Postmodern condition

Postmodernism can be called â€Å"a condition of contemporary culture†, It Is a modern movement which is strong, ambiguous, very popular and controversial. However, It is very difficult to explain the term because there Is no full clarity what the term really means. As one can read in The Condition of Postmodernist It Is â€Å"a mine-field of conflicting notions† and â€Å"a battleground of conflicting pollens and political forces†.There are so many Interpretations, definitions and evaluations of the term that It Is hardly possible to build a coherent definition, or to be brave enough to attempt to scribe It. Almost everyone has a different pollen about It, advocate â€Å"for† or â€Å"against† or are simply tired of all the fuss around It. For some researchers, the reference to postmodernist is equal to the attempt to recall something impossible to recall. Or to express the inexpressible, incomprehensible and unnecessary. In their eyes, talking abo ut post-modernism is the intellectual blindness, or at least a desperate search for something â€Å"new† and â€Å"different†.Some might think that postmodernism is a fashionable set of â€Å"new ideas† (postindustrial, postindustrial). But these ideas increased with time. Other researchers believe that postmodernism quite openly supports relativism, because it has some ability to explain certain things and at the same time is the enemy of the idea and the sole objective truth. Truth is elusive, polymorphous. Nevertheless, according to Frederic Jameson, postmodernism â€Å"creates more problems than solves†, and he also wonders if any other concept can dramatist the discussions so thoroughly and so effectively.Jean Baudelaire, the main initiator and most influential authority on the sociological reflection on the post-modern breakthrough in the society and culture, thanks to the saute diagnoses tries to warn us about all kind of threats that technological advances could cause. According to Baudelaire, they turned the post-industrial social world in hyper real reality shaped by the media codes and models, which were reproducing â€Å"simulacra† (the images of the world devoid of real prototypes).One of the hyperthermia images and the world of Imagination (Baudelaire writes) Is Disneyland, which is the perfect model of all those confusing orders of simulation. It Is primarily a game of illusions and phantasms. Imaginary world of Disneyland Is neither true nor false. It Is a space of regeneration of the world of Imagination, reminiscent of a recycling factory. Thus, the world of the Imagination of children and adults Is a rubbish, the first great collocation hyper real pollution. Disneyland Is a prototype of this new feature on the mental area.As one can read In Simulacra and Simulation â€Å"It Is no longer a question of a false representation of reality (Ideology) but of concealing the fact that the real is no longer real, an d thus of saving the reality principle†. Another example of† flipping † a deeper reality by its overriding, and hen hiding its deficiencies, through breaking any relations with it and finally achieving the status of its simulacrum, completely emancipated from the power of intellectual reliability in some American humanistic academic circles.That is why he decided to do the â€Å"experiment†, which consisted in checking whether the leading American Journal dedicated to cultural research will publish a text full of nonsense, if it only sound good. It turned out that publishers without a hint of discomfort printed the text devoted to quantum physics, not making the trouble to its decision to consult any specialist in this field. This has caused a storm of controversy not only on the pages of periodicals industry, but also the daily press. Shoal meant to indicate â€Å"abuse†, whose plenty, as it turned out, in the literature.

Houston Police Internship Essay

1. While at my hpd internship I was asked to do multiple task such as deliver mail, send out packages, organize and file documents according to date and time, conduct background check, record information, conduct surveillance handling evidence, helping organize various events, file case files, fax subpoenas, and seizures My internship Daily duties mostly consisted of helping the agents and working in the mail room. I learned how to handle different responsibilities such as delivering mail and sending out packages. In the mail room I also learned how to file open cases and how they disposes of closed case files from previous years that are no longer needed. Also I helped reorganized the current files to make space for upcoming future case files. Sometimes my duties were to conduct background checks. I was given the task to locate the most recent information on subjects to whom which agents are doing research on. There was certain type of information that the agents wanted me to record so that it would help them further there investigation. At times I would help agents put subpoenas together for certain cases. They would then enter the subpoenas into the computer so that they could be on file. Once the information was entered into the computer I then proceeded to fax each separate subpoena to its destination. Faxing the subpoena is just the same as if the officer was serving it personally. Once faxed and confirmed the subpoena then becomes official. Once I was done faxing the subpoenas I then had to confirm the date and time and record it so that it can become on file for future reference. 2. While at my intern I was asked to do multiple task such as deliver mail, organize and file documents according to date and time, conduct background checks and record information, conduct surveillance and note any suspicious activity. These are task I did on a daily bases. 3. All tasks I was asked to do I completed because my intern was from 9:00am-5:30pm which gave me plenty of time to finish task and begin new ones. Each day I arrived to work I would wait for which ever group I would be working in that particular day to assign me a task. Usually it would be something simple that wouldn’t take much time. I would be done with most tasks by lunch time. 4. I feel I left my intern with an extremely good reputation. I know that it will help me when I begin to apply for multiple agencies. Everybody within hpd was very appreciative of the help I provide and noted that if I needed any referrals in the future to contact them. 5. The one network source I developed at hpd whom was from my hometown. Prior to hpd he was a police officer (Birmingham, AL) and referred me to people whom he thought could help me get started on becoming a police officer. He said it was a great start for him and if I really wanted to start there he would use all his connections to get me a job so that I could begin gaining experience. 6. I learned a lot of things from having my Internship. I learned that it’s a great career to have but in order to be successful you have to put in a lot of time and dedication. I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to the hpd Recruiter. He provided me with a lot of great information on how to successfully become a police officer. He informed me on all the possible options I could take in order to reach my goal and gain experience. He mentioned such things such as joining the military, applying at a local police dept., and/or joining border patrol. He even mentioned that I should consider going back to school to obtain my Master’s Degree which would put my ahead of all the other hpd applicants. With the information he provided me I learned that there are many opportunities within the hpd. I feel with my hard work and determination I could reach my goal. 7. Honestly everything I did was educational. Nothing more could have been time to make my time there more educational. I was taught new things on a daily bases and learned things I feel can’t be taught at any college or university. I learned so many thing that most people would not been able to. I worked in an environment that so few are allowed to work in. I had the chance to to attend a meeting that was attended by officials from different agencies and organizations. This meeting was to introduce new procedures such as drug testing and prevention at work and school. Also being introduced at the meeting to the officials were various new drugs that were starting to become popular among kids and adults such as synthetic marijuana and bath salts. I also had the opportunity to attend the Tactical Training Exercise. This training exercise was also very educational. It was held at the Houston Police Dept. Training Headquarters. These are training exercises that that they go through on a monthly basis. They are showed different techniques on how to enter and clear rooms. Theses training exercises are done to keep the agents current with all the different types of situations they may encounter when entering a home during an operation. Today I had the opportunity to be able to view an operation conducted by local agencies. Once the location was safe and secure agents then were able to conduct their investigation. While the investigation was taking place be federal agents, local law enforcement conducted background checks on all individuals whom were inside the location doing the time of the search warrant. Once the agents finished their investigations and interviews they then loaded all evidence so that it could be processed. All the individuals inside were either release or arrested based on their background check. 9. My intern was a great experience and I cannot recall a day to where I did not want to be there. I was fortunate enough to obtain this internship and hope that I will benefit from in after I graduate. I wish in the near future that more students will have the same opportunity I’ve had so that they can also learn and educate themselves on the potentials of what having a career with the Houston Police Dept.

Bridgeton Industries: Automotive Component and Fabrication Plant Essay

In 1985, Bridgeton Industries, a major supplier to Big-Three domestic automobile manufacturers, is facing a competitive environment with advent of foreign competition and rising gasoline prices, leading to shrinking pool of production contracts. Bridgeton reacts by closing ACF diesel engine plant and hiring strategic consulting firm to classify their products on competitive position. Based on analysis, Bridgeton outsourced oil pans and muffler exhaust (classified as Class 3) and introduced programs, such as lowering time required to change dies, to improve product, quality and productivity. However, despite of these measures, manifolds were downgraded from Class II to Class III in 1990 model year budget. Now, Bridgeton faces the challenge to decide if manifolds be outsourced and, more importantly, what more to do (in terms of strategy) to keep the business? Bridgeton’s Organization: †¢ Cost System: It comprises of materials, direct labor and overhead. Per Exhibit 2, during period 1987-90, the overhead rates have increased as shown below; especially after outsourcing in 1988. With outsourcing, the overhead cost have not reduced at same rate as labor cost, leading to higher costs for the remaining products such as manifolds. Thereby, outsourcing manifolds shall lead to higher cost for the remaining products such as fuel tanks and doors and shall push them down to Class III. †¢ Revenue and Profit: Outsourcing manifolds will reduce cost; however, the sales will be reduced even more, since Bridgeton’s highest revenue is from Manifolds, which account for 41% ($93,120/$226,542) of their total sales in 1990, leading to lower profit. Business Market: With higher efficiency standards, demand for stainless steel manifolds such as those produced at ACF could be increased dramatically and so, probably, would their selling prices. This will lead higher revenue and profits from sales of manifolds (if not outsourced); assuming no significant increase in the cost (material). Therefore, outsourcing Class III manifolds (per Consulting Firm’s recommendation) shall not be advantage for the ACF plant. Clearly, reduction in plant production volume and high overhead cost has caused ACF plant to be less cost competitive. Recommendations: Following are the recommendation to utilize ACF plant resources efficiently and thus, improve overhead rates for existing products: †¢ Increase technology capability, thereby, increasing production of existing products †¢ Use Activity Based Costing (ABC) to actually analyze the individual cost incurred for these products and opportunity for its reduction †¢ Initiate reforms in manufacturing and admin process  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Sell un-used outdated machinery that are causing big depreciation and insurance cost †¢ Promote cost-cutting but preserving quality †¢ Set budgets and review them on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Through this we can utilize overhead expenses more efficiently and allocate it amongst current products to be cost competitive and keep the pricing within reasonable limits, helping us to maintain our profitability and market shares.

People Resourcing and Discrimination Laws in United Kingdom Essay

People Resourcing and Discrimination Laws in United Kingdom - Essay Example The researcher states that the Discrimination Law in United Kingdom that tends to bring about equality in the workplace works in parallel to the Equality Act of 2010. It tends to indicate discrimination at the workplace on the following sub-heads. The Equality Act of 2010 condemns an employer who tends to discriminate between the employees based on racial differences. Racial differences can be observed between the different people in regards to their skin colour or in regards to their native birth place. Herein an employer who tends to render lower wages to an employee owing to racial differences or maltreats a staff because of his or her skin colour is rightly condemned by the law. The law states that an employer is required to render positive action to such staffs that belong to the under-represented communities and thus has needs different from the normal community. The employer is required to safeguard such people from being victimised and should render moral and professional sup port. People subject to such discriminatory acts can directly confront with their immediate superiors or can take help of tribunals pertaining to employment. The Equality Act of 2010 also condemns the discriminatory acts in the workplace that tends to create differences of opportunities among men and women along all levels of an organisation and in regards to the various human resource functions. Thus men and women are required to gain the same opportunity to grow with the concern professionally, financially and personally. Victims of sexual discrimination are required to firstly bring such acts in the eyes of their superiors and also they can take help from employment tribunals if the matter does escalate (Directgov-a, n.d.). Discrimination owing to Disability Similarly the law also condemns the discriminatory act of the employer on the part of an individual suffering from permanent or temporary disability. Herein also the law requires the victimised individual to have an informal course of talk with the employer in regards to such discriminatory acts. The victim can also take recourse to the support of employment tribunals through the advisory and arbitration services of the United Kingdom government (Directgov-b, n.d.). Discrimination owing to Old Age The law also focuses on rendering protection to the old age people who are still working in business organisations from being discriminated. Herein the law safeguards the old people from the acts of the employer in penalising the old people through discriminatory redundancy policies by making them turn jobless. Further after April 2011 the age of retirement has been totally abolished for which a person can continue working a concern till he or she desires to and henceforth cannot be made redundant (Directgov-c, n.d.). Discrimination in regards to Religion The law tends to safeguard individuals working in organisations from being discriminated against his or her religious beliefs. The employer cannot forcibly r equire an individual to abstain from wearing religious clothes and ornaments and in abstaining to take to foods against one’s religious belief. Such people who feel victimised by such discriminatory activities can take resort to the arbitrations and advisory

CRJS472IP5 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CRJS472IP5 - Research Paper Example l in the world containing information about more than 70 million criminals along with over 34 million civil prints (The Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2010). This paper discusses the reasons as why the integrated automated fingerprint information system works so well and the measures that are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of new and emerging biometric databases. The Integrated automated fingerprint information system features the fundamental practices for fingerprint biometrics including maximizing the quality of a fingerprint scan, ensuring liveness detection to prevent circumvention, measuring system performance and conducting scenario testing. The quality of the fingerprint scan is a vital aspect of the fingerprint biometric system design and is determined by the scanner resolution, scanner measurement area, scanner measurement technology, and the human and environmental factors. High quality fingerprint scans yield large numbers of biometric features. Fingerprint copies may be used in attempts to bypass the biometric system. The Federal bureau of Investigation prevents security bypasses by maintaining liveness detection in the integrated automated fingerprint information system. Liveness detection also referred to as copy protection ensures that copies of authorized user fingerprints are not used in the biometric system. Fingerprint copies include activated latent prints, two-dimensional and three-dimensional copies. The automated fingerprint information system features scanners with a built-in ability to detect latent, two-dimensional and three-dimensional copies. The Integrated automated fingerprint information system architecture complies with the Federal Bureau of Investigation architecture. And also regular reviews are conducted to ensure it complies with standards and guidance. The regular reviews ensure that the integrated automated fingerprint information system works with exceptional performance. The system also features service-oriented

Visual analysis of an advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Visual analysis of an advertisement - Essay Example This "Visual analysis of an advertisement" essay outlines the purpose of the image and its message of the Barnardo’s social campaign. The message of this image is straightforward and is embedded in the message at the top, right-hand corner which reads, â€Å"Abuse through prostitution steals children’s lives.† A young girl sits next to an older man in a situation that denotes child abuse and prostitution. The message of the image is to end child prostitution, trafficking and abuse by preventing and restoring the stolen childhood. The campaign with the visual was launched worldwide, intended for a global audience since child prostitution and trafficking is a global experience that happens everywhere (Aldrich, 2003). The image relates to the mindset of everyone, since even those who don’t have children were once children, and it is sad to imagine getting robbed of one’s innocence and childhood. By appealing to the emotions of the audience, the visual seeks to bring attitude change in the audience. Neutral colors are used to give the visual a lifeless effect to the look of the young girl (Aslam, 2006). The image shows a young girl with an aging face and a middle-aged man lying next to her. The aging and lifeless effect of the image means that the abuse of the young children through prostitution makes the children lifeless as a result of being abused by older men since her childhood. Furthermore, the child has a very distressing facial expression that shows the traumatic impact child prostitution has on the children.

Global Implications for Your Profession Fashion Industry Assignment

Global Implications for Your Profession Fashion Industry - Assignment Example The paper "Global Implications for Your Profession Fashion Industry" analyzes Implications of the Corporate Power Global Trends to the Fashion Industry. Consequently, global culture, world economy, and individual lifestyles continually take on new shapes aws the world opens up to trade. The fashion industry is among the many areas that have experienced these dramatic changes as corporate companies compete to produce and market new fashions and clothing to meet the demands of global customers. Corporate power has greatly influenced the fashion industry in terms of variety within locations, uniformity across borders, environmental, and labor concerns.As corporate organizations advertize their fashion goods in magazines, films, and other media channels, a global style evolves now and then across different cultures and borders (Rabine para 2). For example, athletic shoes, T-shirts, blue jeans, and baseball caps find their way to the remotest villages in Africa. African, Asian, and Wester n fashion copy each other in designing their clothing. Almost every large shopping mall around the world is now housing all the styles. Every consumer can be sure to get his or her taste regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, subculture, and profession. Rabine says that customers in dominating Western countries have come to perceive globalization as an abundance of fashions that giant retailers sell. The retailers upgrade inventory and conduct transnational trades at the click of a button or a key.

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Case study - Essay Example This has necessitated the establishment of marketing communications plan aimed at rekindling the interest of the customers who have deviated their loyalty to other in hotels (Kenneth & Baack 67). For this to happen the marketing and advertising team have to establish the internal and external causes of the customers deviation of loyalty then find a plan to reverse this process in a manner that will benefit both the hotel and its customers. Situation Analysis A SWOT analysis was conducted and the following was ascertained: the strengths of the hotel related to the predicament included; it is among the units of the third most dominant hotel chain in the globe and the most important strength is that the hotel has an unsurpassed marketing and advertising team and vast pool of resources. This gives the hotel an added advantage in the cutthroat competition. The weakness is that the expendable funds had been already allocated to another project thus leaving the marketing communications plan with a limited budget. The opportunity that presented itself is that the city where the hotel is located was recently made the headquarters of an international body and that meant that a lot of foreign dignitaries would be coming to the city and this was a big potential market for the hotel. Finally, the threat was that the rival hotels were really stiffening the competition and to add salt to the injury even more hotels of the same kind were being established. Alternatives The team came up three different sets of solutions to counter the predicament that the hotel had suddenly found itself in. the first alternative was to change the format the hotels rooms and facilities so that the hotel could have the ability to accommodate the customers who want a budget accommodation and those who want a luxurious experience. This would be a good strategy for getting customers want to save a buck and get good accommodation and those who want to spend an extra buck to get an extremely luxurious experience. It would also enable the hotel to get back the customers it had lost for either of the reasons stated above. However, the trick would be to craft an advertisement of this strategy in a manner that wouldn’t drive away the customers because the advertisement pastes a picture of the hotel either as a cheap or an extremely expensive or a contradiction of both. Creating a new way to bring back the customers who had deviated to other hotels by introducing a system of rewarding loyalty was the second plan. This would not only bring old customers back but also introduce a new customer base. The problem in this is that it would limit the profits of the hotel but if well executed the small incentives given to the loyal customers wouldn’t matter because the new customers would improve the profits of the hotel. The final plan was to tap into the newly established market of foreign dignitaries. The advertisement strategy would be to come to an arrangement with several airline industries so that the hotel could advertise itself to any persons coming to the city from another country. This would give the hotel a head start in getting the foreign market interested in it but this would have a negative impact on the demand of the local market. Recommendation The marketing and advertisement committee suggested the best way forward was an execution of alternative two. This is because a proper execution would enable the hotel

Research on Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Research on Project Management - Essay Example A project is a collection of activity to achieve a particular objective. It involves the directing of many activities towards a particular objective. A project is not a whole time activity. It always has a start date and end date. The duration of the project depends on the size of the project. A project is always guided and lead by a set of instructions and plans. A project always has a deadline within which it has to be completed and handed over to the required authority. The project will consume more than the estimated cost if it is not completed within the deadline. A project is a pooling up of men, money, materials and other resources for the achievement of a specific goal. A project is an effort of a group of people. A project is done in different phases. The different phases of a project are initiating stage, planning stage, executing stage and controlling stage. The initiating stage of the project is where the project idea is generated. A structure has to be given to the gener ated idea before it is being carried foreword. This structure is given in the planning stage. The executing stage of the project is the most crucial stage. It is where all the resources are pooled up properly. This is the stage that requires more cost. In the controlling stage the project is examined and reexamined for any deviations. Corrective measures are taken for controlling the deviations that have occurred. A project is entirely different from business in the sense that the project is for a specified period whereas the business is a continuing process. Therefore, in simple sense project management refers to the managing of all the activities concerned with the successful implementation of the project. Managing a project is a complex task and managing that complex task is the duty of the project management experts. The techniques used for the management of the project differ from the nature of the project. The project management is done by a team of experts comprising the

Letter for parntes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letter for parntes - Essay Example This compares to a national average of 5/9 in these categories overall. 3) In the ‘Total Reading’ area your child scored the highest on the subtest of ‘Reading Vocabulary’ with a raw score of 27/30, and in ‘Reading Comprehension’ scored a total of 46/50. The student’s lowest score was ‘Sounds and Prints’ where they had a raw score of 26/30. 4) In the ‘Total Mathematics’ subtest, the student did the best in ‘Concepts & Problem-Solving’ with a raw score of 34/40, and the lowest result was found in ‘Computation’ with a raw score of 24/30. 5) This Management Aptitude Test (MAT) evaluates the performance of the student, the class, and the school in comparison with national averages. This testing is conducted in accord with the Ohio State Department of Education standards. 6) As teacher of the student, my personal assessment of these scores in relation to her performance in class is that †Å"Mary† is one of our best students and consistently ranks in the upper percentile of the class in most subjects. She is very strong in math and reading, but could benefit with more time improving her computer skills. I am available during the Parent-Teacher Conferences and also after school hours to discuss any questions you may have about these test results.

Review of the article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Review of the article - Essay Example Devalued local currency acted as an equalizer of the combined influence of valued foreign currencies as well as the deflationary external price index. This further brought about actual depreciation in China’s economy. During this period, the Chinese economy and trade situation were developed relative to other countries that suffered from this large-scale depression. The journal argues that in the face of the severe economic situation, the central government of China carried out several policies like exposing silver export tax, giving silver export authorization to restrain exports. The enforcement of these policies played a crucial role in stabilizing the economy in the face of acute depression. However, capital control of the government was not able to significantly hold back the nature of the silver money which was profit oriented when hyped nominal. Therefore, Chinese silver price created room for speculation and the government hence only had the option of departing from the silver standard to nationalize all silver reserves3. For this reason, therefore, the central government of China had to carry later out monetary reform that suspended convertibility of silver. This financial reform also adhered to sanction standard, and it also centralized the right to issue money to three commercial banks that were controlled by the government. Since th en, the silver standard became history. Additionally, the Chinese government was strong enough to put in place laws that covered the silver standard. One of the major factors that brought controversial views of the economic performance of China was the correctness of the prewar statistics data on economics. Other scholars saw the data as being incorrect while some argued that the information was correct. Due to unstable political circumstances and frequent warfare, the work of statistic gathering was underdeveloped in China.

Dancing with self beauty alice walker Essay Example for Free

Dancing with self beauty alice walker Essay What is a scar? A scar is something that can be covered but never erased. Scars can change a person’s self-esteem and self- worth, relationship with people, and your perception of yourself. A scar can help you find beauty deep down inside just like Alice Walker did. Scars cannot tear you down you are the only one can, its either you live a lie or just accept the true you, which one would you choose? Walker also had problems with self-esteem in her life when her brother shot her in the eye with a BB-gun that left one of her eyes blind. According to walker her life was over â€Å"For six years I do not stare at anyone, because I do not raise my head†. I grew up a tomboy who played with nothing but boys and maybe one or two girls. I was always happy, and a just a big jokers until I started my middle school year and identified hair on my chin. I have suffered with this problem for the longest. I considered myself as different from most girls. When I got the hair on my chin I did not want to be bothered with anybody, I used to hold my head down and kind of slouch so no one wouldn’t see it. My whole attitude changed I went from the girl who used to love herself so very much into the girl who couldn’t stand to look in the mirror. But that should’ve have changed me nor Walker because you can’t look down on yourself just because you have a scar you are who you are no matter if it’s there or not. The scar also changed the relationship with her siblings. From the article Everyday life by K. Nola Mokeyane she said â€Å"sibling’s relationships are important component of children’s social and emotional development. The Child Welfare Information Gateway notes that through their relationship with their siblings, children learn skills such as conflict resolution and negotiation; healthy relationships also provide siblings with a support network. As with anything in life, siblings relationships have positive and negative aspects. Walker started to develop to like on sibling more than the other brother. One of the siblings brought both positive and negative change in her life. The brother who shot her with the BB gun when she was younger and made a big difference in her life and she just was less closer to him just like any other siblings in life. â€Å"What the matter with your eye? † they ask, critically. When I don’t answer with (I cannot decide whether it was an â€Å"accident† or not), they shove me, insist on a fight. My brother, the one who created the story about the wire, comes to my rescue. But then brags so much about â€Å"protecting† me, I become sick. It seems like she is still never forgave her brother for what he had done to her eye and began to not really like him as much. Since her brother was kind of a part of the accident so she kind of liked him better. For some reason he understood her more. â€Å"He is my favorite brother and there is a strong bond between us. Understanding my feelings of shame and ugliness he and his wife take me to a local hospital, where the â€Å"glob† is removed by a doctor named 0. Henry. There is still a small bluish crater where the scar tissue was, but the ugly white stuff is gone. † I to can relate to her by this I had a problem with the hair under my chin still to this very day and my mother wanted to help me out by getting lazer hair remover but I insist on doing so because it really wouldn’t make a difference if I got it removed or not, sometime down the line it still was going to be there no matter what I did. It is so much that family members are siblings can do for you, but you are the one who really have to decide what you are going to do with yourself. People don’t make you and how they change you, you do. According to Answers in Writing â€Å"Sometime we imagine ourselves as different than what we really are one way at least we picture ourselves as this, yet in reality we do not fit this picture. We think we are kind gentle, when in truth we have very little patience for things. We may see ourselves, it is good to see ourselves as exemplary students, but we hate to be wrong. However we picture ourselves, it is good to see ourselves for who we really are. Perception can be altered, whether it is how we see the world or how we see ourselves. All it take is a little honesty, without trying to make ourselves feel better, which is what we usually do when we see what we call faults in ourselves. We try to feel better about it, and this often means we find ways to alter behavior. We try to change how we are to supplement our perceived faults. We are far better off just seeing ourselves for who we are, leaving it at that. Walker use to be the prettiest girl that knew she was pretty and now she is kind of confused. She is worried about what other people think which is stopping her from seeing the positive in her life. â€Å"Years later, in the throes of mid-life crisis, I ask my mother and sister whether I changed after the â€Å"accident†. No, they say, puzzled. What do you mean? † What do I mean? Walker was question herself about who she really was are did she change and she wanted to see what other people such as her family and how they viewed her too. But it was all in the mind of how she saw herself. â€Å"That night, as I do every night, I abuse my eye. I rant and rave at it, in front of the mirror. I plead with it to clear up before morning. I tell it I hate and despise it. I do not pray for sight. I pray for vision. † She must have really seen herself as this person who so ugly until she got it removed but that didn’t change her she had to see herself from within. Many times I put myself in situation where I just look in the mirror and wish some things would go anyway but it doesn’t, you can put make up on, put hair on your head but it want change anything. Walker finally sees herself as this beautiful person. She keep questioning herself â€Å"You did not change they say. † But she finally realizing everything when she is by her daughter and she is talking to her daughter. Walker says â€Å"Since the birth of her daughter she has worried about her discovery that her mothers’ eyes are different from others people’s. Will she be embarrassed? I think. What will she say? Every day she watches a television program called Big Blue Marble. It begin with a picture of earth as it appears from moon. When walker was putting her baby to sleep her daughter Rebecca focus on her eye. She began wanted to protect herself but her daughter didn’t see her eye as such ugliness her daughter tells her there is a world in her eyes. From the perception of her daughter she began to accept herself. â€Å"Yes indeed , I realized, looking into the mirror. There was a world in my eyes. And I saw it was possible to love it. In conclusion scar is something that can be covered but never erased. Scars can change a person’s self-esteem and self- worth, relationship with people, and your perception of yourself. It would not make you who you are you can only make you who you are. Theirs is nothing no one can do to change it. You can never change something and in my eyes she never changed. She still look back and think about her eye.

The Effectiveness Of The Violence Against Women Act Criminology Essay

The Effectiveness Of The Violence Against Women Act Criminology Essay This paper will examine intimate partner violence and two programs that have been adopted to improve this wide-spread mounting issue. This paper looks at the Violence against Women Act signed by congress in 1994 and its effectiveness as well as the results of mandated batterer intervention programs in the United States. Studies gathered for both programs are used to determine benefits and disadvantages of continued funding. The overall methods used to determine improvement and the limitations of conducting such studies are also explored. The research considered determines that while the above mentioned programs have only been in place a short while, have many merits. The Violence against Women Act has made women safer and helped bring about social change and batterer intervention programs produce a positive effect in men who abuse. It is determined after reviewing studies that both programs are inter-related, needed and deserve support and increased funding. The Effectiveness of the Violence against Women Act and Batterer Intervention Programs to Improve Incidents of Intimate Partner Violence This paper will examine intimate partner violence and two programs that have been adopted to improve this wide-spread mounting issue. When encountering domestic violence women have two choices, leaving or staying. If they leave they often become the sole bread winner and enter the secondary labor market with low pay, no medical benefits, and encounter a glass ceiling if they do rise in economic status. Being economically discriminated against as a result of the feminization of poverty, often results in the need for assistance (Karger Stoesz, p.79). For some it means trying to access the shrinking welfare system that now has time limits, further hindering their ability to gain training or education to maintain or move up in economic status. Others can become impoverished when their partner leaves or is removed, and turn to illegal means for survival for themselves and their children. Program One: The Violence against Women Act In 1994 as a result of feminists outcry Congress produced a bill that President Clinton signed, the Violence against Women Act (VAWA). The law only 16 years old continues; it has strengthened state laws for protection to women in numerous ways. It defines domestic violence to include same sex or cohabitating couples and made restraining and stalking orders available nationwide. It has special safety provisions for the elderly and disabled. It seeks to keep women safe by funding programs to end sexual assault; its laws protect against violence and discrimination in public, at home, and work. In addition it covers immigrant women and their children (Hyunkag Wilke 2005, p.126). It additionally provides funding for battered women shelters, hot lines, and community justice efforts to prosecute and hold financially responsible perpetrators for victimizing women (Karger Stoesz, p.78). The VAWA instituted comprehensive methods to protect victims through a community coalition of prosecutors , advocates, judges and police. Methods enacted forbid the ownership of guns by persons with restraining orders, mandated arrest, and most importantly made intimate partner violence against the law. Moreover it strengthened law enforcement providing equal justice for women, and funded tracking DV perpetrators in a national crime data base. Funding and implementing the VAWA promoted education and training for judges and had them remand perpetrators to batterer intervention programs which had started in some locals in the late 1970s (Hyunkag Wilke 2005, p.126). Hyunkag and Wilke studied the VAWA program in 2005 for the College of Social Work at Florida State University using 2,368 victim incident files, and data from the National Crime Victims Survey from 1992 through 2003. A limitation was that only half of the victims reported something worth considering (Hyunkag Wilke, 2005 p.128-129). The study used an interrupted time series design comparing four variables (age, race, marital status, and education) to yearly DV incidence reports. Research questions were: Did VAWA reduce DV and increase perpetrator arrest? Did it cause more incident reporting and contact with criminal justice? The study used U.S. Census population data and divided it by Bureau of Justice Statistics of DV incidents. The same method was used for contact with other support services (Hyunkag Wilke 2005, p.130-131). The samples from individuals over 18 years old showed rates have gradually lowered through the trend started prior to VAWA. Since VAWAs enactment funding has t aken a devolution track with states given more responsibility with funding through block grants. In its first year Burt et al found (as cited in Hyunkag Wilke, 2005 p.127) by five years $1.6 billion had been granted to states. The authors attribute the minimal change after VAWAs implementation to an implausible lag of effect or changes ongoing before VAWA such as available safe shelters. Furthermore it seems criminal justice intervention via batterer programs and state mandatory arrest laws, were already producing change. Program Two: Batterer Intervention Programs Intimate partner violence is predominately perpetrated by men. Batterer intervention programs are preventative in fomenting behavior change in abusers who would normally continue to use violence. Adams found in 1988 (as cited by Gondolf 2004, p.606) that batterer intervention programs (BIPs) were an outgrowth of the womens movement. Initially intervening in DV with remedial safe shelters victims advocates started furthering their mission seeking ways to change batterer behavior through counseling in the late 1970s. Because most victims return to, or continue to live with their abusers, a behavioral change in men is warranted. BIPs results are controversial and many believe that batterers cannot change causing mental health researchers to seek empirical best practices. E.W. Gondolf has researched BIP effectiveness for over 25 years. He performed a quasi-meta-analysis of research to date in 2003 for The Mid-Atlantic Addictions Training Institute and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He found interventions for batterers share many of the difficulties found in alcohol, drug, depression and sex offender populations (Gondolf 2004 p.607). Research has used different designs and measures of non-uniform subject cohorts producing contrary results from different studies. Different men or settings give different results. Divergent ingredients and proportions make a unique cake. His study argues that different locations for programs have differencing levels of community involvement. The wide ranging skills of members in domestic violence councils, counseling firms or courts affect outcomes. Gladwell in 2000 (as cited, Gondolf 2004 p.608) explains the problem is how to measure the synergistic effect. Dobosh et al (as cited, Gondolf 2004 p.608) say different p atterns and levels of abuse are like constellations (controlling behavior, verbal abuse, and threats) which assault the tip of the iceberg. Another problem with study design is how long of a period with no violence supports a claim of program success. He feels to be realistic studies must shift from cumulative outcomes to longitudinal retrospective ones. Additionally, is a reduction of violence a success? A compounding problem is men who drop out, drink or do drugs, and whether to count them in outcomes (Gondolf 2004, p.611-612). In summation Gondolf endorses using a dose response approach by modeling techniques to create a context that simulates a control group that quantifies collaborative influences. The four year multi site evaluation funded by the Center for Disease Control was designed to answer questions of program outcomes. Additionally researchers used interviews with female partners of participants to increase the qualitative results. He found: a marked de-escalation in re-assault and abuse of other forms. Re-assaults happened 70% of the time while participants were in the program, suggesting a need to monitor more during treatment rather than after. Another researcher, Jones, in 2000 (as cited by Gondolf 2004 p.617) found the costs of treatment were economically better than the alternatives of probation or jail. The research revealed that when program participants were coerced into attendance by regular review like drug courts a 70% program completion rate was attained. Further suggestions from research were identifying high risk individuals such as antisocial personality types and remanding them to more intensive and longer treatment (Gondolf 2004 p.619-621). Other study results suggest the abusive personality type has not been found but the best predictor is the womans perception. The most surprising finding was the program effect caused the vast majority of men to stop their abuse and assaults (Gondolf 2004 p.612-623). Conclusion: Evaluating research shows batterer intervention programs produce a positive effect in men who abuse; more so when there is a collaborative effort with all parties actively involved. All said the batterer also has buy in; the problem lies there. When there is a community pressure change is more likely; social education and influences must increase. The Violence against Women Act, also has made women safer and helped induce social change. Both programs are inter related, needed and deserve support. Aside from the huge economic costs, the pain and suffering of domestic violence is passed from generation to generation. When victims are empowered by the support of the community, criminal justice, advocates and social workers change can happen. The results of programs such as the two reviewed are not the end of the mission, but more like the first steps. Furthermore perpetrators need more monitoring while in programs designed to protect women. The two programs examined have only been in place a short time but have many merits of which to be proud. Research shows batterer intervention programs do produce results, but one approach is not shared by all helping hands. Helpers in the domestic violence field need increased support, training and direction. In general more research is needed and studies must be constructed with uniformity among subject groups. The future will be safer when domestic violence is better understood and is no longer such a drain on our nations economic and social health.

Improvement Is Better Than Delayed Perfection

Improvement Is Better Than Delayed Perfection Question-Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection  Mark Twain (1835-1910). Analyse this statement critically and rigorously with reference to appropriate literature sources. Introduction This essay will be looking at the importance of quality and continuous improvement at a glance within an educational context. The writers interest in the topic is merely to explore and understand the essence to which every establishment for whatever purpose it was built upon should strive in continuous improvement to services rendered to its customers and the community at large while maintaining quality services. The focus is to highlight any flaws within the organisational practice with which quality could still be improved upon for the good of the whole community. The structure of the essay will take an explicit interpretation and description of quality and continuous improvement while portraying an interventionist stance at the conclusive statements made at the end of the essay. Literature review The concept of Quality Quality management is a systematic way of guaranteeing that organized activities happen the way they are planned. It is a management discipline concerned with preventing problems from occurring by creating the attitudes and controls that make prevention possibleà ¢ By Philip Crosby Writings in 2008, Winch and Gingell state that during the 1990s it became fashionable to talk about ËÅ"quality in education. Part of the reason for this is a renewed interest in accountability. Why should the concern for accountability be expressed in terms of quality? One major reason is that concerns about whether or not a particular form of education is worthwhile have been expressed in terms of a paradigm derived from manufacturing industry. ËÅ"Quality in a commercial context strongly connotes product usefulness and reliability. ËÅ"Quality assurance refers to systems that are robust enough to ensure that products that are defective or unreliable simply do not get made. The idea, as one quality guru has said, is to ËÅ"get it right first time. Of course, an artefact can be scrapped or reworked if it is defective, but a service cannot. If it is not ËÅ"right first time then it is not right. Some effective quality assurance systems ought to be particularly relevant to service are as of economic activity. Whether or not it is in the private or the public sector of the economy, it is sometimes maintained that education has the characteristics of a service industry. In particular, if education is poorly provided then there is no second chance for the recipient. A diner at a restaurant who has a badly cooked meal will feel disgruntled but will suffer no permanent damage. On the other hand, the pupil who receives a poor education may not even feel disgruntled but may suffer permanent damage in terms of future life prospects. It is, then, not surprising to hear that a key feature of educational accountability is the provision of quality assurance systems. Every aspect of leadership and management across all sectors of most organisations require a sustainable approach towards ensuring quality and sustainable measures are being utilised and developed within a global context. This includes measures which most leaders would adopt towards maintaining and sustaining the strategic aims of any organisation with due considerations of internal and external forces which influences the decisions made each day. An example of what entails leadership that is sustainable through quality measures can be found in a school management system. Where the Head teacher aspires to have very committed students who have good grades, a good school structure and a qualitative staff that would help the school achieve its strategic objectives successfully. But during the process of strategising for an academic year other factors comes into play i.e. customer service, effective acquisition and deployment of resources, school budget for the academic year etc. There may be a number of key factors that would help achieve such success Firstly, a well-devised system of service evaluation process of Search-Feedback-Act that could be put in place involving all employees, not just management or teachers, in developing plans for improvement. Secondly, all employees could be given considerable education and training to help them improve service quality and would actively and systematically encourage creativity and innovation. Thirdly, the organisation that may move away from measuring quality purely by the number of complaints it gets from customers and the impressions of the head of personnel department. Instead, organisations implement a multi-factor index which includes quantitative points such as the length of time customers have to spend being tested into the school, and qualitative points such as the friendliness/politeness experienced at reception. The concept of Continuous improvement Continuous improvement has been successfully used by the Japanese for a number of years, and the Japanese word kaizen is used to describe it. The idea of kaizen is not to sit back once improvements have been made to a product, but to be almost like bees working away at a hive. Each does a little at a time, but by adding on an incremental basis they can eventually produce something that is much larger and better. The issue of quality can be approached in the same way, so that very minor changes over time can result in a considerable improvement in performance. For example, the levels of fuel efficiency in the average saloon car have improved dramatically over recent years. This has been made possible due to the cumulative effects of continual minor changes in car body shape, fuel delivery systems and engine design (.Porter, K., Smith, P., Fagg, F. 2006). Foskett, N., Lumby, J. 2003 states that the third way of defining quality (in regards to continuous improvement) is to match the current state with an imagined future improved state. In other words, individuals or groups not necessarily take as their comparator an existing standard or expectation but, rather, work creatively to suggest ways to which a current aspect of education could be improved. This definition is realistically based on working form what exist to what could be achieved. It is a universally applicable in theory in that ideas for improvement will take into account resources and political realities. However, the emphasis on continuous improvement is predicated on a degree of autonomy and power that may not exist in all institutions or cultures. If governments impose a structure or curriculum on schools/colleges, or if the internal management structures are hierarchical and controlling, then the freedom of staff, parents and students to suggest ways forward is clearly constrained. This idea of continuous improvement can be linked to Demings(1986) idea of Plan, Do, Study and Act, where a problem is examined, information is gathered and a plan to improve it is suggested. The ËÅ"Do part is when the plan is tested on a small scale, followed by the ËÅ"Study stage, where evaluation of the trial takes place to see if any other issues have arisen. The ËÅ"Act stage is where the plan becomes standard and is carried out continuously. This leads back into the ËÅ"Plan stage for further analysis. The question then arises of how one assures the quality of education. There are two answers which are not necessarily incompatible with each other. The first focuses on processes, the second on outcomes. Process-based quality assurance relies on observation of teaching and learning and the activities that support it, as the key determinant of whether the education being offered is worthwhile. Inspection is the most common form of process quality assurance. Outcome-based quality assurance relies on the assessment of the outcomes against certain pre-agreed standards. Examination and testing are the most common forms. Leadership Approaches Qualitative leadership skills in educational management revolve around factors described below: Identifying the key issues Improving Customer satisfaction and ways of measuring it Customer care training employees and setting standards Employee involvement in overall goals of the organisation. Improving quality observation and benchmarking Reflection and conclusion Quality and organisational culture- Foskett, N., Lumby, J. (2003) stated that Quality can also be relative to cultural norms. What appears to be quality provision for pre-school children in China will look very different to western eyes and vice versa. They further noted that measures of Quality by definition are dependent on numeric values in relation to, e.g., examination passed or examinations met, but such values do not necessarily capture the variety of outcomes expected of education or the dynamic changes in expectations in the experiences of even the learner, let alone the all those of an institution. Quality will therefore remain a fluid and nebulous concept, interpreted variously in practice, an orthodox to which many feel indebted to follow. No single prescription will secure improvement in quality in a context as complex and animated as a school or college. The most that an educationist can do is to remain aware of the imprecision of the concept and be sensitive to both th e educational and micro-political forces which affect its achievements, choosing with care from the plethora of taxonomies, philosophies, good practice and recommended process they can offer. Methodology Qualitative researched literature review was adopted which typically includes positivist, interpretive, constructionist, critical, and participatory paradigms. The researchers perspective stems from the long documented history of naturalistic observation in real-world situations. Views of positivism range from conservative to progressive-activist, but all involve the belief that reality is external to self and can be observed using tools that produce information that can be understood and interpreted by others. The essay is linked historically to social activism through the idea that social situations can be studied, critiqued, and subsequently changed. The essay may have collected data through observations or various forms of instruments and often derive explanations for their results from pre-existing theory without concern for whether the study population understands or agrees with their views. a literature review is very much a plural rather than a singular one as there are many literatures a researcher must examine to produce a coherent literature review. For example, by doing qualitative research, the researcher is joining an ongoing debate in some shape or form. The originality of an idea, an approach, or a theoretical reinterpretation adds to existing literature. The objective of this entry is to describe the plurality of literature, to underline the difference between general and specific literatures, to highlight how to use theoretical literature as a tool to increase understanding of a subject area and test a research question or hypothesis, and to examine the methodology and data literatures that form important parts of the research process.( GIVEN, M. L. 2008) Data findings on quality and continuous improvement in educational context. Wherever an educational operation is based, whether it is public or private, it needs customers, and consumer choice has increased dramatically over the past twenty years because of three factors: globalisation, technology and competition. Technology Technology provides opportunities and threats. The development of computer technology in the form of online and blended learning, podcasts, webcasts and blogs can and increasingly will provide consumers with the option of new self-study methods and the choice to learn with an organisation in a foreign country while living at home or working in the office. At some point translation software may even negate the need for some people to learn a foreign language. These technologies, however, also provide organisations with opportunities to provide new methods of learning and new means of communication with customers. The rise of online learning and blended learning programmes, plus the expansion in state education of new technology [such as interactive whiteboards] means that students are increasingly more techno-literate. It also means that as technology develops and becomes more part of our everyday lives, students generally expect language classes, which in some cases take up a large p art of their disposable income, to be technologically well-equipped. The exponential growth of technology cannot be ignored as the speed of technological advancement is unlikely to slow down. Competition Competition may come from new organisations entering the market, as mentioned above, but it may also appear in other forms. As other countries gain economic power, their languages become more important and people begin to study them to enable them to enter that economy. This phenomenon has already been observed (Graddol, 1997) with Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin expected to gain importance over the next decades, eventually becoming a serious threat to English as a foreign language. As economies develop, education is becoming increasingly important as skill becomes essential to finding work. An increasing number of courses are becoming available, especially in the field of computers and information technology, which compete with ELT for customers, particularly within the training budget of major companies. Gaining an Edge over Competitors If an organisation has an element of its service which is different or more attractive than its competitors it is said to have achieved competitive advantage. Gaining competitive advantage requires a cross functional approach between an aspect of marketing which gathers data about customer needs and expectations and the day-to-day operational functions that translate those market needs into operational capabilities. The roles of marketing and managing the day to day operation are often taken by one person in small organisations, which can make it easier to translate customer needs into operational reality. In a small private language school of ten teachers, for example, the director may be the focal point for information about the local market, the local economy, the type of customers the school serves and how they feel about the service. In a school of this size the director may also be the person who decides what courses are offered and whether the market is best served by, for example, offering expensive one-to-one ESP tuition for business professionals or cheap general English courses for classes of 20 students. A not-for-profit organisation may also consider pursuing a particular strategy based on the kind of customers it serves. For example, a charitable or state ELT organisation may decide to provide cheap walk-in English classes for disadvantaged mothers to attend as and when they have time. In this case, flexibility is the key to satisfying the customer and gaining competitive advantage. The three factors of globalisation, technology and competition mean that educational organisations have to pay increased attention to the needs and expectations of existing and potential customers to retain them and to attract new ones. By gathering information on customers needs and through market analysis organisations can develop a service which is different or more attractive than that of competitors. (Walter. 2001) Conclusion If stakeholders allow ourselves to get caught by the short-term disease of modern management, non-thinking, market-driven practices then the idea of sustainable organization is out of the question. Also the chance of ever reaching the levels desired will be eliminated in all but the shortest of measures. It is necessary for every leader of the future to know enough about the moral side of business and how it could be approached with sacrificial aims through which sharing and upholding several values together among competitors would improve upon global problems. Or how the socio-economic profit of the organization could be able to express or aid the concerns required to reflect a longer-term view of the community at large. I would recommend that every leader in every spectrum or field of study to bring about ways through which the underlining influences bordering the choices we make in life (in regards to quality and continuous improvement) should reflect upon the healing societal issues rather than competing. Just as we know in the history of human relations over time that competition brings about a chaotic state while the harmony of shared values and sacrifices brings about societal cohesion and benefits all. References Crosby, P. (1980) Quality is Free. McGraw-Hill. Deming, W. (1986) Out of the Crisis. MIT. Foskett, N., Lumby, J.(2003) Leading and managing education-International dimensions.London. Paul Chapman Publishing Given, M. L. (2008)The SAGE Encyclopaedia of Qualitative research methods. California. Sage Publication series Graddol, D.(1997) The future of English. London. The British council Porter, K., Smith, P., Fagg, F. (2006) Leadership and Management for HR Professionals Oxford.Butterworth-Heinemann Walker, J. (2001). Clients Views of TESOL Expectations and Perceptions The International Journal of Educational Management 15/4. MCB University Press http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?Filename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0600150404.pdf Walker, J. (2007)Service Climate in New Zealand Language Centres Journal of EducationalAdministration 2007 Volume: 45 Issue: 3 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?Filename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0740450305.pdf Winch, C., Gingell, J.(2008) Philosophy of education. Oxon. Routledge publishers

Demise of the Great Democracy Essays -- Education

Demise of the Great Democracy From the Declaration of Independence, where America’s forefathers had bounties on their lives; to the fight for integration in 1960- America strives to create equal opportunities within its boundaries. â€Å"Land of the Free† and â€Å"Land of Opportunity,† rightfully earned names America hold. Keeping the opportunities rolling, the G.I. Bill allowed war veterans to attend college at an affordable rate, giving every person a chance to attain their full potential, no matter their situation. Unfortunately, an educational gap still continued to stabilize, sending America into the hands of literate voters and a questionable future. The current solution to this gap, called the No Child Left Behind Act, (NCLB), insists that schools use standardized tests to show improvement in students each year. These tests attempt to stitch-up the educational gap but fails overall because it pushes the best and the brightest students down to an average level of a nation ranked numbe r forty-two in literacy in the world, (Mundi Index). While the No Child Left Behind Act delivers more accountability on education systems, and has a great intention of improving students to a proficient level, it also causes a detrimental, disadvantageous, and stunting growth of our democratic nation. Revised as The No Child left Behind Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, presented in President Lyndon B. Johnson’s â€Å"War on Poverty,† aimed to reduce the nation’s high poverty rate during 1965, (US Government). Closing the achievement gaps between the economical classes of America’s by providing equal opportunity provided the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s (ESEA) goal. President Johnson only authorized this act until 1970,... ...p://www.nagc.org/index2.aspx?id=548>. "No Child Left Behind Act." New York Times. 9 2 2012: n. page. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. . Phelps, Richard P. Defending Standardized Testing. Introduction. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 2005. Pollard, Jonathan. StandardizedTesting.net. 2002. January 2012 . US Government. U.S. Department of Education. 6 12 2010. January 2012 . US Legal. USlegal.com. n.d. February 2012 . White, Deborah. "Pros & Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act." US Liberal Politics . New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 14 Mar 2012. . Demise of the Great Democracy Essays -- Education Demise of the Great Democracy From the Declaration of Independence, where America’s forefathers had bounties on their lives; to the fight for integration in 1960- America strives to create equal opportunities within its boundaries. â€Å"Land of the Free† and â€Å"Land of Opportunity,† rightfully earned names America hold. Keeping the opportunities rolling, the G.I. Bill allowed war veterans to attend college at an affordable rate, giving every person a chance to attain their full potential, no matter their situation. Unfortunately, an educational gap still continued to stabilize, sending America into the hands of literate voters and a questionable future. The current solution to this gap, called the No Child Left Behind Act, (NCLB), insists that schools use standardized tests to show improvement in students each year. These tests attempt to stitch-up the educational gap but fails overall because it pushes the best and the brightest students down to an average level of a nation ranked numbe r forty-two in literacy in the world, (Mundi Index). While the No Child Left Behind Act delivers more accountability on education systems, and has a great intention of improving students to a proficient level, it also causes a detrimental, disadvantageous, and stunting growth of our democratic nation. Revised as The No Child left Behind Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, presented in President Lyndon B. Johnson’s â€Å"War on Poverty,† aimed to reduce the nation’s high poverty rate during 1965, (US Government). Closing the achievement gaps between the economical classes of America’s by providing equal opportunity provided the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s (ESEA) goal. President Johnson only authorized this act until 1970,... ...p://www.nagc.org/index2.aspx?id=548>. "No Child Left Behind Act." New York Times. 9 2 2012: n. page. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. . Phelps, Richard P. Defending Standardized Testing. Introduction. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 2005. Pollard, Jonathan. StandardizedTesting.net. 2002. January 2012 . US Government. U.S. Department of Education. 6 12 2010. January 2012 . US Legal. USlegal.com. n.d. February 2012 . White, Deborah. "Pros & Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act." US Liberal Politics . New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 14 Mar 2012. .

Essay --

The literary movement during the 1980's in Britain was heavily influenced by the state of Britain's economy at the time. The people of Britain had become infatuated with politics due to the election of Margaret Thatcher, the first and only woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to have held office. She was known as the â€Å"Iron lady† and the leader of the Conservative Party. Her influence on the British government with her use of Thatcherism did not leave behind a good legacy in the literature department. In a New York Times newspaper article, it is stated that, â€Å"The Thatcher years were a time of remarkable cultural ferment, in which the energies of an extraordinarily diverse roster of musicians, novelists, playwrights, critics and filmmakers — to say nothing of television comedians and puppeteers — were unleashed in opposition, glum and passionate, explicit and overt, to the prime minister herself,†(nytimes.com). Many literary figures have writ ten novels in response to the events of the society's cultural downfall in the 1980's. In Doris Lessing's, The Good Terrorist, which is set in the time period of Thatcherism, she portrays her character's thoughts on bourgeois liberalism as contradictions to their personalities. The main character, Alice Mellings, assumes that she is committing these acts of terrorism for a good reason. Alice and her band of revolutionary rejects are the manifestations of Doris Lessing's various frustrations against political advancements with feminism, communism, and Thatcherism. †¨ The political views and opinions that Doris Lessing's character accumulate in The Good Terrorist are most likely fueled by Lessing's real life experiences with communist parties and her unsatisfying life in the suburbs in Rho... ...ain. During the time of the 1980's in Britain, feminism, communism, and Thatcherism were big parts of the time period. These political advancements caused many literary responses to the downfall of the government that Margaret Thatcher ruled at the time. Lessing was a feminist but was not a feminist at the same time. In an article on dnaindia.com, it is stated that, â€Å"Lessing was able to do a great deal for women without subscribing to feminism; she did it with her life, and with (not just within) her writing,†(dnaindia). Unfortunately, not a lot of research has been done on The Good Terrorist, and it being a good fictional reference into the life of a group of squatters in 1980's Britain, Doris Lessing writes from her perspective on feminist criticism and explores her ideas, hoping to expand further into more of Lessing's works and explore the meanings behind them.

Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow Essay

Anne Roiphe’s â€Å"Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow† first appeared in the magazine New York in 1972. In this essay Roiphe aims to convince her readers that women must put faith in the idea that they are equal to men, not superior. â€Å"Women who want equality must be prepared to give it and believe in it . . . .† Personal anecdotes, contrast, and comparison are techniques Roiphe skillfully uses to create a strong, convincing essay. Roiphe begins her essay with a personal anecdote describing the â€Å"horrifying† realization that she married a man exactly like her father. This technique immediately establishes the essay as informal and personal. It is a great way to capture the reader’s interest. Also, this particular anecdote is used as background information for the first point Roiphe makes in the following paragraph—that â€Å". . . people . . . have at one time or another been fouled up by their childhood experiences. † Another anecdote in the essay explains how Roiphe’s mother used to give Roiphe â€Å"mad money† before going on dates. â€Å"My mother and I knew young men were apt to drink too much . . . † and â€Å"mad money was for getting home on your own, no matter what form of insanity your date happened to evidence. † Anecdotes such as this are entertaining and tend to lighten the mood of the essay. Also, it is quite easy for readers to relate to personal experience. Another function of anecdotes in this essay is to substantiate and support main ideas. At the end of one paragraph Roiphe states, â€Å"The hidden anti-male feelings, a result of the old system, will foul us up if they are allowed to persist. † This is directly followed by the anecdote explaining the necessity for â€Å"mad money†Ã¢â‚¬â€that men are untrustworthy, inconsiderate beasts. The anecdote clearly provides evidence and support for the fact that women have anti-male feelings. Shortly after capturing the reader’s interest with the introductory anecdote, Roiphe begins using contrast. The numerous examples of contrast throughout the essay portray men and women as being drastically different, especially morally. Boys are thought to be incapable of engaging in â€Å". . . easy companionship . . . † as girls are able to do, and men are generally believed to be â€Å". . . less moral . . . † than women. â€Å"Everyone assumes a mother will not let her child starve, yet it is necessary to legislate that a father must not do so. † Roiphe uses contrast to illustrate the common anti-male attitudes women have, and in doing so, makes it obvious that women feel superior to men. This exactly, Roiphe points out, is the barrier to equality between men and women. It is clear to the reader that equality between the sexes will never exist as long as women continue to feel superior to men. The contrasts also function to support points Roiphe makes later concerning the similarities between men and women. About midway through the essay, Roiphe makes a transition from contrast to comparison. She begins focusing on the idea that women are actually quite similar to men. She bluntly states, â€Å"Intellectually I know that’s ridiculous . . . † to assume â€Å". . . that women given power would not create wars. † She admits, â€Å"Aggression is not . . . a male-sex-linked characteristic . . . .† Comparisons such as these smoothly lead Roiphe into making one of her strongest comparisons—that â€Å". . . us laughing at them, us feeling superior to them, us ridiculing them behind their backs . . . † is â€Å". . . inescapably female chauvinist sowness. † These comparisons, particularly the last one, are shocking and cause the reader to reflect on previous ideas in the essay. Roiphe’s statement, â€Å". . . what they have done to us, and of course they have, and they did and they are . . . ,† momentarily makes readers believe that men are mainly to blame for the inequality between the sexes. However, through effective comparison Roiphe leads her readers to logically infer that women must also be responsible for the inequality between men and women. It then becomes clear to the reader that the â€Å". . . secret sense of superiority . . . † women feel is what makes them equally as chauvinistic as men. More important than the functions of the techniques she uses independently is how Roiphe uses them together. For example, had she bluntly stated early in her essay that women are â€Å"female chauvinist sows,† without preceding it with contrast, a quite different effect would have been created. Her readers, particularly the women, would have undoubtedly been offended. This approach would certainly have prevented the essay from being convincing. It is obvious that Roiphe purposely used the techniques in a planned way. This allowed her to create a specifically designed essay that was beneficial in helping her present her ideas.

Manual vs. Automated Statistical Process Control in the Food Industries

Israel Ortega-Ramos The Prime Example Our recent visit to a food packaging plant in New Jersey highlighted the inconsistent results of statistical process control routinely faced by Quality Control Managers. Product weight readings were taken from the manufacturing floor, entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed. The results produced no predictable under or over filling trend despite the fact that the same people used the same scales at the same time of day. The problem is simple and fundamental. Human error is an inevitable part of the process of collecting statistical data.This is consistently overlooked in companies that utilize manual SPC[1] (statistical process control) for their manufactured goods. To ensure the human error factor is eliminated, resulting in lower costs and increased profitability, manufactures must begin utilizing more â€Å"high-tech† means of collecting, analyzing, and storing SPC data. The Hidden Problems of the Current Manual SPC Process To be tter understand the core problem, and find a solution, it is pivotal to understand how this food packaging plant utilizes manual SPC.Generally, several samples are taken from a product line at different times of day, usually 15 or 20 samples at a time. These samples are then individually weighed; a line worker records the results on a clipboard for analysis. The individual weight readings are entered into a computer and various statistical calculations are derived from the weighing results, including frequency distribution charts and Pareto charts that are used to adjust the actual filling machines to deliver a consistent result.The Quality Manager must then resolve any conflict between under filling a package, which breaks government laws and overfilling a package which causes lost revenue. Using the diagram to get a better understanding of SPC will make it easier to locate the fundamental problems with the manual SPC system in use. The problems begin with the manual recording of 1 5 identical products by the line workers. The simple act of weighing an item then transferring the result to a clipboard by pencil or pen is flawed and full of possible errors, i. . the incorrect number can be recorded or a sample can be weighed accidentally more than once. This means the human emotion factor begins to play a large part in the problematic result. In addition, the manager obtains the clipboard results from the same worker who is required to climb inside the hot filling machine to adjust the volume if the weight results are not consistent. A line worker therefore might also assume that weight readings on the clipboard that differ from each other might mean he/she is not doing a good job.The underlying result of a manual SPC system is the company loses money resulting when each package of food is either overfilled beyond the nominal weight or worse being under-filled which could mean hefty government fines. To summarize, the current manual SPC process allows too many e rrors and offers no traceability of weighing results throughout the system. The implementation of an automated SPC scale system would eliminate these manual user errors with only a few changes and a small capital investment. The Advantages of an Automated SPC SystemDesigning an automatic SPC system that eliminates human error begins by removing the manual element from employee responsibility. This will alleviate human recording errors and the fudging of actual weight results. To accomplish this, the old scale, clipboard, and pencil must be removed and replaced with a scale system equipped with automated SPC software. This software is fully configurable to satisfy all SPC tolerances. The scale display will actually prompt the worker when to place a product on the scale.The fully automated â€Å"SPC Scale System† will not allow products placed on the scale to be removed; rather only permit the addition of new products. This will eliminate the possibility of placing the same pro duct on the scale more than once, as well as any confusion and/or fudging. The scale will then calculate the statistical data after the last product is placed on the scale and store this data in a password-protected memory for collection by the Quality Manager. This statistical data can then be sent wirelessly to a spreadsheet, printed on a label to accompany the sampled roduct, or simply viewed on the scale interface. The flow diagram below shows the improved SPC process. Companies can also utilize various connectivity and software options that can integrate filling machines to automated SPC scale systems. This means that fill volumes based on trends calculated by the scale can be adjusted via an automated system. Quality Control Managers and Plant Managers can also connect all the SPC scale systems in a factory via a central control computer that will provide easy access to â€Å"real-time† data.Integrating an automated SPC Scale System into a manufacturing environment will have the following advantages over the older manual SPC systems: Upgrading outdated manual SPC processes is the first step to improve overall quality, efficiency, and trace ability. This can be accomplished with as little as $5,000 in capital investment. Quality Control Managers and Plant managers have to take a hard look at how their product samples are being weighed and how these measurements are turned into results that can improve production line efficiency.It is now time for companies to step into the 21st century and upgrade to a fully automatic SPC weighing system. [pic] ———————– ———————– Error Filled SPC System START Statistical data evaluated and translated into adjustments to correct filling machine fill volumes. Data transferred from clipboard to spreadsheet for statistical evaluation. Each product is placed on scale. Random Batch of Product taken from Producti on Line.Filling machines manually adjusted according to collected data. Data collected by Quality Control Manager. Weight is recorded on clipboard in order weighed on scale. FINISH Optional Filling Machines adjusted automatically by SPC scale system. FINISH Random Batch of Product taken from Production Line. Each product is placed on scale. Scale automatically calculates statistical data. Statistical Data transferred to computer database directly via wireless or Ethernet connection. START Product Weight Scatter Graph.

Mgt602 Case Study Sample

Starbuck’ Strategy and Internal Initiatives to Return to Profitable Growth Shangze Li MGT 602 National University April 13, 2012 Starbuck’s Strategic Analysis Mission From the stuff of the textbook, there are some content about Starbucks’ mission statement. Howard Schultze who is the chairman and CEO of Starbucks would like their mission statement to convey a strong sense of organizational purpose and to articulate Starbucks’ fundamental beliefs and guiding principles. They renewed their mission statement in October, 2008.It is â€Å"To inspire and nurture the human spirit- one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time here are the principles of how we live that every day† (Thompson, 2012). The strategic mission of Starbucks is to establish Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand name in coffee and for the company to be admired for its corporate responsibility. Starbucks has six corporate values as its own internal guideline. Firs tly, provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity.Secondly, embrace diversity as essential component in their business approaches. Thirdly, apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing process. Fourthly, roast and deliver fresh coffee. Fifthly, develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. Sixthly, contribute positively to communities and environment, and recognize that profitability is essential to their future success. As such, Starbucks uses these principles as a guideline for all employees to achieve the company’s goals (Starbucks, 2012). Store Expansion StrategyThompson mentioned Starbucks’ expansion strategy in this case. From 1993, Starbucks began their geographic expansion strategy to target areas. They believed â€Å"Starbucks everywhere† strategy cut down on delivery and management costs. The data showing that their operating margin was 14. 3% in fiscal 2007, but declining store sales and depressed economic conditions had driven the margin down to 6. 0% in fiscal 2008 and 7. 5% in fiscal 2009. In 1995, Starbucks began entering into licensing agreements for store locations in areas where it did not have ability to locate its own outlets.Till September 2009, Starbucks had company-operated and licensed stores in 50 countries and expected to open 200 new stored internationally in fiscal 2010 (Thompson, 2012). Revenue growth is decreasing because Starbucks lacks experienced management. Schultz has never led a growth effort of such magnitude and is just learning what the job of DEO is all about. Additionally, the US economic slowdown makes Starbucks experience a steeper fall and the customers are more price sensitive the past year. Customers lose their jobs, they don’t have money to drink coffee in Starbucks.According to this situation, Starbucks should reduce their US expansion efforts. Continued aggressive expansion in the United States by adding as many new stor e locations as in the past will inevitably act to cannibalize existing locations same store sales. The specialty coffee industry in the United State has entered the mature stage. One of the qualities inherent to the mature stage of the industry lifecycle is overcapacity. Any significant expansion efforts in an environment where overcapacity is present will be met with failure.By reducing their expansion efforts in the United States, Starbucks can redirect the capital saved into their international expansion efforts. The international market provides an ideal target for expansion and the penetration rate of specialty coffee in many nations is low and these countries have the potential market share capacity (Larson, 2008). Business Strategy From the mid-1990, Starbucks started their products strategy. The strategic objectives were to capitalize on Starbucks’ growing brand awareness and brand-name strength and create a broader foundation for sustained long-term growth in revenue s and profits (Thompson, 2012).Starbucks should start new independent business unit for new products, with decentralization for products-group structure. They should reduce cross functional tasks to reduce confusion between employees and increase efficiency. Starbucks gets the outsiders of their board to gain potential new ideas in new business. Exploring new business is a blue ocean strategy and gets a first mover advantage (Paydirect, 2012). Marketing Starbucks had spent relatively little money on advertising, preferring instead to build the brand cup by cup with customers and depend on word of mouth and the appeal of its storefronts.Adverting expenditures were $126. 3million in fiscal 2009, versus $129. 0 million in fiscal in 2008. Starbucks stepped up advertising efforts in 2008 to combat the strategic initiatives of McDonald’s and several other fast-food chains to begin offering premium coffees and coffee drinks at prices below those charged by Starbucks (Thompson, 2012) . Store Ambience Starbucks should create a store atmosphere that fits the local settings and by training baristas to increase the personal connection between themselves and their customers.Starbucks encourage s feedback from their customers to induce a family like feeling and instructs all baristas to greet every customer. To further increase this emotional connection with their customers, Starbucks can implement digital picture frames in all store locations and uploads local customer photos and perhaps even customer supplied family photos, customers have the option of uploading some of their family photos into the digital picture frames Starbucks gives them the chance to personalize their local coffee shop and joins a community (Larson, 2008).Research and development Starbucks can continue in their research and development strategy by being the technological leader in the coffee retail business (Thompson, 2012). Starbucks should continually improve the coffee’s variety. Maga zine consumer reports rated McDonald’s drip coffee as tasting better than that of Starbucks in 2009. To ensure the quality of their coffee, Starbucks should continually analyze their brewing systems and practices and considers renovations.The brewing process should at all times be judged based upon its ability to bring out the complexities and distinctive flavors of the world’s different exotic specialty coffees. Starbucks introduces their Tazo tea brand into the Japanese market. After a successful trial run in Japan, Tazo is brought into the US markets. Starbucks should diversify in related business to secure its own business, as customers have brand preference such as Macdonald, Donuts and so on (Paydirect, 2012). FinanceIn March 2010, Starbucks announced it first-ever cash dividend of $0. 10 per share to be paid quarterly starting with the second quarter of fiscal 2010. Net revenues increased 8. 6 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 compared with the same q uarter in fiscal 2009 (Thompson, 2012). Starbucks should use the best of their economies of scale to reduce costs. Starbucks should start new independent business unit for analyze the cost and return of new coffee’s product which is a cost driver.Accountants and auditors should follow the corporate governance to control some unnecessary expense and use performance test to identify the financial competitive advantage (Paydirect, 2012). Starbucks should evaluate their performance substantively and symbolically to avoid any accumulative financial losses to take quick corrective actions. The best evaluation method for Starbucks will be measuring ROI for any new investment they made and for the old investments as well. Starbucks should measures net profit for each store to separate between profitable and non-profitable stores.Hence, Starbucks will have a clear financial positioning (Paydirect, 2012). Reference Larson, R. C. (2008). Starbucks a strategic analysis. Retrieved on Sep 22,2012 from http:// coe. brown. edu/documents/starbucksastrategicanalysis_ R. Larson_honors_2009. pdf Paydirect. (2012). About Us. starbucks. Retrieved from Sep 20, 2012 from http://www. starbucks. com/about-us Thompson, A. A. , Peteraf, M. A. , Gamble, J. E. , Strickland III, A. J. (2012). Crafting and Executing Strategy: concepts and cases: global edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Learning Team Peer Evaluation Essay

Team C members discussed the Implementation, Strategic Controls, Contingency Plans assignment and the feedback provided for each team member’s document. In the discussion, each team member had an opportunity to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of each paper. Members noted several areas for improvement and team members will use the suggestions to make revisions to individual paper. Areas for Improvement The most common section requiring additional work is the key success factors section. Budget, forecast financials, and break-even charts require additional clarification. Some papers thoroughly cover most of the requirements but miss one area. The second topic addressed is the lack of detail for functional tactics, milestones, tasks, and resource allocation. A couple of team members are experiencing trouble identifying specific measurable objectives for their implementation plan. According to Pearce and Robinson (2013), â€Å"Objectives must clearly and concretely state what will be achieved and when it will be achievedâ€Å" (p. 193 ). The third suggestion for improvement was to tie the risk management plan to the implementation plan. Some team members struggled with describing the change in risks with the implementation plan and management of the risks. Other minor suggestions for improvement include the grammar and APA formatting. Areas of Strength Each team member prepared a well organized first draft. The papers provide an excellent understanding of the member’s company and the implementation plans suggested. The drafts indicated that the team members had performed significant research for the papers. Each team member received multiple tips or suggestions for improving his or her paper. For example, a team member suggested using tables for the financial statements to increase ease of reading. Another member pointed out the importance of the SWOT analysis as  part of the risk management plan. Conclusion Team C members completed the Implementation, Strategic Controls, and Contingency Plans assignment, provided feedback to each team member, and will use the feedback to finalize their individual paper. The exercise allows a team member to get a different perspective on the same assignment and receive valuable suggestions for improving the member’s work. Each team member’s paper is stronger due to this process. References Pearce, J.A. & Robinson, R.B. (2013). Strategic management: Planning for domestic and global competition (13th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix ebook collection database.

Poem Analysis of John Clare’s First Love Essay

The poem First Love by John Clare is written about the poet’s feelings of unrequited love for a wealthy farmer’s daughter, Mary Joyce. The poet uses various unusual effects in the poem to convey this sense of loss, providing deep insights into his mind in a seemingly simple and brief piece. Combined with words which reflect the mood in each verse, these make it a very powerful poem. An unusual form of contrast is used in First Love to create a powerful effect. The use of limited vocabulary is part of this, evident throughout the poem. The repetition of â€Å"sweet† suggests that the poet has not, or cannot, think of another adjective. This is further shown in the way that he starts the second stanza with â€Å"and then†, a very informal and unusual opening in a poem. Combined with this, an informal tone is developed with the use of phrases such as â€Å"blood rushed to my face† and â€Å"I never saw so sweet a face†. Despite this informal tone, the message of the poem is very insightful, as it shows a view into the poet’s mind. Rhythm in the poem is key to this, creating six sections in the poem, with the rhyme scheme for each being A, B, A, B, or for example â€Å"hour†, â€Å"sweet†, â€Å"flower†, â€Å"complete†. These sections of four lines each can be seen as individual thoughts of Clare, as they each deal with a slightly separate topic. Rhetorical questions such as â€Å"Is love’s bed always snow† also contribute to this effect, as they are almost addressed back to the poet, providing an insight into his mind. Creating a thoughtful, musing atmosphere, these make First Love a powerful poem by contrasting the deep insights into the poet’s mind and the effects this love has had on him with the simple tone and vocabulary. Divided into three stanzas, the poems examines the consequences of John Clare’s unrequited love for Mary Joyce. Stanza one deals with his initial effects she has on him, such as the total awe and shock at her beauty. In the first line, â€Å"struck† and â€Å"hour† create a metaphor of a clock, implying that this is the start of a new hour, or era in his life. The way that she has completely taken over Clare’s life is evident in the use of â€Å"stole my heart away†, and his helplessness in her hands is exemplified by his legs refus[ing] to walk away† and the question, â€Å"what could I ail? â€Å". These words combine to show that the sight of Mary Joyce for the first time has left the poet helpless and overcome by her, creating a powerful effect. Clare’s affected perception of reality is shown in the second stanza. The metaphor of his love taking his â€Å"eyesight quite away† so that the â€Å"trees and bushes† â€Å"seemed midnight at noonday† shows the reversal of Clare’s worldviews as a result of this love. The way that â€Å"words from [his] eyes did start†, which â€Å"spoke as chords do from the string† conveys the scope of this, that he begins to talk in a different way, one that is universally recognised like music – the language of love. These two metaphors make the poem powerful by conveying the effect love has had on the poet. The final stanza changes the tone of the poem, lamenting the fact that Clare’s love is unrequited. Introduced by two questions which compare Mary Joyce to â€Å"winter† and â€Å"snow†, it shows that she is cold and hard. It then concludes by linking Joyce’s â€Å"sweet†¦ ace† back to the â€Å"sweet flower† mentioned in the first stanza, but shows that she has trapped him, so that his â€Å"heart† â€Å"can return no more† to where it once was. The choice of cold, unforgiving words such as â€Å"winter†, â€Å"snow† and â€Å"silent† creates an atmosphere of lament and sorrow, and the final line links back to the first, which implies the start of a new age for Clare, as he â€Å"can return no more†. This stanza makes the poem powerful by effectively concluding the poem, and by introducing the sorrow which is the final effect love has had on the poet. The power and effectiveness of First Love is not in the cliched message of unrequited love itself, but the way that it portrayed. Clothed in a simple vocabulary and soft meter, a deep message is hidden which evokes great sympathy in the reader. By opening a window into the poet’s mind, the reader is able to see the complete hold the love has on Clare’s life and thoughts. Accomplished through contrast and effective word choice, this is the reason John Clare’s First Love is such a powerful poem.