Youth + Kicks= Awareness Professor Ramos Blog

Youth + Kicks= Awareness School shootings are at an all-time high in the United States with a steady increase annually. Two songs tell a story of this tragic event that we witness far too often, hitting close to home. Youth of a Nation by P.O.D and Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People use their fame as a platform to shed light on this issue. It is a sensitive topic, among many others, in the 21st century. It is televised and debated but we have yet to try and find a solution as everyone is quick to take offense instead of focusing on finding a solution. Our children’s lives are at risk and a plan on preventing these massacres needs to be reached. These songs give perspective on this issue and were inspired by a tragedy that we all feel effected by, directly or indirectly. The lyrics are moving and encourages rage, sadness and the reality that these occurrences happen way to often to our children in schools across the country. It is bold in the approach and gives a point of view that may differ from ou r own. If it does not make you feel sympathetic at the very least it creates awareness that this is a problem that is only growing by the year. Youth of a Nation† by P.O.D., abbreviated for Payable on Death referring to Jesus Christ dying on the cross for the sins of the world. The song came out in 2001 on the album Satellite. The very diverse group, P.O.D is a Christian metal band from San Diego but also air their music on secular radio stations. The song was nominated for a Grammy in 2003, many of their songs have a message for someone to relate to with a subtle hint of religious reference. This song gives three stories of adolescent tragedy in American culture. A line from the song that is powerful is â€Å"instead of taking the test I took two to the chest (Sonny Sandoval).† As they were recording for their album â€Å"Satellite,† two blocks away the Santana High School shooting was unfolding. Shocked of the horrific news they created this song to being awareness to these tragedies. Toward the end there is a group of young people singing the chorus, â€Å"We are, we are, the youth of a nation†¦Ã ¢â‚¬  a literal visual of young people in our communities that can be victims. The music video shows four young people taking a road trip in an old car. There are yearbook pictures of all of the victims of the school shootings displayed where the band is playing for effect. Foster the People’s song â€Å"Pumped Up Kicks† was released in 2010 on the album Torches. They are an indie pop group and received a Grammy nomination for this song. Mark Foster, who wrote the song, wanted to bring awareness to the growing teenage mental illness issue. It is from the perspective of a troubled youth with homicidal thoughts. The bassist Cubbie Fink had a cousin who was a survivor of the Columbine High School massacre. It hit close to home and this was the platform to speak about this growing epidemic. The song was considered controversial and banned from being played on some radio stations. In the beginning of the music video it shows a kid talking to his friend and looking out from the cafeteria into the quad. There is a person in a bulletproof vest approaching and he notices he is shooting a gun. He gets down on the floor and pulls his friend down with him. When the gunshots are heard the other kids hit the floor, scream and run in panic and terror. Ki ds are being shot and the students in the cafeteria run for cover some try to escape out of an exit. The fear in these teenagers’ eyes as they hide under the tables is heart wrenching. Chaos ensures and everyone scrambles as the chorus line from the song plays, â€Å"better run, better run, faster than my bullet (Mark Foster).† With these tragedies happening so often in society it makes the listener think about those effected in the schools. There was Columbine 4/20/99, Santana High School 3/5/2001, and Granite Hills High School 3/22/2001 (Thompson 214). According to CNN, in 2018 there have been at least 80 incidents of gunfire on school grounds. The numbers have increased every year starting from 1997. The US has had 57 times as many school shootings as the other major industrialized nations combined: 288 since 2009 in US vs. Canada-2 as of May 21, 2018 France-2 Germany-1 Japan, Italy and UK-0 The parameters we followed in this count are Shooting must involve at least one person being shot (not including the shooter) Shooting must occur on school grounds We included gang violence, fights and domestic violence (but our count is NOT limited to those categories) We included grades Kindergarten through college/university level as well as vocational schools We included accidental discharge of a firearm as long as the first two parameters are met (Mirtha Dorastorg, et al). Trying to find a solution to this tragedy may begin with new and stricter gun laws. Republicans feel stricter gun laws are not the answer. The survivors of these tragedies rally and are now getting involved in politics enforce new laws to possibly reduce the amount of school shootings. Active shooter drills are being created at schools so students know what to do in the event that their school is under fire. Are these acts a result of bullying or possibly a factor that is racially motivated? Are people evil or a victim of propaganda against any protected group which results in their act? Since these answers vary in case by case and we cannot change the mentality of every citizen, we need to create laws for everyone to abide by or suffer the consequences. Bullet proof gear, clothes, backpacks, hammers supplied for escape through a window and door jams, to prevent entry by a shooter, have been made by different companies as a fail safe or precaution to prevent further massacre if any occurrence arises. Bullet proof blankets on classroom doors and flashlights that shoot pepper spray have been suggested. Any and all of these could be useful but the cost ranges from hundreds of dollars to thousands per unit. With school budgets barely covering mandatory expenses, there is no room in the budget to purchase these items for every classroom. Training and arming teachers with guns has also been discussed as a possible solution and being offered in some places (Rajan 861). After effects for any child who is witness to these crimes are more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD and do poorly in school. Firearms are the second leading cause of death for American children and teens. Awareness is first priority so people can stand up and show our state and government that we want action and new laws created. That is why I can appreciate both songs and the artists who performed them. They are both powerful in their own way and disturbing at the same time. To open our eyes to the real issue at hand and who is at risk is the goal in which both bands succeed. People don’t always want to see the ugly truth but at some point, it will affect us all in some way. We need to find a solution before we are personally faced with the tragic ending of a loved one. If you have never heard either of these songs look them up and listen to the lyrics. P.O.D. has a basic idea being portrayed in the video that doesn’t speak to the tragedy being referenced. They may have been going for an interpretive video but it still seems undeveloped and uninteresting. Foster the People had an awesome beg inning that grabs your attention but falls short toward the middle of the video. Of course, they cannot reenact an entire tragedy without traumatizing the audience. The message is clear even if you aren’t a fan of the instrumentals. I would highly recommend both song and I give them both a four out of five-star rating for the delivery of the music and three out of five-stars for the music videos and the lackluster execution. P.O.D. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDKwCvD56kw Foster the People https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MFt08wEUOQ Music video, YouTube.com Foster the People Pumped Up Kicks www.payableondeath.com CNNs Donastorg, Mirtha, Caldwell, Travis, Walker, Christina, Samira, Jafari and Grise, Kate collaborated on this research. May 2018. https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/21/us/school-shooting-us-versus-world-trnd/index.html Duplechain, Rosalind, and Robert Morris. â€Å"School Violence: Reported School Shootings and Making Schools Safer.† Education, vol. 135, no. 2, Winter 2014, pp. 145-150. â€Å"Gun Violence in America.† Aug. 2018. https://everytownresearch.org/gunfire-in-school/ Rajan, Sonali, and Charles C. Branas. â€Å"Aiming Schoolteachers: What Do We Know? Where Do We Go From Here?† American Journal of Public Health, vol. 108, no. 7, July 2018 pp. 860-862. Thompson, C. â€Å"Our Killing Schools.† Society, vol. 51, no. 3, June 2014, pp. 210-220. Vuori, Miika, et al. â€Å"Fear of Crime in Local Communities after School Shootings.† Journal of Scandanavian Studies in Criminology Crime Prevention, vol. 14, no. 2, Dec. 2013, pp. 154-171.

6 Words and Phrases to Banish from Your Vocabulary

6 Words and Phrases to Banish from Your Vocabulary It was my mother who first outlawed certain words from my vocabulary. The ones I remember are â€Å"but,† â€Å"have to† and â€Å"should.† Later in life, I took some courses that added â€Å"try† and â€Å"can’t† to the list (Yoda would approve). Most recently, â€Å"just† joined the ranks of words to avoid. I may have been in the minority ten years ago as someone with hyper-awareness of how certain small words affect our messaging. But more recently, I’ve encountered more people who pay attention to the implications that subtle turns of phrase have on our meaning. Let’s take a look at the impact of each of these words- and at alternative ways to express ourselves. 1. But (Say â€Å"and† or â€Å"while† instead!) If you start paying attention to how often you use the word â€Å"but,† you might be surprised. Often the word is completely unnecessary and what you really mean is â€Å"and†! For instance, one of my writers wrote the following: I wanted to make sure that the client’s profile was succinct but clearly revealed his differentiating qualities. I notice that people frequently default to â€Å"but† in situations like this, where they want to say something was â€Å"short but sweet† or something along those lines. Why say â€Å"but†? Who says that being short implies â€Å"not sweet†? Who says that a profile’s being â€Å"succinct† implies that it doesn’t reveal a client’s differentiating qualities? Instead, how about this: I wanted to make sure that the client’s profile was succinct while clearly revealing his differentiating qualities. In this second sentence, the challenge of creating a profile that includes the client’s differentiating qualities is laid out in a positive light and does not imply a succinct profile could not reveal those qualities. It’s a subtle difference, and a significant one. I was pleased to discover that a Stanford University professor, Bernard Roth, has taken up the cause to substitute â€Å"but† with â€Å"and.† See A Stanford professor says eliminating 2 phrases from you vocabulary can make you more successful. As he explains, When you use the word but, you create a conflict (and sometimes a reason) for yourself that does not really exist. †¦ whereas when you use the word and, your brain gets to consider how it can deal with both parts of the sentence.† Take the following sentence: I want to go to the movies, but I have to study. vs this one: I want to go to the movies, and I have studying to do. Changing â€Å"but† to â€Å"and† trains the brain to come up with win-win solutions, rather than creating a state of victimhood. 2. Have to (Say â€Å"going to† or â€Å"want to† instead) The movie vs. studying example above highlights another phrase that does not serve us: â€Å"Have to.† Professor Roth suggests substituting â€Å"want to.† I like substituting â€Å"going to.† Let’s take a look at the sentence above again, with the word â€Å"and† substituted for â€Å"but†: I want to go to the movies, and I have to study. (This still sounds fairly catastrophic.) What about these options: I want to go to the movies, and nevertheless I am going to study. (Suddenly this person has choice in the matter!) It would probably be pushing it to say â€Å"I want to go to the movies, and I want to study.† That might not be completely honest. But it’s a sentiment to try on. 3. Try (There is no â€Å"try†) There’s a difference between trying something as an experiment (see my above suggestion to try something on or try something out) and saying you’ll try to do something when what you really mean is you don’t think you’ll succeed. Trying is lying. Trying is not doing. I can try all I want to write a blog article every Sunday. That doesn’t get me to writing a blog article every week. It gets me going out with friends on Sunday nights while Im busy â€Å"trying†- and while my blog remains blank. We use the â€Å"try† word when we want to weasel out of things, whether they are commitments to ourselves or others. Saying you’ll â€Å"try† is pretending to say â€Å"yes† when you mean â€Å"probably not.† Stop it. Instead, choose the actions you are willing to take. Say â€Å"I will do x, y and z.† Or say you aren’t going to do it. There is no â€Å"try.† 4. Should (Don’t â€Å"should† on yourself or on others) â€Å"Should† is a close relative to â€Å"have to.† It’s a moral judgment that often leads to a whole lot of trying. Do you think you â€Å"should† go to the doctor? â€Å"Should† go to the gym? â€Å"Should† apologize to someone you love? Or do you think someone in your life â€Å"should† do something and are you telling them so? How’s that working for you? Take this example: You should stop eating so much sugar, honey. You’ll make yourself sick! vs. I want you to eat less sugar, honey. I’m so scared you’ll get sick. (The â€Å"you† in this sentence could be yourself or someone else.) To me, the second version is much more vulnerable and scary to say. It’s less judgmental. If I’m saying it to myself, it’s actually sweet and caring. And although it could produce defensiveness, it’s less likely to do so than the version that takes a moral high ground and tries to control someone’s behavior. Some of us â€Å"should† on ourselves even more than we â€Å"should† on others. Take a look at how you’re putting yourself down with that sentiment, and how you use â€Å"should† to let yourself off the hook instead of committing to something. 5. Can’t (I think I can!) This one is basic. â€Å"Can’t† is a disempowering word that leads to a lot of inaction. Instead of â€Å"can’t,† be curious about how you can. Look for other options than the one or two you are considering. Get coaching. Read The Little Engine That Could for inspiration. Get creative! As a friend and I often say to each other, the only 100% reliable way to reach a goal is not to stop until you accomplish it! And if you choose a different goal along the way, that’s okay too. 6. Just (I called to say â€Å"I love you.†) The word â€Å"just† diminishes what we say after it. Calling to say â€Å"I love you† is a big deal right? Why make it smaller, as the famous song does, with â€Å"just†? I was unaware until about a year ago of how much I qualify my sentences with the word â€Å"just.† Common usages could be â€Å"I just wanted you to know that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"I just feel like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"I just thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  If you start paying attention, you might be surprised at the frequency of the word â€Å"just† in your vocabulary. See what happens if you delete it. Your communications might become more truthful and riskier. You might start to claim your feelings, opinions and choices in a new way. Did you learn something from this article about your language? Did you try eliminating any of the recommended words? Are there more words that you recommend banishing from our vocabularies? Please share!

Sexism and work place Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sexism and work place - Research Paper Example Socio-environmental factors like schools, employers, family, and peers cause the difference of sex in abilities, gender, and interests acquired and reinforced in childhood and adulthood respectively (Menendez et al., 2012). Factors contributing to Sexism Environmental factors contribute greatly to development of boys and girls by punishing and rewarding them based on what they have done. Labor division on sexes reflects occupational and domestic roles of men and women. Children should behave according to the roles of gender; boys, for example, are to behave in a muscular way and girls in a feminine way. Parents are responsible for shaping the behavior of boys and girls. Development of children’s gender roles is through contacts with peers, especially of the same sex. Children, once they go to school, are subject to the influence of a school authority figure. They spend more time with an adult role-model, from whom they choose and develop character. They get more punishment and rewards for their behavior. They receive first message of sex separation of positions in the system: male teachers run the school while women teach and are poorly represented in the administration. If a woman becomes an administrator, then she is at a lower lever. Both men and women graduate from colleges and universities more than before. Girls tend to have better grades than boys do, owing to their higher level of discipline, obedience, and orderliness. Sexism in organizations has been in existence since women started working. Disparity of wages and occupational segregation are the main inequalities affecting women. Separation of women and men is occupational segregation. For instance, men would choose to do a police job, firefighting, and engineering whereas women would become teachers and housewives. Disparity of wages is the difference in wages earned by women and men. Gender identifies an individual as either male or female; thus, ‘gender’ or ‘sex’ f requently refer to categorization of a group. The social role theory suggests that a demand generates roles exhibited by individuals. For instance, the role of women to raise kids needs nurturing character. The role of child-rearing is attached to women because of their reproduction function, tying women to nourishing and taking care of infants. Linking women, for instance, to rearing of infants attributes such traits to women as kindness, helping, and nurturing. The same theory associates men with traits like competitiveness, non-domesticity, aggressiveness and assertive roles, which need skills and bravery. The difference between men and women in status strengthens the expectations of gender stereo types. The stereotype is that female roles require fewer resources than male roles and that rearing of children is traditionally for women (Kurtz, 2002). Social punishment and rewards give incentive for individuals to behave according to expectations of group members. A person may act w ith the expectation of gender even when it is contrary to his/her personality. For example, a woman may act kindly contrary to her wishes just to avoid disapproval of others. Men and women act differently matching the stereotypes. The impact of this theory of social role for the difference in behaviors and traits is distinct. The theory suggests that beliefs of a cultural nature on both genders are not accidental. In this context, ideals of a

Self Interest Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self Interest - Coursework Example Ethics is a moral conduct that is good, fair, just, and admirable in the society. It brings out a clean air of behaviour and aims at showing ones dignity while interacting with fellow human beings. Morality always triumphs over selfishness, without morality social life would be nearly impossible. Naturally, people would be brutal, unjust, and selfish. Religion contributes to morality, because about 60% of individuals believe in a certain religion (MacKinnon and Fiala, 2015). Theologically, people care of what will happen in their afterlife. For many religions, an afterlife involves a person been rewarded or punished for what they have done. â€Å"Do to others what you would have them do to unto you† is a golden rule with a religious birth, which has been cemented in most people’s minds since childhood. Religion exists as a factor of unity in the society. Confucius in the ancient china was vocal in establishing a â€Å"gentleman’s code† to avoid social diso rder in China. The comfort or wrath of after life is based on the moral conduct of people’s behaviour while on earth. This regulates the conduct of people and motivates them to help others. Arguably, it is much better for people to follow rules. In the state of nature, according to social contract theory by Hobbes, it was brutal, lawless, unjust and short. The absence of rules was the cause. Inherently, man desires law and security. The need for self-preservation and protection of property prompts man to surrender their rights voluntarily.

Certain community Essay Example for Free

Certain community Essay Nowadays people in the universe evolved in certain ways in which changes surrounded every single minute of life breathing. As we all live our life everyday, we are in the process of storing experiences which in fact such information about each single interaction that was made in the universe was stored in our mind to provide learning. Storing information had the wider and essential coordination with learning. The things that we encounter each day which are consider the information that will become as an experience later. It is really mysterious though, how the human mind works, and how does the storing of information goes, and indeed that explains how crucial and unfathomable the exploration in dealing learning process. Where did it start? Lets try to imagine how we are when were little kiddos, we really can’t recall the things that we used to do then, that gives us the significance of who we are when grown ups. We all came from our mother’s womb and as we have given the time to see the real world and explore it, different things had shape each personalities that made us of who we are right now. Each of us had cross the path in which our mind is crafted in every level of life changing structure where in to. The process that was made when we see the magnificent world of today and was able to discover what’s the purpose of life out in this real world and as personalities is being shape; this definitely involves information in which we stored, that will mold us in to personalities we are able to become later on. Dealing with changes is information storage, which gives us the opportunities for experiences that are meaningful. The information that we learned is being reproduced for the gaining of substantial knowledge and wisdom. How about Today? Today there were rapid growths of learners who seek for more information, in order to evaluate and acquire, then use the information in more effective manner. There must be literacy skills among personalities in the society. It means that a person should have the initiative to solve problem when arises, decisions are made easier, critical and cooperative learning to pass all life’s challenges. In which every person is being trained in dealing with the societies uncertainties. There are massive forms of information stored, but learners are the captain of their minds as they go along with it. Effectiveness of the stored information is based on how uniquely each individual performs in learning, and how they are able to deal in handling situations. So what will be tomorrow? As of the present time were technologies are being introduce. That offers greater help to the humankind in storing information in the small span of time, many had believed that it’s a great help in achieving greater knowledge in the world today. Technologies are the visualization of an improved and modernized society in which tasks are now made easier and performances are made faster. Developments are now engage by sustaining the society with technologies that can provide broader and wider source of knowledge in which skills are dignified and establish in the required time. And what’s the fuzz? Technologies though had a great help in developing one’s skills, but there must be of proper care. Everyone must rely not on that, alone, it may shortened the time frame of a given task but we must be reminded that technologies are created by the human mind, it is invented, but look at the inner source, it’s the mind of a human that was put into a material to produce certain information. Everyone of us had the mind to produce technologies, but lets always keep this in mind that technologies are just machines in which quality relies on the makers and producers, in either ways in due time it will not give its purpose anymore. I do believe personally that the greatest machine is the one who made it which is our mind. Regardless of what races where raised to, and in which class we belong, surely we are given the mind of its own, capable of doing magnificent things in which we hold further as we embrace the only constant thing in life and that is changes. It’s up to us if we share or not, that enough information that will make source of an introduce technology. In which way or another we hold it as long as we still live in this world. The Impact of New Technologies The impact of new technologies in information skills especially in business is often contemplated by the variety of reasons. One thing is that it is the fastest way of communication in sharing information from one respondent to another. It is believe that these technologies will improve capabilities in an organization. However, in business there is some sort of reconsideration for the fact that it may share information’s to other sectors, that would somehow exploit it, but shared information of new technologies will always been accompanied by remedial actions of the manufacturer itself, it just need to be properly care and all important tools for the information stored will not be exploit. We belong to the fast changing world and new technologies as it is widely spread nowadays will help us improve and achieve success but only if we take precautious methods in using it. It is also helpful in joining the globalization just for the fact that globalization is for improving and fast variety of development in a certain community. New technologies will always be part of globalization it is good to cope for that matter as for businesses concerns as long as we take note of possible circumstances in indulging globalization with new technologies, proper care and guidelines of newly introduced technologies will certainly rises us from our sets, only if handled with knowledge and wisdom in those aspect.

Creon is the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

Antigone Essays: Creon is the True Tragic Hero  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antigone, which was written by Sophocles, is possibly the first written play that still exists today (www.imagi... 1). There is much controversy between who the 'tragic hero' is in the play. Some people say Antigone, some say Creon, others even say Heamon. I believe Creon displays all of the characteristics of a 'tragic hero'. He receives compassion through the audience, yet recognizes his weaknesses, and his downfalls from his own self-pride, stubbornness, and controlling demands. He is the true protagonist. Though the audience notices how villainous Creon is, they still express sympathy towards him. They realize that he has brought all of his problems on himself and should have been more open-minded, but think no one should have to go through what he has. They understand how the warrior king Creon felt when he notices his son is love struck. The audience also expresses pity towards him because Antigone is a murderer and understands why he is upset. Creon's noble quality is his caring for Antigone and Ismene when their father was persecuted. Creon is a very authoritative person and demands control of others. When talking to the Chorus, Creon does not ask them to agree with the decree but demands that they follow it. Creon expects loyalty from others. It is apparent that Creon is very dominating and wants to be in control. "The man the city sets up in authority must be obeyed in small things and in just but also in their opposites"(717-719). Through this quote the reader realizes that Creon wants obedience in everything he decides even if he is at fault. "There is nothing worse than disobedience to authority" (723-724). Further supporting Creon's belief that everyone shall remain faithful to him even if he rules unfairly. This is proved true when Creon says, "Should the city tell me how I am to rule them?" (790). Creon has forgotten that the ruler is supposed to do what is best for the city and its citizens. Creon is under the impression that he is always correct in his judgments and his beliefs. Before the sentry even explains the event that has occurred, the sentry states that he is only a messenger and has not committed the crime. Yet Creon still accuses the sentry of receiving money to do the crime and threatens to punish him.

Final Reflective Essay

Final Reflective Essay The word literature has a great meaning in everyday life and comes in so many different ways. The body of written works of a language, period, or culture with the imaginative or creative writing especially of recognized artistic value (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2011) is the dictionary meaning. Lyrics, poems, short stories are all kinds of literature and many authors will write something they are passionate about or have an interest in. Many instances there are times a writer will write about a particular subject or within a certain genre and they write in a manner that sometimes had a hidden meaning. To know the hidden meaning the author will use symbolism, and as a writer and reader it helps to understand the elements that go into writing a poem, short story, and lyric. The writer goes through a process of creating a theme which helps to set the tone and will help them to develop the plot. Many times an author when writing a poem or lyric will not always have a character, but will have some sort of setting that resulted from the theme. All of the elements of literature need to have been put into place, and in many times the writer will also put a hidden meaning into the story, poem, or lyrics which the reader needs to read between the lines. Symbolism can be revealed in the theme, the tone or the plot of the story, poem and lyric. To find the underlying meaning or the symbolism the author is trying to portray the reader needs to be familiar with the elements of literature. The story â€Å"Used to Live Here Once† by Jean Rhys, the poem â€Å"The Road not Taken†, by Robert Frost, and the poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, by Theodore Roethke, follow the elements of literature, and have the symbolism that if the reader was not familiar with could miss the meaning of the story or poem. In the arts, the use of symbols to concentrate or intensify meaning, make the work more subjective than objective (The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide, 2010). To find the underlying meaning or symbol of the story or the poem, it is beneficial for the reader to understand how the elements form the basis of the story or poem. The author starts the process of writing by creating a theme. A theme is defined as a subject or topic or of artistic representation (Merriam-Webster, 2011). In the story â€Å"Used to Live Here Once†, the author Jean Rhys created the theme by making it about a woman who returns to where she used to once live. The theme is described in the story with using words such as â€Å"remembered† and â€Å"same-road†. Using such words helps the reader to associate with the theme and understand what the writer is trying to convey in the theme. Poems are written in the same manner that they should have a theme for the reader to understand what the writer is trying to talk about. In Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, the theme is about making choices in life and sometimes making the decision that is not usually taken. The theme is not as obvious as it was in the story of â€Å"Used to Live Here Once†. Robert Frost uses words that help the reader to relate to the theme like: â€Å"road†, â€Å"traveler†, and â€Å"one less traveled†. These words have an underlying meaning and even though they are used to help with the theme they also hold symbolism and repent choices in life. With the words that were used in the poem, it helps the reader to relate better to the theme and knowing that a word can be a symbol and have an underlying meaning helps the reader to better understand what message the writer is trying to convey. The theme of the poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, by Theodore Roethke, theme was based around a child being abuse and used different words that included: â€Å"hung on†, â€Å"battered†, and â€Å"scraped†, and in using these words it had a description of someone being hit and abused. The theme of a story, poem, and lyric’s helps the writer to convey the basis of the story and how they want the literature to come across to the reader. Once the basic formation is created the author can work towards creating tone, and many times as a reader we misunderstand the tone which is also the attitude. Jean Rhys took a hidden meaning to her tone in the story, â€Å"Used to Live Here Once†, in the way she described the children and how they did not see the woman returning to the home that she once lived. The tone and attitude that the writer was trying to convey was one that was quite solemn and somewhat sad, and the tone was a bit hidden in the manner that when first reading the story the writer portrays the character and tone used seems to indicate the story is about a woman who returns home after being gone for a while, when in actuality it is about death. With the tone and attitude being hidden in the story and poems the tone does not become easy for the reader to detect and so it is considered an ironic tone. An ironic tone depends upon a contrast between what the writer’s words seem to say and what they really mean (The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide, 2010). Jean Rhys puts a twist on the story, â€Å"Used to Live Here Once†, and in order to pick up the irony from the theme the reader will need to read the entire story. The theme was based around a woman who had gone back to a place in once she lived, but the irony was she is actually dead and she did not realize what she was seeing and doing was not real. It came to the realization when the writer wrote: â€Å"She was standing by the river looking at the stepping stones and remembering each one. † (Clugston, 2010). This was part of the theme, and as the writer continues on in the story it is written, â€Å"The only thing was the sky had a glassy look that she did not remember. † (Clugston, 2010). This helped the writer when setting the tone, and as a reader a few lines later the irony comes into play. The female character had passed and even though she has returned to where she once lived she was actually dead. This was ironic, but in literature it is classified to be situational irony which occurs when a reader or character expects one thing to happen but something else happens. As a reader we expected the character to get a response from the children when she said, â€Å"Hi†, and put her arms out to touch them, but instead they turned their heads and said, â€Å"Hasn’t it gone cold all of a sudden. D ’you notice? † (Clugston, 2010). Writers of poems sometimes use the same type of irony and they leave it to the reader to read between the lines. The title of the poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, has an ironic tone because it suggests that it is about the narrator’s father, and â€Å"dancing a waltz†, and just like the story is situational irony. As a reader we would expect to hear how his dad dances the waltz and not expect the story to be about the young boy being hit by his father. Picking up on some of the lines in the poem like â€Å"at every step you missed my right ear scraped a buckle† (gawow. om). In this poem the irony was with the title not reflecting a dance but a beating. This poem like the story had the same type of ironic tone, and that is not always the case, and the ironic tone being so obvious. â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, by Robert Frost, the reader needs to read between the lines to get the meaning of the poem. Th e first lines in the poem are written â€Å"two roads diverged in a yellow wood† (bartleby. com) and at first reading it reads as though someone was walking through the woods and came to two roads but was not sure which way to go. Reading on through the poem it written â€Å"somewhere ages and ages hence: two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference† (bartleby. com). The tone was set that someone came to roads and decided to walk down the one less people took, but the irony is that is not what the meaning was to the poem. The meaning is hidden and the irony is Robert Frost was not talking about a road but paths we take in life. There are times in life we need to choose the path and sometimes that choice makes all the difference. The writers all took to writing in a manner that had an underlying meaning in an ironic tone, and can have a lot of symbolism. A symbol is the art or practice of using symbols especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations (merriam-webster. com), and writers use symbols many times in their writings. Many times they use a symbol in an unconventional or traditional way. The military uses symbols to represent each branch of the service and those are generally obvious but when a reader is reading a story, poem, or lyric it is not as obvious. Jean Rhys’ used the words glassy to symbolism an unclear vision that her character had that symbolized what she was seeing was not actually real. The symbol’s representation helped the writer to set the theme and tone of the story. Stories often have some type of symbolism and they really help the reader to visualize what the writer is trying to convey. Just like a tone the symbol may not be so obvious but the reader will need to read between the lines. Creating a symbol in a story or poem helps the reader better understand the piece. In the poem, â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, the waltz was a symbol. The waltz was not to represent the dance around the floor, but an actual fight. The lines written in the poem indicates just that when it was written, â€Å"we romped until the pans slid from the kitchen shelf. † (gawow. com). Just the line alone would not tell the reader that the waltz was a symbol of abuse, but the reader will need to read between the lines, and understanding that can help the writer convey the message by using symbolism. To some people a symbol has a great meaning and can represent a divine being or spirit. Thinking of a divine being of spirit, we tend to think of someone from beyond coming back like in â€Å"Used to Live Here One†, but in â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, the symbol is a divine spirit. The person who came to an impasse in their lives had to make a choice and an inner spirit helped them to choose the one that was best. Using symbols to represent things in someone’s life can be one that you can physically touch or can be a representation of something that cannot be touched. A writer uses many of things to symbolism something else and to realize that it helps that a reader understand how literature is formed by a writer. The writer takes many steps in creating a story, poem, or lyric in which the reader will enjoy. The way that the writer creates and sets a theme for their writing correlates too many aspects of using the literary terms. Once the theme has been set the writer needs to convey the tone in which they want the reader to interpret their writings. Many instances a reader will need to read between the lines in order to understand what tone the writer is writing in. The theme and tone all tie into the representation of a symbol and reading between the lines can help the reader. The writer uses symbols to symbolize something in the theme, while setting tone of story, poem, or lyrics. The writer does their best to create an enjoyable story, poem and lyric so that the reader will continue to read or share it with others. Not always does a reader need to know the literary terms but it is a good idea to know what the writer is trying to convey. references The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide. (2010). Retrieved June 2011, from Credo Reference: http://www. credoreference. com/entry/heliconhe/symbolism Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey Into Literature. San Diego: Bridgepoint Eduation, Inc. Frost, R. (1920). bartelby. com. Retrieved June 2011, from bartelby. com Great Biiiks Online: http://www. bartleby. com/119/1. html Houghton Mifflin Company. (2011). Thefreedictionary. Retrieved June 2011, from http://www. thefreedictionary. com/literature Merriam-Webster. (2011). Merriam-Webster. com. Retrieved June 2011, from Merriam-Webster A Encyclopedia Britannica Company: http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/theme? show=0&t=1309486471 Roethke, T. (1942). Retrieved June 2011, from Poemhunter. com: http://www. gawow. com/roethke/poems/43. html

Kudler fine foods and the relevant market research

Kovacic, et al (2003) wrote a paper about the research they made which details how the group relied on a market research study to see if the product that they would like to sell, kulen in particular, to their target market including European countries like Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Through the market research they were able to find sufficient reason to launch a market test and eventually a full scale export operation, largely because of the use of market research. Like Kovacic, Kudler Fine Food’s company is also engaged in the sale of organic food to a particular target market. And while Kovacic has not started with the business and Kudler Fine Food already has, it does not make market research any less significant for any of the two. Kudler Fine Foods was able to put together a very sound marketing strategy and tactics that it uses to further improve its performance in the business front because of its effective implementation of market research.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Without the market research, Kudler Fine Food’s company is close to groping in the dark since the market research provided Kudler Fine Foods company several important information that it needs to know wherein marketing strategy and tactics greatly depend. Through the inclusion of the inputs of market research Kudler Fine Foods was able to detect not just the significant growth the company is experiencing, but as well as the capability and the viability of the company to finally expand the services. One of the many dilemmas faced by companies is the ability to know for sure when it is the right time to expand as well as to downsize just to ensure that sustainability as well as growth is possible and attainable. Through the input of the market research, the company was able to know that aside from starting on the correct marketing strategy that enabled the creation of a situation fit for starting company expansion, there are more and better marketing strategies that they can use to improve the performance of Kudler Fine Food in the business front. The market research also enabled the company to detect areas of development and improvement in operations. This is just as important because different aspects of the business drastically and quickly change. Sometimes, the reason and nature of such changes are reactionary and it is important for companies like Kudler Fine Foods to be able to detect facets of its operation which still needs a shot in the arm and still has a lot of room for improvement. Market research makes this data available through research and study methodologies that enables Kudler Fine Foods to get inside the minds of its customers, non-customers and even employees and using that opportunity to explore what one thinks is Kudler Fine Food’s weakest link so far that hinders them from operating in a level that is a notch higher. And finally, the market research also helped the company pinpoint exactly the frequency of the   improving consumer purchase which provided the necessary data to Kudler Fine Foods that the company’s current strategies are making it easier for increased loyalty of its consumers, which in turn results to improved profitability. Market research, after all, is geared in knowing, interpreting and digesting the pulse of the market and tactics and strategies in the future can be maximized if it is directed in the direction that market research points to. Additional market research is needed in the following areas that include the better profiling of competitors, internal marketing, knowing what both the patrons and non-patrons of Kudler Fine Foods expect from the company in the long and short term future including the introduction of new products or new services, the study of viable partnership or alliances with other companies the partnership of which can provide better revenue and sales performance for both parties involved, Market research should not always be focused on what a company wants to work on through self assessment; sometimes, it is also important that companies assess themselves by comparing itself as a company to other rival and competitor companies and see the differences as well as the advantages in favor of the rivals and the competitors and why such advantages exist in the first place. To be able to be consistent in the pursuit of staying ahead, a company must always understand the rival company’s next moves and thwart it or be a step ahead of it, and this can only be done by the integration of a more detailed profiling of rivals based on more market research. Know your enemy is the famous dogmas of every efficient fighter so that you have an improved judgment every time you decide and anticipates the rival’s next moves. While it may not always guarantee that the rival will become totally predictable, it will make your moves more calculated and not something which is loosely and randomly done like strategies done on impulse. Through the use of correct market research, the money a company spends for its marketing strategies and tactics (including promotions, advertisement, acquisitions, launching of new products, phasing out of old products, re-branding and brand re-positioning, etc) achieves expected goals. While most market research are generally capable of identifying whether or not a person likes a brand or not, or which particular brand he likes the most and the least; marketing strategy should never forget to cover its own base and make sure that it also knows what the employee wants and the extent of the company employees’ loyalty to the brand or the company’s products or services. Most market research efforts are focused too rigidly on knowing what customers want that what the employee wants are ignored, forgotten or removed from the equation, which should not be the case since employees, when outside the office, transforms not only into clients and customers but as well as first hand agents of product and service promotion that can ultimately translate into a highly probable long term client. Modern companies are already cognizant of the need for an effective internal marketing program and like external marketing; all a company needs is a market research. Knowing what both the patrons and non-patrons of Kudler Fine Foods expect from the company in the long and short term future including the introduction of new products or new services is an important (sub) topic of future market research because it can provide a glimpse of where Kudler Fine Foods should go in order for them to maintain the loyalty of its current patrons and to invite more individuals to become customers of the company as well. The study of viable partnership or alliances with other companies the partnership of which can provide better revenue and sales performance for both parties involved can be assessed better through the use of data from market research. This is a very tricky business and marketing move, but it is doable and can be a potential tool in improving sales, visibility and touching bases with the target market if the alliance is done with a viable partner in a set up that is as much as possible a win-win situation for both parties involved, or if not, with very minimal losses. Take for example the move of Starbucks and the bookstores and libraries. Starbucks' willingness to explore the possibility of setting foot on new grounds enabled such a new phenomena that â€Å"a growing number of the nation's 3,700 academic libraries — eager to lure students from wired coffee shops off campus — are following bookstores and public libraries in opening their doors to Starbucks† (Horovitz). The result was an improved brand recall and greater impact on its target market without the use of hard selling and traditional advertising, and its usual costs. It is important to mention that analyzing the significance of competitive intelligence possessed by Kudler Fine Foods in the development of the company’s marketing strategy and tactics was an important step towards the realization of the potency of such information and how it can help in the shaping and re-shaping of marketing policies so that it suits well with what the company wants to achieve regardless of the action and presence of its competitors. References: Horovitz, B. (2008). Something else to check out at library: Starbucks. USA Today. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-09-27-starbucks_N.htm Council of American Survey Research Organizations (2001). Importance of Marketing Research. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.casro.org/media/Importance%20of%20Research.pdf Kovacic, D., Radman, M., Kolega, A., Markovina J, and Karolyi, D. (2003). Export Marketing of Slavonian Kulen: the Results of Market Research. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from www.agr.hr/smotra/pdf_68/acs68_33.pdf ;

Lessons of The parable of the sadhu Essays

Lessons of The parable of the sadhu Essays Lessons of The parable of the sadhu Paper Lessons of The parable of the sadhu Paper In The parable of the sadhu Bowen H. McCoy recounts an ethical conflict that confronted he and his companion Stephan while on a private mountaineering expedition in the Himalayas. On the verge of traversing a high altitude pass, which constituted the goal of their expedition, McCoy’s group discovered a near naked local native (sadhu) on the verge of death from starvation and hypothermia.   McCoy’s group clothed the old man and pointed him in a direction where after two days of walking he could find a hut.   McCoy and Stephan then continued with their own trek with a full complement of attending porters and Sherpa guides.   Stephan immediately challenged McCoy for leaving the elderly sadhu to near certain death. McCoy attempts to transfer his own bygone, inhumane moral choice into the broader problem of corporate ethics and business organization.While the essay is apparently utilized by institutions of higher learning such as Berkeley and Harvard to open discussions on those business topics, The parable of the sadhu reads more like the tormented justifications of a errant man attempting to shed his own guilt. If McCoy really believes his experience with the sadhu should be analyzed in the context of the organization of his expedition, then he should have provided the most glaring omission from his essay.   To wit, who was in charge of his group?   Who retained the Sherpa guides?   Who retained their porters?   After all, the most obvious solution to the ethical dilemma of McCoy was to have one or more of his guides and porters accompany the sadhu to the safety of lower elevations.   If the reader were provided with that bit of information, the weighty metaphysical questions raised by McCoy would be a snap to answer. Having been deprived of that vital data, the reader is left to surmise.   One can infer from the essay that McCoy, in fact, had the final say.  Ã‚   McCoy is confronted by Stephan for having left the old man to die, and it is McCoy who begins the justification process to quiet Stephan’s protestations.   Look says McCoy to Stephan we all cared. We all stopped and gave aid and comfort.  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the conclusion of his essay, McCoy postulates as a possible reason for their neglect of the sadhu’s life perhaps because we did not have a leader who could reveal the greater purpose of the trip to us. It is McCoy who plies Stephan with the incredulous, rhetorical question are you really saying that, no matter what the implications, we should, at the drop of a hat, have changed our entire plan?  Ã‚   The wealthy, Western investment banker considers his recreational trek   of far greater importance (our entire plan) to the life of an Eastern religious pilgrim (the drop of a hat). As McCoy’s justifications mount, they take on a social darwinistic tone.   First, he arbitrarily distinguishes business from philosophy by ascribing action and implementation getting things done exclusively to the former.   If business is individuated and apart from philosophy, when then, anything goes.   When combined with his pronunciamento that the manager who pauses to contemplate what is the ’good’ thing to do threatens the entire enterprise, McCoy has all but nullified any evil in his decision to allow the old sadhu to perish in the snow. Once McCoy acknowledges that hypothetically it could be argued it was not an ethical decision to leave the sadhu behind, he begins to transfer responsibility from any one individual, including himself, to the group as a whole.   Having taken the moral load off his own shoulders he ponders where such a thing as collective or institutional ethics even exists.   He chafes at the idea of the formulation formalized, group ethical rules that clearly delineate what is right and good conduct and what is wrong or evil conduct within an organization.   He find this impractical.   In support of that idea, he describes how he eschews lawyer and colleague advice to avoid conflicts of interest, instead opting to feel my way through conflicts. Two lessons can be learned from The parable of the sadhu that university professors, and certainly business executives, are not likely to suggest. First, beware the philosophizing business man who maintains that business and philosophy do not mix.   While putting on airs of caring a wit for another member of humanity, Mr. McCoy injects ideas that would justify a leader plowing under the weak in achieving the greater interest of strong.   Even when such an overarching interest consists merely of a recreational pursuit.   It is akin to Nike positioning itself as hip and international while at the same time operating inhuman, slave labor sweat shops in Third World countries to maximize its own profits. Second, beware the man who tells you ethical   problems are of such complexity they are beyond the reckoning ability of any single individual.   By telling us the difficulties of dealing with the sadhu were so complex that no one person could handle it, McCoy perfects his own irresponsibility.  Ã‚   I cannot think of a single working class American I have encountered in a half century who would consider the sadhu problem complex in the slightest.   I also cannot think of a common man or woman I have met who would have solved the sadhu problem as Mr. McCoy saw fit.   No, they would not have marched over the pass, porters and Sherpa guides abreast. To   one, they would have accompanied the sadhu back to safety. The essence of The parable of the sadhu is its own antithesis.   McCoy, while making the case for the opposite, quite clearly validates the notion that humanitarian philosophers are required to draft black-letter ethics law for the leaders of industry and commerce (including bankers) who left to their own devices would lose the weak to save the strong.

Womens Anti-Pass Law Campaigns in South Africa

Women's Anti-Pass Law Campaigns in South Africa The first attempt to make black women in South Africa carry passes was in 1913 when the Orange Free State introduced a new requirement that women, in addition to existing regulations for black men, must carry reference documents. The resulting protest, by a multi-racial group of women, many of whom were professionals (a large number of teachers, for example) took the form of passive resistance - a refusal to carry the new passes. Many of these women were supporters of the recently formed South African Native National Congress (which became the African National Congress in 1923, although women were not allowed to become full members until 1943). The protest against passes spread through the Orange Free State, to the extent that when World War I broke out, the authorities agreed to relax the rule. At the end of World War I, the authorities in the Orange Free State tried to re-instate the requirement, and again opposition built up. The Bantu Womens League (which became the ANC Womans League in 1948 - a few years after membership of the ANC was opened to women), organized by its first president Charlotte Maxeke, coordinated further passive resistance during late 1918 and early 1919. By 1922 they had achieved success - the South African government agreed that women should not be obliged to carry passes. However, the government still managed to introduce legislation which curtailed the rights of women and the Native (Black) Urban Areas Act No 21 of 1923 extended the existing pass system such that the only black women allowed to live in urban areas were domestic workers. In 1930 local municipal attempts in Potchefstroom to regulate womens movement led to further resistance - this was the same year that white women obtained voting rights in South Africa. White women now had a public face and a political voice, of which activists such as Helen Joseph and Helen Suzman took full advantage. Introduction of Passes for All Blacks With the Blacks (Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents) Act No 67 of 1952 the South African government amended the pass laws, requiring all black persons over the age of 16 in all provinces to carry a reference book at all times - thereby inforcing influx control of blacks from the homelands. The new reference book, which would now have to be carried by women, required an employers signature to be renewed each month, authorization to be within particular areas, and certification of tax payments. During the 1950s women within the Congress Alliance came together to combat the inherent sexism that existed within various anti-Aparthied groups, such as the ANC. Lilian Ngoyi (a trade unionist and political activist), Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu, Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, and others formed the Federation of South African Women. The prime focus of the FSAW soon changed, and in 1956, with the cooperation of the ANCs Womens League, they organized a mass demonstration against the new pass laws. Womens Anti-Pass March on the Union Buildings, Pretoria On 9 August 1956 over 20,000 women, of all races, marched through the streets of Pretoria to the Union Buildings to hand over a petition to JG Strijdom, South Africas prime minister, over the introduction of the new pass laws and the Group Areas Act No 41 of 1950. This act enforced different residential areas for different races and led to forced removals of people living in wrong areas. Strijdom had arranged to be elsewhere, and the petition was eventually accepted by his Secretary. During the march the women sang a freedom song: Wathint abafazi, Strijdom! wathint abafazi,wathint imbokodo,uza kufa! [When] you strike the women,you strike a rock,you will be crushed [you will die]! Although the 1950s proved to be the height of passive resistance against Apartheid in South Africa, it was largely ignored by the Apartheid government. Further protests against passes (for both men and women) culminated in the Sharpeville Massacre. Pass laws were finally repealed in 1986. The phrase wathint abafazi, wathint imbokodo has come to represent womens courage and strength in South Africa.

Field Report on visiting Ryton Garden Organic. sustainability issues Coursework

Field Report on visiting Ryton Garden Organic. sustainability issues - Coursework Example Expanding food markets is necessary for improving the livelihood of small scale farmers looking for ways of sustaining their livelihoods. Organic farming is part of sustainable agriculture that sustains the health of soils, people, and the ecosystem. The ecological processes, biodiversity, and local condition cycles sustain organic farming rather than agricultural inputs that have adverse effects. Organic farming combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the environment and promote good quality of life for participants. Garden organic was founded in the 1950s and is a national organizational for organic farming based in Ryton. The organization provides an organic approach to a sustainable future for the people and the planet through organic farming. Garden organic provides advice to organic farmers such as increasing the natural health of soil, choosing the right plant varieties, and producing a healthy garden through working with nature. The organization also provides fa rmers with guidelines for sustainable and efficient organic farming. Scientific research conducted by the organization aims to develop and improve techniques of organic agriculture and knowledge advancement on organic farming systems. Research also focuses on crop technology, pests, diseases, weeds, economics and markets, and soil dynamics. Garden organic also provides free resources for schools and maintains a Food for Life Partnership network for transforming the food culture into organic farming. Home composting is also promoted by the organization as a means of providing organic manure for farmers (Garden Organic, 2013). The wider society is involved through the international development program aims at promoting organic agriculture in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The program aims at improving the understanding of sustainable agriculture as a way of improving food security. The program conducts research and training on management and provides resources for poor farmers. Netw orks created in the international program organize farmers for capacity building on ecological agriculture. The program also develops organic agriculture for consumption in the domestic market and for export. The international program has been successful through farming networks created in different parts of the world. European organizations provide information and support in technological development for farming organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. NGOs, governments and extension workers in the third world have improved organic farming in their constituent countries (Garden Organic, 2013). Garden Organic owns 30 individual gardens that are set in 10 acres of land. The gardens showcase composting, pest and disease control, growing fruits and vegetables, herbs, roses, shrubberies, lawns, and herbaceous plants. The gardens have a conservation area that has native trees and wildflowers. The production method showcased support the organization’s incentive of organic farming. Wildflowers and native trees support environmental conservation. The showcase also incorporates bee farming and living willow structures that complement organic agriculture. Garden organic has expanded its activities beyond the UK into Africa, Asia, and America. Crop farming has surpassed bee keeping and is the main activity for the organization. Crop farming especially vegetable and fruit production has gained popularity over other farming types