Monday, September 30, 2019
Thar
STUDENT CAREER ESSAY What Do You Want to Be? D o you see yourself as the next great American inventor? Maybe youââ¬â¢re thinking about becoming a lawyer, an architect, a filmmaker or a photographer. There are as many career options out there as there are stars in the sky, so when it comes to your future ââ¬â think big! You may change your mind about a career as you get older, but itââ¬â¢s important to have information about all types of careers as early in life as possible. Whatever you want to do, education beyond high school can help you make the most of your life.You can find information on all types of careers, and the education and training needed for each, at the websites listed below. You can explore other resources, or talk with someone who does this type of work, to find out even more about what you want to be. After youââ¬â¢ve researched the career youââ¬â¢re interested in, follow the instructions for writing an essay. Essay Instructions ? The essay should b e 200 to 300 words. (Thatââ¬â¢s about as long as these instructions, without the websites listed below. ) Be creative ââ¬â make up your own title.Include your name. Tell us what career is of interest to you and why. What type of education or training will you need for the career? What are the opportunities for this type of work in the future? Tell us what steps you took to learn about this career. Donââ¬â¢t forget to pay attention to spelling and grammar while writing the essay. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? You can also view these instructions and the websites below at www. MatchThePromise. org. (Your parents can find information on essay scoring criteria on Page 5 of the Description and Application Instructions. Dream big! The future is waiting for you. Helpful Career Websites http://www. careeronestop. org/StudentsandCareerAdvisors/ExploreCareersStudents. aspx CareerOneStop Explore occupations and industries to plan your future. Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment an d Training Administration. Kids. gov http://kids. usa. gov/teens-home/jobs/index. shtml View occupations in different career fields. From the U. S. General Services Administration, Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. My Next Move http://www. ynextmove. org Describe your dream career in a few words, browse careers by industry or answer questions about work you might enjoy. Also find careers with a bright outlook. Created for the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, by the National Center for O*NET Development. (continued on back) Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts CAREER ESSAY Helpful Career Websites (contââ¬â¢d) What Do You Like? http://www. bls. gov/k12/ Explore career information based on what you like to do. Kidsââ¬â¢ career pages from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www. bls. gov/ooh Search by occupation group, or search by pay, education, training and projected growth rate, to find information for hundreds of different careers. From the U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every Chance Every Texan http://everychanceeverytexan. org/texasjobs/ View top jobs in Texas, and the education and training needed for each. Also view the stateââ¬â¢s top industries. From the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.Texas Reality Check http://www. texasrealitycheck. com When youââ¬â¢re out on your own, youââ¬â¢ll need to pay for housing, transportation, clothes, entertainment and other expenses. Find out how much money you might need and which careers will pay for those needs. Brought to you by the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Education Agency. Texas CARES http://www. texascaresonline. com/wowmenu. asp Explore opportunities based on your work values and interests. Search by career title, occupation group, keyword and more. Also find out about new and emerging careers.From the Texas Workforce Commission. BigFuture https://bigfuture. collegeboard. org/majors-careers Explore college majors and career options. Also select an interest to explore related careers. By The College Board. CareerShip http://mappingyourfuture. org/planyourcareer/careership/ Match your career interests, review careers by clusters (occupations and industries that share common features) or search by keyword. Product of Mapping Your Future, a public-service website. Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts 96-1724 (9/12)
Sunday, September 29, 2019
The Bridge at Dong Ha
The book The Bridge at Dong Ha written by John Miller is a narrative description of the story of how a bridge on Cua Viet river separating north and South Vietnam was destroyed by a brave American marine captain named Ripley in 1972 in US Vietnam war. The destruction delayed the movement of Vietnamese forces from the north to the south by three long years. The book narrates this adventurous event in a gripping and wonderful language. The presentation and the language of the book have made it very attractive to the readers.The Bridge at Dong Ha 3 The Bridge at Dong Ha by John Miller The book The Bridge at Dong Ha written by John Miller is the story of a genuine marine war hero of Americaââ¬â¢s war history. It also displays the dedication to duty of a person. The backdrop of the story is US Vietnamese war. There was a strong heavy bridge built by the US army several years back on the Cua Viet River in Vietnam. The bridge used to separate North Vietnam from South Vietnam.America was loosing out in the US Vietnam war and a large army of Vietnamese forces were approaching from the north to take over the south. The book The Bridge at Dong Ha has described how an officer from US marine forces named Captain Ripley destroyed this bridge with tremendous courage and aggression on Easter Sunday, 1972. It is to be noted that the destruction of this bridge that delayed the advancement of the Vietnamese army towards the south for three long years.The book has given the detailed description of his courage and it is really fascinating to go through the book. The book is an excellent narration of the events of how a single man, with his tremendous courage and dedication towards his nation destroyed the bridge and stopped the aggression of the enemy force comprising of 30,000 soldiers and 200 tanks. All these are available in the website http://www. amazon. com/Bridge-Dong-Ha-Bluejacket-Books/dp/155750587X. Every action of the event has been described in detail in the book. To quote from the website http://www. amazon.com/Bridge-Dong-Ha-Bluejacket-Books/dp/155750587X, ââ¬Å"Capt Ripley climbs over barbed wire fences, swings across the under girding of the bridge, and fights this battle from street to foxhole around the little The Bridge at Dong Ha 4 town of Dong Ha (just a few miles from the DMZ). The writing is wonderful and gripping, putting you face-to-face with the action as it unfolds hour by hour. â⬠While describing the heroism of Captain Ripley, the author has stated how he hand walked on the beams under the bridge, holding detonators with his teeth and brought back the burning fuses back to shore.He did all the risky jobs by himself and saved the life of his fellow soldiers from sure death. This heroic act earned him a Navy Cross in 1962. All these have been stated in the website http://www. amazon. com/Bridge-Dong-Ha-Bluejacket-Books/dp/155750587X The toughest part of the entire operation is that when Captain Ripley was in the process of detonating the bridge, continuous light machines firing was going on from the northern side of the bridge from the Vietnamese troops. Under such heavy firing, Captain Ripley completed the entire operation, risking his whole life and safeguarding the life of his other comrades.All these have been mentioned in the above mentioned website. The description not only shows his courage, but also displays his level of intelligence as he took the decision of destroying the bridge against the command from his superior officers. To quote from the above mentioned website, http://www. amazon. com/Bridge-Dong-Ha-Bluejacket-Books/dp/155750587X, ââ¬Å"Ripley's gallant effort was especially courageous since he was acting against a command suggestion to hold the bridge for a counterattack that could not have been mounted, and South Vietnamese troops were in disarray and fleeing to the South all around theThe Bridge at Dong Ha 5 Vietnamese unit he advised. Miller's narration of this small action tend s more toward the sensational than the historical. â⬠Though some people say that the book opened in a relatively slow note, but actually the stage was being set for a drama and all the main characters involved were introduced one by one. They include ARVN Major Le Ba Birth; his bodyguard Three Finger Jack, US Army major Jim Smock; and Birth's advisor, Ripley ââ¬â the hero of the event and also the book.It has been mentioned in the above named website that Ripley was a product of American marine, Airborne, Ranger and Seal training with some added polish from British Royal Marine. The emotional side of Captain Ripley has also been nicely described by the author in the book. There was a time when he charged into the middle of a mortar fire to save the life of a little young girl. The humanity side is also displayed while narrating the events related to the behavior of the radioman, the commander of South Vietnam unit and the commanderââ¬â¢s bodyguard.Dedication of Vietname se men towards their nation has also been described in the book. This seemed to be a very balanced approach. Another part that needs appreciation is that the author John Miller interviewed in detail Captain Ripley about the entire event while penning down the history. It has been stated in the above mentioned website that many minor incidents of the operation has been so vividly described that many civilians may not understand or feel the reason behind those actions, but only marine people can feel and judge them.Due to these factors, the reading of the book is not only fascinating, but I feel it can be described more of an adventure history type. It seemed as if an historical The Bridge at Dong Ha 6 event is presented and written in the language of adventure. This factor has made the reading of the book attractive to the readers. This can be understood from the comments by a reader in one of the reviews posted in the website http://www. amazon. com/Bridge-Dong-Ha-Bluejacket-Books/d p/155750587X.To quote from that review, ââ¬Å"It is difficult for a reader to appreciate this without almost an engineering drawing of the undersides of the bridge. I would have loved to see drawings showing the design of the bridge, with little arrows and annotations, ââ¬Ëpulled xx pounds of explosives across this girder'â⬠. Frankly speaking, I do not consider the above quote from the reader a criticism of the book. I feel that the reader has become so involved with the drama that he is expecting a Stallone or Jacky Chan type of Hollywood thriller while reading the book.The writing of the book is so thrilling and gripping. It seemed that he is watching a movie version of the book. A diagrammatic presentation of the event would satisfy that expectation. But obviously that is not done. I have never seen any thriller novel, where the story has been described in the form of a diagram. I really appreciate the initiative taken by the author in penning down the heroic act of Capt ain Ripley so that the message of his heroism can be known by the future generations. Only a narrative description would have made reading of the book quite boring and history type.His blending of adventure and history has really made the book attractive for reading to the masses. In all the reviews, I found that readers have openly stated that they like the dramatic presentation of this 186 pages book a lot. It seemed that the author really understands the pulse of the readers. The Bridge at Dong Ha 7 Reference List 1) Customer reviews on November 10 2002, December 27 1999, August 12 2006 and also Editorial reviews: Retrieved 12th March, 2009 from
Saturday, September 28, 2019
A View of Alex Garlandââ¬â¢s Film, Ex Machina
A View of Alex Garlandââ¬â¢s Film, Ex Machina In the bathroom scene in Ex Machina (2015), Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) performs a test on himself, to see if he is an android like Ava, and, as he has just discovered, Kyoko. While one would think this scene should resolve the question, it only muddies the water. As Caleb examines himself in the mirror, green and blue digital effects flash on his face. Is this a function of the mirror, or a HUD of Calebââ¬â¢s potentially robotic eyes? Or perhaps it is a non-diegetic element solely to heighten the viewerââ¬â¢s curiosity. Sound design plays an integral role in this scene as well. As he pulls at his teeth, small click sounds emanate from his mouth, which could be plastic pieces snapping, or just the sound of his fingers clicking on his teeth. The score features electronic instruments and synthesizers playing non-lyrical rising tones. This both reflects a mechanical mood, hinting that Caleb may be an android, and instills a sense of rising tension with the viewer, anxiously anticipat ing a reveal. The cinematography is vital to this sceneââ¬â¢s function. The camera work toys with the viewer, first with quick, non-continuous cuts, followed by long, suspenseful shots, keeping the audience disoriented and unable to predict the pace of the scene. As the scene progresses, the lighting shifts to emphasize his bone structure, tantalizing the audience to see what is below his skin. One particular shot is composed so that Calebââ¬â¢s arm and body form a triangle with his face obscured behind it. This separates the audience from Caleb, making the viewer wonder if they can trust and relate to him anymore. Is this a moment of revelation for him as he looks at his cut open arm? The framing of the shot, with his eye at the top of the triangle formed by his arm and body, is ever so slightly reminiscent of the Illuminati symbol, which could allude to the conspiracy facing Caleb. What is most compelling in this scene is Gleesonââ¬â¢s performance. What kind of human can cut deep into their own arm without so much as flinching or uttering a sound of pain? Though he begins the scene frantic and curious, he ends the scene staring at his reflection, unblinking in a very Terminator-like fashion. He ends the scene by punching the mirror, creating a shatter which very poetically mirrors the shatter on the glass between him and Ava. Though this ultimately proves to be a red herring, this scene all but convinces the viewer that Caleb is likewise a robot.
Friday, September 27, 2019
WE 4 Response crj 520 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
WE 4 Response crj 520 - Essay Example That has never really worked as they might have wished (Miles, 2014). That is why today our American prisons are overcrowded and unstaffed. The prison system cannot be expected to improve until the minds of people are changed. Prison is not supposed to be a vacation spot, a recreational facility, or the next best thing to the local gym. It is supposed to be a place where people who have broken the law are sent to serve the time allotted as their punishment. As Scott discusses Probation and Parole Officers are the transition person between the time they have spent incarcerated and their reintroduction back into society. They make educated decisions about which parolees are in need of greater counseling, mental health, medical, or drug treatment and have a greater chance of committing another crime, as opposed to those who will likely never reoffend. However, the problem with prisonââ¬â¢s today is the fact that you have hardcore, hardened, and dangerous criminals directly interacting with petty criminals, like shoplifters. When that shoplifter gets out he faces hard times instead of resorting to his petty crime skills, he may escalate his crime based on what he learned from other inmates in prison (Samen ow, 2010). This can have a dramatic effect and creates unpredictability in the equation. Miles, K. (2014, March 10). Just how much the war on drugs impacts our overcrowded prisons, in one chart. The Huffington Post, 1. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/10/war-on-drugs-prisons-infographic_n_4914884.html Samenow. (2011, April 9). Do prisons really make offenders worse?. Psychology Today, 1. Retrieved from
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Comprehensive review of OSHA standers 29 CFR 1910. 103 Hydrogen Essay
Comprehensive review of OSHA standers 29 CFR 1910. 103 Hydrogen - Essay Example Commonly, ethylene glycol is used as a sterilizing compound of medical equipment and medical supplies. It is also used as a fumigant in some agricultural products. According to the department of labor, (which regulates the use of ethylene oxide through its OSHA standards) : ââ¬Å"Unfortunately, EtO possesses several physical and health hazards that merit special attention. EtO is both flammable and highly reactive. Acute exposures to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Chronic exposure has been associated with the occurrence of cancer, reproductive effects, mutagenic changes, neurotoxicity, and sensitizationâ⬠(Labor). a safe working environment for their employees. This, according to the statute includes but is not limited to increased safety when working with hazardous chemicals, to wit, chemicals that could cause permanent harm or death. Within the regulations, are definitions which delineate the considerations and precautions that must be taken by those using ethylene glycol. One of the most jarring definitions was ââ¬Å"Catastrophic emissionâ⬠. This term is defined as an event that could cause an explosion which may result in death. Clearly, it does not take much to mishandle this chemical and one cannot help but wonder if the OSHA standards are indeed protective enough. Furthermore, the standards require that employers provide written safety information to employees handling this type of chemical but there is nothing that specifically calls for onsite training or any testing methods by which an employer may assure themselves that their employers and the facility are in fact understandi ng of the directives and therefore adequately protected. Section 1910.119(d)(1)(vii) of the regulations only briefly discusses ââ¬Å"Hazardous effects of inadvertent mixing of different materials that could foreseeably occur.ââ¬
Ethical dilemmas are everywhere in finance Research Paper
Ethical dilemmas are everywhere in finance - Research Paper Example An interesting aspect of this dilemma is to understand what is considered ethical and what is not. Finance by its very nature propagates the theory of maximization of profits. Why would anyone culminate a financial transaction if there was nothing to gain out of it? Now to decide how much to earn and by what means to earn is the most interesting facet of this dilemma. In theory, an organization is considered to be an entity that works for the benefit of its shareholders. The employees of the firm are thus assumed to be the representatives of this entity. They work on the various financial models to look for avenues which have minimum risk and maximum return. The financial theory also states that people are averse to taking risk. Hence, an investment in a risky proposition would mean that the investor is expecting an above average return. Riskier the proposition, higher the return expected. But the amount of risk to be taken is something that the investor needs to understand. Another concept in financial management is that of the Net Present Value (NPV). A firm should invest only in those assets or projects which have a positive NPV. All these concepts are interlinked with the fact that ethical dilemmas will continue to haunt the stakeholders at all points of decision making while running an organization. The various theories of finance can tell what the best options to maximize returns are, but ethics relate to the means that are used to achieve those ends. This is the most important aspect of this topic. The figures used in finance require an ethical basis to produce positive and sustainable results. Let us see how this dilemma exists in the present market. Discussion of Financial irregularities that lead to the recent global crisis (Kolb 2010) One of the stark examples of financial irregularity and unethical activities can be seen in the recent financial crisis of 2008 which is considered to be the biggest financial depression since the depression of 1930â⠬â¢s. This has been attributed to the emergence of complicated financial instruments called CDOs which are traded through investment banks. Investment banks, unlike the normal banks which give out loans and have adequate deposits to cover them, do not need to keep any deposits. They collect all the mortgage backed securities (MBS) and sell them to investors after securitization. Kolb (2010) explains the process of lending that takes place in the mortgage market in the figure below. The figure shows the origin to distribute model (OTD) which was being applied in the industry before the financial crisis occurred. As per this model, the originators of the loans were not there holders unlike in the normal banking loans scenario. Ethical dilemmas at borrower level (Kolb 2010 and Stich n.d) Kolb (2010) observed that most of the borrowers never had any intentions of paying their principal amounts. Ethical issues cropped at all the links in the model. The first level of unethical financial dealing started at the borrowers level itself. In a normal banking scenario a borrower has access to only those loans and interest rates which are commensurate with the risk he has been associated with by the lender ( the banker in this case). However, in the OTD model, the originator of the loan gives the borrower options of varied interest rates and EMI payments by overlooking their actual credit worthiness because the originator is
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Create a job selection matrix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Create a job selection matrix - Essay Example In developing a job selection matrix, it is important for the team to analyse the required qualifications and job functions of the position at stake. The technical and performance job skills should be considered in addition to the general categories on applications. During an interview, it should be decided on about which skills must be observed from the candidates and hence organised into categories. Lastly, during the interview, to ensure the gaps that were not mentioned in the application are filled, the hiring team should structure the interview questions to deduce this information. Most importantly, in the job selection matrix, a numeric ranking system should be included for each prerequisite and interview question (Anon, 2010). The ranking may range from 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest. The selection criteria may however vary with respect to the job position with an opening. The candidate who exhibits the most favourable sheet in accordance to their application can then be offered the
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 131
Discussion - Essay Example Such practices are uncontested for their influential nature in provoking intelligence in its audiences. The modernism culture was important in its creation of sound and sight effects through the painting practices that indicated the use of a wide range of colors. Further, the use of dimensions in the geometrical facets inclined the level of influence; hence, inclining abstraction as a vital artistic movement. Different scholars in the profession have embraced the movement citing to its comprehension of various factors of the impressionist and romanticism movements. The diversity of the art movement elevates its abundance in delivering knowledge to different groups of audiences despite the variations shown in preferences. It is apparent that the artistic approach enabled for the inclusion of multilingual aspects, for example, artists could include Chinese or Islamic calligraphy in their painting. Therefore, an intelligent academic in the field of art would complement the artistic movement of abstraction for its diversity in the use of decorative styles from different cultures for the benefit of the modern and contemporary
Monday, September 23, 2019
Ethics Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Ethics Theories - Essay Example à Utilitarianism stipulates that the greatest happiness should be the guiding principle for the conduct (Shafer-Landau 2012). Finally, Deontological ethics focuses on the rightness or wrongness of the individual actions. à It does not put considerations to the rightness or wrongness of the consequences of the actions committed.à Distinction in how each theory addresses ethics and Moralityà A Utilitarianism approach on morals and ethics implies that no moral action is intrinsically right or wrong. à The correctness or wrongness of an individualââ¬â¢s action is solely a creation of his or her non-moral good like pleasure, happiness or knowledge. à Deontological ethics asserts that the wrongness or rightness of an individualââ¬â¢s action is at least a portion of the intrinsic moral features like lying (Shafer-Landau 2012). à Ethics and morality are components of virtue theory like honesty and generosity. Virtue ethics focuses on the natural character of an individual rather than on the nature or consequences of specific actions executed. à Deontological ethics refers to the ordinary ethical point that controls the morality of an action, based on the actionââ¬â¢s devotion to set rules.à Personal Experienceà An instance involving my friend who faces a circumstance demanding him to speak the truth. à Deontology advocates truth speaking which is an ethical and moral act. Speaking the truth in itself is a virtue and by this virtue, theories support it.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Sports And School (My Experience) Essay Example for Free
Sports And School (My Experience) Essay School starts at a young age for most kids. They go to learn Arithmetic, English, History, and get a general education for life. They also learn to deal with others outside of their family and close friends. Such was the case for myself. I lived on a farm where my neighbor was my best friend till he moved away. I then had one year till school would start for me, which I would spend with my family, and one or two friends who I would see occasionally. When school finally started for me I had no friends I already knew. It only took me a few days of watching the older kids playing soccer to learn the game and I eventually started playing with them. They learned my name and I learned theirs, soon I was friends with most of the kids in the school (somewhere around 45 kids, K-6). The next year I was sent to a new school in Monticello. Again I made friends quickly and we would spend recesses playing tag and running around. As I entered the fourth grade professional sports entered my life. I had been wrestling long before I entered school and played baseball when I was old enough to enter tee-ball, but professional sports never occurred to me until football. From fourth grade to sixth I came to school in the fall and spring to play football. As I grew up and graduated elementary school I faced new options. I could now participate in regulated Jr. High teams. I chose football, wrestling and baseball. I had played all of these before, but this was high school sports where you had stands full of people to watch you. You now had pads to play football and your games were official. Life in wrestling would become more competitive and baseball would be as hard as ever and so far my experience has only been beneficial. I am now a senior in high school and my football career is over, but I along with others was able to bring home a state championship trophy. I?m doing great in my last wrestling season and will soon begin my final sport in high school. I lived for football and I am living wrestling. Every time I hear someone say sports should be discontinued from public school I feel as if they are trying to cripple students like my self who live for sports in high school. I came to school to get an education, after school I invoke my education to work for me in sports. Otherwise I would go home sit in frontà of a T.V. or help my dad when needed. I could stay in town every now and then to hang out with friends, but I would mostly be confined to the barren area around my house. Now while playing sports I work hard to get through the school day (It seems to make time go faster) and then work hard at sports. I got in a habit of working hard while I?m awake so now everything I do I try to do right and I work hard at doing it. People say that students focus more on sports than they do their school work and classes. May be true in a few cases, but was never true in my case. I worked hard in school so I could be the best at both school and sports. I strove for success in tagging girls in elementary school so I also strove for success in my schoolwork. In high school you had to keep your grades up to play. I along with the majority of my fellow teammates went beyond meeting the requirements for not getting an F in any class, but in getting A?s in all of our classes. A coach once said to my brother, ?Work hard on and off the field.? I have lived my career so far off that saying. I?ve told others that and others have told me that. First hand I have seen students who can?t or don?t care to keep their grades up. They just slide from one class to the next working just enough to pass. They then were invited to come play a sport or do and activity with friends after school. They learned how much fun playing sports could be so they picked up their grades so they could play football, or wrestle. Even after the season was over they decided they wanted to keep their grades up and it wasn?t that hard to do it in the end. School sports also help those who don?t play. While keeping kids who play off the streets and away from bad influences it also motivates others to do the same. When school figures are supported and kids want to be like them they want to be great and will change a lot to be like the one they admire. For the most part those who play sports can?t do well if they are doing activities not suitable for students their ages (drugs, alcohol, violence, crimes.) so they are almost forced to set a good example while playing a sport. A winning sports season in a school-supported sport also raises the moral and efficiency of students. They become proud of their school and what they have done and want to keep the good name they have earned. Studentsà will talk about the season and have better memories of school. Ten years later a reunion will echo with, ?Do you remember instead of having a reunion where no one shows up because they felt as if they were not a part of their school or they had no me mories they wished to remember with their class. Above all you cannot end school sports for the minority of people who disagree with having sports sponsored by schools. Those few may have had a bad experience with sports and find it hard to fit in with those who?ve had good experiences. If you end it all for a few people everyone will become like those few people and sports as a whole may disappear, competition will disappear, initiative will disappear and people will have to find other paths to take to gain these skills so badly needed in life. Some of these paths taken will not be well chosen and can lead people astray in life. Again leading to crimes, drugs, alcohol, and other illegal activities. Baseball, movie shows, singers, and others helped cheer those in both the world wars. It kept American moral up and lead people to a time of prosperity and relaxation after World War II. Soldiers would talk about the World Series while they sat in their trenches rooting for a team. They would go watch a boxing match to take their mind off of what lay ahead for the time. With out these activities soldiers would have had to turn their attention elsewhere. Probably back to fighting which was the only thing they didn?t want to think about. Sports helped in the war effort so why can?t it help in the school effort.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Planning for Material Deliveries in Construction
Planning for Material Deliveries in Construction Constructionà projects are becoming progressively larger and more complex in terms of physical size and cost, hence the risks and potential for losses require better control. Project management has evolved mainly because of the need to control costs and schedule (Chenà and Griffis at el, 2012). In the latest construction world a proper project management should give an overall success to the specific project within the constraints of cost, time, schedule, quality and the safety measurements. Project management plays a major role not only in the architectural and engineering industry but also the development of infrastructure of each and every country. (Edum-Fotwe and McCaffer, 2000). According to Risku and Karkkainen (2006) material delivery is one of the major parts of project management because materials are consuming huge amount of the construction cost. According to Asad (2005) Poor materials management can result in increased costs during construction. Efficient management of materials can result in substantial savings in project costs. Therefore Rivera (2004) stated Materials are major part of the construction project and the special concern should be provided from the planning stage of the project to end of the project. In the construction projects; amount of required materials cannot be reduced because it will affect the quality of the project. Meanwhile uncertainty is there in material supply due to the price fluctuations and availability of the certain materials. Therefore Sun, Liu and Lan (2011) suggested the material procurement planning (MPP) which is deals with the problem that purchasing the right quantity of material from the right supplier at the right time, a purchaser can reduce the cost for materials via a reasonable MPP model. Here the purchasing of material at the right time is one of the key elements of MPP. Risku and Karkkainen (2006) stated that the latest project management systems for construction projects facing new set of challenges in the delivery process of construction material. Mainly two requirements are expected for proper material delivery process. Those are transparency to material availability, and short response time in the material supply chain. Now a days the major challenge in the construction industry is delay in material delivery which is cause to the late completion of the project (Assaf and Al-Hejji 2005). A proper plan in material delivery and inventory management should be scheduled in the initial stage of the project plan and it can be lead to reduce the delay in material delivery in construction projects (Construction best management, 2008). Therefore this study will carry out on a delay in delivery of materials in BOI approved construction project. According to this study examine the delivery of material in projects under planning function and management. 2.2. Important of purchasing appropriate materials According to the definition provided by McConville (as cited in Hadikusumo et al., 2005, ppà 48), purchasing is a fundamental function of material procurement that refers to the acquisition of goods and services and an establishment of mutually acceptable terms and conditions between a seller and a buyer. As far as the construction industry is concerned, purchasing can occur in all phases of a construction project. The purchasing function of a construction firm is central to materials management and specially includes the commitment of project funds for construction materials. Construction materials occupy a significant part of the constructions value contributing nearly 50%. Thus when selecting construction materials, it is very important that painstaking decisions should be made. Even though typically 10 to 15%, but up to 45% (WRAP, 2007) of the total materials ordered for construction projects are either unused or end-up as waste. Therefore purchasing the appropriate material is getting more important. Purchased materials and services typically represent the largest single element of cost in a company which stresses the importance of purchasing (Ibid and pooler et al, 2004 cited Otterheim, strand, 2007) The purchasing department may also contribute to a competitive position in more indirect ways. The indirect contributions may be in Reduction of quality costs Production standardization Stock reduction Increasing flexibility and fostering purchasing synergy The indirect contributions have often in practice saved more money than the indirect savings on purchasing prices (Van Weele, 2005 cited Otterheim, strand, 2007) 2.3. Significance of material procurement process According to Sun and Liu et al (2009) the process of obtaining raw materials from outside suppliers is considered as material procurement. This process consumes more cost of total operating capital. Now a day fast track approach is used to reduce the project schedule. The procurement process is very important and should be carried out in a possible manner to achieve the success of the project. According to Othman and Rahman (2010) five aspects can According to the analysis of interviews and surveys carried out during the study of the Procurement Process described in this paper (Rivas 1998), five features can expose the relevance of Procurement: Schedule pressures: Should finish the project within a less possible period, avoid or minimise financial and other indirect costs. Cooperation and coordination with construction: by following the construction schedule procurement. Improvement of the efficiency for procuring supplies will help to save the resources. High relative value: Supplies managed by procurement represents 50%, to 70% of the total cost for the project, it is imperious to have a strict and permanent control of the acquisitions, having in mind the financial approach being represented by such situation. Depends on the operation of the project needed equipments supply by the process of procurement. Potential critical of the supplies: due to important relationships and interrelation between various part of the project. Accurate situation diagnostics of the material purchase function in the construction sector, in relation with the proactive purchase implantation in material purchase functions. Therefore, the significance of this work is in analysing the validation of a purchase area with a new implementation of proactive purchasing. 2.4. Proactive purchasing The concept of proactive purchasing management is also addressed by Carr (1996), who defines proactive purchasing as purchasing willingness to take risks and to effectively use current knowledge to make decisions about the future. Purchasing pro action includes purchasing foresight and purchasing willingness to initiate change. According to Vrijhoef and Koskela (1999) the implementation of proactive purchasing in the construction industry is a challenge. The implementation success is strictly related to the strategies of the activities operation which involve the process of purchasing that guarantees the quality of the process. One tool that can be used to develop a continuous improvement process in the purchasing process is Demings PDCA cycle (1986). Demings PDCA cycle (Source:Wikipedia) According to Moen and Norman (2011), the steps in each successive PDCA cycle are Plan Create the aim and objectives and establish the process to achieve the aim and objectives with the anticipated outcome. Do Implement the plan, execute the process, and make the product. Collect needed data and information to check it in the next process. Check Compare the actual result got from Do stage with the anticipated results in planning stage. Find variations from this study. Charting the collected data may help to see trends over several PDCA cycles and in order to convert the collected data into information. Information is what you need for the next step Act. Act Take severe action on major variations between actual and planned results. Take a good study to identify the reasons for this variation. Find where the changes should be made to improve the process or product. Proactive purchasing starts in project conception, which is usually executed by the engineering or marketing areas. The responsible team for the project considers the enterprises goals and develops solutions for the product, subsystems, and components (Taylor, 2003). The quality assistance area analyses the projects and makes the proper contributions. The purchasing department participates in this process indicating new materials, rating prices quotations, and looking for new suppliers (Lawther and Martin, 2005). The next phase is characterized by the accomplishment of the programming phase of the execution of the project according to the organizational strategy. The purchasing team elaborates the purchase planning, which is based on the enterprises projects and specifications, on the production planning, and the detailed budget that reflects the organizational reality (Donk, 2004). The purchasing process must contain the procedures to put the activities that constitute its routine i nto practice, to avoid that each collaborator acts in a particular way (Andersson and Bernhardsson, 2011). This doesnt mean that the process must be set in stone but that policies should exist that orientate the elaboration of activities. With the application of the structuring of the proactive purchasing process, the team involved with purchasing used most of their time in planning activities, negotiations, and control, what makes the purchasing operational (solicitation, estimating, and purchasing) and faster (Cox et. al.,2005). When the purchase planning is done, it is necessary to effectuate its control and, if necessary, repeat the planning of the activities in order to guarantee that the production area is attended according to the negotiated conditions (Lawther, 2003). The purchasing process must be continuously analysed, so that the process bottlenecks are identified as well as the possibility of aggregating value to the process. As already described by Burt and Pinkerton (1996), the application of proactive purchasing procedures allows the material purchasing process to be focused on strategic actions, which are, the acquisitions planning realization, and also the relationship with the suppliers. Furthermore, the operational phase will likely be faster than in the traditional model, and it also meshes with the necessities of the final customer, that is, to deliver the material in the right quantities, at the right time, and under the best purchasing conditions. 2.5. Material requirement planning According to Acramin and Rahman (2011) the major purpose of material requirement planning is to ensure availability of materials in the future within the certain cost. This procedure includes the monitoring of stocks and, in particular, the automatic creation of procurement proposals for purchasing and production. (Sap, 2001) Material requirements planning to try to strike the best balance possible between Optimizing the service level and Minimizing costs and capital lockup. Four sorts of information use in material requirement planning to decide what material need to be ordered and when it will ordered (Mahbashi, 2007). Each and every product is scheduled to be manufactured. It is described in the master production schedule. Bill of materials, which lists exactly the parts or materials required to make each product. Production cycle times and material needs at each stage of the production cycle. Supplier lead times. The material purchasing process has the responsibility of supplying the customers buying necessities, it is also responsible for the planning in a quantitative and qualitative way. Moreover, it intends to guarantee that the customer will receive the material at the right time, with the right quantities, and within the desired specifications (Burt and, Pinkerton, 1996). In order to execute this important task, the material purchasing function is considered to have a fundamental role in the supply chain. This technical paper uses the proactive purchasing procedure as the purchasing management strategy, and presentation of the concept is very important. Proactive purchasing can be defined as purchasing which is focused on strategic activities. It puts emphasis on long range relationship negotiation activities, expanding the suppliers and materials total cost, instead of doing it in repeated demands and stock repositions (Burt and, Pinkerton, 1996). Making sure of purchasing continuity to keep effective relationships with existing sources, developing other supply alternatives, or attending the emergent or planned necessities, selecting the best suppliers. Keeping solid and cooperative relationships with the other organizational functions, supplying the necessary information, and advising to make sure of the effective operation of the entire organization. Developing the training of employees, and the adoption of procedures organization to make sure to reach the previous goals. Keeping a balance between quality and value, obtaining products and services in the necessary quantity and quality for the lowest cost. Surveying market tendencies. Developing methods to negotiate purchasing conditions to deal with suppliers that look for mutual benefit by means of superior economic performance. Developing and keeping good relationships with the suppliers, besides developing potential suppliers. Emitting and controlling purchasing solicitation. 2.6. Material scheduling Various types of resources are involved in construction projects, including manpower, equipment, materials, money, and space (Taghaddos and Hermann et al, 2010). Here materials are major part of the construction project. Effective scheduling of material is crucial for the success of construction projects (Lasry and Carter et al, 2008). This success implies accomplishing the project on time, in budget and with acceptable quality. Therefore, the concept of material scheduling is introduced to the construction industry as the process of improving the efficiency of the project. Providing such a material schedule is a complicated process, but has a key impact on the total cost and schedule of construction projects (Schwindt, 2005). According to Pinedo (2008) producing a realistic schedule for material in a construction project is a challenging task. It often happens that the construction process begins before enough detailed information is collected. Ensure the material availability without creating an unnecessary inventory is a major challenge to the delivery of material in the construction industry. But it can be done with the very good communication and good schedule with suppliers (Bertelsen and Nielsen 1997 cited Risku and Karkkainen et al, 2000). 2.7. Purchase planning According to USPS (2012), to obtain a best value in any purchase objectives and tactics to be established. Purchase planning is the process to help in this establishment. Effectiveà purchaseà planning is essential to a successful construction project. As such, it needs the coordination and cooperation of a number of purchasing related parties often proves the crucial success of the project. Competing objectives of the construction industry, nature of purchase and its impacts on the project will decide the extent of the purchase planning. The success of large scale purchases, which are those with the potential to impact these objectives, need to be planned for by a purchase team that fully reflects the strategic importance of the purchase, and should involve the teams use of a wide range of supply chain business practices. The success of other purchases will not need the same level of investment, but may require some degree of planning. The good effective purchase plane will lead the project to success. According to Weele (2010), purchasing and supply function can make an important contribution to construction projects results. But many organizations handle both large and small purchases through the same standardized purchasing processes. But three purchasing methods are suggested by Ouhimmou and DAmours et. al, (2007) for different term purchasing. 2.7.1. Strategic planning According to Warszawski (1996), Strategic planning is an essential function in the construction industry and in this level the decisions taken are long ranged. In this, planning is defined as the target and the goals to be reached by the purchase area in the next five years. For Example, to institute no fail in activities that involves material purchases (Diabat and Richard et. al, 2011) 2.7.2. Tactical planning Tacticalà productionà planningà is a midtermà planningà process and it is concerned with shorter term decisions for purchasing (Aghezzaf and Sitompul et. al, 2009). In this, planning is defined by which and how many resources must be used to reach the goals defined by strategic planning, as well as its acquisition path and the organization of the work structuring. (Edmondson, 1999) 2.7.3. Operational Planning It selects, in a short range time period, the path for necessary operations to reach the goals (Seifert, 2003). These short range plans have a time frame of one year or less. These plans are greatly fallen in the middle and lower levels managers day to day activities. Petty cash purchasing is one of the operational planning methods. Some organizations permit the use of petty cash for small purchases. But because of frequent misuse and the lack of control in the purchasing process, most organizations discourage this practice (Parikh and Joshi, 2005). 2.8. Purchasing and delivery process Weele (2005 cited Otterheim and Strand, 2007) Define purchasing The management of the companys external resource in such a way that the supply of all capabilities, goods, services and knowledge which are essential for running, managing the companys primary and secondary activities is secured at the most favourable conditions Determining the specification of the goods and services that need to be bought Selecting the most suitable supplier and developing procedures and routines to select the best supplier from foreign countries or BOI approval supplier from Sri Lanka Preparing and making negotiations with the supplier to establish an agreement and to write up the contract through the email. Forward the Performa invoice to BOI and Get approval for that certain material. Placing the order with the selected supplier and or develop effected purchase order and handling system. Open the legal contract and delivery dates mentioned in the contract must observe. The supplier and the relevant department must agreed the correct details of the delivery schedule. Monitoring and control of the order and to secure supply (expediting) Clearing process in the port Follow up and evaluation (settling claims, keeping product and supplier files up to date, supplier rating and supplier ranking). 2.9 Construction material management 2.9.1 Material management cycle Construction materials vary from simple items purchased by direct POs to complex tasks that are purchased by sophisticated contract forms (Halpin and Woodhead, 1998). In all cases, several functions and steps comprise the material management process. Each of these functions can give rise to potential problems that need to be solved by the materials management department. Throughout the various sequential steps of materials management, several materials-oriented costs rise. Generally, those costs could be grouped into four major categories, namely, purchase costs, order cost, holding costs, and unavailability cost: The purchase cost The purchase cost of the material means the original unit price of an item added with transportation costs and freight expenses. In the construction industry many discounts are given by suppliers for the bulk orders (Hendrickson, 2000). The acquisition or order cost. The acquisition or ordered cost reflects the administrative expense associated with issuing a PO to an outside supplier. Four cost components typically make up the total acquisition cost; they are requisition, purchasing, receiving, and auditing costs (Zenz, 1994). Figure2. Sequential steps of materials management (Source: Parikh, M. A. and Joshi, K., 2005) The holding or carrying cost The holding or carrying costs are incurred because of the carried volume of inventory. Generally, they are subdivided into three sub-categories, which are capital costs, storage costs, and risk costs (Dobler et al., 1990). Capital costs are those costs or losses due to funds invested (tied-up) in the inventory that can be used for other productive purposes (Dobler et al., 1990). Storage costs are those of warehousing, handling, store workers, and equipment needed for different movements in the warehouse. Risk costs are those that could be incurred due to damage, obsolescence, deterioration, and theft. The unavailability cost. If required material unavailable in desire time then the unavailability cost will occur. Unavailability cost well known as stock out or depletion cost in manufacturing industries. Material shortages will lead the project to delay. Also it will cause to the waste of labour force (Hendrickson, 2000). 2.9.2 Material delivery and inventory control After a PO for a construction material is being submitted to the selected supplier, a period of time, usually called delivery lead time, elapses before the actual delivery of materials to the project warehouse takes place. According to Arnold and Chapman (2001) once materials are delivered, they represent an inventory used during the construction process. In this context, inventories can be regarded as materials stocked to cover upcoming future demand. Since, inventories cost the construction firm whenever the inventory level is more than zero, inventory control is applied to minimize such cost and the various other costs associated with construction materials. Figure 2.5 shows an inventory control chart, as the ones typically used in industrial and manufacturing practices. As noticed, inventoried materials are depleted to satisfy the existing project demands. Meanwhile, new material deliveries are made at specific points in time to compensate for such depletion. Furthermore, due to the uncertainty of lead times, safety stocks are commonly instated to counterbalance any late materials delivery and keep production non-stopped. There are several schemes for making material orders, such as, the cyclical or fixed order interval system, just-in-time (JIT) approach, material requirement planning (MRP) systems, fixed order quantity system (Dobler et al., 1990). And additional to that some construction industry using the software. The most popular software models use for Procurement in construction industries are, Build smart J D Edward Great Plan These software are best to monitor what you ordered and what has been delivered to site and what is the balance to be delivered to the site and when is going to happen. And also trade wise we can summarize the actual cost incurred for every single item in the BOQ by giving specific cost quotes to each trade and get the summary every month. This will go to the financial report of the moth. à Basically we can monitor the ordered materials from this software but it wont control any delays. The procurement basically from two parties, Local Suppliers. Overseas Suppliers. 2.10. Some delivery methods in the construction industry 2.10.1. Material requirement planning Material Requirements Planning (MRP) is the process that based on a software. The manufacturing process can manage by MRP inventory system. Although it is not common nowadays, MRP can conduct by hand as well. (www1.ximb.ac.in) According to ERP (2008) the aim of MRP system achieves three objectives simultaneously: Make sure the availability of the materials to the production and delivery it on time. Maintain the inventory level as low as possible. Plan manufacturing activities, delivery schedules and purchasing activities Logic of MRP In construction industry MRP mainly using for calculating the required materials and the time period (Slack, 2001). For the effective output there are three inputs are essential. Those are bill of material, inventory data and master production schedule. Here two main outputs namely planned order releases and reschedule notices (Lunn, 1992). As stated by Starr (1996), the MRP is suitable for products that do not satisfy the order point policy (OPP) models, which demand of the end product is independent or an end product orders may be placed periodically. Master production schedule According to Ong (2002) the Master Production Schedule (MPS) is the very essential thing to drive the MRP system. The main function of MPS identifies the required amount of material that should be manufactured. Bill of material Also Ong (2002) stated Bill of Material (BOM) is another major part of the MRP, which clarifies the structure of an independent demand item. A bill of material is: a listing of all of the sub assemblies, intermediates, parts, and raw materials that go into a parent assembly showing the quantity of each required to make an assembly (Starr, 1996). Inventory data Inventory data are the thing that helps to identify the inventory status to calculate the net requirement in MRP (Slack et al, 2001). MRP calculation MPS, BOM, Inventory data will use in MRP to establish the planned order release and reschedule notices (Lunn, 1992). The figure 2.5 shows generally how the MRP performs the calculations by using the logic (Slack et al, 2001). 2.10.2. Just-in-time In face of the challenges of global competition, business firms are concentrating more on the needs of customers and seeking ways to reduce costs, improve quality and meet the ever-rising expectation of their customers. To these ends, many of them have identified logistics as an area to build cost and service advantages. On the other hand, the Just-in-Time (JIT) management approach, which has long been proven effective in the manufacturing sector in increasing quality, productivity and efficiency, improving communication and decreasing costs and waste, might enhance the chances of firms to achieve cost and service advantages through logistics. (Lai and Cheng) Just in time (JIT) stimulates new directions of planning and performing activities in manufacturing systems: its effects are significant in improving the overall performance of whole organization. Conceptually, JIT is an approach that combines apparently conflicting objectives of low cost, high quality, manufacturing flexibility and delivery dependability. In short, JIT is a system that produces the required item at the time and in the quantities needed (Chung and Barkar, 2001cited Gunansekaran and Lyu, 1997) However, the potential of JIT has not been widely recognized in logistics as compared to in manufacturing. Similar to manufacturing, logistics employs processes that add value to the basic inputs used to create the end product. As the focus of JIT is on business processes, not products, the management principles of JIT can be replicated and applied in logistics. This book sets out to explore the possibilities of employing JIT to manage logistics activities, and provide an introduction to the application of JIT in the major areas of business logistics, which mainly deals with inter-organizational move-store activities (Lai and Cheng) Just-in-time principle JIT had many definitions, some of the common definitions are: (Chung and Barkar, 2001) A system that produces the required item at the time and in the quantities needed. A manufacturing system where the parts that are required to complete the finished products are produced or arrive at the assembly site as they are needed. A philosophy that centres on the elimination of waste in the manufacturing process. An inventory control philosophy whose goal is to maintain just enough materials in just the right place at just the right time to make just the right amount of product. The exact number of required units is brought to each successive stage of production at the appropriate time. Capital requirements reduced rework inventories of purchased parts, raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods 2.10.3. Fixed re order point and fixed order quantity In this model describes the dependency of average expenses for goods holding, ordering and losses from deficit per time unit on two control parameters the order quantity and reorder point. (Kopytov and Greenglaz 2004 cited Muravjovs and Burakov, 2007) We consider a single-product stochastic inventory control model under the following conditions. The demand for goods is a Poisson process with intensity ÃŽà ». At the moment of time, when the stock level falls to certain level r, a new order is placed. The quantity R is called as reorder point. The order quantity Q is constant. We suppose that. The lead time L (time between placing an order and receiving it) has a normal distribution with a mean RQâ⬠°Ã ¥LÃŽà ¼ and a standard deviation Là Ãâ. There is the possible situation of deficit, when demand during lead time exceeds the value of reorder point R. We suppose that in case of deficit the last cannot be covered by expected order (Muravjovs and Burakov, 2007) Denote as Z the quantity of goods in stock at the time moment immediately after order receiving. We can determine this quantity of goods Z as a function of demand during lead time L: Expression (1) is basic. It allows expressing different economical indexes of considered process. Let T is the duration of a cycle. Length of the cycle consists of two parts: time T1 between receiving the goods and placing a new order and lead time L, i.e. 2.10.4. Cyclical or fixed order interval system In this model the order quantity is determined as the difference between the fixed stock level and quantity of goods at the moment of ordering. The analytical description of the second model has been considered by the authors in the work (Kopytov et al. 2006 cited Muravjovs and Burakov, 2007). Let us consider the model 2 with a fixed time T of the cycle, i.e. with fixed time between neighbouring moments of placing the orders (see Fig. 2). It is a single-product stochastic inventory control model under the following conditions. The demand for goods is a Poisson process with intensity ÃŽà ». The lead time L has a normal distribution with a mean LÃŽà ¼ and a standard deviation Là Ãâ. We suppose that lead time essentially less as time of the cycle (Muravjovs and Burakov, 2007) There is the possible situation of deficit, when the demand during the time between neighbouring moments of orders receiving exceeds the quantity of goods in stock Z at the time moment immediately after order receiving. Analogously model 1 we suppose that in case of deficit the last cannot be covered by expected order. We denote as S the goods quantity which is needed ideally for one period and it equals to the sum (Muravjovs and Burakov, 2007) Where TD is the average demand for cycle time; is the some safety stock. In the given sentence we suppose that ideally S gives us in the future the minimum of total ex
Thursday, September 19, 2019
george washington :: essays research papers
On April 30, 1789, George Washington, standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York, took his oath of office as the first President of the United States. "As the first of every thing, in our situation will serve to establish a Precedent," he wrote James Madison, "it is devoutly wished on my part, that these precedents may be fixed on true principles." Born in 1732 into a Virginia planter family, he learned the morals, manners, and body of knowledge requisite for an 18th century Virginia gentleman. He pursued two intertwined interests: military arts and western expansion. At 16 he helped survey Shenandoah lands for Thomas, Lord Fairfax. Commissioned a lieutenant colonel in 1754, he fought the first skirmishes of what grew into the French and Indian War. The next year, as an aide to Gen. Edward Braddock, he escaped injury although four bullets ripped his coat and two horses were shot from under him. From 1759 to the outbreak of the American Revolution, Washington managed his lands around Mount Vernon and served in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Married to a widow, Martha Dandridge Custis, he devoted himself to a busy and happy life. But like his fellow planters, Washington felt himself exploited by British merchants and hampered by British regulations. As the quarrel with the mother country grew acute, he moderately but firmly voiced his resistance to the restrictions. When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May 1775, Washington, one of the Virginia delegates, was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. On July 3, 1775, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, he took command of his ill-trained troops and embarked upon a war that was to last six grueling years. He realized early that the best strategy was to harass the British. He reported to Congress, "we should on all Occasions avoid a general Action, or put anything to the Risque, unless compelled by a necessity, into which we ought never to be drawn." Ensuing battles saw him fall back slowly, then strike unexpectedly. Finally in 1781 with the aid of French allies--he forced the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Washington longed to retire to his fields at Mount Vernon. But he soon realized that the Nation under its Articles of Confederation was not functioning well, so he became a prime mover in the steps leading to the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787.
Rhetoric, Paideia and the Phaedrus Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical P
Rhetoric, Paideia and the Phaedrus ABSTRACT: Some of the notorious interpretive puzzles of the Phaedrus arise from reading it in terms of a static version of mimesis; hence, the concerns about its apparent failure to enact its own norms and the status of its own self-commentaries. However, if the dialogue is read in the light of the more dynamic model of a perfectionist paideia ââ¬â that is, Platoââ¬â¢s portrayal of Socrates as attempting to woo Phaedrus to philosophy (with only partial success) is itself a rhetorical attempt to woo the appropriate reader ââ¬â then many of the puzzles fall into place as part of the rhetorical strategy. The apparent lack of formal unity arises out of Phaedrusââ¬â¢ own deficiencies; the written dialogue turns out precisely not to fall foul of the criticisms of writing that it contains, and its self-commentaries can be given their appropriate ironic weight. On this reading, a Platonic conception of philosophy that embodies yet transcends the dialectical is given persuasive expression. The interpretative puzzles of the Phaedrus are notorious: from a rhetorical point of view it is far from clear that it exhibits the organic unity it apparently endorses, from a philosophical one it exhibits in partially dialectical writing a critique of dialectical writing, while its self-commentary on its own set speeches is puzzling ââ¬â not least the degree of endorsement it allows to the associations between mania, eros, poetry and philosophy rhetorically presented in Socrates' second speech. Richard Rutherford's recent discussion of these issues (1995: chap. 9) provides a helpful starting point. He plausibly argues for reading Socrates' second speech in the light of the wider dialogue ââ¬â not least in the light of the Pha... ...ch feelings in the context of one's own experience of eros that one may find one's sensibilities transformed. The wings of the soul of the appropriate reader, on this account, would be capable of being nourished into growth through the dialogue itself, standing to us as older friend in the perfectionist aspiration, a dialogue which in appropriating one may move beyond. Works Cited: Cavell 1990: Stanley Cavell, Conditions Handsome and Unhandsome, Carus Lectures 1988, Chicago and London, University of Chicago Nietzsche 1983: Friedrich Nietzsche, Untimely Meditations, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Nussbaum 1986: Martha Nussbaum, The Fragility of Goodness, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Plato 1986: Plato, Phaedrus, ed. and tr. C.J. Rowe, Warminster, Aris & Phillips Rutherford 1995: R.B. Rutherford, The Art of Plato, Trowbridge, Duckworth
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
The First World War (WWI) :: World War 1 I One
Industrial Revolution à à à à à à à à à à Great Britain is where the Industrial Revolution all started. The Industrial Revolution took place and started in Great Britain because at that time they were one of the most powerful nations that was being developed. The Industrial Revolution was a time of great economical and technical growth and change in Britain eight-tenth and nine-tenth centuries. In the mid nine-tenth century Britain had become the center workshop of the world ! England began exporting simply products that led to Imperialism. Imperialism is the process in which rich and powerful nation seek out little UN-industrialized countries and try to gain control and influence their people. The power of the British especially influenced the diplomatic and economic values of each of the smaller countries it took control over. The countries that were most influenced by the Industrial Revolution were Africa and Asia. The Industrial Revolution spread to these because they went there looking for more materials to trade with other countries. The British went to these smaller countries to trade, they found that the counties that they went to trade with were very weak in nature. When the British got to these counties they soon took over their ports and set up markets over seas. One of these counties was Africa. The raw materials that they went to go obtain from Africa were gold and diamonds. When the British arrived in Africa they saw that the port was weak and took it over. With the ports now under Britishââ¬â¢s control they could come and go as they pleased in and out of the country and trade very inexpensively trough-out the county. Also with the control of the ports the Britishââ¬â¢s ideas were spread quickly. The people of Britain began to take a small role in politics in South and Southeast Asia. Imperialism systems were arranged according to the policy of across sea merchants. .The reason why the British countries were so successful is because the in taking over these small un-industrlaized countries is because Britain was the most powerful county at that time and due to its economics and technology it was easy for them to influence these small UN-industrialized countries. Because these small countries had no other major influences of any other great or powerful powerful nation they were subjected to the power of the European nations.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Hellfire and bloody damnation Essay
The Crucible is largely concerned with the abuse and misuse of power in Salem. Discuss this with references to any three characters. In this essay I intend to explore the abuse and misuse of power in Salem with references to three characters. The three characters that I will refer to are Reverend Parris, Thomas Putnam and Abigail Williams. Reverend Parris is the pastor of the church in Salem. He is the father of Betty and the uncle of Abigail Williams. He believes that he is being persecuted and that the townspeople do not respect his position as a man of God. Examples to support these claims are when Parris is asking about his wood, and arguing over his salary, he then goes to say ââ¬Å"I am not used to this poverty;.. Why am I being persecuted here? â⬠Reverend Parris also believes there is a faction and a party in the church which makes him seem very paranoid about the people around him. The towns people also do not respect him as a man of God because Proctor says ââ¬Å"to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnationâ⬠about the services that are held in Salem where Parris preaches. Many of the other towns people say that they ââ¬Ëquail to bring their childrenââ¬â¢ because of the content of what is said during services. Parris is a materialistic and selfish person. He secures his desires in the town by preaching fire and brimstone until the people give in. An example of this is when he preached for twenty weeks until he got golden candlesticks instead of the pewter ones made by Francis Nurse. John Proctor says, ââ¬Å"it hurt my prayerâ⬠for him to think that when he ââ¬Å"look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbowsâ⬠because Parris demanded money ever since he became the pastor of Salem. This is a misuse of power and a misuse of his status as a man of God. As a man of god Parris should be grateful for what the towns people have to offer and what they are prepared to give in to the Church as an act of charity. The townspeople have ousted the last few pastors and Parris fears that he may be next. He feels that he is constantly being persecuted wherever he goes despite his efforts to win people and God to his side. ââ¬Å"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning! â⬠Parris tells to Proctor as he demands the deed to his house and preaches fire and brimstone regarding whatever he is after until he has it. It is only too easy for him to believe the girls because not to believe them would mean that the trouble would be in his own house. Betty and Abigail are his family and to have liars in his family will give him a bad name as he is a man of God and should have disciplined his daughter and niece to behave and do what they are told. He is more worried about his own reputation than his daughterââ¬â¢s health. If he cannot control his own household, he may not be trusted with an entire village. He considers himself as being higher in society than every one else, and believes that people should ask his permission to shut a door. He looks down at children and treats them as lower class citizens and thinks they should be thankful for being permitted to ââ¬Å"walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouth shut until bidden to speak. â⬠There is a large emphasis on purity in the lives of the people of Salem, they were not permitted to read a novel, only Bibles. They thought that theatre was a ââ¬Ëvain enjoymentââ¬â¢ and there was not to be any Christmas celebrations. All holidays of work was to be used to concentrate even more upon prayer. There is a lot of imagery of darkness and dirt representing sin and evil. Reverend Parris for example, questions his niece Abigailââ¬â¢s purity by saying; ââ¬Å"Your name in the town-it is entirely white, is it not? â⬠She argues that her name is not soiled. The people of Salem are obsessed with preserving the perceived cleanliness of their souls. Parris is so obsessed with keeping his name ââ¬Ëwhiteââ¬â¢ that he hides the fact that he knows that the girls are only lying and he goes along with the girlââ¬â¢s childish games of accusation. This is an example of misuse of power because Reverend Parris has the power to put a stop to the girls but to keep his name clean he pressures the girls to give more names. Thomas Putnam is a very vindictive man. He is the husband of Ann Putnam, and father to Ruth. He is a powerful man in the village with a long family line. He is the eldest son of the richest man in the village and regards himself to be the most intellectual superior of the people around him. He forces his way in whatever matters benefit him and becomes extremely bitter when he doesnââ¬â¢t succeed. He became very bitter when he was turned down blatantly by the village people for one of its more important offices, as he was deeply interested in parish affairs. Mr and Mrs Putnam will not believe Rebecca Nurse when she says that is only a ââ¬Ësilly seasonââ¬â¢ that the girls are going through. But then to compensate the Putnams blame Rebecca Nurse for the deaths of their children. Mrs Putnam then goes to say ââ¬Å"There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires within fires! â⬠meaning that there is more going on in the village that they know of and that the truth is being hidden. Instead of accepting that they have problems of their own, the Putnams turn their anger towards the other villagers and accuse others. Putnam resents any one with more acreage than him and any one of a higher status. An example of his misuse of power is when he is accused of coercing his daughter to accuse people, for example, George Jacobs, in order to gain their forfeited land. Putnam is abusing his power and also his daughters power as she can accuse any one without being doubted of what she is saying is true. Abigail Williams is the orphaned niece of Reverend Parris. She was once the lover of John Proctor but was turned out when his wife discovered the affair. She is extremely jealous of Elizabeth Proctor and uses her power in the town to rid herself of Elizabeth as well as any others who have insulted her in the past. Proctor tells to the men of the court in his last attempt to save his wife and prove the dishonesty of the girls ââ¬Å"She thinks to dance with me on my wifeââ¬â¢s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whoreââ¬â¢s vengeance, and you must see it. â⬠He reveals Abigailââ¬â¢s motivation to see Elizabeth Proctor condemned: Abigail cannot let go of her obsession with Proctor. Elizabeth Proctor tells her husband that ââ¬Å"Spoke or silent, a promise is surely made. â⬠explaining why Abigail would continue to pursue him though he had ended the affair. She tells him that by sleeping with her, he made a commitment to her, at least in her eyes. She is the leader of the girls. When the girls talk about admitting to dancing in the woods Abigail tells Betty and Mary Warren ââ¬Å"I will bring a pointy reckoningâ⬠who initially express fear about their actions in the woods and express a desire to confess. Abigail asserts her power over the girls immediately so as to ensure that she is not exposed. Abigail is a dissembler who is also ruthless and aggressive due to her horrifying child hood. Wen she was a child she saw Indians smash her parentsââ¬â¢ heads on the pillow next to hers. This had had quite a large affect on the way she thinks and has made her more careless and free in the way she behaves. She then goes on to say â⬠I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you have never seen the sun go down. â⬠This scares the girls so much that they dare not speak a word of what they did in the woods. She is also very manipulative and plays on peopleââ¬â¢s feelings to get what she wants. She makes herself seem concerned of the other girls health but she is only concerned in what she gets out of being good. She abused her power by convincing every one that Tituba, who is from Barbados, conjured the devil. As Tituba is black and from another country no body believes her and she gives in and admits to be conjuring the devil. The people of Salem and the majority of the people of that time were racist and thought of themselves as a higher class than black people; the same as Parris feels towards children. Abigail gains revenge on the people in the village that she has hated or envied especially Elizabeth Proctor. Another example of Abigailââ¬â¢s misuse of power is when she deviously puts a needle into her stomach and into a dollââ¬â¢s stomach and accuses Elizabeth of putting it there. The story she made up fits in well with what happens because the placement of the needle is precise because Abigail saw Marry Warren make the doll and put the needle there for safe keeping. Every one in the room at that time believe Abigail, because she suddenly let out a loud scream and the people around wouldnââ¬â¢t think that she would do such a thing to herself. Abigail also convinces the court that Marry Warren is lying when she admits to making the doll and putting the needle it the doll. Abigail then pretends to be cold and witched by Marry Warren because she tells the court that it was only pretence that the said they saw the devil and also saw others with the devil. The court believes Abigail as well because her skin is cold and she tells the court that she feels a cold breeze. There is a very large amount of misuse of power in Salem and the above is only a little. The accused in Salem were essentially condemned before they went to trial. Those who decided to live by admitting to witchcraft were ostracized by society much as those thought to be communists were blacklisted. People as a group can get caught up in the moment and act in an irrational manner. The events in Salem are a solemn reminder of what can happen when we allow ourselves to be carried along with the crowd. We must think hard about how we can preserve our system of justice so as not to risk repeating such an awful moment in history.
Monday, September 16, 2019
BTEC Business Unit 4 Assignment 1 Essay
An external purpose. They can be informal or formal. Written document sent through the post. Received by an individual or group. Written Non electronic but it can also be electronic using a word processor on a computer, but it can also be hand written but it has to always be sent by post or non electronically. -When a business sends a letter the letter can be kept as evidence if needed unless the recipient throws it out. -When a business sends a letter it can make the business seem more professional that and e-mail might not. -A letter can be sent anywhere in the world and to anyone that needs to read it. -It can contain detailed information such as figures. -It can be a lot easier to know a fake letter from a real one where as an email can be easy to fake. -It can take a lot of time to write and get the letter delivered to the recipient. -It is bad for the environment because its means youââ¬â¢re cutting down trees and will add to global warming. It would be a lot more eco-friendly to send e-mails. -The letter can be out of date by the time the recipient receives it because it takes a lot longer to deliver. -A single letter could be cheap to send but when a business needs to send hundreds of letters it can become very costly. For the most part it would be suitable to the majority of people, but a letter wouldnââ¬â¢t be suitable to blind people, children and people with little business knowledge who wouldnââ¬â¢t know a lot of the jargon. It also isnââ¬â¢t suitable to send an English letter to someone from a different ethnicity who cannot speak English. It wouldnââ¬â¢t be suitable for people with hearing impairment or if they are deaf. A possible adaption for the blind is the business could send the letter in braille or there are specialist programmes that can read letters back to you. If you were to send a letter to someone with little business knowledge they would send a simpler version with less jargon for them to understand. For children you would use a different method to try and communicate with them. An adaption for the deaf or someone who has hearing impairment you would send them the letter in a simpler vocabulary. Memo A memo is an internal form of communication and is intended for short messages between members of staff. Memos always have a title and itââ¬â¢s common to use simple bullet points in the main text. Written Mostly they are electronic and typed up on a word processor but they can also be non-electronic and be hand written and handed out internally throughout the business. -A memo I can be very inexpensive due to the hand circulation throughout the company and you donââ¬â¢t have to pay for any postage for the memo -It is convenient to read and write a memo because they are usually written in standardized form which makes them a lot easier and quicker to read and write than letters. -Memos are usually kept in office files or computers and because they store them they can be used for future references. -Memos are quick and easy to read. With the exchange of a memo everyone can interact with each other without disturbing there normal routine. -As memos are records of facts and decisions, they establish the accountability. So some businesses prefer to use memos even for small events and requests than phone calls or verbal conversations. -Memos are designed to only have one or two pages of information which makes them a difficult tool to use for discussing complex topics. -Memos are only meant to focus on a single subject, so they are not a good choice if you need to convey multiple topics to employees. -There is a formal tone to a memo which isnââ¬â¢t suitable for communicating sensitive information. -Memos send out the message that the decision has already been made and that you donââ¬â¢t get to give your opinion on the matter. Since a memo is sent out to employees of the company they would understand how to read and what everything means so you shouldnââ¬â¢t have to adapt any of the information to make it easier to understand, but it wouldnââ¬â¢t be suitable for the blind or those who are visually impaired. A possible adaption for the blind or visually impaired is to supply a specialist programme the will read the memo back to you or you could send out a braille version of the memo. If it is needed then they could also send out a simplified memo for the employees that find it difficult to understand. E-mail An E-mail is a powerful communication method for modern organisations. It is quick, easy to use and very cheap compared to letters and telephone calls. E-mails can be with the recipient within seconds and they give both parties a written copy of the message which can be used for reference. Because e-mails a digital they are extremely easy to store. An e-mail can be used internally and externally to a business depending on what youââ¬â¢re using it for. Written You can only send e-mails electronically -Emails do not use paper so it saves hundreds of trees being cut down and help reduce global warming. -E-mails are a lot quicker to send and receive than conventional mail and they are a lot easier to store than conventional mail because e-mails are all digital. -E-mails can be sent and received 24 hours a day 365 days a year so there is no limit to when you can send e-mails unlike conventional mail. -E-mails can hold attachments which make it easier to send larger files to people and itââ¬â¢s a lot cheaper and easier to view than conventional mail. -It is possible that when sending an e-mail you can accidently send viruses to the recipients and that virus will then go on to harm other files. -Many people send spam mail which makes it very difficult and time consuming to filter out all the spam from the important e-mails. -E-mails cannot be used for official business documents. They maybe lost and you cannot sign them. -Your mailbox might get flooded with emails after a certain time so you would have to clear it out from time to time. E-mails are suitable for communicating within a business and it is an easy, fast and often reliable service of communicating within a business informally or formally. E-mails are suitable for almost everyone. It could become difficult for someone who isnââ¬â¢t used to using e-mails and computers to get used to. This can cause complications between employees in the workplace. It can also cause problems to the blind and those who are visually impaired. If you are emailing someone from a different ethnicity it can be difficult to translate. It also wouldnââ¬â¢t be suitable for the people who do not A possible adaptation for the visually impaired is the zoom feature that is on most computers which will zoom in on the e-mail to make the font larger and make it easier to read, an adaptation for the blind would be a programme on the computer that will read out the e-mail for the user. Another adaption for emailing someone from a different ethnicity is a translating programme that will translate to the language of your choice. Fax A fax is an image of a document made by electronic scanning and transmitting it through the telephone system Written and non written because you can send images through the fax machine as well as written messages. You can only send faxes electronically through the telephone system -You only need a fax and a telephone line to be able to fax documents to someone. -It is a lot easier to fax a letter to someone, than trying to tell it to someone over the phone. -The recipient will have a physical paper with your signature on it if needed which you could not give to someone by phone. -With a fax machine you can quickly send documents from one building to another without the need to rely on other messaging services or other potentially costly document sending services. -Because a fax machine provides the sender with a receipt after the document has finished moving through the fax process, the user has evidence that he did actually send the document he claims to have. -Fax machines are not environmentally friendly they can require a lot of paper depending on what you are faxing. -It ties up the phone line while a document is being sent o received which means you cannot use the phone line if you are faxing. -Documents you have sent via fax are not as safe and secure as other type of communication methods. -There is a higher chance of losing faxes which could potentially be important and a lot of space is consumed for the storage of the printed faxes. -There is no guarantee that the faxed hard copy will be produced clearly, sending a clear copy doesnââ¬â¢t always mean a clear copy will be received. Faxes are suitable for sending single documents to another building. Theyââ¬â¢re also relatively fast and easy to send from building to building and it gives you a hard which can be used as evidence. Faxes will not be suitable for the blind or people who are visually impaired. It wouldnââ¬â¢t be suitable for people who donââ¬â¢t know much about the business your faxing them about. A possible adaptation for the blind or for people who are visually impaired is to send that fax and get them to scan it in to the computer so it can read it back to them and they can then make a reply or do what has been asked in the fax. If it has any business jargon you would send a simplified version to the people who arenââ¬â¢t used to being involved in all the business jargon. SMS SMS is a text messaging service component of phone, web or mobile communication systems, which allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices. Written and non written because it is also possible to send multimedia via SMS such as pictures and short videos. You can only send SMS messages electronically. -There is no time limit that you can send SMS messages they can be sent at any time and any day of the year. -The recipient of the text message doesnââ¬â¢t have to have their phone switched on to receive it. -SMS messages can save time rather than interrupting someone with a phone call. -The messages can be sent easily and very quickly so it takes less time to send SMS messages than it does to make a phone call. -With an SMS you can get straight to the point unlike phone calls where you can be distracted by what the other person is saying. -Text messages are also cheaper to send than phone calls so it saves the business money. -SMS messages are also very convenient and simple to send because almost everyone in business owns a mobile phone so they can send SMS messages. -Only short messages can be sent or it will cost more money to send a long message via SMS. -Needs relatively nimble fingers to be able to type on a small mobile phone keypad. -It can take some time to create a message if you are not familiar with the text speak shortcuts. -It can sometimes take a while for the message to arrive at the recipientsââ¬â¢ phone if the network is busy. -The cost to send an SMS message internationally can be very expensive due to the network charges. -SMS messages are informal and shouldnââ¬â¢t be used for serious or formal messages. SMS messages are suitable for mostly everyone even the younger children because the messages are shorter and more to the point so they wouldnââ¬â¢t have to read it for a long period of time. It might not be very suitable for the older generation that isnââ¬â¢t used to using the new technology and mobile phones. It also wouldnââ¬â¢t be suitable for the blind or people who have visual impairment because they wouldnââ¬â¢t be able to read the messages. A possible adaptation for the blind or those who are visually impaired is to get an application that reads the message out loud to you. Another adaptation would be to send a simplified message to children to try and keep them concentrated on what you want them to do. Telephone / Mobile Phone Telephone calls are still very useful for fast communication, enabling quick feedback and discussion. Modern telephone facilities can allow conference facilities so that a number of people can be involved in the same conversations. Non Written. You can only make phone calls electronically. It is also possible to make phone calls off a computer which makes it very easy and convenient to make a phone call. -Itââ¬â¢s a fast and relatively reliable form of communication and you can contact anyone anywhere as long as they have a network connection. -When using a phone you can get an instant response without the need of waiting like conventional mail. -With mobile phones itââ¬â¢s an easy and convenient method of communication because a lot of people carry a mobile phone with them everywhere. -It helps you easily get a hold of someone in an emergency situation because of how convenient and simple a mobile is to use. -You cannot see the persons face so you canââ¬â¢t tell if the person is being serious or not and you canââ¬â¢t see their body language. -Anyone can get your phone number and can start cold calling you, and start distracting you from what you need to be doing. -If you need to call someone in another country the cost of the call can be very expensive due to the connection charges. -You cannot keep it as evidence because there is no solid evidence of what was said unlike a letter or e-mail. -Itââ¬â¢s more difficult to avoid misunderstandings you cannot use visual behaviour to get feedback on whether or not your message is being understood or if there are things left unsaid. Phone calls arenââ¬â¢t suitable for people with hearing impairment or deaf people. They also arenââ¬â¢t suitable for children because it would be difficult for some young children to stay concentrated for the whole of the conversation. A possible adaptation for children would be to use another method of media to try and communicate to keep them interested in the conversation. An adaptation for people with hearing impairment or people who are deaf would be a specialised programme on the pc that would type out what the other person is saying so you could read it out on the screen. Video Conferencing Video conferencing allows two or more locations to communicate by simultaneous two-way video and audio transmissions. Non Written. Video conferencing can only be done electrically they can now be done off mobile phones which make them very easy and convenient to do theyââ¬â¢re also getting cheaper for companies to set up. -Video conferencing is environmentally friendly because there is no need to travel around to go to meetings you can do it from your own office. -You can conference from anywhere in the world from a computer for next to no cost at all. -You can have a meeting with people from many different offices and counties without anyone having to travel. -itââ¬â¢s more personal than a phone call because you can see their face and see how they react to some of the things you might be saying unlike the phone call where you can only hear their voice. -You can all view a document on the screen at the same time, and people can work together and add their own ideas. The document can be emailed to everyone when the conference has ended and there is no need to print things off like in a normal meeting. -Video conferencing can also be done over the internet for a relatively small cost but it wouldnââ¬â¢t be as good quality or the response times will not be as good as if you pay for the equipment. -Business-level conferencing facilities can be very expensive and everyone who is going to attend to the conference needs access to suitable hardware and software. ââ¬â A reliable, fast data link is required; many companies hire a connection specifically to allow conferencing to take place which can also be very expensive. -Even with a fast connection there can be some delay between responses, especially if one of the people in the conference is on the other side of the planet. -If the hardware breaks for any of the participants then they cannot attend the conference / meeting. -People could be in different time zones which could mean that someone would have to stay up throughout the night just to attend the conference. -There is nothing better than a face-to-face meeting to try and get to know someone. Video conferencing may not be that suitable for the older generation who arenââ¬â¢t used to using all the new technology. It also wouldnââ¬â¢t be that suitable for children because they may not know how to use it or they may not be able to concentrate on what everyone else wants to talk about. Itââ¬â¢s not as suitable for the deaf or for people with hearing impairments because they wouldnââ¬â¢t be able to hear what anyone is saying. Itââ¬â¢s not the best for the blind or people who are visually impaired but itââ¬â¢s better for them than it is for the deaf. A possible adaptation for the deaf or the hearing impaired is to have someone sign everything thatââ¬â¢s being said or have a programme on the computer type up what everyoneââ¬â¢s saying. A possible adaptation for the elderly is to have someone teach them how to use the technology so they can then use it for themselves. An adaption for the children would be to try and use some sort of multimedia such as a DVD to teach them or even the internet because it might keep their attention better. Unit 4 Assignment 1 Below is a suggestion for the table layout needed for Assignment 1. Please remember to read the brief carefully and check the unit specification. Obviously you will need to add extra rows.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Power In The First Part Of A Clockwork Orange Essay
The opening of the novel is the line ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s it going to be then, ey? â⬠This is clearly something that is said by someone in an authoritative position and we learn in the next sentence that this is Alex. He is our narrator and this gives him a certain amount of power as he can choose what he wants to tell us as readers. Burgess also shows Alexââ¬â¢s power through the various violent attacks he perpetrates on people who we would consider to be in a position of more authority than Alex is in our own society. The first of these instances is the attack upon a schoolteacher, which is a clear and obvious indicator that this society is very wrong. At the tender age of fifteen, it would be considered totally inconceivable that Alex would not only attack, but also humiliate a man who relies upon respect from youths in order to do his job. The physical power the gang have over the teacher is almost a way of compensating for Alex and his gang feeling threatened intellectually and in this sense the teacher is the more powerful. This idea of physical versus intellectual power is explored again when the gang leave the town centre to seek victims in the suburbs. When they find the writer and his wife, they destroy the book and beat the couple into teary subordination. These actions are lead by Alex who is portrayed as an almost psychotic intellectual and so dislikes the idea of not understanding the ââ¬Å"fair gloopy titleâ⬠of the book. I believe he is also prone to paranoia because he gets angry at the merest suggestion of someone being more intelligent or cultured than himself. As a totally egocentric way of asserting his power, Alex also beats up a drunk who is stumbling around and singing because he found him ââ¬Å"disgustingâ⬠. This does not show any correlation to the other attacks as there is obviously no intellectual challenge from this man and so this attack is purely a confidence boost and has no real reason at all. Aside from their physical power, Alex and his gang also command a certain amount of fear amongst the elderly folk at the pub they visit. They are able, through brash bribery and intimidation, to get a room full of adults to comply with their wishes fairly easily even though no violence is used, or even suggested. This shows that the gangs of youths roaming the streets are infamous and that the civilised society they prey upon is doing little, if anything, to stop them. The power presented to us here, or lack of it, is the stateââ¬â¢s diminished power over criminals of a violent and numerous nature. This is further demonstrated when Alex and his gang come across a rival gang in a desolate place where their laws are obeyed e. g. survival of the fittest. The power each gang has over the other is decided in a very fitting way considering what is done with this power because the gang who can cause the most injury and pain wins the power to carry on doing so to other people outside the gang wars. One such unfortunate victim is the old woman who is the last of Alexââ¬â¢s victims as a free man. The gang, and Alex, assume they have unrivalled power over the old woman not only because of her age but also because they see themselves as untouchably strong in fights and aggression. However, Alexââ¬â¢s power seems to be with his gang because, contrary to his own beliefs, he finds he cannot do the robbery alone and is shocked to find the old woman beating him with a stick. This is a very strange thing to happen to Alex as he sees himself as above the possibility of actually getting hurt. However, it is clear that this invulnerable character is only as such when he is supported by his gang, who are given very little credit throughout the first half of the novel for their various roles within the crimes. The utterly surreal struggle for power and control between the old woman and the young but hardened criminal ends with a swift blow to the head from Alex and so we see his physical power keeping him in control yet again. However, the authorities finally get Alex under their control through (ironically) fairly violent methods. The police are portrayed as fighting fire with fire, so to speak, as they beat Alex and humiliate him just as he had done to so many before. This is cleverly done by Burgess as this lets the reader see how these people, who are fighting against Alex and the culture he represents, are actually no better than him in a moral sense as they get their power in exactly the same way e. g. through violent beatings and intimidation. Another example of role reversal is the relationship between P. R Deltoid and Alex both before and after his arrest. Prior to the arrest, Alex was very dismissive of P. R Deltoidââ¬â¢s warnings and cared little about what he had to say, as he was untouchable and would never be caught, as he was such an intelligent young man. However once he realises how much trouble he really is in, he becomes very meek and humble before P. R Deltoid and asks him for help. It is then that P. R Deltoid becomes the one who does not care and, in his position of power over Alex, spits in face. This is an act usually saved for use by the very lowest of people and is yet more evidence of the hypocritical use of humiliating actions on Alex by the people who are supposed to be putting an end to these actions. Throughout the first part of the novel, Alex uses barbaric force and pure physical strength to overpower his enemies and victims. He sees this as proof of his own undeniable strength when, in fact, it is down to his gang that he is not harmed by his numerous encounters with violence. His egotistical delusions lead him to believe that he can impose his power upon someone by himself and this over-confidence ultimately concretes his arrest. From this point, the readers of this novel would expect to see the police processing and punishing Alex harshly but effectively and humanely. Instead, we realise that the police are so used to seeing the violence that they no longer try to avoid it and instead resort to it themselves. We are shown that power has changed hands dramatically over the course of the first part of the novel but we can also recognise that the way in which the power is gained and exerted does not change in the slightest as it passes from criminals to civilians to policemen. This is a very interesting comment on the dystopian society presented to us in this book and serves as a powerful warning for our own future.
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