LMU Personal Essay AJ Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LMU Essay AJ - Personal Statement Example I have witnessed the wars and poverty in my own country despite the knowledge that it is known to be a rich nation and I often wondered what could be wrong about us. As a result, I pondered about this and observed individual lives as well which I often thought have an effect on the national circumstances. I think so many people fall victims of physical and political wars not only because of poverty but also due to ignorance. A person is often easily carried by emotions and need when he has nothing else to hold on to. Thus, in order to survive and be at peace with one’s environment, an individual should have something to hold on to as an anchor so that he will not be easily swayed by needs and emotions. In my quest to find out what makes people feel secure and stable, I discovered that among them is education. We had neighbors who were not very affluent years ago but when the children grew, they seemed to have climbed up the ladder of success in quite a short time. When I first became aware of the importance of wealth and education, I observed that I was more inclined to getting more information and not just let things be said and not thought about. I begun to envy our successful neighbors but with that, I yearned to know how they did it. I observed how they lived their lives and I really sought to find out what their jobs are and where they were working. In the process, I learned that some of them were working as engineers but most of the successful ones are chief executives or bankers. This made me think about the course I would like to take in preparation for my success story. I then assessed my talents, skills, interests and inclinations and decided to take __________. I know I will not just become successful in my career but that I will also be good at it with my talent and skills. However, I know that those are not enough as I found out in the past years. One must have to hold an education, a training that will show one’s

Byzantine Art Essay Example for Free

Byzantine Art Essay Early Christian art was highly influenced by religious, political, and cultural changes. In contrast to the classical, idealistic portrayal of man, Early Christian art took a much more stylized approach to the depiction of man, with a neglected attention to human anatomy. The subject matter of much of the art turned from secular to religious; Christianity to be more specific. Constantine was the last emperor of the Roman Empire to hold undivided power. Under his rule, Constantine created the Edict of Milan, granting religious tolerance to all religions. This was of particular importance to Christians, who had been previously persecuted due to their spiritual beliefs. Because of the Edict of Milan, many Christian buildings were erected in addition to the many secular buildings that were transformed into Christian buildings. These buildings housed countless numbers of priceless religious artworks. One such example is the Transfiguration of Christ mosaic located in Saint Catherines Monastery in Sinai, Egypt. When Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern day Istanbul), the Empire separated. Upon the division of the Roman Empire, Justinian, The Last Roman Emperor, held power over the Eastern Roman Empire from 527 to 565. Justinian was both a political and religious leader. Under his reign, many Christian buildings were constructed. Justinian often associated himself with Jesus Christ in the Byzantine artworks that these Christian buildings housed as a form of propaganda. The Orthodox Church now recognizes Justinian as a saint. Byzantine is a term used to describe eastern Mediterranean art from 330 to 1453, when the Turks conquered Constantinople (Strickland, 1992, p. 24). Mosaics were one of the most common forms of art during this period. They were intended to publicize the Christian creed through their religious subject matter (Strickland, 1992, p. 25). Byzantine mosaics are composed of small, colorful glass or stone squares and rectangles, called tesserae, embedded in wet cement or plaster. These tesserae were arranged in a manner through which they formed images. Typically, Byzantine mosaics are located on the walls and ceilings within a church apse and dome (Strickland, 1992, p. 25). The artists of these mosaics left the tesserae with jagged surfaces to create the sparkling, illuminated effect that distinguishes these mosaics  from those of other periods and places (Strickland, 1992, p. 25). The exteriors of Byzantine Christian structures were very plain in contrast to the elaborately decorated interiors. The awe-inspiring mosaics and icons brought the focus of the buildings to the interiors. Perhaps this was a method to spread the word of God by attracting people to come inside the buildings. Byzantine Emperor, Justinian, ordered the construction of he Monastery of the Transfiguration, more commonly known as Saint Catherines Monastery because the relics of Saint Catherine of Alexandria are said to have been inexplicably transported there, at the foot of Mount Moses (Wikipedia, 2006). The monastery houses the Chapel of the Burning Bush, which was ordered built by Constantines mother, Helena (Wikipedia, 2006). The Chapel of the Burning Bush is located at the site where Moses purportedly saw the burning bush (Wikipedia, 2006). Saint Catherines Monastery is now one of the oldest active monasteries in existence. The monastery survived Islamic dominance over the region due to a document that Mohammed supposedly signed himself, granting his protection over the monastery (Wikipedia, 2006). Saint Catherines Monastery allegedly gave Mohammed political asylum from his enemies (Wikipedia, 2006). In addition, a Fatimid mosque was built within the fortifications of Saint Catherines Monastery, thus creating further protection of the monastery from Islamic invasion (Wikipedia, 2006). Without the protection of Mohammed and the mosque, Saint Catherines Monastery would have been destroyed, and all of the irreplaceable artworks within its walls would have been lost. Byzantine mosaics contain many characteristics that distinguish them from the rest. The typical gold background of a Byzantine mosaic creates a sense of weightlessness within the figures, as if they are floating. Byzantine artists depicted sacred figures with halos, separating them from the other figures. With nude images having been forbidden, one can hardly make out the anatomy of the fully clothed figures. Though it is evident that symmetry was greatly appreciated, it is also evident that the mosaics lack perspective.  The figures depicted in the mosaics are flat and frontal facing with linear details. They are often slim with almond shaped faces and large eyes. The images depict little to no movement, creating a sense of stillness. These highly stylized Byzantine mosaics show disregard for Greco-Roman ideals. On an expedition set out by the University of Michigan in search of sites to excavate in the Near East, the staff spent five days at Saint Catherines Monastery (Forsyth, 1997). They discovered that the mosaics within the monastery had undergone little restoration since the time of Justinian (Forsyth, 1997). As a result, most of the works were in bad condition and on the verge of collapsing (Forsyth, 1997). Mosaic restorers came in to save the mosaics, which could have been lost forever (Forsyth, 1997). After they secured the mosaics, the restorers cleaned them (Forsyth, 1997). The mosaics now appear in their original state (Forsyth, 1997). One of the most known mosaics restored was the Transfiguration of Christ (Forsyth, 1997). The Transfiguration of Christ is located in the main church, Katholikon, in the apse over the high altar. The subject of this mosaic was an appropriate selection to portray in Saint Catherines Monastery because of its location at the foot of Mount Moses (Watson, 1999). In Christianity, the story claims that Jesus led three of his apostles, Peter, John, and James, to pray atop a mountain. It was here that Jesus transfigured, with his face shining like the sun and wearing bright white clothing. On both sides of Christ, Moses and Elijah appeared. Overhead, a brilliant cloud appeared, and Gods voice emerged from the cloud proclaiming, This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him. It was then that Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah about his upcoming death. The artist of this mosaic is unknown because artists went unrecognized until much later. This mosaic is in the form of a triumphal arch, bordered by medallions occupying the busts of the twelve apostles, fifteen prophets, Longinus the Abbot, John the Deacon, two angels, and a Greek cross in the top, center (Watson, 1999). Jesus Christ is depicted in the center of the mosaic with black hair and beard. He was placed in an oval mandorla with a cross and a bright yellow circle depicting his illumination behind his head.  Rays of light are shown coming from Christs body. In addition to the mandorla depicting Christs holiness, this was done to make Christ the emphasis of the mosaic as well as to distinguish him from the other figures. Elijah is shown on one side of Christ, while Moses is shown on the other. Beneath Christ, Peter, John, and James are portrayed with awe (Watson, 1999). The Transfiguration of Christ contains all the elements of Byzantine mosaics. It has a bright gold background. The figures are dematerialized and one cannot tell which figures were intended to be floating and which are not. One can hardly make out the figures beneath the clothing and the only skin shown is on the figures faces, hands, and feet. All the figures were placed symmetrically around Christ, making him the focus of the mosaic. The halo and mandorla around Christ show his holiness. Only slight movement is shown through the figures poses. The figures are very flat, despite the attempts of the artist to show shadow and overlapping. All of the figures are slender with almond shaped heads and large eyes. One can hardly see perspective when observing this mosaic. In conclusion, religion, politics, and culture had a significant influence on The Transfiguration of Christ, and all Early Christian art for that matter. With the Edict of Milan legalizing Christianity, the focus of art turned from secular to religious, changing the course of art forever. The Edict of Milan made it possible for Christians to practice their spiritual beliefs openly, leading to Early Christian art. Early Christian art can be credited with the spread of Christianity. One might wonder if Christianity would be as prominent as it is today had it not been for these artworks, or would it have died off a long time ago. Without Early Christian art, one might wonder when or how todays modern day art would have evolved.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Today is both an end, and a beginning. After thirteen long years we have finally concluded our Kutztown education. It’s been a bumpy road, filled with defeats, victories, and surprises. We’ve learned a lot along the way, and not just science and math and English, although our teachers have made sure we picked up plenty of that too. Seeing the same people day after day has taught us what friendship is—and isn’t, and we’ve learned that life is not always fair. We’ve also developed some interesting skills, like how to dodge buckets—or freshman—in a crowded hallway on a rainy day. Or how to fight off heat stoke in the sweltering science wing and hypothermia in the over air-conditioned English classrooms. Even so, we still managed to scream the loudest of any class at every pep rally since our freshman year. We’ve survived social dramas and standardized tests and finals. And now, after all the homework and the late nights stud ying and the 14,580 hours of sitting in class, yes I did the math, we’re here to celebrate the fact that we’ve made it. When we started kindergarten this moment seemed so terribly far away. We were only five years old ourselves, and thirteen years might as well have been an eternity. By the time we reached junior high we were too busy worrying about whether or not we would be able to open our lockers or remember where our classes were to give the passage of time much thought. By 9th grade there was the stigma of being freshmen, and then in the blink of an eye three years had passed and our senior year had snuck up on us. Suddenly everything we did was a milestone; our last concert, our last assembly, our last test, even our last day of classes. By this point senoritis had set in, and we were ready to leave and... ... not to listen. Without your dedication we would not be where we are today, and I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I count many of you as friends, and not just teachers. To the band and the stage crew, thanks for helping out on our special night. And to the class of 2004: sail. Sail from this place into the vast and unchartered future, but don’t forget to look back every once and a while and remember where you came from. High school is over, but you can take the memories made here with you wherever you go. Pack them away in your heart, and when you’re feeling afraid or discouraged remember the thrill of winning that football game, or the warmth of your best friend’s smile, or the security of simpler times. But do not dwell in the past forever, for it is time to move on. Follow your heart, reach for your dreams. The world awaits us, and it’s time to make it ours.

Commentary on the poem “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy Essay

The poem â€Å"Barbie Doll† deals with the life of a girl who had a plastic surgery. It is divided in four paragraphs which describe the life of the girl chronological. Describing the childhood of the girl the first chapter of the poem wants to emphasize how early girls are pushed into the role of motherhood and femininity. The girl’s first presents are dolls which are able to urinate (â€Å"†¦and presented dolls that did pee-pee†). Those dolls are the first confrontation with her later task of being a mother. Furthermore she gets a miniature oven which is connected to her later task of working in the kitchen (â€Å"†¦and miniature GE stoves and irons†). I addition to that she gets her first beauty products. (â€Å"†¦ and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy†) This is her first confrontation with beauty and sexuality. Those presents push the girl into a role which connects femininity with motherhood, domesticity and beauty. The peot starts giving reason for her plastic surgery already in the first paragraph. After adopting this role the girls is very offended when a classmate called her ugly (â€Å"†¦You have a great big nose and fat legs.†)This is a very important sentence of the poem because this is the main reason for her plastic surgery. The second paragraph shows that the society pushed her succseful into the role of a stereotype woman. Therefore she has a quite low self-estimate because she does not fit this steriotype. She is a healthy intelligent girl but she keeps on apologizing for her outer appearance because she does not fit the stereotype of a beatiful woman ( â€Å"She was healthy, tested intelligent†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ;†She went to and fro apologizing†;†possessed strong arms and back†). Furthermore she has a abundant sexual drive, which is not satisfied in her opinion because of her outer appearance (â€Å"†¦abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.†)The last line of the second paragraph is irony. It does not say how she is seen by the rest of the world but how she sees her self (â€Å"Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs†). This sentence is connected to the last sentence of the first paragraph. It shows how she adopted her classmates point of view about her body. T his emphasizes her very low self-esteem. The third paragraph emphasizes her efforts to become beatiful and sexual satisfied. The first sentence of this paragraph shows what she’s told to do in order to satisfie her abundant sexual drive. (â€Å"She was advised to play coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercise, diet, smile and wheedle.†) Using imagery of a turning off fan belt the poet emphasizes how fast this efforts achieved the oppsite ( â€Å"Her good nature wore out like a fan belt†) Her last effort is to have a plastic surgery. († So she cut of her nose and her legs and offered them up†). Using this kind of formulation ( â€Å"†¦ cut off†¦offered them up†) this plastic surgery sounds like a sacrificial offering. And it is meant to sound like that because it is an offering to the society. She offers her own body in order to please other people. The last paragraph shows her achievments of her efforts and that she is still not happy. The first sentence describes how close she looks to the stereotype. She really is a symbol for beauty now. († †¦ a turned up putty nose, dressed in a pink and white nightie†) In her opinion everybody sees her as a beautiful woman now. But the poet put a question mark in that sentence because beauty is still a question of taste. She will never make everybody happy! († Doesn’t she look pretty? Everyone said.†). With her new beauty she gets sexual satisfied ( â€Å"Consummation at last.†) Finishing the poem with a ironic sentence the poet wants to show that she is not necessarily happy now . († To every woman a happy ending†) Furthermore she adopts the girl’s story to the rest of the female world in order to convey that plastic surgeries are not necessary. And they do not necessarily make you happy because it is not good to give up the own body in order to fit in any kinds of stereotypes.

Enterococcus

Enterococcus By Richard Guilford Enterococcus Enterococcus, or more appropriately enterococci, are a family of bacteria in the division firmicutes (meaning strong skin and referring to the cell wall) and the class bacilli (which refers to its rod like shape). They look just like streptococcus bacteria from physical characteristics alone. In fact, members of the genus Enterococcus were classified as Group D Streptococcus until 1984 when genomic DNA analysis showed that a separate genus classification would be appropriate. Enterococci are part of the normal intestinal flora (good bacteria) of humans and animals but are also important pathogens responsible for serious infections. They are considered gram-positive, meaning they stain dark blue or violet. They also mostly occur in pairs or short chains. Enterococci are facultative anaerobic organisms, meaning they can thrive in both oxygen rich and oxygen poor environments. They do not form spores as many bacteria do, meaning they do not have a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and survival for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Nevertheless, they are tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions: such as extreme temperature (10-45 °C), pH (4. 5-10. 0) and high sodium chloride concentration. In bodies of water, the acceptable level of contamination is very low, for example in the state of Hawaii, with among the strictest tolerances in the United States, the limit for water off its beaches is 7 colony-forming units per 100 ml of water. Anything above that, the state may post warnings to stay out of the ocean. In 2004, Enterococcus spp. took the place of fecal coliform as the new federal standard for water quality at public beaches. It is believed to provide a higher correlation than fecal coliform with many of the human pathogens often found in city sewage (eww right? ). There are many strains of enterococcus. Important clinical infections caused by Enterococcus include urinary tract infections, bacteremia, bacterial endocarditis, diverticulitis, and meningitis. Sensitive strains of these bacteria can be treated with ampicillin and vancomycin, two well known and often used antibiotics. An important feature of enterococcus is the high level of intrinsic antibiotic resistance, meaning its inherent ability to ithstand some of the more common antibiotics. Some enterococci are intrinsically resistant to beta-lactam-based antibiotics (those include some penicillins and virtually all cephalosporins) as well as many aminoglycosides (an amino-sugar that can sometimes function as an antibiotic). In the last two decades, particularly virulent strains of enterococcus that are resistant to vancomycin (vancomycin-resistant E nterococcus, or VRE) have emerged in nosocomial (infections caught in hospitals while care is being given) infections of hospitalized patients especially in the US. Other developed countries such as the UK have been spared this epidemic, and, in 2005, Singapore managed to halt an epidemic of VRE. VRE may be treated with quinupristin/dalfopristin (a special antibiotic developed to fight VRE) or Synercid with response rates of approximately 70%. Enterococcus avium is a species that is most commonly found in birds. Rarely, it is also a cause of infection in humans, and in such cases, may be vancomycin-reistant. It is referred to as VREA. VREA cases in humans have been successfully treated with linezolid (a synthetic antibiotic). Enterococcus durans and enterococcus faecalis are very similar. They are often mistaken for one another in determining infections. They inhabit the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other mammals. It is among the main parts of some probiotic food supplements. Like other species in the genus enterococcus, E. faecalis can cause life-threatening infections in humans, especially in the nosocomial environment. The naturally high levels of antibiotic resistance found in E. faecalis contribute to its ability to infect. E. faecalis has been frequently found in root canal-treated teeth in prevalence values ranging from 30% to 90% of the cases. Root canal-treated teeth are about nine times more likely to have E. faecalis than cases of primary infections. Enterococcus faecium is an alpha hemolitic or nonhemolitic, bacterium. It is used as a probiotic in animals. It can be commensal (a harmlessly coexisting organism) in the human intestine, but it may also be pathogenic, causing diseases such as neonatal meningitis. Enterococcal meningitis is also a rare complication of neurosurgery. It often requires treatment with IV or intrathecal (something introduced into or occurring in the space under the arachnoid membrane of the brain or spinal cord) vancomycin, yet it is uncertain whether its use has any impact on outcome. The removal of any neurological devices is an important part of the management of these infections. Enterococcus solitarius and Enterococcus gallinarum are two more species of enterococcus. The genus Enterococcus includes more than 17 species, but only a few cause clinical infections in humans. Infection control programs were created three decades ago to control antibiotic-resistant nosocomial infections, but there has been little evidence of control in most facilities. After long, steady increases of MRSA and VRE infections in hospitals, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Board of Directors made reducing antibiotic-resistant infections a strategic SHEA goal in January 2000. After 2 more years without improvement, a SHEA task force was appointed to draft an evidence-based guideline on preventing nosocomial transmission of pathogens, focusing on the two considered most out of control: MRSA and VRE. Medline searches were conducted spanning 1966 to 2002. Many interpretations of unpublished studies providing sufficient data were included. Frequent antibiotics in healthcare settings provided a small advantage for resistant strands, but patients with MRSA or VRE usually acquire it through spread. The CDC has long-recommended contact precautions for patients colonized or infected with these pathogens. Most facilities have required this as policy, but have not actively identified infected patients with surveillance cultures (lab tests performed to determine possible abnormalities or infection) and tests, leaving most infected patients undetected and not isolated. Many studies have shown control of endemic (exclusively native to a place) and/or epidemic (everywhere) MRSA and VRE infections using surveillance cultures and contact precautions. Active surveillance cultures are essential to identify the infected to prevent spread of MRSA and VRE infections and make control possible using the CDC’s long-recommended contact precautions. Testing for enterococci can be tricky. Enterococci have been recognized to be of fecal origin since the beginning of this century. The usual ecological home for the Enterococcus species is the intestines of humans and other animals. However, enterococci are ubiquitous (present everywhere) and can be found free-living in soil, on plants, or in dairy products. Enterococcus comprises gram-positive cocci that are catalase (a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms that are exposed to oxygen, where it functions to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen) negative, usually facultative anaerobic acteria. There is clear evidence of the genotypic (concerning the genetic makeup) identity of Enterococcus, based on molecular studies. Enterococci have also been related to human diseases, becoming established as major nosocomial pathogens. The isolation of strains resistant to many antibiotics has become important in public health concerns. In addition, Enter ococcus and Streptococcus have been proposed as indicators of fecal contamination in water because of their high abundance in feces and their long survival in the environment. Although the ratio of fecal coliforms to fecal streptococci has been ruled out as an indicator, the identi? cation of species associated with a given environment or host might provide additional information about the origin and the source of fecal contamination. The ability of enterococci to grow under particular conditions is widely used in their selective identification. This characteristic allows the detection and enumeration of enterococci with a selective medium (template used to grow bacteria) M-enterococcus agar or KF streptococcus agar, and by using bile-esculin-azide agar (another medium) as a further test for con? mation. Although this approach can distinguish Enterococci from other bacterial species, some may be identi? ed wrongly. The use of these media can hurt either selectivity (choices of bacteria found) or productivity (ability for bacteria to grow). Even though this approach was to identify enterococci species, it is unsuitable for the detection of certain enterococ ci species because they do not grow on these media. In addition, other bacterial species such as Streptococcus are able to grow on the media, presenting results similar to those of Enterococci. Enterococci are diverse and enigmatic. There are many strains and many complications that can arise from them. They are both harmless and deadly, useful and destructive. They can be used to aid digestion, or feared in a hospital setting. They are indeed a medical paradox. With continued study, we hope to learn from and understand these bacteria if not to aid us in our expansion of knowledge, then to rid us of a potentially critical threat in our hospital settings. Gilmore MS, (2002). The Enterococci: Pathogenesis, Molecular Biology, and Antibiotic Resistance. Fisher K, Phillips C (June 2009). â€Å"The ecology, epidemiology and virulence of Enterococcus†. Jin G, Jeng HW, Bradford H, Englande AJ (2004). â€Å"Comparison of E. coli, enterococci, and fecal coliform as indicators for brackish water quality assessment†. Carlene A. Muto, MD, MS; John A. Jernigan, MD, MS; Belinda E. Ostrowsky, MD, MPH; Herve M. Richet, MD; William R. Jarvis, MD; John M. Boyce, MD; Barry M. Farr, MD, MSc (May 2003). â€Å"SHEA Guideline for Preventing Nosocomial Transmission of Multidrug-Resistant Strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus†

Free Essays on Title VII †History And Impact

on that day in Philadelphia in July of 1776. This is a simple phrase that should be an easy mantra to live by, yet some 229 years later the debate on this very concept continues. Irreversibly set in motion by years of struggles that have gone on since the end of slavery, federal protections of minorities and women have galvanized the nation. From the Civil Rights Act of 1866, to the Civil Rights Act of 1991, equality for all men and women has created opportunities for many to live the American dream. This essay reviews the history of Title VII, its evolution and impact on the American workplace, describes who is covered by these protections, and briefly reviews what policies companies should avoid in doing business. History and evolution of Title VII Title VII was preceded by the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Title VII was part of the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964. This act applies to all employees and potential employees. These laws came about mainly to stop discrimination against black people in America. The protections for women were added at the end in an effort to keep the bill from passing, but this [no comma before "but" the following is not a stand-alone clause] strategy backfired and the entire bill became law. Since Title VII was passed, other laws have followed to protect more employees including the disabled. The laws protect employees, but do not cover independent contractors. Title VII is the only act whereby a citizen can file a charge and have the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) handle the case free of charge. A plaintiff can sue for compensatory damages, where the compensation is based upon what the employee lost due to the discrimination. There are also punitive damages, where the emp loyer is punished for the discrimination (Employment Law, 2003). Title VII affects companies that have 15 or more employees. T... Free Essays on Title VII – History And Impact Free Essays on Title VII – History And Impact â€Å"All men are created equal.† Thomas Jefferson wrote these words on that day in Philadelphia in July of 1776. This is a simple phrase that should be an easy mantra to live by, yet some 229 years later the debate on this very concept continues. Irreversibly set in motion by years of struggles that have gone on since the end of slavery, federal protections of minorities and women have galvanized the nation. From the Civil Rights Act of 1866, to the Civil Rights Act of 1991, equality for all men and women has created opportunities for many to live the American dream. This essay reviews the history of Title VII, its evolution and impact on the American workplace, describes who is covered by these protections, and briefly reviews what policies companies should avoid in doing business. History and evolution of Title VII Title VII was preceded by the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Title VII was part of the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964. This act applies to all employees and potential employees. These laws came about mainly to stop discrimination against black people in America. The protections for women were added at the end in an effort to keep the bill from passing, but this [no comma before "but" the following is not a stand-alone clause] strategy backfired and the entire bill became law. Since Title VII was passed, other laws have followed to protect more employees including the disabled. The laws protect employees, but do not cover independent contractors. Title VII is the only act whereby a citizen can file a charge and have the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) handle the case free of charge. A plaintiff can sue for compensatory damages, where the compensation is based upon what the employee lost due to the discrimination. There are also punitive damages, where the emp loyer is punished for the discrimination (Employment Law, 2003). Title VII affects companies that have 15 or more employees. T...

Helen of Troy in the Iliad of Homer

Helen of Troy in the Iliad of Homer The Iliad describes the conflicts between Achilles and his leader, Agamemnon, and between Greeks and Trojans, following the abduction of Agamemnons sister-in-law, Helen of Sparta (aka Helen of Troy), by the Trojan prince Paris. Helens precise role in the abduction is unknown  since  the event is a matter of legend rather than historical fact and has been variously interpreted in literature. In Helen in the Iliad: Causa Belli and Victim of War: From Silent Weaver to Public Speaker, Hanna M. Roisman looks at the limited details that show Helens perception of events, people, and her own guilt. The following is my understanding of the details Roisman provides. Helen of Troy appears only 6 times in the Iliad, four of which are in the third book, one appearance in Book VI, and a final appearance in the last (24th) book. The first and last appearances are specified in the title of Roismans article. Helen has mixed feelings because she feels some complicity in her own abduction and realizes how much death and suffering has been the result. That her Trojan husband is not terribly manly compared with his brother or her first husband only increases her feelings of regret. However, it is not clear that Helen had any choice. She is, after all, a possession, one of many ​Paris stole from Argos, although the only one he is unwilling to return (7.362-64). Helens fault lies in her beauty rather than in her acts, according to the old men at the Scaean Gate (3.158). Helen's First Appearance Helens first appearance is when the goddess Iris [See Hermes for information on the status of Iris in the Iliad], disguised as a sister-in-law, comes to summon Helen from her weaving. Weaving is a typically wifely occupation, but the subject Helen is weaving is unusual  since she is depicting the suffering of the Trojan War heroes. Roisman argues this shows Helens willingness to take responsibility for precipitating the deadly course of events. Iris, who summons Helen to witness a duel between her two husbands to decide with whom she will live, inspires Helen with a longing for her original husband, Menelaus. Helen does not appear to see behind the disguise to the goddess and goes compliantly, without uttering a word. Then Iris came as messenger to white-armed Helen,taking on the image of her sister-in-law,wife of Antenors son, fine Helicaon.Her name was Laodice, of all Priams daughtersthe most beautiful. She found Helen in her room,weaving a large cloth, a double purple cloak,creating pictures of the many battle scenesbetween horse-taming Trojans and bronze-clad Achaeans,wars they suffered for her sake at the hands of Ares.Standing near by, swift-footed Iris said:Come here, dear girl.Look at the amazing things going on.Horse-taming Trojans and bronze-clad Achaeans,men who earlier were fighting one anotherin wretched war out there on the plain,both keen for wars destruction, are sitting still.Alexander and war-loving Menelausare going to fight for you with their long spears.The man who triumphs will call you his dear wife.With these words the goddess set in Helens heartsweet longing for her former husband, city, parents. Covering herself with a white shawl, she left the house, shedding tears. Helen's Second Appearance Helens second appearance in the Iliad is with the old men at the Scaean Gate. Here Helen actually speaks, but only in response to Trojan King Priams addressing her. Although the war has been waged for 9 years and the leaders are presumably well known, Priam asks Helen to identify men who turn out to be Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Ajax. Roisman believes this was a conversational gambit rather than a reflection of Priams ignorance. Helen responds politely and with flattery, addressing Priam as Dear father-in-law, you arouse in me both respect and awe, 3.172. She then adds that she regrets ever having left her homeland and daughter, and, continuing the theme of her responsibility, she is sorry that she has caused the death of those slain in war. She says she wishes she had not followed Priams son, thereby deflecting some of the blame from herself, and possibly laying it at Priams feet as guilty by virtue of having helped create such a son. They soon reached the Scaean Gates.Oucalegaon and Antenor, both prudent men,elder statesmen, sat at the Scaean Gates, 160with Priam and his entourage- Panthous, Thymoetes,Lampus, Clytius, and warlike Hicataeon. Old men now,their fighting days were finished, but they all spoke well.They sat there, on the tower, these Trojan elders,like cicadas perched up on a forest branch, chirpingtheir soft, delicate sounds. Seeing Helen approach the tower,they commented softly to each other- their words had wings:Theres nothing shameful about the factthat Trojans and well-armed Achaeanshave endured great suffering a long time 170over such a woman- just like a goddess,immortal, awe-inspiring. Shes beautiful.But nonetheless let her go back with the ships.Let her not stay here, a blight on us, our children.So they talked. Priam then called out to Helen.Come here, dear child. Sit down in front of me,so you can see your first husband, your friends,your relatives. As far as Im concerned,you bear no blame . For I blame the gods.They drove me to wage this wretched war 180against Achaeans. Tell me, whos that large man,over there, that impressive, strong Achaean?Others may be taller by a head than him,but Ive never seen with my own eyessuch a striking man, so noble, so like a king.Then Helen, goddess among women, said to Priam:My dear father-in-law, whom I respect and honour,how I wish Id chosen evil deathwhen I came here with your son, leaving behindmy married home, companions, darling child, 190and friends my age. But things didnt work that way.So I weep all the time. But to answer you,that man is wide-ruling Agamemnon,son of Atreus, a good king, fine fighter,and once he was my brother-in-law,if that life was ever real. Im such a whore.Priam gazed in wonder at Agamemnon, saying:Son of Atreus, blessed by the gods, fortunes child,divinely favoured, many long-haired Achaeansserve under you. Once I went to Phrygia, 200that vine-rich land, where I saw Phrygian troopswith all their horses, th ousands of them,soldiers of Otreus, godlike Mygdon,camped by the banks of the Sangarius river. I was their ally, part of their army,the day the Amazons, mens peers in war,came on against them. But those forces thenwere fewer than these bright-eyed Achaeans.The old man then spied Odysseus and asked:Dear child, come tell me who this man is, 210shorter by a head than Agamemnon,son of Atreus. But he looks broaderin his shoulders and his chest. His armours stackedthere on the fertile earth, but he strides on,marching through mens ranks just like a rammoving through large white multitudes of sheep.Yes, a woolly ram, thats what he seems to me.Helen, child of Zeus, then answered Priam:That man is Laertes son, crafty Odysseus,raised in rocky Ithaca. Hes well versed 220in all sorts of tricks, deceptive strategies.At that point, wise Antenor said to Helen:Lady, what you say is true. Once lord Odysseuscame here with war-loving Menelaus,as an ambassador in your affairs.I received them both in my residenceand entertained them. I got to know them- from their appearance and their wise advice. Speech continues... Helen's Third Appearance Helens third appearance in the Iliad is with Aphrodite, whom Helen takes to task. Aphrodite is in disguise, as Iris had been, but Helen sees straight through it. Aphrodite, representing blind lust, appears before Helen to summon her to Paris bed at the conclusion of the duel between Menelaus and Paris, which had ended with the survival of both men. Helen is aggravated with Aphrodite and her approach to life. Helen insinuates that Aphrodite would really like Paris for herself. Helen then makes a peculiar comment, that going to Paris bedchamber will arouse snide comments among the women of the city. This is odd because Helen has been living as Paris wife for nine years. Roisman says this shows that Helen is now longing for social acceptance among the Trojans. Goddess, why do you wish to deceive me so?Are you going to take me still further off, [400]to some well populated city somewherein Phrygia or beautiful Maeonia,because youre in love with some mortal manand Menelaus has just beaten Parisand wants to take me, a despised woman, 450back home with him? Is that why youre here,you and your devious trickery?Why dont you go with Paris by yourself,stop walking around here like a goddess,stop directing your feet toward Olympus,and lead a miserable life with him,caring for him, until he makes you his wife [410]or slave. I wont go to him in there - that would be shameful, serving him in bed.Every Trojan woman would revile me afterwards. 460Besides, my heart is hurt enough already. (Book III) Helen has no real choice in whether or not to go to Paris room. She will go, but since she is concerned with what the others think, she covers herself up so as not to be recognized as she goes to Paris bedchamber. Helen's Fourth Appearance The fourth appearance of Helen is with Paris, to whom she is hostile and insulting. If ever she wanted to be with Paris, maturity and the effects of the war have tempered her passion. Paris does not appear to care very much that Helen insults him. Helen is his possession. Youve come back from the fight. How I wish 480youd died there, killed by that strong warriorwho was my husband once. You used to boastyou were stronger than warlike Menelaus, [430]more strength in your hands, more power in your spear.So go now, challenge war-loving Menelausto fight again in single combat.Id suggest you stay away. Dont fight it outman to man with red-haired Menelaus,without further thought. You might well die,come to a quick end on his spear. 490Replying to Helen, Paris said:Wife,dont mock my courage with your insults.Yes, Menelaus has just defeated me,but with Athenas help. Next time Ill beat him. [440]For we have gods on our side, too. But come,lets enjoy our love together on the bed.Never has desire so filled my mind as now,not even when I first took you awayfrom lovely Lacedaemon, sailing offin our sea-worthy ships, or when I lay with you 500in our lovers bed on the isle of Cranae.Thats how sweet passion has seized hold of me,how much I want you now. (Book III) Helen's Fifth Appearance The fifth appearance of Helen is in Book IV. Helen and Hector talk in Paris house, where Helen manages the household just like the other Trojan women. In her encounter with Hector, Helen is self-deprecating, calling herself a dog, evil-contriving and abhorred. She says she wishes she had a better husband, implying she wishes she had a husband more like Hector. It sounds as though Helen may be flirting, but in the previous two encounters Helen has shown that lust no longer motivates her, and the praise makes sense without such an insinuation of coquettishness. Hector, you are my brother,and Im a horrible, conniving bitch.I wish that on that day my mother bore mesome evil wind had come, carried me away,and swept me off, up into the mountains,or into waves of the tumbling, crashing sea, 430then I would have died before this happened.But since gods have ordained these evil things,I wish Id been wife to a better man, [350]someone sensitive to others insults,with feeling for his many shameful acts.This husband of mine has no sense now,and he wont acquire any in the future.I expect hell get from that what he deserves.But come in, sit on this chair, my brother,since this trouble really weighs upon your mind- 440all because I was a bitch- because of thatand Paris folly, Zeus gives us an evil fate,so we may be subjects for mens songsin generations yet to come. (Book VI) Helen's Sixth Appearance Helens final appearance in the Iliad is in Book 24, at Hectors funeral, where she is distinct from the other mourning women, Andromache, Hectors wife, and Hecuba, his mother, in two ways. (1) Helen praises Hector as a family man where they concentrate on his military prowess. (2) Unlike the other Trojan women, Helen will not be taken as a slave. She will be reunited with Menelaus as his wife. This scene is the first and last time she is included with other Trojan women in a public event. She has achieved a measure of acceptance just as the society to which she aspired is about to be destroyed. As she spoke, Hecuba wept. She stirred them on [760]to endless lamentation. Helen was the thirdto lead those women in their wailing:Hector- of all my husbands brothers,youre by far the dearest to my heart.My husbands godlike Alexander, 940who brought me here to Troy. I wish Id diedbefore that happened! This is the twentieth yearsince I went away and left my native land,but Ive never heard a nasty word from youor an abusive speech. In fact, if anyoneever spoke rudely to me in the house- one of your brothers or sisters, some brotherswell-dressed wife, or your mother- for your father [770]always was so kind, as if he were my own- youd speak out, persuading them to stop, 950using your gentleness, your soothing words.Now I weep for you and for my wretched self,so sick at heart, for theres no one elsein spacious Troy whos kind to me and friendly.They all look at me and shudder with disgust.Helen spoke in tears. The huge crowd joined in their lament. (Book XXIV) Roisman says the changes in the behavior of Helen do not reflect personal growth, but the graduated unveiling of her personality in all its richness. Source: Helen in the Iliad; Causa Belli and Victim of War: From Silent Weaver to Public Speaker, AJPh 127 (2006) 1-36, Hanna M. Roisman.

Recycling Composite Materials

Recycling Composite Materials Composite materials, known for their durability, high strength, excellent quality, low maintenance, and low weight, are widely being used in automotive, construction, transport, aerospace and renewable energy industries. Their use in  numerous  engineering applications is a result of the edge composites provides over traditional materials. Recycling and disposal of composite materials is an issue that is being increasingly addressed, as it should with any widely used material. Previously, there were very limited commercial recycling operations for mainstream composite materials due to technological and economic constraints but RD activities are on the rise. Recycling Fiberglass Fiberglass is a versatile material that provides  tangible  potential over conventional materials such as wood, aluminum, and steel. Fiberglass is produced by using less energy and is used in products which result in fewer carbon emissions. Fiberglass offers advantages of being light weight yet has high mechanical strength, impact resistant, is chemical, fire and corrosion resistant, and a good thermal and electrical insulator. Even though fiberglass is extremely useful for the reasons previously listed, an end of life solution is needed. Current FRP composites with thermoset resins do not biodegrade. For many applications where fiberglass is used, this is a good thing. However, in landfills, this is not.   Research has lead to methods such as grinding, incineration, and pyrolysis being used for recycling fiberglass. The recycled fiberglass finds its way in various industries and can be used in various end products. For instance, recycled fibers have been effective in reducing shrinkage in concrete thereby increasing its durability. This concrete can be used best in freezing temperate zones for concrete floors, pavements, sidewalks, and curbs. Other uses for recycled fiberglass include being used as a filler in resin, which can increase  mechanical  properties in certain applications. Recycled fiberglass has also found its use together with other products such as recycled tire products, plastic wood products, asphalt, roofing tar and cast polymer  countertops. Recycling Carbon Fiber Carbon fiber composite materials are ten times stronger than steel and eight times that of aluminum, along with being much lighter than both materials. Carbon fiber composites have found their way into the manufacturing of aircraft and spacecraft parts, automobile springs, golf club shafts, racing car bodies, fishing rods, and more. With the current annual worldwide carbon fiber consumption being at 30,000 tons, most waste goes to the landfill. Research has been conducted to extract the high-value carbon fiber from end-of-life components and from manufacturing scrap, with the goal to use them for creating other carbon fiber composites. Recycled carbon fibers are used in bulk molding compounds for smaller, nonload-bearing components, as a sheet-molding compound and as recycled materials in load-bearing shell structures. The recycled carbon fiber is also finding uses in phone cases, laptop shells and even water bottle cages for bicycles. Future of Recycling Composite Materials Composite materials are preferred for many engineering applications because of its durability and superior strength. Proper waste disposal and recycling at the end of the useful life of composite materials is necessary.  Many current and future waste management and environmental legislation will mandate engineering materials to be properly recovered and recycled, from products such as automobiles, wind turbines, and aircraft that have lived their useful life. Although many technologies have been developed such as mechanical recycling, thermal recycling, and chemical recycling; they are on the brink of being fully commercialized. Extensive research and development are being done to develop better recyclable composites and recycling technologies for composite materials. This will contribute to the sustainable development of composites industry.

The IOM Future of Nursing report related to the nursing workforce Essay

The IOM Future of Nursing report related to the nursing workforce - Essay Example Importance of the IOM â€Å"Future of Nursing† Report Nurses practice in various settings such as schools, retail health clinics, battlefields, public health centers, long-term care facilities, homes, and hospitals. They have differing levels of competencies and education in the entire nursing sector. The committee put into consideration nurses at all levels including their settings, education levels, and roles in an attempt to envision the profession’s future (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011). The Future of Nursing report is very important since it addresses some of issues facing nurses such as differing education and competency levels. Several barriers obstruct the nurses from responding effectively to the rapidly transforming health settings as well as the evolving health care system. The barriers have to be overcome to make sure that nurses are in a good position to advance health and lead change. Apart from seeking to remove these barriers, the report recommends the improvement of the nursing education system. This is because patients’ needs are becoming more sophisticated and thus, the nurses have to attain requisite competencies in order to deliver care that is of high quality (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011). ... Some of the main issues raised by the report are that nurses should practice to the greatest extent considering their training and eductaion; and that the education system that is in place to train nurses should be improved so as to encourage higher training and education of nurses for better servieces(Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011). In this respect, the report recommends that varous boards, government bodies, accrediting societies and healthcare organizations should support nurses during their residency once they have successfully completed the prerequisite courses or when they are taking new areas related to clinical pratice. In addition, the report recommends that the proportion of nurses holding a baccalaureate degree should be inreased from 50% to 80% and the number of nurses with a doctorate dregree doubled by 2020 (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011). In order to achieve this goal, academic nurse leaders should join forces and partner with other organizations to establish a workforce that is responsive to the diverse healthcare needs of the population. Furthermore, the report notes that nurses should participate fully in redisigning the country’s health care. Yet again, the report notes that better information collection and infrustructure is valuable if effective policies have to be made and the workforce properly planned. The Intent of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action represents an exceptional initiative to tackle the elevated demands for care by using all the talents, experience, skills, and knowledge of nurses. The main aim of the Campaign for Action is to manage the implementation of the IOM landmark report recommendations. The campaign

Teamwork. Organization Structure and Design, and Organisation Culture Essay

Teamwork. Organization Structure and Design, and Organisation Culture - Essay Example 3). Employees have a lot of impact on the tendency of an organization to be innovative and competitive (Bakker and Schaufeli, 2009, p. 147) which imparts need for the leaders to keep the employees motivated. Different organizations have different strategies of developing teamwork and also have different organization structures and designs, and organizational cultures. Factors that control these elements include but are not limited to the nature and scope of business, and the socioeconomic and political conditions prevalent in the areas where the business is established. There is no hard and fast rule which can be applied to all organizations. While there are numerous theories of teamwork, organization structure and design, and organizational culture, yet they have to be customized to suit the individualistic needs of different organizations. This paper draws a comparison and contrast between the teamwork, organization structure and design, and organizational culture of two organizati ons; Biogenia and Sleepeasy. Comparison of approaches to teamwork and teamworking Teamwork is the work accomplished by interdependent employees in a group to achieve a goal of mutual concern (Parker and Wall, 1998). Teamwork encourages employees to collaborate with one another (Salas and Gelfand, 2012) and allows employees to be more included in the decision-making process (Mat and Razak, n.d., p. 218). Teamwork is essential to the success of both non-profit and profit-oriented organizations (Rapur and Rapur, n.d.). â€Å"As â€Å"no man is an island,† the positive effects of productive teamwork can energize an entire organization, just as the negative effects of a lack of teamwork can cripple an organization† (Slechta, n.d.). Biogenia places a lot of emphasis on the development of teamwork among the employees. This is achieved by interchanging their roles which is an essential component of teamwork (Griffin, Patterson, and West, 2001, p. 537; Tannenbaum et al, 1996). This has a two-way effect on the employees that increases their tendency to be better team members. Firstly, every employee gets an opportunity to work in a different position for some time during which, the employee gains exposure to the job responsibilities associated with that position so that whenever required, other employees can be invited to do certain tasks that are different from the tasks they normally do in their respective positions. This provides Biogenia to incorporate multi-tasking in its employees which in the long run is in the best interest of Biogenia as well as its employees as they would be equipped with diverse experiences. â€Å"Moving to multi-skilled teams will alter the range and style of working† (Acas, n.d.). Secondly, when an employee gets to work in some other position for some time, it enables that employee to gain an insight into the potential issues and challenges encountered by the employee who regularly serves in that position. This not only increases the employees’ knowledge of the challenges faced by all departments of the organization, but also increases their tendency to cooperate with employees from other departments in the hour of need as they know that the cause is genuine as they personally had had an opportunity to experience the issues while they served in other departments for some time. â€Å"To perform the task better, individuals depend on knowledge from other units or departments†

Statistical analysis of data Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Statistical analysis of data - Statistics Project Example In this dataset we can find out the average emission of the pollutants over the years for different activities and can report which activity has the most notorious impact on the environment. As we have analysed Constructions and construction works for civil engineering has the highest average emission of greenhouse gases, heavy metals and acid rain precursors compared to others while specialised construction works has the highest average emission of other pollutants. For the year 2009 and for other years also we can find out which construction activity has created the maximum and minimum pollution and thus which is sustainable and which is not. Since 2005 to 2009 we can see that a specialised construction service has created the maximum pollution and thus is less sustainable while the Buildings and building construction works has created the minimum pollution over the years and thus is more sustainable than others. From 2000 to 2004 activity of constructions and construction works fo r civil engineering has created the maximum pollution. Time series forecasting of overall emission for three activities can be given for the next 5 or 10 years using minitab or other statistical tools like R or SAS. In excel we can do moving average and trend analysis like linear trend, quadratic trend etc for the data. In the given data, it has been noticed that the data for year 2000 and 2001 is exactly same across all categories. Data on other manufacturing sectors and industries like automobile industry, chemical industry, fertilizer industry etc and their emissions of pollutants like greenhouse gases can also be collected for time period say 2000 to 2013 so as to compare it with the construction activity emissions of the same. Time series analysis can be done in tools like minitab to forecast each sector emission of greenhouse gases for next five years. Time series forecast like moving average, blended moving average, trend analysis can be done in excel

Analyze George Orwell's, Shooting An Elephant through the eyes of the Essay

Analyze George Orwell's, Shooting An Elephant through the eyes of the author of the Moral Instinct Steven Pinker - Essay Example This has never been put across more effectively as in the George Orwell’s essay, shooting the elephant. The author is forced by the general expectation to do what he does not believe in. He takes us through his ordeal so that we can understand the reasoning we often undergo in order to make decisions that seem conflicting in our lives. It’s not just the content of our moral judgments that is often questionable, but the way we arrive at them. We like to think that when we have a conviction, there are good reasons that drove us to adopt it (Steve 1).Orwell goes to a great length to try to justify decisions he made in this essay. A great lesson can be learned from his work. The author hated being a police officer. This was because he was secretly against imperialism which he was a part of. He was against the oppression of the Burmese people. He says he hated the job bitterly than he could clearly put across in the essay. He lives a miserable life, since he hates his empire and cannot voice his concerns. The people he seems to care about are against him and they make his life impossible. This is a tough way to live. He hated the conditions of prisoners huddled together and the sight of the oppressed. What keeps him on the job? Orwell tries to draw an emotion from us. He tries to make us fit his shoes so we can see how tough it was for him to quit his job. He was uneducated and young and could not seek employment elsewhere. He would have chosen to quit this job which did not stand his moral grounds rather than stay in unhappy employment. This builds on the fact that people seek justifications for actions they do in order to feel accepted. This is not the only incident that the author is faced with such a situation. He is called upon to kill an elephant which had gone rogue. He describes the pressure he felt. â€Å"And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all. The people expected it of me and I had got to do it; I could fe el their two thousand wills pressing me forward, irresistibly.† (Orwell 1). What made the matter worse was that the elephant was a tame one. He considered shooting a working an elephant a very serious offence comparable only to destroying a piece of machinery a decision which should have been avoided at all costs. With these strong convictions the reader is almost led to believe that Orwell was not going to kill the elephant. However despite being so against the action of taking the creatures life he goes ahead and does it. In trying to justify his action he claims that he would have looked like a fool. He did in order just to save face. This according to the reader is not a good enough reason but to him it is a reassurance that what he did was right. The oppressor is often viewed to be above the oppressed. Orwell in this situation proclaims that this is not always the case. He realizes that tyranny only jeopardizes the freedom of the oppressor. The tyrant is viewed by the opp ressed as being heartless and has to live up to these expectations. The tyrant is not allowed to show any signs of affection or weakness despite them being a part of human nature. One has to spend his life trying to impress the natives and so in every crisis he has got to do what the natives expect. The general expectation was that the white man was not supposed to be afraid of anything. Thoughts of what the people would think in case something went wrong during the

Whole Food Plan Book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Whole Food Plan Book - Essay Example During the year 2005, the sales were 1.3 million which rose to 1.7 million in the year 2007. Although market capitalization is rising, the profit margin has reduced considerably over the past three years. The stores operated by the company are approximately eight years of age; it is young age in a grocery industry. The stores are averagely about 30,000 sq. ft. As reported in the year 2006, among 180 stores of the company 113 were larger or 30,000 sq. ft. The physical resources are newer as the company. Human resource of the company is knowledgeable and well trained; they strive for a better customer experience. The payroll, bonus and other benefits of the staff have been increased during the year 2004 to 2005. Employee of the company are motivated by mission statement of the company and feel proud to be a part of the team that supports organic and natural food. The staff feels good about their job as they are contributing towards the betterment of the society. Whole Foods Market is a supermarket chain specializing in providing its customers with natural and organic foods of the highest quality on the market. Son una empresa con unos muy altos està ¡ndares de calidad en todo lo que hacen ya lo largo de sus 3 dà ©cadas de historia se han convertido en el là ­der mundial en su sector. They are a company with very high quality standards in everything they do and along its three decades of history have become the world leader in this sector. 1. Unmet needs: Usually the food items sold as suitable for children, young and adults are not only grain-based foods, but often they have a high content of salt and usually high sugar content. In the defense of this allegation, it is always said that high sugar and salt is due to demand in certain countries and not in others. In order to promote the concept of healthy eating, it was necessary to create awareness among consumers about the magic of less processed

Analyze George Orwell's, Shooting An Elephant through the eyes of the Essay

Analyze George Orwell's, Shooting An Elephant through the eyes of the author of the Moral Instinct Steven Pinker - Essay Example This has never been put across more effectively as in the George Orwell’s essay, shooting the elephant. The author is forced by the general expectation to do what he does not believe in. He takes us through his ordeal so that we can understand the reasoning we often undergo in order to make decisions that seem conflicting in our lives. It’s not just the content of our moral judgments that is often questionable, but the way we arrive at them. We like to think that when we have a conviction, there are good reasons that drove us to adopt it (Steve 1).Orwell goes to a great length to try to justify decisions he made in this essay. A great lesson can be learned from his work. The author hated being a police officer. This was because he was secretly against imperialism which he was a part of. He was against the oppression of the Burmese people. He says he hated the job bitterly than he could clearly put across in the essay. He lives a miserable life, since he hates his empire and cannot voice his concerns. The people he seems to care about are against him and they make his life impossible. This is a tough way to live. He hated the conditions of prisoners huddled together and the sight of the oppressed. What keeps him on the job? Orwell tries to draw an emotion from us. He tries to make us fit his shoes so we can see how tough it was for him to quit his job. He was uneducated and young and could not seek employment elsewhere. He would have chosen to quit this job which did not stand his moral grounds rather than stay in unhappy employment. This builds on the fact that people seek justifications for actions they do in order to feel accepted. This is not the only incident that the author is faced with such a situation. He is called upon to kill an elephant which had gone rogue. He describes the pressure he felt. â€Å"And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all. The people expected it of me and I had got to do it; I could fe el their two thousand wills pressing me forward, irresistibly.† (Orwell 1). What made the matter worse was that the elephant was a tame one. He considered shooting a working an elephant a very serious offence comparable only to destroying a piece of machinery a decision which should have been avoided at all costs. With these strong convictions the reader is almost led to believe that Orwell was not going to kill the elephant. However despite being so against the action of taking the creatures life he goes ahead and does it. In trying to justify his action he claims that he would have looked like a fool. He did in order just to save face. This according to the reader is not a good enough reason but to him it is a reassurance that what he did was right. The oppressor is often viewed to be above the oppressed. Orwell in this situation proclaims that this is not always the case. He realizes that tyranny only jeopardizes the freedom of the oppressor. The tyrant is viewed by the opp ressed as being heartless and has to live up to these expectations. The tyrant is not allowed to show any signs of affection or weakness despite them being a part of human nature. One has to spend his life trying to impress the natives and so in every crisis he has got to do what the natives expect. The general expectation was that the white man was not supposed to be afraid of anything. Thoughts of what the people would think in case something went wrong during the

Meaning and the Symbolical Features of Organisations Essay

Meaning and the Symbolical Features of Organisations - Essay Example The narratives, which is also referred to as organizational stories, sagas, and myths, work to guide members in understanding and representing the organization’s objective and the function of its members. The organizational narrative gives information about ideologies and standards, and it plays several roles in an organization—resolving gaps between the past and the present, moderating power relations, prevention of conflict, and reconciliation of tensions between individual and organizational interests (Gabriel, 2000, p.10). This essay discusses the relationship between narrative and heritage. A narrative in Organisations There is seven types of narrative that have been observed to occur in various organizations. First are narratives about how the organisation solves problems; second are narratives about how the person in charge or the manager responds to mistakes; third are stories addressing the issue of how much assistance or support an organisation will give to it s people when they have to transfer regularly; fourth are narratives about how an organisation acts when confronted with the likelihood of laying off or discharging employees (Czarniawska, 1998, pp. 2-3); fifth is a narrative about the likelihood of a praiseworthy employee being recognised or rewarded by the organisation; sixth is a narrative about the level of respect and compassion the manager shows in relation to his/her subordinates; and seventh is a narrative about breaking the rules wherein a senior manager violates a rule which his/her subordinate should then implement (Czarniawska, 1998, p. 3). Every narrative has good and bad versions, which always reveal the conflicts that develop from a tension between individual values and organizational interests. These conflicts relate to the problems of control vs. chaos, stability vs. instability, and equality vs. hierarchy within the organization (Lipman, 1999, p. 22). When these narratives or events come together to form a broader or more complete narrative, the central identity or purpose is formed. This central narrative consolidates events and experiences into a main interpretative system for the organization. In an article of the Administrative Quarterly Review, dedicated to the discussion of organizational culture, several organizational experts talked about techniques they have created for explaining the interpretative structures that work at more profound aspects of an organization (Polkinghorne, 1988, p. 122). For instance, as a support for planning and dealing with problems, Mitroff and Killman encouraged bosses to relate stories about an organization; afterward, they grouped them in accordance to the Jungian personality styles.

Daily Checklist Safety Essay Example for Free

Daily Checklist Safety Essay When planning healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments and services, there are certain factors which need to be considered for example, the setting needs to take into account the risks and hazards around the setting inside and outside -outside, to ensure there are no poisonous plants, berries and sharp objects and inside that all the doors and gates are locked. Risk assess the setting for broken toys, the floor needs to be clean and clear, plugs are covered and fire exit doors are clear. The layout should have space between each activity and display. Health and Safety is monitored and maintained in the setting by (is there a checklist for example where you have a list of daily/hourly checks to do on the premises to ensure you are maintaining a healthy and safe setting?) following a Health and Safety Checklist provided to us by our manager which includes tasks such as check the doors are locked, that there is a safety gate to the kitchen area, practise fire drills and ensuring hazardous substances are locked away in cupboards. By following these checklists we are also made aware of the risks and hazards not following the checklist can cause and this encourages us to work safely. Current guidance for planning healthy and safety environments and services can be sourced from the Playgroup Manager, Slough Sure Start ,Ofsted, The Dept of Education, Health protection agency and the EYFS. Following the current guidance in the health and safety at work act 1974, gives the responsibility for health and safety to the employer and employees. The premises must be well maintain and safe, accidents and indents form must be fill in when any accident occurs. Health and safety at work regulations 1999, childcare act 2006, and the 2008 act that covers the early years and legislation on safeguarding. The EYFS 2008 ensures that there is an adult/child ratio in place, a first aid qualified person in the setting at all times and all staff have a qualification of about level 2. The setting follow the policies and the guideline of the EYFS. We risk assess when taking the children off the setting premises by filling in a trip planner with the name of the child and the contact number of the child parent with they permission form. Name of all the staff that are going on the trip. (This is an example, you need to explain more about how staff are made aware of the risks and hazards in the setting and encouraged to work safely, give examples like, posters, staff meetings. How does Sharon monitor you guys on HS or how does she give HS information to you).

Character And Traits In Leadership Philosophy Essay

Character And Traits In Leadership Philosophy Essay Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing. Warren Bennis, Ph.D. On Becoming a Leader Building Excellence. >Leaders do not command excellence, they build excellence. Excellence is being all you can be within the bounds of doing what is right for your organization. To reach excellence you must first be a leader of good character. You must do everything you are supposed to do. Organizations will not achieve excellence by figuring out where it wants to go, then having leaders do whatever they have to in order to get the job done, and then hope their leaders acted with good character. This type of thinking is backwards. Pursuing excellence should not be confused with accomplishing a job or task. When you do planning, you do it by backwards planning. But you do not achieve excellence by backwards planning. Excellence starts with leaders of good and strong character who engage in the entire process of leadership. And the first process is being a person of honorable character. Character develops over time. Many think that much of a persons character is formed early in life. However, we do not know exactly how much or how early character develops. But, it is safe to claim that character does not change quickly. A persons observable behavior is an indication of her character. This behavior can be strong or weak, good or bad. A person with strong character shows drive, energy, determination, self-discipline, willpower, and nerve. She sees what she wants and goes after it. She attracts followers. On the other hand, a person with weak character shows none of these traits. She does not know what she wants. Her traits are disorganized, she vacillates and is inconsistent. She will attract no followers. A strong person can be good or bad. A gang leader is an example of a strong person with a bad character, while an outstanding community leader is one with both strong and good characteristics. An organization needs leaders with both strong and good characteristics, people who will guide them to the future and show that they can be trusted. To be an effective leader, your followers must have trust in you and they need to be sold on your vision. Korn-Ferry International, an executive search company, performed a survey on what organizations want from their leaders. The respondents said they wanted people who were both ethical and who convey a strong vision of the future. In any organization, a leaders actions set the pace. This behavior wins trust, loyalty, and ensures the organizations continued vitality. One of the ways to build trust is to display a good sense of character composed of beliefs, values, skills, and traits (U.S. Army Handbook, 1973): Beliefs are what we hold dear to us and are rooted deeply within us. They could be assumptions or convictions that you hold true regarding people, concepts, or things. They could be the beliefs about life, death, religion, what is good, what is bad, what is human nature, etc. Values are attitudes about the worth of people, concepts, or things. For example, you might value a good car, home, friendship, personal comfort, or relatives. Values are important as they influence a persons behavior to weigh the importance of alternatives. For example, you might value friends more than privacy, while others might be the opposite. Skills are the knowledge and abilities that a person gains throughout life. The ability to learn a new skill varies with each individual. Some skills come almost naturally, while others come only by complete devotion to study and practice. Traits are distinguishing qualities or characteristics of a person, while character is the sum total of these traits. There are hundreds of personality traits, far too many to be discussed here. Instead, we will focus on a few that are crucial for a leader. The more of these you display as a leader, the more your followers will believe and trust in you. Traits of a Good Leader Compiled by the Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group: Honest Display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all your actions. Deceptive behavior will not inspire trust. Competent Base your actions on reason and moral principles. Do not make decisions based on childlike emotional desires or feelings. Forward-looking Set goals and have a vision of the future. The vision must be owned throughout the organization. Effective leaders envision what they want and how to get it. They habitually pick priorities stemming from their basic values. Inspiring Display confidence in all that you do. By showing endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina, you will inspire others to reach for new heights. Take charge when necessary. Intelligent Read, study, and seek challenging assignments. Fair-minded Show fair treatment to all people. Prejudice is the enemy of justice. Display empathy by being sensitive to the feelings, values, interests, and well-being of others. Broad-minded Seek out diversity. Courageous Have the perseverance to accomplish a goal, regardless of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Display a confident calmness when under stress. Straightforward Use sound judgment to make a good decisions at the right time. Imaginative Make timely and appropriate changes in your thinking, plans, and methods. Show creativity by thinking of new and better goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. Be innovative! Retreat Hell! Weve just got here! Attributed to several World War I Marine Corps officers, Belleau Wood, June 1918 (key ideal take a stand) Attributes Attributes establish what leaders are, and every leader needs at least three of them (U.S. Army Handbook, 1973): Standard Bearers establish the ethical framework within an organization. This demands a commitment to live and defend the climate and culture that you want to permeate your organization. What you set as an example will soon become the rule as unlike knowledge, ethical behavior is learned more by observing than by listening. And in fast moving situations, examples become certainty. Being a standard bearer creates trust and openness in your employees, who in turn, fulfill your visions. Developers help others learn through teaching, training, and coaching. This creates an exciting place to work and learn. Never miss an opportunity to teach or learn something new yourself. Coaching suggests someone who cares enough to get involved by encouraging and developing others who are less experienced. Employees who work for developers know that they can take risks, learn by making mistakes, and winning in the end. Integrators orchestrate the many activities that take place throughout an organization by providing a view of the future and the ability to obtain it. Success can only be achieved when there is a unity of effort. Integrators have a sixth sense about where problems will occur and make their presence felt during critical times. They know that their employees do their best when they are left to work within a vision-based framework. Goddamn it, you will never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me! Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, USMC, Guadalcanal, 13 January 1943. (key words follow me, NOT go) Perspectives of Character and Traits Traits (acronym JJ did tie buckle) Justice Judgment Dependability Initiative Decisiveness Tact Integrity Enthusiasm Bearing Unselfishness Courage Knowledge Loyalty Endurance The Image of Leadership John Schoolland What kind of a leader are you going to be the kind who thinks he is the best? Or will you be one of the very few greats Who attributes success to the rest. The U.S. Armys Eleven Leadership Principles Be tactically and technically proficient Know yourself and seek self-improvement Know your soldiers and look out for their welfare Keep your soldiers informed Set the example Ensure the task is understood, supervised and accomplished Train your soldiers as a team Make sound and timely decisions Develop a sense of responsibility in your subordinates Employ your unit in accordance with its capabilities Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions Organizations consist of three components: The structure gives the organization its form and dictates the way it will interact. The followers respond to the structure and the leaders. The leaders determine the ultimate effectiveness of the organization as the character and skills that they bring determine the way problems are solved and tasks are accomplished. U.S. Army 23 Traits of Character Bearing Confidence Courage Integrity Decisiveness Justice Endurance Tact Initiative Coolness Maturity Improvement Will Assertiveness Candor Sense of humor Competence Commitment Creativity Self-discipline Humility Flexibility Empathy/Compassion Are managers leaders? Are leaders managers? Managers need to be leaders. . . their workers need vision and guidance! On the other hand, leaders need to be good managers of the resources entrusted to them. Is Character Developed Via Nature or Nurture (Ridley, 2003)? I do not believe that the nature vs. nurture debate is linear enough to put percentages on it on one side of the fence we have nature and on the other side we have nurture. And while nature (genes) certainly has its influences on us, the environment (nurture) normally determines the impact of a gene. For example, one of the classic examples for discussing genes is Konrad Lorenzs work on the imprinting that occurs in baby geese they have it within them to imprint whatever is moving near them, which is normally their mother. However, it could be anything else that is moving around them, such as a person. But no matter what they imprint on, rather it be their mother, a human, or an inanimate object, the piece of the environment that they actually imprint on is going to have a huge impact on their life. Thus genes provide the goal, but the environment provides the process. And it is what happens during the process that will determine the outcome. Piaget was probably the first person to think of children as species equipped with a characteristic mind, rather than as apprentice adults (little adults). He discovered they went through a series of five developmental stages that were always in the same order, but not always at the same rate: Sensorimotor Preoperational Concrete operations In adolescence they have Abstract Thoughts and Deductive reasoning Piagets two contemporaries, Konrad Lorenz and B. F. Skinner took up extreme positions. Lorenz as a champion of nature and Skinner as a champion of nurture. Piaget, however, dived right down the middle of this debate. He believed a genes meaning depends heavily on its context with the surrounding environment. That is, while a child goes through five stages of development (genes), it is the active engagement of the mind with the surrounding environment (nurture) that causes development. The two main forces of the environment are feedback and social interaction. From this, the child assimilates predicted experiences and accommodates it to unexpected experiences. For some time it was believed that animals grew no new neurons in the cortex of their brains upon reaching adulthood, thus their fate was basically sealed by their genetic nature. This was apparently proved by a Pasco Rakic, a neuroscientist. However, Fernando Nottebohm soon found that adult canaries made new neurons when they learn new songs. So Rakic replied that it was only adult mammals that could not grow neurons. But soon afterward, Elizabeth Gould found that rats grow new neurons. So Rakic replied primates could not. Gould next discovered that tree shrews grew new neurons. Rakic that higher primates could not grow new neurons. Gould then found them in marmosets. Rakic zeroed it down to old-world primates. Gould then discovered them in macaques. Today it is almost certain that all primates, including humans, grow new neurons in response to new experiences, and lose neurons in response to neglect. Thus, with all the determinism built into the initial wiring of our brain, experience with our surrounding environment refines and in some cases rewires that initial wiring. Nature may be our internal guide (map), but nurture is our explorer that has the final say in what we do (destination). References Ridley, M. (2003). Nature Via Nurture New York: Harper Collins. U.S. Army Handbook (1973). Military Leadership. Leadership Styles Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. Kurt Lewin (1939) led a group of researchers to identify different styles of leadership. This early study has been very influential and established three major leadership styles. The three major styles of leadership are (U.S. Army Handbook, 1973): Authoritarian or autocratic Participative or democratic Delegative or Free Reign Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. Authoritarian (autocratic) I want both of you to. . . This style is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it is when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. Some people tend to think of this style as a vehicle for yelling, using demeaning language, and leading by threats and abusing their power. This is not the authoritarian style, rather it is an abusive, unprofessional style called bossing people around. It has no place in a leaders repertoire. The authoritarian style should normally only be used on rare occasions. If you have the time and want to gain more commitment and motivation from your employees, then you should use the participative style. Participative (democratic) Lets work together to solve this. . . This style involves the leader including one or more employees in the decision making process (determining what to do and how to do it). However, the leader maintains the final decision making authority. Using this style is not a sign of weakness, rather it is a sign of strength that your employees will respect. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. Delegative (free reign) You two take care of the problem while I go. . . In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is not a style to use so that you can blame others when things go wrong, rather this is a style to be used when you fully trust and confidence in the people below you. Do not be afraid to use it, however, use it wisely! NOTE: This is also known as laissez faire (or lais ·ser faire), which is the noninterference in the affairs of others. [French : laissez, second person pl. imperative of laisser, to let, allow + faire, to do.] Forces A good leader uses all three styles, depending on what forces are involved between the followers, the leader, and the situation. Some examples include: Using an authoritarian style on a new employee who is just learning the job. The leader is competent and a good coach. The employee is motivated to learn a new skill. The situation is a new environment for the employee. Using a participative style with a team of workers who know their job. The leader knows the problem, but does not have all the information. The employees know their jobs and want to become part of the team. Using a delegative style with a worker who knows more about the job than you. You cannot do everything and the employee needs to take ownership of her job! In addition, this allows you to be at other places, doing other things. Using all three: Telling your employees that a procedure is not working correctly and a new one must be established (authoritarian). Asking for their ideas and input on creating a new procedure (participative). Delegating tasks in order to implement the new procedure (delegative). Forces that influence the style to be used included: How much time is available. Are relationships based on respect and trust or on disrespect? Who has the information you, your employees, or both? How well your employees are trained and how well you know the task. Internal conflicts. Stress levels. Type of task. Is it structured, unstructured, complicated, or simple? Laws or established procedures such as OSHA or training plans. Positive and Negative Approaches There is a difference in ways leaders approach their employee. Positive leaders use rewards, such as education, independence, etc. to motivate employees. While negative employers emphasize penalties. While the negative approach has a place in a leaders repertoire of tools, it must be used carefully due to its high cost on the human spirit. Negative leaders act domineering and superior with people. They believe the only way to get things done is through penalties, such as loss of job, days off without pay, reprimanding employees in front of others, etc. They believe their authority is increased by frightening everyone into higher levels of productivity. Yet what always happens when this approach is used wrongly is that morale falls; which of course leads to lower productivity. Also note that most leaders do not strictly use one or another, but are somewhere on a continuum ranging from extremely positive to extremely negative. People who continuously work out of the negative are bosses while those who primarily work out of the positive are considered real leaders. Use of Consideration and Structure Two other approaches that leaders use are: Consideration (employee orientation) leaders are concerned about the human needs of their employees. They build teamwork, help employees with their problems, and provide psychological support. Structure (task orientation) leaders believe that they get results by consistently keeping people busy and urging them to produce. There is evidence that leaders who are considerate in their leadership style are higher performers and are more satisfied with their job (Schriesheim, 1982). Also notice that consideration and structure are independent of each other, thus they should not be viewed on opposite ends of a continuum. For example, a leader who becomes more considerate, does not necessarily mean that she has become less structured. See Blake and Moutons Managerial Grid as it is also based on this concept. Paternalism Paternalism has at times been equated with leadership styles. Yet most definitions of leadership normally state or imply that one of the actions within leadership is that of influencing. For example, the Army uses the following definition: Leadership is influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization. The Army further goes on by defining influence as: a means of getting people to do what you want them to do. It is the means or method to achieve two ends: operating and improving. But there is more to influencing than simply passing along orders. The example you set is just as important as the words you speak. And you set an example good or bad with every action you take and word you utter, on or off duty. Through your words and example, you must communicate purpose, direction, and motivation. While paternalism is defined as (Webster): a system under which an authority undertakes to supply needs or regulate conduct of those under its control in matters affecting them as individuals as well as in their relationships to authority and to each other. Thus paternalism supplies needs for those under its protection or control, while leadership gets things done. The first is directed inwards, while the latter is directed outwards. Geert Hofstede (1977) studied culture within organizations. Part of his study was on the dependence relationship or Power Difference the extent to which the less powerful members of an organization expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. Hofstede gave this story to illustrate this Power Difference: The last revolution in Sweden disposed of King Gustav IV, whom they considered incompetent, and surprising invited Jean Baptise Bernadotte, a French general who served under Napoleon, to become their new King. He accepted and became King Charles XIV. Soon afterward he needed to address the Swedish Parliament. Wanting to be accepted, he tried to do the speech in their language. His broken language amused the Swedes so much that they roared with laughter. The Frenchman was so upset that he never tried to speak Swedish again. Bernadotte was a victim of culture shock never in his French upbringing and military career had he experienced subordinates who laughed at the mistakes of their superior. This story has a happy ending as he was considered very good and ruled the country as a highly respected constitutional monarch until 1844. (His descendants still occupy the Swedish throne.) Sweden differs from France in the way its society handles inequality (those in charge and the followers). To measure inequality or Power Difference, Hofstede studied three survey questions from a larger survey that both factored and carried the same weight: Frequency of employees being afraid to express disagreement with their managers. Subordinates perception of their bosss actual decision making style (paternalistic style was one choice). Subordinates preference for their bosss decision-making style (again, paternalistic style was one choice). He developed a Power Difference Index (PDI) for the 53 countries that took the survey. Their scores range from 11 to 104. The higher the number a country received, the more autocratic and/or paternalistic the leadership, which of course relates to employees being more afraid or unwilling to disagree with their bosses. While lower numbers mean a more consultative style of leadership is used, which translates to employees who are not as afraid of their bosses. For example, Malaysia has the highest PDI score, being 104, while Austria has the lowest with 11. And of course, as the story above illustrates, Sweden has a relative low score of 31, while France has a PDI of 68. The USAs is 40. Note that these scores are relative, not absolute, in that relativism affirms that one culture has no absolute criteria for judging activities of another culture as low or noble. Keeping the above in mind, it seems that some picture paternalistic behavior as almost a barbaric way of getting things accomplished. Yet, leadership is all about getting things done for the organization. And in some situations, a paternalistic style of decision-making might be required; indeed, in some cultures and individuals, it may also be expected by not only those in charge, but also the followers. That is what makes leadership styles quite interesting they basically run along the same continuum as Hofstedes PDI, ranging from paternalistic to consultative styles of decision making. This allows a wide range of individual behaviors to be dealt with, ranging from beginners to peak performers. In addition, it accounts for the fact that not everyone is the same. However, when paternalistic or autocratic styles are relied upon too much and the employees are ready and/or willing to react to a more consultative type of leadership style, then it normally becomes quite damaging to the performance of the organization.

The American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death of a Salesman

The American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman is centered around one man trying to reach the American dream and taking his family along for the ride. The Loman's lives from beginning to end is a troubling story based on trying to become successful, or at least happy. Throughout their lives they encounter many problems and the end result is a tragic death caused by stupidity and the need to succeed. During his life Willy Loman caused his wife great pain by living a life not realizing what he could and couldn't do. Linda lived sad and pathetic days supporting Willy's unreachable goals. Being brought up in this world caused his children to lose their identity and put their futures in jeopardy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Willy lived everyday of his life trying to become successful, well-off salesman. His self-image that he portrayed to others was a lie and he was even able to deceive himself with it. He traveled around the country selling his merchandise and maybe when he was younger, he was able to sell a lot and everyone like him, but Willy was still stuck with this image in his head and it was the image he let everyone else know about. In truth, Willy was a senile salesman who was no longer able to work doing what he's done for a lifetime. When he reaches the point where he can no longer handle working, he doesn't realize it, he puts his life in danger as well a others just because he's pig-headed and doesn't understand that he has to give up on his dream. He complains about a lot of things that occur in everyday life, and usually he's the cause of the problems. When he has to pay for the repair bills on the fridge, he bitches a lot and bad mouths Charl ey for buying the one he should of bought. The car having to be repaired is only because he crashes it because he doesn't pay attention and/or is trying to commit suicide. Willy should have settled with what he had and made the best of things. He shouldn't have tied to compete with everyone and just made the best decision for him using intelligence and practicality. Many of Willy's problems were self-inflicted, the reason they were self-inflicted was because he wanted to live the American dream. If he had changed his standards or just have been content with his life, his life problems would have been limited in amount and proportion.