Facts of Palese v. Delaware State Lottery Office Essay

Facts of Palese v. Delaware State Lottery Office - Essay Example Palese contacted the Lottery Office in writing, describing his predicament and was directed to wait for one year so that his claim could be reviewed. 11 months later, Palese read in the dailies that the Lottery Office had transferred his unclaimed lottery jackpot to the State’s General Fund. Palese contacted the Lottery Office again and was told to explain how he had purchased the lottery and lost the tickets, much to Palese’s compliance. Even after hearing that Palese still had the play slip, the Lottery Office held that he was to be denied his claim since he could not produce his actual winning ticket. Palese took the matter to the court for litigation while the Lottery Office equally rushed to dismiss Palese’s claim on the account that Palese could not sufficiently state his claim for which the relief was to be granted. In the case Palese v. Delaware State Lottery Office, 1546-N, as the plaintiff, Palese accuses the Lottery Office of unjust enrichment since it had taken his rightfully owned prize to the State’s General Fund. In this light, he wants the prize he had won to be accorded him. Whether or not the rules of the Lottery Act such as Lottery Regulation 18 and 19 should be amended to allow the Lottery Act to capture unforeseeable circumstances such as inadvertent destruction or loss of the winning ticket. The Court of Chancery of Delaware heard from both the plaintiff and the respondent and referred to the directives in the Lottery Act, the Lottery Regulation 18 and 19 to arrive at its verdict.

Assessment Of For And As Learning Essay Example for Free

Assessment Of For And As Learning Essay Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. Teachers’ Roles in Assessment of Learning Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide  ?a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular point in time ?clear descriptions of the intended learning ?processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill ?a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes ?public and defensible reference points for making judgments ? Transparent approaches to interpretation ?descriptions of the assessment process ?strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as  occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING Assessment for learning focuses on engaging students in classroom assessment in support of their own learning and informing teachers about what to do next to help students to progress. Assessment for learning is assessment for improvement not assessment for accountability as can be the case with summative assessments (Stiggins, 2002). The keys to Assessment for Learning (AFL) is to use a variety of assessment tools and methods in order to provide ongoing evidence to students, teachers and parents that demonstrates how  well each student is mastering the identified outcomes. This evidence is used to provide descriptive feedback to the students and to enable the teacher to differentiate the instruction to meet the needs of individual students or groups. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING VS. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Gregory, Cameron, and Davies (1997) outline some distinct differences between Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning. Educators are using these terms to help distinguish between the teachers role as a learning coach versus the teachers role of judging the extent of a students achievement in relation to an established standard. This assessment is considered summative and is done at the end. 1. Assessment for learning is the big deal, while assessment of learning is the done deal. 2. Assessment for learning is formative, while assessment of learning is summative. 3. Assessment for learning is supportive, while assessment of learning measures. 4. Assessment for learning uses descriptions, while assessment of learning uses scores. 5. Assessment for learning happens day by day, moment by moment, while assessment of learning happens at the end. The assertion is that neither one is better than the other, but both need to be used within a  students learning so that the student is able to understand not only the work that is being asked of them, but also how their own learning occurs. Assessment for learning is intended to be both diagnostic and formative to help students improve their learning. Four critical questions that the teacher must ask when planning for assessment for learning: WHY AM I ASSESSING? If the intent of assessment is to enhance student learning teachers use assessment for learning to uncover what students believe to be true and to learn more about the connections students are making, their prior knowledge, preconceptions, gaps, and learning styles. This information is used to inform and differntiate instruction to build on what students already know and to challenge students when their are problems inhibiting progression to the next stages of learning. Teachers use this information to provide their students with descriptive feedback that will further their learning and not as a sumamtive assessment or to report a grade. WHAT AM I ASSESSING? Assessment for learning requires ongoing assessment of the outcomes that comprise the intended learning. In most cases these are the curriculum outcomes. Teachers create assessments that will  expose students’ thinking and skills in relation to the intended learning, and the common preconceptions. WHAT ASSESSMENT METHOD SHOULD I USE? When planning assessment for learning, the teacher must think about what assessment is designed to expose, and must decide which assessment approaches are most likely to give detailed information about what each student is thinking and learning. The methods need to incorporate a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their learning. For example, having students complete tasks orally or through visual representation allow those who are struggling  with reading or writing to demonstrate their learning. HOW CAN I USE THE INFORMA%ON? The information collected in assessment for learning is used to report to the student and by offering descriptive, on time feedback and to provide the teacher with information to allow for changes in instruction for individual students or groups of students. ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING Assessment as learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and  how to use assessment for new learning. Assessment as learning: ?encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning ?requires students to ask questions about their learning ?involves teachers and students creating learning goals to encourage growth and development ?provides ways for students to use formal and informal feedback and self-assessment to help them understand the next steps in learning ?encourages peer assessment, self-assessment and reflection. ROLES This assessment model supports the view of today’s learners as actively involved in the learning process. Students are educated on the purpose of assignments and the outcomes they are trying to achieve. Hence the teacher and the student both have critical roles in understanding learning outcomes and modifying learning in Assessment as Learning. Teacher Ensuring assessment methods are appropriate and the purpose is clear to students ensures quality and fair assessment practices as per the Principles for Fair Student Assessment in Canada (1993). Beyond choosing the learning outcomes to be covered, the activities to follow and the assessment methods, in Assessment as Learning, the teacher engages the students in this process. In Assessment as Learning, the teacher is a guide, â€Å"Giving them [students] the tools to undertake their own learning wisely and well. † (WNCP, p. 42) Students learn to monitor their own learning and make adaptations as required. In addition to monitoring learning and guiding instruction through assessment for learning, the teacher is assessing the students’ ability to assess themselves as they learn how to assess their own learning. Teachers can follow the following model in order to practice Assessment as Learning in their classroom: (adapted from WNCP, p. 42-43) 1. Discuss the learning outcomes with the students. 2. Create criteria with the students for the various tasks that need to be completed and/or skills that need to be learned or mastered 3. Provide feedback to students as they learn and ask them guiding questions to help them monitor their own learning 4. Help them set goals to extend or support their learning as needed in order to meet or fully meet the expectations 5. Provide reference points and examples for the learning outcomes Teachers are also responsible for ensuring that students have a learning environment in which they feel comfortable and safe to learn as well as have ample time to practise what is being  taught. Student Beyond completing the tasks assigned to them by their teacher, students move from the passive learner to an active owner of their own learning. Initially, with teacher guidance and tools, students learn to monitor if they have understood the learning outcome being explored and the metacognitive process. Once the metacognitive skills have been acquired, students can independently adjust their learning accordingly and demonstrate the â€Å"self-reflection, self- monitoring and self-adjustment. † (WNCP, 2006, p. 85) Extensive and relevant modeling in the questions below can help students reach this point: 1. What is the purpose of learning these concepts and skills? 2. What do I know about this topic? 3. What strategies do I know that will help me learn this? 4. Am I understanding these concepts? 5. What are the criteria for improving my work? 6. Have I accomplished the goals I set for myself? What is self-assessment? According to Boud (1995), all assessment including self-assessment comprises two main elements: making decisions about the standards of performance expected and then making judgments about the quality of the performance in relation to these standards. When self-assessment is introduced, it should ideally involve students in both of these aspects. Andrade and Du (2007) provide a helpful definition of self-assessment that focuses on the formative learning that it can promote: Self-assessment is a process of formative assessment during which students reflect on and evaluate the quality of their work and their learning, judge the degree to which they reflect explicitly stated goals or criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses in their work, and revise accordingly (2007, p. 160). EXAMPLES OF SELF-ASSESSMENT Self-assessment can take many forms, including: ?writing conferences ?discussion (whole-class or small-group) ?reflection logs ?weekly self-evaluations ?self-assessment checklists and inventories ?teacher-student interviews These types of self-assessment share a common theme: they ask students to review their work to determine what they have learned and what areas of confusion still exist. Although each method differs slightly, all should include enough time for students to consider thoughtfully and evaluate their progress. When students understand the criteria for good work before they begin a literacy activity, they are more likely to meet those criteria. The key to this understanding is to make the criteria clear. As students evaluate their work, you may want them to set up their own criteria for good work. Help them with the clarity of their criteria as they assess their own work. Students observations and reflections can also provide valuable feedback for refining your instructional plan. As your students answer questions about their learning and the strategies they use, think about their responses to find out what they are really learning and to see if they are learning what you are teaching them. K-W-L (KNOW, WANT TO KNOW, LEARNED) CHART. K-W-L (Ogle, 1986) is an instructional reading strategy that is used to guide students through a text. Students begin by brainstorming everything they Know about a topic. This information is recorded in the K column of a K-W-L chart. Students then generate a list of questions about what they Want to Know about the topic. These questions are listed in the W column of the chart. During or after reading, students answer the questions that are in the W column. This new information that they have Learned is recorded in the L column of the K-W-L chart. Purpose The K-W-L strategy serves several purposes: Elicits students’ prior knowledge of the topic of the text. ?Sets a purpose for reading. ?Helps students to monitor their comprehension. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Donna Ogle asserts that KWL helps students become better readers of expository text and helps teachers to be more interactive in their teaching (Ogle, 1987). KWL charts help students to be active thinkers while they read (Carr Ogle, 1987), giving them specific things to look for and having them reflect on what they learned when they are finished reading. In learning, metacognition involves the active monitoring and conscious control and regulation  of cognitive processes. It involves thinking about thinking, self-awareness, and self-regulation (Flavell, 1979). The metacognitive strategy of self-questioning is used to ensure that students comprehend the text. When students set their own purposes for reading, they are more motivated and active as readers. Each student has a schema, or a framework for how they view the world. Accessing a students prior knowledge is the first step in integrating new concepts into their existing schema. KWL charts help activate background knowledge and provide an opportunity for students to set their own learning objectives.

The Merchant Of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

In The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, there appears Shylock. He is a Jew, that much we are told in the cast list. But, as the play unfolds Shylock is seen to be the villian. He is protrayed as being cold, unbending, and evil. But is he? Is Shylock really the antagonist in this play or can he also be viewed as persecuted individual who resorts to revenge only after he has been pushed too far.To fully understand the character of Shylock we must first look at Elizabeathen attitudes towards Jews. In the sixteenth century Jews were rarely if ever seen in England. In the Middle Ages Jews had fled to England to escape persecution in France under the Normans. They were granted charter in England by Henry I in return for a percentage of their profits from trade and moneylending. It is here that the stereotype of Jews lending money was started. Because of the tariffs placed on them by the crown Jews took to charging high interest rates to secure profits for themselves. Here we see echos of Shylock with his usury. Finally the Jews were ordered out of England in 1254 by Edward I. They did not return to England until the later half of the seventeenth century. (Lippman 3-4) Jews were also viewed as devils by Elizabeathan audiences. Old stories portrayed them as "blood-thirsty murders" that poisoned wells and killed Christian children for their bizarre Passover ritu! als. (Stirling 2:1) These were the stereotypes which Shakespeare's audience held in regard to Jews. Shakespeare himself had never seen a Jew but he goes to great lengths to humanize Shylock even while perpetuating the stereotype.In Act 1:3, before Shylock ever says a word to Antonio, he lets the audience know in an aside that he hates Antonio. He hates him for having hindered him in business and for having humiliated him in public by spitting on him and calling him names such as "dog" and "cutthroat Jew". Shylock tells the audience he hopes to exact revenge on Antonio both for his own humiliation and for the persecution that the Jews have long suffered at the hands of the Christians. I hate him for he is a Christian;. . . If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.He hates our sacred nation . . . Cursà ©d be my tribe if I forgive him (I,iii,40-49) Shylock then tells Antonio that he wants to be friends with him and will conclude the bond for a pound of flesh as a "merry sport.

Similarities Between Fredrick Douglas And Abraham Lincoln History Essay

In my research paper the two parties Douglas and Lincoln has undergone a batch in footings of political differences foremost Douglas announced that his work was to contend against bondage both in united provinces and England while Lincoln on the other side could non desire to make away with bondage since he believes that it will rupture away the brotherhood in the government.douglas docket was to set up political system which will get rid of bondage in the brotherhood and bondage that should be within the fundamental law and he believe that affecting the local communities in political activities will be morbific and it might travel domestic force head while on the other side Lincoln admitted that the lone manner to populate is to keep work forces in bondage since bondage was their in the provinces. While labor coachs believe he will alter so much democracy party into abolitionist party Lincoln viewed that war was the worst scenario he will conceive of while Douglas princely wanted wh at Lincoln did non desire. Douglas was owned as the black leader and symbol of his age and he his ago mind which most of the Americans did non like. Douglas was respected as the male parent laminitis in August 10, 1863 relationship between Douglas and Lincoln starts to trap down after Douglas won the game. Now at this point Lincoln starts to alter and positions towards black has wholly and a black was invited to the white house and was respected so much. At this point Douglas respected Lincoln which was now a complete bend around from the populace which was announced through newspaper. Relationship between Fredrick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. The impact between Fredrick and Douglas was based on bondage in USA which has caused both a self-taught fleeting slave.douglas has announced his work as a bondage in America but he proudly announced that both united provinces and England printing antislavery newspaper that nil will of all time halt him from contending against bondage. During elections of Abraham Lincoln for presidential term sparked a concatenation of several events which in one manner or another will do civil war. Lincoln was pushed towards a unequivocal immediate of policy Douglas for about four old ages. Relationship between Douglas and Lincoln was really announced by correspondence by usage of newspaper or public meetings and letters and subsequently they merely met during proclamation.Relationship between Douglas and Fredrick went down due to difference in policies and they had tenuous relationship. However their relationship starts to turn and they became profound when the worlds of war ended in America bondage which bound the two towards regard for the other. Douglas his docket was to set up political system which will get rid of bondage. Douglas focused much to stop bondage which he thought and said it is merely to utilize political leaders in the authorities and get rid ofing the bondage should be within the fundamental law. It was proved that if the local community and regional activities political relations will be morbific which was traveling really foremost in footings of political relations. Douglas subsequently realizes that if he gives a opportunity to the 3rd party he will hold a even no opportunity during the run because there political relations are based on antislavery. The formation of party in 1854 was proved now that it was the good to emancipationists. In the republic party there were some elements like autonomy party, free dirt party and other antislavery forces which were from democratic and Whig parties. With the combination of several parties the political entreaty t o Douglas that may be it was the best party to come in white house. Although it was the first to make up one's mind may be republic will give him a opportunity to come in. Douglas was in high fright that no president cognize how to stop bondage which he thought that it was merely by continuing peace and brotherhood in the nation.Mr. Lincoln admitted that the lone manner to populate is to keep work forces in bondage since it is bing in the provinces this was the beginning of rough unfavorable judgment and Douglas activist ‘s attitudes of Lincoln with the disposal. Douglas believes so much that he will turn the republic party into abolitionist party and Lincoln will be abolitionist president. Lincoln was elected to the office but Douglas remains while watching Lincoln in emancipate. Lincoln believe so much in bondage that will convey difference in parties which led to enduring from fatally equivocal attitude towards negro.Lincoln believe so much that if bondage will stop it will convey down sectional struggles and prevent warfare so harmonizing to Lincoln positions is that theirs no inquiry of bondage and it will go forth the public head rested with the class of ultimate extinction. He insisted that there is no point of universe where Black is non entitled to any enumerated in declaration of independency. Abraham took the office in 1861 and he knew the office need a batch of fix. Day by twenty-four hours there was a batch of debating refering the slave dealers issues in the whole state and at this minute Lincoln and Douglas had two different dockets. Lincoln needed president mission war to salvage brotherhood while Douglas need to liberate slaves and either manner to safe the citizens. Lincoln viewed that war was the worst scenario while Douglas exactly wanted what Lincoln did non desire regardless to what either two wanted the war did non come both Douglas and Fredric now both openly fought for their causes. Subsequently that twelvemonth, when the secretary of war barratry Cameroon build uping slaves within the boundary lines. Lincoln made him to halt the subdivision. Again Lincoln tried to avoid doing determinations refering bondage in may 1862, general David huntsman issued order to liberate all slaves in south military part. Which included south Carolina, Georgia and florida.In 1862 Lincoln announced announcement revoking general huntsman order and he declare that the authorities of stats does non hold cognition, information, belief, and the proceed which make Lincoln to experience so hard-pressed and from political signed a measure get rid ofing bondage in territory of Colombia, and in may he roll up with general Benjamin ‘s policy of contrabands of war which freed by grand 1000s of slaves run off to butler positon.Lincoln was a good leader who valued legality and he was a politician who moved merely when clip is right for him to make so..In 1862 it was important policies of Li ncoln disposal Lincoln started to acknowledge issues of emancipation and saving of brotherhood. Went manus in manus. Now agendas merge that s military and political agendas.lincoln starts moving towards abolishment. Douglas grew more hawkish with Lincoln disposal and kept to force them in way of emancipation. But Lincoln still stick to continuing brotherhood which was the major job Douglas pressed on to unfavorable judgment of Lincoln disposal ‘s inability to take powerful step against slavery..Douglas article announce boulder clay Lincoln announced of emancipation announcement.In September 1862, the article state us more of what expected from Lincoln was so impatient of public Douglas was still waiting for Lincoln to stop war of seting the slaves in danger. In September 1862 publication of Douglas monthly article the presidents addresss straight attack in Lincoln character increasing go throughing doing himself look silly and pathetic, unacceptable and his unlogical statement and unfair it farther claim yet to rally bravery and candidly plenty to obey and put to death his testimonies In the class of war Douglas see some old conservative policies which he try to get down to convey up the brotherhood back together.In 1863 Douglas attempt to appeal many sides of pandemonium in the state but unsuccefully Lincoln leave Douglas frustrated and now Lincoln would observe thought that he has play cards on Douglas. Thinks were non working good to convey state together so he had do his ain bold manner and move. During the summer of 1862, Lincoln had talk with the cabinet in private about fundamental law was believing it was the best idea to prorogue the proclamation of the Proclamation until the state was supported by military success. In august 10 1863 relationship between Douglas and Lincoln starts to trap down. Douglas went to Washington to run into Lincoln for the first clip. Lincoln behaviour towards Douglas revealed much about how he felt about him and positions towards black has changed wholly. Black adult male was of all time personally invited into white house with regard. As for the growing of Lincoln towards bondage issues on the juncture Douglas felt Lincoln showed a deeper moral strong beliefs towards bondage that had of all time seen before Douglas appreciated Lincoln for handling has equal has others at this minute Douglas respected Lincoln which was complete bend around from his blazing indignation expressed promotion through his newspapers. Douglas and Lincoln will run into on different ocasssions to discourse on issues of ex-slave and future in United States because to turn more profound. After emancipation of announcement, Lincoln still considers colonisation as variable option to cover with blac k presence. But Douglas, black hitch in military was the strongest sentiment and Confederacy and to be a portion of dignifying and soul enlarger war for black release. Douglas and Lincoln after proclamation of emancipation announcement which make Douglas to turn respect esteem of Lincoln deep regard for Lincoln is true stakes expressed in the old ages after his blackwash the 21st anniversy of Lincoln ‘s decease Douglas true feeling comes out our religion in him is frequently taxed and strained uttermost he subsequently declare that honouring his memory is of import because under his regulation at that place was Confederate provinces which is based upon the thoughts that the race must be slaves. Douglas understanding Lincoln awkwardness to cover with slavery issue was necessary cautiousness he put abolitionion of bondage before him a powerful category of America people and ended resistance.douglas and Lincoln had non yet met until summer of 1863 but their relationship was so good and order to understand how Douglas felt about the political clime and Lincoln emancipation was clear that war which brought the two parties together into political p olitical orientations and now which finally paved the manner for the two to be appreciated and appreciated each other in deep sense and good bosom. The merger of the two political political orientations is non merely to bespeak that work forces change greatly in footings of political but besides to demo the moral and bravery ‘s people and political political orientations merged because the two now have grown to esteem each other deeply Lincoln and Douglas were now in a place to get the better of all troubles they have been undergoing and misconception about the two spouses when Lincoln dies he left Douglas his most favourites walking staff as suspiration of profound appreciated and gratitude Douglas commented on Lincoln by altering a portrayal of him in his place Washington dc the relationship between the two has a milepost in American history that would positively act upon hereafter of race solutions. In the mode of Garry wills Lincoln at Gettysburg ( 1992 ) James a. colaico survey of Fredrick Douglas celebrated 1852 independency twenty-four hours address is far more than scrutiny of individual -hour speech.Calaico seeks for investigation and political societal thought of the most celebrated African emancipationist and political leader of the nineteenth century Douglas was the black leader and symbol of his age, but he was mind and many Americans ignored. Douglas lived more than any other given expressed quandary confronting African Americans they praise independency, fundamental law which calls for quality to all work forces. Douglas statement was hypocrisy to Americans who extolled the significance of July 4th while disregarding the bondage of black Americans.Douglas employed a normal independent to show lip service. In most of his addresss Douglas was a supplier of piercing review of bondage itself. Douglas was a Jeremiah who employ jeremiad as lineation by sacvan bercovitch, invariably naming Americans to abandon their iniquitous manner to carry thr ough Nobel ideals to declare he was the male parent laminitis. The statement that Douglas announced was to the Americans that they need merely to adhere to the ideals of America to accomplish the illustriousness inherent in the establishments. For the reader unversed in the history of abolishment motion, the regulation of William loud fort and conflicts between the moral suasion, and political emancipationists, co-lalacos monograph provides an first-class debut in a concise well-articulated manner the enhances the book without overpowering the cardinal narrative of Douglas ‘s thought about America colaiaco besides covers the key influenced Douglas ‘s thought and finally brought on the civil war in 1829, oration outlined adult males of the same statements Douglas used 20 three old ages subsequently. Douglas ‘s permanent accomplishments was to use those statements to build both a more profound compelling review of position and more realistic vision of station slaves America Both Douglas and Lincoln were born hapless. Douglas was brought up in his grandma slave hovels in Talbot County, Maryland and Lincoln was in one-room, cabin in Harding county, Kentucky.Both lost their female parents when they were really immature though labor coach lost his female parent when he was merely seven old ages old Douglas was separated from her female parent when he was infant. Lincoln lost his female parent due to imbibe toxicant in the toxic milk at the age of nine. Both were born in 1809 while Douglas was born in 1818.In footings of standing they have 6 inches taller than most common work forces in these yearss. Douglas was a slave under American jurisprudence but Lincoln was considered as a slave in the beginning of civil war addresss Douglas urged Lincoln in his public addresss and newspaper to let inkinesss their rights and to contend for freedom. Both work forces married adult females above their societal position and this likely helped them with their success. Doug las married his married woman Anna Murray on September 15, 1838 she was a free black adult female of some agencies five twelvemonth old son.lincoln married marry Todd on November 1842 she was a girls of affluent slare holder from Lexington, both work forces were gifted speechmakers in a twenty-four hours when talkers were regarded on much the manner that many regard athleticss or films stars today. Addresss were a signifier of amusement every bit good as instruction, Lincoln usage his gift for oratory to win elections and derive public supports of policies, both would keep several public offices through their lives. After run intoing senator Samuel promessors of Kansa, secretary of war Edwin Stanton, Douglass arrived at the soldier place when Lincoln was passing the summer. He gave his naming card to sternward and fix for long wait.lincoln greeted Douglas by stating Mr, dougas I know you I have read about you Douglas impressed by the president ‘s fairness said I was ne'er in a ny manner reminded of low beginning or my unpopular colour. Douglas had many meeting with the president in his offices Douglas and Lincoln forged a friendly relationship that would last the remainder of Lincoln ‘s brief life upon ‘s Lincoln decease Douglas was implored to talk at a assemblage of grievers at the Rochester courthouse of his speech.In 1863 that was the clip inkinesss eventually won the right to military services. Fredrick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln met for the first clip in Washington District of Columbia trusting to run into president to seek for damages for the fundamental law. Lincoln ‘s male parent hired him out for manual labour to gain money for the household while Douglas was hired out for his maestro ‘s net income and ointments. They both had small instruction where Douglas began larning to read when he was sent to function huh auild in Baltimore. Auld married woman began to learn Douglas the alphabet.lincoln merely attended 18 months o f formal schooling from itinerate instruction at frontier school. Both portion same basic reading accomplishments and they largely read Bibles. Decision In decision stuff both Douglas and Lincoln has nevertheless thought many how life his hard when the rich merely want go high twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours. Both work forces are truly of self-respect in the other manner Lincoln did non ab initio set out to stop bondage but he merely meant to continue the brotherhood which he thought brotherhood without liberating the slaves would non make.And subsequently I came to recognize that In August 10 1863 relationship between Douglas and Lincoln starts to trap down. Douglas went to Washington to run into Lincoln for the first clip. Lincoln behaviour towards Douglas revealed much about how he felt about him and positions towards black has changed wholly. Black adult male was of all time personally invited into white house with regard. As for the growing of Lincoln towards bondage issues on the juncture Douglas felt Lincoln showed a deeper moral strong belief towards bondage that had of all time seen before Douglas appreciated Lincoln for handling has equal has others. Although both did non see each other oculus to oculus but both did non happen common land on some issues through common regard and civic argument. Most of import lessons that can Americans larn from these two great work forces was that they merely disagree without being disagreeable simple regard goes along manner and you ne'er now. I understand that both work forces Douglas and Lincoln were born hapless. Douglas was brought up in his grandma slave hovels in Talbot County, Maryland and Lincoln was in one-room, cabin in Harding County, Kentucky. Both lost their female parents when they were really immature though labor coach lost his female parent when he was merely seven old ages old Douglas was separated from her female parent when he was baby. Blight W. David, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln: a relationship in linguistic communication, political relations, and memory, lectures, Marquette University Press, 2001 Blight W. David, Beyond the battleground: race, memory & A ; the American Civil War, University of Massachusetts Press, 2002Carson Clayborne, Emma Jones Lapsansky-Werner, Gary B. Nash, African American lives: the battle for freedom, African American Lifes: The Struggle for Freedom, Clayborne Carson, Pearson Longman, 2004 Marten A. James, More than a competition between ground forcess: essays on the Civil War epoch, Frank L. Klement Lecture Series, James Alan Marten, A. Kristen Foster, Kent State University Press, 2008 Benson W Thomas. Rhetoric and political civilization in nineteenth-century America Issue 6 of Rhetoric and public personal businesss series, Thomas W. Benson, Michigan State University Press, 1997.Shenk W.Joshua, Lincoln ‘s Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006 Guyatt N, Providence and the innovation of the United States, Cambridge University Press, 2007 Finkelman P, Encyclopedia of African American history, 1619-1895: from the colonial period to the age of Frederick Douglass, Volume 2, Paul F, Oxford University Press, 2006 Civil War Society, Civil War: the magazine of the Civil War Society, Issues 66-74, Country Publishers, 1998 Douglass F, Douglass ‘ monthly, Volumes 4-5, Negro Universities Press, 1862 Thompson E.Julius, The Frederick Douglass encyclopaedia, James L. Conyers, Nancy J. Dawson, ABC-CLIO, 2010

Becoming a Better Leader

â€Å"You can’t polish a sneaker – an ugly sneaker is an ugly sneaker. † When applied to a leader, some people might think that a good leader is born. However, history has shown that leaders are not exactly born. While observers are inclined to believe that every individual has innate capabilities of becoming a leader, not everybody is able to develop them.Biographies of great leaders show that their willingness and creativity in addressing the demands of their environment helped develop their capabilities.A classic example was Gandhi of India who did nothing grand but was able to move millions of his countrymen to action. By simply staying at home and using his loom to weave his clothing materials, he was able to show that it was possible for India to develop its own industry and become independent of Great Britain (Blagg and Young, 2001).A good leader should not only learn to say no and â€Å"I don’t know. † He or she should have the courage to te ll people the hard realities no matter how adverse, but should be able to help them cope with such realities.As John Kotter once said, â€Å"Great leadership does not mean running away from reality†¦Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties can inspire people to take action that will make the situation better† (Blagg and Young, 2001).Leadership, therefore, involves meeting issues head-on and calling a spade a spade. It is true that a good leader attracts criticisms. He who is never criticized is not doing anything substantial or creative.Who was it who said that â€Å"One can’t please everybody? † Since harsh criticisms come from people who were not pleased or were threatened by one’s actions, surely others must have been satisfied or gratified. It might be a cliche but it is true that a coin has two sides.In like manner, an expert at the Harvard Business School was once quoted as saying that â€Å"There are lots of people who look and act like managers, who have excellent managerial skills, and who don’t make a lot of noise.Nobody is writing cover stories about them† (Joseph Badaracco as cited in Blagg and Young, 2001). An individual who is never censured, reproached, or appreciated, even if he or she is a manager is not a leader.He is somebody who is not exceptional – someone who is simply mediocre. Reference Blagg, D. & Young, S. (2001). What Makes A Good Leader. Harvard Business School Bulleting. Retrieved February 17, 2008 from http://www. alumni. hbs. edu/bulletin/2001/february/leader. html

Comparison of Bao Ninhs book The Sorrow of War and Oliver Stones film Heaven and Earth essays

Comparison of Bao Ninh's book The Sorrow of War and Oliver Stones film Heaven and Earth essays War has always been destructive, both of land and people. The war in Vietnam was no different, and the testimony of the people that lived it makes the events memorable and tragic. In later years the voice to speak for the people involved in the war changed, and so did the point of view. There is no longer just the American side of the story, the hardship that American soldiers went through or had to deal with on return home, but there is also the Vietnamese story, and in no way is these peoples story less dramatic or moving. Both Bao Ninh's book, The Sorrow of War, and Oliver Stones film Heaven and Earth deal with the war in Vietnam as a story told from the perspective of the Vietnamese. In doing so they offer a unique understanding of the people that were involved in the conflict on first bases, the people that lived and fought the war. Because of the media bias with regard to the Vietnam conflict, readers and movie goers world wide know about how the American's suffered in Vietnam and about how it's war veterans have trouble adjusting to life back home in the US. But the American's lost less than a million men in that war and their social institutions and infrastructure survived relatively the war relatively intact. The Vietnamese lost two million men, and their culture, society, landscape, and traditions were literally obliterated by the conflict. Yet their side of the story has seldom been told. Worse still, they have always been portrayed in the media as faceless "gooks", "Charlie", or "VC". Up un til a few years ago, it would have appeared that the Vietnamese participants in the conflict were people without an identity. 1 Bao Ninhs first novel is about his most influential life experience, the war in which he participated as a young man. Born in 1952, he served in the Glorious 27th Youth Brigade during the Vietnam war. Out of the five hundred youths who went to war...

The Life and Death of O. Henry (William Sydney Porter)

The Life and Death of O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) Famous short-story writer O. Henry was born William Sydney Porter on Sept. 11, 1862, in Greensboro, N.C. His father, Algernon Sidney Porter, was a physician. His mother, Mrs. Algernon Sidney Porter (Mary Virginia Swaim), died from consumption when O. Henry was just three years old, so he was raised by his paternal grandmother and his aunt. Early Years and Education O. Henry attended the private elementary school of his aunt, Evelina Porter (Miss Lina), starting in 1867. He then went to Linsey Street High School  in Greensboro, but he  left school at the age of 15 to work as a bookkeeper for his uncle at W. C. Porter and Company Drug Store. As a result,  O. Henry was largely self-taught. Being  an avid reader helped. Marriage,  Career, and Scandal O. Henry worked a number of different jobs, including as a ranch hand in Texas, licensed pharmacist, draftsman, bank clerk, and columnist.  And in 1887, O. Henry  married Athol Estes, stepdaughter of Mr. P. G. Roach. His most notorious occupation was as a bank clerk for the First National Bank of Austin. He resigned from his job in 1894 after he was accused of embezzling funds. In 1896, he was arrested on charges of embezzlement. He posted bail, skipped town, and finally returned in 1897 when he learned that his wife was dying. Athol died on July 25, 1897, leaving him one daughter, Margaret Worth Porter (born in 1889). After O. Henry served his time in prison, he married Sarah Lindsey Coleman in Ashville, N.C. in  1907. She  had been his childhood sweetheart. They separated the following year. The Gift of the Magi Short story The Gift of the Magi is one of O. Henrys most famous works. It was published in 1905 and chronicles a cash-strapped couple tasked with buying Christmas presents for each other. Below are some of the key quotes from the story. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.The magi, as you know, were wise men - wonderfully wise men - who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones. Blind Mans Holiday Blind Mans Holiday was published in the short story collection Whirligigs in 1910. Below is a memorable passage from the work: Man is too thoroughly an egoist not to be also an egotist; if he love, the object shall know it. During a lifetime he may conceal it through stress of expediency and honour, but it shall bubble from his dying lips, though it disrupt a neighbourhood. It is known, however, that most men do not wait so long to disclose their passion. In the case of Lorison, his particular ethics positively forbade him to declare his sentiments, but he must needs dally with the subject... In addition to this passage, here are key quotes from O. Henrys other works: He wrote love stories, a thing I have always kept free from, holding the belief that the well-known and popular sentiment is not properly matter for publication, but something to be privately handled by the alienist and the florist.  - The Plutonian FireIt was beautiful and simple as all truly great swindles are.  - The Octopus Marooned Death O. Henry died a poor man on June 5, 1910. Alcoholism and ill health are believed to have been factors in his death. The cause of his death is listed as cirrhosis of the liver. Funeral services were held at a church in New York City, and he was buried in Ashville. His last words are said to have been: Turn up the lights - I dont want to go home in the dark.

Why you should interview for a job you don’t want

Why you should interview for a job you don’t want Job hunting is a lot of work, whether you’re unemployed or looking while working. You put so much effort into revamping your resume, networking in person and online, and writing cover letters with the hopes of landing something truly great. And then, after weeks or months of the hunt, there’s a bite- you’re offered an interview. But, you’re not excited. At all. Maybe you’re waiting to hear back from your dream company. Maybe you’re just hesitant to accept anything less than awesome before you’ve really gotten yourself out there. You might think the best use of your time is to decline politely and wait for something better to come along. But sometimes it’s smart to take the interview, even when you already know you don’t want the job. Here are some reasons why.You might find you do want the job.You never know when the job you don’t think you want turns out to be a perfect fit. Part of the interview process, we often forget, is for the company to sell you on the position (not just for you to sell yourself to them). Go in, see the workplace, and let them woo you. Find out about the company culture and meet the people with whom you’ll be working. On paper, it’s hard to get a sense of what the day-to-day of a job will be like. In person, your perspective might shift. Don’t cut out options before you know everything about them.Practice makes perfect.The more you get used to putting on your most professional clothes, signing in at an unfamiliar front desk, and sitting in front of strangers while they ask you about your professional expertise, the better you will get at the entire process. If you’re at the start of your career or haven’t been on the market for a while, every interview is excellent practice for the next interview you get. You’ll get your anecdotes down pat and start to get a sense of the questions managers in your chosen field ask people at yo ur level. You’ll want to be as sharp as possible for the interview you’ll get for your dream job. Get all the kinks out when the stakes are low and you’re not buzzing with nerves.You might meet someone to connect with down the line.It’s also always possible that you will meet someone in the course of interviewing who can lead you to your dream job. First, if you get an appointment with a recruiter, they often interview for multiple positions- and sometimes at different companies. Comport yourself professionally and you never know what networking wins you might rack up- he or she will keep you in mind for gigs in the future. Second, if you make a great impression but ultimately turn down the position, you now know a face and name at the company. Maybe for your next move you’ll want to touch base to see what’s open. You can absolutely do so if you rock your interview- even if you don’t take the job.You can use an offer for leverage.Say you really want job X, but they’re dragging their feet in making decisions or final offers. Maybe you’re even on a third or fourth round of interviews. But you’ve also interviewed for jobs Y and Z- and both have made offers. Now you can go back to job X and tell them other companies are vying for you. Don’t be too forceful or demanding; just be truthful. You can politely tell them you have other offers on the table and ask about their decision timeline. Being in demand is always a desirable trait.Bottom line: be careful not to waste your time, especially if you’re still working full time and have to steal away for interviews. If you know there’s no possible way you want to work at a certain company or in a specific position, don’t take the interview. Use your judgment and feel free to pass up duds. Just don’t stay away if you’re not totally certain a job isn’t for you.

Specific Learning difficulties and disabilities that restrict language Essay

Specific Learning difficulties and disabilities that restrict language acquisition - Essay Example xia, determine identification processes and to explore effective language theories that help learners with dyslexia and dyspraxia achieve at a higher degree in literacy and language acquisition. The underlying rationale is to avoid inappropriate referrals to special education services or inappropriate non-referrals. Since my work involves identification of learning disabilities, assessments and referrals, this research is very important for how I can improve my success rate and help teachers formulate appropriate teaching strategies. This is important for all learners, particularly learners with learning disabilities. An inappropriate program can be a significant barrier to learning and will only exacerbate the learning disabilities manifested by dyslexia and dyspraxia. Students who have these learning conditions and are either overlooked or erroneously placed or are in programmes that are inappropriate for them can develop feelings of isolation, low self-confidence, low self-esteem and can develop/increase their feelings of isolation, low self-confidence, low self-esteem and might foster negative attitudes toward the school school organization with the results that barrier s to learning become even more complicated (Ball, Chapter 4). This research is particularly important for my position in the Skills for Life department because my organization has a SLDD curriculum but it does not include dyslexia. Moreover, students manifesting signs of dyslexia or dyspraxia are typically sent to the Skills for Life department for resolution. Making matters worse the Skills for Life department does not have a dyslexia specialist rendering the treatment of dyslexic students entirely inadequate. This research will help me to identify areas where SLDD can respond more adequately to students with dyspraxia difficulties and will draw their attention to these difficulties and I can provide strategies for helping dyslexic students. These strategies will include curriculum

Nationalized Health Care System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nationalized Health Care System - Essay Example Unfortunately, the government was not interested in the health system and wanted to primarily deal with unemployment. When President Thoreau appointed a committee to look into the issue, the commiteee did not solicit the input of the public but gave conclusion of the National Health Insurance as of low priority as compared to other unemployment insurance and retirement benefits (Hoffman 76). Health care and its estimated costs have now been seen as one of the most fundamental concerns in the current medical strategy of the United States. In essence, a health reform office has been established in the White House, and members of the Congress are considering a proposal on the issue (Hoffman 76). This is because the country had been at the verge of national health reform for numerous times in the past. In 1912, Theodore and other reformers through the Bull Moose Party campaigned on a platform where they wanted an industrial health insurance with regard to all the eight states with a comp ulsory health system that would be addressed by the United States. ... ack of national health insurance did not hamper other major reforms from being enacted, and particularly those that were hugely popular and efficient in the improvement of health access for many Americans. These health insurances include Medicare, Medicaid and the health insurance that was meant for the children: Children Health Insurance Program (Hoffman 79). The United States and Obama Care According to a research done by the Policy Research Institute for the Region (PRIOR), in the United States, today 47 million individuals lack health insurance, where around 1.3 million of them live in New Jersey. In fact, the region has made progress in securing that insurance is available to all children in the states (Starr 20). If anything, the research discussed the latest reform on health care in the United States, including the Obama Care and the prospects of expanding the coverage further in the future. Another research done by the American Public Health Association denotes that national health care is crucial as a government role in providing cover to the entire population and understanding that the coverage can be achieved with the inclusion of private insurers to supplement the insurance market in the United States and other likeminded states. Apparently, the Obama government has come up with a health care dubbed â€Å"The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’’ signed in 2010 (Boerner 4). This health care reform was signed into law in order to improve the health industry in the United States. While some of the aspects in the system have already been enacted, others are continually being implemented to ensure that all citizens in the United States are incorporated. In support of national health care, various returns are present. Through the Obama Care, over 32

Galileo's Stardom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Galileo's Stardom - Essay Example Hence, when the highly acclaimed Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle proposed that Earth is the center of the universe, Catholic theologians readily validated as such perspective coincided with the relevant passages of the Holy Scripture. According to Aristotle, the heavens were made of 55 concentric crystalline spheres to which were attached celestial bodies orbiting the Earth at different measures of velocity. Aristotle further claimed herein that an outermost sphere existed being the domain of the ‘Prime Mover’ which brought its constant motion to be distributed among the inner spheres, including the sun. This notion was acceptable to the church on the grounds that it could be affirmed by certain passages in the Bible. As such, the biblical verses of the book of Genesis in the Old Testament, particularly Gen. 19:23 and Gen. 28:11, indicate in phrases â€Å"The sun had risen on the earth ...† and â€Å"... because the sun had set† (ESV), respectivel y, that the sun exhibits movement, as of rising and of setting. Then since the interpretation hereafter had been widely acknowledged in the literal sense of the text, the moving sun was thought of by the church to be the one rotating as all the rest of the cosmic spheres do about a core where the Earth’s spot was. ... xpressed inclination to his science and philosophy inasmuch as it seemed unlikely to question the inseparability between the church and its determination to keep the Aristotelian geocentric model. By the time that Renaissance or the Age of Enlightenment (14th – 17th c.) came and the enlightened thinkers prevailed to introduce reforms to the old system of thinking and living in several aspects, Galileo Galilei was born to challenge the traditional geocentric belief scheme. As one of the prominent figures who made ‘Scientific Revolution’ possible to soar to heights of radical vision and discoveries, Galileo studied astronomy, mathematics, physics, and natural philosophy that he found a great deal of significance in applying the scientific method. Through the inductive means of conducting his endeavor in astronomy which involved thorough use of math and physics for accurate computations, he managed to prove the Copernican findings that the sun is the center of the un iverse. The Roman Catholic Church, nevertheless, could not afford to permit the promotion of this concept since it had already perceived certainty in the gradual reconciliation of science and religion via the Earth- centered approach of Aristotle. It infuriated some theologians and church leaders to the point of severe opposition and accusation, charging the Italian astronomer of heresy upon examining Galileo’s heliocentric insights. His Copernican-based ideas appear contrary to the biblical statements concerning the movement of the sun or scriptural portions that reflected the Earth in fixed position while the Sun keeps not a single location, just as is depicted in Ecclesiastes 1:5 – â€Å"The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises† (NIV). Galileo, however, responded by

Youth Culture and Moral Panic Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Youth Culture and Moral Panic Portfolio - Essay Example This has left the public ill-prepared to consider the vital greater changes that affect identities across different ages. In his work, â€Å"Folk Devils and Moral Panics,† Stanley Cohen first introduced the term â€Å"moral panic† to refer to the idea as an irregular episode, which when it happens, subjects the society to spells of worry about the principles and values which it upholds that may be a threat. He described its features as â€Å"a situation, group, person, or episode who are viewed as a threat to societal interests and values† (Cohen, 1980). The â€Å"amplifications† that are portrayed by the media serve to appeal to the public to concur with pre-existing opinions on the course of action to be carried out. These opinions are frequently found among members of the â€Å"moral barricade† like the editors, bishops, and politicians. Combined with the views of the â€Å"experts† who are driven to offer their diagnosis, they come to a consensus on how to cope with the situation and the problem either deteriorates or disappears. Even though Cohen in his findings state that the media often exaggerated the occurrences and consequently inciting the panic to be assimilated by the police, some of these panics cause more serious consequences in the society. It is significant to note that â€Å"moral panics† are not just developed by the newspapers, but on many occasions they are debated in the papers. For example, the Guardian in 1993 stated, â€Å"The moral panic and the Facts†, an article that discussed a Conservative Party Conference on welfare expenses turned to be a moral panic on the side of single mothers. The single women thought they were being blamed for unruly youth. Ironically, the media criticized this conference for concentrating on myths which had been dealt with some time back in a Cabinet briefing paper, yet they themselves were accused of partaking in weird hunts.   

Generic Strategies model in sucessful Management Essay

Generic Strategies model in sucessful Management - Essay Example For example, due to its information technology systems, the international logistics system always stays up-to-date as well as guides the entire procurement procedure from the brands as well as finding out information about the buying habits of its customers.Also, this helps the entire supply chain as well since the companies that supply Wal-Mart the merchandise always get the information at the right time due to the IT system of Wal-Mart. This translates into Wal-Mart acquiring the right products, at the right time which leads to it being able to offer the prices it does and thus, gets the powerful and attractive image it has acquired in the world. Sears, Roebuck and Co., popularly known as Sears, is an American chain of Department stores which offers a variety of items such as clothing, jewelry, home appliances, hardware, electronics etc. Today, the largest Sears Department Store is located at the Toronto Eaton Centre in Canada. Since its inception, the stores of Sears were known for carrying quality and reliable brands which attracted the consumer in the first place. Thus, Sears has been using this differentiation strategy, of stressing on quality products and carrying big names which has made the company popular and well recognized. The stores of Sears carry very popular names like Levi, Sony, Craftsman, Kenmore etc. which are big reliable names and thus the consumers can be sure they are getting their money’s worth since they are shopping at Sears. Sears ran into trouble w few years back when the company lost control and authority in the market due to losing sight of what made the company truly successful – t he power of the brands that it carried, and it started offering â€Å"everybody’s brands† or simply trying to phase out the fact that brands are important for consumers. This proved as a bad strategy for the firm since it was known for its reliability and its ability to

Improving Organisational and Employee Performance Term Paper - 1

Improving Organisational and Employee Performance - Term Paper Example For a business organization with the aim of remaining competitive, there is always room for improvement in terms of organizational and employee performance. The need to improve productivity and performance has emerged to be one of the most essential things in the modern business environment. When employees are completely and creatively engaged in a business organization will have a superior performance in the market. The main challenge in improving organizational and employee performance is finding ways through which an organization maximizes engagement, retention, commitment, and overall satisfaction of their employees.One of the ways through which a company can enhance the performance of their employees is through recognition. This is very effective because it always makes employees feel appreciated. There is nothing as motivating as the feeling that an individual is part of a team and that they are appreciated members of the teams which they belong to. Research has proved that emp loyees with satisfaction with the level to which they are appreciated by the organizations they work for can be up to four times more motivated as compared to those who are not appreciated at all (Van Knippenberg 2000, p. 366). Ways through which a company can show recognition of their employees include verbal gratitude, involvement in decision making, training, giving the time off, acknowledging birthdays, organizing celebrations, acknowledge individuals and teams at staff meetings (Crossman & Abou-Zaki 2003, p. 376). However, companies such as The Boston Consulting Group, whose competitiveness is based on their affordability, have always had a hard time motivating their employees. However, other businesses such as Audi supermarket have minimized their expenditure in motivation through using rewarding through on-job training by the more experienced staff.  Ã‚  

Generic Strategies model in sucessful Management Essay

Generic Strategies model in sucessful Management - Essay Example For example, due to its information technology systems, the international logistics system always stays up-to-date as well as guides the entire procurement procedure from the brands as well as finding out information about the buying habits of its customers.Also, this helps the entire supply chain as well since the companies that supply Wal-Mart the merchandise always get the information at the right time due to the IT system of Wal-Mart. This translates into Wal-Mart acquiring the right products, at the right time which leads to it being able to offer the prices it does and thus, gets the powerful and attractive image it has acquired in the world. Sears, Roebuck and Co., popularly known as Sears, is an American chain of Department stores which offers a variety of items such as clothing, jewelry, home appliances, hardware, electronics etc. Today, the largest Sears Department Store is located at the Toronto Eaton Centre in Canada. Since its inception, the stores of Sears were known for carrying quality and reliable brands which attracted the consumer in the first place. Thus, Sears has been using this differentiation strategy, of stressing on quality products and carrying big names which has made the company popular and well recognized. The stores of Sears carry very popular names like Levi, Sony, Craftsman, Kenmore etc. which are big reliable names and thus the consumers can be sure they are getting their money’s worth since they are shopping at Sears. Sears ran into trouble w few years back when the company lost control and authority in the market due to losing sight of what made the company truly successful – t he power of the brands that it carried, and it started offering â€Å"everybody’s brands† or simply trying to phase out the fact that brands are important for consumers. This proved as a bad strategy for the firm since it was known for its reliability and its ability to

Is Cyber Love a Degraded Form of Real Life Love Essay

Is Cyber Love a Degraded Form of Real Life Love - Essay Example After chatting for several days, they realize that both of them cannot sleep tight without talking to their cyber friend or without saying goodnight to each other. The feeling of love develops when people are attracted towards each other or when the interest and hobbies match. When love happens online, it can then be tagged as cyber love. Cyber love results when couples chat with each other for months (Theng, 2009). There are various perceptions that people hold about cyber love. Most of them think that cyber love is unreal as people are not exactly aware of the identity of the person they are chatting with. Especially parents get scared for their children involved in online relationship. They are aware of the fact that cyber is a virtual world; therefore, one cannot trust people for their identity. Now the question arises if cyber love is a â€Å"degraded form† of real love. Before evaluating the phrase â€Å"cyber love†, there is a need to look at it through several p erspectives. Lately, there is an increasing trend in singles who are involved in cyber dating. Talk shows are a mean of creating hype for the cyber chatting. The movie You’ve Got Mail also contributed toward increasing the trend of cyber dating. Cyber love is, however, very different from real relationship. The cyber environment is quite restricted in comparison to the natural one. For a new cyber user, online chatting environment may be daunting (Grant, 2013). For new internet users, communicating through a cyber chat room is an obstacle at first. There are certain protocols which are followed online, for example, to avoid offending people and to in case of chatting with someone who recurs to the help of sarcasm. There is no non-verbal communication involved in chatting; typed words are the only mean through which a person may communicate and express his or her feeling for others. A newbie, before starting their chatting experience, observes other users interacting with each other. In this way, the newbie observes the internet chatting culture before they feel comfortable while interacting with others. To some degree, every internet user is mesmerised by the fantasy that it provides. The internet users must realise the fact that there is a certain level of sensitivity which is required to interact with others. There is a huge difference between interacting with people online and interacting with them in person. When two people continuously interact with one another through online chat room, they often fantasise that they have fallen in love. The chat room partners often plan to meet each on a specific day at a specific place. This is where reality meets fantasy. Several experiences have been shared by people where they have reported that their chat room partner was totally different from the one whose picture was displayed on the chat profile of their partner. After going through a period of disillusionment, people have understood how to use the intern et wisely and safely. Sherry Turkle, a sociology professor, studied the relationship that people share with computers, in his book Life on the Screen. He also defined the aspects of how people today relate themselves to the internet culture. According to professor Turkle, an individual builds one individual image of him/herself by cycling through several images.

Single-sex schools are better due to its psychological reasons Essay Example for Free

Single-sex schools are better due to its psychological reasons Essay I)Introduction Thesis Statement: some people believe that single-sex schools are better because of educational reasons and psychological reasons, while others believe that mix schools are better. II) Single-sex schools are better due to its psychological reasons Girls have fewer constraints over how they must act if males are present they don’t get shy to freely discuss any of their views; they deal with nature and does not fabricate. According to CHRISTIE GARTON, founder, and CEO of 1000 dreams fun â€Å"single-sex schools foster better female-to-female relationship, which creates a sense of mutual empowerment and community†. Girl’s main concern is their looks 1)when there are males in class, girls focus on their physical appearances like styling their hair, wearing makeup and their outfit which takes a lot of time in the morning to get prepared and during the class have to constantly check their look this may eventually lead them to lose their concentration in class. 2)According to Dr. Linda Henman; a passionate proponent of single sex-gender schools believe that it provides fewer distractions, so the students can focus on academics. III) single-sex schools are better due to its educational reasons A)performance in single-sex schools is better than mixed schools. 1) Girl’s will understand to the fullest that’s to say, they don’t hesitate to raise their hand and ask a question related to the chapter the teacher is discussing even if the question is silly; she will not get embarrassed if it is silly therefore she cleared all her doubts. 2)According to Christine Garton, â€Å"a huge part of promoting women’s global success is fostering an environment where girls feel completely comfortable speaking up, voicing their opinions and being heard’’. B) There may be competition between the girls and boys. 1) sometimes boys master at some subjects like math and this will make girls to lose their belief in their abilities which will decrease self-efficacy and performance while in an all-girl environment, competition differs as girls are in the same level of math so this increase competition among them to put more effort in math and get good grades. IV)mixed schools are better due to psychological reasons. A) learning to deal with the other gender. 1)females who are not used to address males before may find it difficult to coexist or communicate with boys that’s to say she would be shy and nervous when talking with them but in mixed schools she is already familiar with how to deal with them so when she enters college or work phase, there will not be any barriers between their collegues2) According to Samira M ,who invented CoderBunnyz â€Å"girls will eventually have to work side by side with boys. So it’s better to start working with them early†. B) V)Mix schools are better due to its social reasons. A)Girls would know how to deal with different personalities. 1 )they will learn about each other way of thinking so that they will be able to understand each other later. 2)According to Professor Simon Baron-Cohen â€Å"A strong reason for co-education is that separating children for numbers of years means they will not be mixing and learning about each other†. B) In six schools there is no bullying. 1)In an all boys environment bullying is more intense which means a boy will be shy to fight with another boy in front of girls this may make him look aggressive and encourage violence and girls may move away from him. VI)conclusion

Tim Hortons Design of Goods Services

Tim Hortons Design of Goods Services Tim Hortons Inc. is a fast food giant operating in North America and Canada. The Companys offerings includes premium coffee, flavored cappuccinos, specialty teas, home-style soups, fresh sandwiches, wraps, hot breakfast sandwiches and fresh baked goods. While the company is expanding it is challenged by the concerns of design of goods and just in time concepts of operations management. II. Literature Review Operations Management is the science and art of ensuring that goods and services are created and delivered successfully to customers. Applying the principles of OM entails a solid understanding of people, processes, and technology, and how they are integrated within business systems to create value. The way in which goods and services, and the processes that create and support them, are designed and managed can make the difference between a delightful or unhappy customer experiences. Operations management is the only function by which managers can directly affect the value provided to all stakeholders customers, employees, investors, and society. Effective operations management is essential to providing high-quality goods and services that customers demand, motivating, and developing the skills of the people who actually do the work, maintaining efficient operations to ensure an adequate return on investment, and protecting the environment. Operations management focuses on carefully managing the processes to produce and distribute products and services. Major, overall activities often include product creation, development, production and distribution. Related activities include managing purchases, inventory control, quality control, storage, logistics and evaluations of processes. A great deal of focus is on efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, operations management often includes substantial measurement and analysis of internal processes. Ultimately, the nature of how operations management is carried out in an organization depends very much on the nature of the products or services in the organization, for example, on retail, manufacturing or wholesale (1). Understanding Design of Goods and Services A good is a physical product that one can see, touch, or possibly consume. Examples of goods include oranges, flowers, televisions, soap, airplanes, fish, furniture, coal, coffee, lumber, and personal computers. A durable good is a product that typically lasts at least three years. Vehicles, dishwashers, and furniture are some examples of durable goods. A nondurable good is perishable and generally lasts for less than three years. Examples are toothpaste, software, shoes, and fruit. A service is any primary or complementary activity that does not directly produce a physical product. Services represent the nongoods part of a transaction between a buyer (customer) and seller (supplier).1 Common examples of services are hotels, legal and financial firms, airlines, health care organizations, museums, and consulting firms. Product (or service) management includes a wide range of management activities, ranging from the time that theres a new idea for a product to eventually providing ongoing support to customers who have purchased the new product. Every organization conducts product development, whether its done intentionally or unintentionally (2). Goods and services have many similarities. They are driven by customers and provide value and satisfaction to customers. They can be standardized for mass market or customized to individual needs. Just in Time Just-in-time (JIT) is a management philosophy that originated in the 1970s. Taiichi Ohno is credited with developing JIT and perfected it for Toyotas manufacturing plants in Japan. The main goal of JIT is to eliminate anything that does not add value from the customers perspective. Non-value-added activities are referred to as waste in JIT (4). Examples of waste include: overproduction beyond what is needed to satisfy immediate demand waiting time (work-in-process, customer waiting) unnecessary transportation (material handling, customer travel through a facility, etc.) processing waste (yield rates, start-up costs) inventory storage waste (space, deterioration, obsolescence, etc.) unnecessary motion and activity (waste in work techniques, etc.) waste from product and service defects (rework, scrap, warranty, etc.) Just-in-time (JIT) refers to a collection of practices that is designed to eliminate waste. These organizational practices encompass the entire logistics flow of materials from purchasing through production and distribution. The elements of JIT may include shared product design with suppliers and customers, movement toward single sourcing, proximate suppliers and customers, reduced set-up times, preventive maintenance, reliance on analytic tools to identify sources of defects and plant optimization layout (re)configurations, among others. The benefits are pervasive and can include lower total system costs and improved product quality when managed at optimum levels. A fair amount of evidence is available to support the claim of improved performance derived from the adoption of JIT or some of its components. Companies have reduced in-process inventory more than 50% and lead times by more than 80%. An inventory system managed to the extreme with JIT principles correlates inversely with the level of labor efficiency. Outsourcing is an essential tool for every business executive. JIT Inventory Modeling brings a unique perspective that can help clients make and implement the best decisions even in these unprecedented times (5). The use of JIT in services A review of the major academic research journals found most articles focused on JIT in manufacturing firms. Non-manufacturing environments have been given little emphasis in the research literature. However, a review of recent applied journals revealed articles describing JIT precepts migrating to non-manufacturing environments. These non-manufacturing environments include typical service businesses such as insurance firms, retailers and mail-order firms. Continuous improvement of the process As part of JIT implementation, organizations must instill the habit of expecting continuous small improvements in the process. The operators must never be satisfied with the current environment, but always be moving closer to the ideal situation. Service operations are ripe for significant productivity gains that can be achieved through process improvements. However, recognizing processes that can be improved through the implementation of JIT techniques has been difficult. Holistic approach to elimination of waste The JIT philosophy must be adopted throughout all levels and in all functions of the organization. Chase (1991) provides an excellent argument for and examples of the need to consider the service aspects of the manufacturing firm as potential areas for competitive advantage. He argues further that service innovations typically cut across departmental boundaries and cross-functional support is required for a successful implementation. From a non-manufacturing perspective, inventory and purchasing are the most obvious areas for implementing JIT techniques because of the common vocabulary, of which many examples can be found. According to Schonberger and Gilbert (1983), the just-in-time concept as applied to purchasing translates into frequent releases and deliveries. They developed a list of characteristics describing a JIT purchasing environment. As can be seen from the items listed below, these characteristics could be descriptive of almost any purchasing operation, be it in a manufa cturing or service environment: (1) Suppliers: few suppliers; nearby suppliers; repeat business with same suppliers; active use of analysis to enable desirable suppliers to become/stay price-competitive; clusters of remote suppliers, competitive bidding mostly limited to new part numbers; buyer plant resists vertical integration and subsequent wipeout of supplier business; suppliers are encouraged to extend JIT buying to their suppliers; (2) Quantities: steady output rate (a desirable prerequisite); frequent delivery in small quantities; long-term contract agreements; minimal release paperwork; delivery quantities variable from release to release, but fixed for whole contract term; little or no permissible overage or underage of receipts; suppliers encouraged to package in exact quantities; suppliers encouraged to reduce their production lot sizes (or store unreleased material); (3) Quality: minimal product specifications imposed on supplier; help suppliers to meet quality requirements; close relationships between buyers and suppliers quality assurance people; suppliers encouraged to use process control charts instead of lot sampling inspection; Inman and Mehra (1991) examined the potential for JIT in service industries through three purchasing-oriented case studies. These cases highlight the application of JIT to three areas identified as: the purchase of sub-components/ services; maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) goods; and quasi-MRO goods. They concluded that the utilization of JIT in a service industry is more than justifiable. They also offered suggestions for implementing JIT in service industries that strongly resembled those offered to manufacturing firms contemplating adoption of JIT. Flexibility in the use of resources Firms should have the ability to change processes rapidly to meet customer demands without wasting resources. Because the output from service processes is often highly customized, flexibility is a key element for many successful service organizations. Improving the timing and quantity of resource allocations for performing a process to avoid employing human and material resources when they are not needed is another facet of JIT. Decreasing the cost of maintaining patient accounts was the purpose of applying JIT techniques in a hospital as reported by Groenevelt (1990). While this implementation also could have fallen under the improving work flow emphasis, many of the JIT techniques discussed in this article reflect employee centred techniques increasing the flexibility of the workforce. Workers were involved in decisions; training and education programmes were established to create a pool of multi-skilled workers; standardized procedures were established; performance standards were created and monitored; and a special emphasis was placed on fostering co-operation and commitment to the JIT philosophy. Another mathematical model is offered by Ramasesh (1990) for the implementation of JIT techniques in purchasing systems that have not yet advanced to the ultimate level of JIT purchasing (lot size of one). He treated the fixed costs associated with the adoption of JIT as investment, and justified it based on the savings generated using any of the techniques of investment analysis. He modified the traditional economic order quantity model to include explicitly the costs of small-lot shipments. He also provided guidelines and formulae for determining the order quantity and the optimal number of shipments. Respect for people Because customers are directly involved in the service delivery process, service employees play a crucial role in affecting the customers perception of the quality and value of the service. Employees must respect customer requirements and provide service in a timely and efficient manner. Those same employees deserve the respect of the companys management. This means helping employees work smarter, not harder, through training and supervisory assistance, and involving all employees in problem solving and process improvements. Many of the articles discussed in other categories mentioned the need to implement various techniques for helping employees work smarter, not harder (Billesbach and Schneiderjans, 1989; Carlson, 1989; Groenevelt, 1990; Savage-Moore, 1988; to name a few). Most of these articles focused primarily on operational changes. However, they also recognized the vital role employees have in service industries and emphasized methods for improving their performance. Service firms working for JIT manufacturing firms must be aware of the impact of the customers JIT emphasis on their own companies. Bagchi et al. (1987) investigated the importance of various service factors considered by both JIT and non-JIT firms when selecting a transportation carrier. They concluded that executives in JIT firms regard customer service-related factors as more important than others. JIT firms place significantly more emphasis on service-related determinants, such as frequency of service, delivery predictability, transit time, service schedule changes and service flexibility. Carriers and other service providers must design effective service offerings which include the customer service requirements of their JIT customers. III. Company Analysis Company Profile Tim Hortons has been founded in 1964 as a coffee and donut shop and opened its first outlet in Hamilton, Canada. As of today, they have more than 2600 stores in Canada. There is one outlet for every 8,707 people in Ontario, compared with one outlet for every 18,906 people in the western provinces of Canada. Also, Tim Hortons has more than 250 outlets in USA. Tim Hortons has generated revenue of US $1.2 billion for its corporate parent, Wendys International, in 2005. Tim Hortons is committed to offer always fresh, fast, convenient, and wide varieties of the products. One of the specialities of Tim Hortons is they want to make sure that their menu is being embellished by adding a new taste. Hot Smoothee is one of their new tastes, and it was launched in October 2005. Goods and Services Selection Tim Hortons Inc. is a quick service restaurant operating in North America and Canada. The Companys offerings includes premium coffee, flavored cappuccinos, specialty teas, home-style soups, fresh sandwiches, wraps, hot breakfast sandwiches and fresh baked goods. It directly owns and operates small number of company restaurants in Canada and the United States. The Company also has warehouse and distribution operations, which supplies paper and dry goods to the Canada-based restaurants, and supply frozen baked goods and some refrigerated products to the Ontario-based restaurants. In the United States, the Company supplies similar products to system restaurants through third-party distributors. The operations also include coffee roasting plants in Rochester, New York and Hamilton, Ontario, a joint-venture bakery, and a fondant and fills manufacturing facility. In July 2009, the Company began serving its signature coffee in New York City. Competitive Advantage Tim Hortons is a dominant player in Canada, and the chain has a 75 per cent market share in Canadian coffee-doughnut industry. Starting March 2006, Tim Hortons Inc. started trading publicly on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges and made itself more valuable. The company is now one of the strongest franchises in Canada, with annual sales of $1.6 billion, 1700 outlets, and an aggressive expansion plan into the United States. One in three cups of coffee sold in Canada comes from Tim Hortons, and Canada-a country with more donut shops per capita than any other country-seems to be a country in love with coffee and donuts. Canadian soldiers even take tins of Tim Hortons coffee with them on overseas deployment, and one of the competitors, Country Style Donuts, recognizes the dominance and sets its sights on becoming number two in the market-they are not even considering challenging the companys dominant position. Even the purchase of the company by U.S.-based Wendys International doesnt seem to have slowed the company down or tainted its image as a Canadian icon. Customers are able to find Tim Hortons outlets more than competitor cafà ©-shops across country. This is the one of the advantages Tim Hortons has. They have more than 2600 stores in Canada. There is one outlet for every 8,707 people in Ontario. This advantage makes Tim Hortons more competitive, but just only in the caffeine product. Hot Smoothee has shown their banner all around Tim Horton store, but they couldnt catch consumers. Whereas Starbucks has about 600 outlets in Canada, Second Cup operates more than 370 outlets across country. Issues Encountered with the Design of Goods Obesity levels are reaching unprecedented levels and the rates of diabetes are skyrocketing. Canadians, and North Americans in general, are becoming increasingly health conscious. With almost a quarter of Canadians obese, obesity is- no pun intended-at epic proportions, and that could affect Tim Hortons in terms of lawsuits, regulation, and complaints from public interest groups. For example, a group of obese U.S. teenagers sued McDonalds, claiming its food had made them fat. While a judge threw the case out, any fast-food restaurant could be a target and the cost of defending the company could easily exceed several million dollars per case, and thats only if you win. The concern about fat and carbohydrates pretty much focuses on what a donut is-fat and carbohydrates. If the growing interest in eating health food wasnt worrying enough, an aggressive new U.S. competitor is entering your market-Krispy Kreme. Although Krispy Kreme has only about a third of the sales (all U.S.) of Tim Hortons, its growth rate has been phenomenal. It has doubled its sales and stores over the last five years, including an incredible 40 percent increase in sales in the last year alone. Even Hollywood has jumped on the Krispy Kreme bandwagon, with Nicole Kidman declaring them Gods gift to donut lovers, and the product has been seen on over 80 TV shows. It now has plans to aggressively enter the Canadian market and take Tim Hortons head on. In the meantime, Tim Hortonss U.S. expansion plans havent gone well, with the company losing millions of dollars. New Product Opportunity The latest taste of Tim Hortons is non-caffeinated hot beverage: Hot Smoothee. It was introduced in October 2005 with four flavors: butter caramel, raspberry, hazelnut, and orange. Tim Hortons Hot Smoothee is served either in cartoon or ceramic cup. Specially, ceramic cups made customers feel like at home. Hot Smoothee has no special design for their cups. In addition, they organized the label together with the description for the flavor which might lead to confusion. At Tim Hortons, customers dont expect the ambience and quality of service that Starbucks and Second Cup provide. Customers expectations are not high as much as when they go to Tim Hortons. They only expect to have hot drink, fast service and convenient place. This factor makes Tim Hortons and competitors target audience different. Product-by-Value Analysis In terms of place design/atmosphere, Tim Hortons is more about convenience and saving time. Starbucks is more than that drinking coffee; it has been about sitting in the cafe and enjoying the ambience. Meanwhile, Second Cup provides their customers cozy environment as Starbucks does. But also, starting from 2005, customers are able to bring their laptops or handheld devices and surf the Internet over coffee. This factor makes Second Cup more competitive comparing to Starbucks. At Tim Hortons, customers dont expect the ambience and quality of service that Starbucks and Second Cup provide. Customers expectations are not high as much as when they go to Tim Hortons. They only expect to have hot drink, fast service and convenient place. This factor makes Tim Hortons and competitors target audience different. A Starbucks experience is-each cup is made to a customers personal order. Especially that baby boomers are looking for quality, individual choice and personalized service. They have the money and they are willing to pay for it. They are looking for more than having coffee. Tim Hortons also serves to baby boomers for more than 40 years in Canada, but they are falling behind competitors like Starbucks when it comes to quality, unique choices and excellent service. IV. Executive Summary Tim Hortons, as a fast-food company giant is challenged by issues concerning operations managements concepts of design of goods and just in time. North America is beset with alarming rate of obesity, and Tim Hortons whose products involves doughnuts, which main ingredients are fat and sugar. Due to this, Tim Hortons is besieged by a challenge to come up with products that are keener to the health of its customer. Just-In-Time touches on all operations in a firm including design, accounting, finance, marketing, distribution among other. The application of the concept of Just-In-Time to a service and product company like Tim Horton will further enhance customer experience and allow the company to eliminate waste and make true their statement to always serve fresh, fast, convenient, and wide varieties of the products.

The Semiotics of the Encore :: Concert Music Audience Papers

The Semiotics of the Encore Introduction In this reflexive paper, I wish to add a brief addendum to the literature about the semiotics of performance by examining the semiotic acts that surround the ritual of the encore in a live concert performance. I will bring to my analysis of this phenomena my twenty-some years of experience witnessing rock concerts in venues of all sizes and with a wide variety of audiences and performers. I will argue that there are specific elements to this ritual that are of particular interest to semioticians. I am going to attempt an admittedly incomplete semiotic analysis of the encore based on Daniel Chandler's guidelines for "D.I.Y. Semiotic Analysis," as found at http://www.aber.ac.uk/~dgc/sem12.html. The Umwelt of the Encore What are the important signifiers and what do they signify? - What is the system within which these signs make sense? - What connotations seem to be involved? (Chandler, based on Berger, 40-41) The Umwelt of the concert goer, or semiotic 'stage' of this event, includes: the literal stage, which is raised to a greater or lesser degree above the seats on the main floor of the concert hall; the levels of seating--the class structure, to put it in Marxist terms; the ushers and/or security; the tickets which are required to gain admittance; as well as the background of prior experiences that the concertgoer brings with him or her, and an infinite number of other aspects. Of course, this Umwelt, like all Umwelten, is not identical or universal for all of the concertgoers. Each individual member of the audience builds up their own particular knowledge structures of this kind of event; these structures form their own particular Umwelt. The more experiences of concerts, the more complex the Umwelt constructed around them. For instance, the Grateful Dead often performed two sets without an opening act. Most concerts feature two acts with an interim between them. A friend of mine, unfamiliar with the way the Dead's music and the way they structured their concerts, went to her first Dead show and in the intermission between sets, said loudly, as it had been twenty minutes or so since the band had left the stage, "Gee, when are the Dead coming on?" This was greeted with howls of derision from her surrounding neighbors, whose Dead-concert Umwelt was more developed. The most important aspect of the rock-concert Umwelt, I would argue, isn't directly observable: the invisible ring or wall around the stage which separates the performers from the audience.

Abnormal Psychology Maladaptive Behavior Essay

Briefly describe each of the major theoretical perspectives in maladaptive behavior. Which of the perspectives do you believe is the ‘right’ perspective, or is there a ‘right’ perspective? Biological Perspective: Suggests that all disorders physical or behavioral have biological causes. Causes may lie in heredity, genetic accident, or bodily infection, or trauma(Sarason, 2005) Psychodynamic Perspective: Point of view that emphasizes thoughts and emotions as the most important determiners of behavior. Basic ideas come from the work of Sigmund Freud(Sarason, 2005). Behavioral Perspective: A theory of behavior based on the idea that much of a person’s behavior is learned rather than genetically based. According to this view, behavior is based on past experiences with the environment(Sarason, 2005). Cognitive Perspective: Point of view that considers behavior to be the result of information processing and problem solving. Emphasis is on mental processes of which the individual is aware or can easily become aware(Sarason, 2005). Humanistic-existential Perspective: The idea that all individuals are unique and should be free to make their own choices about life directions. Emphasizes the creative freedom and potential of the individual(Sarason, 2005). Community Cultural Perspective: Viewpoint that much maladaptive behavior results from poor living conditions, discrimination, and so on. Emphasis is on preventive activities(Sarason, 2005). I personally believe each perspective is important, I do not think one could be better than the other, because the human body in all its parts is so complex, whether it be your culture, genetics, your uniqueness, learned behavior etc†¦ I just believe it can be a combination of perspectives depending on the individual at hand.

Book Review: Human Communication as Narration

In perhaps his most important contribution to rhetorical theory and the understanding of human communication, Walter Fisher presents an explanation of his narrative paradigm in Human Communication as Narration: Toward a Philosophy of Reason, Value and Action. This book essentially elaborates on and refines Fisher’s previous articles on the narrative paradigm and aims to present a more complete explanation of the theory’s roots, as well as its main tenets and relevant applications.Human Communication as Narration begins with an exhaustive examination of the history of narratives and logic, which includes his assertion that the logic by which human communication should be assessed return to the roots of the original meaning of logos: â€Å"story, reason, rationale, conception, discourse, thought† (p. 10). He asserts that Plato and Aristotle transformed the word logos into a specific term that applied only to philosophical/technical discourse, which launched a †Å"historical hegemonic struggle† that has lasted for more than 2,000 years (p. 10).Fisher explains that the positivist, â€Å"rational-world paradigm† that emphasized formal logic and reasoning (p. 58) is improved upon with his view of a more post-modern, ontological foundation where meaning is co-created through less formal structures like stories. In resurrecting the original meaning of logos, grounding his theory in ontology, and classifying human beings as â€Å"Homo narrans† (p. xi) , or storytelling animals, Fisher rejects the notion that technical logic is the only path to truth and knowledge, and argues that, as the ancients believed, all human communication is rational and contains truth and knowledge (p. 0). This more inclusive account of human communication together with the view that all human communication needs to be seen as stories sets the foundation for Fishers’ theory of narratives. In presenting the main points of his narrative theory ov er several chapters, Fisher explains that humans experience and understand life as a series of ongoing narratives, and that these stories are symbolic interpretations of â€Å"aspects of the world that [are] historically and culturally grounded and shaped by human personality† (p. 9). Given that stories are more than just a figure of speech and have the power to both inform and influence, Fisher establishes â€Å"narrative rationality† as a universal logic and means for the assessment for stories that is accessible by nature to all human beings (p. 47). This assessment is tested against narrative â€Å"probability (coherence) and fidelity (truthfulness and reliability)† (p. 47) – in other words, humans come to believe in and act on stories in so much as they relate to and identify with them.Going back to his assertion that human communication doesn’t have to exist in perfect structures of rhetorical arguments, he further explains that all humans po ssess the ability to reason and can therefore both communicate and accept truth as â€Å"good reasons† (p. 105). Perhaps an even better, more succinct explanation of this comes earlier in the book where Fisher states that â€Å"the materials of the narrative paradigm are symbols, signs of consubstantiation, and good reasons [are] the communicative expression of social reality† (p. 5). By including both formal logic and a logic of â€Å"good reasons† in the basis for argument, Fisher’s narrative paradigm contributes to rhetorical theory by expanding the meaning of persuasion just as Burke’s theory of identification did. Since the average person isn’t trained in formal logic, Fisher believed that the logic of good reasons (i. e. common sense), sits above all other persuasive means since it is universal and inherent in all human communication.Fisher goes on to assert that narrative rationality should also be â€Å"the foundation on which a com plete theory of rhetoric needs to be built† (p. 194). In this sense, the selection of stories we tell and come to accept is demonstrative of who we are and what we want others to believe about us. In the final section of his book, Fisher applies his narrative rationality in several real-world case studies including the rhetoric of Ronald Reagan, Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby and the philosophical discussion between Socrates and Callicles in Plato’s Gorgias.These examples provide a helpful demonstration of how narrative rationality can be used to assess the coherence, truthfulness and reliability of stories across a wide range of contexts. In conceptualizing and applying narrative rationality, Fisher contributes an important method for the study of narratives in a variety of communication contexts, which is one of the most important contributions he makes to the study of communication. Through Human Communication as Narration, Fisher provided a more accessible, u niversal means for communicating and understanding human truth.Drawing inspiration from the works of Kenneth Burke, Alasdair MacIntyre, Stephen Toulmin and Chaim Perelman, Fisher’s narrative paradigm argues that formal logic and the positivist view are inadequately prepared to account for the motives and values in human communication. He offers a broader explanation that all forms of human communication are driven by and evolve from our inherent need to determine whether an accounting of new knowledge matches up with what we already know.In the 30 years since Human Communication as Narration was first published, scholars and professionals from a wide range of disciplines have applied Fisher’s narrative paradigm in a variety of contexts. Narrative methods for rhetorical analysis and criticism have been used by Barbara Sharf (1990), Hollihan and Riley (1987), and Michael Cornfield (1992), among many others. In 1993, David Mains argued that the time was ripe for a move to ward narrative sociology, which asserted that â€Å"sociology’s phenomena is made up precisely of stories† (p. 2) as well as that sociologists are mainly narrators. The use of narratives as a means for persuasion in advertising and public relations has been widely documented in recent years by Cinzia Bianchi (2011); Barbara Stern, Craig Thompson and Eric Arnould (1998); and Melanie Green (2006). The narrative paradigm has also been deployed in interpersonal communication and organizational communication (Ashcraft & Pacanowsky, 1996). And a large body of research has been dedicated to the study of narratives as a strategy in conflict resolution as well (Gergen & Gergen, 2006; Sandole et al. 2009). These are just a few of the ways in which Fisher’s narrative paradigm still contributes to the understanding of human communication today. But while the narrative paradigm has enjoyed a renaissance of late with new research that refines and extends the theory (Currie, 2 005; Kirkwood, 1992; McClure, 2009; Stroud, 2002), largely due to its growing multi-disciplinary interest as noted above, it has also attracted much criticism. But while these scholars recognized its value, they have also demonstrated that it is not as useful for critical analysis as it aimed to be.Stroud (2002) found issue with the lack of account for contradiction in stories when assessing narrative rationality. Kirkwood (1992) felt that Fisher’s narrative rationality is limiting in that it doesn’t allow for the possibilities of new stories to be accepted and acted upon. He goes on to argue that a â€Å"rhetoric of possibility† presented through narratives can better account for how rhetors challenge people with â€Å"new and unsuspected possibilities of being and action in the world† (Kirkwood, 1992, p. 31).McClure (2009) also specifically argued that the narrative paradigm must also account for the â€Å"inventional possibilities of new narratives, t he rhetorical revision of old narratives, and the appeal and acceptance of improbable narrative accounts† (p. 191). He also asserts that by expanding the role of Burke’s identification, the narrative paradigm can become a more viable theory and method of criticism. While several scholars have both praised and criticized Fisher’s narrative paradigm, the part of his story that related to narrative’s origins, philosophical foundation and relevance to human communication rang true for me.In my study of rhetorical theory I, too, have often felt that the structures of formal argument are too constricting and limiting in their ability to interpret all forms of persuasive communication. When using Fisher’s own narrative rationality to measure the coherence and fidelity of Human Communication as Narration, I find it to be both coherent and true – especially from my viewpoint as a woman living in a post-modern, post-structuralist society who works in t he field of public relations where stories are the very fabric of our communication strategies.And while I recognize the validity of the proposed extensions of his theory by Kirkwood (1992), McClure (2009) and Stroud (2002), I feel they also serve as proof points for the generative power of Fisher’s paradigm in new ways of thinking about stories. References Ashcraft, K. & Pacanowsky, M. (1996). â€Å"A woman’s worst enemy†: Reflections on a narrative of organizational life and female identity. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 24, 217-239. Bianchi, C. (2011). Semiotic approaches to advertising texts and strategies: Narrative, passion, marketing.Semiotica, 183, 243-271. Cornfield, M. (1992). The press and political controversy: The case for narrative analysis. Political Communication, 9, 47-59. Currie, M. (2005). Postmodern narrative theory. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Fisher, W. R. (1987). Human communication as narration: Toward a philosophy o f reason, value and action. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press. Gergen, M. & Gergen, K. (2006). Narratives in action. Narrative Inquiry, 16, 112-121. Green, M. (2006). Narratives and cancer communication. Journal of Communication, 56, 163-183.Hollihan, T. & Riley, P. (1987). The rhetorical power of a compelling story. Communication Quarterly, 35, 13-25. Kirkwood, W. G. (1992). Narrative and the rhetoric of possibility. Communication Monographs, 59, 30-47. Maines, D. (1993). Narrative’s moment and sociology’s phenomena: Toward a narrative sociology. The Sociological Quarterly, 34, 17-38. McClure, K. (2009). Resurrecting the narrative paradigm: Identification and the case of Young Earth Creationism. Rhetoric Society Quarterly, 39, 189-211. Sandole, D. , Byrne, S. , Sandole-Saroste, I. & Senehi, J. Eds. ). (2009). The handbook of conflict analysis and resolution. Routledge: New York. Sharf, B. (1990). Physician-patient communication as interpersonal rhetoric : A narrative approach. Health Communication, 2, 217-231. Stern, B. , Thompson, C. & Arnould, E. (1998). Narrative analysis of a marketing relationship: The consumer's perspective. Psychology & Marketing, 15, 195-214. Stroud, S. (2002). Multivalent narratives: Extending the narrative paradigm with insights from ancient philosophical thought. Western Journal of Communication, 66, 369-393.