, enable us to locate different brands in space, and, actually, see what Mortein stands for in relation to the competitors. Nevertheless, this technique has several drawbacks. Firstly, it compares only two, usually most important attributes, while other attributes ate neglected. Secondly, there is no way of representing benefit importance in perceptual maps because the attributes are invariably plotted as though they were of equal importance (Rossiter, 2005, p.70). In our particular case, for Mortein insect spray, if we employed perceptual mapping, we would probably obtain similar results to those from I-D-U benefit analysis. However, by using perceptual mapping techniques, we would have to spend considerably more time and effort on research and statistical analysis. Therefore, we believe that the I-D-U model favoured by Rossiter and Bellman (2005) is superior to perceptual mapping and other models of brand positioning. References Cahill, D., (1997), How Consumers Pick a Hotel: Strategic Segmentation and Target Marketing, The Haworth Press, Inc., New York Greenberg, M., and McDonald, S. S., (1989), ‘Successful Needs/Benefits Segmentation: A user’s Guide’, The Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 6, Iss. 3, pp. 29-36 Gwin, C. and Gwin, C., (2003), ‘Product attributes model: A tool for evaluating brand positioning’, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Vol. 11, Iss. 2, pp. 30-42 Haley, R., (1995), ‘Benefit segmentation: A decision-oriented research tool’, Marketing Management, Vol. 4, Iss. 1, pp. 59-63 Kohli, C. and Leuthesser, L., (1993), ‘Product positioning: A comparison of perceptual mapping techniques’, The Journal of Product and Brand Management, Vol. 2, Iss. 4, pp. 10-20 Kotler, P. et al., (2004), Marketing, 6th edition, Pearson Education Australia Rossiter, J. R. and Bellman, S., (2005), Marketing communications; theory and applications, Pearson Education Australia Wedel, M. and Steenkamp, J. E. M., (1991), ‘A Clusterwise Regression Method for Simultaneous Fuzzy Market Structuring and Benefit Segmentation’, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 28, Iss. 4, pp. 385-392

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” (O’Connor) vs. “The Death of Tommy Grimes” (Meaddough) Essay

â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is a more successful and compelling piece of literature than â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†. Both stories focus on traditionalism, human nature in times of death and obligation. However, â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is far more successful due to its efficient use of characterization, atmosphere and the grotesque. â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is clearly the superior piece of art. Both â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† focus intently on tradition’s effects on society through the use of characterization, but â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is far more successful in delivering its message. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† uses the younger generations as well as the older generations of the family (from grandparents to children) to portray a decline in moral stability and Christian beliefs; an example of how tradition, meant to maintain these beliefs and morals, can be easily corrupted. â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† communicates this same message through the strictly traditionalist character of the father, whose racism is shown to be extremely destructive to our society. Because of his unquestioning belief in racist traditions, he has influenced his own son to adhere to the racist tendencies prevalent in the South during their time. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is extr emely subtle in its anti-traditionalist message, its most effective example being a subtle allusion to a lurking evil in the highly traditional character of the grandmother, showing the fact that personal flaws are often disguised by a strong belief in the values of tradition. Her misuse of her Christian tradition is brought to attention through the words of the Misfit: â€Å"‘She would have been a good woman,’ the Misfit said, ‘if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.'(O’Connor 11)† â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is much more straightforward in its anti-traditionalist message, emphasizing its stance through the remarkably blunt words of the father: â€Å"‘Boys, I wanna tell you my boy became a man today. Yessir, killed his first n****r.’ (Meaddough 413)† The child then belongs to their ironically infantile world of men, and is taken as one of their own by the bar’s stereotypically racist Southerners. This message is condensed to fit the last page of the story, leaving the message short but also driving its point across in a way that is extremely hard to miss. For this reason, â€Å"The  Death of Tommy Grimes† is the better of the two stories in terms of accomplishing its task. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† uses the characters of the children to show its views on tradition’s dangerous effects as it is passed down and either mutilated or ignored throughout multiple generations. The children’s rudeness and apathy for the well-being of others is a hard-hitting example of the nature of immorality. â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† not only uses the character of the father as an example in its pro-traditionalist message, it also maintains the father as a fully necessary and functional three-dimensional character throughout the story. Although â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† would function as a story without the inclusion of the children, it is easy to see that their primary purpose in the story is to show the damage inflicted by a lack of morals. However, â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† uses its characters to their fullest potential, again alleviating its success in delivering its message of anti-traditionalism. For these reasons, â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is superior to â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† in communicating its message on traditionalism through the use of characterization. â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† and â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† both use their atmosphere to portray human nature during times of death; however, â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is far more successful because it does so without taking away from other aspects of the story. Throughout â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes†, the son’s fear of killing and the father’s repeated use of the word â€Å"buck† without directly referring to a deer gives a strong aura that something is not as it seems on the surface. Although the foreshadowing is not direct, a sense of uneasiness and an aura of evil are given off, imbuing the story with a dark and foreboding atmosphere. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† gives multiple direct references to The Misfit and his evil ways throughout the story, and refers to him in such a way that there would be no logical explanation for his inclusion in the story were he not to interfere directly with the aff airs of the family. This use of foreshadowing is too direct, and although it certainly adds to the atmospheric uneasiness, it also reveals parts of the story too early on, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. Both of these atmospheric devices lead to a climax in which death is very clearly present. Both stories also contain both metaphorical  and literal deaths; â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† containing the literal death of the sickeningly dehumanized prey and the metaphorical death of Tommy in his passage into â€Å"manhood†, and â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† portraying the gruesome deaths of the members of the family as well as the internal death of the Misfit who has been metaphorically killed by the society that has mutilated his life. This change in both stories from seemingly normal events into situations where death is present in multiple ways adds to the atmosphere, which shifts from light to dark quite quickly. However, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† becomes slightly pretentious after its dark atmosphere has settled in, turning to a long and unrealistic dialogue between the grandmother and the Misfit, a device that is seemingly present only in order to allow O’Connor to communicate her views on the grandmother’s selfishness in death, a message which was mysteriously absent throughout the beginning of the story, without so much as an allusion or foreshadowing to indicate that this message is the true theme of the story. This dialogue actually detracts from the atmosphere of the story by being too obvious in its attempt to redeem the story as a social commentary: â€Å"I wasn’t there, so I can’t say (Christ) didn’t (raise the dead),† The Misfit said. â€Å"I wisht I had of been there,† he said, hitting the ground with his fist. â€Å"It ain’t right I wasn’t there because if I had of been there I would of known and I wouldn’t be like I am now.† His voice seemed about to crack and the grandmother’s head cleared for an instant†¦ â€Å"Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!† (O’Connor 11) Although both â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† successfully show human nature during times of death through their use of atmosphere, â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is clearly more effective because it finds a way to do so without detracting from other aspects of the story. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† both deal with the issue of obligation through the use of the grotesque, but â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† gives an example better suited to accomplishing its goal. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† shows the grandmother’s belief that both her children and grandchildren hold a strong obligation to her, as though the  mere fact that they belong to her lineage means they have inherited a debt of obedience. However, at the same time she shows no obligation whatsoever to her family during a time of extreme desperation, choosing merely to continue struggling for her own life rather than making any attempt to save those around her. Although she calls out the name of her son, she makes no attempt to discourage the Misfit from killing his wife or daughter, nor does she give any recognition to the fact that her grandson has also been killed. This shows a very confused and selfish sense of obligation, a willingness to receive but not to give. â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† delves into what is arguably an even more grotesque example in order to demonstrate the potential flaws in obligation. The son’s strict devotion to his father leads a boy who could once not bring himself to take the life of a small animal to sufficiently alter his mind to a point at which he could bring himself to shoot a human being. His views of his father as being a role model in his life leads to his inevitable personal death, forcing him to abandon his morals in favor of his obligation to his father: And he though how it must be for Pa when the other man bragged about their boys, and him so scared to kill a weasel, and he knew what he had to do. â€Å"Pa,† he murmered, â€Å"think maybe I could go a time at that old buck?† (Meaddough 409) The son feels, as most sons do, a natural obligation to his father, and this obligation allows him to demoralize himself and to dehumanize another man, succumbing to racism and evil. Although both stories are very successful in using the grotesque to portray the perils of obligation, â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† uses an example that is unveiled more suddenly and also more callously. Rather than showing any one character as having a truly difficult time coping with the horrible nature of the incident, it portrays the racist men as encouraging and applauding the activity, and the son as succumbing to the beliefs of these men and re-evaluating his actions as being almost acceptable. It demonstrates that the grotesque can be normalized through a strong enough feeling of obligation. Although â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† also demonstrates an apathy towards the grotesque in the character of the Misfit, it shows reasons for his apathy through his hard and troubled past.  On the other hand, Tommy Grimes has been raised in a relatively â€Å"normal† and â€Å"happy† upbringing (his father’s racism being the one downfall that is mentioned). It is because of this acceptance of such a terrible incident that â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is the more successful of the two stories in portraying its message on obligation through the use of the grotesque. Although â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† and â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† clearly share much in common, it is obvious that â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† is the far superior story. Throughout the stories’ common themes of traditionalism, human nature in times of death, and obligation, â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† maintains more well-supported, believable and well-communicated messages than â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†. Its characterization, atmosphere and use of the grotesque are vital to its success, and Meaddough demonstrates a proficiency in the use of these literary techniques superior to O’Connor. â€Å"The Death of Tommy Grimes† prevails over a â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† in many ways, and is a far more efficient and successful piece of literature.

U.S. History - The Nations Growth in the 1900s essays

U.S. History - The Nation's Growth in the 1900's essays While trying to improve our nations economy, businesses have not ameliorated because of one important backbone of our country, the farmers. Farmers face problems with farming due to droughts, prairie fires, high temperatures, grasshoppers, and locust storms. At this time, the value of the crops decreased due to an overproduction of goods. The farmers have tried to max production rates, but there were too many amounts of the same crop causing the value of the crop to go down. Since the value of the crop decreased, the demand for the crops will go down. For example, the cost of the wheat fell from $0.91 (1883) to $0.69 (1886). Farmers became poor because it is harder for the farmers to sell their crops (lower demand on crops) Also, transporting their crops to the market also costs money. The farmers tried to transport their crops by railroads, but the railroad owners tried pooling, which they charge more for short hauls than long hauls. A group of railroad companies would get together, increase the freight rates, and make railroad transportation more From the result of farmer complaints about railroad fees, congress passes a new law to regulate interstate commerce. It limited the railroad regulations within the state borders. The Interstate Commerce states that, all railroad charges must be reasonable and justified without pooling, rebates, and higher rates for short hauls than long hauls. Railroad companies were required to publish their railroad rates and their annual financial reports to the federal government. The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) enforced the railroad laws. The ICC is made of five members appointed by the president to do the job. However, the ICC could not stop the unfair railroad rates ...

Coloring Carnations Science Experiment

Coloring Carnations Science Experiment This fun home or school experiment shows your child how water flows through a flower from stem to petals, changing the color of carnations. If youve ever had cut flowers in a vase around the house, your child might have observed the water levels dropping. Your child may wonder why you have to keep watering houseplants. Where does all that water go? The Coloring Carnations Science Experiment helps to demonstrate that the water isnt just vanishing into thin air. Plus, in the end, youll have a very pretty bouquet of flowers. Materials You Will Need White carnations (1 for each color you would like to try to create)empty water bottles (1 for each carnation)food coloringwater24 to 48 hoursColoring Carnations Recording Sheet Directions for Coloring Carnations Experiment Peel the labels off the water bottles and fill each bottle about one-third full of water.Have your child add food coloring to each bottle, about 10 to 20 drops to make the color vibrant. If you would like to try to make a rainbow bouquet of carnations, you and your child will need to mix the primary colors to make purple and orange. (Most boxes of food coloring include a bottle of green.)Cut the stem of each carnation at an angle and place one in each water bottle. If your child wants to keep a picture diary of what is happening to the carnations, download and print the Coloring Carnations Recording Sheet and draw the first picture.Check the carnations every few hours to see if anything is happening. Some of the brighter colors may begin to show results in as little as two or three hours. Once you begin to see visible results, its a good time to have your child draw the second picture. Just remember to record how many hours have gone by!Keep an eye on the flowers for a day. By the en d of day one, the flowers should really be taking on color. Its a good time to ask your child questions about what shes observing. Try questions along the line of:Which color is working the quickest?What color isnt showing up well?Why do you think the carnations are turning colors? (see explanation below)Where is the color showing up?What do you think that means about which parts of the flower get the most food? At the end of the experiment (either one or two days, it depends on how vibrant you want your flowers to be) gather the carnations into one bouquet. It will look like a rainbow! Recording Sheet for the Coloring Carnations Science Experiment Make a four-box grid for your child to draw pictures of what happened in the experiment. What we did first: After ___ hours: After 1 day: What my flowers looked like: Coloring Carnations Science Experiment Why the Carnations Change Color Like any other plant, carnations get their nutrients through the water they absorb from the dirt they are planted in. When the flowers are cut, they no longer have roots  but continue to absorb water through their stems. As water evaporates from the leaves and petals of the plant, it sticks to other water molecules and pulls that water into the space left behind. The water in the vase travels up the stem of the flower like a drinking straw and is distributed to all of the parts of the plant that now need water. Since the nutrients in the water are dyed, the dye also travels up the stem of the flower.

The relations of Turkey with the European Union Essay

The relations of Turkey with the European Union - Essay Example The union had many requirements for the membership candidacy acceptance. In December 1999 however, the EU dropped its preconditions, the reasons of which were several. Associated through its Ottoman past to the Balkans, at the edge of Central Asia, and adjoining the Middle East oil fields, Turkey was deemed a very significant participant on the international stage with huge potential to play a stabilizing role in a turbulent region; it could not be ignored. The post 9-11 era poses critical implications in the world politics today. Any plotted course of such decision making is prone to have a long lasting impact, not only on the concerned countries, but also on every affected party. In this case, the Turkey-EU relations, as well as their future nature of this relationship, not only affect them, but also EU’s relations with its neighboring Muslim countries. It took 3 decades until Turkey became a legitimate candidate country for an absolute membership in the EU. This research pr oposal tends to closely examine if Turkey should join the EU, and comprehensively discusses the potential resulting implications arising from whether or not Turkey joins it. A comprehensive review of literature has been conducted to study different theories and perspectives from different directly concerned parties, stakeholders, and various analysts who have evaluated Turkey’s standing from different angles. Further on, the proposal outlines our research objectives for this paper, discusses the research methodology to be employed, as well as highlight the ethical issues and limitations we’re prone to come across. Research Questions: The primary objective of this section is to construct a succinct discussion, and with all the pros and cons of the resulting impact, be able to reach an answer to the following research questions: Should Turkey join the EU? What advantage would Turkey gain from attaining accession to the EU? What advantage would EU gain from Turkish access ion? What are the negative implications if Turkey joins EU? Literature Review/Background According to Van Herpen (2004) Turkey has been a significant geopolitical participant on the European stage for more than six centuries. Initially it was deemed as a threat, in response to which Luther inscribed his pamphlet ‘On War against the Turk’. But with due evolution, for the past 5 decades, Turkey has been a close ally to Europe in the NATO. Even though Turkey is an Islamic country, however, the Islam followed over there is not only identified as moderate and accepting, but is also barred from the public sphere. A decade ago, Rouleau (2000, p. 100) was of the view that Turkey stands at a crossroads; the ‘accession partnership document’ that it presented to the EU is a roadmap for the extensive political and economic reforms Turkey needs to endorse if it intends on joining the EU. However, according to the so-called Copenhagen regulations, certain guidelines were to be followed by all EU membership candidates including Turkey, which basically revolved around establishing ‘Western-style democratic institutions guaranteeing rule of law, individual rights, and minority rights’. Turkey, however, even after 10 months of the issuance of these norms,

Against Green Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Against Green Energy - Essay Example The cost of subsidizing green energy is therefore spread to individual and corporate taxpayers. The economic condition is likely to worsen due to the fact that generational effects of green energy utilize funds that could be pumped into other developmental projects. Green energy subsidies suppress sustainable development goals and objectives. This is more so when these subsidies increase energy consumption. With increased consumption of energy, wastes from such consumption would increase negative effects on the environment. The process is therefore prone to exacerbate harmful energy effects on environmental welfare. Burden to maintain low pollution levels in the environment is likely to increase and government spending doubles in that case (Douglas F, et al. 2000, p.60–66). Subsidies will be made available for green energy, but government and corporate efforts to combat environmental pollution will remain unchanged. Organizational operating costs should not be covered through subsidies. However, this has been the characteristic phenomenon in the use of subsidies. Organizations that formulate green energy projects and want to implement them seeks for subsidies. Rather than assisting companies to implement such projects, the subsidies should be used for the purposes of enhancing accessibility to contemporary sources of energy. The focus should be directed to households whose access to modern sources is limited as well as to those who cannot afford it. Since this is not the case, subsidies for green energy are argued against. World Bank and World Resource Institute have as well argued against subsidies for green energy in the same context (Brown, 2006, p.

Discuss by collecting and analyzing historical data and by giving Essay

Discuss by collecting and analyzing historical data and by giving up-to-date real life example(s) from the American, UK or Europ - Essay Example However, the inflation bias presence is a typical feature of the system of flat money where the monetary mechanisms are pursued with discretion. Inflation bias exists because of two reasons. First, with the discretionary sovereignty over the monetary policy conduct, nations can fund deficits of the budget by raising the seigniorage cash inflows over the non-inflationary amount. Seigniorage can be part of the maximum tax composition due to the marginal cost of every kind of taxes. To reduce the inflation bias, many nations have opted to give their central banks the legal independence. The paper therefore, analyses and discusses if nations with independent Central Banks also experience a lower inflation. Research Question Most governments and nations impose legal independence on their central banks. Their aim is to cushion the monetary policies from the political interference and from the pressure of electoral to deliver the economic growth at the long term inflationary cost expense. I t is always assumed that the legal independence of central banks from the fiscal authority is crucial as it protects the economy from the debt monetization. Therefore, the paper will answer the question if the commitment of the credible government is deemed to have a reduced rate of inflation. Objective Objective 1 The objective of this research is to find out if countries and nations having independent central banks also have a reduced inflation rate. Objective 2 The objective of the research is to determine ways that governments do in order to minimize the inflation bias. Objective 3 The objective of the research is to discuss through the collection and analysis of historical data and illustrating real life scenarios from the European, UK, or American Central banks. Question Interpretation Governments have alternative institutional arrangements which they exercise the monetary policy responsibility. A common arrangement is through independent central banking. The independent centr al bank is considered as one of the better alternatives for the policy instrument due to their changed in the economic performance. The conventional idea behind the central bank independence is to provide a better monetary policy for the country. The question that has always gone unanswered is if nations that have employed the mechanism of independent central bank experience a lower inflation. The choice between unemployment and inflation is a political choice rather than a technical choice. There is a perspective trade-off between the stabilizing the economy and lowering the inflationary bias. However none of the dimensions have been put into consideration. The inflationary bias evidence has been scarce this is because it requires identifying the inflation rates. Literature Review The independence of central banks has been the conventional mechanism in countries that are developed. For instance, in Europe the nations have confined their powers to surpass the power of central banks through the parliament declaration (â€Å"Central Bank Independence and Inflation†, 2013  ). The nuclear option was never implemented, but it led to a greater incentive for the consensus among the official families. The independence of central banks was much stronger in 1990s. New Zealand had an extreme form of central bank independence when the country was the love for free market reformers. The Reserve bank president was appointed to maintain the rate of inflation between zeros

Viable Cell Counting In Yeast Suspension Biology Essay

Viable Cell Counting In Yeast Suspension Biology Essay The aim of this experiment was to estimate the number of viable cells in a yeast suspension that was already provided. Estimations of the viable yeast cells were taken via two methods of plating; pour plating and spread plating, of which hot agar was used with the pour plate technique. The results that were obtained for this experiment show that overall; the spread plate method gives a higher yield of viable yeast cells compared to the total count value of 2.8 x 10^7. This experiment was conducted to estimate the number of viable cells in a yeast suspension, already provided. The definition of a viable cell, as stated in the Collins English Dictionary, 2008, p991 is capable of growth. Therefore, the definition of a viable yeast cell is a yeast cell capable of living and being able to grow. In industrial and research settings, there is a need to quantify the microbe content of microbial products. The method for doing this varies for different types of microbes. Traditionally, the first microbes to be used commercially were bacteria and yeasts. These are typically single-celled species that can be grown in natural and artificial media, and are well-suited to growth in agar gels on Petri plates. Using this method, individual cells or clumps of cells will form discrete colonies, which become visible to the naked eye as the colony grows. Counting the number of colonies provides a direct way to track the original number of discrete microbial units. A count determined this way been dubbed the number of Colony-Forming Units or CFU for short. CFUs are only applicable to single-celled microbes that can be grown on nutrient media, such as bacteria, yeasts, or spore-forming moulds. As the total count for the number of yeast cells was so vast (2.8 x 10^7) dilutions were made in order for a characteristic estimate of the total count of yeast cells to be made. Having diluted the sample enabled the human eye to count an estimate of the yeast cells. If dilutions had not been carried out, the sample of yeast cells would have been far too large and it would have been extremely time consuming and impossible to count the number of yeast cells. A haemocytometer enables for an estimate of the total number of yeast cells present. It has a known volume of chamber and area which is etched on the glass. A cell suspension is able to be above the known area. The chamber is then filled with a yeast suspension then covered with a cover slip. An average number of microbes can then be counted in the ruled area to give the number of yeast cells per cm ³. The aim of this experiment was essentially, to estimate the total number of yeast cells in a culture and to estimate the number of living (viable) yeast cells. Materials and Methods The total count of the yeast cells originally estimated by the haemocytometer was 3.8 x 10^7, however, it was later concluded that this was incorrect due to a mix up from another class. The new result for the estimated total count of the yeast cells was 2.8 x 10^7. This number was clearly too large and a series of ten fold dilutions were carried out in order to make it easier to estimate and investigate the viable yeast cells. A series of ten fold dilutions were needed as this is an important technique in identifying the viable cells. As a figure of 2.8 x 10^7 was established and it is vital that the number of colonies attained remains within the range of 30-300. So the dilution for a range of 30 300 is 1/100 (10^-2), however, it is essential that further dilutions, both above and below 1/100 are used; 1/10 (10^-1) and 1/1000 (10^-3). To make the estimation more accurate, dilutions of 10^-4, 10^-5 and 10^-6 were also used for both pour and spread plates. For full method, please refer to introduction to biology, microbiology and pharmacology practical booklet, pp 13-14. Results The results obtained for the pour plate and spread plate methods were as follow: 10^-1 10^-2 10^-3 10^-4 10^-5 10^-6 Pour plate (ml) TNTC TNTC TNTC TNTC 83 8 Spread plate (ml) TNTC TNTC TNTC 100 10 1 Key: TNTC Too numerous to count To determine the number of colony forming units (CFU) cm^-3 this calculation was used: Counts on plate x (1/dilution) x (1/volume inoculated (ml)) The calculations that were carried in order to determine the number of colony forming units (CFU) cm^-3 of the original culture for the pour plate and spread plate are shown below: Calculations for pour plate method: 83 x 1/10^-5 a 1/1 = 8.3 x 10^6 CFU, ml Calculations for spread plate method: 100 x 1/10^-4 x 1/0.1 = 1.0 x 10^7 CFU, ml The volumes inoculated for the pour and spread plate were different, the pour plate was inoculated with 1.0cm^-3 and the spread plate with 0.1micrometer. Discussion The table in the results sections shows that the values of the colonies that were counted for each of the plating techniques show good continuation, especially with the spread plate as the figures are increasing by a factor of ten each time. The figure obtained for the total count was 2.8 x 10^7, comparing this to the figure calculated for the pour plate method, 8.3 x 10^6 CFU, ml there has been a loss in the number of viable cells using this method, there has been a decrease of 1.97 x 10^7 of viable yeast cells. Comparing the total count value to the spread plate figure of 1.0 x 10^7 there was also a loss of viable yeast cells, with a loss of 1.8 x 10^7. This decrease in viable yeast cells compared to the pour plate loss is lower. The hot agar used in the pour plate technique may injure or kill sensitive cells; thus spread plates sometimes give higher counts than pour plates.(p 130, Microbiology, Seventh Edition, Joanne M. Willey et al) The above statement backs up the results of the experiment, as the spread plate technique has given a considerable higher count of viable yeast cells. Other factors that may have resulted in the smaller number of viable yeast cells in the pour plate method could have been that there is a much higher likelihood that clumps of the colonies may have formed together in portions of the plate, making it much more difficult to count. This occurs less in spread plating, as the clumps are broken up, and therefore there is a better distribution of the cells. Other factors that may have affected the results obtained for this experiment were the techniques used for the serial dilutions. With each sequential serial dilution step, there may have been transfer inaccuracies that lead to less accurate and less precise dispensing. This meant that the highest dilutions had the highest number of inaccuracies. Also, after every inoculation, the dilution must be thoroughly mixed; this was not carried during any of the dilutions, so this may have also affected the number of viable yeast cells. Finally, when doing viable counts, the higher dilution is, the more error is found in estimating the count of the original volume. For example, there were 10 colonies growing on the 10^-5 spread plate, and it was estimated that there were approximately 500000 colonies in the original suspension, but this was only an estimation to the closest hundred thousand. Likewise, with higher dilutions, such as the 10^6 on the pour plate, it was only estimated to the closest million. There were some limitations to the experiment, which may have altered the results slightly. Not having much experience in using the Gilson pipettes may have had an impact on the accuracy of the pipetting that was done during the serial dilutions.

Times Arrow by Martin Amis Essay -- Times Arrow Martin Amis Essays

Time's Arrow by Martin Amis The human being is an analytical creature. From scientists to philosophers to star-crossed teenaged lovers, the human is internally motivated to understand the world around him. That world provides countless puzzles for the human to solve, whether these puzzles lie in the forests of the heart, the laws of mathematics or the annals of history. However, some of the most unfathomable aspects of this world have been entirely created by humans. The Holocaust is one of the most unfathomable events in human history. Countless documentaries, pieces of literature, psychological analyses and films have explored the topic in an attempt to understand exactly how humans could commit such terrible atrocities against one another. Time’s Arrow, by Martin Amis, initially attempts to answer this question by exploring the life of a Nazi doctor. To do this, he separates the narrator’s consciousness from his mind, re-living his life backwards. In doing so, Amis tries to reverse the laws of entropy, to heal by un-creating human destruction. However, as the narrator (the doctor’s consciousness) eventually finds, reversing time’s arrow does not make the Holocaust fathomable. Therefore, in Time’s Arrow, Martin Amis suggests that humans will always manage to increase entropy, despite the reversal of time and the laws of the physical world. The term â€Å"entropy† describes a â€Å"measure of disorder or randomness in an isolated system† (Dictionary.com). According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the entropy of an isolated system will always increase over time. Therefore, disorder and randomness are constantly increasing. Amis drew from both this law and the work of the physicist A.S. Eddington in writing T... ... undo the chaos that we had created. Yet in Time’s Arrow, entropy is not just never truly reduced, it is ultimately increased. Thus, Amis argues that entropy’s effect on humanity is an inherently human creation. We create our own misery, our own disorder, our own chaos, regardless of the physical laws and the direction in which time is flowing. Therefore, in Time’s Arrow Amis suggests that humans are inherently entropic creatures, so much so that entropy as it pertains to us is less of a physical property, and more of a human characteristic. Bibliography Amis, Martin. Time’s Arrow. London: Vintage, Random House, 1991. â€Å"Entropy.† Dictionary.com. 2004 http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=entropy Menke, Richard. â€Å"Narrative Reversals and the Thermodynamics of History in Martin Amis’s Time’s Arrow.† Modern Fiction Studies 44.4 (1998) 959-980.

The Interpersonal Relationships in The Workplace

In recent years the corporate workforce has become more diversified in gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. As a consequence the workforce at most major corporations is now more reflective of the general population than it was in the past. Yet the issue of diversity in the workplace is often not addressed or, in some cases, overlooked by management. Of particular interest is the management of interpersonal relationships of both heterosexual and homosexual employees in the workplace. In a prosperous economic climate, corporations are often forced to compete for qualified employees. Many corporations have attempted to attract such employees by offering benefits that meet their lifestyle needs. Some examples of such benefits are on-site daycare and the recognition of same sex couples in terms of benefits. Benefits of this nature project an image of the corporation that emphasizes acceptance and fairness. These characteristics are highly valued by prospective employees and are one of the primary factors considered when choosing between competing offers. From a management perspective the interpersonal relationships of employees is a delicate issue that requires attention. Management must recognize that the workforce is a diverse ever-changing entity. To that end management must assess the lifestyle needs of the workforce and integrate that into the corporate policy in such a way as to not adversely affect other areas. To accomplish this, management must constantly evaluate and evolve corporate policy to address the issues that will undoubtedly arise. The effective management of interpersonal relationships is intrinsically complex. From an organizational level it requires a corporate policy that defines what it considers a workplace relationship and specifies guidelines regarding what is and is not acceptable behavior. First and second level managers are then required to implement the corporate policy on the frontline. Also of concern is the method, if any, of enforcing such a policy. The complications of workplace relationships are varied. There are obvious cases of problems within the relationship that are directly observable and able to be managed. But there are also cases where complications arise outside of the relationship. An important aspect of the management of interpersonal relationships is the ability to detect and resolve these complications fairly. In discussing the management of interpersonal relationships in the workplace, it is important to clarify what is typically considered a workplace relationship. Most corporations that acknowledge relationships between employees, and subsequently have policies restricting their behavior, define a workplace relationship as that of a legally married heterosexual couple. In recent times some corporations have changed their policy to include same sex partners or spousal equivalents in their definition of a workplace relationship. Regardless of whether or not they are formally recognized by the organization, the majority of issues that face married heterosexual employees in a workplace relationship also apply to heterosexual and same sex partners who are not married. For the purposes of this paper we will consider both married and unmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples as a being involved in a workplace relationship. When it comes to workplace relationships, corporations are fearful of all of the associated pitfalls. Generally, an employer will document certain corporate policies pertaining to who can be in a relationship with another employee. Some common restrictions are that managers are prohibited from relationships with their subordinates or that a couple is not supposed to work for the same manager. More often than not, there is an unwritten workplace code that employees should not start relationships from within the same group because of the possible negative consequences. Most corporations will also subject employees to workplace diversity or compliance training where the new employees will learn what is considered appropriate behavior. This usually includes sensitivity training for correctly dealing with diverse employee groups and various sexual harassment issues. Even small companies require these types of policies and training because many types of relationships exist in the work environment, including the introduction of same sex relationships in the workforce. As a result of today's lawsuit prone environment, corporations are more fearful than ever of impropriety by their employees. The training and rules are designed to avoid the costly litigation involved in harassment suits and the requisite problems that evolve from relationships. Corporations realize the importance of stopping such claims and limiting their liability by enforcing these laws. The problem though, as with any corporate decree, is that it is only as strong as the managers who implement the policies. The first step for a corporation is to put the policy into writing. If a corporation does not have a written policy on workplace relationships, all that is left are unwritten rules. Unwritten rules are left up to the manager to determine what is right, wrong, and the enforcement for that part of the organization. This leads to chaos because there are no management mediation techniques, no way for the employees to know they are about to cause organizational friction, and no common implementation from managers. On the other end of the spectrum, a few companies have gone as far as Aerotek, a high-tech temp agency with a strict no-dating-at-work rule. 1 Once the policy is completed, the next step is to communicate the policy to not only the managers, but also the employees. There are several ways the corporation can choose to notify their employees of any policy changes. First, managers need to attend training and orientation classes to learn how to effectively handle any situation and to receive materials on how to correctly disseminate the information to their employees. Managers will need to sit down with their group and spell out the issues. There is danger here in how the manager communicates the policies. If the manager does not respect the policy and the employees notice, the rules will be ineffective in prohibiting problems. In addition, if the employees are used to policies which the corporation does not enforce, the manager may be unable to convince their subordinates of the policy†s importance. Regardless of corporate policies, employees usually know what their managers expect from them. Some managers stick to the rules word for word while most shape the rules to their style and liking. Lower level managers may not recognize the downside risk of certain workplace relationships, specifically those where both employees are in the same work group. It is easy for managers to see decreased productivity but it is impossible to predict future problems. A manager is likely to ignore these relationships if the employees are responsible and don't let their outside lives effect the work life. Some managers even encourage relationships because of the emotional bond that they have formed with their employees. When it does become a problem though, it may be too late to save the group dynamic. Managers have a tendency to trust that their employees will always behave professionally, but when it comes to emotions, work usually takes a backseat. The truth is that over the past 20 years, sexual harassment lawsuits have gone from zero to over 15,000 complaints filed annually with the Federal Equal Opportunity Commission. 1 The costs of inaction are clear. One only needs to look at the problems introduced in the United States White House to see the harm and disruption that can be caused in the workplace. Thus, it is important for the manager to communicate the corporate policies clearly and recognize the possibility of problems. It is also important for the corporation to clearly define the problems associated with workplace relationships so the managers will take the policies more seriously. It is important to note that it is only when the relationship causes work related problems that the manager should act. In addition, once a manager discovers a new relationship within the group, it is important to communicate the corporate policy again to avoid any confusion. Another aspect of corporate workplace relationship policies is relationship contracts. Some companies, to avoid harassment and relationship based litigation, require employees involved in a workplace relationship to declare such status to the human resource department. The human resource department will require the couple to sign a legal contract protecting the company from any problems which may result due to their relationship. The contract will state that in spite of all the risks that you independently and collectively desire to undertake and pursue a mutually consensual social and amorous relationship. If the employees refuse to sign the contract, one or both of the employees may be terminated as a result. The company can promote workplace relationships this way and still protect themselves from future problems. This still does not protect the group from relationship problems which affect the group dynamic. An overlooked segment of corporate policies relates to homosexual employees. It is important for homosexual employees to have a safe, productive, and open work environment. If the corporation does not have a written policy on harassment issues, the homosexual employees will feel like they do not fully belong to the organization. Consequently, homosexual employee's work suffers because of the mistrust, alienation, and emotional conflict about not being able to reveal the truth. It gets much worse when there is a homosexual relationship in the same work group. Not only must they hide their sexual orientation, but also their relationship. When companies have firm written rules about non-traditional relationships and discrimination practices, it makes it easier for the mentioned employees to feel comfortable about who they are and not worry about anything except doing the job. When it comes to homosexual employees, extra policies must be adopted and followed because of the harassment that they are sometimes subjected to in the workplace. The fact is that discrimination and harassment of gays is perfectly legal in most of America. Gays can lose their jobs, homes, kids, and sometimes their lives with little or no recourse available to them. There is no federal protection for gay citizens provided by the U. S. Constitution or Congress. As of the end of 1994, only one-third of the Fortune 1,000 companies had nondiscrimination policies inclusive of sexual orientation. Because of this, it is important for corporations, large and small, to create an inclusive environment for all of their employees. Managers must push for and implement the non-discrimination policies for the good of the organization. Management should also recognize that employees cannot be satisfied with their job without first satisfying the environmental and social problems which are inherent for homosexual employees. Written and enforced corporate policies go a long way towards helping satisfy those lower order needs. All corporate policies are ineffective if the company does not follow through with penalties for those who choose not to follow them. Organizations should have formal written guidelines on what a manager should do if such a problem occurs. Once a manager recognizes a problem, the first step should be to discuss the situation in a friendly environment. It is important for the manager not to confront the employee openly when other employees are present or to address the issue in a hostile fashion. The manager needs to explain what they have noticed and what they think the issue could be. The employee should be given a chance to explain what the problem is. Next, the employee must present what they can do to rectify the situation. The employee then needs to be given time to fix the problem. If the problem continues, the manager can try talking to the subordinate again or forward the issue to the human resource department. It is then up to the human resource employees to handle the problem. The human resource department is better at handling these issues because they do not have the emotional attachment component that the manager may have. The human resource department will be intimately familiar with the policy and can better explain the problems and consequences to the employee. A manager might be willing to work out the employee's issues and give a lot of time for them to change but this may cause unwanted group resentment to the special treatment. Managers need to realize that they have many employees and that they cannot give special treatment to any one individual without compensating other subordinates in some similar fashion. A common cause of resentment among heterosexual employees is the topic of same-sex partner benefits. Most heterosexual individuals do not recognize the validity of same-sex partners and do not think they deserve to have similar benefits to that of married couples. A study done in 1993 showed that although 70% of Fortune 1000 companies claimed to not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, just over 5% had domestic partner benefits. For a corporation to be competitive in the workforce and retain homosexual employees and customers, they must be inclusive. Some companies worry that they may suffer a financial loss from the backlash of implementing such a policy, but studies have shown that none of the organizations that have implemented these benefits have suffered a loss of either customers or employees. 2 Many gay and lesbian people take the availability of these benefits as a signal that an employer values diversity, that the employer in fact wants all its people treated fairly and equitably. The cost of partner benefits is not high. First of all, a large number of gays and lesbians are not going to self-identify. In addition, most of those partners are working and are covered elsewhere. Finally, despite the cost of AIDS, the costs of other medical events ? complicated pregnancies for example ? are higher in the traditional family. At the same time, it is important to provide heterosexual employees with domestic partner benefits. This provides an equitable policy for the entire organization. Once the company has a policy regarding workplace relationships, harassment, and benefits, it becomes time for the managers to take this information and decide how this effects their group. The manager is then responsible for implementing the corporate policy. The possible consequences of unproductive workplace relationships are probation, forced reassignment, or termination. As long as the employee works to fix the workplace problems, and there is no harassment involved, termination should not be an issue. More commonly the employee would be reprimanded by the manager and human resources and be allowed to work through the issue. If the employee and their partner are working together in the same group, a preferred solution would be for one of the employees to transfer to another group. A transfer can eliminate a lot of issues which come up when both employees work together and may be the best solution for the company and the workplace relationship. Some company policies will mandate that married employees cannot work under the same manager and one of the employees will be required to transfer. Termination can also become a problem though, even when the employees are in different groups. If the employee is preoccupied about something personal that happens in the relationship and it causes constant and long-term work degradation, termination may be the only solution for the manager and human resources department. These situations can be reduced if the company policies and consequences are spelt out clearly when employees go through initial orientation as well as when a relationship starts. When an organization refuses to stand behind its nondiscrimination policies with real actions, such as inclusive education, domestic partner benefits, and public support, it is counting on an unspoken rule of the workplace to mysteriously take effect. This rule is that all the employees will put business before everything and act as though their own opinions, ideals, and beliefs are checked at the door in consideration of the common good. However, such a reaction is rarely, if ever, the case when homosexual employees are involved, especially when the issue at hand is so volatile. A manager must look at productivity and motivation. If you have a workplace team in which two of the people conflict because one is homophobic and the other is openly and comfortably gay, your challenge is not to change either of their minds. Your challenge is not getting the employees to accept each other but rather a business problem. The employees do not have to learn to like each other but rather how to work together. In situations where the heterosexual employee cannot handle the situation, they will have to transfer or they will most likely end up being terminated. Other corporate policies can involve nepotism. Most corporations will clearly state that a manager cannot hire a relative or spouse to work under them. Most large companies, like Bell Atlantic and Digital Equipment Corporation, will state that an employee can not influence the hiring process in any way. This includes the hiring of outside firms run by a relative regardless of their qualifications. Such nepotistic actions will generally result in the termination or transfer of the newly hired employees and termination of the offending manager. Managers will not always follow corporate policy so it is important for the human resource department to make sure that nothing discriminatory happens. When it comes to work place relationships, some managers can be expected to act against corporate policy or avoid the situation at all costs. By taking the â€Å"don't ask, don't tell† position, the manager can avoid the situation in most cases. Some managers may just ignore that the relationship exists all together to avoid having to deal with it, or possibly losing their employees. These stances probably cause more harm than good because they don't address the possible problems and leave room open for large issues to arise. It is more important to have good communication with your subordinates. When it comes to same sex relationships, managers must put aside any personal beliefs and perceptions about their different employees. Some people may find this very hard to do and will not be able to tactfully deal with these scenarios. In these cases, the manager will most likely project their negative feelings about the employee and create a poor work environment. The manager may create a bad environment in other ways by assigning undesirable job tasks, jobs which they know the employee cannot complete, limiting compensation and career advancement. This is a way for the manager to force the unwanted employees out of the group. Employees need to recognize these situations and report them to the human resource department. A manager also needs to realize when their subordinates are discriminating against one employee and take quick and decisive action. This is where a good discrimination policy can eliminate bad work conditions and remove non-productive employees. Couples working in the same company will experience some unique challenges because of their relationship. Many of the complications will depend on how closely couples work together. Issues such as personal conflict, affection, children, changing jobs, and the sharing of corporate information are all different complications couples will be forced to address. Personal conflict within a relationship can cause problems in the workplace. During a conflict, couples that have easy access to each other during the day can have some performance degradation above and beyond normal anxiety of being in a domestic conflict. Work related interaction is often the reason couples meet one another in the first place, and hence, the initial steps that lead up to a relationship. Once in the work environment, normal business reasons are the initiator of communication, but personal issues become commonplace conversation. When in a conflict, couples end up taking time out of the workday to talk about the issue without notice by others, since interaction for business reasons is necessary. The opposite effect, personal avoidance, is also a result of personal conflict. In one case regarding a couple that worked together closely, conflict within the relationship would impede performance, because they would avoid one another until resolved. These conflicts caused work requiring each other's assistance not to be performed. On the other hand, many couples are able to put their problems completely aside at work, and find no additional issues with working in the same place during conflict. Many couples insist there are only benefits to working together, and are always able to leave their problems at home. Affection in the workplace has many aspects, and various opinions. Public affection in the workplace, such as hand holding, hugging, and kissing is universally avoided during work hours. Such behavior is viewed as inappropriate, and professionalism prevails, at least publicly. However, differences in opinion regarding particular situations exist. Couples handle affection differently in cases where they are outside of the work area during work hours, or in the case where they are on work property, but before the workday starts. Some people say they have no problem kissing or hugging â€Å"goodbye† after lunch or in the parking lot before going their separate ways. Those who participate in such activities generally think nothing of it, even if people that work for the same company were in the same restaurant or vicinity. In only one case did someone say they felt slightly uncomfortable. In this particular instance, for 10 to 15 seconds the couple would hug and kiss goodbye before getting out of the car when returning from lunch. The level of comfort depended on whether other employees could see them. Another point couples address when working at the same company is the effect on children. The majority of parents actually feel it is easier to bring small children to work, because it means they are able to transport the child to their partner's work location very easily when there is a need. However, parents also mention that by working for the same company, both parents had the same standard set of holidays. This means that when a child is off from school, it is more likely that both parents will be expected to be at work, making it more likely the child would be joining them in the work environment. People involved in relationships who look for jobs will often encounter the opportunity to work at the same company. Besides meeting at work, another common way for couples to work for the same company is while looking for jobs in a new geographical area that requires moving. The most interesting data point for couples looking for jobs is that many times employment opportunities for one partner will arise while the other partner is interviewing for a job. This occurs in several different ways. Often the person being interviewed will mention that a condition of accepting the job is dependent upon the ability of their partner to find a job in the same new geographical area. This leads to the interviewer getting information through their human resource department to find positions that the partner could interview for. In this scenario, it is then up to the couple to interview well enough to both receive offers for employment. The advantage gained by the couple that leads to both being employed by the same company is the help they get accessing information about job availability. There are many cases of jobs being offered to both partners. In one case, the interviewer mentioned that they were aware the interviewee had a partner that was looking for a position, and then proceeded to offer the partner a job on the spot without solicitation. Often times, a person will accept a job with a new company with the understanding that their partner will then have a better opportunity of getting a job once they have secured employment for themselves. This is because many companies provide information about job openings to employees first, then turn to publicizing the position. The employee with a partner looking for a job has a time advantage that often leads to partner employment. In addition, the internal employee will often have additional information about desirable skills can make a potential candidate for a position more attractive. Another very interesting issue arising from relationships in the workplace is the information that couples share that would normally not be available to them. This turns out to be a very significant issue. Under normal circumstances, managers in the corporate environment have access to certain metrics and information that are not available to non-management employees. Information such as salaries, benefits, policies, and raises are closely kept secrets by management. Also, certain information between different company divisions is not normally shared. However people in relationships share this information with each other, often breaking the code. These are items that managers need to know in order to prepare for them such as changes in company policy or reorganizations. Many times the information shared would eventually be available to their partner, but just not in the same timeframe. Some information, however, would never be available to the general employee population. Information such as pay scales and special benefits are many times shared only with those who need to know or those who are participating in such programs. Quite often information about special benefits, such as bonuses or company options, are shared with partners. This type of information is specifically not shared with employees who do not participate because company policy forbids it. Managers are trained to keep confidential material to themselves. In addition, managers often have the added incentive of participating in programs that they are told to keep confidential. Certainly, sharing such information with life long partners is necessary to make financial decisions. But in less permanent relationships, the partner who is not a participator in such benefits has information meant only for those chosen to participate, or those trained to keep it confidential. This breach of confidentiality is much more likely to occur, and slip into the ranks of peers who are not managers. A special complication of workplace relationships is dealing with the issue of nepotism. Although a buzzword in the corporate world, nepotism among couples is rarely an issue. Even in situation where people in relationships feel the opportunity for employment was gained through a partner or relative, rarely do couples feel their employment is viewed as nepotistic. In fact, just the opposite was stated. Many people in relationships feel the companies they work for encourage relationships among employees, as long as corporate policy was adhered to. It is difficult to determine whether such a view is accurate, or simply self-justification. Feeling that one's employment is viewed upon as nepotism is more likely amongst relatives. Rarely do the relatives feel it is looked upon negatively by their peers. The diversification of the corporate workforce has changed the way in which management must deal with workplace relationships. Whether formally acknowledged or not, they are a common occurrence in today's corporate environment that must be addressed. The administration and management of employees is, at the very least, complicated by workplace relationships. From an organizational perspective it is advantageous to have a stated, written policy regarding interpersonal relationships in the workplace. To be effective it is important that the corporation properly communicate the policy to the managers and the employees. If properly implemented such a policy will serve to reduce the legal liability of the corporation and explicitly define what is considered a conflict of interest. It should also state what the corporation will tolerate in terms of a workplace relationship and how it will react to complications that arise from it. In most cases it is the responsibility of the frontline manager to enforce this policy. The implementation of corporate policy is usually executed at the frontline management level. It is the responsibility of the frontline manager to recognize the relationship and ensure that it does not become a workplace issue. When problems occur, the frontline manager must enforce the corporate policy based fairly and authoritatively. From the data gathered, it appears this is the area most in need of improvement. In general, workplace relationships seem to be a positive for both the employer and the employee. From the perspective of the people involved in the personal relationship it offers many advantages such as convenience and increased benefits. For the corporation workplace relationships provide committed, career minded employees who are less likely to change jobs as often. But when complications arise, it is important that a policy is in place and management is properly trained to effectively deal with the situation.