The Motifs of Fire and Ice in Jane Eyre - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 978 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/05/08 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Jane Eyre Essay Did you like this example? In literature, a foil is defined as a character whose attributes and personality directly contrasts that of another character. Such characters are often depicted by the author through their physical attributes, their behaviors, and their way of thinking. Charlotte Bronte, however, portrays characters Edward Fairfax Rochester and St. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Motifs of Fire and Ice in Jane Eyre" essay for you Create order John Rivers from the novel â€Å"Jane Eyre† through the use of two motifs, fire and ice, respectively, when showcasing their personalities and the way they conduct their lives. Rochester’s lack of moral control and total subjugation to his passion is characteristic of the unquenchable fire that resides within him, which directly contrasts St. John’s total defiance to his passion and his complete submission to his morals that is characteristic of his icy cold soul and total self-restriction. To begin, fire, in literature, typically symbolizes a dynamic personality, rapid change, and passionate rage. Often, fire also symbolizes free will and a lack of guidance and control, much like fires in the real world that are extremely difficult to contain and control when gone out of hand. When a fire spreads, it does not spread in a certain direction, but rather randomly where the fuel and wind direction takes it, and therefore it is hard to predict the direction it moves and spreads. Rochester embodies this motif perfectly in the novel, Jane Eyre, as he allows his dynamic and fiery passion to guide and rule his life. Upon engaging in his first conversation with Jane in Chapter 14 of the novel, Rochester mentions that he â€Å"[has] a right to get pleasure out of life: and [he] will get it, cost what it may† (Bronte, 129). Rochester makes it very clear that his goal and ambition in life is to get pleasure through whatever means necessary, suggesting that he is ready to allo w his passion to take control of his will in order to achieve immediate gratification, regardless of the consequences. This is characteristic of a wildfire, as Rochester tends to make impulsive decisions without factoring the moral implications. Bronte also utilizes the motif of fire to describe Rochester’s actions, further depicting the fire in his character and demeanor. â€Å"He seemed to devour me with his flaming glance: physically, I felt†¦powerless as stubble exposed to the draught and glow of a furnace† (Bronte, 297). By using words such as â€Å"flaming† and â€Å"furnace,† Bronte further associates Rochester’s passion and fury with heat and fire directly, signaling to the reader that Rochester seeks instant gratification and is unable to control his impulsive desires. This is the main reason why Jane refuses to marry Rochester, as he is practically a â€Å"loose cannon† lacking a sense of aim and control. To continue, ice, in literature, typically symbolizes a static personality, stubbornness to change, and immovable stance and opinions. Ice in the real world is solid and frozen, difficult to break, and is immobile. Unlike fire, it is contained and controlled, as the particles are bonded by a strong interparticulate force that is difficult to break without the use of a large amount of energy. Ice, therefore, represents containment, restriction and total lack of free will. In the novel, Jane Eyre, St. John perfectly embodies this motif. Within the first few months of interaction, Jane noted that St. John was very reserved and anti-social with her. She found it especially difficult to conduct conversation with him, â€Å"for it is at all times difficult to break the ice of reserve glassing over such natures as his† (Bronte, 330). Bronte characterizes his reservation using the word â€Å"ice,† demonstrating that there is an unbreakable barrier between Jane and St. John that prevents them from having a more social interaction. It is also made evident later in the novel that St. John loves another woman named Rosamond Oliver but due to his unwavering ambition and submission to his religion and duty, he refuses to engage in a relationship with her and marry her. He admits that â€Å"it is strange†¦that while [he] love[s] Rosamond Oliver so wildly†¦that she would not make [him] a good wife; that she is not the partner suited to [him]† (Bronte, 350). He refuses to leave his vocation and his work as a missionary and he believes that love with Rosamond Oliver would be a distraction. Like solid ice, he lacks the warmth of love and passion, and his negative stance on love-based marriage is as immobile as cold stone. Furthermore, Bronte characterizes St. John’s physical appearance and personality to associate him with the motif of ice. In the novel, Jane Eyre notes that â€Å"he said he was hard and cold†¦he lived only to aspire – after what was good and great.† This statement depicts St. John’s solid and unwavering devotion towards his ambition and aspirations, and thus his total rejection of passion. In summation, Bronte uses the motifs of fire and ice to depict the stark contrasts between Rochester’s uncontrollable passion and lack of moral guidance to St. John’s religious leash and completely reserved passion respectively. Rochester’s impulsiveness and his belief that he has a right to happiness at all costs makes the uncontrollable fury of fire an accurate representation of his character, and Bronte successfully takes advantage of the unpredictable and dangerous characteristics of fire that ultimately determines Rochester’s state of mind and behavior. St. John’s reservation and total submission to God and religious duty on the other hand, makes the solid, cold and contained nature of ice a perfect representation of his personality, and Bronte exploits this cold and stone-hard characteristic of ice to guide St. John’s interaction with other characters in the novel as well as create his static mindset regarding his duty and rejection of true love and passion. These conflicting ideals are ultimately what further emphasize the difference between the foils of fiery and dynamic Rochester and icy and static St. John.

The Philosophy Of Science And Philosophy - 1835 Words

Introduction A great explanation of scientific process in the book Philosophy Of Science; the Central Issues is â€Å"Russian doll model; for just as each doll contains smaller dolls inside it, so, too, each scientific theory includes the verified content of the earlier theories it has absorbed† (Curd, pg 909). In metaphysics and philosophy reductionism is claims that all sciences are reducible to physics. Contrary to what many philosophers like Ernest Nagel believe all new scientific theories are able to be reduced or absorb to one already established. Philosopher Jerry Fodor rejects the reductionist view. In this paper I will present both philosophers arguments. I will also present my argument not all sciences are reducible to physics. Ernest Nagel According the merriam webster dictionary reductionism is: explanation of complex life-science processes and phenomena in terms of the laws of physics and chemistry; also : a theory or doctrine that complete reductionism is possible. In the twentieth century philosophers like Ernest Nagel believed reduction was the primary way to unify all sciences. One example is chemical bonding can be reduced to quantum mechanics, which revolutionizes bio chemistry by revealing the nature of the bond and determines the shape of molecules. When a theory is present and absorb Nagel believes the theoretical term does not change when the reduction occurs. Philosophers Suppes and Adams agree and a semantic approach toShow MoreRelatedThe Philosophy Of Science And Science1030 Words   |  5 Pagesthis class began, I thought of myself as a person who tended to lean towards science as fact-based and found it hard to believe in some philosophical and religious claims that were not backed up by exper imentation and evidence. Five weeks later, my views haven’t changed drastically, but have instead been developed and broadened. I now understand the importance of the philosophy of science and why philosophy and science should be interconnected. The need to question things that may appear to be factualRead MoreThe Impact Of Science And Philosophy Of Science Essay1336 Words   |  6 Pages Alan Francis Chalmers is an associate professor who works extensive in the history and philosophy of science (physical). Alan Chalmers has taught at the University of Sydney since 1971, first in the School of Philosophy, and from 1987 at the Unit for the History and Philosophy of Science. He attained a B.Sc. in physics at the University of Bristol, and his M.Sc. in physics from the University of Manchester. His Ph.D. on the electromagnetic theory of J.CRead MoreThe Philosophies Of Science And Nursing Science1644 Words   |  7 Pages Module 2.1 Worldviews Discuss the worldviews of science (perceived, received, etc.) that influence nursing theory development and nursing science. The worldviews of science include two different pieces: Perceived view and received view. Empiricism and positivism are two major characteristics of received view. McEwen and Wills (2007) state that â€Å"empiricism is founded on the belief that what is experienced is what exists† (p. 515). In other words, one’s experiences determine what we know. ThisRead MoreThe Importance Of The Philosophy Of Science865 Words   |  4 Pages(Snauwaert, Importance of the Philosophy of Science, 2012). A pedagogical view allows the students to reflect upon their activities to solve a scientific puzzle which can stimulate the learning process for future endeavors. Students cant just learn science content and engage in lab experiments; they need frameworks that allow them to pull these activities together in a meaningful way (Gilbert, 2011). Introducing current events into lessons encourage common science language used in society.Read MoreThe Science Of Mind Philosophy801 Words   |  4 Pages The Science of Mind philosophy is not an abstract spiritual theory, but rather, a study of Consciousness, and, specifically, our expression of It. Ernest Holmes considered this study of Mind to be a science, in that it correlates principles and practices that can be applied and proven to be effective. Even so, the correlation of principles and practices is not what makes the Science of Mind a practical philosophy to live by. Anyone can deduce principles and devise practices that enhance andRead MoreThe Philosophy And Science Of Caring1447 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract Caring is a term that is very essential to nursing practice. It is a science and an art that is practiced and perfected by nursing professionals. Jean Watson is a well-known American theorist that created the Philosophy and Science of Caring. Caring in nursing is the important connection between the nurse and the individual that seeks care. Watson’s theory of caring is based on the concept of human relationships and consists of carative factors that should embody the nurse. This paperRead MoreThe Feminist Philosophy Of Science Essay1712 Words   |  7 PagesFeminist interaction with the philosophy of science, and in particular a feminist interpretation of epistemology, concerns the extent to which bias influences and shapes knowledge within the scientific community, and means to rectify this. There are three main distinctions of feminist philosophy of science - feminist empiricism, standpoint theory, and postmodernism. I am to be comparing and contrasting two of the three, specifically feminist standpoint theory and empiricism. I shall argue that standpointRead MoreThe Philosophy And Science Of Caring941 Words   |  4 PagesJean Watson introduced her first published book Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring (1979) more than 30 years ago. Her statement Caring is a professional ethical covenant that nursing has with the public to sustain human caring in instances where it may be threatened; it necessarily involves something deeper and more substantial than a ‘customer model’ orientation (Watson, 2009, p. 470). In her theory it is stated that caring is the essence of nursing and that professional nurses shouldRead MoreThe Philosophy And Science Of Caring1590 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity, and their actions at home. The people that nurses service are always watching and always listening, nurses are leaders in the community and set an example that others will follow. The philosophy of nursing that really strikes home for me is that of Jean Watson. Watson developed â€Å"The Philosophy and Science of Caring† in 1979. Watson states, â€Å"Caring begins with being present, open to compassion, gentleness, loving kindness, and equanimity toward and with self before one can offer compassionateRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Social Science1076 Words   |  5 Pagesintention to explore the philosophy of social science of which he categorises into four modes. He attempted to seek for the acceptable compromises between all and each mode to define a better way of understanding the social world. Hollis clearly states that the key task of this book is to reflect on the underlying philosophy of social science through the critical examination of the theory and methodology in each approach. Some of the key questions are; whether the study of social science can use the same

Deception Point Page 22 Free Essays

Marjorie Tench fell silent, as if reeling from that last punch. The CNN host prompted, â€Å"Ms. Tench? A reaction?† The woman finally cleared her throat and spoke. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 22 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"I guess I’m just surprised to hear that Mr. Sexton is willing to establish himself as so staunchly anti-NASA.† Sexton’s eyes narrowed. Nice try, lady. â€Å"I am not anti-NASA, and I resent the accusation. I am simply saying that NASA’s budget is indicative of the kind of runaway spending that your President endorses. NASA said they could build the shuttle for five billion; it cost twelve billion. They said they could build the space station for eight billion; now it’s one hundred billion.† â€Å"Americans are leaders,† Tench countered, â€Å"because we set lofty goals and stick to them through the tough times.† â€Å"That national pride speech doesn’t work on me, Marge. NASA has overspent its allowance three times in the past two years and crawled back to the President with its tail between its legs and asked for more money to fix its mistakes. Is that national pride? If you want to talk about national pride, talk about strong schools. Talk about universal health care. Talk about smart kids growing up in a country of opportunity. That’s national pride!† Tench glared. â€Å"May I ask you a direct question, senator?† Sexton did not respond. He simply waited. The woman’s words came out deliberately, with a sudden infusion of grit. â€Å"Senator, if I told you that we could not explore space for less than NASA is currently spending, would you act to abolish the space agency altogether?† The question felt like a boulder landing in Sexton’s lap. Maybe Tench wasn’t so stupid after all. She had just blindsided Sexton with a â€Å"fence-buster†-a carefully crafted yes/no question designed to force a fence-straddling opponent to choose clear sides and clarify his position once and for all. Instinctively Sexton tried sidestepping. â€Å"I have no doubt that with proper management NASA can explore space for a lot less than we are currently-â€Å" â€Å"Senator Sexton, answer the question. Exploring space is a dangerous and costly business. It’s much like building a passenger jet. We should either do it right-or not at all. The risks are too great. My question remains: If you become president, and you are faced with the decision to continue NASA funding at its current level or entirely scrap the U.S. space program, which would you choose?† Shit. Sexton glanced up at Gabrielle through the glass. Her expression echoed what Sexton already knew. You’re committed. Be direct. No waffling. Sexton held his chin high. â€Å"Yes. I would transfer NASA’s current budget directly into our school systems if faced with that decision. I would vote for our children over space.† The look on Marjorie Tench’s face was one of absolute shock. â€Å"I’m stunned. Did I hear you correctly? As president, you would act to abolish this nation’s space program?† Sexton felt an anger simmering. Now Tench was putting words in his mouth. He tried to counter, but Tench was already talking. â€Å"So you’re saying, senator, for the record, that you would do away with the agency that put men on the moon?† â€Å"I am saying that the space race is over! Times have changed. NASA no longer plays a critical role in the lives of everyday Americans and yet we continue to fund them as though they do.† â€Å"So you don’t think space is the future?† â€Å"Obviously space is the future, but NASA is a dinosaur! Let the private sector explore space. American taxpayers shouldn’t have to open their wallets every time some Washington engineer wants to take a billion-dollar photograph of Jupiter. Americans are tired of selling out their children’s future to fund an outdated agency that provides so little in return for its gargantuan costs!† Tench sighed dramatically. â€Å"So little in return? With the exception perhaps of the SETI program, NASA has had enormous returns.† Sexton was shocked that the mention of SETI had even escaped Tench’s lips. Major blunder. Thanks for reminding me. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence was NASA’s most abysmal money pit ever. Although NASA had tried to give the project a facelift by renaming it â€Å"Origins† and shuffling some of its objectives, it was still the same losing gamble. â€Å"Marjorie,† Sexton said, taking his opening, â€Å"I’ll address SETI only because you mention it.† Oddly, Tench looked almost eager to hear this. Sexton cleared his throat. â€Å"Most people are not aware that NASA has been looking for ET for thirty-five years now. And it’s a pricey treasure hunt-satellite dish arrays, huge transceivers, millions in salaries to scientists who sit in the dark and listen to blank tape. It’s an embarrassing waste of resources.† â€Å"You’re saying there’s nothing up there?† â€Å"I’m saying that if any other government agency had spent forty-five million over thirty-five years and had not produced one single result, they would have been axed a long time ago.† Sexton paused to let the gravity of the statement settle in. â€Å"After thirty-five years, I think it’s pretty obvious we’re not going to find extraterrestrial life.† â€Å"And if you’re wrong?† Sexton rolled his eyes. â€Å"Oh, for heavens sake, Ms. Tench, if I’m wrong I’ll eat my hat.† Marjorie Tench locked her jaundiced eyes on Senator Sexton. â€Å"I’ll remember you said that, senator.† She smiled for the first time. â€Å"I think we all will.† Six miles away, inside the Oval Office, President Zach Herney turned off the television and poured himself a drink. As Marjorie Tench had promised, Senator Sexton had taken the bait-hook, line, and sinker. 24 Michael Tolland felt himself beaming empathetically as Rachel Sexton gaped in silence at the fossilized meteorite in her hand. The refined beauty of the woman’s face now seemed to dissolve into the expression of innocent wonder-a young girl who had just seen Santa Claus for the first time. I know just how you feel, he thought. Tolland had been struck the same way only forty-eight hours ago. He too had been stunned into silence. Even now, the scientific and philosophical implications of the meteorite astounded him, forcing him to rethink everything he had ever believed about nature. Tolland’s oceanographic discoveries included several previously unknown deepwater species, and yet this â€Å"space bug† was another level of breakthrough altogether. Despite Hollywood’s propensity for casting extraterrestrials as little green men, astrobiologists and science buffs all agreed that given the sheer numbers and adaptability of earth’s insects, extraterrestrial life would in all probability be buglike if it were ever discovered. Insects were members of the phylum arthropoda-creatures having hard outer skeletons and jointed legs. With over 1.25 million known species and an estimated five hundred thousand still to be classified, earth’s â€Å"bugs† outnumbered all of the other animals combined. They made up 95 percent of all the planet’s species and an astounding 40 percent of the planet’s biomass. It was not so much the bugs’ abundance that impressed as it was their resilience. From the Antarctic ice beetle to Death Valley’s sun scorpion, bugs happily inhabited deadly ranges in temperature, dryness, and even pressure. They also had mastered exposure to the most deadly force known in the universe-radiation. Following a nuclear test in 1945, air force officers had donned radiation suits and examined ground zero, only to discover cockroaches and ants happily carrying on as if nothing had happened. Astronomers realized that an arthropod’s protective exoskeleton made it a perfectly viable candidate to inhabit the countless radiation-saturated planets where nothing else could live. How to cite Deception Point Page 22, Essay examples

Micheal Jackson Essay Example For Students

Micheal Jackson Essay Michael Joseph Jackson, 29 August 1958, Gary, Indiana, USA. Jackson has spent almost his entire life as a public performer. He was a founder-member of the Jackson Five at the age of four, soon becoming the group’s lead vocalist and frontman. Onstage, he modelled his dance moves and vocal styling on James Brown, and portrayed an absolute self-confidence on stage that belied his shy, private personality. The Jackson Five were signed to Motown Records at the end of 1968; their early releases, including chart-toppers ‘I Want You Back’ and ‘I’ll Be There’, illustrated his remarkable maturity. Although Michael was too young to have experienced the romantic situations that were the subject of his songs, he performed with total sincerity, showing all the hallmarks of a great soul artist. When MGM Records launched the Osmonds as rivals to the Jackson Five in 1970, and singled out their lead singer, 13-year-old Donny Osmond, for a solo career, Motown fel t duty bound to reply in kind. Michael Jackson’s first release as a solo performer was the aching ballad ‘Got To Be There’, a major US and UK hit. A revival of Bobby Day’s rock ‘n’ roll novelty ‘Rockin’ Robin’ reached the top of the US charts in 1972, while the sentimental film theme ‘Ben’ repeated that achievement later in the year. Motown capitalized on Jackson’s popularity with a series of hurried albums, which mixed material angled towards the teenage market with a selection of the label’s standards. They also stockpiled scores of unissued tracks, which were released in the 80’s to cash in on the success of his Epic recordings. As the Jackson Five’s sales slipped in the mid-70s, Michael’s solo career was put on hold, and he continued to reserve his talents for the group after they were reborn as the Jacksons in 1976. He re-entered the public eye with a starring role in the film musical The Wiz, collaborating on the soundtrack album with Quincy Jones. Their partnership was renewed in 1979 when Jones produced ‘Off The Wall,’ a startlingly successful collection of contemporary soul material that introduced the world to the adult Michael Jackson. In his new incarnation, Jackson retained the vocal flexibility of old, but added a new element of sophistication and maturity. The album topped the charts in the UK and USA, and contained two number 1 singles, ‘Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough’ (for which Jackson won a Grammy award) and ‘Rock With You’. Meanwhile, Motown capitalized on his commercial status by reissuing a recording from the mid-70s, ‘One Day In Your Life’, which duly topped the UK charts. Jackson continued to tour and record with the Jacksons after this solo success, while media speculation grew about his private life. He was increasingly portrayed as a figure trapped in an eternal childho od, surrounded by toys and pet animals, and insulated from the traumas of the real world. This image was consolidated when he was chosen to narrate an album based on the 1982 fantasy film ET The Extra Terrestrial. The record was quickly withdrawn because of legal complications, but still won Jackson another Grammy award. In 1982 ‘Thriller,’ Jackson’s second album with Quincy Jones, was released, and went on to become one of the most commercially successful albums of all time. It also produced a run of successful hit singles, each accompanied by a promotional video that widened the scope of the genre. ‘The Girl Is Mine’, a duet with Paul McCartney, began the sequence in relatively subdued style; it reached number 1 in the USA and UK, but merely set the scene for ‘Billie Jean’, an effortless mix of disco and pop that spawned a series of answer records from other artists. The accompanying video was equally spectacular, portraying Jackson as a master of dance, a magician who could transform lives, and a shadowy figure who lived outside the everyday world. Its successor, ‘Beat It’, established another precedent, with its eterminedly rock-flavoured guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen making it the first black record to receive rotation airplay on the MT V video station. Its promo film involved Jackson at the centre of a choreographed street battle, a conscious throwback to the set pieces of West Side Story. However, even this was a modest effort compared to ‘Thriller’, a rather mannered piece of disco-funk accompanied by a stunning long-form video that placed Jackson in a parade of Halloween horrors. This promo clip spawned a follow-up, ‘The Making Of ‘Thriller’, which in turn sold more copies than any other home video to date. The Thriller album and singles won Jackson a further seven Grammies; amidst this run of hits, Jackson slotted in ‘Say Say Say’, a second chart-topping duet with Paul McCartney. He accepted the largest individual sponsorship deal in history from Pepsi-Cola in 1983; the following year, his involvement in the Jacksons’ ‘Victory Tour’ sparked the greatest demand for concert tickets in the history of popular music. .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 , .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .postImageUrl , .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 , .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679:hover , .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679:visited , .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679:active { border:0!important; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679:active , .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679 .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7c6987d1430da72e5544b3a389324679:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bipolar Disorder EssayJackson had by now become an almost mythical figure, and like most myths he attracted hyperbole. More prosaically, Jackson began 1985 by co-writing and performing on the USA For Africa benefit single ‘We Are The World’, another international number 1. He then spent $47.5 million in purchasing the ATV Music company, who controlled the songs of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, thus effectively sabotaging his musical relationship with his erstwhile partner. Later that year he took part in ‘Captain Eo,’ a short film laden with special effects that was only shown at the Disneyworld amusement park; he also announced plans to write h is autobiography. The book was delayed while he recorded ‘Bad,’ another collaboration with Quincy Jones that finally appeared in 1987. It produced seven Top 10 singles, among them the title track, which again set fresh standards with its promotional video. The album suffered by comparison with his previous work, however, and even its multi-million sales were deemed disappointing after the phenomenal success of ‘Thriller.’ In musical terms, ‘Bad’ certainly broke no fresh ground; appealing though its soft funk confections were, they lacked substance, and represented only a cosmetic advance over his two earlier albums with Jones. Unabashed, Jackson continued to work in large scale. He undertook a lengthy world concert tour to promote ‘Bad,’ utilizing stunning visual effects to capture the atmosphere of his videos. At the same time, he published his autobiography, ‘Moonwalker,’ which offered little personal or artistic ins ight; neither did the alarmingly expensive feature film that accompanied it, and which buttressed his otherworldly image. The long-awaited ‘Dangerous’ arrived at the end of 1991 and justifiably scaled the charts. This was a tour de force of gutsy techno pop, with Teddy Riley contributing to a number of tracks. Although the customarily sweet pop was sharpened to a hard point, it still displayed the unmistakable Jackson sound. By maintaining a leisurely working schedule, Jackson had guaranteed that every new project was accompanied by frenzied public anticipation. Until 1992, his refusal to undergo probing interviews had allowed the media to portray him as a fantasy figure, a hypochondriac who lived a twilight existence cut off from the rest of humanity. He attempted to dispel this image, and succeeded to a degree, with a carefully rehearsed interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey in 1992. The televised programme was shown all over world, during which viewers saw his personal funfair in the back garden, and watched as Jackson spoke of his domineering father. However, the unthinkable ha ppened in 1993, just as Jackson’s clean image was at its peak. Allegations of sexual abuse were made by one of Jackson’s young friends and the media had a riotous time (Was Michael Jackson Framed?). Jackson’s home was raided by police while he was on tour in the Far East and the artist, clearly disturbed, cancelled a number of performances due to dehydration. No charges were made, and things began to quieten down until November 1993, when Jackson left the USA and went into hiding. Additionally, he confessed to being addicted to painkillers and was seeking treatment. After this admission, Jackson’s long-time sponsors Pepsi-Cola decided to pull out of their contract with the now damaged career of the world’s most popular superstar. The media were handed more bait when he married Lisa Marie Presley on 26 May 1994, perhaps in an attempt to rebuild his image. The marriage collapsed nineteen months later. He did, however, enhance his reputation with ‘HIStory Past, Present And Future, Book 1.’ One half of the double set chronicled his past hits, but there was the equivalent of a new album forming the second half. Lyrically, the new material was strong, and Jackson very cleverly gave himself a forum to respond to his critics. Although not breaking any new ground musically, the sound was refreshingly varied and, as ever, highly polished. ‘Blood On The Dancefloor HIStory In The Mix’ was a collection of remixes and new material that spawned further hit singles. It appeared that, despite the allegations of child abuse and the constant media attacks, particularly surrounding his unexpected second marriage (to Debbie Rowe) and the birth of two children, Jackson’s fans remained loyal to the ‘King of Pop’

Umpqua Bank Analysis

Umpqua Bank is a private financial holding company based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Its headquarters are located at Umpqua Bank Plaza in Portland. The bank engages in the commercial as well as retail banking. It also engages in the business of retail brokerage services.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Umpqua Bank Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The bank’s client services division offers financial services as well as products to individual customers. It has several holdings where it offers its customers personal checking as well as saving accounts, various insurance policies, unit investment trusts plus mutual funds. It also offers business checking as well as saving accounts. In addition the bank offers certificates of deposits as market accounts. Umpqua Bank is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation which has existed since 1953 (Umpqua Bank, 2011). It was first established in Canyo nville, Oregon, by a group of people who engaged in the timber-logging business whose aim was to create an institution where they could cash their payroll checks. It was then named as South Umpqua State Bank and located at the Masonic Lodge. In 1972, the bank moved its headquarters to Roseburg, Oregon. The bank continued to expand; however, it took a major turn a major turn in 1994 when Ray Davis took over as President and CEO. Davis launched a new strategy as well as direction for the company (Umpqua Bank, 2011). He shortened the name to Umpqua Bank. By then, the company had total assets worth $150 million (Umpqua Bank, 2011). In 1995, the company launched its first retail-oriented flagship store at its headquarters in Roseburg. A year later, the bank established four new stores in Lane County to offer unique customer experience. In 1998, Umpqua Bank went public through initial public offering and was listed at NASDAQ OMX Stock Exchange. The following year, the bank became Umpqua H oldings Corporation and acquired Strand Atkinson Williams York brokerage firm.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In 2000, the bank company formed its first merger with Valley of the Rogue Bank. In 2003, it opened up a store in Portland’s Pearl District and World Greatest Bank University to offer bank-related courses. In 2004, the Bank expanded into California by acquiring Humboldt Bank Holding Company subsidiaries. In 2006, Umpqua opens a new store in Portland and also acquires Western Sierra Bancorp to become the largest community Bank in Sacramento region (Umpqua Bank, 2011). It opened a state-of-the-art technology in Portland’s Southwest waterfront in 2007 to offer new customer experience. It also acquired Vintage Bank in Napa, CA, the same year. In 2008, the company partnered with Energy Trust Oregon to establish GreenStreet Lending to small business at low -interest rates. In 2009, its eco-banking division began ways to make the company environmentally friendly (Umpqua Bank, 2011). In January 2009, Umpqua took over the deposits of Vancouver Bank from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (Kish, 2011). A year later, January 2010, the bank also took control of deposits of Seattle Evergreen Bank which had been closed by the Washington Department of Financial Institutions. In February the same year, the bank took over the deposits of Tacoma Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Two months later, it reached an agreement with its owner, Rainier Pacific Bank, to purchase it from the FDIC (Kish, 2011). The company has three Board of Directors; Peggy Fowler, Luis Machuca and Hilliard Terry. Umpqua Bank is headed by Ray Davis, who is the President And CEO. Under him are Duff Greg, Vice President, Ken Vogt, Vice President, Craig Fair, Vice President Finance, Beth Fox, Vice President Technical Systems, Joe Plummer, V ice President, Network Engineer and Security, Angela Machado, Vice President, Business Development Officer, Dave Nelson, Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer, Ron Piatt, Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer, Donna Huntsman, Senior Vice President-Private, Rick Calero, Executive Vice President of Community Banking, Kelly Johnson, Executive Vice President-Asset Management, Sheryl Stanley, Assistant Vice President Accounting, Ross Blanchard Assistant Vice President Systems, Ric Carey, Executive Vice President of Store experience and Sales and Rich Sauter, Director Ebanking.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Umpqua Bank Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The next level executives are branch and division managers, system and credit analysts as well as auditors. Umpqua Holdings Corporations has an asset value of $8,324.6 million. The bank’s total trading assets as per the second quarter of 2010-11 fiscal year remained constant at $3 million while intangible assets also remained at $696 million during the whole period. Other assets were valued at $1179 million at the end of the second quarter having increased from $1624 million. Thus, at the close of the second quarter of the trading period, the bank’s asset value was $11460 million. Umpqua Bank’s return on assets over the last trailing twelve months was valued at 0.4% while asset turnover was 0.04% (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). Umpqua Bank’s total deposits at the end of the second quarter were $9146 million as compared to last year’s total which was $9434 million at the close of that period (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). Its short-term debts were $257 million at the close of the second quarter while its long-term debts stood at $184 million. At the same time, its net loans were $6397 millions. The bank’s total liabilities were $9785 million as compared to what was registered at the end of last trading period which was $10026 millions while its total equity increased from $1643 million to $1674 million ((Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). At the end of the second quarter, the company had acquired a net margin of 9.5% in the trailing 12 months with a financial leverage of 6.8%. Its return on equity in the trailing 12 months was 2.9% (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). For more than 3 years, Umpqua Bank has faced non-stop credit quality problem which resulted from the recently experienced global recession. This has created losses in the previous financial years, 2007-2009. The bank is almost overcoming the loan problems.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It had to increase its lending rates to help it reduce its loan losses. However, the major problem that the bank faces now is how to maintain its credit quality as well as how to improve its declining loans. The bank’s Chief Executive reports that the company’s total loans decreased from $1.7 billion in 2009 to $1.6 billion in 2010 (Manning, 2011). The second quarter financial statement also show that the net loans declined from USD 6419 million in December 2010 to USD 6397 million in June 2011 (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). The increase in the number of banks applying for bankruptcy in the region presents a great opportunity for expansion to the bank in already established markets. Umpqua has remained stronger in the region in the face of the bad loans as well as losses. The bank’s Chief Executive, Ray Davies, reports that FDIC has approached them thrice to buy deposits of failed banks (Manning, 2011). It has already purchased Tacoma Bank while Vancouver Bank plus Seattle Evergreen Bank still remain under its control though not yet purchased. Besides, with the introduction of Bassel III, several other banks may fail to meet the capital requirements. This will also present an opportunity to make acquisitions and to expand. The Commercial industry trends bound to affect Umpqua Bank The adoption of Bassel III is likely to affect the bank’s future business. Umpqua Bank may face problems in meeting Bassel III’s capital requirements. According to the Morningstar Equity Research (2011) Bassel III is an international agreement whose aim is to standardize certain banking safety requirements throughout the world. Bassel III will require banks to hold additional capital. It will place standards on the quality as well as quantity of capital required on banks. This means that banks will have to preserve Tier 1 common capital ratios so as to be able to absorb loan losses. Tier 1 capital will rise from the current 6% to 10.5% (Mornin gstar Equity Research, 2011). Bassel III will also eliminate some items like deferred tax assets from the core capital. Again the minimum common equity will increase from the current 2% to 7% (Morningstar Equity Research, 2011). Again, the Bassel III is yet to announce the definition of Systematically Important Financial Institution (SIFI). Companies classified as SIFI will be expected to hold additional not-yet-determined capital. This will have a significant impact on individual financial institution’s competitive advantage as they will have to acquire additional capital. Such move is likely to have a significant impact on Umpqua Bank should it fall under the SIFIs as it may affect the bank’s competitive position in the US. Since the banks merger with Valley of the Rogue Bank in 2000, the bank has expanded its market share to lead other financial institutions in Jackson County. By the end of June this year, the company’s deposits were measured at $456.5million which translated into 16.7% of the nation’s banking deposits (Stiles, 2011). The bank has been able to edge out other companies which were ahead of it in the market such as Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase. Umpqua Bank has grown over the years to accumulate more than $8 billion in assets. When Ray Davies took over in 1994 as the company’s CEO and President, the bank had only $150 million in assets (Tweel, 2008), however, it has grown over the years to reach $8.325 billion. In addition, Umpqua Bank has made significant expansions across Oregon, San Francisco, and Seattle among other regions. Currently, the bank boasts of over 180 branches (Davis, 2010). In May this year, Umpqua Bank was ranked top by the 2011 US Retail Banking Satisfaction Study for offering the best customer services (satisfaction). It was ranked highest in customer satisfaction (J. D. Power and Associates, 2011). Umpqua Bank’s attempts to leverage its credit quality and loan losses by increasing the lending rates have not worked well for the bank. Although it came up with the GreenStreet Lending program for small business, it did not implement other mechanisms which would encourage large businesses to acquire loans from the bank, and this has been the reason behind its falling loans. Umpqua Bank has been able to achieve stability and growth in the market and still continues to expand through acquisitions. However, it has to implement strategies which will allow it maintain its strength in the market as regards loans. Reference List Davis, R. (2010). Umpqua notes. Web. J. D. Power and Associates. (2011). Umpqua Bank ranked highest in the Northwest for customers satisfaction. Web. Kish, M. (2011). Umpqua profits climb, beat estimates. Portland Business Journal. Web. Manning, J. (2011). Umpqua Bank back in the black, says problem in the past. Web. Morningstar Equity Research. (2011). Umpqua Holdings Corporation UMPQ. Portland: Morningstar. Stiles, G. (2011). Umpqua Bank is ag ain no. 1 in local deposits. Web. Tweel, C. A. (2008). Leading for growth: Assessing the growth impact of Umpqua Bank’s cultural makeover. North Carolina Banking Institute, 12: 307-419. Umpqua Bank. (2011). Our roots: An interactive history timeline. Web. This essay on Umpqua Bank Analysis was written and submitted by user Otto Skinner to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Men vs. Women essays

Men vs. Women essays Women are obviously very different from men. The opposite sexes attract to eachother, but do they really understand I think that men and women can come to an understanding over time. If two people are really connected and are willing to make their relationship work, then they can begin to learn eachother's habits as well as their wants and desires without even asking. Still, there's always those little tricks that we women do to our men, hoping that they'll get the hint as to what we're asking without shouting out the real thing behind the hint. Men seem to like people to be frank with the points or questions a person is trying to make or ask. They don't like to beat around the bush to get the big picture, they just want to know it. to avoid confusion. Women like to tell their stories entirely and like to involve details when they're speaking. Men don't really care about those details that women appreciate. (they need to learn!) Women have very different explanatory styles than men, but I think that some men are able to come around and adapt to a woman's way of speaking and thinking. Women are very deep. Men don't understand why women are so emotional at times, and I don't understand myself some at times. (I'm later able to figure out why, though) For instance: My boyfriend and I have been going out for almost two years :) and I love him to pieces. Over this time, we have argued plenty of times and come to understandings of eachother. When we fight, of course, we argue and yell sometimes, but then after the venting is over, we think about went on, and talk about our feelings until we both understand eachother's views. Now that we know what sets eachother off, life is easier and sweeter for both of us. I know all of his little hints and gnats, and he knows most of mine. (too mysterious, I guess)Women are complicated to men as men are to women. I think we're weirded out by eachother somet...

Chapter 8 : A Single Man With A Dog Essay -- Dog, Pet, A Great Way to Ca

THESE MOMENTS WHERE HE ACTUALLY LOOKS RELAXED People wear masks most of the time, meaning that they would rather play pretend or have a straight face in front of the world, instead of being themselves. So, you can agree with us, that it is most of the time difficult to give an honest judgment about these people. On the other hand, for dog owners (again), their dogs make them look like the â€Å"Kings of cool†, because, well, a dog doesn’t need to impress anyone, and by being his loyal companion, this kind of attitude will contaminate his owner. So, dog owners are more relaxed. And why shouldn’t they be? When you walk a dog, you are going to end up running, petting him, talking to him etc. Now, who has a straight face while doing all that? Nobody. And as said, most of the time, pet owners look so relaxed that it’s easy to approach them and talk to them. Another thing that you should remember is that a dog is his owner’s pride (just like a son or a daughter can be), so for the sake of this special bonding this owner has no choices but to look relaxed. We’ve explained why dog owners are so relaxed, contrary to others, we will now focus on what we see when they are around their dogs. So, how are these single guys behaving, when they are around their pets in public, or around the house. The first words that come to mind are â€Å"silly† and â€Å"happy†. Pet lovers play, cheer, burst into laughter when they are around their dogs. It’s almost like seeing a little boy playing with his best friend. And it’s not surprising, dogs are amazing and they do amazing things. They can wake you up in the morning when you are late (considering that they know your routine), they can pick up your mail at the door or the nes on his head and of course a big smile. Most people who have been dog owners for a long time would tell you that expressions are important in your day to day life for dogs. They feel your pain, joys, moodiness, but still, they remain loyal. So, not only does the dog’s attitude puts them in a good mood instantly (so they smile more often). Dogs are almost like mood meters, one look at them and they remind you that life is more than these silly arguments with your peers. Don’t they say that smiling is a great way to fight depression, and in turn, live a happier life? Knowing that you have a better attitude outside of your home thanks to your dog, you will attract more people, like friends and of course people who would love to go on a date with you. And like most people say, smiles and great moods are contagious, so single men along with their dogs, win it again.

Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations Essay

Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations - Essay Example In 2007, Isadore Sharp sought an exit from this long-term investment, selling the multi-national Four Seasons properties to Kingdom Holding, owned by Al-Waleed bin Talal from Saudi Arabia and Cascade Investments, controlled by the software and technology guru Bill Gates. Upon taking this business private, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts were able to internalise international expansion efforts, redevelop the business model, and restructure financial governance of the business without undo pressures from international investors in the stock market. However, this acquisition of Four Seasons in 2007 came at a time just prior to the global recession occurring between 2008 and 2010, which radically changed the predictability and revenue growth opportunities for this luxury hospitality business. The business’ long-term profitability has been impacted by a series of government-imposed austerity packages in European nations, reforms in the banking sector in Asian and North American cou ntries, and changes to consumer sentiment about luxury travel and tourism and its correlation to their personal finance availability. Hence, the economic and social conditions in the luxury tourism sector suddenly changed, creating a new set of pressures on Four Seasons to sustain its existing business model whilst still considering redevelopment of its long-standing brand to better service the contemporary consumer in the post-20th Century tourism sector. This report examines the macro- and micro-level factors impacting many dimensions of the Four Seasons value chain, its strategic focus for long-term sustainable growth, and marketing in a very saturated and dynamically competitive international hospitality sector. The report further examines the marketing prowess of Four Seasons, the business’ current and long-term operational strategies, and the characteristics of consumer behaviour that impact Four Seasons’ service ideology, and cost structures impacting profitabil ity with this business. 2.0 Macro and Micro Analysis of the Industry To better understand the performance and productivity of the current Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts business model, it is necessary to examine the macro- and micro-level factors that impact sustainability of competitive advantage influenced by industry conditions. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis POLITICAL The influence of political factors for Four Seasons is disparate, due to the dynamics of being a multi-national business with presence in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. In Asia, the hospitality sector has significant difficulties sustaining hospitality-centric operations without the direct support of government. For instance, in India, the government imposes substantial taxation on luxury hotels, which raises the costs of operations and increases prices along local supply chain networks. It is even difficult to establish strategic alliances or joint ventures with major tourism airline carriers in many Asian count ries where Four Seasons operates, thus impacting co-branding strategy opportunities and the ability to create periodic promotional incentives to entice more consumer interest in bookings due to the government influence and government-imposed costs. However, in some countries, such as Canada (Four Seasons is headquartered in Ontario, Canada) and Europe, governments provide incentives for consumers to engage in shopping with guarantees that they can reclaim the

APPLICATION PAPER Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

APPLICATION - Term Paper Example As a tradition, the two leading political parties; the Democratic and the Republican Parties select the best candidate to represent their party (4- Impression Management, Haun 50). In the primaries of each of the political parties, potential candidates file for nomination and they canvass for votes by telling leaders of the party why they are capable of winning power in the national elections (5- Compliance Gaining Strategies, Haun 64). In order to ensure the best results in the general presidential elections, the parties select the best candidate to represent them (6- Uncertainty Reduction, Haun 23). In doing this, a lot of checks are done on each candidate to verify and validate his or her claims of eligibility for the Presidency as well as acceptability to the voters (7- Fidelity Checks, Haun 69). After successfully convincing the leaders of the respective parties (8- Evidence Test, Haun 69), they are chosen as the Presidential aspirants to represent the two major political parties in America. The Presidential candidates are presented to the American electorates by the parties. The candidates are required to present a positive image about themselves and their parties (9- Impression Management Theory, Haun 50). In order to examine the promises made by each of the candidates, most presidential elections are marked by various presidential debates. In these debates, the presidential candidates tell the American people what they would do if they are voted into power. This provides a platform for informing electorates about the kind of leader who will fill the White House over the next four years. Presidential debates provide a strong insight into the policies that either parties have for the people and influences the way people think about the candidates (10- Perception, Haun 68). This year, the two contenders for the US Presidency, President Barack Obama and Senator Mitt Romney

Zen Buddhism Essay Example for Free

Zen Buddhism Essay Buddhism has grown from the flowing of a single man in his path to nirvana to a religion that spans the globe and has shaped many cultures. This paper will first present the history of Buddhism and the life of the man known as Buddha. Then, the fundamental teachings of Buddhism will be discussed. Finally, the unique aspects of Zen Buddhism will be examined. History of Buddhism and Life of Buddha Although the truths are ultimately unknown, Michael Molloy, in Experiencing the World’s Religions (2013), presented the details of the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the man who would come to be known as Buddha. Around 500 B.C.E., Siddhartha was born to a prince of the Shakya tribe in modern day Nepal. Siddhartha’s mother died a week after childbirth, leaving him in the care of a father whom, on the advice of a sage, ensured Siddhartha would leave an extremely sheltered but pleasant life. Upon Siddhartha’s first excursion into the world, he witnessed suffering and was so moved by it that he left home and went in search of a path to enlightenment. After attempting to gain insight through asceticism, Siddhartha rejected this way as inadequate and sought a path based on moderation instead. Legend speaks of Siddhartha meditating under a tree now knows as a Bodhi tree, resolved to not leave until he had reached the understanding that he sought. At dawn, Siddhartha achieved nirvana or enlightenment and became known as Buddha. Buddhism is a rejection of the Hindu gods, Vedic priesthood, and rituals. Fundamental Teachings of Buddhism Among Buddha’s teachings are three primary concepts: The Three Marks of Reality, The Four Noble Truths, and The Noble Eightfold Path. The Three Marks of Reality   Buddha taught that all reality bore three characteristics; Change, No Permanent Identity, and Suffering (Molloy, 2013). Change is the idea that all of reality, every facet and as a whole, is in constant flux, and turmoil. No permanent identity is the belief that all of reality, both living and non-living, has a permanent aspect; that no soul or spirit exists that resists the changes of time. The last mark of reality is suffering, the concept that, because reality is ever changing, all contentment most pass and bring misery in its wake. The Four Noble Truths The first truth is that to live is to suffer, meaning that in every stage of life, change will occur and that change will bring suffering and discontent. The second truth is that suffering comes from desire. This truth states that desire, in all of its aspects, binds mankind to illusions that reality will disprove and replace with suffering. The third truth is that to end suffering, one must end desire; that suffering will not cease when all desires are met, only when all desires are extinguished. Lastly, the fourth truth taught by Buddha is that release from suffering is possible and can be attained by following the noble eightfold path (Molloy, 2013). T he Noble Eightfold Path According to Molloy (2013), the Noble Eightfold Path is a set of eight practices, taught by Buddha, to allow the follower to â€Å"to face life objectively, to live kindly, and to cultivate inner peace† (pg. 134). The first part of the Path is Right Understanding, to recognize and understand the 3 marks of reality. The second part is Right Intention, maintaining a purity of thought and motives, untainted by desires and emotions. The third part of the path is Right Speech, the understanding that what if said can cause harm and that lies, exaggerations, and harsh words must be avoided. The fourth, Right Action, is to remember that there is already enough suffering in the world and that the actions of the follow should not contribute to that pain, even to animals. The fifth part is Right Work that one’s work does not cause additional suffering, even to one’s self. The sixth, Right Effort, is the understanding that, while maintaining moderation in one’s life, steps to improve should be taken when they can. The seventh step is Right Meditation that the follower uses meditation to examine the  depths of reality. Finally, the last part is the Right Contemplation, actively striving to obtain states of blissful inner peace in one’s life. Buddha did not teach that the eight steps were like a ladder, taken one after another, but all at the same times, to lead his followers closer to the state of nirvana. Zen Buddhism As the school of Mahayana developed, and traveled to China, it experienced pushback from its complex rituals and ceremonies. This pushback led to the forming of the school of Chan, with a simplification of Buddhist life and focus on singular meditation. As the school of Chan traveled to Japan, it further blended and developed into Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism developed it simplicity by examining the meditation and enlightenment of Buddha directly, and the teaching if Buddha that ritual does not directly lead to enlightenment. Zen has blended with Japanese society, and culture, influencing thought, art, and expression. Because of the influence of Zen Buddhism, Japanese arts have developed around the ideals of simplicity, practicality, and emptiness. An example of the ideals of Zen Buddhism can be found in the practice of the koan. A koan is a question that cannot be easily answered with logic, meditated on and answered in a way that demonstrated the understanding of the principle lesson of the koan, rather than explaining it (Molloy, 2013). Conclusion The paper has examined the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the man known as Buddha. Also, the Buddha’s teachings concerning reality and achieving inner peace have been described. Finally, the uniqueness of the school of Zen Buddhism has been explained. Reference Molloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the world’s religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Inc..

Megachurches and Theologies of Consumption :: Religion Christian

Last weekend, while attending Lexington, KY’s Southland Christian Church, I received an invitation to attend a â€Å"Poor Man’s After-Tax Dinner.† Located on a 115-acre plot that occupies a stretch of the rapidly disappearing farmland between Lexington and Jessamine County, Southland will host the gala, which includes a catered meal and a performance by the Dale Adams Band. On the church’s website, an announcement for the event asks, â€Å"Did you have to pay when you filed taxes? This month’s Gathering is designed to help you to forget your IRS woes.†[1] The After-Tax Dinner will minister to those still reeling from the April 15th deadline, and, with any luck, it will foster solidarity among Southland’s flock, the majority of whom are members of the tax bracket whose wallets ache most severely after just having rendered unto Caesar the money that belongs to him. Southland Christian Church, one of several worship centers in the United States that has earned the moniker â€Å"Six Flags over Jesus,† is Lexington’s largest megachurch. With a weekly attendance of 8,000 people and an operating budget that supports a staff of over eighty members, Southland far exceeds most U.S. congregations in terms of financial resources and social clout. In recent years, popular and scholarly studies have attempted to situate the megachurch movement within a broad cultural context. Although the majority of these analyses dispute the precise definition of a megachurch, most distinguish these multiplex sanctuaries from smaller worship communities by using the same criteria—i.e. weekly attendance, campus acreage, annual budget, etc.—that megachurches themselves draw on to represent their own success. [2] However, the essence of a megachurch is not its large buildings, but rather the theology of consumption that informs it s programming.[3] In this way, a megachurch ethos has infiltrated even the smallest congregations in the United States and has helped to solidify Christianity’s inextricable connection to consumer capitalism. To those who see megachurches as symptomatic of a flawed Christianity, market-minded church growth confounds one of the faith’s oldest dualities, the contradiction of living in the world without conforming to its ways, as Paul puts it in Romans 12. Megachurches at once reject â€Å"the world† and participate in it by seeking to win the lost and wow the consumer at the same time.

Assignment Mulally Essay

Assignment # 3 – ‘’ Alan Mulally, CEO, Ford Motor company â€Å" Leadership and organizational behavior- BUS 520 Abstract Leadership is guiding people towards productive results to achieve the goals of the organization. An effective leader has the ability to motivate and influence others. The following sources of power represent the engine of influence that they use effectively and ethically to achieve their goals, however, true leaders are supposed to make the employees work hard by giving their efforts and making sure that the goals and the mission of the organization are achieved. To be effective every leader should have the following competencies: Vision, Integrity, Honesty and Values Releasing Potential and Energy. The content of this paper is to outline the roles of leadership and how it affects organizational performance. It then discusses the role of Allan Mulally’s, CEO of Ford Motor Company, and leadership style. The paper also presents how mulally decision to set a goal has increased the company’s performance and mentioning how Allan Mulally’s openness has gained him trust and helped him to reach his goal. Alan Mulally moved to Ford in 2006. He had worked at Boeing since 1969. He had been chief engineer for development of the 777, and was later Vice President of Engineering for commercial aircraft. Mulally had no sales experience, and he wasn’t a â€Å"Detroit car man, â€Å"Much less a car man at all. He sold his Lexus after moving to Dearborn. What’s most impressive is Mulally’s â€Å"results oriented† leadership style. His management is crisp and authoritative, although he defers to the firm’s design experts on the minutiae of the product lines. But on the big questions of the company’s past mistakes and where it’s headed, Mulalley made key decisions that placed Ford in good stead. When mulally testified before Congress in December 2008, along with GM’s Rick Wagoner and Chrysler’s Robert Nardelli, he announced that Ford would be able to survive the recession without a bailout. In 2006, Alan Mulally became the CEO of Ford. At the time, the company was relying heavily on their truck revenue and had several other lines that were not properly supported to earn the best revenue. Some of Mulally’s first decisions were to sell off some of their sub brands, namely Jaguar and Land Rover, and focus more on the small car lines that are becoming more popular with consumers. With a focus on the small cars, this would allow for the company to benefit from economies of scale and increase the profits from selling those cars. He also took out a $23 billion loan to help avoid needing the bailouts that would come 2 years later. Mulally threw away the politics involved in the vice president structure, forcing the weekly leadership meeting to be more about the success of the company than the squabbles of those leading it. He insisted that the vice presidents actually admit to their problems so they can be handled; having operations be labeled either green for going well, yellow for caution, and red for problems. The vice presidents were apprehensive of this at first, afraid to admit their problems and failures, but Mulally made it apparent he wanted to know these issues to resolve them, instead of to sweep them under the rug or assign blame. Finally, Mulally put forth a new mind set for the company; One Ford, involving a One Team, One Plan, One Goal setup. One Team focused on uniting the individual group in Ford into one cohesive team, each member helping out other members, no matter what project they are on or division they are in. One Plan was about restructuring to operate profitably, accelerate development to get new products that customers would want to buy out sooner, finance the plan, and work together as a team. Finally, One Goal was all about developing an exciting viable Ford with profitable growth. Mulally have a more hands on approach to leadership. He wants to know exactly where the company is and how they were going to get someplace better. This is shown with his color coded operations technique with the vice president meetings. His answers to problems weren’t just to shrug them off and go back to the status but rather how to proceed from where those problems brought them. Alan Mulally demonstrated organizational innovation; he used different methods of production and administration. Conveying his ideas and leadership, mulally exhibited his innovation that comprised the ideas from outside Ford in conjunction with those ideas from within Ford Motor Company. The message he portrays involves  planning initiation, execution, selection, and implementation of the objectives to achieve the goals set forth by his administration The success of an innovation is connected to a market forecast of customer needs and wants as well as effective management of the innovation  process. Concentrating on a fewer products to produce with a lot of improvement and service innovation involving the introduction of a new service that meet the customers’ expectations. He has high regard for executive management and maintains open communication. Mulally has an agenda to serve and satisfy not only customers, but employees as well, increase market share, increase profits, and communication is at the top. Alan Mulally has a proven effective leadership style. He is persistent with innovative  processes that address issues within the organization to ensure successful development. His management responsibilities include reducing the risk; managing the customer interface; training and managing staff performance; and engaging Ford’s executive team. Highlighting how successful his tactic can be Mulally has insured his reputation as one of industry’s great leaders; it is well worth paying attention to what he says and learn from his leadership skills. Any successful leader has to know the plan, and areas that need special attention. There are challenging times to be a leader whether it is a cultural crisis, financial crisis, or environmental crisis, but, if one can learn from the experience of a leader such as Alan Mulally, an organization will do just fine and be one of the respected models to follow and learn from.

Staff Development Teaching for Preventing Falls in the Elderly Long Term Care Facilities

In the United States, unintentional falls are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries for people older than 65 years. Up to 32 percent of community individuals over the age of 65 fall each year. Females fall more frequently than man in this age group, especially due to the fact that most female elderlies have bone weakness such as osteoporosis, which makes the fall to cause fatal injuries sometimes. Fall related injuries are the most common cause of accidental death in those over the age of 65. Approximately 40 fall related deaths per 100,000 people per year.Thus, fall are a growing public health problem that need to be addressed. Patient would not only suffer from such fall but the facility goes through hardships as well to deal with the patient. Fall related death rate in elderly group has been increasing in USA. Recently, falling has been occurring a lot in the long-term facilities. Falling has the highest rate of incident in the long-term facility because most of the patients are elderly. Falls can cause serious injuries and accidental death. In order to prevent falls in the elderly is very important.There are several different approaches to deal with predispose factors for elderly type of injury. I am going to reviews the major risk fators of falls and how to prevention for elderly populations living in long term care facilities. The effective falls intervention programs should take a multifaceted approach.Assess the staff for ability of learning and understandingI explained the background of important fall precaution to our licensed nurses and CNAs, the ones who gives care to the patients with ADL most closely. The Staff members, Licensed Nurses, and CNAs have different nationalities with different language. Licensed Nurses are 70% LVN and 30% RN. The experience in the healthcare facility for most of them is at least 3month. Because 90% of staff can fully understand in English, it is not necessary for the educational materials to be in other languages than English. The learners already are familiar with this topic because they already have had experiences in long-term facilities.How to educate and when is the best time for as much as possible participated in service. In order to prevent further falls, fall precaution presentations will be held during the weekdays in the conference room. Staffs can come in 30 minutes before or after the shift change, and spend an hour on this topic. First, I will show some fall cases through video, so I can induce the staff’s interest in this subject through visualization. Even though the staffs are well aware of the fall incidents, it is not easy to keep an eye on every patient 24/7, which can be frustrating and tiring to the staffs. However, I can explain how much this is important and tell them to try to understand and do the best. I will be identifying what risk factors or what kind of patient has high risks of falling using a current published brochure and video.What is the cost effect of a fall?Fall related injuries among elderly are associated with economic costs, which is much greater than the cost to implement a fall prevention program. In the long-term care facilities, even with an interdisciplinary team with physicians, nurses, social worker, physical therapy and administrators, fall prevention is still difficult because there is no way of knowing when one of the patients is going to fall. That is why it is crucial to educate staffs and patients to help reduce these barriers over time. Fall-related injuries account up to 15 percent of re-hospitalizations in the first month after the discharge from hospital. Falls carry staggering economic costs. Annual acute-care costs related to falls are estimated at $1.08 billion and long-term care costs at $4.9 billion.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical costs related to falls totaled more than $19 billion in 2007–$179 million for fatal falls and $19 billion for nonfatal fall-rela ted injuries. By 2020, the annual direct and indirect cost of fall injuries is expected to reach $54.9 billion. While falls have a tremendous impact on the patients, they also directly affect a healthcare organization’s cost per case and length of stay. Injuries from falls lead to a 61% increase in patient-care costs. Nearly every nurse can recall an incident in which a patient fell or nearly fell. As patients continue to age and present with increasing vulnerability and comorbidities, their potential  for harm increases.Predisposing factorsMulti-factorial Medications: Lots of medications such as benzodiazepine, tricyclic antidepressant, selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, and trazadone should be identified as high risk for fall. Most elderly long term care residents are reffered to as â€Å"polypharmacy† which is high risk for fall. Education (reorientation): fall prevention programs should be reoriented as much as possible call to increase safety awareness and r educes the fear of falling. Environment: frequently check environment that is very important. Web areas, clutter, poor lighting, and other environmental factors can reduce the risk of falling in nursing home.How to prevent fall1. After completed fall assessment upon admission, initiate fall precaution as soon as possible. Before appropriate technology and equipment can be chosen to help prevent falls, the patient’s fall risk, functional readiness, and mobility must be assessed. Most of patients consider for high risk for fall. Post-fall assessment is important because a lot of incidents are related to fracture, which is a serious matter. Fall prevention interventions should be assigned that are appropriate for individual based on the result of fall risk assessment2. Educate patients about predisposing and precipitating factors. This supports them to understand and enable them to do multi-disciplinary approaching. It should be built on initial risk screening results and involv e not just nurses but an interdisciplinary team of physicians, pharmacists, and physical and occupational therapists.3. Educate about basic knowledge of medication to CNA who is closely giving care than others.Essential implementation of safety caring in long term care facility1. Transfers: Patients rise from a sitting position to a partial stand to keep the center of gravity relatively low. Transfer the patient to the stronger side with the wheelchair at approximately 45-degree angle from the bed. If patients are unable to bear weight through the lower extremities due to weakness, place one end of the transfer board under the patient between the  buttocks and back of the thigh, then place the other end in the seat. Have the patient push up with the arms while slightly lifting the buttocks and slowly moving toward the wheelchair.2. Get belts: during transfer, obtain a standing position, turn and sit onto another surface or stand and walk to a new location, then turn and sit onto a new surface. The belt is better choice than the alternative placing one arm under the patient’s arm for the lift and holding onto the patient’s clothing or gown, which can injure the arm or shoulder, but care individual need to basic training from PT/OT personal.3. Bed and toileting safety: height- adjustable beds, safety rails, and raised toilet seats can reduce fall. To promote safety when the patients stands or for transfers, raise the bed. Otherwise, a weak patient who tries to stand could fall. Transfers onto and off a toilet, fix raised toilet seats and safety rails on either side of the toilet are needed. Patients can hold onto these to steady themselves when transitioning from a standing to a sitting position, and to push off from while standing after toileting. If the patient is unable to safely ambulate with assistance to the bathroom, provide a bedside commode.4. Mobility devices: mobility devices such as canes, walkers, and wheelchair mobility should be ma de sure that it has been evaluated and deemed approporiate and in a good working order. If it isn’t proper working contact a physical therapist for further evaluation. All mobility devices should be adjusted to the patient’s height and other characteristics as appropriate.5. Walkers: Nurse can walk next to the patient as the patient ambulates. Walker with seat must lock the brakes when ready to sit or transfer and complete the activity. Patients who become dizzy from nauseas or orthostatic can easily turn and sit on the seat without falling. This arrangement is much safer than having another staff member trail behind with a wheelchair and lower the patient to the wheelchair seat if patient becomes fatigued or dizzy or loses balance.6. Wheelchairs: individualized wheelchair prescriptions must be customized to each patient because the standard wheelchair does not work for all patients. For example, a dementia patient with memory deficits cannot be expected to remember to lock the wheelchair.What to do for caring for high risk fall patient1. Visual check every 2hours or more often 2. Keep bed in low position all the time 3. Lock wheels, call light, water pitcher, urinal in easy to reach. 4. Provide well lit path 5. Check shoes ; check well fitting, floppy shoes or loose clothing 6. Keep room clutter free, floor dry ad not slippery 7. Check bed, wheelchair alarm, or bedside mattress as ordered 8. Promptly answer for need help with call bell systemEvaluationVerify the education and providing data is effective or not. Throughout this education program, it is important to find a way to help nursing staff deal with issue of patient fall. Staff members recognize how vital it is to be aware of the possibility of fall during care. This program provides gaining more confidence to staff in their abilities to work with care. Even though falls can’t be prevented 100%, applications of fall prevention educations will create a safer, healthier, and happier place for both patients and staffs.

These Ones vs. Those Ones

These Ones vs. Those Ones These Ones vs. Those Ones These Ones vs. Those Ones By Maeve Maddox A reader questions the use of the phrase â€Å"these ones†: I was wondering about a manner of speech I have been hearing or reading and that seems not right to my ears: it is â€Å"these ones† as in the following:   â€Å"If You Liked This Video, Youll LOVE These Ones†Ã‚   Isn’t the phrase complete with just â€Å"these†. I keep hearing or seeing this construction and it sounds really bad to my ear; is it just me? The construction is not new, although it seems to be more popular now than in the past. The Ngram Viewer shows the phrase â€Å"these ones† in moderate use from 1800 to the 1960s, when it begins a precipitate rise on the graph. Like the reader, I find â€Å"these ones†- and â€Å"those ones†- jarring. If I found either in a paper given me to correct, I would cross out ones in an instant. However, I can’t find a specific grammatical rule against it. Paul Brians (Common Errors In English Usage) proscribes it: By itself, there’s nothing wrong with the word â€Å"ones† as a plural: â€Å"surrounded by her loved ones.† However, â€Å"this one† should not be pluralized to â€Å"these ones.† Just say â€Å"these.† The same pattern applies to â€Å"those.† None of my other style guides reference the usage, and numerous online discussions defend it. An article at the Visual Thesaurus cites statistics from The British National Corpus and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) to show that British speakers say â€Å"these ones† five and a half times more often than speakers of American English. Nevertheless, in American usage, â€Å"these ones† is regarded as dialect and not standard usage. The problem is not that ones is being used as a plural or that these governs ones. For example, the following phrases are standard: I want the red ones. You always take the best ones. You take these small ones, and I’ll take those big ones. So why does â€Å"these small ones† pass with speakers who would not accept â€Å"these ones†? The reason may lie with the proximity of these to ones. With â€Å"these red ones,† the presence of the adjective red signals the brain that these is an adjective. When no other adjective intervenes between these and ones, the listener interprets these as a pronoun, in which case, ones is redundant. Because they are jarring to many speakers, the constructions â€Å"these ones† and â€Å"those ones† are best avoided in formal contexts, particularly in writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsYay, Hooray, Woo-hoo and Other Acclamations10 Types of Hyphenation Errors

The Profitability of Advertising on Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Profitability of Advertising on Media - Essay Example Putting an advert on radio will also depend on the radio station used, time, and the length of the advert. For WHOU FM the prices of putting a 30 seconds advert during the morning hours is 50$ per advert. The price is relatively highly due to the fact that most people in the US usually listen to the radio during the morning hours as they drive or ride to their places of work. Therefore, a company is likely to get more audience during this period of time as opposed to other periods during the day such as mid morning and afternoon (Katz 123). However, it should be noted that the rates get high again during the evening because his is the time when people are riding back to their homes, thus getting a chance of listening to the radio again.Prices of magazines depend on whether on is using a national magazine or local ones. The type of readers also affects the pricing. For a company to put an advert on VOGUE, they will have to pay $250,000 if they want a full-page advert. The price is hig h because of the fact that VOGUE is a national magazine. Furthermore, VOGUE is a women’s fashion magazine meaning that many women are likely to read it. However, the type of product or service being advertised will highly determine whether advertising on this magazine will be worth the cost. This is because this magazine will only be read by women who are interested in knowing what things are happening in the world of fashion (Peitz and Valletti 952). An automobile advert might be out of place for this magazine.

Theatre Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Theatre Critique - Essay Example The paper describes the music and the story which blended well together and it did not seem at any point that the music was juxtaposed forcefully within the play. Also the director was able to develop a strong coordination between the actors when no one was impressed with the acting skills of Tommy DeVito and Bob Gaudio since they seemed out of character at different points of the play. This, however, did not majorly impact the pleasurable experience. The paper emphasizes the attention that the director of the play had seemed to put a lot of effort within the play with his focus on detail. It seemed that the director had meticulously planned each part of play and the different part coordinated well in the final piece. In conclusion, the paper says that Jersey Boys is a play worth watching, especially when one wants to develop an understanding of the way successful plays are created. The most remarkable part of the play was the way the different elements of the theatre worked in synergy with each other. The actors completely understood the time era in which they were acting and this was evident in the way they developed stereotypical models of that era. From the lighting to the costumes, the play came together as a convincing performance. Each actor seemed to have a certain musical signature which helped bring out the character of that actor. This was particularly important in a musical play and for me, this attributed to the success of the play. In plays revolving around music, the audience comes to appreciate the music along with the acting. The director also seemed to have a good knowledge of the musical instruments of the pop era and used them sparingly throughout out the play, thus, developing the mood of the music as well as the era.