Integrating the Philosophy of Socrates into the Engineering Curriculum

Academic institutions in America have a difficult task, being primarily responsible for the education of the population. Higher education institutions play the largest role in developing individuals and helping them find their roles within society. It is then necessary to look into how the best institutions in the country are educating and developing the minds of the next generation of leaders. In particular, a great focus should be placed in the rising responsibility of STEM (Science Engineering Technology and Mathematics) graduates and their education due to the growing demand of STEM professionals in this era. Engineering curriculum's, for the majority, follow specific criteria to define what is necessary and important for an engineering student to learn. This criteria is set by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, which has identified eleven (11) student outcomes upon graduation of an engineering Baccalaureate level program. Among these eleven outcomes, are three outcomes that involve something broader than technological knowledge, design and methods, and they are: (1) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context (2) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning (3) a knowledge of contemporary issues. In order to accomplish these outcomes, it is necessary to implement ancient philosophies from one of the greatest philosopher that ever lived, Socrates. Socrates had a lot to say about knowledge, wisdom and education. He is famously known for the ideas that â€Å"the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,† â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living, † and â€Å"education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. † Many students and professors in the school of engineering do not realize how little they know. For students, when accepted into a high ranked four-year institution, they might believe they are already among the best and the brightest, and this happens more often in the school of engineering. Students tend to think they have four more years of education left (typically) since they've made it so far already and don't realize that their learning has just begun. For professors at top higher institutions in Engineering, many have earned at least Master's degree or better. It is common that most professors hold Ph. D's at top research universities. With vast amount of knowledge these professors gain, they feel as if they know more than the students. Professors readily admit that they don't know everything. There are not many opportunities to question the curriculum that is assigned. More professors can benefit the student's learning experience by providing an environment to learn beyond what is required. Both professor and students are at fault for not acknowledging their own ignorance, which hinders the students in their intellectual growth. Moreover, once students and professors can come to realize how much more there is to learn this can open a world of knowledge for them. Socrates highly valued curiosity and wonder stating that life should not go unexamined. So how does one go about ensuring the outcomes ABET outlines? They implement a philosophical approach to technical education. Although this is present in some courses it is not enough. Most syllabi outline in detail what you are going to learn from concepts to chapters to homework problems to exams on day one. Learning is structured and more about following the rules. There is not a lot of encouragement to seek knowledge in other disciplines. The importance of concepts and ideas about other topics such as philosophy, politics, and education is not usually taught in engineering courses. Yet it is required by ABET for students to have that board exposure to be great engineers. For example, the an aerospace student who is looking to work in the industry after college needs to study the economy and politics. That student needs to understand how the economy stands regarding consumer spending and analyze the possibility of their country going to war. These factors can determine whether or not there is a need for commercial airplanes and/or a demand for defense airplanes. That student can then have a better understanding of what real engineering problems he will encounter and start thinking of ways to provide solutions by studying more applications of such problems. It is also important to know where that industry is head and looking into trends from the past to predict future ones and have a clearer vision of where to seek employment. This education, however, is not covered in your typical engineering course. Faculty and staff needs to put a bigger emphasis and link to education outside of STEM. It is the curiosity and wonder of the students that will lead them to self-educate themselves on these broader topics outside of their curriculum that they are expected have learned upon graduation. This leads to the issue that higher education has developed as a compartmentalized learning system, seen more evident in the engineering schools. In my experience at a leading four-year, private, research university, it felt as if the engineering professors were concerned about what the students know as opposed to how they processed thoughts and ideas. This is contrary to the belief that Socrates had, â€Å"education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. † With the focus to memorize formulas and problem solving methods students are just being filled with information and are then tested on how well they can recreate what they learned in lectures and texts in an exam. When asked, most alumni admit that they have retained very little from the concepts and formulas they learned in class. They state what they really acquired out of engineering school was the problem solving ability. This makes sense, since books and the internet are available to an engineer as a professional; there is no need to memorize the content. Practice with concepts and methods are necessary yet it is more important to understand how these concepts came to be. Socrates would encourage students to ask more about the who, what, why, how, and when in the midst of their learning experience. Developing a critical mind should be the focus of teaching not how well a student can memorize. Engineering programs across the nation don't place enough of an emphasis on critical thinking and self-education of concepts outside of engineering. Engineering education is not just about the practice of engineering methods; it's about recognizing hidden principles, patterns of learning and developing a desire for lifelong learning. With the teachings of Socrates, students will realize what they don't know and start to become more curious and begin to self-educate themselves outside of the classrooms to become individuals that live fulfilling lives as professionals and members of society community.

Electricity Billing System

1-310-919-0950 Log In | Sign Up StudyMode. com Essays Book Notes AP Notes More Essays  » English Composition  » Inquiry Electric Billing System By damzee, Sep 2011 | 2 Pages (435 Words) | 546 Views | Report | Sign Up to access full essay RATELESS 0. 218 /* rate of charge first 200 unit */ RATEMORE 0. 334 /* rate of charge following unit */ PEN 0. 015 /* penalty for unpaid balance */ Inputs int unit /* unit of electricity used */ float UnpaidBal /* unpaid balance */ Outputs float Penalty /* charge of penalty */ float UseCharge /* charge for the current electricity use */ float TotalBill /* total charge */PROGRAM ALGORITHM (FLOW OF PROGRAM) 1. Display user instructions 2. Get data: unpaid balance and electricity unit used 3. Determine electricity unit used and compute use charge 4. Determine unpaid balance and compute penalty 5. Compute total charge 6. Display the total bill amount DESIGN OF COMPUTATION OF USE CHARGE The data required to compute the use charge are listed. We separa te the involved data categories into Input, Process and Output. Input Data int unit /* unit of electricity used */ Process Data RATELESS 0. 218 /* rate of charge first 200 unit */ RATEMORE 0. 34 /* rate of charge following unit */ Output Data float UseCharge /* charge for the current electricity use */ Algorithm for Computation of Use Charge We know that different rate will be used if the electricity unit used is more than 200. Thus we use if else selection to design the algorithm. if unit > 200 compute use charge for more than 200 unit else compute use charge for less than 200 unit Formula for Use Charge UseCharge=(unit-200)*RATEMORE+200*RATELESS /* more than 200 */ UseCharge=unit*RATELESS /* less than 200 */ DESIGN OF COMPUTATION OF PENALTYThe data required to compute the penalty are listed. We separate the involved data categories into Input, Process and Output. Input Data float UnpaidBal /* unpaid balance */ Process Data PEN 0. 015 /* penalty for unpaid balance */ Output Data fl oat Penalty /* charge of penalty */ Algorithm for Computation of Penalty Penalty is dealt when there is an unpaid balance. We use if selection to design the algorithm. if†¦ [continues] Read full essay Cite This Essay APA (2011, 09). Electric Billing System. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 09, 2011, from http://www. studymode. om/essays/Electric-Billing-System-774944. html MLA CHICAGO Welcome StudyMode. com is the web's leading learning tool. We inspire millions of students every day with over 650,000 model essays and papers, AP notes and book notes. Learn More Related essays Standard For Electrical Power System †¦ Std C37. 2TM-2008 (Revision of IEEE Std C37. 2-1996) IEEE Standard for Electrical†¦ 84 pagesNov 2010 Water Billing System †¦ General Objective: To create an accurate, reliable, and correct water billing†¦ 15 pagesMar 2011 Electric Power Systems †¦ and index.ISBN-13: 978-0-471-17859-0 ISBN-10: 0-471-17859-4 1. Electric†¦ 566 pagesNov 2011 Billin g System †¦ use of transistor that stores instructions, providing good and affordable electric†¦ 6 pagesDec 2011 Student Billing System Documentation(Not Yet Completed) †¦ will appear: the tuition fee, entrance fee and all data involved in the billing†¦ 36 pagesFeb 2012 Ready to get started? Sign Up Free Products Essays AP Notes Book Notes Citation Tool Company About Blog Help Jobs Contact Follow Facebook Twitter Google+  ©2012 StudyMode. com Legal Site Map Advertise

Daphne Scholinski the Last Time I Wore a Dress

Daphne Scholinski’s memoir The Last Time I Wore A Dress is a touching narrative of a girl who was misunderstood. Throughout her childhood and young adulthood, Daphne struggled with identifying with her feelings. Daphne was constantly searching for an answer to why she felt different. Daphne wanted to â€Å"fit in† but she knew she was unconventional. The different labels she was given through out her psychiatric stay stuck with her and left a scar of how she was once perceived. Daphne had very low self esteem through out her childhood. This is because her parents ignored her and gave her little affection. She didn’t even notice when I walked out of her apartment, ran down the stairs,† (Scholinski 4). Her self esteem was worse at her dads house than her moms, however, her relationship with Frank made her very uncomfortable when she would travel into Chicago because she didn’t want to see him. Daphne wanted to be tough; when she hung out on the streets with her gang she needed everyone around her to see her toughness. Her gang saw that she was strong in side and out; this made them respect her. The respect shown by the gang is why Daphne tries to act tough at every new place she goes. Daphne wants to gain respect from them. Daphne knows she looks like a boy but the tough persona given off by this makes Daphne accept it. The people around Daphne treat her like a boy. â€Å"I landed a punch on Louis’ shoulder and he was dead serious looking at me, trying to figure out how to come back at me, but I had him blocked and he decided I passed and Joey agreed,† (Scholinski 71). The Disciples gives her positive feed back abut her boyish look and behavior, this is why she enjoys those memories. However her Dad and Mom are confused by it and they don’t know what to do with her. Her fellow patient’s have their own problems so Daphne’s gender issue doesn’t bother them, although the Doctor’s are highly concerned. At every psychiatric facilities that she is a patient at the Dr. ’s try to break ground with the issue with Daphne. As soon as this happens Daphne losses trust in them and she starts to pull away. She know that this is the root of her problem and she try’s to avoid it at all costs. She is afraid of their perception of her and if she will have to change. Daphne goes through a metamorphosis through her memoir. As a child she acts the way she feels so she is only doing what is natural to her. Because there s violence in her house she acts violent and because she feels like a boy she dresses like a boy. She viewed her as tough and that doesn’t change. However her thoughts of being an under achiever change after her self esteem is restored, which doesn’t fully happen until her stay at the Wilson Cente r. The Wilson Center is where she has the best perceptions of herself; she feels independent, smart, fun, and friendly. Daphne had a very hard time understanding her thoughts and feelings until the Wilson Center. The patients are who gave Daphne strength, the positive environment let Daphne explore who she was and relax and have fun. The Wilson center represents the adolescence that she should have had. The Dr. ’s still make her feel uncomfortable when the gender issue arrises but Daphne can cop with it better because she likes where she is. Meeting Valerie led her to discover her homosexual feelings. It wasn’t the initial meeting of Valerie but later in Daphne’s life she released her true feelings towards women which is the biggest change of all. The reason why Daphne was originally admitted into the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center is due to the fact that her parents couldn’t and didn’t want to handle her anymore. Her violent outbursts and rude behavior was in response to the way her Dad treated her but also her own frustrations dealing with her identity crises on her own. The Dr. ’s viewed her gender non-conformity as a bad habit and wanted Daphne to change her appearance. Daphne new that if she changed her appearance the Doctors wouldn’t bother her about it anymore. However Daphne couldn’t do this because its not how she felt. The Doctor’s viewed Daphne as choosing to act this way not Daphne needing to act this way. Each culture establishes gender ideals and the people within that culture follow them. The non-conformist in some cases, like Daphne, are prosecuted for not complying. I feel that this is wrong, To make everyone fit into a type is not necessary because not everyone likes those choices. Daphne was only doing what felt best for her and their is nothing wrong with wanting to feel comfortable. Making Daphne wear makeup for points didn’t do anything in the long run because Daphne didn’t change her ways. Rules like these are the essentialist beliefs that ruled all of the institutions. The essentialist beliefs in the institutions was boys should act and dress like â€Å"boys† and girls needed to act and dress like â€Å"girl†. Michael Reese facility wanted Daphne to wear tighter fitting clothes, nicer shirts, and act girly. Daphne conformed and like the extra attention from boys but I feel like this confused her and led to why she didn’t like being there. During her entire stay at Michael Reese she wasn’t fully being herself creating another identity so she wouldn’t have to face herself. Another essentialist belief of the institutions is if you do what we, the staff, says you will get better. At Forest Hospital Daphne was even farther away from herself at first. Daphne lied about drug addiction and they wouldn’t believe her when she said she lied. They wanted her to tell the truth but she was and this caused a major conflict for Daphne. Daphne viewed institutions such as family and school with little to no trust. This is because she felt that they failed her. â€Å"How come no one ever says school is failing me? † (Scholinski 15). Instead she received a you failed them attitude from everyone. Her lack of trust towards her family is because they were not affectionate towards her and instead gave her the violent tendencies she struggles with. Violence is a theme that dictated a lot of Daphne’s problems. Her Dad was verbally and physically abusive and this environment didn’t give Daphne and her sister the love they needed. Her Mom was not violent towards Daphne, however, where her mom lived allowed Daphne to find other outlets for her budding violent behavior, such as the Disciples. These violent actions she took part in allowed Daphne to act out her frustration with in herself, although he parents eventually couldn’t hand her anymore and turned her over to Michael Reese. Through out her psychiatric stay Daphne used violence to gain respect because this is the only way she knew how to gain it. As Daphne changed and began to understand herself her violent actions diminished. The Trials and the Triumphs of the Transgendered explains the anxiety and depression that can come as baggage to a gender crisis. Daphne dealt with this her entire life because she nor anyone else knew how to categorize her. This research article also explains the questions that one has to manage on a daily basis because of their gender disassociation. Along with the standards of care for Gender Identity Disorders, â€Å"because dysphoria is currently listed as a psychological disorder, transgendered people are assumed to be mentally ill,† (Moffic 3). Moffic gives tips at the end to help Doctor’s with patients that have gender Identity disorders. Daphne’s doctor’s would have benefited from confronting staff about prejudicial behaviors, empower their patients to the discussions, and keep transgender possibility in mind. Daphne’s doctor’s were fixated on changing Daphne to an average girl. When in instead they should have been guiding Daphne to have her be able to understand why she is this way and that there’s nothing wrong with it. Daphne’s struggles was an insightful look at how you can’t change what feels right for you. Through out Daphne’s life she was drawn to being a boy. Instead of changing how she felt she learned that this is good for her. This is how people should view gender identity disorders but people are afraid of the unknown. Daphne’s strength is paving the way to new thinking and understanding of this disorder. The LGBT has come a long way and everyday their efforts to inform us on how they want to be treated equally is allowing them to gain more acceptance. Our society is slowly changing for the better and hopefully one day LGBT won’t have any labels.

Ethics Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethics Reflection - Essay Example At the workplace, the ethics are supposed to act as a guide as to how members of an organization can relate to one another and the people they are serving (Barney, 2007). This paper will review the roles ethics and social responsibility play in the workplace. As companies continue to grow, so does the need for skilled labour. The problem, however, becomes the need to change as the economic scene is also changing. This means that the standard of living is affected. People, therefore, require more money to satisfy their daily needs. In organizations that they aspire to work in, they dream of making it big and achieving their dreams (Shaw, 2010). However, the pressure brought on by life makes it harder for them with each passing day. This is where ethics at the workplace come into play. In the event, people go to work for all the wrong reasons; they are bound to be side tracked from their objectives. The goal would have been to make an honest living through hard work. As seen in many scenarios, greed gets the better of many people and they end up doing something wrong (Shaw, 2010). At times, they end up going against the workplace conduct. Many believe that doing the right thing is a moral obligation. This is more than true. When people trust an organization with their money only to learn that they are being robbed, it is never a good feeling. The people who have experienced this often lose faith in many honest organizations that are left. When thinking of stakeholders’ needs, it is very important that the planning be based on what the stakeholder wants. A strategic plan could help the smallest organization grow into something significantly huge (Weiss, 2008). Understanding what they want can be very tricky. However, with the right mind set, the perfect plan can be set in motion. The stakeholders need to be known first. This can be the first step in creating the strategic plan. When the audience has been identified, they can be approached with something that

Bridging the Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bridging the Gap - Essay Example The locks that are commonly installed in most standard automobiles are meant to increase the safety and security of the drivers but have turned against the same users on several occasions. The locks have increased the number of drivers locked inside their vehicles and thus exposing them to thugs that they were supposed to guard against. This has cost the economy over $400 million in the last two decades alone. To some extent Tenner’s argument about the perverse nature of technologies can be compared to Collins and Pinch claims that Science and Technology is very powerful and of great benefit but is still a mean helper to man. Edward Tenner observes that the unintended consequences of technology or the perverse aspect of technology may have resulted from the unknown or unpredictable nature of the world. Certain characteristics of the technological systems make it impossible to understand their functions and thus lead to unpredictability. Some of these characteristics include complexity, dynamics, intrasparence and ignorance (Tenner, 1997). Complexity is associated with the various components that constitute a real system. This also includes the interconnections among the constituents. Failure to understand the functioning of these components in a system and the interrelations between them leads to unpredictability of a system. This limits the users understanding of the entire system which ultimately leads to the system turning against the user. Another characteristic of the systems that limits the understanding of their functioning is dynamics. Technology is ever advancing and changing which implies that systems will at one time change without the control of the users. This makes it difficult to predict the actual functioning of technological devices which leads to revenge effects (Tenner, 1997). Another cause of unpredictable nature of

Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population Essay

Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population within the United Kingdom - Essay Example This essay "Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population within the United Kingdom" discusses the problem of the obesity among the women population of the UK. The main factor that is contributing to increase in obesity among women in the UK is poor dietary choices. Women are the leading consumers of foods with high calories and extra carbohydrates that are not utilised by their bodies (Kopelman, Caterson and Dietz, 2010). Eating fast food in restaurants during lunch breaks in the workplace, skipping of breakfast and consuming high-calorie drinks are some unhealthy eating habits that are common amongst women in the United Kingdom (Alters and Schiff, 2013). It is common for women to oversized portions and sweetened beverages that contain high levels of carbohydrates and other nutrients that contribute to accumulation of fat in the body. The second leading factor that is contributing to increase in obesity among women in the UK is sedentary lifestyle. Many women in the UK engage in less physically demanding work due to mechanised transport systems and labour-saving technologies in the workplace. In this case, women rarely engaged in physical fitness activities such as recycling or walking since they are committed in household duties or corporate work (Cappuccio, 2010). Accordingly, most of the women in the UK prefer relaxing in their houses while watching television, browsing the internet and playing computer games thus leading to excessive calories in the body that are stored as fat.

Effact of the government shot down in us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Effact of the government shot down in us - Essay Example nment runs several archives, libraries, and museums, and when it shut down, services from these institutions were temporarily stopped or delimited (Field, Basken, and Howard par.2). As a result, students who needed information from these organizations were hindered from completing their assignments, or their projects/assignments suffered delays. Furthermore, students who rely on government-sponsored scholarships were somewhat affected. A week or more delays from a government shutdown delayed the release of funds for disadvantaged students on scholarship (Field, Basken, and Howard par.3). Finally, government-run educational institutions temporarily stopped working. Public military academies were the hardest hit because they primarily relied on government funding (Atteberry par.5-7). These students would have had their education put on hold, while their access to school services and resources were also hindered when they were closed because of the government shutdown (Atteberry par.10) . Thus, the government shutdown directly affected students in several ways. When a government shuts down, its research and educational organizations immediately experience stoppage in operations in the short run (in varying degrees) and are at risk of a complete closure too in the long run. Either way, the lives of many college students are changed in ways that they could not have anticipated. Thus, the U.S. government shutdown, if it lasted for more than two weeks, could have severely economically and socially impacted public institutions, including the educational sector. Atteberry, Emily. â€Å"5 Ways the Shutdown has Affected College Students.† USA Today, 3 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. . Field, Kelly, Basken, Paul, and Jennifer Howard. â€Å"How a Government Shutdown Would Affect Academe.† The Chronicle of Higher Education, 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.

A New Approach To Medicine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A New Approach To Medicine - Research Paper Example While these methods have become the foundation of the development in medicine, it is clear that these methods are not entirely efficient in providing medical solutions. In addition, animal right activists have expressed that these methods are against animal rights and that researchers should find out new approaches for testing medicine. This article provides that it would be more reasonable that death row inmates volunteer for human trials and experimental tests. This method would be efficient in terms of accuracy, saving time and resources and in providing animals with their rights to live normal lives. Animal experimentation is a scientific procedure that has grown slowly but consistently since the evolution of scientific research. The underlying fact is that physiologists in the 17th century saw animal research as a new platform to advance the biological and medical knowledge. This scientific procedure emerged when the scientists identified unique similarity between the toxicology effects of drugs in both humans and animals. Rowan (3) points out that although the degree of the effects varied in the two species, scientists found that these differences were minimal and could not hinder the adoption of this procedure. Their concern was to find a testing method that would provide empirical and statistical evidence without subjecting human beings to any harm. The argument was that the human species have the highest priority when it comes to medical research (Ferdowsian, 472-478). In these days, animal protection laws were not common and researchers did not have any opposition while co nducting tests on animals like the situation is today. It is indisputable that scientific research has alleviated many medical complications through the animal experimentation process. Diseases such as polio and diabetes have become curable and the threat that they possessed in the olden days have been completely neutralized. Animals such as rabbits and

Introduction to Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction to Marketing - Essay Example To support this idea, in a 2006 article entitled A Look at the New Marketing Landscape, a study conducted by GlobalSpec revealed that there is a potential increase in online marketing spending (n.p.). In U.S. industrial and manufacturing sectors alone, there were 56 percent of these communities who have already signalled their intention to do so, while 7 percent plan to reduce marketing spending (A Look at the New Marketing Landscape, n.p.). As such, in Lee Traupel's The New Marketing Landscape, he named some emerging marketing patterns used to advertise businesses online such as "opt-in email campaigns, webcasts, search engine optimization and marketing, as well as portal site media and newsletter sponsorships" (n.p.). The use of these patterns is necessary to maintain business success since there are tons of companies online, where a lot of them offer the same products and seek the same audience (Ezilon.com, 2006, n.p.). Not all companies use the same marketing strategies though. Depending on their needs, businesses choose only those that are more appropriate to them. In the case of opt-in email campaigns, Dr Dave Chaffey asserts that its use has become ordinary for businesses because of its worldwide usage.

Effects of Performance Evaluation Systems on Employee Morale Research Paper

Effects of Performance Evaluation Systems on Employee Morale - Research Paper Example In human resources management, morale is defined as â€Å"the extent to which an employee’s needs are met ant the extent to which the person perceives that satisfaction as stemming from his or her total job situation; (it is) synonymous with satisfaction†. Job satisfaction and employee motivation are two of the more important concerns of the human resource function in any organization as most of these recognize, that its people are its most important resources. Therefore it is to their ultimate advantage to take care and provide for the needs of their employees. People’s needs are of course determined by different sources and these needs variously control their motivations or the driving forces behind their behaviors. In the study of employee morale therefore, the theories on motivation could be useful to explain this psychological construct. One of the most influential theories upon which many managers base their performance management approach is Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. As people engage in activities that increase their satisfaction, the study of Maslow’s theory becomes important as it explains what particular needs people are trying to gratify through their pursuits. The theory proposes that there are five levels of needs, namely, physiological or the need for food, shelter, water, clothing and other biological needs; security or the need to for protection and safety; belongingness or the need for affection and love; esteem or the need for recognition either from himself or from others; and the highest need of self-actualization which is the desire for self-fulfillment. Maslow emphasizes that the needs in the lower rungs of the hierarchy should be met first before an individual can satisfy the higher level needs. This theory has important implications to management as it points out cl early which needs are to be met and provided at which stage at work and which could be used to motivate them (Jones, 2007). The need for esteem in particular relates to the need of employees to be recognized for their accomplishments, expertise, or skills. If an employee is motivated by this particular need, then providing timely and constructive feedback on how he does at work may encourage him to give a better performance. Another prominent theory on employee motivation is Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory which argues that employees will be more motivated to work if they believe that their efforts will lead to higher performance and that this better performance will result to more rewards (Jones (2007). It means then that if an employee will be provided knowledge about his past performance, he can gauge the likeliness of his success or failure in a future or similar task. Performance evaluation systems should be sensitive then to detect low performance so that managers can provide encouragement and the necessary support like coaching or training to underperforming employees. In the same vein, if the evaluation results show that an employee is performing very well at work, then managers’ congratulatory notes can boost the employee’s morale and self-confidence in his abilities and success at work. Psychologists Henry Murray and David McClelland introduced the Acquired Needs Theory which posits that individuals obtain

History of education Essay Example for Free

History of education Essay â€Å"Education driven by passion awakens us to a world bigger than ourselves and makes us curious. Learning becomes self-sustaining as it transforms from a requirement to a desire. † First of all, what is a globalization education? A Globalization is a series of social, economical, educational, ethnological, cultural, and political changes that promote interdependence and growth. Globalization raises the standard of living in developing countries, spreads technological knowledge, and increases political liberation. The main cause of globalization is influence from other, more developed, countries. Globalization is a historical process that results from human innovation and technological progress. Creativity and technology are very important as knowledge. Especially technology because it had helped in many ways with educations. To me education is knowledge, success, intelligence, achievement. Education is the best because you can also teach others. I can just say that some people didn’t have education are just lucky to become who they are. For example, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and many other super achievers never finished grade school. But They succeeded because they knew how to research, how to create certain activities to make them who they are. They also collect information for a selected project and process knowledge. Classroom environment does not work that way, it focuses on the collection of knowledge without a clear purpose, other than high class grades. If the purpose does not motivate, other than to please the teacher, then there is nothing to process outside of memorizing answers for test. The typical student is academic challenged while being motivation starved. Lack of motivation is lack of knowledge processing skills. The typical college graduate will have a professional skill that supplies life’s basic needs. Additionally, the globalization education in the world is the most powerful thing that can exist because it is the general base that people around the world have opportunity to learn things that didn’t learn before. From day to day education expand much more to the world and that’s the reason why technology became also more develop because people by doing research they are learning much more than they expected. Also while they are developing their knowledge they are also entertaining themselves. Technology in the globalization education allows certain people or nations around the world to stay closes. Moreover, we as a society are destroying our children’s right to a quality education. By introducing the standardize test we have only accomplish one goal; teaching our children how to take a test. It does not matter if they know the right answer it is multiple choice they have a one in four chance of getting it right. Standardize testing forces teachers to educate children one way. Children need creativity to learn. Our schools are heading in the same direction with the standardize test. Because children learn in different ways, we must introduce different styles of learning techniques into our schools. One way to do this is to encourage more creativity in education. The lack of creativity in teaching has been a significant issue in recent years. The report highlighted that children profit from using creative skills and by having these skills developed. It also suggested that creative teaching should be made part of all academic education. This was the first time that this issue had been fully recognized. In response to this report, the government has acknowledged the significance of developing the creative skills of children, as these could become essential in future workplaces. The Nation Curriculum recognizes that many employers want and need creative people: ‘Schools that promote creativity will ensure that pupils respond positively to opportunities and responsibilities and are better able to handle with new challenges as well as change and difficulty. Creativity helps teachers deliver the academic curriculum to students in an appealing manner. Further more, another basic source of learning is technology. Now a day, technology has become an important component in education. Especially the Internet that has allowed the world to communicate and allows even the people who cannot read to educate especially if the person is unable to go to school. They can do all their research on the internet. Everyday software makes people lives easier and improves on the technology. Making lives easier is not, however, the only role technology plays in our lives but it teaches us things we didn’t know and helps us learn more than we thought we couldn’t t learn. Technology is playing an increasing role in education. As technology advances, it is used to benefit students of all ages in the learning process. As technology advances, students have better access to educational opportunities like these. When something new and better is revealed, the older technology becomes more affordable, allowing it to be used in educational settings, even when schools are on a tight budget. Technology has also advanced to help children even before theyve started school. Educational video games and systems for young children help them prepare for school and in some cases get a head start on their education. Regardless of these arguments, technology is an important part of todays society and education. In conclusion, there are many ways we can try to improve the world. For example, not open to innovation, Teachers, and much more. Education is a vital part of society in which everyone plays a role. It is not only the role of parents and teachers to support a child’s education, but also the role of the whole society to provide a structure of living that supports what is being taught. Education is the way through everything. Lucky for us we have technology and much more to help us get through an education, so let’s not waste the advantage of education we have and learn something so we can make a better future.

Globalization Essay Example for Free

Globalization Essay Effects of Globalization As Candied said (a character created by Voltaire), we must cultivate our garden. Globalization causes diversity between cultures because unfortunately thanks to globalization, the world changes negatively day by day and also cultures are shaped according to this change. In todays world we have to cultivate ourselves In order to exist in society, Cooperation in cultures helps to follow this change and creates new identities. According to Tyler Cowmen, globalization has a cultural benefits for society but in contrast Dry. Stranger argues that globalization creates a monotone identities which people want to attain It. Thus, this change which we call cross-culture has both negative and positive side and from my point of view, Its true that cross-culture has positive effects for creating diversity in cultures but by a majority, globalization has a negative side on us as Dry. Stranger claims. Societys perspective determine women and men roles in society. Before the period of globalization there was a definitive gap between genders. Thus, thanks to globalization, societys point of view changes on man and women positively. Before, women have to look beautiful, made-up and have specific body size which makes them all seem bland and plastic like Barry dolls. They dont have right to work because they are fragile, naive and emotional but In contrast, man has to be a bread winner because they are strong, not sensitive and independent. Therefore Simons De Behavior (French philosopher) used Hedges description of the master-slave dialectic. She compared the terms master and slave with subject and other. She claims The subject Is the absolute. The other Is the inessential. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010) Therefore she argues hat there is a huge inequality between genders and this inequality put women into the background. However, after the French revolution, the world started to change. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France was over; people became aware of what they were and what they can do. Thus, this revolution caused a big change in Europe, After this revolution, Europe had entered into three revolutions and the most effective one was is the industrial revolution. Thanks to the industrial revolution, society perspective was shaped differently because states started to cooperate between each other. As a conclusion, society needs more labor and this event caused a change in gender roles. Women may also place in the work place which reduces the inequality between man and women. Also this is a revolution of new identities because we act our social roles how society wants. This revolution causes a change in social perspective, culture, so peoples view Is also change which creates new identities. After all. People developed themselves. As Tyler Cowmen claims Look at a book and ask yourself, where does paper come from, where does printing come from, where do the ideas in the book come from? Whats the religious background of the author? (Really Creative Destination August,2003) Thanks to revolution, Europe made a trade between each other which caused a diversity in cultures. They changed all their view in every subject especially in gender roles. Thus, this interaction caused a change in whole world. People became more open-minded and they cultivate Off Cowmen affirms, these discoveries created more comfortable lives. Consequently, Im agree with the idea that interaction l ead to the development of personality. Its true that globalization has a positive side as has been illustrated, but in my opinion, costly, it has a negative side. For instance, the inequality between rich and poor increases. The Rich get richer and poor get poorer. Economic power causes this difference which influences the culture. Its indispensable that people should protect their own traditions but globalization cause a loss of cultural identities. Most of the world tries to act according to American lifestyle because America has all the economic, politic power. Therefore, globalization can lift people out of poverty but the inequalities between groups get stronger. People wear same clothes; same shoes and eat same foods such as fast food. They follow same trends and same dream so as Dry. Stranger claims As humans we naturally measure ourselves to those around us, but now we live in a global village we are comparing ourselves with the most significant people in the world and finding ourselves wanting. (Bates, 2011). Accordingly, this global village which Dry. Stranger mentions causes a loss of cultural identities because we act and try to be like a dominant culture. In fact, we dont want to be like a dominant culture. They force us to be like them, they manipulate our brains so they make pressure on us that we should act according to their rules. For example; George Orwell explains this situation in one of them his books which is 1984. In 1984, he creates a character which he entitles Big Brother who is a dictator of his own state and he forces his people to obey them. He manipulates their brains and he gives a role to play for existing in society. Thus these people loss their identity also their personality as we do. The another example is sasss Turkey which we experienced the period of wrong westernizes due to media and literary influence. In sasss all of Turkish people try to live like Europe. However, their lifestyle is not laid for our culture so in time family values changed and were mostly lost. Also our language started to get lost their value which is a another negative side of globalization. Languages lost their value day by day and its a big cultural loss because language is the most important element of identity. As Tyler Cowmen approved the cross-culture, he also add In terms of culture, there is a loss. For instance, its absolutely true that a lot of languages are dying. (Really Creative Destination August,2003). Therefore in sasss Turkey people migrate to Europe and if e read the books of this time we will observe that writers use French in order to use Turkish. Also if we regard todays world everyone use English in order to use their tongue. In this manner, I may say that, globalization creates diversity but this diversity also creates a chaos in culture because people start to take someone as a roll-model and try to live like that. In this case, we observe a loss in cultural traditions which makes a negative effects on society. Again Taylor Cowmen argues The Julian Simon point that the gains are much larger than the costs is certainly true. Really Creative Destination August,2003). Im totally disagree with this claim so from my point of view, in this situation, the costs are much larger than the gains because when we lost cultural values there will defends that globalization has a positive effect on cultures because thanks to diversity people make change in their perspective especially, th ey start to know many cultures which help to develop themselves. However Im disagree with this idea like Dry. Stranger. Globalization damages cultural values. Its true that thanks to globalization people are not stay shallow but constantly, it causes a loss in cultural identities. Therefore, I assert the idea of protectionism. Everyone should protect their cultural values and be aware of what they are. Otherwise; in the future, there will be a monotone people as Dry. Stranger asserted. Eventually, this cultural interaction causes a shape in society negatively to the contrary of the claim of Taylor Cowmen. Works Cited Ibuprofen, Debra. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2010. Simons De Behavior. Cowmen, Tyler. Really Creative Destruction August September, 2003. Interviewed by Nick Gillespie of Reason Magazine. Bates, Claire. The Daily Mail.

Tourism Sectors: Effects On The Dominican Republic

Tourism Sectors: Effects On The Dominican Republic I am trying to answer the following question of the extent to which tourism has had a positive effect on the development of Dominican Republics economy, environment, and cultural change. I decided to research tourism in the Dominican Republic because I traveled there last year in March with my graduating class. I stayed in Punta Cana at a beautiful all-inclusive resort. I had a wonderful time there and experienced the magnificent beaches as well as amazing hospitality. In this paper I will argue that tourism does not benefit the majority of people and in fact third world tourism can be measured up to colonialism. The tourism industry in the Dominican Republic has had a positive effect on economic development however in effect the environment and cultural changes are suffering. I will argue this by first looking at tourism as a developmental strategy and the increase of foreign tourism, which presents clear economic benefits. Secondly, I will demonstrate the environmental issues and threats to the ecosystem that have started to arise because of the great number of tourists. Thirdly, I will look at the cultural changes that have evolved such as the increase of prostitution and sex tourism. Background Information The Dominican Republic (DR), due to its spectacular beaches and landscape has developed along different parts of its territory that are mainly devoted to tourism. The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for ensuring the endorsement of tourism in the Dominican Republic and the agreement with the provisions of the Organic Law of Tourism.  [1]   According to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, there have been dramatic increases in foreign tourism. In 2010 alone there have been 4,135,480 tourists that arrived by air. 3,189,306 of which have been foreigners, most of which were from North America. Tourism revenue increased rapidly in the 1990s, more than doubling from 1992 to 1997, when it reached $2.1 billion. The Dominican Republic was one of six Caribbean countries that in 1992 earned more from tourism as a share of their exports than from any other sector.  [2]  Tourism in the Dominican Republic, as in other developing countries has an interplay of inequality with visitors from rich countries dropping in on the poor. The Caribbean is more tourism centered than any other part of the world. In some smaller islands, tourism threatens to become a new monocrop economy leaving countries dependent on tourists. Definition of Terms Tourism has been described as the new colonialism. As said by author Srisang,Tourism, especially Third World tourism, as it is practiced today, does not benefit the majority of people. Instead it exploits them, pollutes the environment, destroys the ecosystem, bastardizes the culture, and robs people of their traditional valuesIn other words, tourism epitomizes the present unjust world economic order where the few who control wealth and power dictate the terms. As such, tourism is little different from colonialism  [3]  The DR is seen as a prototype for enclave tourism, which means that they maximize economic benefits and limit social and environment impacts by concentrating investments and visitors to a small geographical area.  [4]  These all-inclusive resorts provide everything so there is no need to leave the resort complex. Connections to the Course This topic connects to the course in many ways. Firstly, the Dominican Republic has been getting help from the IMF and World Bank for years now. The World Bank created a commitment to tourism as a development strategy for developing economies. Secondly, we can look at Wallersteins world system theory, which is arranged according to influence: core (most dominant), to semi-periphery, to periphery (least dominant). The DR is a semi-periphery because it is industrialized third world nation but it lacks the power and economic dominance of the core nations. Thirdly, Andre Gunder Frank argued that rich colonial (metropolitan) powers acquired wealth through exploiting weaker (satellite) countries such as the DR. Finally, enclave tourism at the national level is frequently seen by the native population as a form of neo-colonialism.  [5]  Enclave guests are basically segregated from the local culture and from the local informal sector, which includes vendors, drug dealers and prostitutes. This inevitability creates a wall between the guests and the locals and the bigger issue is that it prevents economic benefits from these resorts to actually going back into the community.  [6]  A case study was done in Luperon, Dominican Republic, a small community with no prior experience with the tourism industry. The study found that the natural flaw of enclave tourism as a form of development in this area was that the management of the enclave resort wanted to reduce economic exchanges between tourists and local businesses in order to increase resort revenues.  [7]  There is an issue with the distribution of profits from these resorts because the local communities are not seeing any improvements. Tourism as a Developmental Strategy Although there are numerous tribulations with tourism in the DR, there have also been a lot of positive effects. In 2010, the Dominican economy showed a strong recovery by growing 7.5% during the first half of the year.  [8]  This is partly because of their trade exports such as cocoa, coffee, and tobacco but mostly because of tourism profits, which reached nearly US$3.2 billion in 2004.  [9]  Over the last four decades, the World Bank has had a strong commitment to tourism as a development strategy for many developing economies. In return, the Dominican economy has had a very dynamic growth largely dependent on tourism. Hotels drive most tourism and the all-inclusive appeal of everything being free along with attractions and activities as well as nightly entertainment. This increases the targeted audience to couples, families, teenagers and elders because there is something for everyone to do. The DR also has natural assets such as the climate, that is always warm and it rar ely rains which entices tourists. Also, the Dominicans tourism tax policy is important because it has one of the lowest taxes in the Caribbean, which allows them to get extra revenue from tourists.  [10]  We can see that the economy has increased and grown in many ways, however one cannot just focus on the economy. We must look at the environment and social impacts and analyze how they have been affected by tourism. Environmental Impacts The environment and sustainability can often be under looked when judging the success of tourism because the economic benefits are usually the first to be looked at. Despite the economic success the DR has had, it faces a series of problems related to its rapid growth. For example, insufficient supplies of clean water and electricity, combined with slow construction caused by shortages of materials that has forced some vacationers to leave early because of unsuitable living conditions. The Dominican Republic has environmental issues in the areas of deforestation, water supply, and soil erosion and as the eroding soil goes into the sea, it in effect damages the nations coral reefs. Negative impacts from tourism occur when the level of visitors is greater than the environments ability to cope with this use, also known as carrying capacity. The UN sources report that as of 1993, the nation was losing 20,000 hectares per year of its forestlands largely because of business interests.  [11]  The destruction of trees was forbidden in 1967 to try and fix the harsh effects of the forest destruction. However, many farmers continue to cut trees secretly to make more land available for development. Water pollution is also an issue and it results from the effects of mining along with industrial and agricultural sources.  [12]   In addition there are endangered species in DR, some include the tundra falcon and three species of sea turtles. As a result of the rapid urbanization, the environment started to be greatly affected. Water resource management issues associated with tourism include, dumping of untreated wastewater and solid waste along the coast, overexploitation of groundwater, destruction of forest cover, and over fishing of coral reef and marine species. Sustainable development is what the country needs, which is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Social and Cultural Impacts There have also been impacts of tourism on the rural livelihoods of the Dominican locals. The impact has generally been good, with an increase of household income along with increased job satisfaction. The rapid and rigorous development of tourism also results in different and usually less favorable consequences than small-scale development. Cultural clashes may arise through economic inequality or job level frictions. The clear relative wealth of the tourists often leads to unfair exploitation on the hosts side. One might add to these concerns the danger that tourism may lead to the commercialization of human relations.  [13]  Tourism often fails in promoting mutual understanding among different nations and stereotypes prevail. The tourist-host relationship is often restricted by space and time constraints. Tourists often fail to respect local customs and moral values, either out of ignorance or carelessness. Also, the profitable sexual exploitation of children and young women h as matched up to the growth of tourism in many parts of the world. While tourism is not the cause of sexual exploitation, it provides easy access. Tourism also brings consumerism to many parts of the world, which before had no access to luxury services. The allure of this easy money has caused many young people, to trade their bodies in exchange for numerous different bits and pieces. Responsible Tourism We hear this term of being a responsible tourists quite a bit. What is meant by it is that we as tourists should respect the people who are working at the resort, be culturally aware and having a low-impact. The street vendors in the market are normally the last to see the financial rewards of the all-inclusive, mass in the DR so paying the tourists price is not so much a bad thing. We as tourists have the privileged attitude of being able to give something back directly to the people because we are in constant contact with them. In addition, it hardly needs saying that tourists should pick up litter, refrain from uprooting plants and coral, and use energy resources such as water and electricity efficiently, which are scarce in the DR. Conclusion After looking a great deal of articles and websites, I would have to say that tourism in the Dominican Republic has done more harm than good. In my opinion, the detrimental environmental and social impacts of third world tourism are more of a concern than economic benefits. There will always be a demand for tourism in the Dominican however if the supply of beautiful and clean beaches, water and local hospitality is not available then tourists will change their vacation plans. The implications of my findings are that, tourism and tourists impinge on the local environment and traditional customs of Dominican workers. This is important to realize because from knowing and understanding this we can move forward by changing our ways. Acting as a tourists should by not putting a strain on the environment and being more culturally tolerant. Just because we are on vacation does not mean our values should fly out the window. There are always implications to our behavior and it is time that we become responsible tourists. Britton, S.G. (1982) The political economy of tourism in the Third World Annals of Tourism Research 9: 331-38. Debbage, K.G. (1990) Oligopoly and the resort cycle in the Bahamas Annals of Tourism Research 17: 513-27. Dominican Republic Environment, Encyclopedia of the Nations [Online] [Accessed Febuary 15th 2011] Available: Freitag, T.G. 1994. Enclave tourism development: for whom the benefits roll? Annals of Tourism Research 21: 538-54 Kiskeye Alternativa. 1999. Tourism Development in the Dominican Republic: Growth, Costs, Benefits and Choices New Jersey, USA: Rutgers University. (http://kiskeya-alternative.org/publica/afuller/rd-tourism.html) [Meritas Lawyers]. 2010. Doing Business in Latin America and the Caribbean. Minneapolis, US: Meritas Meyer-Arendt, KJ., Sambrook, R.A. and Ker-math, B.M. (1992) Seaside resorts in the Dominican Republic: a typology Journal of Geography 91: 219-25 Srisang, K. 1991. Third World Tourism- The New Colonialism In Focus (Tourism Convern) 4:2-6

Personal Narrative - Lasting Love Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays

Personal Narrative - Lasting Love I had never made biscuits and gravy before. The blessings of having a good cook as a Mom were abundant, but alas, I never did learn the many techniques that wonder woman possessed. My repertoire included: peanut butter cookies, a deliciously heated can of Pork n Beans, and Rice Krispie treats that were always too crunchy. But, Joseph wanted biscuits and gravy, so that is what Joseph got. His sister told me the recipe over the phone. Joseph had called her up long distance and gruffly demanded that she rattle off the legendary gravy recipe that their mother used to serve. She did so, and I obediently jotted down every word. The directions seemed simple enough, and I felt confidant that Joseph would enjoy my gravy. So thoroughly, in fact, that he would be instantly taken back to the carefree days of his youth. I enthusiastically announced that he better prepare his stomach for a scrumptious, hot off the grill meal the following day. He laughed, and said that I couldn't even make a bowl of cereal right. I laughed too, remembering back to the time when I spaced out and poured orange juice over his shredded wheat. At the crack of dawn the next morning, I crawled out of bed, brushed my teeth, and drowsily drove to 101 Bayfield Court in my plaid boxers and Watsa Matta U? sweatshirt. The antique yet picturesque fifties neighborhood home welcomed my tired body once again. My second home I called it. The door was always open, and the air always chilly inside. The first thing I saw, like every morning, was a long clear air tube sprawled out on the white linoleum tiles, leading to where the kitchen table was around the corner. My heart filled with complete joy when I heard the tubes crisp crack as i... ...ca to return to him at once. I almost said something, but I couldn't. Grabbing the purse at my feet, I stood up, and walked out of the room. I still think of Rebecca and Joseph daily. I wonder how Joseph's heath is going, and I wonder if maybe he isn't even here anymore. I think about Rebecca, and hope Nancy knows that a cup of cranberry juice can always lure her back home. I remember the time Rebecca, in a moment of clarity, told me about how she met Joseph. It was on his weekend leave during WWII, and at a night bar in San Diego. I imagine a swinging forties band playing in the background, and Rebecca, young and beautiful, casually sipping a drink at a table. I can see Joseph, handsome in his navy uniform, approach Rebecca. I see them meet, dance, and fall in love all in one night. Vibrant with youthfulness, strong in stature, and a glow in both of their eyes.

Red-Eared Sliders Essay --

Introduction: Invasive species are crawling to places they shouldn’t be, making the world react in a dramatic way. It can be passed throughout a number of ways: by All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), canals and changes to waterways, gardening and landscaping, transportation of animal carcasses and raw wood, along with other items. The Red-Eared Slider travels by another unique way to become an invasive species: being dumped by pet owners. Since this happens so frequently, the Red-Eared Slider is on the 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Species List. Place of Origin (How it arrived): The Red-eared slider is an invasive turtle species with a large pet fanbase. It’s originating from the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, and the southeastern corner of the United States . This popularity of this animal, which are usually brought overseas, and placed in pet stores have its consequences. This invasive species is usually dumped by pet owners who are misinformed on the Red-eared slider and dislikes the attributes that it has (That it can grow to the size of a dinner plate and they bite). Areas Found: The red-eared slider has been dumped and stranded throughout the world. Just a few of the places where the invasive species is found is Australia, Europe, Israel, South Africa, Guam, Canada and the Carribean. The Red-eared Slider inhabit areas with still, warm water, like ponds, lakes, swaps, creeks, streams, and slow-flowing rivers. The invasive species is throughout the world, which makes it highly dangerous with fighting native turtles for the perfect area and habitat for them. Description of Species: The Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a semi-aquatic turtle belonging the the Emydidae family. They are titled the Re... ...turtles, such as Little RES Q. People dump their Red-Eared Sliders daily, and makes the Red-Eared Sliders go up more and more on the 100 Worst Invasive Species List. Works Cited http://alienspecies.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/eng/species/red-eared-slider-turtle http://www.ontariostreams.on.ca/keep_care.htm http://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/turtles.asp?tr=10 http://www.climateontario.ca/doc/factsheets/TERRESTRIAL_INVASIVE_FACTSHEET-Final.pdf http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Red-eared%20Slider%20Turtle.html http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/pw/vp/toad/red-earedslideralert.pdf http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Biodiversity/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_068682.html http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Biodiversity/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_068685.html

The Effects of Wishes :: essays research papers

Throughout history people have been mislead to believe that happiness can only be found through achieving what you think you want. For example, it is rare to read a fairy tale that doesn’t involve a hero obtaining his goals and living happily ever after with the one he loves. Few authors have dared to write about the reality of life in fear that the response from audiences who are used to happy endings would be negative. Charles Dickens and James Hilton are two authors that took that chance and each produced a novel that did not necessarily have a happy ending. Charles Dickens illustrates in his book, Great Expectations, and James Hilton presents in his novel, Lost Horizon, that life is full of surprises, and happiness is not always found in the things we think we want.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hero in each of these novels is on a quest for happiness. Pip, from Great Expectations, believes that if he were to become a gentleman he would be content with his life. On the contrary, Conway in Lost Horizon is searching for peace of mind and where he can think without disturbance. Each character’s quest brings them to the realization that there are consequences for every action, and obtaining your goals is difficult when enduring the obstacles of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main objective of Pip and Conway’s quests is to obtain a talisman. Dicken’s Pip is looking for materialistic items such as money, while Hilton’s Conway is looking for knowledge that can last you a lifetime. Though both characters end up achieving their own talisman, it proved to not be the only key for happiness as expected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the quest for the each talisman, a mentor guided each of the heroes. In Great Expectations, his benefactor, Magwitch, guides Pip during his quest by providing him with money when needed. The High Lama enlightened Conway with knowledge and gave him guidance, in Lost Horizon, therefore filling the position of a mentor towards him. Both mentors fulfilled the main characters with their talismans, but it was up to the heroes to determine what was best for their life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The settings in the novels were different and therefore affected the main characters in various ways. The setting for Great Expectations was nineteenth century England where money was a major part of society. Pip felt obligated to obtain money in order to marry and live an exceptional life.

Microalbumin Creatinine Ratio And Diabetes Health And Social Care Essay

Microalbuminuria ( MA ) is one of the first indexs of kidney harm in diabetics. MA is considered to be a hazard factor for kidney disease, hence, it is recommended by the ADA that type 2 diabetics are screened for MA at diagnosing and yearly. This is so that diabetic kidney harm can be treated every bit shortly as microalbuminuria manifests, detaining patterned advance of kidney disease. Microalbuminuria occurs infinitesimal measures of albumin enter into the piss from the kidneys. Such bantam sums of urine protein normally can non be detected by conventional urine dipstick methods. Highly specific and sensitiveness immunochemical assaies are utilised to observe microalbumin. MA is defined by the ADA as elimination of 30-300 milligram of urinary albumen /24 hours or elimination of 30 to 300 mg/L of urinary albumen in a random or topographic point urine sample. Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio is frequently times measured alternatively of urinary albumen entirely, because ciphering the ratio corrects for the day-to-day fluctuations in protein elimination by the kidneys. Creatinine is excreted by the kidneys at a changeless rate and when compared to urine albumen as a ratio, it is a more dependable step of kidney map. Normoalbuminuria ( NA ) is defined as & A ; lt ; 30 ug/mg in a random urine sample. Microalbuminuria ( MA ) is defined as 30-300 ug/mg and Macroalbuminuria or open albuminuria ( OA ) is defined as & A ; gt ; 300 ug/mg in a random urine sample. Recent surveies have indicated that there might be a nexus between cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) and microalbuminuria diabetes and in non-diabetics. The intent of this reappraisal is to happen out what is the grounds of an association between increased urine microalbumin and hazard of developing cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic grownups. Methods The database utilized to supply the original and secondary literature research was Ovid MEDLINE ( R ) 1996 to 2nd hebdomad of October 2010. Evidence-based literature databases provided by the Cochrane Library were besides searched. These included The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews ( Cochrane Reviews ) , The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects ( Other Reviews ) and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials ( Clinical Trials ) . Cardinal footings were mapped to medical capable headers ( MESH ) before carry oning an Ovid hunt. Boolean AND was used to unite the cardinal PICO constituents of the research inquiry to contract hunt. Table 1 below shows a list of MESH footings utilized in the hunt. Cardiovascular diseases Urine microalbumin Type 2 diabetes Hazard Adults Cardiovascular Abnormalities Cardiovascular Infections Heart Diseases Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular Vascular Diseases Albuminurias Albuminurias Diabetic Kidney diseases Microalbuminuria Diabetess mellitus, type 2 Type ii diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Diabetess Mellitus, Slow Onset Hazard Hazard appraisal Hazard factor AdultsTable 1There were 122 articles retrieved, 16 commendations were considered relevant to the research inquiry. Figure 1 below shows the hunt scheme used to recover relevant commendations. Database: Ovid MEDLINE ( R ) & A ; lt ; 1996 to October Week 2 2010 & A ; gt ; Search Scheme:— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —1 Cardiovascular Diseases/ur [ Urine ] ( 132 ) 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/ and Albuminuria/ and Creatinine/ and Biological Markers/ ( 60 ) 3 Risk/ ( 28311 ) 4 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/ and Adult/ ( 14744 ) 5 1 and 2 ( 1 ) 5 1 and 2 ( 1 ) 6 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/ and Adult/ ( 14744 ) 7 Cardiovascular Diseases/ur [ Urine ] ( 132 ) 8 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/ and Albuminuria/ and Cardiovascular Diseases/ ( 194 ) 9 Risk/ or Risk Factors/ ( 353907 ) 10 8 and 9 ( 122 )Figure 1Seven commendations retrieved were original surveies and after application of inclusion/exclusion standards, five surveies were chosen for the literature reappraisal. Table 2 below shows inclusion/exclusion standards applied.Choice standardsInclusion Criteria*Exclusion Criteria*PopulationAdults with diabetes mellitus, type 2 Adults without diabetes mellitus, type 2InterventionsMeasure urine micro albumen and creatinine ratio, ( albuminuria, proteinuria ) No measuring of urine microalbumin and creatinine ratio.ResultExamine consequences for positive correlativity between urine microalbumin and creatinine ratio and cardiovascular hazard factors Lack of comparison/correlation of UACR values with cardiovascular hazard factors.Study DesignProspective cohort surveies with comparing to gold standard trial. Prospective cohort missing a gilded criterion or cross-sectional or retrospective survey Case series/reports, non-systematic reappraisals, Journal reappraisalsTable 2Other relevant commendations were retrieved by manus seeking mentions of primary and secondary beginnings. These are included in the mention subdivision of the reappraisal.Literature reappraisalMicroalbuminuria as a cardiovascular hazard factor in type 2 diabetic patients After finishing the literature hunt, five surveies clearly established a strong association between the presence of microalbuminuria and increased hazard of cardiovascular events. Four of the surveies were similar in that they were prospective cohort surveies look intoing the [ possible nexus between increased urinary elimination of albumen and cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetics. Prospective cohort surveies provided the strongest grounds for forecast surveies. The research workers used multivariate statistics to command confusing variables such as age, sex, entire and HDL cholesterin. The surveies likewise showed on norm a two to three fold addition in cardiovascular end points in diabetics with microalbuminuria than those without it. These two surveies besides showed that microalbuminuria, more specifically urinary albumen -to- creatinine ratio ( UACR ) , gross albuminuria and decreased eGFR were independent hazard factors for cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetics. In t he Action in Diabetes and Vascular disease: preterAx and diamicroN-MR Controlled Evaluation ( ADVANCE ) survey, Ninomiya et Al. ( 2009 ) investigated the effects of urinary albumen -to- creatinine ratio ( UACR ) and eGFR on cardiovascular and nephritic events in 10,640 patients. Patients were followed for about four old ages. After accommodations for other hazard factors utilizing multivariate statistical analysis, the survey research workers concluded that patients with baseline albuminuria ; UACR & A ; gt ; 300 mg/g and eGFR & A ; lt ; 60 ml/min per 1.73 M2, had 3 times greater hazard of cardiovascular events and 22 times greater hazard for nephritic events than with patients without these hazard factors. Validity was high in this survey because the sample size was sufficiently big plenty to acquire precise estimations of the effects of proteinuria, and at that place was statistical control for other variables set uping high proteinurias and low eGFR are independent hazard factors for cardiovascular and nephritic events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Similarly, Valmadrid et Al. ( 2000 ) established that microalbuminuria and gross albuminurias were independent hazard factors for developing cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetics. A prospective cohort survey of 840 people with diabetes mellitus type 2, established a 1.8-fold increased hazard for cardiovascular decease and a 2-fold increased hazard for CHD mortality in this population than other type 2 diabetics with normoalbuminuria. In this survey, patients were followed for 12 old ages. Persons with normoalbuminuria were compared with those with microalbuminuria and gross albuminuria for hazard of cardiovascular mortality. The comparative hazard RR for CVD was 1.84 ( 95 % [ CI ] , 1.42-2.40 ) for those with microalbuminuria and 2.61 ( 95 % CI, 1.99-3.43 ) for those with gross albuminurias. In another prospective cohort survey by Gimeno et Al. ( 2006 ) , 436 type 2 diabetic patients with a average age of about 65 old ages were followed for approximately 7 and a half old ages until a cardiovascular event occurred. Study topics did non hold albuminurias, and were classified into four groups: based on prevalent or non-prevalent CVD and normoalbuminuria or microalbuminuria.The control group had normoalbuminuria and no CVD. Researchers in this survey found out that the hazard of microalbuminuric patients without open CVD was similar to the hazard of normoalbuminuric patients with open CVD. In cross-sectional analysis by Savage et Al. ( 1996 ) conducted in the Denver country increased urinary protein was associated with an increased prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular disease. A 2004 Double blind, randomized test by de Zeeuw et Al. ( 2004 ) showed that cut downing proteinurias in the first 6 months appears to afford cardiovascular protection in type 2 diabetic patients. Losartan, an angiotonin II adversary was used dainty proteinurias in these patients and was compared to placebo. Patients with low-level proteinurias were compared to patients with high degrees of proteinuria. Upon posthoc analysis, there was a 1.92-fold ( 95 % CI, 1.54 to 2.38 ) hazard for CVD and a 2.70-fold ( 95 % CI, 1.94 to 3.75 ) higher hazard for bosom failure compared to patients with low proteinurias Other Studies and related reappraisals Several surveies including hypertensive patients, diabetics and non-diabetes showed association of microalbuminuria and CVD. Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( NHANES ) analyzed informations for 14,586 grownups in the US after a 13year follow-up period from 1988-2000. Low eGFR and high UACR independently predicted cardiovascular and general mortality.Discussion/summaryThe literature reappraisal shows that there is an association between microalbuminuria and cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetic patients. Some of the literature established that microalbuminuria predicts CVD in patients with high blood pressure. All of the primary surveies reviewed utilized a prospective cohort research design, which is a flat one evidenced for forecast surveies. Internal cogency was really strong for the surveies but external cogency was low for the Gimeno survey because patients ‘ were selected from a specialised clinic so they could non be representative of the full di abetic population. In contrast, the ADVANCE survey patients were selected from many different locations supplying strong external cogency. The Gimeno survey used one urine sample for baseline line categorization of urinary albumen degrees and could hold improved cogency by proving at least three urine samples earlier categorization as this is normally recommended. When proving topographic point urine samples for microalbumin, one of the restrictions is that there is day-to-day variableness in urine protein degrees and degrees can be affected by transeunt protein signifier vigorous exercising, desiccation urinary piece of land infections. Choice prejudice could hold been farther reduced in the Savage et Al. survey in the Denver country but including a more representative sampling of the country demographics. There was a higher per centum of minorities enrolled in the survey than is true of the Denver country. The mechanism by which microalbuminuria is linked to CVD is non yet known. Further probe is needed so as to effectual cut down microalbuminuria in diabetics and in the general population. Recent surveies have shown angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE ) inhibitors and angiotonin II adversaries such as Lorsatan, to cut down urinary albumen degrees in patients. The efficaciousness of other drug therapies to cut down proteinuria is being investigated. The thiazolidinediones drugs used to better glucose control have besides been shown to cut down microalbuminuria in diabetics. In the Framingham Heart Study, MA was determined to be a hazard factor for CVD at really low degrees that were below the recognized scope for subclinical kidney disease. Microalbuminuria is an independent and signii ¬?cant forecaster of CVD events and all-cause mortality in patients ( Astor B.C. , Hallan S.I. , Miller, 3rd, 3rdE.R. , et Al ) ( 2008 )

Taco Bell: Reengineering

| | |[pic] | |Taco Bell- A Reengineering Success Story | |A Reengineering Success Story | | | | | | | Contents 1. About Taco Bell3 2. The Problem Starts3 3. Reengineering to the Rescue3 4. The After Effects6 About Taco Bell The franchise, Taco Bell is an eatery that needs no introduction. Taco Bell Corp. based in Irvine, California is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. , and the United States’ leading Mexican style quick-service restaurant. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos signature Quesadillas, grilled stuft burritos, nachos, and other specialty items such as the Crunchwrap Supreme, in addition to a wide variety of Big Bell Value Menu items. Taco Bell serves more than 2 billion consumers each year in the more than 5,800 restaurants in the US. In 2005, Taco Bell generated sales of $1. 8 billion in company restaurants and $4. 4 billion in franchise restaurants. More than 80% of their restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees. There are currently more than 278 restaurants operating in Canada, Guam, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Asia, Europe and the Philippines. The Problem Starts In 1983, analysis showed that the Taco Bell’s total cumulative growth since 1978 was a shocking negative 16% compared to a positive 6% of the total industry. This prompted the management to pinpoint immediately what was going wrong and where. This led them to identify the following factors: †¢ Lack of business vision for the company †¢ Reliance on obsolete management and operational practices, which focused more upon the processes rather than the customers themselves †¢ Top-down structure with multiple levels of management †¢ Following traditional approaches, which assumed what customers wanted without even asking them All the above factors were resulting in slower and costlier service. Having identified some of the key areas that needed improvement, Taco Bell started reengineering itself out of troubled waters. The more they listened, the more they found out that what customers wanted was very simple- good food, served fast and hot, in a clean environment and at a price they could afford. Reengineering to the Rescue The old system of operations at Taco Bell was based upon traditional operational practices, which were grossly insufficient for the economic and business climate of the 21st Century. This entire set-up was based upon certain assumptions, which include the following: †¢ Assuming that the restaurant knew what the customer wanted without even asking them. This led them to falsely believe that the customer wanted fancier decor, broader menus, outdoor playground etc. , instead of quality food at affordable prices. Investing in large kitchen areas, which in some instances covered over 70% of the total area in the mistaken belief that it would improve customer satisfaction †¢ Operating the restaurant along the lines of a manufacturing company rather than a retail outlet. Doin g away with this concept led to the development of novel ideas like K-Minus and TACO. †¢ Believing that the only segment they could target was the one within the restaurant’s premises. This translated into $78 million, whereas outside the restaurant, the total market came to about $600 billion in the USA alone. †¢ Limiting themselves to the goal of becoming a value leader in the quick-service restaurant industry rather than the value leader for all foods for all occasions. Reengineering the setup at Taco Bell involved several steps, including: †¢ Complete reorganization of human resources †¢ Dramatic redesign of operational systems †¢ Doing away with entire levels of management †¢ Creation of jobs like â€Å"market manager† †¢ Replacing area supervisors with market managers and reducing their numbers †¢ Eliminating district managers and promoting restaurant managers †¢ Reduction in the costs of everything about the business except the cost of the food and its packaging The management process was completely and dramatically reengineered–three layers were eliminated, including the entire â€Å"district manager† supervisory level. Every job in the system was redefined. Restaurant managers were given greater latitude to run their own businesses, and ultimately became â€Å"Restaurant General Managers. † In short, Taco Bell followed only one rule during the entire process of reengineering- â€Å"Enhance those things that bring value to the customer and change or eliminate those that don’t. † With this motto their corporate vision became clearer, â€Å"We want to be number one in the share of stomach[1]. † This was a vision of the company becoming a leader in the restaurant business and not just the Mexican food business was articulated. They also changed their restaurant structure by: †¢ Limiting kitchen area from 70% to 30% †¢ Increasing the customer area from 30% to 70% †¢ Doubling the seating capacity in the area available Additionally, reengineering led Taco Bell to introduce two new methodologies, namely K-Minus and TACO (Total Automation of Company Operations). [pic] Figure 2 Taco Bell’s two new methodologies K-Minus means kitchen less restaurant, based on the nature of the company. All of their food was cooked outside the restaurant in central locations. This stemmed from the concept that food should be retailed instead of manufactured. TACO (Total Automation of Company Operations) provides each restaurant with a Marketing Information System (MIS) and empowered the employees with computer know-how. It eliminated paper-work and allowed more time to be spent on customers. It helped keep track of sales minute by minute. Such programs served as agents of change for more innovative ideas such as new and varied points of distribution (like street corners and concessions stands) etc. This case study brings forth the following conclusions: Reengineering businesses is very much a reality and is not limited to the confines of a textbook. If done properly, it can virtually turn around any business; be it consumer goods (Kodak), restaurants (Taco Bell) or financial institutions (IBM Credit). The customer must be the starting point for all reengineering methods, concepts, ideas and processes. Resistance to change must be anticipated and appropriate steps must be taken to deal with it. Every company that seeks to be reengineered should seek a motto that makes its corporate vision clear, like that of Taco Bell. The After Effects These changes have had a huge impact on the company. Taco Bell went from a failing regional Mexican -American fast food chain with $500 million in sales in 1982, to a $3 billion national company 10 years later, with a goal to expand further to $20 million. While the environment was not a factor in Taco Bell's reengineering, it has benefited through the reengineering process. For example the TACO program (Total Automation of Company Operations) provides sophisticated MIS technology for all employees, saving thousands of hours of paperwork — and thus paper — as well as promoting self-sufficiency and reducing time spent on administration. The K-Minus program, or kitchenless restaurant, established a system where the large majority of food preparation occurs at central commissaries rather than in the restaurant, pushing 15 hours of work a day out of the restaurant, improving quality control and employee morale, reducing employee accidents and injuries, and resulting in substantial savings on utilities. The K-Minus program saves Taco Bell about $7 million a year. ———————– [1] The company introduced a new performance measurement called â€Å"the total share of stomach. † Instead of measuring success as market share of the fast-food market, Taco Bell set the goal of becoming the value leader for all foods for all meal occasioned. That created a broader vision and stimulated the development of new innovations.

Consumer Behavior Tv Advertising

Television advertisements are paid for by an organization (usually a business) to convey a message and to market or promote a specific product or service. These advertisements can range in length from a few seconds to several minutes and have been used since 1941. These advertisements usually get the prospected consumers' attention and often times persuade them to urchasing the product or service.This type of advertisement is in the form of entertainment and needs to be creative. Humor is one of the most widely used techniques in advertising around the world, with about one out of every five television ads containing humorous appeals, but do they actually get us to laugh or smile. Despite the wide array of contemporary advertising formats and media, television advertising remains the most dominant form to which typical consumers are exposed.Research on attitudes toward advertising in general (Att-AiG) implicitly assumes that the Att-AiG measure represents advertising as a whole. A ma jor finding of the current research is that consumers tend to have a mental representation, or exemplar, of the most typical type of advertising†television advertising†when they televtston advertising. To test for typicality effects on reported Att-AiG, we conducted an experiment to test that Att-AiG is closely related to attitudes toward television advertising (Att- TV, ereafter), because television advertising is activated when participants report their Att-AiG.he experiment was a one-factor-between-group design with seven groups: one control group and six experimental groups. A total of 134 undergraduate students from the same population as Study 1 participated in the experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the seven conditions. Gender was balanced. Advertising and marketing students were not included in the experiment.. Each of the 33 items was tested across the 7 conditions via ANOVA and post hoc ests.

A Commentary on Plath’s The Surgeon at 2am

Fraught with the stress of depression combined with the pain of a recent miscarriage, Plath was preoccupied with the concept of hospitalisation when writing ‘The Surgeon at 2am'. Taking on the persona of a male surgeon, the controlling role to her more passive role as patient, she explores the concept as the surgeon as master and alludes to a higher power in explaining the apparent magic and complexity of the human body. The title of this poem introduces us to its major subject matter, as is typical of Plath's poetry. The first two lines of the first stanza appear subjective and clinical, introducing us to the idea of the surgeon being a man of science. The line ‘hygienic as heaven' also alludes to death, a commonplace occurrence in any hospital. This is followed through by the reference to the death of the microbes. This also gives an air of control to the poem and allows the reader to understand the controlling role of the surgeon as he performs his work. This stanza also introduces the idea of the surgeon operating as a higher power behind the scenes; ‘a snowfield, frozen and peaceful' explains that he is all alone in his work and that, with the patient being under anaesthetic, he has total control. The metaphor ‘a lump of Chinese white' for the mask of the patient dehumanises him somewhat; the surgeon is left with a body to play with as opposed to a human being. This idea is furthered with the line ‘The soul is another light. : the surgeon deals exclusively with the material and, by the humanisation caused by the mask, hygiene and silence, does not come into contact with the ethereal or profound. As such, this causes contradiction with the previous theme of his higher power, and calls into question the role in which he truly plays within his field of the human body. Is he higher power or merely Santa's proverbial little helper? This first stanza seems, most importantly, to introduce the message that, though the sur geon may be able to perfect the body, he is incapable of coming across the soul. The second stanza further bathetically reduces the surgeon to a craftsman: more specifically a gardener, doing God's dirty work in a human garden. Plath compares organs to ‘tubers and fruit' and their blood to ‘jammy substances', while veins are ‘a mat of roots'. The unnamed ‘assistants' seem to be undergardeners while the narrator does the finest pruning and operating. Although, evidently, the surgeon is familiar with the body, from the line ‘Stenches and colours assail me', he exalts in the beauty of the body and the flawlessness of the organs that he must trim and clip. The last three lines of the stanza complete the sentiment of dirty work as opposed to higher interference. The surgeon is acutely aware of his own incompetence (‘I am so small') and, when faced with the perfection and complexity of the human body, finds his own actions to be clumsy and boorish: ‘I worm and hack' The body with which the surgeon occupies himself becomes not simply a task to be completed, but rather an all-consuming landscape. In the second stanza we are introduced to the garden, perhaps a reference to Eden, while in the third, the surgeon notes sunsets and hot springs. These metaphors also demonstrate the dehumanisation of the body on which he operates. The idea of an all-consuming task also comes through in the line ‘I am up to my elbows in it': this gives the blood and body a more active role and gives almost the impression of it taking control of the surgeon, particularly in the line ‘Still it seeps me up'. The surgeon appears almost reluctant to ‘seal off' the mass of veins and leave the garden, perhaps insinuating that he feels more comfortable in his ‘garden' than in the real world, where people are not merely bodies under a mask of ‘white clay. In the second part of the stanza, the surgeon rhapsodises about the skill of the Romans, showing his respect for logic and discipline. Proclaiming the body to be a ‘Roman thing', he places it on the same pedestal as ‘Aqueducts' and ‘the Baths of Caracella', extolling its capacity for sensible routine (for example, in the pumping of the heart), while, cur iously, paying little attention to its capacity for human emotion. We may perhaps infer from this that Plath felt dehumanised by her surgeons when hospitalised. The enigmatic last line ‘It has shut its mouth on the stone pill of repose' refers perhaps to the body being in an anaesthetised state. The surgeon appears to find this more noble than the real unreposed people he might encounter outside of the theatre. This anaesthetised body, ‘statue'-like, is wheeled off in the fourth stanza, while the surgeon sits back and veritably rubs his hands together with glee. His operating leaves him with the trimmings of the body, perhaps unwanted cuttings and prunings of the aforementioned garden. After the high praise of the Roman body, the ‘set of teeth [†¦ to rattle in a bottle and take home' seem somewhat desacrelised, indicating that the surgeon considers his work to be in removing the bad to leave only the flawless, hence leaving him only with the unnecessary and crude. This furthers our understanding of the surgeon as a man of science who sees things in black and white terms; he deals merely with the necessary and unnecessa ry. Cannibalism is generally seen as high taboo in most societies, and the phrase ‘a pathological salami' seems intent on making the reader wince. This also shows the surgeon's disregard for everything not involved in his making of perfection. The phrase ‘they will swim in vinegar like saints' relics' seems also somewhat tongue in cheek, as the surgeon embraces science over religion. By comparing a salami to relics, he demonstrates the importance he considers them to have. By preferring a body to a person and condemning both religion and the soul, we are left with the impression that the surgeon is indeed a highly clinical and somewhat cold individual. The last line, ‘[†¦ ] clean, pink plastic limb' seems totally without feeling, as the surgeon's job is done and the ‘patient' is finished, as far as he is concerned. The last stanza of the poem reintroduces the underappreciated soul, as the surgeon walks alone through the wards in the middle of the night. By using the words ‘a new soul', we are given the idea that the surgeon has saved them and hence given them a fresh shot at life. Perhaps through the pain that induced surgery, they have undergone a sort of purgatory and hence their soul has been cleansed. Morphia makes reference both to morphine, as in the drug, and Morpheus, the Roman god of sleep and dreams, yet another reference to the Roman age. The surgeon seems puzzled by the after-effects of surgery; that under the ‘gauze sarcophagi' lie individuals, floating on a morphine high. The ‘dawn drafts' which Plath refers to further allow the reader to understand that the patients are, under the effect of morphine, floating inches from the ceiling. Making reference once again to an ancient society, the ‘gauze sarcophagi' give the impression that the patients are, in their present state, neither dead or alive, in this ward where even the ‘night lights' reminds the surgeon of human gore. The poem finishes much as it started, with the surgeon, having played the role of gardener, Historian and scientist, resuming his role of control as a higher being. ‘I am the sun' indicates that the surgeon is the life-giving force in the hospital, most important for the continuation of the patients' lives. This too may refer to deities in ancient societies such as the Aztecs. The last line further cements everything we believe about the surgeon: safe in his position of power and control, he is happy only when the people around him are being bodies, in a ‘shuttered' state, and acknowledging listlessly the power and magic of his work.

The sound of my alarm clock started ringing

The sound of my alarm clock started ringing.   I tried to stop it in my half-awake state, looking at the clock; it read 7:30 in the morning. I tried to push myself up and prepare for work.   Once I got up, I opened the curtains and felt the sun’s rays touch my eyes.I felt that it’s going to be beautiful day. As I proceed to the kitchen, the smell of brewing coffee aroused my senses and captivated me to drink a cup before heading for the bathroom and prepare for work.After I finished fixing myself, I headed out of my unit and went outside. The sights of the place seem to indicate that fall is fast approaching.   It is when leaves starting to turn to brown, birds chirping and the winds slowly building.As I walk on the sidewalk towards the subway, I glimpsed at children laughing and playing while their parents reprimand them of staying put. Even though the sun is exhibiting its brightness and warmth, the wind seems to overpower him as it sends chills in my body. Afte r a couple of strides, I arrived at the park.There the trees sway as if they are encouraging the wind to never stop. The usual visitors were there doing their own thing. The jogger, as I want to call her, was doing her laps.   The old couple was at their usual places reading the morning papers with each one giving me a smile as I headed my way.There was nothing unusual about this but the weather seemed to indicate otherwise. People looked more calm and cheerful while the birds are as if chirping their last and the wind seemed to blow an aura of happiness to every individual.   As I approached the subway station, I again took the liberty to look at town, seeing that everything seems to be in their proper order, I started to head down.Sitting in the train and recalling the instances that greeted me awhile back, I started to show a glimpse of a smile.   After all that happened, I know for a fact that today is going to be a beautiful day for everyone.