When I came to the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

When I came to the USA - Essay Example When I first came to America, I was very nervous and depressed that I left part of my family and my home. I had also left my comfort zone. Obviously, it was a big blow in my life because I was leaving everyone behind. Everything I have ever known including my culture, my friends, and my country and my life were something I was stepping beyond when I crossed into the United States. However, I understood that this sacrifice was what I needed as I began my new life. Without a doubt, it was a challenge for me as I had to assimilate. As a child growing up in my home country, I was an average kid who loved to play sports and tried very hard in school. However, when my parents decided to come to America, the transition was without a doubt one that was difficult. I had to adapt to a new language, new customs, and a whole new culture. Yet, I never gave up even though I came from an environment where things were more conservative than how they are in United States. The questions that were always longing in my head, ‘Would I make new friends?’ Or ‘Will I ever fit in?’ Also, ‘Will I ever feel like I am comfortable and at home?’ These questions taunted me and sometimes still do. However, coming to America was an adventure and a new way of life and I was and am ready to push aside these questions in order to progress and make a better life for myself here in the United States. When my brother and I travelled to the U.S.A., we had a very weary time. Our journey was so long and in midst of coming to the States, we did not even have a last proper meal. You can imagine the anxiety, sadness and even the excitement in our hearts. It was a chaotic moment where I had mixed emotions. I can remember that when we landed in the airport, all I could think was that the flight was really long. I had not been able to sleep in the airplane because of the loud humming noise of the engine. Additionally, I was too anxious to land to

Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking - Essay Example Other rhetoric surrounding senior citizens in terms of stereotypes include such things as they are ‘forgetful’, ‘childish’, ‘bad tempered’, ‘frigid’ (women), ‘dirty old men’, ‘cantankerous’, and ‘stubborn’. Stereotypes assigned to tattooed people usually involve bad images such as ‘promiscuity’, ‘aggressiveness’, ‘drug addicts’ and ‘toughies’ or ‘louts’, and they are very much associated with ‘bikies’ (a bad element who ride motor bikes). Feminists inspire numerous stereotypes that continually change as they go in and out of fashion. The derogatory stereotypes generally relate to women who are ‘ball breaker’s and ‘lesbians’ because they strive for equality with men. Many women do not identify themselves as feminists because of fear of reprisal created by stereotypical connotations attributed to them (Weibust & Miller, 2007). Politicians are considered as ‘liars’ and ‘benders of truth’, ‘manipulative’, ‘liners of their own pockets’ and ‘full of their own conceit’. They are probably the most highly stereotyped group of all and the only group that invent stereotypes against each other using negative rhetoric against their opponents.

Types of Spoofing Attacks

Types of Spoofing Attacks 2.1 Distributed Denial of Service Attack The IP spoofing is mostly used in Distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS), in which hackers are concerned with consuming bandwidth and resources by flooding the target host machine with as many packets as possible in a short span of time. To effectively conducting the attack, hackers spoof source IP addresses to make tracing and stopping the DDoS as difficult as possible. Here the attacker scans internet and identifies the hosts with known vulnerabilities and compromise them to install attack program and then exploits the vulnerabilities to gain the root access. [6] 2.2 Non-blind spoofing This type of attack takes place when the hacker is on the same subnet as the target that can see sequence and acknowledgement of every packet. This type of spoofing is session hijacking and an attacker can bypass any authentication measures taken place to build the connection. This is achieved by corrupting the DataStream of an established connection, then re-establishing it based on correct sequence and acknowledgement numbers with the attack host machine. 2.2 Blind spoofing This type of attacks may take place from outside where sequence and acknowledgement numbers are not reachable. Hackers usually send several packets to the target host machine in order to sample sequence numbers, which is suitable in previous days. Now a days, almost every OSs implement random sequence number generation for the packets, making it difficult to predict the sequence number of packets accurately. If, however, the sequence number was compromised, information can be sent to the target host machine. 2.4 Man in the Middle Attack This attack is also known as connection oriented hijacking. In this attack mainly the attacker or the interrupter will attack the legal communication between two parties and eliminates or modifies the information shared between the two hosts without their knowledge. This is how the attacker will fool a target host and steal the data by forging the original hosts identity. In the TCP communication desynchronized state is given by connection oriented hijacking. Desynchronized connection is that when the packet sequence number varies for the received packet and the expected packet.TCP layer will decide whether to buffer the packet or discard it depending on the actual value of the received sequence number. Packets will be discarded or ignored when the two machines are desynchronized. Attacker may inject spoofed packets with the exact sequence numbers and change or insert messages to the communication. By staying on the communication path between two hosts attacker can modify or change p ackets. Creating the desynchronized state in the network is the key concept of this attack. [12] 2.5 Conclusion Various types of IP spoofing and its attacks are explained in this chapter. Here we have discussed about four types of spoofing attacks like Distributed Denial of Service Attack, Non-blind spoofing, blind spoofing and Man-in-the-middle attack, and also how these attacks can create problems to destination machines. Various Security requirements are discussed in the next chapter. Chapter 3: Security Requirements 3.1 Network security requirements The Internet became the largest public data network, enabling both personal and business communications worldwide. Day to day the data trafficking is increasing exponentially over the internet world and also in the corporate networks. As the technology is developing the speed of communication is increasing via e-mail; mobile workers, telecommuters. Internet is also used mainly to connect corporate networks to the branch offices. As the technolgy developed the usage of internet has became more and also usage of different technologies became more at the same time security threat also became more and gave chance to more faulties to do there things .so the corporations using them should protect and increase the security.The network attacks became very serious as they are more effective for the businesses because they store the important and sensitive data ,as the personal banking records or the business and medical reports. If the attack is done on such kind of corporates it is very difficult to recover the lost data which also leads to loose the privacy and takes lot of time to recover .The internet would also be the safest way to do the business Despite the costly risks .For example, It is not safe to give the credit card details to the telemarketer through the phone or even a waiter in the restaurent this is more risky than give the details in the web because security technology will protect electronic commer ce transactions. The telemarketers and waiters may not be that safer or trustworthy because we cannot monitor them all the time . The fear of security problems could be harmful to businesses as actual security voilates. Due to the distrust on the internet the fear and the suspicion of computers still exists.For the organisations that depends on the web will decrease there oppurtunities due to this distrust. To avoid this security polices should be strictly taken by the companies and also instate the safeguards that are effective.To protect their customers Organizations should adequately communicate . Companies should take the security steps to not only protect there customers from security breaches but also there employers and the partners information which are important for them. Internet ,intranet and extranet are used by the employers and the partners for the efficient and the fast communication.These communication and the efficiency should be looked after because they are more effectd by the network attacks. Attackers do the attack directly because this takes the lots of time for the employers to recover and restore the lost data and takes much time even in the network damage control. loss of time and valuble data could greatly impact employee effectiveness and confidence. The other main reason for the need of network security is the Legislation. according to the serveys conducted by the government they came to know about the importance of internet for the worlds economic status, they also recognize that the attackers effect on the internet could also cause the economic damag e to the world. National governments are mounting laws to regulate the vast stream of electronic information. Companies developed the strategies to secure the date in the safe way in accordance to put up the regulations given by government.The companies which does not take security polices to protect the data accordance will be voilated and penalized. 3.2 System security requirements In these days providing security had became a tough task for all the bisiness and the different organisations. Security must be provided to the customers and the important data to safeguard them from the malicious and involuntary leaks.Information is very important for every enterprise, it may be the custom records or intellectual property. By the CIOs it became possible to customers,employees and partners to get the data in fraction of seconds.The cost of money also became more to do all these things.There are three reasons for which this data may fall in risk they are (i) when the business process breaks down (ii) employee error (iii) gaps in security. Risk is then from customer and competitive pressures, regulatory and corporate compliance, and the rising cost publicity of data leaks Information one of the important resources of financial institutions. To keep the trust between the partners or develop the confidence in the customers it is more important to provide the good security which will be helpful for the good going and the reputation of the company . At the same time authentic information is necessary to process transactions and comfirm customer decisions. A financial institutions profit and capital can be affected if the information leaks to unauthorized companies. Information security is one of important process by which an organization protects and secures its systems, media, and maintain information important to its operations. The financial institutions have a great responsibilities to protect the nations financial service infrastucture On a broad standard. The financial security of the customer will also depends on th e security provided to the industry systems and its informations.effective security plans should be taken by the Individual financial institutions and their service providersfor their operational complexity .there should be a strong and effective board to maintain and take care of these security policies in order to protect the company from the security threats or any other malicious attacks.there should be a regular counseling to the organisations on the security precations they take to provide the companies , so that we can get the more effective results and can improve the organisations security level aswell. organizations often inaccurately recognize information security as condition of controls. As the Security is an ongoing process in overall security stance the condition of a financial institution depends on the indicator. Other indicators include the power of the institution to continually evaluate its stance and react suitably in the face of rapidly altering threats, techno logies, and business conditions. A financial institution establishes and maintains really effective information security when it continuously integrates processes, people, and technology to extenuate risk in accordance with risk assessment and acceptable risk tolerance levels. By instituting a security process financial institutions secure there risks they recognizes risks, forms a scheme to manage the risks, implements the scheme, tests the execution, and monitors the atmosphere to manage the risks. A financial institution outsources all of their information processing. Examiners use this booklet while evaluating the financial institutions risk management process, including the obligations, duties, and job of the service source for information security and the inadvertence exercised by the financial institution. [3] 3.3 Information security requirements An information security strategy is a plan to extenuate risks while abiding by with legal, Statutory, internally and contractual developed demands. Typical steps to building a strategy include the definition of control objectives, the assessment and identification of approaches to meet the objectives, the selection of controls, metrics, the establishment of benchmarks and the preparation of implementation and testing plans. The choice of controls is typically depends on cost comparison of different strategic approaches to minimize the risk .The cost comparison typically contrasts the costs of different approaches with the potential gains a financial institution could realize in terms of increased availability,confidentality or integrity of systems and data. These gains may include reduced financial losses, improved customer confidence, regulatory abidance and positive audit findings. Any particular approach should consider the following Policies, procedures and standards Technology design Resource dedication Testing and Training. For example, an institutions management may be assessing the right strategic approach to the security supervising of activities for an Internet environment. There are two potential approaches identified for evaluation. The first approach utilizes a combination of network and host sensors with a staffed supervising center. The second approach consists of every day access log examination. The first alternative is judged much more capable of detecting an attack in time to reduce any damage to the institution and its data, even though at a much more cost. The added cost is totally appropriate when institution processing capabilities and the customer data are exposed to an attack, such as in an Internet banking domain. The second approach may be suitable when the primary risk is reputational damage, such as when the Web site is not connected to other financial institution systems and if the only information is protected is an information-only Web site.

Comparison between F.Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby Essay -- Gatsby F

Comparison between F.Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby After watching the biography of F.Scott Fitzgerald, I noticed there are a lot of similarities between F.Scott Fitzgerald and the protagonist of the novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† – Jay Gatsby. First of all, their romantic idealism are very much the same, they both love the person that love so deeply. In the novel, before Gatsby and Daisy were first separated, Gatsby was already deep in love with Daisy, we can see this from a quote in the novel, â€Å"well, there I was, ‘way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I don’t care. What was the use of doing great things if I could have a better time telling her what I was going to do?† (Chapter 8). However, Gatsby was poor and Daisy didn’t want to marry a poor boy, so Daisy married a rich man named Tom afterwards. This didn’t stop Gatsby’s love towards Daisy. He waited for almost five years and during that time, he got rich by bootlegging. So he came back and ready to win Daisy’s love again. This showed how much Gatsby loves Daisy and willing...

A Classic Shakespearean Comedy Essay

The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier manages to combine an extravagant and lavish, while at the same time still very intimate, theatre setting with professional acting performances in every production shown. However, the production of As You Like on March 5, 2011 perhaps best exemplifies these significant qualities crucial to Shakespeare plays. Directed by, Gary Griffin, the production is able to captivate the entire audience for the complete duration of the play through its brilliant illustration of spectacle as well as strong narration. However, the most significant factor of the production would undeniably be its inclusion of an alliance of narrative, dramatic, and spectacle elements all intertwined in the overall production. Griffin depicts a traditional Shakespearean comedy with the use of vivid set design and perfect actor selection in the production of As You Like It in a way that separates the comedic production from any other previous Shakespeare play I have seen. The production does so by being able to masterfully combine Shakespearean comedic elements with deeper connotations about self-identity and the power of love crucial to all productions of As You Like It. The thematic elements prevalent throughout the production are contemporary in regards to all Shakespearean comedies in that the play revolves around mistaken identity, the many forms of love, and the resolutions of all misunderstandings in the end of the play. However, the way in which Griffin’s overall production is able to enthrall the audience through brilliant acting, audience inclusion, and beautiful theatre design in such a way that the audience isn’t forced to exert much personal imagination makes As You Like It a classic example of an ideal Shakespearean production. The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, the producing theatre for director Gary Griffin’s adaptation of As You Like It, is a professional theatre venue and company located on 800 East Grand Avenue in Navy Pier. The theatre is ornately designed with the intent to transform the audience’s connotation of setting and to make them believe/ give the appearance that they are in an actual Shakespearean Theatre without the use of their imagination. The theatre space used for the production of As You Like It is called Jentes Family Auditorium and features a total of 510 seats on three levels surrounding the courtyard theatre’s â€Å"thrust stage†. This specific theatre was modeled/ designed with inspiration coming directly from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre, evident at first glance, and thus creates an immediate intimate relationship between the actors, stage/ set design, and the entire audience seated around the three sides of the stage. While part of the set is elevated as a â€Å"stage†, the entire area/ space of the theatre is used by the actors throughout the production; when this is incorporated with the fact that no seat is more than thirty feet from the stage, a feeling of intimacy between actors and audience is ever-present. For instance, the audience is engaged into the action of the play immediately by the way in which the stage extends through the middle of the first-floor seating allowing the appearance/ feeling of the actors walking directly out into the middle of the audience members. In an analysis of the overall production of As You Like It it is evident that even though the set, stage, and use of props and vivid images are riveting, the inclusion of an â€Å"all-star ensemble† of some of Chicago’s finest actors is truly the underlying nature in exemplifying the statement that the production is indeed Shakespeare’s â€Å"glorious romantic comedy†. The actors play courtiers, clowns, philosophers, and locals all who are under the classic comedic spell of the trials and conquests of love as the main character, Rosalind, must disguise herself as a boy in order to escape the royal court. The characters, following Rosalind’s lead, venture into the timeless Forest of Arden where Rosalind finds herself trapped by love and mistaken identity in her attempt to teach the man she loves how to win the women of his dreams. A traditional element present in the production of Shakespearean comedies such as As You Like It, is undeniably the inclusion of both a dominant and a secondary major female characters. The significance of the secondary female lead is often determined by the skill of the actress portraying that role. The actress can make the character seem somewhat mysterious and forgettable, as seen by the DePaul student’s portrayal of Hero in Much Ado About Nothing, or she can appear as significant and mesmerizing as the lead female. In Griffin’s production of As You Like It this notion of the importance of ctor/ character portrayals is illuminated. For instance, one of the most memorable characters in the entire play is Cecilia, the secondary female character played by Chaon Cross. Cross is able to depict the comedic character almost perfectly through well-rounded acting and clear knowledge of Shakespearean language. In Cecilia’s character, Cross symbolizes a playful, charming, immensely loyal, witty and charismatic supporting female role. This is apparent in her juxtaposition of speech and comedic body language. Crucial plot and thematic elements of As You Like It are depicted by the actors as well. For instance, the review on human life illustrated by the character Jaques, played by Ross Lehman in this production, is witnessed in  Lehman’s acting skills in his performance as Jaques. He emphasizes the faults and ambitions of life in a funny and touching manner by offering both comedic and emotional moments for the audience throughout the play. There are many other characters in the production that portrayed memorable performances illuminating the underlying themes and comedic elements present in the correct use/ knowledge of Shakespearean language and acting. These actors included:   Kate Fry as Rosalind, Matt Schwader as Orlando, Dennis Kelly as Adam, Phillip James Brannon as Touchstone, Matt DeCaro as Duke Frederick, Kevin Gudahl as Duke Senior, and Elizabeth Ledo as Phoebe. Each character possesses unique and intricately detailed costumes and character traits crucial to the understanding of the overall production. The costumes are vivid with detail and evoke the use of imagination and feeling that the audience is witnessing the action of the play within actual setting of certain scenes (whether the orchard, royal court, or forest). The differences in characters’ personality, social class, and hierarchy alongside other characteristic elements are illuminated through the costumes intricate glamour and detail juxtaposed with a more simplistic but still vibrant use of props and set. In addition to individual actor performances, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s production of As You Like It signifies the epitome of Shakespeare’s ’â€Å"glorious romantic comedy† through the use of a unique/ one of a kind setting. The set designs present are an attractive and ubstantial visual supplement to the action taking place on stage at every point throughout the progress of the play. This can be perceived in almost every scene of the production but is most notably present in the opening scene, depicting a lush/ vivid apple orchard with minimalistic use of props, as well as the more luxurious forest setting that accompanies it. The scenery presented by lighting, sound, props hanging from the ceiling, and the perception of depth in the stage prominently adds to the attraction and understanding of the production. The lighting and music of the production present in set/ scene changes enhances the plot developments as well as the overall journey and adventure portrayed in the play’s narrative nature. The set design of various different scenes is thus completely believable and enchanting; employing the audience’s complete inclusion into the imaginative world of the production. Alongside the appearance of setting in the various scenes, the intricately detailed costumes are exquisite and add a visually appealing aspect to the performances of the actors. At the same time, the creativity and uniqueness of each character’s costume mandates the audience’s teleportation from the feeling of watching a traditional play to the feeling that they are in fact present in this magical/ timeless world of As You Like It. Overall, As You Like It, a production shown by the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, is a professional and glamorous portrayal of traditional/ contemporary Shakespearean comedy. Every aspect of the theatre and production is employed into the narrative element of the play which makes this adaptation of As You Like It unlike any other theatre experience. For instance, the elaborate theatre space is perfect for setting the mood of seeing a professional Shakespearean production and the way in which the stage is the center of vision no matter where you sit in the audience allows sound to travel in a surreal, surround sound manner only enhances this feeling. The actors’ use/ knowledge of Shakespearean language in conjunction with their use of space (entire theatre used as stage while most of the action is mere inches away from the first row of audience members) makes the production flow well while at the same time enhancing the professional feel of the production as well. In this professional nature of the production nearly every aspect and element of Shakespearean comedy is exemplified. Through Gary Griffin’s production of As You Like It, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre is able to directly exemplify the notion of ideal Shakespearean plays and why these plays still remain so popular and relevant in our society today even four hundred years later.

No Taxation Without Repesentation

Explain the meaning of the revolutionary slogan ‘no taxation without representation’. How did that express the core values of the new American political culture? Under American Revolution we understand politic developments in British colonies in North America in 1775-1783, which ended up creating the United States. They were caused by the unwillingness of the colonies to obey to the interests of the metropolis. The slogan that best expressed the cause of the revolution was ‘No taxation without representation’. It was widely used as a main complaint to royalty and colonial administration during the American Revolution.The slogan originated in the 50 – 60 years of the XVIII century, when British colonists in America began to realize that in spite of their large number and business activities, which are taxed, they have no representation in the Parliament and cannot exercise their rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, adopted in 1689. Let’s loo k a little bit closer to the history. In the 1760s British Parliament for the first time started a massive taxation of Americans, violating the fundamental bourgeois legal precept – no taxation without representation.Residents of the province were used to and wanted to continue to pay only the taxes that have been approved by their own elected representatives in local assemblies. Britain took, in addition, a law forbidding Americans to move to the vacant land. This law affected rich landowners, whose entrepreneurial appetites were dramatically reduced; and also small and poor farmers, who had been taken away a cherished dream of their own land. It was followed by political repression: restrictions on freedom of religion, the abolition of jury trials, the privacy of home and property, entry of the British troops in North America.Many of these decrees and laws came from the monarch, but in contrast to earlier times the freedom and rights of Americans have been actively suppress ed and limited also by the British Parliament. Since the 1760s Britain actually began to rule in North America as an absolute monarchy, trying to impose conditions inherent in feudal society. Americans cherish for more than a half century bourgeois social order, were shocked by their attempt to create a new absolutism. The 1760-1770-ies were characterized by the democratization of the political consciousness of Americans and American political culture.An ideological revolution was developing in America, that prepared and made possible a half decade later, the political revolution. Democratization touched a political practice in North America also. Previously unknown forms of political action of the people were developing: mass gatherings, meetings, rallies. Thus was formed the immediate or direct democracy, that started to compete with representative democracy. All sorts of amateur political organizations were created; the most prominent among them was the â€Å"Sons of Libertyâ₠¬ .The most prominent representative of the moderate stage and course of the anti-colonial movement was James Otis. He was most famously associated with the phrase, â€Å"taxation without representation is tyranny†. In the 1760s he became a political oracle of American patriots. In 1761 in the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, Otis condemned the English decree, empowers customs colonies search procedure without judicial authorization of any dwelling to retrieve contraband. Otis argued that the famous English Bill of Rights and Habeas Corpus Act, which guaranteed inviolability of the person, property and housing, equally apply to Americans.No law or decree can be accepted that contradicts these basic acts which Otis after Blackstone called the Constitution. Otis turned the English Constitution and natural law in two main pillars to protect the interests of Americans. Demonstrating brilliant erudition and perseverance, he drew from the English constitution provisions that guaran tee citizens the security of property, and the right to representative government and trial by jury, and freedom of religion, and many other rights, which were based on liberal bourgeois world order.Otis has worked hard to prove the importance of the struggle for representation of North American provinces in Parliament. But his tenacity has not conceived a significant impact on his compatriots. Common sense told patriots, that a small group of colonial deputies in parliament cannot change its policy. Samuel Adams, who was established in the late 1760-1770's at the leading position in the patriotic movement of Massachusetts, states that the colonies cannot be fully represented in Parliament and that their representation at Westminster will turn against provinces itself.That would legitimize parliamentary tyranny for North America, and that therefore, a struggle of patriots for seats in the English legislature leads them astray. American political culture contains a number of core ide als, values and standards that define the relationship between citizens and government, and citizens to one another. Different societies view politics differently, and have different approaches to the view of society. In America, the views of society are liberty, equality, democracy, and individualism.Liberty as right to be free; equality as equality of opportunity; democracy as elected officials from the people; and individualism as the individual's rights are valued above those of the state (government). The American system creates in people a confidence that each and every person have to play by the same rules, and the role of the government is to protect these rules; confidence in the will of the people to support enterprise and entrepreneurship, to persistent work anywhere. And even if at some point people are unsuccessful, they will be making efforts to achieve success again and again.

Attracting Students to NOVA Southeastern University - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Attracting Students to NOVA Southeastern University - Smart Custom Writing Human Resource Management 2The successful activity of any organization directly depends on the ability to control and manage the talents of the staff that can be helpful some innovative ideas, perspectives and consideration for the improvement of the working process. The problems and challenges that can appear in the working environment may be turned into strategic assets of the organization and used for he company’s prosperity.   Due to different talents and different cultural backgrounds, diverse genders, ages and completely different lifestyles, the company can have more business opportunities, work more quickly and creatively and achieve the desirable goals as quickly as possible. If the environment of the organization does not maintain diversity broadly, there is a high risk to lose talent to competitors. Mathis and Jackson (2010, p.34) assert that many companies are afraid of this very situation. Human resources department is one of the main departments in any structure or organization. The HR is responsible for such tasks as hiring (recruitment), compensation, evaluation and management, promotions, managing relations, planning and payroll. The objective of human resources department is to maximize the coming investment from the organization's human capital and, on the same time, reduce the financial risk to the minimal limits. According to the vital role that human resources department play, there are some challenges such as managing knowledge workers, managing technological challenges, competence of HR managers, competence of HR managers and managing change. Obviously, it is not a complete list or duties and responsibilities of the human research department and managers. One of the main aims of HR department is to organize the work of the staff properly and guarantee excellent and due performance of the work. In this case, one of the most widely spread management tools is the performance appraisal. The question of the using of this management technique is rather controversial as it has both, positive and negative effects on the personnel. The appraisal of genuine performance is a process that is able to alleviate a lot of dysfunctions of conventional systems of the performance appraisal as well as produce a more humane and moral human resource management process of making decisions. Performance of the appraisal critics demonstrates a great number of convincing arguments against its use. Armstrong and Mitchell (2008, p.56) state that there are many cases when this system resulted in different problems.   The major critiques are that person performance appraisal supposes a false level of measurement correctness, produces conflict and competition of   dysfunctional employee, allocates an excessive amount of liability for bad performance to employees while undervaluing the general working process, underemphasizes the significance of work group. One more problem that may arise from the usage of critics of performance appraisal is a conflict between appraised and appraiser. In this case, everything depends upon the personality of both. Obviously, the appraiser should keep in mind some personal features of the employee and take into account the probable behavior of the person. In this case the psychological skills of the manager play very important role, as apprais al should be presented in a correct manner whatever it may be, positive or negative.   Very often, the incorrect manner of presenting the appraisal can lead to the dysfunction of the employee performance and worse results of work. The appraisal should be presented in such a manner to evoke the employee desire to improve the way of work. The staff should feel its necessity whatever appraisal might be in order not to lose the desire to work more efficiently. Very often, many managers carry out the performance appraisals rather poorly. As a result, they face up not only the unpleasant meetings, but also those where the manager and the representatives of the staff never quite comprehend each other, never quite value the other's viewpoint, and never quite settle the suitable goals that are necessary to achieve within the year. Unfortunately, it is practically inevitable the member of the staff will be less happy and less productive after conversation. It proves once again that the crit ical appraisal of the work should be done properly and very carefully in order to avoid misunderstanding and decrease of the productiveness. While making the appraisal of the work of the staff, managers make one common mistake that can lead to frustration, misunderstanding and biased attitude in the team. While making the appraisal it is important to remember that it should be performed along with the employee, as only free eye-to-eye conversation can lead to the positive results. Otherwise, the employee can have the biased attitude form his or her colleagues and lose the desire to work productively. This is a kind of result that should be avoided in any case. In the book by Pynes (2009, p.67) there is a statement that critical appraisal of the performance has its positive effects and intentions. For instance, it can help in developing leadership skills by means of encouraging staff to work more effectively. Developing leadership is also very important, although it seems it is given less attention and development as it should be at all levels of the organization. Despite the fact that leadership is discussed on origin of personality and certain behaviors at an organizational level, which is more based on knowledge, the challenge is to improve employees who have performance based on their past records and knowledge into business leaders by imparting them with the necessary â€Å"software skills†. In any case, any kind of appraisal, positive or negative, can have good and bad results. Everything depends upon the manner of presenting it to the employee. Therefore, critical appraisal is not so scare and bad as it may seem although it ma y lead to positive changes within the tem and improve the performance of work. Reference List Armstrong, S. and Mitchell, B. (2008) The Essential HR Handbook: A Quick and Handy Resource for Any Manager or HR Professional , Sydney: Career Press.Mathis, R.L and Jackson J. (2010) Human Resource Management, Boston: South-Western College PubPynes, J. (2009) Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Strategic Approach (Essential Texts for Nonprofit and Public Leadership and Management, New York: Jossey-Bass

The use of Diffusion of Innovations in a Mass Media Campaign essays

The use of Diffusion of Innovations in a Mass Media Campaign essays Diffusion of innovations is a theory that describes how new ideas, opinions and behaviors spread throughout a community.(Valente, p.34) In this paper I will show how this theory was applied in the reproductive health campaign in Bolivia. Diffusion theory is used to study the way in which new information is spread throughout a certain population and how innovation is adopted. To begin with, there are five stages in the adoption process: The first stage is awareness of the innovation in the case of the Bolivia campaign it is the introduction of family planning. People have to become aware of the new idea and the diffusion of this idea takes more or less time according to the media used to spread it through the population. Usually the mass media are used to spread awareness but it can also be done through primary social networks, i.e. word-of-mouth. The next stage is persuasion. After people become aware of the new practice they have to be able to learn more about it in order to potentially develop a positive attitude towards it. Different persuasion strategies are adopted according to the sub-population that is targeted. The goal is for this population to accept the new idea as a solution to an existing problem. Persuasion then makes possible the third step, the decision. Individuals will then make a conscious decision to try a new behavior. This is a vital step in behavior change as is represents a transition from conception of an idea, acceptance of the idea to motivation to take action. The fourth stage is the implementation of the behavior. The stage represents a transition from processes that are uniquely cognitive to processes that are behavioral. This is therefore the most significant stage in behavior change. The cognitive processes that proceed this stage provide the population with the means to practice/implement the new behavior that had hitherto been advocated. The last stage is behav...

Pronouncing Dour and Other OU Words

Pronouncing Dour and Other OU Words Pronouncing Dour and Other OU Words Pronouncing Dour and Other OU Words By Maeve Maddox A reader asks: How does one pronounce properly the word â€Å"dour†?   Should it rhyme with â€Å"sour† or â€Å"door† or be pronounced something like the whiskey â€Å"Dewar’s† or perhaps â€Å"doer†? Dour is an adjective that came into English from a Scottish word that in turn probably came from the word that gives us durable: durus: â€Å"hard.† A dour person presents a stern, harsh, forbidding exterior. Here are some examples of dour found on the Web and in Wuthering Heights: Never the dour child in his eyes, Eleanor [Roosevelt] was instead his â€Å"own darling little Nell.† Not only did Kierkegaard inherit his fathers melancholy, his sense of guilt and anxiety, and his pietistic emphasis on the dour aspects of Christian faith, but he also inherited his talents for philosophical argument and creative imagination. The social worker had remained silent throughout the conference, with a  dour  expression on  his  face. [Heathcliff] managed to continue work till nine o’clock, and then marched dumb and dour to his chamber. In my early (US) education, I learned to pronounce the vowel sound of dour like the oo in goose: DOOr. This is the only pronunciation given in the OED. The online pronouncing dictionary Howjsay gives a second pronunciation in which the vowel sound is pronounced like the vowel sound in out: DOWr. Merriam-Webster Unabridged (online version) shows the phonetic symbols for the OW pronunciation first, but the audio feature gives the OO pronunciation. According to Charles Elster, (The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations), a survey of American sources indicates that the OO pronunciation was the only one in US speech until the 1940s. He speculates that the OW pronunciation developed by false analogy with words like our, hour, flour, sour, scour, and devour. I hesitate to label DOWr â€Å"US pronunciation.† Many US speakers do make dour rhyme with sour, but many others pronounce dour as the English and Scots do. Regional US pronunciation varies widely (and sometimes wildly) when it comes to words spelled with ou. For example, some speakers pronounce tour to rhyme with tore and tourist to rhyme with forest. When I was growing up, the most common American pronunciation of route was ROOT. We even had a popular song about getting our kicks on Route 66 that was sung with the ROOT pronunciation. Nowadays, many (again, not all) American speakers make route rhyme with shout, losing the distinction between the noun route (â€Å"a line of travel†) and the verb rout (â€Å"to put to flight†). Here are a few more ou words grouped according to pronunciation of the vowel sound. Some readers are sure to disagree with the groupings, but here goes anyway. My authorities are the OED, M-W, and Howjsay: OW as in how: foul loud house flour hour sour OO as in you>: cougar louvre tour tourist OR as in for: court mourn O as in toe: moulder moult soul UR as in URN: journal journalist journey schwa (an indeterminate uh sound) moustache Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Farther vs. FurtherRules for Capitalization in TitlesMay Have vs. Might Have

A Letter to Explain the Subtleties of Revelations Essay

A Letter to Explain the Subtleties of Revelations - Essay Example Probably the first thing that it is important to understand is that Revelations is grounded firmly in the time of its writing – that is, the first century after the death of Christ, and it can take on a completely new meaning when looked at under that light. Probably the first thing that it is important to understand is that Revelations is not at all unique, but rather part of a â€Å"literary tradition† of apocalyptic literature that was flourishing in the first century (Kirsch 38). This literary tradition was not just Christian, but also Jewish, and in fact expanded to many other groups, including â€Å"shamans† and other religious leaders (38). Many of these works take the form of visions granted by a divine being, said to show the end times and to warn people of the coming apocalypse, so in this way too is the Book of Revelations part of a broad tradition (103). But, I can imagine you saying, this is part of the bible, not just some raving of a Shaman. The fa ct remains, however, that there was a great amount of apocalyptic literature that was coming in and out of popularity during this era, and the decision of what would become canonical (or part of the Bible) and what would become apocryphal (not part of the Bible) would be made only centuries later and through an incredibly complex and fraught political process. So, in some ways, if you are worried about the end of the world as depicted in revelations, you also have to be worried about the end of the world depicted in a wide variety of other literature in this genre. So now that we have understood a little bit about the cultural and literary context that Revelations came from, it is important to delve into the historical realities that surrounded its creation, which have a palpable impact on one’s understanding of it once one is aware that the historical context exists. The first century after Christ’s death was an incredibly uproarious time religiously, and Christianity is in fact part of that uproar. During this time period there was widespread social unrest, especially in Judea, because of the relatively recent conquest of the area by the Roman Empire (45). This was simply the latest in a long line of conquests and enslavements that Jews (at this period Christians might be better understood as a sect of Judaism rather than as an independent religion) had suffered, which was made especially dire by the destruction of the Second Temple. These times of conquest and upheaval have always been accompanied by the emergence of apocalyptic literature (48), which serves several purposes. One is to provide hope and spirit to the people suffering – the end of the world necessarily means the prevailing of the righteous at the hands of the evil, which is an especially appealing idea to a downtrodden people. Another is to solidify the base of believers, whose beliefs might be weakened or who might be tempted to stray from the teachings of their religion based on the persecution that they suffer at the hands of the conquering force. So along with being part of line of literary traditions of apocalyptic literature, Revelations is also a fairly common response to political upheaval. One of the most commonly known prophesises in revelations, for instance, is the â€Å"mark† or â€Å"seal† of the devil (Revelations 13:16) that will become spread widely during the end

The story about my friend Ali Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The story about my friend Ali - Essay Example Soon though, my family, including myself, relocated to the United States of America, and at that time, I was apprehensive of the relationship that shared with Ali. Until the time that we were together, things were good for us however, we had never given any thought to what life would be like without the other person around. We did not realise that we had grown so close to each other that it was impossible to spend some time apart. As Ali and I both entered our teens, we used to spend nights talking to each other on the phone, and our parents and friends knew that there was something special between us. I, however, remained naive to that fact and would take all my problems to Ali. He would answer patiently, â€Å"Look inside yourself, you’ll find the answer soon.† So when it was time to move, I asked him, â€Å"What will happen to us?† and I recall that he said the same thing, in the calmest manner possible. Fortunately, Ali and I did not have to grow apart becaus e he soon followed me to America, but to fulfil his dreams of becoming a medical surgeon. I was overjoyed that Ali would once again be by my side, but despite the closeness being reinstated, I always felt that Ali thought of me as his little sister. That was what I told myself when he was always nice to me. This was probably because I felt this way about all my other male friends too and did not know how to think differently of him even though I always knew that he and I shared something completely out of the ordinary with each other.... Till the time that we were together, things were good for us however, we had never given any thought to what life would be like without the other person around. We did not realise that we had grown so close to each other that it was impossible to spend some time apart. As Ali and I both entered our teens, we used to spend nights talking to each other on the phone, and our parents and friends knew that there was something special between us. I however, remained naive to that fact and would take all my problems to Ali. He would answer patiently, â€Å"Look inside yourself, you’ll find the answer soon.† So when it was time to move, I asked him, â€Å"What will happen to us?† and I recall that he said the same thing, in the calmest manner possible. Fortunately, Ali and I did not have to grow apart because he soon followed me to America, but to fulfil his dreams of becoming a medical surgeon. I was overjoyed that Ali would once again be by my side, but despite the clo seness being reinstated, I always felt that Ali thought of me as his little sister. That was what I told myself when he was always nice to me. This was probably because I felt this way about all my other male friends too and did not know how to think differently of him even though I always knew that he and I shared something completely out of the ordinary with each other. I never bothered to segregate the relationship that I shared with Ali into something different than what I had for everyone else around me. Soon, the time came for Ali to express himself to my friends by telling them the inevitable – the fact that he had feelings for me. My friends, Natasha and Rustam, however always knew this to be true because they knew about our history together and how he was

Modern definition of success in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Modern definition of success in America - Essay Example Black Americans have been able to establish different expectations and attitudes compared to their white counterparts. This has accrued from the historical evolution of the American society (Lipsitz 371). This essay will focus mainly on the African-Americans because they have been known to face the most humiliation and discrimination as compared to other races namely Hindu and Hispanic. The most common form of prejudice was slavery which entailed slaves being owned as properties with no legal rights whatsoever. They could be bought, sold to clear debts and even leased to interested parties. Statistics in the 19th Century showed that the African- Americans comprised of the largest number of slaves who were immigrants of African descent that had crossed the Atlantic sea. Slavery was used as a means of getting slave laborers to produce certain goods for the world market namely sugar and tobacco by working in large plantations (Moon 234). The living conditions of slaves were intolerable at best therefore leading to a number of deaths of African-Americans. The causes of death were mainly poverty and sickness and in some cases, thorough beatings by their masters (Moon 234). Despite this, many Africans still came to the western hemisphere with hopes of a promising future only to be disappointed in the long-run. Slavery died with the Civil War but there was still existence of slaves in various States up to 1840. This the period whereby the one-drop rule came into being which mentioned that any individual who had any level of African ancestry was a negro namely black. Children who had mixed parentage were automatically considered to be black because they had â€Å"one drop of negro blood†. The man behind this rule was known as Thomas Jefferson although historical records have found that he bore children of mixed race with his slave known as Sally Hemings. This

Separation and anxieties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Separation and anxieties - Essay Example Approximately four to five percent of the children in US suffer from this disorder. The disorder is not sex-specific meaning that it affects both males and females equally. The disorder usually wears off during the teens or puberty however a small percentage of people still retain it. Separation anxiety is a natural phenomenon in babies that are of the age group two to four since that is the time when they need their parents’ constant attention. However as the children grow up and start to become a little independent, this feeling dies off. In some cases, the anxiety persists and hence results in this so called separation anxiety disorder. There are many symptoms which may point towards the presence of this order. Some of the most common ones include not going to school or bed without the parents or a caretaker. Also there is a persistent fear in the minds of these children that something bad will happen to the guardian if they are separated from them which causes them to cry or act in a very hyper manner. Separation anxiety disorder has multiple origins. The most obvious being some mental distress or trauma that a child has gone through like an accident or a death in the family. However many a times the parents themselves are responsible for this condition. Sometimes the anxiety is mutual and a greater contribution comes from the side of the parents who refuse to let go of their children alone. Children whose parents are over protective have a greater likelihood of suffering from the separation anxiety disorder. The disorder is also thought to have genetic origins and it is said that parents who suffer or suffered from separation anxiety have a greater probability of having children who have to go through the same thing. During normal conditions the separation anxiety symptoms usually subside when the child gets assured that the parents

Are U.S. CEOs overpaid Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Are U.S. CEOs overpaid - Research Paper Example Even if they did not occupy such positions, people with a firm educational background and effective leadership skills should be paid much more than the rest of the population. The public’s outcry is not entirely misguided; nonetheless, there are facts supporting the high earnings entitled to the CEOs and it remains unclear whether capping CEO salaries will contribute to business success. This paper explores whether US CEOs are overpaid. Statistics According to Kaplan, US CEOs are arguably overpaid (6). According to Walsh, some of the potential triggers of the ‘excessive’ salaries of CEOs include; too much influence, negligent boards of directors, weak compensation consultants, and formulation of salary scales through stock options among others (73). According to Kay and Van Putten, in 1970, the average Chief Executive Officer earned about $700,000 (189). The amount was 25 times the earning of an average production employee. Three decades later, CEO salaries had ri sen to almost $2.2 million, 90 times more than the salary of an average worker (Kay, and Van Putten, 190). Kaplan argues that with an increase in the value of stocks and other allowance, the average CEO currently earns between 250-500 times the average employee’s salaries (7). ... Any employee in the technology industry is aware this average salary would hardly hire a well-educated administrative staff in technology-intensive sectors in the United States. According to Thomas and Hill, current CEOs serve shorter terms compared to CEOs of the late twentieth century, hence the sharp rise in the earnings (19). The high rise in CEO salaries may be attributed to the fact that the officers are uncertain about what would happen next. Capitalism seems to have entered the corporate sector to the level that CEO may see it better to earn as much as they can when in such positions (Kay, and Van Putten 191). According to Walsh, today’s CEOs are virtually carrying out the same duties as their predecessors who earned a much less, but this is not the case with line workers (75). Whereas, the salary gap between a top executive and the average employee calls for a review of the rules to narrow it, Kaplan argues that rectifying the discrepancy may not be achieved (6). Owin g to the fact that CEO salaries top the list of salary scales in most organizations, theirs tend to be fodder to the media. Less widely covered is the substantial salary disparity between employees and junior executive remunerations. It differs by sector, but in most firms, the salary discrepancy becomes clear at the immediate CEO subordinates. At this point the analysts move into a lower pay level, but significant disparities in salary still subsist between a senior executive and a CEO (Kay, and Van Putten 122-127). Relating the average worker pay to CEOs For easier understanding of the salary scale of the average employee in the US, it would be appropriate to analyze all aspects of their salary; wage, shift gap,

Quality Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality Management - Research Paper Example As the head of the Academic Board, I am responsible for the level of quality in the teaching and learning at the UWS. I therefore find it necessary to engage in research to determine a Quality Management Strategy for an improved system of Teaching and Learning in University of West Sydney. The main focus of this paper is the establishment of strategic plan for the implementation of a quality management approach in the UWS. This paper also focuses on implementation of the plan and change management. Among the major recommendations of this paper is promotion of an indiscriminately student-based, quality oriented and feedback based management plan for the teaching and learning program of the UWS. The paper intensely reviews literature and uses critical analysis of facts for clear judgment and accurate recommendations. Introduction Background The University of Western Sydney (UWS) was established 26 years ago. It has a clear mission statement which corresponds with the status which led t o its establishment. The mission is â€Å"To be a university of international standing and outlook, achieving excellence through scholarship, teaching, learning, research and service to its regional, national and international communities, beginning with the people of Greater Western Sydney†. According to the Australian Universities Quality Agency Report (2011), the universities vision was adjusted in the 210-2015 strategic plan. The new vision is aimed at stream-lining the objectives of various departments of the university towards a common vision of â€Å"Bringing knowledge to life in Greater Western Sydney through community and business engagement with our learning and our research† To achieve this, the university needs to establish a Quality Management Strategy for an improved system of Teaching and Learning. Being the head of the Academic Board, I am commissioned to study the current system of Teaching and Learning and establish an efficient and effective Quality Management Strategy designed to boost the existing system of teaching and learning. Statement of the Problem The university has a total of 28,396 students. 11.5% of these students are international students. To cater for the need of this students are a total or 885 Academic staff and 1,278 non-academic staff. As clearly seen for this figures, the university should have clear quality management and assessment mechanisms to manage this great responsibility. Even with the huge number of employees, without an efficient quality assessment technic, they quality of output of efforts of the university is bound to be minimal (Australian Universities Quality Agency, 2011). Australia has made significant efforts in maintaining quality of its high education. these efforts include performance of national audits by a Committee for Quality Assurance in the early 90’s by the national. In the late 1990s, Australia developed a National Quality Benchmarking Manual. The most recent effort toward s assuring quality

Are U.S. CEOs overpaid Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Are U.S. CEOs overpaid - Research Paper Example Even if they did not occupy such positions, people with a firm educational background and effective leadership skills should be paid much more than the rest of the population. The public’s outcry is not entirely misguided; nonetheless, there are facts supporting the high earnings entitled to the CEOs and it remains unclear whether capping CEO salaries will contribute to business success. This paper explores whether US CEOs are overpaid. Statistics According to Kaplan, US CEOs are arguably overpaid (6). According to Walsh, some of the potential triggers of the ‘excessive’ salaries of CEOs include; too much influence, negligent boards of directors, weak compensation consultants, and formulation of salary scales through stock options among others (73). According to Kay and Van Putten, in 1970, the average Chief Executive Officer earned about $700,000 (189). The amount was 25 times the earning of an average production employee. Three decades later, CEO salaries had ri sen to almost $2.2 million, 90 times more than the salary of an average worker (Kay, and Van Putten, 190). Kaplan argues that with an increase in the value of stocks and other allowance, the average CEO currently earns between 250-500 times the average employee’s salaries (7). ... Any employee in the technology industry is aware this average salary would hardly hire a well-educated administrative staff in technology-intensive sectors in the United States. According to Thomas and Hill, current CEOs serve shorter terms compared to CEOs of the late twentieth century, hence the sharp rise in the earnings (19). The high rise in CEO salaries may be attributed to the fact that the officers are uncertain about what would happen next. Capitalism seems to have entered the corporate sector to the level that CEO may see it better to earn as much as they can when in such positions (Kay, and Van Putten 191). According to Walsh, today’s CEOs are virtually carrying out the same duties as their predecessors who earned a much less, but this is not the case with line workers (75). Whereas, the salary gap between a top executive and the average employee calls for a review of the rules to narrow it, Kaplan argues that rectifying the discrepancy may not be achieved (6). Owin g to the fact that CEO salaries top the list of salary scales in most organizations, theirs tend to be fodder to the media. Less widely covered is the substantial salary disparity between employees and junior executive remunerations. It differs by sector, but in most firms, the salary discrepancy becomes clear at the immediate CEO subordinates. At this point the analysts move into a lower pay level, but significant disparities in salary still subsist between a senior executive and a CEO (Kay, and Van Putten 122-127). Relating the average worker pay to CEOs For easier understanding of the salary scale of the average employee in the US, it would be appropriate to analyze all aspects of their salary; wage, shift gap,

Strategic capabilities darden Essay Example for Free

Strategic capabilities darden Essay Strategic Capabilities In this part of the report the different capabilities of Darden will be explained and which of these capabilities lead to competitive rivalry. But first the different resources and competences will be discussed which will lead to the capabilities. 1) Resource; A physical resource of Darden is; There different restaurants, with this is meant the different buildings that Darden owns with the different kind of restaurants. 1) Competence; The competence that Darden has is; To make different kind of dishes. 1) Capability When the above mentioned resource ad competence are linked then the following capability emerges; Flexible to make different dishes for different markets. Darden has 8 different brands. Each brand standing for its own kind of food like; Italian of seafood. This means that Darden offers all kinds of food to the consumers. After applying the VRIN model to this capability the conclusion is; V- This capability is a value for the consumers due to the fact that Darden gives them the opportunity to choice between different restaurants. This capability allows Darden to be profitable in the market. R- Different brands plus products are included in one chain. Unfortunately for Darden is capability is not Rare, different competitors have the same kind of capability. ( for example Laundry’s, DineEquity) I- This capability is possible to imitate, but this will take some time and the right amount of financial resources. N- This capability is possible to substitute by another company. For example Yum Restaurants, they have also different dishes for different markets with their Taco bell, KFC and Pizza Hut. Conclusion Capability 1); The above mentioned capability is not one that is unique and that is not difficult to imitate, but however it is still a strength for Darden due to the fact it gives Darden a great brand image, and it gives it an advantage compared to their smaller competitors who do not have this capability as strong as Darden. 2) Resource; A Human resource that Darden has is: Well trained and guided staff. 2) Competence; A competence that Darden has is; Skill to buy the best products (for example Darden sources top quality seafood from more than 100 varieties. 2) Capability; When the above mentioned Resources and competence are combined then the following capability emerges; Capable of making high-quality food. High quality is always something under discussion, what is high quality? In this case is meant food that has a very good quality versus cost proportion. And speaks to a lot of people. After applying the VRIN model to this capability the conclusion is; V- This capability has a great value for the consumers because a good quality versus cost proportion is something that quest will remember and will tell to their friends and families. R- This capability is not rare, there are a lot of restaurants that can make high quality food against a good price for the consumers. I- Is this capability Imitational, yes when looking at the above mentioned point ( R) there it shows other restaurants are already doing this. N- This capability can be substitute, what has been explained earlier is that restaurants are already having the same kind of capability. Conclusion Capability 2) The capability of making high-quality food is very important for Darden because consumers expect a level of quality when they go to one of Dardens restaurants. For this case it is a strength of Darden. However it is not a very strong capability due to the fact that multiple competitors are doing the same and that it is very easy to imitate or substitute. 3) Resource; A resource that Darden has is; There strong marketing. 3) Competence; A competence that Darden has is; Using all kinds of advertising. 3) Capability; When the above mentioned resource and competence are combined then the following capability emerges; Dardens ability to market its restaurants. Darden is a leading advertiser in the full size dining segment of the hospitality industry. Darden uses different kind of methods to advertise their brands, like local and cable television, digital advertising, billboards, search engine marketing, radio and newspapers. After applying the VRIN model to this capability the following conclusion can be made; V-; This capability will generate more consumers which will bring more revenue, if the cost are low enough to be profitable in this part then this can be a huge Value to the company. For the consumers this will also be a Value because they stay up to date with new actions, menu changes and promotions. R-; This capability is not rare at all, almost every company has a marketing department and advertises itself. I-; Marketing is very imitational due to the fact that everybody sees them so other companies can easily use the same kind of method, However due to the fact that Darden has multiple brands is can target and advertise to all these markets at the same time which gives them an advantage. N-; This capability can be substituted by a different company, because there are already companies with multiple brands that target and advertise to different markets. (Laundry’s) Conclusion Capability 3) Of the 3 capabilities mentioned in this part of the report, capability 3 is the weakest. It is still an important part of the company, but it is very difficult to stand out on marketing now a day compared to competitors. It is more a capability that is at least required to be successful. Conclusion Capabilities When looking at the 3 different capabilities explained in this part the capabilities concerning the different dishes and the high quality of food are two strong and important capabilities that Darden has. The marketing capability is not as strong but it is still a plus point of the company. Without the marketing Darden would not be as successful as it is today.

CALPUFF-CALMET Modeling System

CALPUFF-CALMET Modeling System 1. Introduction Nowadays, due to the fast expansion of industrial development and population increase, air pollution has become one of the most serious problems in the world, especially in large cities and consequently, the problem of air pollution and its control has become increasingly. Fossil fuel combustion, especially which based on oil and coal is one of the major causes of the environmental problems affecting both local and global levels. However, several countries are still using fossil fuels as primary energy, especially in developing countries. Electricity consumption in Iran has experienced a considerable growth during recent years because of economical development, industrialization and population increase. In 1973, electric energy generation per capita was 310 kWh, which increased to 2935 kWh in 2008. Electricity generation using fossil fuels has destructive effects on environment. Due to Irans environmental conditions, electricity generation is mainly performed by thermal power plants, so that near 85% of the required electric energy is produced by thermal power plants. Gas-fired power plants are the dominant part which accounted up to 62% of total power generation. Oil-fired power plants generated 22.4% and 14.7% produced from hydroelectric plants. Although hydroelectric plants make 14.7% proportion of plants in Iran, these plants have generated only 5.1% of the power due to a fall in precipitation over the past few years. Natural gas (71.3%) is the largest source of fuel for electricity generation followed by heavy oil (15.8%) and gas oil (12.4%). Although, the main fuel of power plants is gas, the environmental problems are still concerned Air quality is a major determinant of human health. Meteorology plays a great role in determining air quality changes downwind of emission sources. Both the wind and atmospheric stability greatly affect dispersion conditions. Local influences due to terrain and land-cover factors can also be important. Air dispersion and deposition models are tools for estimating concentrations of air pollutants and deposition rates due to industrial or other emission sources (Prince Rupert Airshed Study). Air quality models are instrumental in providing valuable insights into the processes involved in the transport, dispersion and chemical transformation of pollutants in the atmosphere .These models use mathematical equations and numerical methods to describe the concepts involved in the atmosphere. In recent years, CALPUFF model has good performance in the simulation of many kinds of pollutants under complicated topography, especially in the area larger than 50 km. CALPUFF can be run in any specific location around the world, and for any modeling type period selected by the user. Due to its flexibility, CALPUFF has been used in several research studies. Over the past years, several CALPUFF-aided case studies have been published. Shiyao Li et al. (2016) used CALPUFF model to simulate the spatial distribution of sulfur dioxide in Urumqi and analyzes the source contribution to areas where the SO2 concentration is high. Prueksakorn et al. (2014) applied WRF/CALPUFF modeling system and multimonitoring methods to investigate the effect of seasonal variations on odor dispersion in Changwon City of South Korea. Abdul-Wahab et al. (2011) used CALPUFF software to measure and simulate the dispersion of sulfur dioxide (SO2) at the Mina Al-Fahal Refinery in the Sultanate of Oman. Abdul-Wahab et al. (2013) used CALPUFF to study the effect of meteorological conditions on the dispersion of an accidental release of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Abdul-Wahab et al. (2015) applied CALPUFF to assess the quality of the proposed Miller Braeside quarry expansion in Canada. Hyung-Don Lee et al. (2014) used WRF-CALPUFF software to simulate concentration distributi ons of typical air pollutants (PM10 and SO2) in the Ulsan Petrochemical Industrial Complex (UPIC), and statistics are computed to determine the models ability to simulate observations. In this study, a CALMET diagnostic model nested to WRF model simulation is evaluated by comparison to surface air measurements, along specific periods. Then the CALPUFF dispersion model was used to simulate and predict the concentration of SO2, NOX, CO and PM10 that are emitted from the Shahid-Montazeri power plant (SMPP) of Esfahan, Iran.   The main goal of this study is to evaluate the capability of the CALPUFF model to simulate the concentrations of SO2, NOX, CO and PM10 in the nearby of power plant for special topographical and climatological conditions of the study area. First, the amounts of pollution exhausted from the stacks and the ambient concentrations of pollution due to the emitted gases from the stacks of Shahid-Montazeri power plant have been monitored in four receptors (Figure 1). Then the ambient concentration levels of pollution have been simulated for the receptors, using CALPPUF Lagrangian Gaussian puff model. Finally, the comparison of model prediction results and the monitored concentrations have been done through statistical analysis. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2. Model description Technical description of CALPUFF-CALMET modeling system CALPUFF is one of the US Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) preferred models for assessing transport of pollutants and their effects, on a case-by-case basis, or for certain near-field applications involving complex meteorological conditions. The modeling system consists of three main components and a set of preprocessing and post processing programs. The main components of the modeling system are CALMET (a diagnostic 3-dimensional meteorological model), CALPUFF (an air quality dispersion model) and CALPOST (a post processing package). CALMET is a diagnostic meteorological model which can make use of topography, land type, meteorological observation data and meteorological simulation data to diagnosis of wind and temperature fields based on the mass conservation equation. Besides the wind and temperature fields, CALMET determines the 2D fields of micro meteorological variables needed to carry out dispersion simulations (mixing height, Monin Obukhov length, friction velocity, convective velocity and others). The quality of a meteorological preprocessor is one of the main determinants of the overall quality of the air dispersion model, and this is particularly true for the CALPUFF/CALMET modeling system in a wide range of conditions. The main purpose of CALMET is to obtain the best possible meteorological data based on the available information. In particular, CALMET can receive measured data, modeled data (i.e., generated by a meteorological model like MM5 or WRF), or both. When a high-resolution terrain data set is available, CALMET is capable of using this information to estimate local deviations from meteorological data measured or modeled at a coarser resolution (Scire J.S). CALPUFF is a multi-species non-steady-state puff dispersion model that simulates the effects of time and space varying meteorological conditions on pollutant transport, transformation, and removal. CALPUFF allows the use of on-site turbulence measurements of the horizontal and vertical Gaussian dispersion coefficients, but also allows for the use of similarity theory and micrometeorological variables, derived from meteorological observations and surface characteristics, to obtain these coefficients. CALPUFF utilizes a Gaussian puff formulation to calculate the concentration of a pollutant (or spores, in our application) at any given location downwind, and the deposition at users specified locations at ground level (Use of a complex air pollution model to estimate W. Pfender). CALPOST can extract CALPUFF simulation data according to customers demand (Spatial distribution and source analysis of SO2 concentration in Urumqi). 3. Methodology a. Description of study area and model domain Isfahan is located in the central Iran inside the plains stretching along the Zayandeh Rood River. The city is located in a relatively mountainous area in the center of the Iranian Plateau and stretches from the snowy Zagros Mountains in the West to the East and North-central deserts of Iran. There exist a variety of climatic conditions in the city thanks to regions with different altitudes. The outstanding features of Isfahan are little rainfall, average less than 125 mm. Isfahan is located in 32.67N, 51.83E, and elevation 1550-1650 m, with more than 1.7 million population (https://amar.sci.org.ir/index_e.aspx). There are more than a million automotive and heavy duty vehicles using diesels, gasoline, and natural gas in Isfahan. This city is known as the largest industrialized region in Iran, where there are many industrial states, steel companies, and etc. There is also one of the biggest electric power plant of Iran. Shahid-Montazeri steam power plant of Esfahan is located 15 km to the northwest of Isfahan along the Isfahan-Tehran highway next to Isfahan Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in a 2.2 million m2 land (Evaluation of synchronous execution of full repowering and solar assisting in a 200 MW steam power plant, a case study) (Figure 1). This power plant has 8 similar steam units each with a capacity of 200 MW. Montazeri plant is a steam power plant which is recently use natural gas. However, Montazeri uses heavy oil during the cold days due to increasing the domestic heating. The study area is located around as Montazeri power plant, with a total capacity of 1600 MW and two large smoke stacks (205 agl-m height, above ground level meters height and 1725 base elevetion) with four independent liners (one per boiler) in the same concrete shaft that are selected point sources (Figure 2).   Therefore, it should be considered as eight different point sources practically located at the same point; alternatively, it can be considered as a two point sources, with an emission and stack section as the sum of the four liners (Validation of CALMET/CALPUFF model simulations around a large power plant stack). In this study, dispersion of SO2, Nox, and particulate matter (pm10) emitted from the Montazeri power plant over the Esfahan basin was evaluated for two periods of days (from 10 to 31 January 2000). A simulation domain of 100100 km2 was selected by the power plant positioned at the center, in order to cover any pollutant source local impact. This area is divided into 10000 grids, the size of which is 1 km 1 km. The southwest corner of the domain is located at longitude 50.96E, latitude 32.35N. The northeast corner is located at longitude 52.03E, latitude 33.24N and the elevation of the study area varies from 1500 to 2800 m. Table 1 represents the information model input which is used for defining the case study meteorological domain. b. Emission data The main sources of pollutants in Montazeri power plant are resulted from exhaust gases of the stacks which cause air pollution in the power plant area and its surrounding. The values of SO2, NO, NO2 and PM10 emissions from the stacks of Montazeri power plant have been measured by Testo 350-XL device for gases and ISOSTACK BASIC device for particulate maater, during the period of simulation. The data of stack characteristics and the emission rate of the pollutant have been presented in Tables 2. This release huge quantities of sulfur dioxide due to Steam power plants of Iran are not equipped with FGD systems to reduce SO2 emissions, and thereby, the emission factor of this pollutant is only influenced by electricity generation efficiency and sulfur percentage of the consumed heavy oil. In this study, we used data observed from four monitoring station to measure so2, nox and pm 10 (figure 1). Location of the monitoring stations (receptors) has been presented in Cartesian coordinate system in Table 2. Measurements at the monitoring station were done based on the average hour concentrations. c. Meteorological data Surface hourly observations in TD-3505 format were obtained from the Integrated Surface Hourly Database (ISHD) supported by the US National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) . Data was extracted hourly for the entire modeling period from March 10, 2012 at 00h00 UTC to March 12, 2012 at 23h00 LST. Due to the large number of missing data of the other surface meteorological parameters (such as: pressure, ceiling height and cloud cover) only temperature and wind speed were validated.   The purpose of extracting this data was only to evaluate the accuracy of the calmet model to simulate the vertical profiles of wind and temperature. Figure 3 shows the location of the meteorological station used in this study and a description of the surface stations is provided in table 3 d. Modeling approach The initial phase of CALPUFF modeling system involves the derivation of three dimensional meteorological wind fields for the study area using CALMET a diagnostic meteorological model (Estimated Public Health Exposure to H2S Emissions from a Sour Gas Well Blowout in Kaixian County, China). The input of CALMET model includes geophysical data (land use categories and terrain elevations), meteorological data (surface and upper air meteorological observations or meteorological fields generated by prognostic models) (A study of the effects of vehicle emissions on the atmosphere of Sultan Qaboos University in Oman). Due to lack of the surface and upper air meteorological data in the study area we used the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF: version 3.5.1) model to simulate of meteorological conditions. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF), a prognostic meteorological model, was used to calculate the hourly three-dimensional meteorological fields For CALMET model (Applications of WR F/CALPUFF modeling system and multi-monitoring). The WRF model description presented in Table 2. Initial conditions and boundary conditions are provided by the 1.0 degree National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Final Analysis (FNL) at 6-h intervals (Use of high-resolution MM5/CALMET/CALPUFF system: SO2 apportionment to air quality in Hong Kong). Data in WRF output files can be interpreted and converted to a format compatible with CALMET by CALWRF program (Scire et. al.2000b). CALMET requires geophysical data to characterize the terrain and land use parameters that potentially affect dispersion. Terrain features affect flows, create turbulence in the atmosphere, and are potentially subjected to higher concentrations of elevated puffs. Different land use types exhibit variable characteristics such as surface roughness, albedo, Bowen ratio, and leafarea index that also affect turbulence and dispersion (The use of an atmospheric dispersion model to determine influence regions in the Prince George, B.C.). Terrain elevation for the CALMET was obtained using the TERREL processor. The model was executed with terrain maps provided by Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Consortium for Spatial Information (CSI) website (http://www.cgiar-csi.org/data/srtm-90m-digital-elevation-database-v4-1), Data were collected as part of the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) and processed by CSI into 5 x 5 degree tiles at 90-metre resolution. Land characteristics in the domain were extracted using the CALMET pre-processor CTGPROC. The input land use maps were obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) websites in GeoTIFF format. Terrain characteristics map in the study area has been displayed in Fig. 3. To provide meteorological input to the CALPUFF model, the CALMET diagnostic model and WRF mesoscale prognostic model were coupled. The CALPUFF model uses the output file from CALMET together with source, receptor, and chemical reaction information to predict hourly concentrations. e. Statistical Data Analysis To determine the reliability of the simulation data, verification of simulated values using the WRF and CALMET models was conducted for surface temperature and wind speed at surface monitoring station using several statistical indicators. The statistical verification of model performance in this study was performed using four statistical indicators namely the Bias Error (B), Gross Error (E), Fractional Bias (FB), Normalized Mean Square Error (NMSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Index of Agreement (IOA). The formulas used to derive these four indicators are given in Equations

Society’s Greatest Tragedy Essay -- Warfare

In 415 B.C.E., the Greek playwright Euripides created The Trojan Women, a play that is arguably one of the best studies of the horrific aspects of war ever written. In her analysis of the play, Professor C.A.E. Luschnig maintains, "[Euripides] has made the Trojan War stand for every war†¦ For war is society's great tragedy: victory is an illusion" (8). While the negative elements of war portrayed by Euripides can be found in all wars and even war’s victors must suffer their defeats, there is an even greater tragedy to society than war itself. War is but one result of the inherent evil nature of men and women and that evil nature, not war, is society’s greatest tragedy. The Trojan women of the play were Hecuba, the wife of the late King of Troy; Kassandra, Hecuba's virgin daughter; and Andromache, wife of the slain Hector and mother of Astyanax. Other vanquished women of Troy compose the chorus. The young child Astyanax was also from Troy. He represents the innocent victims of war. Also from Troy at the time of the play was Helen, the daughter of Zeus and Leda. She is central to the play and was the cause of the Trojan War, but was not a Trojan. The Greeks in the play are Talthybios, herald and friend to the commander of the Greek army, Agamemnon. In addition, Melelaos is the brother of Agamemnon and was the husband of Helen before she left Greece to be with Hecuba’s son. Agamemnon does not appear in the play but is central to the story. Gods in the play are Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Athena, the goddess of wisdom and justice. Because the Greeks have offended both gods by their actions, the gods conspire to punish the Greeks. The play focuses on the aftermath of the Trojan War and the time leading up to the departure of th... ... the combatants for each war must be made with historical perspective and will always be debated. It is certain, however, that a war fought to depose a madman bent on the annihilation of a race of people is more justifiable than a war fought to take revenge on a wayward wife and her new homeland. The desire to commit genocide is not the product of war but the result of the evil that reside in every man and woman. That evil is society’s greatest tragedy. War is simply a byproduct of that evil. Works Cited Curriculum Vitae: C.A.E. Luschnig." Letters, Arts & Social Sciences. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. Euripides. The Trojan Women. Trans. Diskin Clay. Newburyport, MA: Focus Classical Library, 2005. Print. Luschnig, C.A.E. "Euripides' "Trojan Women:" All Is Vanity." The Classical World 65.1 (1971): 8-12. Print.

Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essays -- The Lottery Essays

Everything may not be what it seems in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. Within the story there are many reoccurring themes, ranging from the townspeople inability to establish bonds to the Jackson’s displaying how easily humans will engage in behavior that is otherwise frowned upon once given an excuse. The most prominent of these themes is the loyalty the townspeople hold towards various items and rituals in their lives. The townspeople hold the utmost loyalty towards their tradition of the lottery. The second most noticeable theme is the lack of ties within the community. At the beginning of the Lottery some of the fragile community ties are evident it becomes obvious how easily they are broken. The final and most important of themes is how readily and without reserve the town members participate in a murder they have reclassified as a sacrifice. These themes are the most important within the Lottery because all of them are alluded to on more than one occasion. The black box of the lottery represents the loyalty of the town to traditions. Despite the state of the black box, which is splintered and becoming shabbier each year, the townspeople make no move to replace it. For example, â€Å"Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done† (Jackson par 5). While on the other hand they did away with some the other traditions such as the official formally addressing each person who pulled and the wood chips, they cling tightly to the black box. The townspeople see the black box as a way to hold on to the past because supposedly it is made with pieces from the original box (Jackson par. 5). The main tradition they are holding onto is the Lottery i... ... killing an individual is needed to ensure a prosperous crop is not only disheartening but also a scary idea. This is behavior that is thought to be barbaric and a thing of days long past. The Lottery is a very surprising story with many themes all of which are important. The ones previously addressed are the ones that occurred more than others and also seemed to bring more to the meaning and interpretation of the story. Works Cited Coulthard, A.R. â€Å"Jackson’s THE LOTTERY.† Explicator 48.3 (1990): 226. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Griffin, Amy A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 58.1 (1999): 44. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery" Literature Interactive Edition. 12th ed. N.p.: Longman, 2011 Yarmove, Jay A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 52.4 (1994): 242. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Shirley Jackson's The Lottery Essays -- The Lottery Essays Everything may not be what it seems in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. Within the story there are many reoccurring themes, ranging from the townspeople inability to establish bonds to the Jackson’s displaying how easily humans will engage in behavior that is otherwise frowned upon once given an excuse. The most prominent of these themes is the loyalty the townspeople hold towards various items and rituals in their lives. The townspeople hold the utmost loyalty towards their tradition of the lottery. The second most noticeable theme is the lack of ties within the community. At the beginning of the Lottery some of the fragile community ties are evident it becomes obvious how easily they are broken. The final and most important of themes is how readily and without reserve the town members participate in a murder they have reclassified as a sacrifice. These themes are the most important within the Lottery because all of them are alluded to on more than one occasion. The black box of the lottery represents the loyalty of the town to traditions. Despite the state of the black box, which is splintered and becoming shabbier each year, the townspeople make no move to replace it. For example, â€Å"Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done† (Jackson par 5). While on the other hand they did away with some the other traditions such as the official formally addressing each person who pulled and the wood chips, they cling tightly to the black box. The townspeople see the black box as a way to hold on to the past because supposedly it is made with pieces from the original box (Jackson par. 5). The main tradition they are holding onto is the Lottery i... ... killing an individual is needed to ensure a prosperous crop is not only disheartening but also a scary idea. This is behavior that is thought to be barbaric and a thing of days long past. The Lottery is a very surprising story with many themes all of which are important. The ones previously addressed are the ones that occurred more than others and also seemed to bring more to the meaning and interpretation of the story. Works Cited Coulthard, A.R. â€Å"Jackson’s THE LOTTERY.† Explicator 48.3 (1990): 226. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Griffin, Amy A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 58.1 (1999): 44. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery" Literature Interactive Edition. 12th ed. N.p.: Longman, 2011 Yarmove, Jay A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 52.4 (1994): 242. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.

Pip and his Journey to becoming uncommon Essay

He shows it to Joe, who thinks it’s magnificent, but when Joe tries to read it all he can say is â€Å"J. O. JO. † (44) Pip is surprised, and then asks Joe if he can actually read. Joe replies that he can so Pip gives him a book, but again the only thing Joe can say is, â€Å"J. O. JO. † (44) Pip has looked up to Joe all his life, but now realizes how common Joe is. Pip is determined to teach Joe how to read, in order to make himself feel more uncommon, although Joe is happy with his simple blacksmiths life and doesn’t want to change it. This is one example of Pip trying to make everyone around him uncommon for his own use. Later in the book, Joe is invited to Miss Havisham’s house with Pip. Joe gets all dressed up and is ready to go, and Pip realizes that Joe isn’t himself when he is dressed up. While the two are at Miss Havisham’s house, she begins asking questions of Joe, but instead of replying to Miss Havisham, Joe replies to Pip. It appears that Joe feels Pip is a higher class than he is. Pip’s goal is to make Joe uncommon, but by exposing Joe to his own commonness, Pip made Joe feel even more common. Pip’s plan to make Joe uncommon backfires. Pip does not hesitate to take advantage of people and opportunities if it will help him on his journey to becoming uncommon. He is always looking for a way to push himself further up in society, and when he finds one, he takes advantage of it. Pip makes several visits to Miss Havisham’s house, every time becoming more and more attracted to Estella. Pip is attracted to Estella because of what the relationship would do to his social status. â€Å"I have particular reasons for wanting to become a gentleman. † â€Å"You know best, Pip, but don’t you think you are happier as you are? † (114) He realizes that if he were to marry Estella, he would be rich and high class. With that marriage, Pip’s main goal in life would be completed. Pip also takes advantage of Biddy. Pip thinks that in order to become a gentleman you have to be educated. He knows that Biddy is very smart, and tries to use her to educate himself. Pips fixation with becoming uncommon leads him to use the people he knows as a step up in the ladder of society. In the beginning of the novel Pip is given a choice. Pip can either take the crooked or the straight path. It is his encounters with people of both higher and lower class that push him towards the crooked path. Pip’s encounters with people of a higher class make him feel jealous, and his encounters with people of a lower class make Pip feel common. Pip’s reactions to these encounters are to push himself further up in society, regardless of whom he hurts along the way. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Great Expectations section.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Two

Several hours later Grace was sitting in a chair in the corridor outside the dowager's bedchamber. She was beyond weary and wanted nothing more than to crawl into her own bed, where she was quite certain she would toss and turn and fail to find slumber, despite her exhaustion. But the dowager was so overset, and indeed had rung so many times that Grace had finally given up and dragged the chair to its present location. In the last hour she had brought the dowager (who would not leave her bed) a collection of letters, tucked at the bottom of a locked drawer; a glass of warm milk; a glass of brandy; another miniature of her long-dead son John; a handkerchief that clearly possessed some sort of sentimental value; and another glass of brandy, to replace the one the dowager had knocked over while anxiously directing Grace to fetch the handkerchief. It had been about ten minutes since the last summons. Ten minutes to do nothing but sit and wait in the chair, thinking, thinking†¦ Of the highwayman. Of his kiss. Of Thomas, the current Duke of Wyndham. Whom she considered a friend. Of the dowager's long-dead middle son, and the man who apparently bore his likeness. And his name. His name. Grace took a long, uneasy breath. His name. Good God. She had not told the dowager this. She had stood motionless in the middle of the road, watching the highwayman ride off in the light of the partial moon. And then, finally, when she thought her legs might actually function, she set about getting them home. There was the footman to untie, and the coachman to tend to, and as for the dowager – she was so clearly upset that she did not even whisper a complaint when Grace put the injured coachman inside the carriage with her. And then she joined the footman atop the driver's seat and drove them home. She wasn't a particularly experienced hand with the reins, but she could manage. And she'd had to manage. There was no one else to do it. But that was something she was good at. Managing. Making do. She'd got them home, found someone to tend to the coachman, and then tended to the dowager, and all the while she'd thought – Who was he? The highwayman. He'd said his name had once been Cavendish. Could he be the dowager's grandson? She had been told that John Cavendish died without issue, but he wouldn't have been the first young nobleman to litter the countryside with illegitimate children. Except he'd said his name was Cavendish. Or rather, had been Cavendish. Which meant – Grace shook her head blearily. She was so tired she could barely think, and yet it seemed all she could do was think. What did it mean that the highwayman's name was Cavendish? Could an illegitimate son bear his father's name? She had no idea. She'd never met a bastard before, at least not one of noble origins. But she'd known others who had changed their names. The vicar's son had gone to live with relatives when he was small, and the last time he'd been back to visit, he'd introduced himself with a different surname. So surely an illegitimate son could call himself whatever he wanted. And even if it was not legal to do so, a highwayman would not trouble himself with such technicalities, would he? Grace touched her mouth, trying to pretend she did not love the shivers of excitement that rushed through her at the memory. He had kissed her. It had been her first kiss, and she did not know who he was. She knew his scent, she knew the warmth of his skin, and the velvet softness of his lips, but she did not know his name. Not all of it, at least. â€Å"Grace! Grace!† Grace stumbled to her feet. She'd left the door ajar so she could better hear the dowager, and sure enough, her name was once again being called. The dowager must still be overset – she rarely used Grace's Christian name. It was harder to snap out in a demanding manner than Miss Eversleigh. Grace rushed back into the room, trying not to sound weary and resentful as she asked, â€Å"May I be of assistance?† The dowager was sitting up in bed – well, not quite sitting up. She was mostly lying down, with just her head propped up on the pillows. Grace thought she looked terribly uncomfortable, but the last time she had tried to adjust her position she'd nearly got her head bit off. â€Å"Where have you been?† Grace did not think the question required an answer, but she said, nonetheless, â€Å"Just outside your door, ma'am.† â€Å"I need you to get me something,† the dowager said, and she didn't sound as imperious as she did agitated. â€Å"What is it you would like, your grace?† â€Å"I want the portrait of John.† Grace stared at her, uncomprehending. â€Å"Don't just stand there!† the dowager practically screamed. â€Å"But ma'am,† Grace protested, jumping back, â€Å"I've brought you all three of the miniatures, and – â€Å" â€Å"No, no, no,† the dowager cried, her head swinging back and forth on the pillows. â€Å"I want the portrait. From the gallery.† â€Å"The portrait,† Grace echoed, because it was half three in the morning, and perhaps she was addled by exhaustion, but she thought she'd just been asked to remove a life-sized portrait from a wall and carry it up two flights of stairs to the dowager's bedchamber. â€Å"You know the one,† the dowager said. â€Å"He's standing next to the tree, and he has a sparkle in his eye.† Grace blinked, trying to absorb this. â€Å"There is only the one, I think.† â€Å"Yes,† the dowager said, her voice almost unbalanced in its urgency. â€Å"There is a sparkle in his eye.† â€Å"You want me to bring it here.† â€Å"I have no other bedchamber,† the dowager snapped. â€Å"Very well.† Grace swallowed. Good Lord, how was she going to accomplish this? â€Å"It will take a bit of time.† â€Å"Just drag a chair over and yank the bloody thing down. You don't need – â€Å" Grace rushed forward as the dowager's body convulsed in a spasm of coughing. â€Å"Ma'am! Ma'am!† she said, bringing her arm around her to set her upright. â€Å"Please, ma'am. You must try to be more settled. You are going to hurt yourself.† The dowager coughed a few last times, took a long swallow of her warm milk, then cursed and took her brandy instead. That, she finished entirely. â€Å"I'm going to hurt you,† she gasped, thunking the glass back down on her bedside table, â€Å"if you don't get me that portrait.† Grace swallowed and nodded. â€Å"As you wish, ma'am.† She hurried out, sagging against the corridor wall once she was out of the dowager's sight. It had begun as such a lovely evening. And now look at her. She'd had a gun pointed at her heart, been kissed by a man whose next appointment was surely with the gallows, and now the dowager wanted her to wrestle a life-sized portrait off the gallery wall. At half three in the morning. â€Å"She can't possibly be paying me enough,† Grace mumbled under her breath as she made her way down the stairs. â€Å"There couldn't possibly exist enough money – â€Å" â€Å"Grace?† She stopped short, stumbling off the bottom step. Large hands immediately found her upper arms to steady her. She looked up, even though she knew who it had to be. Thomas Cavendish was the grandson of the dowager. He was also the Duke of Wyndham and thus without question the most powerful man in the district. He was in London nearly as often as he was here, but Grace had got to know him quite well during the five years she'd acted as companion to the dowager. They were friends. It was an odd and completely unexpected situation, given the difference in their rank, but they were friends. â€Å"Your grace,† she said, even though he had long since instructed her to use his given name when they were at Belgrave. She gave him a tired nod as he stepped back and returned his hands to his sides. It was far too late for her to ponder matters of titles and address. â€Å"What the devil are you doing awake?† he asked. â€Å"It's got to be after two.† â€Å"After three, actually,† she corrected absently, and then – good heavens, Thomas. She snapped fully awake. What should she tell him? Should she say anything at all? There would be no hiding the fact that she and the dowager had been accosted by highwaymen, but she wasn't quite certain if she should reveal that he might have a first cousin racing about the countryside, relieving the local gentry of their valuables. Because, all things considered, he might not. And surely it did not make sense to concern him needlessly. â€Å"Grace?† She gave her head a shake. â€Å"I'm sorry, what did you say?† â€Å"Why are you wandering the halls?† â€Å"Your grandmother is not feeling well,† she said. And then, because she desperately wanted to change the subject: â€Å"You're home late.† â€Å"I had business in Stamford,† he said brusquely. His mistress. If it had been anything else, he would not have been so oblique. It was odd, though, that he was here now. He usually spent the night. Grace, despite her respectable birth, was a servant at Belgrave, and as such privy to almost all of the gossip. If the duke stayed out all night, she generally knew about it. â€Å"We had an†¦exciting evening,† Grace said. He looked at her expectantly. She felt herself hesitate, and then – well, there was really nothing to do but say it. â€Å"We were accosted by highwaymen.† His reaction was swift. â€Å"Good God,† he exclaimed. â€Å"Are you all right? Is my grandmother well?† â€Å"We are both unharmed,† Grace assured him, â€Å"although our driver has a nasty bump on his head. I took the liberty of giving him three days to convalesce.† â€Å"Of course.† He closed his eyes for a moment, looking pained. â€Å"I must offer my apologies,† he said. â€Å"I should have insisted that you take more than one outrider.† â€Å"Don't be silly. It's not your fault. Who would have thought – † She cut herself off, because really, there was no sense in assigning blame. â€Å"We are unhurt,† she repeated. â€Å"That is all that matters.† He sighed. â€Å"What did they take?† Grace swallowed. She couldn't very well tell him they'd stolen nothing but a ring. Thomas was no idiot; he'd wonder why. She smiled tightly, deciding that vagueness was the order of the day. â€Å"Not very much,† she said. â€Å"Nothing at all from me. I imagine it was obvious I am not a woman of means.† â€Å"Grandmother must be spitting mad.† â€Å"She is a bit overset,† Grace hedged. â€Å"She was wearing her emeralds, wasn't she?† He shook his head. â€Å"The old bat is ridiculously fond of those stones.† Grace declined to scold him for his characterization of his grandmother. â€Å"She kept the emeralds, actually. She hid them under the seat cushion.† He looked impressed. â€Å"She did?† â€Å"I did,† Grace corrected, unwilling to share the glory. â€Å"She thrust them at me before they breached the vehicle.† He smiled slightly, and then, after a moment of somewhat awkward silence, said, â€Å"You did not mention why you're up and about so late. Surely you deserve a rest as well.† â€Å"I†¦er†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There seemed to be no way to avoid telling him. If nothing else, he'd notice the massive empty spot on the gallery wall the next day. â€Å"Your grandmother has a strange request.† â€Å"All of her requests are strange,† he replied immediately. â€Å"No, this one†¦well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Grace's eyes flicked up in exasperation. How was it her life had come to this? â€Å"I don't suppose you'd like to help me remove a painting from the gallery.† â€Å"A painting.† She nodded. â€Å"From the gallery.† She nodded again. â€Å"I don't suppose she's asking for one of those modestly sized square ones.† â€Å"With the bowls of fruit?† He nodded. â€Å"No.† When he did not comment, she added, â€Å"She wants the portrait of your uncle.† â€Å"Which one?† â€Å"John.† He nodded, smiling slightly, but without any humor. â€Å"He was always her favorite.† â€Å"But you never knew him,† Grace said, because the way he'd said it – it almost sounded as if he'd witnessed her favoritism. â€Å"No, of course not. He died before I was born. But my father spoke of him.† It was clear from his expression that he did not wish to discuss the matter further. Grace could not think of anything more to say, however, so she just stood there, waiting for him to collect his thoughts. Which apparently he did, because he turned to her and asked, â€Å"Isn't that portrait life-sized?† Grace pictured herself wrestling it from the wall. â€Å"I'm afraid so.† For a moment it looked as if he might turn toward the gallery, but then his jaw squared and he was once again every inch the forbidding duke. â€Å"No,† he said firmly. â€Å"You will not get that for her this evening. If she wants the bloody painting in her room, she can ask a footman for it in the morning.† Grace wanted to smile at his protectiveness, but by this point she was far too weary. And besides that, when it came to the dowager, she had long since learned to follow the road of least resistance. â€Å"I assure you, I want nothing more than to retire this very minute, but it is easier just to accommodate her.† â€Å"Absolutely not,† he said imperiously, and without waiting, he turned and marched up the stairs. Grace watched him for a moment, and then, with a shrug, headed off to the gallery. It couldn't be that difficult to take a painting off a wall, could it? But she made it only ten paces before she heard Thomas bark her name. She sighed, stopping in her tracks. She should have known better. The man was as stubborn as his grandmother, not that he would appreciate the comparison. She turned and retraced her steps, hurrying along when she heard him call out for her again. â€Å"I'm right here,† she said irritably. â€Å"Good gracious, you'll wake the entire house.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Don't tell me you were going to get the painting by yourself.† â€Å"If I don't, she will ring for me all night, and then I will never get any sleep.† He narrowed his eyes. â€Å"Watch me.† â€Å"Watch you what?† she asked, baffled. â€Å"Dismantle her bell cord,† he said, heading upstairs with renewed determination. â€Å"Dismantle her†¦Thomas!† She ran up behind him, but of course could not keep up. â€Å"Thomas, you can't!† He turned. Grinned even, which she found somewhat alarming. â€Å"It's my house,† he said. â€Å"I can do anything I want.† And while Grace digested that on an exhausted brain, he strode down the hall and into his grandmother's room. â€Å"What,† she heard him bite off, â€Å"do you think you're doing?† Grace let out a breath and hurried after him, entering the room just as he was saying, â€Å"Good heavens, are you all right?† â€Å"Where is Miss Eversleigh?† the dowager asked, her eyes darting frantically about the room. â€Å"I'm right here,† Grace assured her, rushing forward. â€Å"Did you get it? Where is the painting? I want to see my son.† â€Å"Ma'am, it's late,† Grace tried to explain. She inched forward, although she wasn't sure why. If the dowager started spouting off about the highwayman and his resemblance to her favorite son, it wasn't as if she would be able to stop her. But still, the proximity at least gave the illusion that she might be able to prevent disaster. â€Å"Ma'am,† Grace said again, gently, softly. She gave the dowager a careful look. â€Å"You may instruct a footman to procure it for you in the morning,† Thomas said, sounding slightly less imperious than before, â€Å"but I will not have Miss Eversleigh undertaking such manual labor, and certainly not in the middle of the night.† â€Å"I need the painting, Thomas,† the dowager said, and Grace almost reached out to take her hand. She sounded pained. She sounded old. And she certainly did not sound like herself when she said, â€Å"Please.† Grace glanced at Thomas. He looked uneasy. â€Å"Tomorrow,† he said. â€Å"First thing, if you wish it.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"No,† he interrupted. â€Å"I am sorry you were accosted this evening, and I shall certainly do whatever is necessary – within reason – to facilitate your comfort and health, but this does not include whimsical and ill-timed demands. Do you understand me?† They stared at each other for so long that Grace wanted to flinch. Then Thomas said sharply, â€Å"Grace, go to bed.† He didn't turn around. Grace held still for a moment, waiting for what, she didn't know – disagreement from the dowager? A thunderbolt outside the window? When neither was forthcoming, she decided she could do nothing more that evening and left the room. As she walked slowly down the hall, she could hear them arguing – nothing violent, nothing impassioned. But then, she'd not have expected that. Cavendish tempers ran cold, and they were far more likely to attack with a frozen barb than a heated cry. Grace let out a long, uneven breath. She would never get used to this. Five years she had been at Belgrave, and still the resentment that ran back and forth between Thomas and his grandmother shocked her. And the worst part was – there wasn't even a reason! Once, she had dared to ask Thomas why they held each other in such contempt. He just shrugged, saying that it had always been that way. She'd disliked his father, Thomas said, his father had hated him, and he himself could have done quite well without either of them. Grace had been stunned. She'd thought families were meant to love each other. Hers had. Her mother, her father†¦She closed her eyes, fighting back tears. She was being maudlin. Or maybe it was because she was tired. She didn't cry about them any longer. She missed them – she would always miss them. But the great big gaping hole their deaths had rent in her had healed. And now†¦well, she'd found a new place in this world. It wasn't the one she'd anticipated, and it wasn't the one her parents had planned for her, but it came with food and clothing, and the opportunity to see her friends from time to time. But sometimes, late at night as she lay in her bed, it was just so hard. She knew she should not be ungrateful – she was living in a castle, for heaven's sake. But she had not been brought up for this. Not the servitude, and not the sour dispositions. Her father had been a country gentleman, her mother a well-liked member of the local community. They had raised her with love and laughter, and sometimes, as they sat before the fire in the evening, her father would sigh and say that she was going to have to remain a spinster, because surely there was no man in the county good enough for his daughter. And Grace would laugh and say, â€Å"What about the rest of England?† â€Å"Not there, either!† â€Å"France?† â€Å"Good heavens, not.† â€Å"The Americas?† â€Å"Are you trying to kill your mother, gel? You know she gets seasick if she so much as sees the beach.† And they all somehow knew that Grace would marry someone right there in Lincolnshire, and she'd live down the road, or at least just a short ride away, and she would be happy. She would find what her parents had found, because no one expected her to marry for any reason other than love. She'd have babies, and her house would be full of laughter, and she would be happy. She'd thought herself the luckiest girl in the world. But the fever that had struck the Eversleigh house was cruel, and when it broke, Grace was an orphan. At seventeen, she could hardly remain on her own, and indeed, no one had been sure what to do with her until her father's affairs were settled and the will was read. Grace let out a bitter laugh as she pulled off her wrinkled clothing and readied herself for bed. Her father's directives had only made matters worse. They were in debt; not deeply so, but enough to render her a burden. Her parents, it seemed, had always lived slightly above their means, presumably hoping that love and happiness would carry them through. And indeed they had. Love and happiness had stood up nicely to every obstacle the Eversleighs had faced. Except death. Sillsby – the only home Grace had ever known – was entailed. She'd known that, but not how eager her cousin Miles would be to assume residence. Or that he was still unmarried. Or that when he pushed her against a wall and jammed his lips against hers, she was supposed to let him, indeed thank the toad for his gracious and benevolent interest in her. Instead she had shoved her elbow into his ribs and her knee up against his – Well, he hadn't been too fond of her after that. It was the only part of the whole debacle that still made her smile. Furious at the rebuff, Miles had tossed her out on her ear. Grace had been left with nothing. No home, no money, and no relations (she refused to count him among the last). Enter the dowager. News of Grace's predicament must have traveled fast through the district. The dowager had swooped in like an icy goddess and whisked her away. Not that there had been any illusion that she was to be a pampered guest. The dowager had arrived with full retinue, stared down Miles until he squirmed (literally; it had been a most enjoyable moment for Grace), and then declared to her, â€Å"You shall be my companion.† Before Grace had a chance to accept or decline, the dowager had turned and left the room. Which just confirmed what they all knew – that Grace had never had a choice in the matter to begin with. That had been five years ago. Grace now lived in a castle, ate fine food, and her clothing was, if not the latest stare of fashion, well-made and really quite pretty. (The dowager was, if nothing else, at least not cheap.) She lived mere miles from where she had grown up, and as most of her friends still resided in the district, she saw them with some regularity – in the village, at church, on afternoon calls. And if she didn't have a family of her own, at least she had not been forced to have one with Miles. But much as she appreciated all the dowager had done for her, she wanted something more. Or maybe not even more. Maybe just something else. Unlikely, she thought, falling into bed. The only options for a woman of her birth were employment and marriage. Which, for her, meant employment. The men of Lincolnshire were far too cowed by the dowager to ever make an overture in Grace's direction. It was well-known that Augusta Cavendish had no desire to train a new companion. It was even more well-known that Grace hadn't a farthing. She closed her eyes, trying to remind herself that the sheets she'd slid between were of the highest quality, and the candle she'd just snuffed was pure beeswax. She had every physical comfort, truly. But what she wanted was†¦ It didn't really matter what she wanted. That was her last thought before she finally fell asleep. And dreamed of a highwayman.