Alain Locke’s The New Negro: Aspects of Negro Culture Essay

Alain Locke, in â€Å"The New Negro,† suggests that the â€Å"old Negro† is really nothing more than a myth or an ideal. He talks about the fact that there are aspects of Negro culture – such as the spiritual – that were beaten down but were accepted when finally allowed to emerge. Locke then takes a look at some trends, including the tendency toward moving â€Å"city-ward,† and says these are not because of poor or even violent conditions in the south nor of the industry in the north. Instead, he attributes this migration to â€Å"a new vision of opportunity. † Locke then points out that the Negro is willing to work for better conditions and that this migration is not only toward the city and away from the country life, but also away from the old ways and toward the new. New Negro is a term popularized during the Harlem Renaissance implying a more outspoken advocacy of dignity and a refusal to submit quietly to the practices and laws of Jim Crow racial segregation. The term â€Å"New Negro† was made popular by Alain LeRoy Locke. The New Negro,† Locke described the landscape of Harlem as filled by different notions of what it meant to be a black American. -Old Negro† as â€Å"more myth than a man† and the blind acceptance of this â€Å"formula† against ideas of â€Å"the thinking Negro† and the true diversity of actual human beings This move is significant because Locke uses this idea to create space for a more accurate representation of the Negro community in light of the antecedent ideological poles of the moral leadership and imaged blackness. Locke’s primary goal in the essay â€Å"The New Negro† is to migrate from monolithic notions of an â€Å"Old Negro†, as well as from the exhausted frameworks of bourgeois intellectual black leadership toward an idea that gives creative agency and credibility to the â€Å"rank and file† of Negro life (Locke, New Negro: 6). -New Negro† as a means of rediscovering individuality of voice in the context of community. –// In a 1925 essay entitled â€Å"The New Negro,† Alain Locke described this transformation as an embracing of a new psychology and spirit. Locke felt that it was imperative for the â€Å"New Negro† to â€Å"smash† all of the racial, social and psychological obstacles that had previously kept the Black man from reaching his goals. –â€Å"The intelligent Negro of today is resolved not to make discrimination an extenuation for his shortcomings in performance, individual or collective; he is trying to hold himself at par, neither inflated by sentimental allowances nor depreciated by current social discounts â€Å"By shedding the old chrysalis of the Negro problem we are achieving something like a spiritual emancipation â€Å"Negro life is not only establishing new contacts and founding new centers, it is finding a new soul â€Å"So for generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being –a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be â€Å"kept down,† or â€Å"in his place,† or â€Å"helped up,† to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden? † â€Å"In the intellectual realm a renewed and keen curiosity is replacing the recent apathy; the Negro is being carefully studied, not just talked about and discussed. In art and letters, instead of being wholly caricatured, he is being seriously portray eel and painted. Alain Locke, in â€Å"The New Negro,† suggests that the â€Å"old Negro† is really nothing more than a myth or an ideal. He talks about the fact that there are aspects of Negro culture – such as the spiritual – that were beaten down but were accepted when finally allowed to emerge. Locke then takes a look at some trends, including the tendency toward moving â€Å"city-ward,† and says these are not because of poor or even violent conditions in the south nor of the industry in the north. Instead, he attributes this migration to â€Å"a new vision of opportunity. † Locke then points out that the Negro is willing to work for better conditions and that this migration is not only toward the city and away from the country life, but also away from the old ways and toward the new. New Negro is a term popularized during the Harlem Renaissance implying a more outspoken advocacy of dignity and a refusal to submit quietly to the practices and laws of Jim Crow racial segregation. The term â€Å"New Negro† was made popular by Alain LeRoy Locke. The New Negro,† Locke described the landscape of Harlem as filled by different notions of what it meant to be a black American. -Old Negro† as â€Å"more myth than a man† and the blind acceptance of this â€Å"formula† against ideas of â€Å"the thinking Negro† and the true diversity of actual human beings This move is significant because Locke uses this idea to create space for a more accurate representation of the Negro community in light of the antecedent ideological poles of the moral leadership and imaged blackness. Locke’s primary goal in the essay â€Å"The New Negro† is to migrate from monolithic notions of an â€Å"Old Negro†, as well as from the exhausted frameworks of bourgeois intellectual black leadership toward an idea that gives creative agency and credibility to the â€Å"rank and file† of Negro life (Locke, New Negro: 6). -New Negro† as a means of rediscovering individuality of voice in the context of community. –// In a 1925 essay entitled â€Å"The New Negro,† Alain Locke described this transformation as an embracing of a new psychology and spirit. Locke felt that it was imperative for the â€Å"New Negro† to â€Å"smash† all of the racial, social and psychological obstacles that had previously kept the Black man from reaching his goals. –â€Å"The intelligent Negro of today is resolved not to make discrimination an extenuation for his shortcomings in performance, individual or collective; he is trying to hold himself at par, neither inflated by sentimental allowances nor depreciated by current social discounts â€Å"By shedding the old chrysalis of the Negro problem we are achieving something like a spiritual emancipation â€Å"Negro life is not only establishing new contacts and founding new centers, it is finding a new soul â€Å"So for generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being –a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be â€Å"kept down,† or â€Å"in his place,† or â€Å"helped up,† to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden? † â€Å"In the intellectual realm a renewed and keen curiosity is replacing the recent apathy; the Negro is being carefully studied, not just talked about and discussed. In art and letters, instead of being wholly caricatured, he is being seriously portray eel and painted. Alain Locke, in â€Å"The New Negro,† suggests that the â€Å"old Negro† is really nothing more than a myth or an ideal. He talks about the fact that there are aspects of Negro culture – such as the spiritual – that were beaten down but were accepted when finally allowed to emerge. Locke then takes a look at some trends, including the tendency toward moving â€Å"city-ward,† and says these are not because of poor or even violent conditions in the south nor of the industry in the north. Instead, he attributes this migration to â€Å"a new vision of opportunity. † Locke then points out that the Negro is willing to work for better conditions and that this migration is not only toward the city and away from the country life, but also away from the old ways and toward the new. New Negro is a term popularized during the Harlem Renaissance implying a more outspoken advocacy of dignity and a refusal to submit quietly to the practices and laws of Jim Crow racial segregation. The term â€Å"New Negro† was made popular by Alain LeRoy Locke. The New Negro,† Locke described the landscape of Harlem as filled by different notions of what it meant to be a black American. -Old Negro† as â€Å"more myth than a man† and the blind acceptance of this â€Å"formula† against ideas of â€Å"the thinking Negro† and the true diversity of actual human beings This move is significant because Locke uses this idea to create space for a more accurate representation of the Negro community in light of the antecedent ideological poles of the moral leadership and imaged blackness. Locke’s primary goal in the essay â€Å"The New Negro† is to migrate from monolithic notions of an â€Å"Old Negro†, as well as from the exhausted frameworks of bourgeois intellectual black leadership toward an idea that gives creative agency and credibility to the â€Å"rank and file† of Negro life (Locke, New Negro: 6). -New Negro† as a means of rediscovering individuality of voice in the context of community. –// In a 1925 essay entitled â€Å"The New Negro,† Alain Locke described this transformation as an embracing of a new psychology and spirit. Locke felt that it was imperative for the â€Å"New Negro† to â€Å"smash† all of the racial, social and psychological obstacles that had previously kept the Black man from reaching his goals. –â€Å"The intelligent Negro of today is resolved not to make discrimination an extenuation for his shortcomings in performance, individual or collective; he is trying to hold himself at par, neither inflated by sentimental allowances nor depreciated by current social discounts â€Å"By shedding the old chrysalis of the Negro problem we are achieving something like a spiritual emancipation â€Å"Negro life is not only establishing new contacts and founding new centers, it is finding a new soul â€Å"So for generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being –a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be â€Å"kept down,† or â€Å"in his place,† or â€Å"helped up,† to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden? † â€Å"In the intellectual realm a renewed and keen curiosity is replacing the recent apathy; the Negro is being carefully studied, not just talked about and discussed. In art and letters, instead of being wholly caricatured, he is being seriously portray eel and painted. Alain Locke, in â€Å"The New Negro,† suggests that the â€Å"old Negro† is really nothing more than a myth or an ideal. He talks about the fact that there are aspects of Negro culture – such as the spiritual – that were beaten down but were accepted when finally allowed to emerge. Locke then takes a look at some trends, including the tendency toward moving â€Å"city-ward,† and says these are not because of poor or even violent conditions in the south nor of the industry in the north. Instead, he attributes this migration to â€Å"a new vision of opportunity. † Locke then points out that the Negro is willing to work for better conditions and that this migration is not only toward the city and away from the country life, but also away from the old ways and toward the new.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles Feasibility Study Essay

As a leader in the rental vehicle industry for the past 30 years, ABC Rental Cars has continually remained a step ahead of its competition. To continue to set the pace for other rental agencies to follow, and to ensure ABC Rental Cars’ dominant position in the marketplace, alternative fuel vehicles (AFV), or more specifically, hybrid vehicles, should be evaluated as to the feasibility and consumer interest of introducing these types of vehicles into our fleet. Currently, gasoline prices are at an all-time high. The United States’ dependency on foreign oil is also at an extremely high level, and with the ever-shifting Middle Eastern political climate teetering at volatile levels, hybrid vehicles are an important avenue to be considered. While hybrid car sales currently lag behind sales of conventional vehicles, J. D. Power & Associates, a market research firm, estimates that hybrid vehicle sales will increase to half a million by the year 2006. In addition, nearly 20 new models of hybrid cars, SUV’s, and trucks will be rolled out to consumers in the next few years (Mossy Automotive Group, 2004). ABC Rentals can reap the rewards of providing these vehicles to its consumers, provided the cost associated with this program is mutually beneficial to both parties. Initially, the types of fuels that are available need to be researched to determine the viability of introducing hybrid vehicles into our fleet. While there are several options of alternative fuels available, most are not practical. The fuels analyzed included natural gas, biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, Fischer Tropsch, liquefied natural gas, methanol, and propane. Ultimately, the research concluded that the only practical, economical, and accessible fuel currently available is electricity, when used in the hybrid concept. There are many vehicles that use electricity. The most popular concept is used in hybrid vehicles. These vehicles have an electric motor, with a separate gasoline motor. One of the benefits is fuel economy. According to an EPA report, hybrids â€Å"can more than double the gas mileage of conventional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. † Also, this use of energy reduces emissions because gasoline consumption is reduced. Next, the gasoline motor charges the battery as the car is running, nullifying the need for recharging stations. Ultimately, the most practical fuel that can be considered at this time is electricity combined with gasoline, which is used in hybrid vehicles. (EPA, 2003) As a means to gauge consumer interest in these types of vehicles, we also needed to research our competitors to distinguish if hybrid vehicles would be a practical addition to our fleet. Currently, EV Rental Cars is the only company in the United States to rent hybrid cars to the public. At this time, there are a total of eight locations with hybrid vehicles: four locations in California: Los Angeles, Burbank, Ontario and San Diego, one location in Phoenix, Arizona, two locations in Virginia: Dulles and Arlington, and one in Washington D. C. With all of the locations above in mind, EV Rental Cars has grown in fleet size to more than 400 cars throughout the eight different locations (www. evrental. com, 2001). One of the vehicles available to rent at EV Rentals is the Toyota Prius, which is a full size family sedan. This vehicle rents for $49. 99 per day, or $299. 94 per week, and EV Rentals offers 150 free miles per day and . 25/mile thereafter (www. evrental. com, 2001). The Prius achieves 60 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway (autos. yahoo. com, 2004). Comparatively, Honda has introduced the Honda Insight, which in the rental vehicle industry is considered to be a standard size car, and the Honda Civic hybrid, which is considered to be a compact car. These two cars are offered by EV Rentals at a similar price to the Toyota Prius (www. evrental.com, 2001). The Honda Insight achieves an EPA highway mileage of 66 mpg and 60 mpg in the city, while the Honda Civic hybrid can travel 650 miles with a full tank of gas (www. honda. com, 2004). As indicated above, these three cars are not only great when it comes to mileage, but another advantage they enjoy is that they are also environmentally friendly. For example, the Prius produces 90 percent less harmful emissions than a traditional car (www. ineed2know. org, 2004), which is important to those individuals that are concerned about the environment. Even President Bush seemed to agree that alternative fuel vehicles needed to be further investigated when he endorsed the concept of alternative fuel vehicles and allocated more than a billion dollars toward the transition to hydrogen fuels (www. evrental. com, 2001). On the other hand, these types of cars are not a practical investment if cost and availability are issues. Not only is the price higher, but due to limited interest in hybrids by consumers at this time, there is only a small geographic area where hybrids are being rented. Most locations are situated in California, Arizona, and Washington; therefore, if ABC Rental Cars is looking for a new rental opportunity that could expand quickly, hybrid vehicles may not be the ideal choice. Initial startup costs and maintenance costs are also important factors to consider. The price of a hybrid automobile is higher than that of a comparable gasoline engine powered automobile. According to the Website ineed2know. org, a consumer can expect to pay from $3,500 to $6,000 more for a hybrid vehicle. The money a consumer saves in purchasing a hybrid depends greatly on the cost of gasoline. For example, if gas is priced at $1. 80 per gallon, it might take the average driver between 10 and 15 years to make up a $3,500 increase in the initial price. The higher the gas prices go, the less time it will take to recoup the higher price of purchasing a hybrid (ineed2know. org, 2004). However, statistics detailing the amount of time needed to recoup initial investment costs for businesses were not available at this time. Batteries for hybrid vehicles cost considerably more than conventional car batteries. Hybrid batteries sport a price tag of $1,000 – $2,000, more than 10 ? 20 times that of a gasoline powered vehicle (ineed2know.org, 2004). While most hybrid batteries are covered under the vehicle warranty, once the warranty expires it will be the owner’s responsibility to cover the cost of a new battery. Below are some specific pricing examples of hybrids that are currently on the market: The Toyota Prius has a suggested retail price of $21, 708, which is comparable to the Corolla that retails at $15, 580. The hybrid Honda Civic cost $20, 650. That’s about $2,300 more than the Honda Civic with a gasoline powered engine. (Phelan, 2004) Eartheasy. com lists the Honda Insight with a base retail price of $19,080 to $21,280. (2004) The Pontiac Website (2004) lists the comparable Vibe at $17, 165. The Ford Website (2004) boasts the hybrid 2005 Ford Escape, available in August 2004, which will have a retail price of $26,970 for the front-wheel drive SUV. The four-wheel drive hybrid SUV will retail at $28,595. Comparable Ford Escapes with gasoline powered engines retail for $19,995 and $21, 605 respectively. Renewable energy has become the focus of many markets in today’s society. From solar panels to hybrid vehicles, Americans are interested in purchasing these types of technologies, but need financial help from the government in the form of tax credits and rebates. Hybrid vehicles are costly to manufacture, and automakers pass on this higher cost to consumers in the form of higher retail prices of the vehicle. To help offset these higher prices, automakers are encouraging the federal government to provide tax credits to those consumers who purchase hybrid vehicles. The reason for this push is there is currently no alternative technology planned for the future. In a speech given to the Automotive News World Congress, Ford Motor Company’s CEO William Ford stated: â€Å"Hybrid vehicles are a very good bridge between today’s technology and fuel cells. Fuel cells ? as promising as they are ? come with a tremendous infrastructure challenge. We do not have hydrogen on every corner like we do gasoline, and we also have storage issues. With hybrids, we do not have to invent anything ? we know they work. † (Kiley, 2004) To date, there are two types of tax credits available to those who purchase alternative fuel vehicles: ? If you purchase a certain type of electric vehicle, you may be entitled to a tax credit. ?If a vehicle qualifies as a â€Å"clean-fuel† vehicle, you may be entitled to a deduction from gross income. Currently, any clean-fuel vehicles that are manufactured after June 30, 1993 and before January 1, 2007, qualifies the owner for a deduction off of their gross income for a portion of the cost of the vehicle. Examples of these vehicles are natural gas, hydrogen and any fuel that is composed of at least 85% ethanol, alcohol or ether. Electric vehicles receive a 10% tax credit, based on the purchase price. The maximum dollar amount cannot exceed $4,000. These credits will be phased out gradually ? 25, 50 and 75 percent in 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively, until it is phased out completely in 2007 (www. taxguide. completeax. com, 2004). These tax credits are targeted to the individual consumer, and not for rental vehicles. With the price of gasoline currently hovering around $2. 20 per gallon, the hybrid vehicle appears to be an attractive alternative. However, without a tax credit geared towards the business market, it is not a feasible option. Unfortunately, even with a tax credit, it would take years for the population to change their driving habits. To summarize, marketing alternative fuel vehicles to the consumer can be challenging, and most consumers are not aware of the types or manufacturers of these vehicles. If people are knowledgeable at all about alternative fuel environmental friendly vehicles, they may not be certain of where they can purchase or rent one of them. Purchasing an environmentally friendly vehicle is getting easier to do, with more car manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon. Honda and Toyota have led the way with hybrid vehicles, and Ford has also been in the market with its Ford Crown Victoria natural gas vehicles, with upcoming plans to debut their 2005 Ford Escape hybrid in August 2004. Pontiac is also throwing their hat into the ring with their new hybrid vehicle, the Vibe. Most consumers that are in the market for alternative fuel vehicles are looking at the new hybrids, which use both a combination of electricity and gasoline and can achieve 50 to 60 miles per gallon. The batteries on these vehicles automatically recharge themselves; consequently the vehicles never are required to be plugged in. Renting an alternative fuel vehicle can be more challenging than purchasing one, since at this time there is only one viable rental agency; EV Rental Cars, who has partnered with Budget Rent a Car, a major player in the rental car industry. If a person lives in, or is visiting California, Arizona or Washington D. C. , they can rent one of these vehicles at one of the major airports. The cost is $10 to $20 dollars more per day than renting regular gasoline powered vehicles. Most can be rented or reserved on the Internet, but some alternative fuel vehicles cannot. Consumers must request these in person at rental locations. There are a small amount of benefits for the consumer. For example, drivers can travel in the carpool lane even if they are driving alone in California, Arizona, Virginia and Georgia, thereby saving time. Additionally, when returning traditional rental vehicles, a renter is usually required to return the vehicle with the same amount of gas as was in the vehicle when first rented. Conversely, alternative fuel vehicles can be returned empty, incurring no extra surcharge. As far as refueling these vehicles, charging electric vehicles is free at the rental car recharging stations. Also, hybrid vehicles are more economical because they get more than 60 miles per gallon. Looking at the limited benefits, the overall cost and lack of convenience of purchasing or renting one of these alternative fuel vehicles, and the fact that there is limited availability, does not make it very appealing to the consumer. To investigate a hybrid vehicle consumer’s point of view concerning these types of vehicles, we conducted an interview with Dr. Mark Looper, a hybrid car enthusiast who operates the website altfuels. org. Dr. Looper holds an MS and PhD in physics from the California Institute of Technology, and an AB in physics from Princeton University. He has owned alternative fuel vehicles since 1993, and rents hybrid vehicles from the local EV Rental agency in his area. His website offers reviews of these rental vehicles, as well as real-life experiences of Dr. Looper’s travels utilizing alternative fuel vehicles. Dr. Looper’s primary reason for renting AFV’s is to provide information about alternative vehicles to the general public in the form of his reviews, as well as to promote and gain support for these vehicles with his friends, colleagues, and anyone interested enough to learn about alternatives to gasoline powered vehicles. While Dr. Looper’s rental charges exceeded the cost of gasoline powered vehicles, he stressed that cost was not much of a factor in his decision. Instead, Dr. Looper was far more interested in providing useful information to the visitors of his website. One of the questions asked of Dr. Looper was his comfort level while renting AFV’s. Specifically, did he feel nervous that alternative fuel may not be available, or that the vehicle would not handle as well as a traditional vehicle, two concerns of traditional vehicle owners. His reply was that while he was initially nervous when he decided to drive the vehicle across the country, he has never felt nervous while driving in his area. Fuel was always available, as were charging sources. Dr. Looper has stated that he would continue to rent alternative fuel vehicles, to not only â€Å"promote AFV’s by enhancing market demand and visibility,† but to also provide important feedback to consumers considering purchasing or renting these vehicles. Dr. Looper also feels very strongly about environmental issues, and considers this when making a decision of which vehicle to rent. If an alternative fuel vehicle is available, he will always choose this path, as opposed to the traditional vehicle. In conclusion, our research reveals that ABC Rental Cars should not consider introducing alternative fuel vehicles into its fleet at this time. The initial investment costs are much higher than those of traditional gasoline powered vehicles, and costs associated with the upkeep of these vehicles are also prohibitive. In addition, while tax breaks are available to consumers purchasing hybrid vehicles, our studies failed to reveal any tax savings for businesses purchasing, or renting hybrid vehicles. Furthermore, Dr. Looper’s enthusiasm and knowledge notwithstanding, the demand for hybrid vehicles is not currently at a level that would justify the amount of capital necessary to launch this program. However, ABC Rental Cars should continue to monitor developments in the hybrid vehicle industry, as well as gauge consumer interest in these vehicles, and be prepared to move forward with this program should it become economically feasible in the future. References Eartheasy. com (2000 – 2004) The new hybrid cars. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www.eartheasy. com/live_hybrid_cars Environmental Protection Agency, (March 2003). Clean Alternative Fuels: Electric Vehicles. Retrieved, June 18, 2004 from http://www. epa. gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/altfuels. htm#fact EV Rental Cars (2002) Website. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www. evrental. com/index. html Fordvehicles. com (2004) Escape Hybrid. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www. fordvehicles. com/escapehybrid/home/index. asp? bhcp=1 Ineed2know. org (2003 – 2004) We Know: 5 important facts about hybrid cars. Retrieved June 20, 2004 from http://www. ineed2know. org/hybrid_cars. htm Kiley, D. (April 8, 2004) Top auto execs turn to tax code to boost fuel efficient vehicles. USA Today Looper, M. , (2004) Owner and Webmaster of www. altfuels. org Interviewed June, 2004 Mossy Automotive Group, (January 22, 2004). Alternative fuel vehicles would add powerful new dimensions to any auto fleet. Mossy Automotive Group Online. Retrieved June 24, 2004 from http://www. mossy. com/news_show. html? item_num=10 Phelan, M. (June 3, 2004). Cutting the hybrid hype. The Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 20, 2004 from http://www. freep. com/money/autoreviews/hybrid3e_20040603. htm Pontiac. com (2004) Pontiac Vibe. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www. pontiac. com/vibe/index. jsp? brand=home&pagename=home Taxguide. com (2004) Website. Retrieved June 18, 2004 from http://www. taxguide. completetax. com Yahoo! Autos (2004) 2004 Toyota Prius. Retrieved June 22, 2004 from http://autos. yahoo. com/newcars/toyota_prius_2004/3809/model_overview. html.

Geography edit down to 500 words Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Geography edit down to 500 words - Essay Example Pythagoras asserted our planet, as part of a well-organized cosmos, has a spherical form. Plato represented a return to Pythagorus after the theories of Heraclites and Aristarchus were rejected, and Aristotle agreed with Plato’s model, with the correction that everything is material, consisting of mixtures of four elements. Strabo is most known for his Geographika, the first real encyclopedia of the ancient world while Claudius Ptolemy expanded Pythagorus’ ideas by theorizing the outer sphere rotates around the Earth each 24 hours and is approximately 10,000 Earth diameters from the centre. These early models and methods of thinking influenced the works of Ibn Haukal and Al-Biruni. Ibn Haukal traveled in Asia and Africa for 30 years and wrote â€Å"The Description of the Earth† describing people living in Spain, Italy and in the â€Å"Lands of the Romans† (Byzantine Empire). Al-Biruni calculated the latitude of Kath, Khwarazm, using the altitude of the Sun and wrote several books on geography, such as Cartography, where he explained the methodology of projecting a hemisphere on a plane. He also wrote works about astrolabe, decimal system, astrology and history and had calculated the radius of the Earth to be 6,399.6 kilometers (See Biruni from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). During the medieval period (15-17th centuries), European ships traveled around the world and compounded the available maps thanks to great improvements in navigation, cartography and shipbuilding development. Many new trade routes were established, further pushing the development of natural science. The most significant travelers and explorers of this period are Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, John Cabot, Henry the Navigator and Ferdinand Magellan (See Age of Discovery from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). As the son of Portuguese King John I, Henry the Navigator was able to gather together navigators,

12 hour shift Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

12 hour shift - Essay Example Sloane et al., 2012). It is indispensable to consider the consequence of the 12-hour shift for nurses on all the stakeholders involved who are the nurses, patients, as well as hospital management’s reason for implementing this structure. This needs assessment will benefit the recommendation to adopt or reject the 12-hour shift for the registered nursing community depending on their sentiments and responses to the questions posed to them through a professionally-written survey. The needs assessment in this case is very much dependent on the available resources that entail people, money, and time as factors of consideration. The targeted population in this particular needs assessment is the nursing community. In looking at the effect of the 12-hour shift on registered nurses, the questions to be responded to will allude to pertinent issues. These are related to the needs such as patient safety in view of the effects of longer working hours, hospital’s reason for implementing the 12-hour shift, and the effects on the registered nurses in particular (Rogers & Hwang et al., 2011). Using a needs assessment survey is an appropriate approach to this problem because the need to be assessed is tri-faceted and should be approached from this angle by involving all stakeholders in the intended survey. Stimpfel and Sloane et al. (2012) assert that these extended work shifts that range from 12 hours or more have become common in the field of registered nurses and are popular with hospital staff nurses. Little is known concerning the effects of such extended hours on patient care or the registered nurses’ well-being (Stimpfel & Aiken, 2013). It is from this point of view that the survey approach comes in handy as a way of aggregating the experiences and responses especially from nurses and patients. In their survey, that featured nurses from four states, results indicated that more than 80% of the nurses were

I need a 4 page research evaluation on the controversy of Public and Paper

I need a 4 page evaluation on the controversy of Public and Private Healthcare in Canada - Research Paper Example The number of bibliographies and citation goes further to prove the viability of the information in the article. The author uses a list of citations to back up his argument on the matter (Chernichovsky, 2000). The article â€Å"Private health care in Canada: saviour or siren?† written by Marni D. Brownell and Carolyn A. DeCoster provides opposing arguments on a two-structure health care system as influenced by the financial implications and pressures in the nation. In addition, it presents and evaluation of the common beliefs regarding the health care system in Canada. The article is an academic journal published in the Public Health Care Reports in 1997. Considering the fact that this is an academic journal, there are chances that the opinions may be a bit biased and based on personal opinions mostly. There are a number of bibliography and citations to back up the writers arguments. However, the authors mostly focus on their point of view and do not use any counter arguments, which would have been helpful in persuation (Bromwell, 1997). The third article â€Å"Financing Long term Care in Canada†, written by Michael Grignon and Nicole F. Bernier is an empirical study comparing the three different financing schemes for long term care in Canada. The report in a way rather assumes the function of the government in trying to cater to this need for the citizens. The article was published in 2012 after being reviewed by other peers to ensure no bias in the information presented. To support their argument, the authors explain that Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) have since time immemorial advocated for aging care which considers the needs of the person and not just financial needs. The authors even go further to use graphs and graphical presentation to try and give a clear of the information and provide evidence to their argument. There are no forms of generalizations

Myths as Roman History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Myths as Roman History - Essay Example Romans also developed few mythological tales such as the story of Cupid and Psyche. (Zipes, 2005) It is fact that classical mythology takes us to the journey of some primary characters and important stories of classical Greek and Roman mythology. As most of the classical myths in form of characters or stories have been carried out form generation to generation form story to story. Even in today's fiction or non-fiction we find good examples of classical myths. The very common myths that we find in study very often are the accounts of the creation of the world in Ovid's Metamorphoses; the gods Zeus or Jupiter, Apollo, Demeter, Persephone, Hermes, Dionysos and Aphrodite; the Greek heroes, Theseus and Hercules; and the famous of all myths, the Trojan War. (Ken, 1992) The classical mythology contains tales of the ancient Greek and Roman myths and literature, which shows great variety and originality that is unmatched even today. Greek mythology has close connection with Greek classical literature, which has universal appeal and had pass the test of time. Most of the Greek myths occurred in the works written between the time of Greek colonisation of the Mediterranean and the fall of the Roman Empire. On the other hand t On the other hand the Roman myth remained largely unwritten until the 1st BC to the decline of Roman Empire. Two great Roman authors, Ovid and Vergil, had used the Roman myths extensively and it is their writings that made classical myths popular. The impact of these writers was so great that it had become norm for the medieval Europe and modern society to use the more popular Roman names for the Greek gods and heroes. Even today the popularity of classical myths is evident in arts and literatures. Classical myths has been divided into four categories: 1. The Pantheon- loads with the information of Greek deities that includes the story of the Creation and host of other myths. 2. The Heroic Age- carries the description of Greek heroes and heroines with their adventures. It includes tales like "Jason and the Argonauts", "Seven Against Thebes", "Trojan War" and the "Odyssey". 3. Royal Houses- contains information of famous families in some of the most powerful cities in Greece. This section includes the stories of the Aeolids, Perseids and the House of Atreus, and of Troy. 4. The Geographia- provides with extra information about the ancient Greece, which mentioned in Greek Myths. (Morford & Lenardon, 1985) Some popular Roman myths: The Creation & Flood The creation myths in Ovid's Metamorphosis are the tales that describe how the earth came into existence. The story, which begins with a universe ruled by Chaos, from which the earth, (Ge, or Gaea) and the sky (Uranus) eventually emerged. Besides other mythological figures like Cupid (love) and Night came into being. As per myth the personified earth and sky mate to give birth to the first generation of godlike beings, the 12 Titans. The youngest Titans, Cronus (Roman Saturn) overthrew his father and ate his own children due to fear that one of his own children would usurp his throne. But one child was saved, named Jupiter, who grew up and forced his father to vomit up his brothers and sisters and then defeated Cronus to establish the pantheon of Olympian

Apple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Apple - Essay Example The  letters in PESTLE represent Political, Economic,  Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal, and Environmental. Political forces refer to the stability eminent in the political  environment as well as the attitudes of political movements or parties towards the organization. This manifests in government’s tax policies, or the government’s involvement in the form of trade in which the organization is involved. Political factors are intertwined with legal aspects, for example, trade  restrictions and regulations, national employment legislation, merger and monopoly rules, and consumer protection (Brookes & Palmer, 2004). The Apple Company, in 2005, made 52% of its sales outside of the United States (Jones, McCormick, & Dewing, 2012). The Apple Company possesses no control over its relations with other nations, mainly because of Americas war against Terror. Apple produces a large number of its products in foreign countries. This is inclusive of countries such as China, Czech Republic, Korea, and Ireland. Any form of political conflict with any of these nations will have a devast ating effect on the Apple Company. Once more, the Apple Company possesses no control over wars, failed public relations, or failed communication with corresponding nations to the United States. Economic factors refer to a wider economy and therefore, include levels of  unemployment and employment, economic growth rates, the costs of raw materials, inflation, and exchange rates. The economic depression of 2009 had a severe impact on the Apple sales as well as the growth and development of the company (Amb, Hair, & Mcdaniel, 2011). The Apple products were viewed as luxury products at that high inflation rate, when income was low, and the rate of unemployment had heightened. This caused the company’s product sales to drop drastically. However, since Apple had purchased foreign currency, when the dollar lost value, the corporation did not face economic breakdown. Actually, the decline

Netflix - SWOT analysis and managemetn characteristics PowerPoint Presentation

Netflix - SWOT analysis and managemetn characteristics - PowerPoint Presentation Example Finally, the Netflix model is future-proofed, because the streaming business that originally augmented dvd rentals can grow with the demand for streaming content. Netflix has relatively few weaknesses, but those that exist revolve around the novelty of its business model. People who are not comfortable with the internet (such as aging or rural people) will be resistant to this radical change in rental – furthermore, the subscription service is a barrier to entry to occasional renters or those that rent movies only occasionally. There are extensive opportunities for Netflix. Its robust distribution network, able to get items to consumers in one business day, could be used to distribute other content or products should Netflix decide to expand. Video games or related media spring to mind as an especially viable option, but perhaps Netflix could also expand to book rentals, music rentals and so forth. Netflix is currently also a leader in online streaming video distribution. The obvious growth opportunity here is the development of original material for Netflix online, giving consumers a reason to stick with Netflix rather than go to the numerous copy-cats that exist and have sprung up after Netflix’s success. Netflix, though robust, is not immune from outside threats. One of the biggest threats is the threat to the rental industry in general: the future of media delivery is streaming, but Netflix still relies heavily on dvd rentals for its profit margins. There is danger that Netflix could hurt its own dvd business by building a more robust streaming business, and vice versa. Classic wisdom indicates that people will choose to watch content on one of those two ways, not both. Furthermore, now that Netflix’s model has proven profitable, they will face major competition from upstart companies that might have less pressure to make a profit and lower initial costs. Netflix has a

How can leaders increase employee productivity through motivation Essay

How can leaders increase employee productivity through motivation techniques and approaches - Essay Example There is overwhelming amount of literature based on studies conducted by various researchers over the years which point to the fact that over and above the conventional motivation techniques and practices which mainly involve financial motivation such as higher pay packages, bonuses etc. contemporary leaders are increasingly focusing on developing innovative motivation techniques. This study aims to assess and examine the various factors which leaders can use to motivate their employees, the significance and relevance of motivation, and the role of leaders in motivating employees. This is achieved through an extensive literature review – comprising of theoretical perspectives, case studies and meta-analysis. The results revealed that there is a direct and positive relationship between motivation and employee performance and productivity. On the basis of this study it is recommended that organizations and leaders introduce innovative motivational strategies and practices and constantly challenge the employees to help them stay motivated. â€Å"In motivating people, youve got to engage their minds and their hearts. It is good business to have an employee feel part of the entire effort . . . ; I motivate people, I hope, by example—and perhaps by excitement, by having provocative ideas to make others feel involved.† Human resource is one of the most critical and integral part of an organization. It has been observed that a talented pool of highly motivated workers plays a key role in steering an organization towards successful accomplishment of its goals (Sims, 2002; Wiley, 2010; Daft and Marcic, 2010; Frey and Osterloh, 2002). Hence it is imperative for managers to ensure that the employees are managed effectively and adequately motivated to ensure better performance and productivity. Enhancing employee performance and productivity entails provision of adequate training and education to the workers, ensuring a positive work environment, and

Class I Railroad and Teacher Essay Example for Free

Class I Railroad and Teacher Essay Any other day in school was the same, going to class going to lunch and going home that was until I saw my schedule change. I was a bit shy not knowing what to expect from my new classes and what were they going to be like. When I come into my new class I felt scared, it was like a western movie, when a cowboy walk into a bar and its dead silence nothing but eyes staring at me and not in a good way. I was put in Mr. U Jimenez classroom. After a couple of days in the class it was still harsh but it was getting better for me. It was fun on some days and that’s when I knew I was getting along with others. Eventually I caught up and was right on track. In my new class the first few things I did was stay calm, be happy and try to go along with others. The first day of my class was towards the end of the first trimester. It was crazy knowing I had to start a new trimester in a different class; it was crazy because when the teacher would send a student out with him the class will go nuts because they had â€Å"free time† and got away from class work for a couple of minutes. After a couple of days in the class it just went from a fun class to a disaster. I’m not such a fast writer and well when it came to taking notes in Mr.  U Jimenez class it wasn’t so good for me. I wrote as fast as I could but unfortunately I wasn’t fast enough. Before I could finish my notes the power point would change and both the class and I wouldn’t have a chance to finish. On the first day of class I also witnessed that the teacher called five different student parents for bad behavior. Knowing that the first day was like this I thought a lot about what the rest of the school year would be like. People feel many different ways on their first few day of class. I felt that in the first few days of being in the class were ok but then the other few days of class weren’t. I felt afraid of my teacher at first because of how strict he was. I also dislike yelling and people telling my parents bad news about me. In some occasions (not to be crazy) I wanted to strangle Mr. U Jimenez and maybe a couple of the other kids because of how annoying they are but I’m only thirteen and well I don’t want to go to jail so I decided to put up with my feelings towards that class and just do as well as I could. However my teacher does have some kind moments and rewards us with candy. The class can be fun like the poem project I did. I enjoyed doing that, we had some good times expressing urselves, getting created, and getting to know my classmates a little more in class. I felt many different reactions in class. Some days I was pretty happy in class and other times I was pretty annoyed and wanted to leave or scared. It would be fun because the teacher was cool on some days. Once in a while the class would get to play who wants to be a millionaire or some educational activity. I’d have a good time in the class joking around with my friends. On other days it’s pretty annoying because my teacher would be mean. He calls my mom in front of the whole class and it’s pretty embarrassing. When my teacher keeps us in class it’s because a student has lost one of his many pen, he wants back. When we do activities in the class and when it comes to questions I react in a shy way and stay quiet and hope he doesn’t pick me. If the class is crazy for a long time it won’t stay that way for long. I’d be kind of surprised and scared because Mr. U Jimenez yells and says shut it and sit down in our seats. Soon were back to taking fast notes and listening to lessons all over again. My reactions toward school were never really exciting anyways. My behavior has changed thorough Mr. U Jimenez class. When I came to his class my behavior hasn’t change but I had to try now and then. At first I felt scared and a bit shy so I don’t think my behavior was too bad but after a while I felt comfortable. When I started feeling comfortable in class I was a bit crazy at some points. I now I’m lazy because I don’t want to do my work or pay attention but I don’t think I’m as lazy anymore. I know I need to pass my class so I try a little harder now. When Mr. U Jimenez gets mad we all get mad, even though he is always in a grumpy mood. Sometimes when he’s mad I don’t really understand him he says things that don’t make sense; well to me that is and again he starts to call parents sometimes he does it randomly too. I know I don’t like it when he calls my mom. Neither my mom and I like my teacher’s calls but its best for her to know that I’m not doing so well in class so I can improve better and try harder, when Mr. U Jimenez calls or sends papers talk about my behavior in class nor missing assignments my mom doesn’t give me my allowance and she takes my we and my TV, my mom would just start to tell me all these things about school to do better and improve my grades. Sometimes I forget Mr. U Jimenez name and call him (fat teacher) not to be mean Mr. U Jimenez but I’m trying to behave myself. There were many things I felt when I started my new class. I had so many things going through my mind. I was thinking about how I would feel, my reactions, my behavior and what it would be like. When it was a no teacher zone the students would get pretty crazy. On some days the teacher would scary me and annoy me so I would know my reaction for the day until I got out of class. Some days were better than others like the games we play and the activities that we would do. It would be cool when we play games because for the people that won they’d get rewarded with candy. My behavior has changed in my classroom and I’ve gotten use to my class. Now all I ‘m trying to do is to pass Mr. U Jimenez class so I can go to High School and pass science or my mom will kill me and send me to summer school. If I don’t pass I can’t go to San Francisco on our Vacation Mr. U Jimenez I know that I’m not one of your best students but I’m trying my mom always keep on saying u are smart I can do anything if I just try hard and pay attention and listen like I’m with math I just don’t know it till don’t come out of me still.

Total Quality Management (TQM): Barriers to Implementation

Total Quality Management (TQM): Barriers to Implementation PREFACE This Dissertation Proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements forms part of a Dissertation study for the Award of Master of Science MSc in International Construction Management by the University of Bath through its distance learning programme. The programme operates in Hong Kong in conjunction with Hong Kong Universitys School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE). This study examines the barriers faced by introducing to Vietnamese construction organisations the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM). RATIONALE Total quality management (TQM) is still a new issue for organisations in the Vietnamese construction industry. Many construction organisations outside Vietnam have embraced the philosophy and techniques of TQM with enthusiasm and success, while Vietnam has been reluctant because of issues and problems in introducing TQM systems and programs. These organisations need to establish a new strategy towards quality management if they wish to be more effective and successful to give these construction organisations better competitive advantages. Although various studies have been undertaken into the factors affecting delays, cost overruns, quality, safety, and productivity, etc. and other problems in specific types of construction projects, these studies seldom discuss common and general problems of construction projects. Thus, comprehensive studies on these problems are essential. Since the problems are rather contextual, the research will focus on a framework for the implementation of TQM in Vietnamese construction organisations. The turnover of the construction industry represents about 10 per cent of the GDP of most countries. The construction industry is therefore a vital element of the economy and has a significant effect on the efficiency and productivity of other industry sectors. The Construction industry, though it is a major contributor to the economy of any country, is facing the problems of high fragmentation, low productivity, poor quality and lack of standards. It has not followed the lead of the manufacturing industry. Within the construction industry, architects, quantity surveyors, engineers, contractors and various other specialists all have, in addition to their special technical skills, their own trade or professional customs and practices. These have an effect on the construction process either individually or collectively. These participants have differing traditions and often conflicting objectives. A key determinant that has inhibited industrys performance has been found to be its fragmented and loosely coupled supply chains. All these made the management of quality a difficult and complex task for all. As a result, projects in the industry are plagued by time and cost overruns. Frequently one reads in the newspaper about construction projects that take too long to construct, go over budget, or include disputes that may need to be resolved by legal means or arbitration. The construction industry therefore has been accused of being, at its worst, wasteful, inefficient and ineffective. Thus the reputation of the Vietnamese construction industry is ill suited for meeting competitive challenges of todays fast changing world where competitive edge is with those who manage their resources most effectively and offer a timely response to the demands of the market. The construction industry in Vietnam still has some way to go in terms of developing and implementing appropriate quality initiatives across the board. INTRODUCTION Total Quality Management is a management approach that originated in the 1950s and has steadily become more popular since the early 1980s. Total Quality is a description of the culture, attitude and organisation of a company that strives to provide customers with products and services that satisfy their needs. TQM is a method by which management and employees can become involved in the continuous improvement of the production of goods and services. It is a combination of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices. The culture requires quality in all aspects of the companys operations, with processes being done right the first time and defects and waste eradicated from operations. One aspect of TQM that has frustrated the construction industry the most has been the measurement of quality. Although Total Quality Management has been a magic word, methods and techniques to implement the Quality Management program in the Vietnamese construction industry are still to be systematically and technically developed. The Vietnam construction industry is being viewed as one with poor quality emphasis compared to other sectors like the manufacturing and service sectors (Kubal, 1994; Kanji and Wong, 1998; Wong and Fung, 1999). Many criticisms have been directed to the construction industry for generally shoddy workmanship. It not only the final product that is subject to criticisms but the processes, the people, the materials etc are under tremendous pressure for better quality in construction. Total quality management (TQM) is increasingly being adopted by construction companies overseas as an initiative to solve quality problems in the construction industry and to meet the needs of the customer continuously (Fung and Wong, 1995; Wong and Fung, 1999; Kanji and Wong, 1998; Jido, 1996; Sommerville, 1994). TQM has the potential to improve business results, greater customer orientation and satisfaction, worker involvement and fulfillment, team working and better management of workers within companies. However, Vietnamese construction firms have been continually struggling with its implementation (Haupt and Whiteman, 2004). The implementation of a TQM philosophy within the organisations requires a cultural change (Sommerville et al, 1999) and its being recognised as an important aspect of total quality development (Adebanjo and Kohoe, 1998). The primary purpose of TQM is to provide excellence in customer satisfaction through continuous improvements of products and processes by the total involvement and dedication of each individual who is in any way a part of that product/process. It is a structured approach to improvement. If correctly applied, it will assist a construction company in improving its performance. Quality management is a critical component to the successful management of construction projects. Quality on construction projects can be regarded as the fulfillment of expectations (i.e. the satisfaction) of those participants involved. The quality is a critical factor in determining project acceptance and resultant contractual payment levels. Unfortunately the Vietnamese Construction industry, and generally, has lagged behind other industries in implementing TQM. There are various methods, which have been used by organisations in the construction industry to improve quality, employing mainly two major techniques: management techniques such as quality control, quality assurance, total quality management; and statistical techniques such as cost of quality and customer satisfaction. However, this does not mean that construction organisations have achieved the required quality standard. On the other hand, the quality performance found in the construction industry is worse than before, as more serious problems continue to happen in the industry. The primary objective of this study is to develop and implement an effective TQM framework model that would help Vietnamese construction organisations to establish a foundation for TQM programs and ensure continuous improvements and be more competitive- with tools and methodologies for the identification of construction processes for continuous organisational improvement and customer satisfaction within the Vietnamese Construction Industry. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Research Questions and Objectives A statement of the specific aims and objectives of the study is considered necessary to help frame the issue sufficiently to enable it to be studied effectively and to measure the extent of its achievement. AIM: Main aim is to investigate and identify the barriers of introducing Total Quality Management (TQM) in Vietnamese construction organisations and make preliminary proposals and considerations of TQM implementation outlining the basic steps in managing a transition to a new quality system such as TQM. OBJECTIVES: To examine the TQM practices in Vietnamese construction organisations To investigate the affects of TQM on organisational performance To examine the relationship between TQM and organisational performance (commitment, resistance to change, culture) To develop a mindset of the organisations effectiveness of quality management initiatives To determine if there is organisational or individual resistance to change by using TQM techniques To develop and formulate how to implement a TQM program HYPOTHESIS: The authors research technique will be a problem-solving approach, hence formulating a hypothesis will not deem applicable in this study. INITIAL CORE QUESTIONS: The research questions and stated objectives are translated into the following operational statements: Position of the affects of TQM on organisational current performance Position of barriers to introducing TQM in Vietnam construction organisations Position of the relationship between TQM and organisational performance or QMS (quality management systems) Position of organisations and individuals resisting to change Position to provide evidence to suggest that western management practices such as total quality management (TQM) can be implemented successfully in Vietnam despite high cultural and organisational barriers. Position of implementing TQM systems within the Vietnamese construction industry to be an effective continuous improvement RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: LITERATURE RESEARCH The objective of the research is to assess TQM barriers of introducing and implementing initiatives in a number of Vietnamese contracting organisations to explain and identify similarities and differences in the implementation approach, benefits achieved, difficulties experienced and critical success factors. The field study will be based on the guidelines suggested by Yin (1989) and thus focus on contractor selection, focus on inquiry, which sort richness in data and data gathering procedures. Below are the proposed research stages: A comprehensive review of the relevant literature including a computer-assisted search will be undertaken in order to develop an understanding of previous work in the field of TQM. The exploration will be achieved through unstructured interviews and questionnaires with approximately 15-20 companies/organisations that have stated they have a TQM system. Further examination will decipher if these organisations have evidence of a systematic TQM system in place. Interviews with the aid of the authors questionnaire will take place to evaluate the level of quality effectiveness. The author will use these organisations once examined to study the possible implementation of a systematic TQM. This stage will bring together and review the information collected in the previous stages in which the present TQM system has been studied. This stage will involve writing up the content of the dissertation and should cover the chapters proposed in the following content: Proposed Contents of Dissertation Introduction Total Quality Management (TQM)- The Concept Implementation of TQM Designing the case study and research methodology Analysing and evaluating the case study evidence Conclusions and further studies References and Appendices FIELD STUDY DESIGN AND CONTRACTOR SELECTION The study research and report for this paper will be carried out in Vietnam, where an estimate of fifteen- twenty contracting organisations will be approached about the nature of the research. The contractors considered for the study are considered to be well-established contractors who are capable of procuring a wide range of construction facilities (building and civil engineering). Each contractor has several offices throughout Vietnam. Table 1 (sample at present) will provide characteristics about the contractors used for this study. For reasons of confidentially the author cannot provide any more detail than that presented in Table 1. The information that will be provided by senior management will only be estimates so as to provide the reader with an idea about the size the organisations involved with the research. The following descriptions are drawn from Gay and Diehl (1992) and relate to the two main methodologies used in the research: CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH Correlational research attempts to determine whether, and to what degree, a relationship exists between two or more quantifiable variables The purpose of a correlational study may be to establish a relationship, or the lack of it or to use relationships in making predictions. Correlational studies typically assess a number of variables believed to be related to a major complex variable, such as leadership. Variables found not to be highly related are eliminated from further consideration; variables that are highly related may suggest causal-comparative or experimental studies to determine if the relationships are causal. DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH Once again from Gay and Diehl (1992), Descriptive research involves collecting data in order to test hypodissertation or answer questions concerning the current status of the subject of the study. A descriptive study determines and reports the way things are. One common type of descriptive research involves assessing attitudes or opinions towards individuals, organisations, events, or procedures; pre-election political polls and market research surveys are examples of this type of descriptive research. Descriptive data are usually collected through a questionnaire survey, interviews, or observations. COMPETING OR LINKED RESEARCH PARADIGM? Whilst undertaking the Dissertation which will precede this Proposal; and whilst preparing the Dissertation itself: it became evident that the debate concerning the merits of quantitative vis-a-vis qualitative methodologies were relevant to considering how the research was to be conducted. As pointed out by Sekaran (1992), In the management and behavioral areas it is not always possible to conduct investigations that are 100% scientific Still, to the extent that we can design our research to ensure purposiveness, rigor, and the maximum possible testability, replicability, generalizability, objectivity, parsimony, and precision and confidence, we will have endeavoured to engage in scientific investigation. There exists a multi-methodological approach where, it is quite usual for a single study to combine quantitative and qualitative methods and to use primary and secondary data, (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2000). They continue, There are two major advantages to employing multi-me thods in the same study. First, different methods can be used for different purposes in a study The second advantage of using multi-methods is that it enables triangulation1 to take place. Based on this pretext, the multi-methodological approach has been used for this research study. 1 Triangulation refers to the use or different data collection methods within one study in order to ensure that the data are tailing you what you think they are telling you. For example, semi-structured group interviews may be valuable way or triangulating data collected by other means, such as a questionnaire. RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION Interviews with questionnaires will be used as the primary source of data collection to focus the investigation and to ensure that a consistent line of inquiry is followed (Yin, 1989). The research will be carried out on as many competent construction organisations as possible (approximately 15-20) and are prepared to participate. In order to attempt to maximize the participation, the study will be introduced to the industrys senior executives, middle managers and contract managers who are direct employees of their organisations. This will help to eliminate noise factors that would result, if the study reached down to indirectly engaged multi-layers of domestic sub and sub-subcontractors. The research will be carried based on the following general methodologies: Examination of existing TQM practices of these organisations (if they exist) Survey based on questionnaire submitted by this author (refer to Appendix 1 for sample questionnaire) Statistical analysis to test for correlation in matched data from (a) and (b) (Interviews and examination of secondary data (reports, instructions, procedural documents) to test the suitability of the organisations ability to ascertain if TQM could be implemented as an evaluation tool for use in the Vietnamese construction industry). DATA STORAGE The data storage provisions for all data pertinent to this study will be in accordance with Bath University policy and the guidelines contained in Dissertation Notes Booklet. These provisions include that the original research documents (such as verified interview transcriptions, returned pilot and final questionnaires) will be retained by Bath University and a copy by the researcher, for a minimum period of five years. ETHICAL ISSUES: All research for this dissertation will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines of Bath University. The research trail will be transparent and written consent will be sought from the construction organisations comprising the study group. Anonymity and confidentiality will be maintained at all times and all participation (including, individual/group interviews and questionnaire response, will be voluntary. Any private individual names (except those in public office) referred to on the interview tapes/Mini Discs, will not be transcribed. The tapes/Mini Discs will be erased once the transcripts have been verified as a true account of the interviews conducted. Transcripts, returned questionnaire forms, subsequent coded information and data analysis will be archived securely by the researcher, for the appropriate time required. FACILITIES AND RESOURCES: The researcher for this dissertation proposal will be responsible for meeting all expenses, including (but not restricted to) travel, translation, transcription, printing, postage, stationary, computer software and consumables required to complete the research programme. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study are perceived to be as follows: Only competent construction companies in Vietnam will be considered as the survey population; To date there is no evidence or records (but will require further research) of previous studies or data analysis as a comparison to other industries in Vietnam or abroad at this stage. REFERENCES Adebanjo, D., and Kehoe D.,(1998), An evaluation of quality culture problems in UK companies, International Journal of Quality Science, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 275-286. Flood, R. L., (1993), Beyond TQM, John Wiley and Sons Fung, P. Wong, A. (1995) TQM in construction industry Hong Kong context, Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on ISO 9000 and TQM, De Montfort University, Leicester, pp. 29-34. Gay, L.R. and Diehl, P.L., Research Methods for Business and Management. New York: Maxwell Macmillan International, (1992). Hart, D.R. (1994) Quality Handbook for the Architectural, Engineering and Construction Community (Milwaukee, WI, ASQC Quality Press). Haupt, T. C., and Whiteman, D. E., (2004), Inhibiting factors of implementing total quality management on construction sites, The TQM Magazine, vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 166-173. Hildebrandt, S., Kkistensen, K., Kanji, G. Dahlgaard, J.J. (1991) Quality culture and TOM, Total Quality Management, vol.2, no.1, pp. 1-15. Jido, J. (1996), Quality management with TQM in Takenaka Corporation, Proceedings of International Conference on Quality, Yokohama. Kanji, G. Wong, A., (1998), Business Excellence model for supply chain management, Total Quality Management, vol. 10, no.8, pp. 1147-1168. Kanji, G.K. Wallace, W., (2000), Business excellence through customer satisfaction, Total Quality Management, vol. 11 no. 7, pp. 979-998. Kotter, J.P. and Heskett, J.L., Corporate Culture and Performance, The Free Press, New York, NY, 1992. Kubal, M (1994), Engineered quality in construction : partnering and TQM, McGraw-Hill, New York. Oakland, J S., (1993), Total quality management, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Oakland, J., (2000), Total quality management Text with cases, 2nd edition, Butterworth-Heinemann. Rowlinson, S.M. Walker, A. (1995) The Construction Industry in Hong Kong (Hong Kong, Longman). Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. Research Methods for Business Students. Pearson Education Limited, England, (2000). 98-100. Sekaran, U. Research Methods for Business: a skill building approach. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, (1992). 14. Sommerville, J. (1994), Multivariate barriers to total quality management within the construction industry, Total Quality Management, vol.5, no.5, pp. 289-298. Sommerville, J., Stocks, R. K. Robertson, H. W. (1999), Cultural dynamics for quality: the polar pot model, Total Quality Management, Vol.10, Nos. 45, pp. 725-732 Wong, A. Fung, P., (1999) Total quality management in the construction industry in Hong Kong: a supply chain management perspective, Total Quality Management, vol. 10, no .2, pp. 199-208. Wong, A., (2000), Integrating supplier satisfaction with customer satisfaction, Total Quality Yin, K. R. (1989) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA

Symbolism in The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov Essay -- Papers Cherr

Symbolism in The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov Mamma! Are you crying, mamma? My dear, good, sweet mamma! Darling, I love you! I bless you! The Cherry orchard is sold; it?s gone; its quite true, it?s quite true. But don?t cry, mamma, you?ve still got life before you, you?ve still got your pure and lovely soul. Come with me, darling, and come away from here. We?ll plant a new garden, still lovelier than this. You will see it and understand, and happiness, deep, tranquil happiness will sink down on your soul, like the sun at eventide, and you?ll smile, mamma. Come, darling, come with me! The Cherry Orchard has been acclaimed as one of the greatest theatrical experiences of all time. It is clearly seen through the use of the more subtle, submerged, and persuasive techniques that he uses in writing this, his most famous play. The Cherry Orchard is important for three reasons: First, for its intrinsic textual richness, linguistic power and subtlety as a piece of dramatic prose; second, because of its crucial position in Russian cultural history as the culmination of all ?realist? nineteenth-century fiction and as the first classic of a new, arguably ?symbolist? or ?absurd? literature; third, because of its seminal role in the evolution of Twentieth-Century theater. The plot structure in The Cherry Orchard is not as meaningful as the impact of events on the inner sensibilities of the characters. Chekhov divides his characters in The Cherry Orchard in a variety of ways so that the orchard and its sale take on different meaning for each of them. It is necessary then to examine the loss of the cherry through some of the major character; Yermolai Alexeyitch Lopakhin, Peter Trophimot, and Madame Ranevsky. When writing TCO he us... ...and repression; by Lopakhin, the business man and spokesman for hard economic facts, the one who thinks of it primarily as a means to a wiser investment, and by Madame Ranvesky, who sees in it her childhood happiness; it is seen from these characters that are woven by their brilliant selection. Thus, The Cherry Orchard is simplistic, yet complicated at the same time. It has poetic strength and is naturalistically composed, which makes it all the more controversial. The interweaving in the play, the relationships between one generation and another, between the sexes, and ranking of different social classes add to The Cherry Orchard?s interesting balance. It is not hard for one to see why The Cherry Orchard is considered to be Anton Chekhov?s greatest work, and why it shall remain a classic for many years to come.

Biblical and Mythological Allusions in Moby Dick :: Moby Dick Essays

An allusion is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art.    Writers often use biblical and mythological allusions to which their readers are familiar.   In Moby Dick, Herman Melville frequently uses biblical and mythological allusions.   With these allusions the reader begins to understand the topic of discussion and is also exposed to the wisdom and knowledge Melville possess.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first allusion appears in the first line of the novel.   â€Å"Call me Ishmael.† (Melville1).   Ishmael was the biblical son of Abraham and his servant Hagar.   He was disowned in favor of Isaac, Abraham’s son with his wife Sarah.   An angel prophesied to Hagar.   â€Å"his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him.† (Genesis 16:12).   The name â€Å"Ishmael† has since become used commonly for an outcast, which is appropriate since he is inexperienced when it comes to whaling and is viewed as AN outcast to the other sailors upon the Pequod.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another biblical allusion is of the prophet Elijah and Captain Ahab.   Elijah WARNS Queequeg and Ishmael of Ahab.   Ishmael says he and Queequeg ARE boarding the Pequod because they have just â€Å"signed the articles† (Melville 68) and Elijah responds â€Å"Anything down there about your souls† (Melville 68).   This conflict between Elijah and Ahab goes all the way back to the bible.   I Kings describes the conflict between King Ahab and his wife Jezebel.   Elijah tells Ahab that â€Å"in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick they blood, even thine,† (I Kings 21:19), and that â€Å"the dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezrell† (I Kings 21:23).   This allusion is significant for foreshadowing the destruction of the Pequod.   In Moby Dick the characters names are not so different than names in the Bible and neither is the outcome of those characters so different.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Melville not only used a number of biblical allusions in Moby Dick, but he also used many mythological allusions.   He used Greek mythology in describing the tattooing on the Queequeg.   â€Å"The counterpane of the patchwork, full of odd little parti-colored squares and triangles, and this arm of his tattooed all over with an interminable Cretan labyrinth of a figure† (Melvine 19).   The Cretan labyrinth was the maze, which imprisoned the half-bull, half-human Minotaur.   This adds immensely to the visual imagery of Queequeg.   Being able to imagine this large, black harpoon with a   â€Å"Cretan labyrinth of a figure† (Melville 19) the reader has a more appealing and specific picture of him. Biblical and Mythological Allusions in Moby Dick :: Moby Dick Essays An allusion is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art.    Writers often use biblical and mythological allusions to which their readers are familiar.   In Moby Dick, Herman Melville frequently uses biblical and mythological allusions.   With these allusions the reader begins to understand the topic of discussion and is also exposed to the wisdom and knowledge Melville possess.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first allusion appears in the first line of the novel.   â€Å"Call me Ishmael.† (Melville1).   Ishmael was the biblical son of Abraham and his servant Hagar.   He was disowned in favor of Isaac, Abraham’s son with his wife Sarah.   An angel prophesied to Hagar.   â€Å"his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him.† (Genesis 16:12).   The name â€Å"Ishmael† has since become used commonly for an outcast, which is appropriate since he is inexperienced when it comes to whaling and is viewed as AN outcast to the other sailors upon the Pequod.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another biblical allusion is of the prophet Elijah and Captain Ahab.   Elijah WARNS Queequeg and Ishmael of Ahab.   Ishmael says he and Queequeg ARE boarding the Pequod because they have just â€Å"signed the articles† (Melville 68) and Elijah responds â€Å"Anything down there about your souls† (Melville 68).   This conflict between Elijah and Ahab goes all the way back to the bible.   I Kings describes the conflict between King Ahab and his wife Jezebel.   Elijah tells Ahab that â€Å"in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick they blood, even thine,† (I Kings 21:19), and that â€Å"the dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezrell† (I Kings 21:23).   This allusion is significant for foreshadowing the destruction of the Pequod.   In Moby Dick the characters names are not so different than names in the Bible and neither is the outcome of those characters so different.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Melville not only used a number of biblical allusions in Moby Dick, but he also used many mythological allusions.   He used Greek mythology in describing the tattooing on the Queequeg.   â€Å"The counterpane of the patchwork, full of odd little parti-colored squares and triangles, and this arm of his tattooed all over with an interminable Cretan labyrinth of a figure† (Melvine 19).   The Cretan labyrinth was the maze, which imprisoned the half-bull, half-human Minotaur.   This adds immensely to the visual imagery of Queequeg.   Being able to imagine this large, black harpoon with a   â€Å"Cretan labyrinth of a figure† (Melville 19) the reader has a more appealing and specific picture of him.

Joe Paterno: He Is Penn State :: Essays Papers

Joe Paterno: He Is Penn State The college football world has gone mad. Conferences are doing battle in courtrooms instead of on the football field. Teams are leaving their conferences and throwing tradition and loyalty out the window for a bigger paycheck. The Bowl Championship Series was supposed to end the confusion in the college football post season. It was supposed to crown a true champion. Instead, the B.C.S. has only brought more light to the fact that in college football it is all about money and TV contracts. Teams that have no right going to a major bowl game go because of who they are and, more importantly, who their fans are and how much money the fans are will to spend. Players are failing classes, stealing, doing drugs, breaking almost every law imaginable, and they are still suiting up to play on Saturday. In this new age of college football, there is a man who is as old school as having goal posts right on the goal line. He is short in stature, but he is larger than life. He has given millions of dollars back to his university, and he has put his heart and his soul into molding young me. Joe Paterno has become an icon of college football. In these modern times, however, his morals and his coaching style seem outdated. Now, in the twilight of his career, he has to battle a grueling Big Ten schedule, the media who made him a legend and who are now looking to make him into a fool, and even his once loyal fans who have turned their backs on him. Joe Paterno has his back against the wall; it seems everything is working against him. He could walk away now and forever be remembered as a great football coach, or he can keep running out of that tunnel and work on putting Penn State football back on the map. He can take back the title that is rightfully his, the greatest college football coach of all time. Joe Paterno should remain in charge of the Penn State football program. Along the way, he deserves every Penn State fans support, win or lose. Joe Paterno has found a way to win in college football. More importantly, he has found a way to win and keep his morals and the morals of the University. Paterno could have retired two years ago, after he reached victory number 324.

Baseball vs. Football

If you’re like most Americans, you probably have a favorite NFL team. You probably watch football games on TV and if you live in a city with an NFL team, you may shell out the cash to buy a game ticket to cheer them on. That is to say, no matter where you live, you almost certainly watch the Super Bowl, even if it’s just to check out the exciting commercials. In fact, if you’re not wearing an NFL team logo hat, T-shirt, or jacket today, you’ll almost certainly run into someone who is. The NFL, it seems, has become an unavoidable presence in American culture. Although baseball is know as America’s favorite pastime, professional football is the country’s most popular sport, and has been since the 1960’s. According to Forbes Magazine, the NFL is economically the strongest sports organization in the world today. (Vogan, T. 2011) On the other hand, baseball legends like Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Roberto Clemente will always be remembered, especially for their outstanding accomplishments and remarkable sportsmanship. What happened to America’s favorite pastime sport? I grew up playing my favorite game baseball. I remember playing and dreaming of being one of my favorite players. I knew the stats of every player in the baseball league. In particularly, I loved going to the ball park, eating ball park franks, and watching my baseball hero’s play. This was the most exciting childhood memory for me. For this reason, I feel sorry for today’s children. They don’t know what it’s like to sit back and enjoy baseball, like it was back in those days. My greatest fear is that baseball is no longer America’s favorite game. What caused baseball to lose its popularity? It’s not easy to pinpoint. I can only speculate as to how this happened. For one thing, all the scandals, the controversy issues, and the trikes, fans have been disappointed by the unsportsmanlike conduct that resulted from this. The 1990 season bought major controversy. For example, Pete Rose was ruled ineligible for the hall of fame by major league baseball for gambling on games. Lets not forget about the Barry Bonds incident in 2007, that convicted him for the use of steroids in every vain of his body. Certainly, all of the steroid talk led other players down the same road. Players were randomly selected and busted on drug tests, the hitters in baseball have taken a backseat to the pitchers which no one wants to see. Another key point to why baseball is losing its swag, is because the ridiculous salaries paid to the players. USA today provided a detailed report, showing the total payroll for the New York Yankees. The payroll was at a whopping $202,689,025. The average salary for each player was $6,756. 300. (USA Today, 2011) Compared to the NFL New York Giants, total payroll was a mere $138,354,866 and averaged $2,470,622 per player. (USA Today, 2011) Consequently, this has caused a lot of controversy amongst the players, owners, and the league. Let’s talk reality, baseball owners are forking out a huge amount of money, to buy themselves a World Series. In my books you can’t buy a championship. To put it another way, NFL players must display a supreme test of strength and endurance. Unlike baseball, football has a high risk factor for injuries. When comparing the compensation of two sports, it appears the risk factor hasn’t been taken into consideration. In comparison to baseball, football has gained more popularity and amongst our generation today. In 2004 Gallup polls reported that, â€Å"64% percent of Americans identified themselves as football fans, 52% said they were baseball fans. (Isley. K, 2006 pg. 1) In the NFL, we see extremely talented NFL players. Day after day, these men go out and take a beaten. They earn the salary and gain the respect they deserve. You never hear the football league talking about strikes or walkouts. Of course, there are a few football players that embarrass the profession; but the numbers are a lot less noticeable. How many World Series can compare to the excitement of the last couple Super Bowls? The NFL has been able to make the Super Bowl not only exciting with the parity of the league, but they make it the most entertaining of all championship games. In Conclusion, in football we see talented players in the game, making less money then baseball players. They appear to be more loyal and genuine to the game of football. As a kid, I was huge fan of baseball, but I don’t love what it has become. Even though my heart will always be in baseball, I can honestly say that, â€Å"I’m a bigger football fan, at this time in my life†. It appears to be true that baseball is not nearly as popular any more as it once was. Clearly, baseball is not the favorite mass media sport anymore, and hasn’t been for the last 40 years. As television replaced radio as the preferred entertainment medium, football replaced baseball as the preferred sport to watch. References Keith, Isley (2006, August 18) Really? Is baseball less popular? Hard Ball Times, Retrieved from http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/really-is-baseball-less-popular/ USA Today. (2011) Salaries Databases. Retrieved from http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/baseball/mlb/salaries/team Vogan, Thomas. (2011, May 02,) Historians, storytellers, mythmakers: NFL films and pro football experience. Proquest Dissertation and Theses. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/862727108?accountid=87314

College Life Essay

College was always my main goal throughout my whole entire education life school was not for me but I managed to make it to college. I graduated from a Catholic High School with all boys who have already mentally allowed me to focus on other issues and concentrations of focuses. I still sometimes wonder what I am going to do with my major and completion of college. I need to know my future and when I leave for school I am going to have to use my morals and higher education to help me understand and cope with other everyday experiences. There are three main categories of things that I want to gain in my life experience. I want to gain moral things, also strengthen my personality, and gain a higher knowledge. After I graduation from high school, I had plan to do several things. The most important thing I plan to do is go to college, because there are so many other detractions other than a degree, from a college education I plan to pursue higher learning, to begin a career, and to make history in my family. Making history in my family is the most important thing I hope to gain from a college education. My mother was the one parent that parents graduated from college, I have two brothers and a sister who did attend college which motivated me to want to go to college; my other relatives a least graduated from high school. Taking a look back has motivated me to reach farther. Being able too graduate of a catholic department system and also a highly respected person in my senior class. I plan to make history in my family by being the first also to get a Degree in History. Pursuing higher learning, beginning a career, and making history in my family are things I hope to gain from a college education other than a degree. It is very important that I accomplish these goals so that I will have continued success. If I believe it, then I can achieve it. I am not after the meaning of life but by the grace of God I know all of these things that I know and able to learn more whenever possible. College is a step in my lifelong search for knowledge that will hopefully bring me closer to my goals. Lastly one thing I hope to gain from a college education is higher learning. Learning goes far beyond a high school education and is very necessary in today’s society. It allows us to be familiar with our environment and everyone in it, and it allows us to maintain assurance of ourselves. A lot of us would be lost without any learning at all, and our world would be very confused. One must learn to do such things as apply math skills as well as be responsible and independent. I know that a college education would allow me to acquire this ability.

Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious Essay

As Antonia Peacocke quotes in her essay, â€Å"The show Family Guy is one of the first in history that has been canceled not just once, but twice† (300-301). The show was brought back in August 2000 and again in July 2001 when fans could not get enough of the adult cartoon. As well as being a fan favorite, Family Guy is also a controversial topic for critics all over the world. In the essay, â€Å"Family Guy and Freud: Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious†, Antonia Peacocke analyzes the show and gives her reasons why it is not all negative and crude humor. Antonia Peacocke is a student at Harvard University. She is also a National Merit Scholar, and has won awards such as the Catherine Fairfax MacRae prize for Excellence in both English and Mathematics. She was asked to write this essay specifically for the book They Say, I say: with readings. The Peacocke’s main point of her entire essay is that she wants to let readers know why Family Guy is not a bad show, in her and others opinions, but one that has been criticized for solely bringing entertainment. Peacocke does a successful job in portraying this, but it is not completely clear until the end, where her thesis can be found. The very last sentence of the essay is her thesis: â€Å"While I love Family Guy as much as any fan, it’s important not to lose sight of what’s truly unfunny in real life – even as we appreciate what is hilarious in fiction† (Peacocke 308). Peacocke’s thesis could be a little more clear throughout her essay, therefore, I do not feel it is as effective as it could be, but the author clearly states her argument and presents her case. Peacocke starts the essay of by saying, â€Å" Before I was such a devotee, however, I was adamantly opposed to the program for its particular brand of humor† (Peacocke 300). She makes it clear her feelings about the show in the very beginning. Although she is a fan, she at one time disliked the show. She quotes Stephen Dubner, co-author of Freakonomics, as saying â€Å"a cartoon comedy that packs more gags per minute about race, sex, incest, bestiality, etc. than any other show [he] can think of† (Peacocke 300). She backs up her one time opinions by saying â€Å"It will come as no surprise that I was not alone in this view; many still denounce Family Guy as bigoted and crude† (Peacocke 300). Although the show is currently very successful, she says â€Å"It must be one of the few shows in television history that has been canceled not only once, but twice†¦ The show ran until August 2000, but was besieged by so many complaints†¦that Fox shelved it until July 2001† (Peacocke 300). Also, she says, â€Å"I must admit, I can see how parts of the show might seem offensive if taken at face value† (Peacocke 302). At one point Peacocke realized, â€Å" [I found myself] forced to give Family Guy a chance. It was simply everywhere â€Å" (Peacocke 302). One of Peacocke’s main points is that Family Guy has gained much positive attention. On Facebook, as Peacocke explains, â€Å"there are 23 universal separate Family Guy groups with a combined membership of 1,669 people (compared with only 6 groups protesting against Family Guy, with 105 members total). Users of the well-respected Internet Movie Database rate the show 8.8 out of 10† (Peacocke 303). As you can see, â€Å"among the public and within the industry, the show receives fantastic acclaim; it has won eight awards, including three primetime Emmys† (Peacocke 303). Also, when the show was on the brink of cancellation, â€Å" fans provided the brute source necessary to get it back on the air† (Peacocke 303). The more she was around the show, the more positively she viewed it. Peacocke then goes on to say that those who do not often watch the show, â€Å"could easily come to think that the cartoon takes pleasure in controversial humor just for its own s ake† Peacocke 303). The next main point that Peacocke claims is that viewers who â€Å"pay more attention and think about the creators’ intentions can see that Family Guy intelligently satirizes some aspects of American culture† (Peacocke 304). The next paragraph is a segment from an episode in season 4, which shows Stewie reading a book only because it was on the Oprah reading list. Peacocke says â€Å" [Brian and] Stewie demonstrate insightfully and comically how Americans are willing to follow the instructions of a celebrity blindly – and less willing to admit that they are doing so† (Peacocke 304). The jokes that Family Guy is known for, â€Å"attract a different kind of viewer. Such viewers are†¦conscious and critical viewers† (Peacocke 304). In my opinion, the very last sentence is the most powerful in the whole essay. Peacocke states â€Å"They are not – and I cannot stress this enough, self serving as it may seem – immoral or easily manipula ted people† (304). Peacocke says that it sheds light on, and allows viewers â€Å" the ability to analyze what they are watching, the creators of Family Guy point out the weaknesses and defects of U.S. society in a mocking and sometimes intolerant way† (Peacocke 305). A good example of this is the segment from the episode â€Å"I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar.† In this episode, â€Å"the ‘instructional video’ quoted above becomes not only funny but also insightful. In its satire, viewers can recognize the sickly sweet and falsely sensitive sexism of the 1950s in observing just how conveniently self-serving the speaker of the video appears. The message of the clips denounces and ridicules sexism rather than condoning it† (Peacocke 305). The last main point that Peacocke makes is that â€Å"Family Guy does not aim to hurt, and its creators take certain measures to keep it from hitting too hard†¦ Seth MacFarlane plainly states that there are certain jokes too upsetting to certain groups to go on the air† (Peacocke 307). Also, Peacocke states that â€Å"I believe Family Guy has its intelligent points, and some of its seemingly ‘coarse’ scenes often have hidden merit† (Peacocke 308). In the next sentence Peacocke does admit that â€Å"sometimes the creators do seem cross – or, perhaps, eagerly race past – the line of indecency† (Peacocke 308). In her closing paragraph, Peacocke questions the fact that â€Å"while Family Guy can provide a sort of relief by breaking down taboos, we must still wonder whether or not these taboos exist for a reason† (Peacocke 308). All three main points that the author makes are valid, and as seen in quotes, each main topic is backed up by main points. The first main point is that Family Guy is gaining positive attention. Although this is a valid point, as seen by the popularity, and the awards, this isn’t reason enough to call the show ‘good.’ As the author states, at one point she was not a fan of the show but it later turned onto it by exposure. The content of the show did not change for her opinion to change, she just gave the show a chance and realized she liked the humor. The second main point is that the show makes intellectual references to American culture. This is a valid point as to why the show is good. Any show with a little bit of substance makes references to the past and current topics. It tells what is going on in the world, and explains topics everybody should be aware of. The last main point is that Family Guy breaks rules that no other major TV program or network has been able to break. Although many critics believe these are rules that shouldn’t be broken, the creators believe it needs to be done. This makes it a ‘good’ because it crosses boundaries that others are afraid to cross. Conclusion will link back to first comparison to Freud. Work Cited Peacocke, Antonia. â€Å"Family Guy and Freud: Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious.† They Say, I Say: with readings. Ed. Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst, and Gerald Graff. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 300-308. Print.