UK insurers can no longer safely insure the risk of flood within the Essay

UK insurers can no longer safely insure the risk of flood within the UK and home and business owners will have to look out fo - Essay Example The rapid development of the insurance industry borrows from the fact that inhabitants have the wealth and can readily afford to ensure that their security is vastly cared for hence resorting to investment in their security and that of their wealth. The insurance industry undertakes a wide range of covers from fire, accidents, and financial loss agricultural risks and to the extreme floods risk policies which were developed recently to cover the risk of floods on property owners, businesses as well as home-owners. Need for flood insurance The current debate on whether insurers should continue providing covers to flood and flood related cases has become very fierce. UK citizens see it as a necessity for their security and hence demand for such covers as well as advocacy for the government to regulate the industry through policies that suite the consumers of the product. On the contrary the insurers argue that despite introduction of the flood and flood insurance products its nature po ses very great risk and high costs in its insurance. Choosing your flood insurance or insurance cover is an important decision that you should not be rushed into or about. So much has to be considered before making a choice on an appropriate cover is made. Time should be taken by the buyers of covers to ensure that they are exposed to all the available flood insurance covers. This information is available from several sources ranging from insurance firms, government all through to the various media sources. Shopping around various information sources is done to ensure that the consumer of the products get well- priced and competitive flood insurance policies (Evans, 2005). In the UK getting a flood zone insurance policy will help you feel at ease when emergencies like floods arise. Whatever the state of your house is, whether bought or undergoing the payment of mortgage, you should get adequate insurance so that if your house is damaged beyond repair, your insurance policy will cove r the replacement price or cost of rebuilding a new and similar house incase its completely destroyed. Requirements for a better flood insurance cover When a consumer makes a choice where to get a flood zone insurance cover, the consumer can then just fill the forms sent by the insurer providers and may even do enquiries on more information to ensure that no mistake is made as the form is being filled as this may be all against the consumer himself. The buyer of a product must also take into consideration the price quotes included in your flood insurance cover. There may be expensive quotes that may include cover for risks that that are irrelevant to the needs of the consumer hence not actually needed, therefore should be avoided buy the buyers hence choice of the price quotes that cover vital things relating to the risk of floods (Gammell, 2009). Honesty with your flood zone insurance cover providers should be highly maintained. Tell the insurers about the contents of your home ful ly if for example it is contents cover you are taking. Your future insurance claim may be at loggerheads when you become dishonest with your insurance company. Honest and full discloser of information is done during the assessment phase by the insurance support staff. But as it’s the practice, the Insurance companies will usually ask buyers of covers to get a policy for both their buildings including the contents of your property, the same requirement are demanded from the business

Responsibilities of the construction team

Responsibilities of the construction team Clearly Describe The Roles And Responsibilities Of The Construction Team On Site For Health And Safety And How They Are Made Responsible? Employer The Employers roles and responsibilities on a health and safety aspect side are vast and detailed and are required by law in order to comply with government regulations and legislation. One of the main duties of the employer is to ensure a safe environment for all employees; this includes providing safe systems of work, safe handling, storage, training and supervision. They are also obligated to provide a health and safety policy made accessible to everyone that works within the office or officers and any visitors coming in and out of the premises. Another key role the employer has to include in his tasks, such as consulting on safety measures with his/ her employees as well as hold regard for regulations brought up by the safety committees. Another key fact to consider is whether there are relevant and up to date health and safety policy in place. Employee Although the employer has a bundle of responsibility especially when it comes to safety and welfare, the employees must also take some aspects into account. Under the HASAWA it states employees must act with due care for themselves as well as cooperating with the employer through such methods as a talk box. This is where everyone stops work for a short period of time and talk about safety aspects of the job they are working on. It is also good practice not to recklessly interfere or misuse anything; this includes equipment and bodily harm. Client Its the clients responsibility to demonstrate an acceptable standard of health and safety. This will include appointing a planning supervisor, providing health and safety information and appointing a main contractor. Although these are the main duties often taken by the client before work starts there are a few others that sometimes clients forget or dont realise they have responsibility to do them this includes, a health and safety plan for the construction phase of the works and they must keep and store the health and safety file on completion of the building. Contractor Under the contractors duties regarding health and safety are as follows; he or she must ensure the cooperation of all contractors on site, ensure the rules set out within the health and safety plan are passed and correct and most importantly prepare the health and safety file. Other duties you may see the contactor doing is making sure everyone on site has permission to be there and ensuring constant contact with the health and safety executive on any matters regarding the subject. Another main issue is ensuring the health and safety policy passes inspection enabling work to commence. Subcontractor Subcontractors do not have as such direct contact with health and safety issues however they have to abide by law and be provided with relevant safety information and equipment such as safety glasses, gloves etc. They must also complete an initial site induction before they are allowed on site alone. Local Authority From the Local governments aspect they have general duties such as highways and road safety to take into account anything basically from communal building such as council buildings such as post offices cathedrals castle for example. However if none of these occur and its a private building such as a factory or private home then they have limited powers but they do have the right to visit the site on the grounds of noise, nuisance or environmental issues, if any complaints are made by local residents or the workforce it self. Health And Safety Executive He or she is there as an â€Å"overseer† there to provide three simple things, these are: Advice- help with matters regarding health and safety, how to improve methods in place and in cooperate new methods to the construction. Inspect- check safety certificates, methods in place, the risk of injury etc. Enforce- if things arent up to scratch, depending on the seriousness of the particular site then report them or take drastic action which may stop work completely until things are approved. CDM Co-Ordinator CDM Co-ordinators have similar roles to the contractor however they consider health and safety issues from the design side of things. There duties include contacting the HSE of the proposed project, they must ensure cooperation between designers ensuring they comply with their duties. There duties include making the client aware, risks within the design concept and ensure adequate information on the risks, cooperate with the planning supervisor and any third party designers. They are also obliged to produce a pre tender health and safety plan is prepared and also check a health and safety plan is prepared. These obligations are good practice and achieved with regular meeting with all those involved. Identify three of the main legal issues with the current HSAWA and any other legislation requirements for employers and employees that need to be implemented in the construction workplace and describe their legal duties? Health and safety within an active construction team and workforce has had significant legalisation since the HASAWA 1974. The three main pieces that I am going to concentrate on are listed below: Work At Height Regulations 2005 This legalisation was brought into place in a government effort to reduce injuries and fatalities from falling at a height in the workplace. This legalisation includes a height to be anything from standing on a chair to building sky scrappers. The guidelines state â€Å"you must avoid working at a height where an alternative method can be used. Where this can not be avoided adequate safety precautions must be put into place such as using guard rails, barriers, handrails, toe boards, scaffolding and elevated platforms. This has a knock on effect to the employers and states a few basic concepts and principles to be completed by them these are, to check competency of each individual asked to work at a height. To achieve this suitable training, instruction and supervision must be provided. The legalisation also sets out guidelines to achieve these goals as details are giving for working platforms, access and aggress, risk assessments and requirements for PPE and collective means of prot ection. The Regulations require Departments ensuring: Working at any height is properly organized Those involved in working at height are trusted Ensure the risks from working at any height are properly assessed and appropriate work equipment and health and safety measures are selected and used. Ensure the equipment for working at a height is properly inspected and looked after. There is a hierarchy for the management and selecting equipment for working at a height: Avoid working at a height wherever possible Use of work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where working at height cannot be avoided Where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, use work equipment or other measures to minimize the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur. These Regulations have a number of schedules, which highlight detailed requirements for existing places of work and means of access for working at a height. For example fall prevention (e.g. guardrails and working platforms), for falls from heights (e.g. nets, airbags etc.), for personal fall protection (e.g. work restraints, fall arrest and rope access) and for ladders. Construction Regulations 1996 The Construction Regulations 1996 legalisation focuses directly at the construction industry in particular the reduction of accidents within the industry is aimed at protecting the health, safety and welfare of everyone who carries out construction work. They also protect other people who may be affected by construction work. To do this it centres on the employer and the workforce in helping to reduce these accidents. The employer under these obligations ensures that the construction workplaces are safe and practical to use, whats more it puts into place measures to prevent workers from falling, this can included in the forms of toe boards, netting and barriers. The basics must also be considered such as suitable welfare facilities, lighting, fresh air and heating to the work place. On the other hand the work force must abide by the rules and regulations set into place. These consist of reporting any defects of equipment or design to be reported to the supervisor and that every emplo yee has to co-operate regarding health and safety issues such as working in a bakery all staff must wash there hands before they are allowed to touch food and must ware hair nets for hygiene reasons. Under these Regulations employers have duties to carry out their own work in a safe and appropriate way. Anyone doing construction work has a duty to cooperate with others on matters of health and safety and report any defects to those in control. One of the general duties is to ensure a safe place of work and safe means of access to and from the place of work, this Regulation sets out a general requirement which applies to all construction work. It applies equally to places of work in the ground and at ground level aswell as at height. Under the Regulation it requires the following: Falls This section has been repealed and is now covered under The Work at Height Regulations 2005. But however basically outlines correct safety procedures and equipment to use to reduce the risk of falling, some of these methods are discussed later on in the assignment. Falling Objects This section has been repealed and is now covered under The Work at Height Regulations 2005. However this is basically like falling from a height as in the safety precautions and measurements discussed are the same exempt hats and steel cap boots are used to protect vital organs and limbs. However these are later discussed in more detail futherforth in the assignment. Stability Of Structures In order to prevent collapses during the construction phase it is necessary, at the planning stage, to take into account any foreseeable hazards. Excavations Any excavation which has the potential to collapse without support should be suitably equipped. Underground cables should be highlighted before work commences and action taken to prevent injury. Prevention Of Drowning Measures should be in place to prevent persons from falling into water or other hazardous liquids. In the event of an incident protective equipment and life saving equipment should be available for immediate use and regularly maintained. Also Transport by water should be controlled by a reliable person. Ideally those employees who can swim should be allowed to work over water or liquid. Plant And Equipment All plant and equipment should be maintained in a reasonable condition so that it remains safe and without risks to health. Certain equipment eg, cranes/hoists, is subject to statutory inspection. Training Ensure that persons who carry out work activities have received adequate training so that they carry out their work in a safe manner with minimum risks. Inspection Excavations, cofferdams or caissons must have the place of work inspected before work commences and at regular intervals by a competent person, who must be satisfied that the work can be done safely. Health And Safety At Work Act The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 also referred to as HASAW or HSW is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing the Act and a number of other Acts and Statutory Instruments relevant to the working environment. The HSE has many divisions that cover the industries from nuclear power, agriculture, railways to construction. The HSE has a wide role to play in controlling health and safety in construction. Its responsibilities are: To advise To inspect To enforce The Health and Safety Executive has powers to inspect any construction site notifies it under the notification rules associated with the F10. The F10 is the official form that is completed by the contractor and sent to the HSE to advice. Much of the law regarding safety in the work place can be found in the Health Safety at Work Act 1974. Under this act employers have to take steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work. As well as this legal responsibility, the employer also has to take reasonable steps as far as they are able to ensure the health and safety of their employees is not put at risk. So an employer might be found liable for his actions or failure to act even if these are not written in law. An employer should assess the level of risk as against the cost of eliminating that risk in deciding whether they have taken reasonable steps as far as they are able. The employers responsibility to the employee might include a duty to provide safe plant and machinery and safe premises, a safe system of work and competent trained and supervised staff. Certain groups of employees may require more care and supervision than others, for example disabled workers, pregnant workers, illiterate workers etc. The employer has two options to get any concerns across to his/ hers employees this is either via consulting them directly or through an elected representative on health and safety matters. If there is a recognised union with an appointed safety representative they must consult with them and allow them time off for training in health and safety issues. Usually the employers responsibility is only to his or her own employees and premises; however, the responsibility can be extended in some circumstances. For example where employees from different firms are employed on one job, the main contractor will then be responsible for co-ordinating the work in a safe manner and must inform all employees of possible hazards. Explain in more depth the responsibilities of management and how they should always interact with their employers to ensure their Health and Safety policy is implemented and what measures can be put in place to ensure awareness and safe working practices for all employees is constantly monitored? Management has a key role and responsibility to play when it comes to HS (health and safety) and in order to relay this effectively to the workplace, regular meetings with the employer, the workforce and key members of management in the construction phase, this being the main contractor, employer and the planning supervisor. One of the main duties of the employer is to consult and cooperate with employees on safety measures, this meaning any safety aspect of the workplace should for good practice be discussed with the employees who use the machinery. Such as a brick layer will discuss safety measures and responsibilities with the employer for example using appropriate footway, steel cap boots and gloves to protect his hands. The employer under the health and safety act should provide these free of charge and have a booklet giving new employees what you must ware to comply with regulations of the government. Another important duty to conclude in this assignment is to ensure all employees have the relevant training and supervision to complete their job safely with the equipment their using. An example of this hedge trimmer for example needs training in strumming and if the hedge row is on highway hell need adequate safety on highways certificate or he wont be able to work on highway land. Therefore the employer will have to set up necessary training and procedures into practice to reduce the risk of injury. More often than not a health and safety advisor will visit various sites to ensure the right safety precautions are in place and the safety policy implemented is accurate and efficient. The contractors main role in health and safety as we know is to ensure cooperation on matters with health and safety and ensure the rules are approved by the relevant worker most usually that of the health and safety executive, however sometimes it can be the employers themselves. This will involve meetings both formal and informal with the site supervisor and health and safety inspector on matters of procedures to be taken up on site and training required for each of the employees on basic safety and more specific safety aspects with handling machinery etc. Another responsibility the main contractor has bestowed on him is preparing the health and safety file and notifying the HS Executive about the works and that the F10 is displayed in a prominent position for the whole of the workforce to see from the client to the builder. Under the contractor he is responsible for the majority of the workforce out on site this including bricklayers, builders, roofers, sub contractors etc. However subcontractors also have sum liability on there shoulders although they are not directly in charge of any of the workforce except their own little teams they do have to contribute to the health and safety which is provide method statements and risk assessments to the employer and client to ensure it is accurately stored and made a record of any problems, risks or potential hazards. A method statement details how company is going to undertake the work, what it will use and what precautions it will take. HSE- Health safety executive- Employers are compelled by the government to provide a reviewed health and safety policy. Management are responsible for ensuring a safe work environment for all its employees. Therefore practices, methods and theories must be used to ensure they do this effectively and efficiently. In every working site a from like the one shown below should be displayed somewhere where everyone can see it. The health and safety executive is not directly responsible for anyone but is used to enforce the regulations in health and safety already emplaced. Planning supervisor as we know has many responsibilities upon him, one of the most important ensuring designers comply with their duties. To ensure this occurs constant Co-operation is needed with the planning supervisor and designer and other higher member of the hierarchy such as the client and main contractor. This is essential to ensure the minimal chance of risks and hazards occurring. CDM Co-ordinators have similar roles to the contractor however they consider health and safety issues from the design side of things. There duties include contacting the HSE of the proposed project, they must ensure cooperation between designers ensuring they comply with their duties. There duties include making the client aware, risks within the design concept and ensure adequate information on the risks, cooperate with the planning supervisor and any third party designers. They are also obliged to produce a pre tender health and safety plan is prepared and also check a health and safety plan is prepared. These obligations are good practice and achieved with regular meeting with all those involved. Merit Two Question Health and safety is dispensed evenly throughout the hierarchy, however some roles take more responsibilities than others. For example the client which is at the top of the hierarchy has relatively minimal duties to carry out than say the HS Executive which has a more power due to his post as he or she specialises solely on the HS aspect of the work. Therefore the hierarchy of management and Responsibility in health and safety will be slightly different, to that of general management hierarchy. The most responsible job in Heath and safety would be the HS Executive as they have bestowed vast reliability to enforce and oversee the construction of the F10. As well as ensuring all of the workforces are up to date in training and health and safety certificates are clearly on view and in good working order as well as encouraging safer practice throughout the duration of the works. To achieve this constant communication must be maintained by all those involved including the client and designers. Joint at the top of the chain of command will be the employer who has to constantly as we know keep on top of all safety aspects of the workplace, via the use of safety audits, hazard checks, seminar and training. Below is a list composed by an employer of a company in whales prioritising there health and safety measurements. One of the most important things to complete in regard to health and safety is to ensure all government legalisation is followed and completed such as fire exits labelled health and safety policy clearly shown to all employees in the workplace. This is at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to health and safety. The government legalisation also ensures adequate training to staff and a safe working environment, which after all is one of the most important priorities in any working environment, as we know the employers deal with meeting these basic requirements. The next step down the ladder would be completing paper work such as the F10 and safety records including a health and safety plan and file, the responsibility of this changes depending on the type of work, but for a live building site this lies between the employer and the client to sort out between them selves. As well as this other measures are also taken out by planning supervisors which do the designs and calculate any risks or hazards that may occur throughout the building stage and pass these onto the client and health and safety exc. As well as all these regular tool box talks and safety comities will take place as risks and concerns need to be identified by all aspect of the team regardless of post. This is good practice and encourages workers to come together as a team making a more effective workforce. On the bottom of our ladder of responsibility we can find hazard checklists which will be carried out by the employees themselves identifying any dangers or risks of using a particular equipment of area of work that the main safety files have not picked up on. Alternatively employees could inform management directly by approaching them or bringing up matters of concern at tool box talks, or safety meetings. CDM regulations arguably the most important guidelines to health and safety set by the government to reduce accidents. Under these regulations it involves specific detail of several key players in designing and building a structure. In charge of this duty is the CDM co-ordinator and as said above is in charge of ensuring the key players abide by the rules and legislation. The most important of these roles is: The Client: Who should be satisfied that only competent people are appointed as Planning supervisor and principal contractor. It is under the CDM that this is carried out and supported by the client; this will involve talks between the CDM co-ordinator as well as the rest of the team such as the contractors and supervisors to ensure the correct ones a chosen for the job in hand. Working together as a team: Clients, planning supervisors, designers, principal contractors, employees and the self-employed all have their part to play in achieving health, safety and welfare standards on construction. To ensure this is followed the CDM co-ordinator is constantly checking and following up making sure protocol and legislation is complete if this is not the case the site can be closed until redeemed safe and the company could face massive fines. Bibliography http://www.compactlaw.co.uk/free_legal_articles/health_and_safety.html http://www.aviva.co.uk/risksolutions/pdf/hardfacts/safety/5019-theconstruction-healthsafetywelfareregs1996.pdf

Blindness and Sight in Oedipus the King - Lack of Vision :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Blindness in Oedipus the King People can be â€Å"blinded† to the truth. The answer to their question or solution to their problem may have been obvious. Yet, they could not "see" the answer. They were blinded to the truth. Associations have been made between being blind and enlightened. A blind person is said to have powers to see invisible things. They "see" into the future. The blind may not have physical sight, but they have another kind of vision. In Sophocles' King Oedipus, Teiresias, the blind prophet, presents the truth to King Oedipus and Jocasta. Oedipus has been blinded to the truth his whole life. When he does find the truth, he loses his physical vision. Because of the truth, Oedipus blinds himself. Jocasta was blind to the true identity of Oedipus. Even when she found out the truth, she refused to accept it. In this case, those who are blind ultimately do have a higher vision - the truth. Kind Oedipus started life with a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to avoid this fate, his parents, Laius and Jocasta, sent him into the mountains to die. However, a shepherd saved Oedipus. This shepherd gave Oedipus to Polybus and Merope. When Oedipus learned of his prophecy, he fled his home, thinking these people were his real parents. On his flight, he met Laius. He ended up killing Laius. He continued on, answered a riddle of the evil Sphinx, and ended up king of Thebes. With this kingdom, Oedipus married Jocasta. He had lived out the prophecy without even knowing he had. Thebes fell onto bad times, and a prophet put the blame on a polluter of the lands. Oedipus called on Teiresias, and Teiresias informed him that the polluter was the King. As Oedipus searched further and further, he discovered that he was the polluter and that the prophecy had come true. When Oedipus finally discovered the truth, he was so distressed that he ran pins int o his eyes, blinding himself. He had been blinded to the truth for so long. Oedipus was blind in more then one way. He was blind to the truth about his own life. Oedipus had no idea that his real parents were Laius and Jocasta. He was so blind that he got mad at anyone who was foolish enough to suggest such an idea. Blindness and Sight in Oedipus the King - Lack of Vision :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex Blindness in Oedipus the King People can be â€Å"blinded† to the truth. The answer to their question or solution to their problem may have been obvious. Yet, they could not "see" the answer. They were blinded to the truth. Associations have been made between being blind and enlightened. A blind person is said to have powers to see invisible things. They "see" into the future. The blind may not have physical sight, but they have another kind of vision. In Sophocles' King Oedipus, Teiresias, the blind prophet, presents the truth to King Oedipus and Jocasta. Oedipus has been blinded to the truth his whole life. When he does find the truth, he loses his physical vision. Because of the truth, Oedipus blinds himself. Jocasta was blind to the true identity of Oedipus. Even when she found out the truth, she refused to accept it. In this case, those who are blind ultimately do have a higher vision - the truth. Kind Oedipus started life with a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to avoid this fate, his parents, Laius and Jocasta, sent him into the mountains to die. However, a shepherd saved Oedipus. This shepherd gave Oedipus to Polybus and Merope. When Oedipus learned of his prophecy, he fled his home, thinking these people were his real parents. On his flight, he met Laius. He ended up killing Laius. He continued on, answered a riddle of the evil Sphinx, and ended up king of Thebes. With this kingdom, Oedipus married Jocasta. He had lived out the prophecy without even knowing he had. Thebes fell onto bad times, and a prophet put the blame on a polluter of the lands. Oedipus called on Teiresias, and Teiresias informed him that the polluter was the King. As Oedipus searched further and further, he discovered that he was the polluter and that the prophecy had come true. When Oedipus finally discovered the truth, he was so distressed that he ran pins int o his eyes, blinding himself. He had been blinded to the truth for so long. Oedipus was blind in more then one way. He was blind to the truth about his own life. Oedipus had no idea that his real parents were Laius and Jocasta. He was so blind that he got mad at anyone who was foolish enough to suggest such an idea.

Lijjat Papad

Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat papad popularly known as â€Å"Lijjat† is woman’s organization manufacturing different products such as Papad, Khakhra, Appalam, Masala, Vadi, Gehu Atta, Bakery Products, Chapati, SASA Detergent Powder, SASA Detergent Cake (Tikia), SASA Nilam Detergent Powder, SASA Liquid Detergent. It is an organization of the women, by the women and for the women. The turning point of the institution was in 1966 when it was registered under the Bombay Public Trust act 1950 and also registered societies registration Act, 1860 and it’s recognized by Khadi & Village Industries Commission as a village industry.The objective of the institution is to provide employment to the ladies to enable them to earn decent and dignified livelihood. Any women who can render physical work in the institution without distinction of caste, creed and color and agrees to abide by the objective of the institution can become a member of the institution from the date on whi ch she starts working. Lijjat has a Central Managing Committee, which consist of 21 members out of whom they have 6 elected Office Bearers i. e. President, Vice President, 2 Secretaries and 2 Treasurers.Besides Lijjat Papad the Institution has other products like Masala, Detergent Powder, Cakes & Chapaties. At present it has 72 Branches & 27 Divisions and gives employment to about 42,000 sister members all over India with sales turnover of Rs. 650 crore which includes Rs. 30 crore from the Exports. The Institution, over the years, has paved the way for women to become self-reliant and self confident. Lijjat has provided them the right platform to improve their status in society. ? HISTORY It all began on 15th March 1959 which was a warm summer day.A majority of the women inhabitants of an old residential building in Girgaum (South Mumbai) were attending their usual domestic chores. A group of seven gathered on the terrace of the building and started rolling the bait. A handful of so cial workers were also present. The gathering was over soon after rolling of 4 packets of Papads and taking a firm decision to continue making papads. This function added a new chapter in the history. Shri Mahila griha Udyog Lijjat Papad was launched. It was a humble beginning.As the ays went by, the additions to this initial group began increasing. In those early days the path was not easy. The institution had its trials and tribulation. Faith and patience of the members were put to teat on several occasions. They had no money. Literally the Institution started from scratch, on borrowed sum of Rs. 80/- on the condition that it must earn and return Rs. 200/- within a stipulated time. The Institution has opted for the goal of self reliance and self growth from the very beginning. As a matter of principle no monetary help was to be sought from any quarter.Even voluntarily offered for donations were not to be accepted. So work started on commercial footing, as a small scale venture. Di fficulties and hurdles were there, but they were accepted by the members as test and trails of their convictions and they met them with a smile. What really helped the institution was excellent quality of papads, which has remained uniform from the very first day of its production. At no time the members have allowed it to deteriorate. The principles, upon which the institution is based, have made Lijjat Papad a successful organization

Individuation Process Essay

* Individuation process the process of beeing aware of oneself and the way to discover one’s true, inner self. * According to jung:The ego. This is the conscious mind. * The personal unconscious. This includes forgotten or suppressed memories from our own personal lives. * The collective unconscious. This is shared by all people. It is the collective memory of human thought and experience, from ancient to modern times. This includes the basic human instincts and the archetypes. * The Self is that what we are in essence. In psychological terms, it includes the conscious, the unconscious, and the ego. The Self is the central archetype in the collective unconscious, Archetypes The collective unconscious is shared by us all. This means that it is present in each of us, a vast reservoir of the archetypes of the whole of humanity. It is accessible to everyone. The collective unconscious consists of characteristics that many people have in common and which each of us inherit at birth. The content of the archetype is basically unconscious. It undergoes a transformation when it becomes conscious or when it is being perceived. An archetype is experienced as image and as emotion. It is especially recognizable in such typical and important human situations as birth and death, adolescence, extreme fear or a fearful experience. During such life phases and experiences archetypes will often appear clearly in dreams Archetypes cannot be brushed aside. They will always manifest. Individuation Individuation means that one becomes a person, an individual, a totally integrated personality. It is a process of self realization during which one integrates those contents of the psyche that have the ability to become conscious. It is a search for totality. It is an experience that could be formulated as the discovery of the divine in yourself, or the discovery of the totality of your Self. This does not always happen without pain, but it is necessary to accept many things that normally we would shy away from. Once a person has accepted the contents of his unconsciousness and has reached the goal of the individuation process, he is conscious of his relationships with everything that lives, with the entire cosmos. The individuation process begins with becoming conscious of the Persona, the mask we take on in our every day life. After this we become conscious of the Shadow, the repressed characteristics of the ego. Then we become conscious of the Anima, the inner woman in each man, or the Animus, the inner man in each woman. Then the image of the old wise man, or the old wise mother appears, after which the experience of the Self happens. The shadows The Shadow is all those uncivilized desires and emotions that are incompatible with the norms of society and with our ideal personality. It is all we are ashamed of, that we do not wish to be. when confronted with yhe shadow we feel guilt and shame for the parts of ourselves which we keek hidden. The Anima is the female aspect present in every man. Another anima trick is pseudo-intellectual dialogs which prevents a man from feeling life closely and coming to real decisions. He thinks so much about life that he cannot live, and he losses all spontaneity and the flow of life. The dark aspect will most likely appear when a man has suppressed or underestimated his female nature, treating women with contempt or carelessness. The Animus The animus in women is the counterpart of the anima in men. Like the anima, the animus has three roots: the collective image of a man that a woman acquires, her own experiences with men in her life, and the latent male principle in herself. The Old Wise Man The old wise man appears in the form of king, hero, medicine man, savior, magician, saint, ruler over man and spirits, God’s closest friend and so on. This archetype is a real danger for the personality, because once it has been aroused, a man can easily believe that he possesses ‘mana’, real magical power, and wisdom. He who is possessed by this archetype believes he is gifted with great (maybe esoteric) wisdom, prophetic gifts, the ability to heal and so on. Such a man can gather followers, as he has entered the unconscious way further than anybody else. The archetype has a fascinating power, intuitively felt by people and not easily resisted. They are fascinated by what he is saying, but after analysis it is often not intelligent. The power of the old wise man can be destructive as it forces a man to act above his power and capacity. He does not posses the wisdom he claims. In reality it is the voice of the unconscious that should be subjected to criticism and analysis. The Great Mother In a woman the archetype of the great mother acts in a similar way to the old wise man in a man. Any woman possessed by this archetype, believes that she is gifted with an unlimited capacity to love and to understand, to help and to protect, and she will exhaust herself in service to others. The archetype can be destructive when the woman is fixated on the belief that anybody within her sphere of influence are ‘her children† and therefore they are helpless or dependent on her.

Ten ways to practice self care at work

Ten ways to practice self care at work When you hear the phrase â€Å"self-care,† you might think of personal things like meditation, indulging in something decadent, yoga, a spa day, or taking time for a good book. But when you think about how much of your time you spend at work, it makes sense to broaden that definition of self-care to include your professional, hardworking self as well. Here are 10 ways you can help expand your self care regimen into your workday. 1. Set boundaries This can be one of the hardest things to do (gotta answer that 10 p.m. email!), but when work bleeds over into other aspects of your life, it can be a major source of stress. Start by setting no-work zones in your life, whether that’s not checking email on a Saturday, or turning off your phone by a certain time every evening. 2. Make your desk a zen space.A clean, organized desk can reduce stress as well, and help put you in a good working headspace. Whether that means completely Kondo-ing your desk or simply deciding whether y ou need a ton of paper files instead of a digital archive, getting stuff out of your line of vision can help you feel more organized and on top of things. 3. Take walk breaksBeing deskbound can lead to all sorts of health issues, like back pain, weight gain, and plain old stress. If you can, schedule little breaks where you get up and walk around. If you can’t go outside, a loop around your office will do. Plus, you’ll have the extra incentive to be more social if you’re circulating. 4. Rethink your lunch hourYour lunch hour doesn’t have to be just about lunch. Think of it as a â€Å"free period,† like back in school. Eating is key (hey, it’s in the name), but think about how to maximize your time. If your gym is nearby, consider a quick workout. Go out and grab a coffee. Find a quiet spot and meditate. Whatever helps you recharge for the afternoon, consider it part of your lunch routine. 5. Be a social butterflyHow many people do you work w ith that you’d consider a friend, not just an acquaintance who happens to be in the same place for 40 hours a week? Being more proactive about saying â€Å"hi† as you pass someone in the hall or waiting for coffee can help you make inroads with coworkers. It may seem like awkward chitchat at first, but making time to talk with people can help make your work relationships more fulfilling. 6. Be proactive about what you needFeeling overwhelmed? Bored because you need more challenging work? Have a simmering conflict with a boss or coworker? If you want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself, it’s important to be proactive and attack issues as they come up. This is not to say you should be hyper-aggressive about everything that doesn’t feel like it’s going your way, but if you take an active approach to evaluating and fixing issues, it can boost your confidence, productivity, and general satisfaction levels at work. 7. Stay hydratedThis is a self-care strategy that works in every walk of life. And at work, it can be especially hard to remember to stay hydrated, since you may not be especially active while you’re working during the day. Investing in a water bottle and keeping it topped off throughout the day, can help you build good hydration practices instead of turning to coffee, soda, or other drinks that should be kept in moderation. 8. Go analog at least once a dayHow much of your day is spent staring at a screen? Every day, set aside some time to do tasks that require you to look away from your computer and phone. Maybe it’s writing down a task list for the day. Maybe it’s jotting down notes ahead of a meeting to gather your thoughts. Our digital tools are very handy, but they also cause eye strain. It does your eyes and your brain good to get a break from screentime every once in a while. Your email will be waiting when you come back a few minutes later, don’t worry. 9. Dress the part You know the old saying, â€Å"dress for the job you want†? I’d expand that to be dress for the work life you want. Wear things that make you feel confident and ready to go. Taking a little extra care with your outfit in the morning can help boost your mood throughout the day. 10. Set challenges for yourselfOne of the most lethal threats to productivity is boredom. Regularly set realistic challenges for yourself. Try building a new professional skill that can help you later on with a promotion. Learn how a particular process at your company works that you’ve always been curious about. Set a goal of reading a certain number of industry-related articles per week. Whatever will keep you focused and engaged, add it to the list!We spend so much of our time working. With the stresses and monotony of the work day, it’s easy to lose sight of the things that will make us happier. You have the power to make your work day smoother and more fulfilling, so it is defin itely worth the effort.

blah essays

blah essays Vegas city lights are the oasis of the Nevada desert. For miles there is nothing. The roads are pitch black and the only sign of existence are the headlights on the other side of the road. Then the lights appear and draw everyone in. The line between morality and immorality is blurred, and the desire overcomes everything. Oceans 11 symbolizes the blatant desirability of those Vegas city lights, and everything from the actors wardrobe to camera direction emphasizes it. In Oceans Vegas, Sin City is exactly that- a fast paced, bright blur through the metaphor of desire. Oceans 11, which was released in 2001, is basically a heist movie. Eleven people decide to rob three major casinos in Las Vegas on a fight night, where money comes rolling into the casino. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is the lead man and he has Rusty (Bradd Pitt) as his right hand man. Although this movie doesnt really seem to have a message as its main objective, the theme definitely seems to be desire. The desire basically for anything, but in the movies case, fine living, which money, definitely, can bring. The color choice in wardrobe as well as lines and shapes in the movie can definitely bring out the point of desire the movie is trying to bring. Through out the whole movie, very elegant and class wardrobes are picked out to represent the life style that these con-artist desire for. Also noticed is that Rustys wardrobe is always a much more lighter color than Dannys, representing that Rusty symbolizes Dannys conscience, his right hand man; representing more of a saintly character than Danny. Terry Benadict, is the owner of the casino that Oceans 11, is raiding. Hes always wearing black which helps with his bad guy, character in the movie, although hes really not the bad guy. T ...

Freedom Caucus Definition and Membership

Freedom Caucus Definition and Membership The Freedom Caucus is a voting bloc of about  three dozen Republican members of the House of Representatives who are among the most ideologically conservative in Congress. Many of the Freedom Caucus members are veterans of the  Tea Party  movement that took root following the bank bailouts of the Great Recession and the election of Barack Obama as president in 2008. The chairman of the Freedom Caucus is U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina. The Freedom Caucus was formed in January 2015 by nine members whose mission is to â€Å"advance an agenda of limited, constitutional government in Congress.† It has also argued for a more decentralized power structure in the House, one that allows rank-and-file members a greater voice in deliberations. The mission of the Freedom Caucus reads: â€Å"The House Freedom Caucus gives a voice to countless Americans who feel that Washington does not represent them. We support open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.† The coalition has been described as a splinter group of the Republican Study Committee, the conservative group that serves as a watchdog on the partys leadership in Congress. Founding Members of the Freedom Caucus The nine founding members of the Freedom Caucus are: Rep. Justin Amash of MichiganRep. Ron DeSantis of FloridaRep. John Fleming of LouisianaRep. Scott Garrett of New Jersey  Rep. Jim Jordan of OhioRep. Raà ºl Labrador of IdahoRep. Mark Meadows of North CarolinaRep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina  Rep. Matt Salmon of Arizona   Jordan was elected the first chairman of the Freedom Caucus.   Members of the Freedom Caucus The Freedom Caucus does not publicize a membership list. But the following House members have also been identified in various news reports as being members of or affiliated with the Freedom Caucus. Rep. Brian Babin of TexasRep. Andy Biggs of AlabamaRep. Rod Blum of IowaRep. David Brat of VirginiaRep. Jim Bridenstine of OklahomaRep. Mo Brooks of AlabamaRep. Ken Buck of ColoradoRep. Warren Davidson of OhioRep.  Scott DesJarlais of TennesseeRep. Jeff Duncan of South CarolinaRep. Trent Franks of ArizonaRep. Paul Gosar of AlabamRep.  Morgan Griffith of VirginiaRep.  Andy Harris of MarylandRep.  Jody Hice of GeorgiaRep. Darrell Issa of CaliforniaRep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia  Rep. Alex Mooney of West VirginiaRep. Gary Palmer of AlabamaRep.  Steve Pearce of New MexicoRep.  Scott Perry of PennsylvaniaRep. Ted Poe of TexasRep. Bill Posey of FloridaRep. David Schweikert of AlabamaRep. Mark Sanford of South CarolinaRep. Joe Barton of TexasRep. Randy Weber of TexasRep. Ted Yoho of Florida Why the Small Freedom Caucus Is a Big Deal The Freedom Caucus represents but a small fraction of the 435-member House. But as a voting bloc, they hold sway over the House Republican Conference, which seeks support from at least 80 percent of its members for any move to be considered binding.   â€Å"Choosing their fights carefully, the Freedom Caucus has certainly made an impact since its formation,† wrote the Pew Research Center’s Drew DeSilver. DeSilver explained in 2015: â€Å"How does such a small group get to have such a big say? Simple arithmetic: Currently, Republicans have 247 seats in the House to 188 for the Democrats, which would seem to be a comfortable majority. But if the 36 (or more) Freedom Caucus members vote as a bloc against the GOP leadership’s wishes, their effective strength falls to 211 or fewer- that is, less than the majority needed to elect a new speaker, pass bills and conduct most other business.† While the makeup of the House has changed since then, the strategy remains the same: to maintain a solid caucus of ultraconservative members who can block action on legislation they oppose even if their own party, the Republicans, control the House. Role in John Boehner Resignation The Freedom Caucus rose to prominence during the battle over Ohio Republican John Boehner’s future as speaker of the House in 2015. The caucus was pushing Boehner to defund Planned Parenthood even if it meant forcing a government shutdown. Boehner, tired of the infighting, announced he would abandon the post and quit Congress altogether. One member of the Freedom Caucus even suggested to Roll Call that a motion to vacate the chair would pass if all of the Democrats were to vote in favor of ousting Boehner. â€Å"If the Democrats were to file a motion to vacate the chair and were to vote for that motion unanimously, there probably are 218 votes for it to succeed,† the unnamed member said. Many in the Freedom Caucus later supported Paul Ryan’s bid for speaker. Ryan was to become one of the youngest speakers of the House in modern history. Controversy A handful of Freedom Caucus members defected because they were unhappy with the group’s tactics, including its willingness to side with Democrats on votes that would undermine mainstream or moderate Republicans, including the effort to oust Boehner through a Vacate the Chair motion. U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble of Wisconsin quit after the leadership coup. â€Å"I was a member of the Freedom Caucus in the very beginning because we were focused on making process reforms to get every Member’s voice heard and advance conservative policy,† Ribble said in a written statement provided to CQ Roll Call. â€Å"When the Speaker resigned and they pivoted to focusing on the leadership race, I withdrew.† U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock of California quit the Freedom Caucus nine months after it formed because, he wrote, of its â€Å"willingness- indeed, an eagerness- to strip the House Republican majority of its ability to set the House agenda by combining with House Democrats on procedural motions.† â€Å"As a result, it has thwarted vital conservative policy objectives and unwittingly become Nancy Pelosi’s tactical ally,† he wrote, adding that the Freedom Caucus’ â€Å"many missteps have made it counterproductive to its stated goals.†

Analysis of Chuang Tzu 33 Chapters Later Edited by Kuo Hsiang Essay

Analysis of Chuang Tzu 33 Chapters Later Edited by Kuo Hsiang - Essay Example The main body of the essay consists of detailed discussion of his philosophic and literary masterpiece. As is obvious the original work is in the Chinese language, hence the main source of this essay is the translation of Chuang Tzu's complete work by the another famous orientalist A.C. Graham __ "Chaung Tzu, The Inner Chapters". Introduction: Little is known of the man Chuang Tzu, except the some sattered details found in miscellaneous official historical records. He lived during the Warring States Era ( 403-221 B.C. ) in the Chinese history; he held a minor official post, and he was a resident of a place called Meng, in the present day Honan Province. At this bleak junction in the Chinese history a phenomenon known as the Baijia, or the hundred schools of thought, emerged. Each of these schools propagated their peculiar brand of remedies to cure the social malaise to rid the Chinese society of the culture of violence and gore. The basic point that in a way united these schools was the fact that all of these schools of thought wanted to a state of social harmony, both at the level of the state and the individual. Among these schools of thought and perhaps the most influential one, was the Ruist__the erstwhile followers of Confucius. These scholars were in favor of returning to the wisdom and the old traditions and values of ancient China. Another, important school was the Mohist: composed of the disciples of "Master Mo" or Mozi. These scholars were opposed to the traditional culture and values because they perceived them to be elitist. Doadejing was also a popular movement of during these turbulent times. Chuang Tzu's philosophy developed within the context defined by the Ruist, Mohist and the Doadeing schools of thought. Chaung Tzu, is reported to have taken birth about more than a century after Confucius. His famous contemporaries were Mencius ( with whom he had no discourse or any contact), Gonsung Longzi ( the logician ) and his acquaintance Hui Shih ( ref erred to as a paradox monger). One man without whose mention the Chinese cultural history is bereft of any vitality and color is Chuang Tzu. But it is not on his own account but because of the remarkable feat of conservation of his work successfully undertaken by the Jin dynasty scholar and commentator, Kuo Hsiang (d.312 C.E.) that we know him today. Had it not been for Kuo Hsiang, China and the rest of the world would have never known the exceptional visionary, Chuang Tzu. Apart from preserving his work for posterity, Kuo Hsiang also has the unique distinction of being the first editor of Chuang Tzu. Originally, the work of Chuang Tzu was composed of fifty two chapters but it was reduced to its current thirty three chapters by Kuo Hsiang. He left out all that he thought spurious, and to set the record right, only the first seven chapters are written by the great man and are referred to as the "Inner Chapters" or Neipian. The rest of the chapters, that is chapters eight to twenty tw o, are referred to as the "Outer Chapters or Waipian, and chapters twenty three to thirty three are called the "Miscellaneous Chapters" or Zaipian. These chapters are attributed to the disciples and followers of the great man. In short the "Inner Chapters" form the core of the magnum opus or the basic writings of Chuang Tzu. At this

Digital Marketing and Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Digital Marketing and Communications - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that today, the World Wide Web has thrived and expanded during the last few decades. Subsequently, the Social Media environment has grown and is gaining a rising amount of users. Hence, it becomes even more essential for a business to adopt and use Social Media to be tied closer to their customers. They require changing their thoughts from traditional working methods to the adoption and use of Social Media with the maxim â€Å"Be located where the customers are†. In the ever dynamic business world, Social media provide marketers with a voice and a way to communicate with customers and potential consumer. This can be attributed to the increasing knowledge and use of various social media. The social media are becoming one of the main sources of information for customers around the globe. Users are preferred conducting a quick online search for most the things they want, as opposed to turning the pages of newspapers and directories. Soc ial media personalize the "brand" and help marketers to spread their message in a more relaxed and conversational way. Social media are an experience that has become an essential aspect of the marketing mix and revolutionizing the way marketing companies interact with customers. The information has impacted on the business and improved their performance and the ability to achieve the objective through competitive advantage.

African tone languages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

African tone languages - Essay Example African tone languages But such an analysis is bound to lead to some difficult questions such as – Is music a form of language? What is the significance of this interrelationship?, etc. These questions will be answered in the following passages. Such aspects as â€Å"in-time performance†, reportorial and generic distinctions will also be scrutinized. The most substantive evidence for the relation between African music and language is to be found in the song lyrics. Let us take the example of Daniel Avorgbedor’s popular song â€Å"It’s a Great Song†. The song belongs to a unique African genre referred to as â€Å"war of insults and music†. Rival groups from different villages engage in a contest of wits and insult each other. Factuality is not as important as their artistic merit. Even if the verses contain falsehoods and unwarranted maledictions, they are overlooked. For a western student of music and culture, such a practice may seem odd or even base. But it is important to understand the role such a musical expression plays in the African cultural context. First of all, much innovation is required in composition to bring about the desired effect. The particular insults relating to irregular teeth, body topography, family ancestry, people’s personal sex lives, etc, may appear unseemly for someo ne not accustomed to such renditions. To truly appreciate such a style of music, one has to pay attention to the wide variety of literary devices used by the composers (who are also called Anlo-Ewe poets) (Agawu, 2001).

Explain the Role of Pricing within the Marketing Mix Essay

Explain the Role of Pricing within the Marketing Mix - Essay Example In order to use the best pricing strategy for the products, a good estimate of the quantity of money the consumers are willing to spend on the products is required by the company. It is important to note that most companies do not use adequate pricing strategies for the products they generate. Majority of the pricing decisions are cost oriented instead of being value-based as perceived by the consumer (Breidert 2006, p10). Product differentiation entails the modification of the product to make it appear more attractive to a particular group of consumers, thus making it different from the competitor’s products. The main purpose of differentiation is to divide the consumers into segments â€Å"and optimizing the products for the specific needs of the segments. Differentiation requires a sophisticated pricing strategy based on the perceived values of the products† (Breidert 2006, p10). In most cases, product pricing is placed within the penetration strategy. Penetration st rategy determines the factors affecting pricing as noted by Cohen (1983). For instance, a company may want to look for short-term objectives using a defined strategy for a particular type of product. The common objectives mostly used are current product profit maximization or market share increase. Both objectives depend on the knowledge of how the market will respond to diverse pricing patterns. Price is the crucial element for such short-term objectives. This is because it is the mainly flexible component in marketing mix. Price can be adjusted and changed rapidly and short-term adjustments indicates changes in market shares and profits (Breidert 2006, p10). The price of a particular product for most of the companies is based on the consumer’s perceived value, that is, the company uses value-based pricing. The price of the product is considered with other marketing elements before setting the marketing program (Colin 1989). In order to develop a value-based pricing strategy , the company is required to estimate the present perceived value of its product(s). In such a case, the company attempts to measure the products demand and the demand is dependent on the historical sales data and the competitor’s prices. External factors such as holiday and weekends, and advertising also affect the demand for the products. Lastly, the introduction of a new product into the market by a company requires the adoption of different strategies. The launch of a single product requires a pricing strategy such as penetration or skimming strategy. Adoption of a skimming strategy entails charging the consumer for a short period of time a relatively high price for the launched product. Penetration strategy entails setting a lower price for the product to gain a large market share (Breidert 2006, p11). 2. Visit the Easyjet London (Luton) to Madrid for various periods. Return flights assumed with a duration of one week a. Leaving tomorrow 21-28 Jan 21 January, 2012 - Outb ound -â‚ ¬ 73.99 21 January, 2012 - Return - â‚ ¬ 46.99 Total = â‚ ¬ 120.98 b. Leaving in 1 weeks time 28 January, 2012 - Outbound - â‚ ¬ 73.99 4 February, 2012 - Return - â‚ ¬ 46.99 Total = â‚ ¬ 120.98 c. Leaving in 1 months time 21 February, 2012 -Outbound -â‚ ¬ 25.99 28 February, 2012 Return - â‚ ¬ 10.99 Total = 36.98 d. Leaving in 3 months time. April 21, 2012 Outbound - â‚ ¬ 35.99 April 28, 2012 Return – â‚ ¬ 89.99 Total = 125.98 Easyjet generally offers competitive prices to customers on the same routes and

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 70

Art - Essay Example Also prominent in the film is the incorporation of technology in the work of art. As opposed to other people’s negative views on the use of technology such as optic devices in displaying or creating pieces of art, it is better to perceive it as an aspect of creativity rather than a cheating ordeal. Based on these contentious issues, the reflective essay aims to depict a personal position on Tim’s work in the context to his 17th century predecessor in the field of artwork, Johannes Vermeer. Judging from Jim’s work and stamina, passion, and creativity is what makes up an artist. The three individual dispositions prove to be instrumental in defining an artist. Tim employed everything he could in a bid to show that the work of his counterpart was made using optical devices. His passion and determination led to his discovery of his path in art. Profound and entertaining in equal proportion, Tim’s poses intriguing questions that inspires the reader and engage other artists. Therefore, he qualifies again as an artist due to his significant contribution to creating a wave of the influence of other artists into believing in his unique creations. The contemporary contradictory opinions perceive art, created with the help of technology as being weak in terms of originality and attraction. Many people tend to regard the act of incorporating technology in undertaking a piece of artwork as taking some short cut. An artist who embraces technology is also considered as less creative. Contrary to the popular opinion, it is imperative to consider the use of technology as a unique kind of art. Instead, people should not be quick to criticize but should open their minds to fresh techniques in the field of art. The question as to whether Johannes Vermeer used the optical devices or not should not be the focal point of discrediting or appreciating his work but should be an inspiring adventure to learn more techniques. Tim’s

How hr functions are handled Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How hr functions are handled - Essay Example A position is created a plan to recruit a suitable employee is implemented. A committee is formed to formulate a recruitment plan that shorts applicants, and interviews are conducted and hiring is done. Breaks are issued differently depending on a country’s regulating laws, and supervisors can give this breaks in some departments and in some staff members give breaks. This breaks can be lunch breaks or leaves. Some countries can give 30-60mins lunch break while some countries can give lunch breaks after 5 working hours but for both cases it is either regulated by supervisors or staff members (Mondy and Noe, 2005). Vacation days are administered by the head of the department and are necessary for all employs to help balance their wok life to their social life. During this period, an employee is entitled to be paid, and the length of this vacation is given depending on the employees years of working in the company. The human resource department designs a way of calculating the pay to be given to the employee during vacation days. Human resource staff has the responsibility to draft letters of employment to new employees. Upon employment for small companies, the staff also controls payroll duties such as holiday maintenance schedules. For compensation to remain effective, it’s the work of this staff to control wages and salaries within the company (Mondy and Noe, 2005). Employee’s skills are developed further by the human resource department by providing mentoring programs and training. The staff reviews the employees performance and deals with complaints from employees and work on solving any disputes that arise. For union employees, their contracts are overseen by human resource to come up with negotiation to assist the management. Federal and state laws are regulated by human resources to control benefits and compensations resulting, It is with the help

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 70

Art - Essay Example Also prominent in the film is the incorporation of technology in the work of art. As opposed to other people’s negative views on the use of technology such as optic devices in displaying or creating pieces of art, it is better to perceive it as an aspect of creativity rather than a cheating ordeal. Based on these contentious issues, the reflective essay aims to depict a personal position on Tim’s work in the context to his 17th century predecessor in the field of artwork, Johannes Vermeer. Judging from Jim’s work and stamina, passion, and creativity is what makes up an artist. The three individual dispositions prove to be instrumental in defining an artist. Tim employed everything he could in a bid to show that the work of his counterpart was made using optical devices. His passion and determination led to his discovery of his path in art. Profound and entertaining in equal proportion, Tim’s poses intriguing questions that inspires the reader and engage other artists. Therefore, he qualifies again as an artist due to his significant contribution to creating a wave of the influence of other artists into believing in his unique creations. The contemporary contradictory opinions perceive art, created with the help of technology as being weak in terms of originality and attraction. Many people tend to regard the act of incorporating technology in undertaking a piece of artwork as taking some short cut. An artist who embraces technology is also considered as less creative. Contrary to the popular opinion, it is imperative to consider the use of technology as a unique kind of art. Instead, people should not be quick to criticize but should open their minds to fresh techniques in the field of art. The question as to whether Johannes Vermeer used the optical devices or not should not be the focal point of discrediting or appreciating his work but should be an inspiring adventure to learn more techniques. Tim’s

Strategic Management Individual Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic Management Individual - Assignment Example ith their operational strategy so as to render enhanced services to the community and to promote consistent growth of the business (McKellar, 2010, p.136). To support and execute sustainable development in its broader sense, it is necessary for the management to achieve some strategic changes in terms of decision making processes, project cycle, and organisational culture (Business strategies for sustainable development, 1992). This could be attained through the implementation of a strategic environmental analysis system. This paper will discuss what a strategic environmental analysis system is and the essential analysis frameworks in the external and organisational environments. According to Kessler, â€Å"Strategic Environmental Analysis (SEAN) is a structured, participatory process to analyse environmental problems and opportunities for development, to identify main actors, and to define strategic goals at early stages.† (Kessler, 2000, p.136). The most notable feature of this system is that it tries to address the inter-relationship between environmental concerns and socio-economic development concerns (Erdmenger, et al, 2000, p.80). The SEAN considers the elements of different conceptual and environmental assessment backgrounds, such as strategic environmental assessment. Another potential feature of this framework is that it tends to be proactive by acting on the early stages of decision making instead of being reactive or defensive (Segnestam et al, 2003). Since SEAN is a potential framework to identify the areas of overlap between environmental and socio-economic development issues, it can better assist the organisation to develop effective bu t achievable sustainable development goals. SEAN is an effective way to set strategic priorities because it can minimise the complexities and uncertainties involved in the strategic planning process while at the same ensuring that critical issues do not go unaddressed (Dalal-Clayton & Sadler, 1999, p.na). A

Buying Modern Gadgets And Technology

Buying Modern Gadgets And Technology Modern gadgets can be found all across the world nowadays. With technology progressing in leaps and bounds, people are now able to witness the growing number of impeccable tech gadgets. As people are having more money in their hands, they have started using a chunk of the amount on purchasing the modern gadgets. Some people are addicted to the gadgets and keep a constant track of what is happening in the area. For them it is important to catch hold of the latest gadget once they hit the market. However everyone should remember that these gadgets are unpredictable. Hence a lot of research work should be done before buying the gadget you want to. The first and the foremost thing which one should remember is to decide which gadget they actually want to purchase. It is not possible for you to buy a lot of gadgets at a single point of time. You should decide which one you require during that very time and start researching about the item accordingly. Then you face the bigger question of budget allocation. You should have a rough estimate of how much money you can spend on that particular gadget. Affordability is a big issue and you should be clear about the money you have in hand to spend on the gadget. The decision of your budget helps in narrowing down the models which fall under the purview of your budget. Every gadget has a number of models which are segregated as high-end, medium end and low end models. You should research on the various models which fall within your budget and know more about their performances in order to get an idea about the performance for value ratio. Deciding on these factors will help you in determining which model will be the most suitable for your requirements as well as budget. We should also consider the several added features which generally come with a gadget. It is important for you to decide whether you want those features or not. http://iaavc.org/ Advantages Of Visual Communication There are a few ways in which people interact with each other. They can be differentiated as written communication, verbal communication or audio communication and visual communication. In some cases all the forms of communication or a couple of them work in tandem. All the forms of communication, even individually are extremely valuable. However there are some scenarios in which you need visual aid to make the interaction more meaningful. Visual communication helps you in explaining yourself in a better manner and its proper usage can add value to a presentation. In visual communication, people can see each other while interacting. The several gestures, movements of the person can add a whole new dimension to the communication process. The words which are being used during the process become more powerful. The gestures also help you in understanding what the other person wants to portray in a much better way. In some cases it has been seen just because people are not able to see each other while communicating, an entirely new meaning comes out of the conversation. The idea which was supposed to come out of the interaction gains an entirely different meaning and the communication becomes null and void. Your speaking performance can be enhanced with the orchestrated gestures and facial expressions. Eye contact with your audience or your fellow speaker and any other such movements add to the meaning of the sentences which you speak. People find it much more impressive and easier to understand. Hence in such cases coming out with a wrong meaning out of the communication process becomes negligible. Visual communication also lets you know whether the interaction is going in the correct way and whether you are able to retain the interest of the other person. The bodily expressions and movements of the person on the other side help you in deciding what you can do to enhance the communication process in a more fruitful way. http://www.hillary2000.org/ Women And Politics In old times, politics was considered the domain of only men. They were the ones who took control of political affairs of the state and the country. However with changing times, the scenario has also changed dramatically. Nowadays women are actively participating in politics and the other affairs of the state. Women are now playing leading and pivotal roles in the politics of their countries. Previously women were considered docile for a career in something as harsh as politics. However they are now increasingly showing their capabilities in handling the various difficult situations which are present only in politics. Women are now facing the different challenges meted out to them in politics and proving themselves as able leaders. As the age old culture kept on suppressing the rights of women, their abilities never came to the forefront. Now there are a large number of women politicians who have proved their mettle in the political arena. One of the leaders who have played a pivotal role in the politics of her country is Margaret Thatcher of Britain. She worked hard towards the growth and development of her country and proved herself as an able leader time and again. She exerted her political prowess for a long time in the British as well as world politics. Eleanor Roosevelt also played a crucial role in the political sphere of USA. She was a staunch supporter of the American Civil Rights Movement and worked extremely hard for the cause. Indira Gandhi, the only woman Prime Minister of India till date was a strong woman with political lineage. She was the first ever women to lead a democratic country in the entire world. Though her leadership was marked with several controversies, yet she is till now considered one of the finest leaders India has ever produced. In recent times we can see Senator Hilary Clinton of USA playing a crucial role in the politics of the country. http://www.healingresource.org/ Preventing Drug Addiction Drug addiction is something which not only ruins the life of the addict but also the people closely associated with the person. A drug addict generally does not have any control over his affairs. Once he becomes an addict he cannot control anything in his life, right from his career to his finances. A lot of money is naturally spent on getting the drugs as the addict cannot stay without drugs even for a single day. The uncontrolled wastage of money takes a toll on the finances of the entire family. A drug addict does not have any other vision or goal in his life other than getting and using drugs. Preventing drug addiction is extremely important to heal the person suffering from addiction as also to protect the family from further destruction. Teenagers seem to be the ones who mostly fall under the trap of drug addiction. Hence keeping a check on them is absolutely important for the parents. They should always keep a note of what is happening in their teenà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s life and should take proper action if anything unforeseen is seen. It is important to take notice of any changes in their actions in order to prevent them from drug addiction and substance abuses. Try to control your children from mixing with people who are already known as drug addicts. Identifying the problem early and taking proper precautions will help in preventing your wards from becoming drug abusers. As parents try to give as much time as possible to your child. Mix with him freely as a friend and incorporate pleasurable activities so as to keep their body and mind satisfied. As parents offering proper parental support right from the age when the children become susceptible to various abuses is necessary. It helps in protecting them from befriending wrong persons and following their wrong footsteps. http://www.hccn.org/ Communicating Local And Regional Information In this age of technological boon, information flows instantly. The speed at which information reaches people makes us wonder about the advantages of technological progress. Information from all across the world are now at your fist. You just need to click a single button in order to be the recipient of wide range of information. They can be from any sphere be it political, sports or entertainment. The world has truly become a global village. However in the process of receiving information from all over the world, we tend to forget the necessity of getting local and regional news and information. All the different mediums which are used to getting world news can be used in disseminating local and regional information. One should always be aware about the local and regional happenings. In order to be global we should first care about our locality and region. If only we take good care of our locality, we can increase our horizon in order to look after the world. The various modes by which we can spread local and regional information consist of the traditional audio, visual and direct communication processes. Print, television and radio are the traditional modes of circulating news about what is happening in the entire locality and region. With modern techniques being used, internet has also become an important way of providing local news. One can create a website or blog writing about the various important things which are taking place in the vicinity and neighborhood. As more and more people are now using the internet as tool of getting information, it has now become a credibl e source of providing information about the various aspects of the society. Maintaining a website or blog for providing localized or regional information also ensure its faster flow. It reaches the people concerned at an amazing speed which is not possible for any other form of communication to meet.

The Emotion of Fear Essay -- essays research papers

Fear Do all living things fear something? Those with minds surely have many and various fears, but even the simplest organisms must have fear, for fear is such a powerful feeling. Fear is all around us and is felt in every corner of the earth. Fear is the emotion or feeling that a living creature gets when its physical or mental life is interrupted by a change that causes the creature concern.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We humans especially, fear many different things: death, disease, old age, commitment, noises in the night, pain, responsibility, work, being too fat or too thin, or any number of other things. Some of our fears are reasonable and rationale, like the fear for our safety so we lock our doors at night, never walk alone on dark streets, and turn on lots of lights to keep the boogie man away. We fear for our health so we diet, exercise, and eat only healthy foods. Our fears can also help us make wise decisions: where to live, what to do with our money, how to raise our children, even what kind of car to drive and whether or not to drive it. Our fears may be sudden like when your kid brother jumps out behind you and yells ‘boo’. People’s fears can be built up over a long period of time, for example, during the cold war millions of people thought that at any moment they would be attacked by the Russians, so they built bomb shelters because of that fear. Some of our fears come straight from our imagination. They may appear irrational or silly to others but fear, real or imagined, i...

Socrates and Socrates: A Philosophical Pair for the Ages Essay

In Walter Mosley’s Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, the reader is introduced to Socrates Fortlow, an ex-convict who served twenty-seven years for murder and rape. Fortlow is plagued by guilt and, seeing the chaos in his town, feels a need to improve not only his own standards of living, but also those of others in Watts. He attempts this by teaching the people in Watts the lessons he feels will resolve the many challenges the neighbourhood faces. The lessons Fortlow teaches and the methods by which he teaches them are very similar to those of the ancient Greek philosopher for whom Fortlow was named: â€Å"‘We was poor and country. My mother couldn’t afford school so she figured that if she named me after somebody smart then maybe I’d get smart’† (Mosley, 44). Though the ancient Greek was born to be a philosopher and Fortlow assumed the philosopher role as a response to the poor state of his life and Watts, both resulted in the same requir ed instruction to their populations. The two Socrates’ both utilize a form of teaching that requires their pupil to become engaged in the lesson. They emphasize ethics, logic, and knowledge in their instruction, and place importance on epistemology and definitions because they feel a problem cannot be solved if one does not first know what it is. Socrates was essential in first introducing these concepts to the world and seemed to be born with them inherent to his being, Fortlow has learned the ideals through life experience and is a real-world application in an area that needs the teachings to get on track. While the two men bear many similarities, their differences they are attributed primarily as a result of their circumstances provide the basis of Fortlow’s importance in Watts and as a modern-... ...Devious or Divine." Greece & Rome 2nd ser. 32.1 (1985): 32-41. Web. . Groeller, Alison D. "From Rage to Reason: Race and Politics In Walter Mosley's Socrates Fortlow Novels." Crossroutes: The Meanings of "Race" in the 21st Century. Ed. Paola Boi and Sabine Broeck. Munster: Lit Verlag, 2003. 161-72. Google Scholar. Web. Mosley, Walter. Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned. New York: Washington Square, 1998. Print. "Socrates." Free Study Guides for Shakespeare and Other Authors. Web. 10 Mar. 2012. . "Socrates." The Basics of Philosophy. Web. 10 Mar. 2012. . Taylor, C. C. W. Socrates. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print. Wilson, Charles E. Walter Mosley: A Critical Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003.

Blue Nile Case Essay

Background Blue Nile has grown into one of the largest jewelry retailers in the United States with only using the Internet as its distribution channel. The success is a direct result of a well-crafted business strategy that attracts high price customers and provides them with in-depth education about diamonds and jewelry. Gamble, Peteraf, Strickland III, and Thompson (2012), indicated that the company’s strategy provides customers with high quality diamonds, exceptional customer service and low prices (p. c-128). They pride themselves on their selection and outstanding education that they provide to consumers looking for the perfect diamond. In addition they have received various awards and recognition from Forbes and Bizrate.com (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, & Strickland, 2012, p. C-127). Blue Nile has found a niche in which to differentiate itself by creating an online marketplace for jewelry shopping and with low operating costs which makes them extremely competitive. In viewing Blue Ni les website, one can see that they have a vast amount of for potential buyers, that which determine a diamond’s value- carat, clarity, color, cut, and cut grade. Strength The company has a user friendly site that present a lot of diamonds styles to choose from with the 5C’s of diamond selection which are cut shape, cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Their price is much lower than others. Blue Niles also prides themselves on their selection and outstanding education that they provide to consumers looking for the perfect diamond (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, & Strickland, 2012, p. C-127). Weakness Blue Nile competes in a small area with a specialty offering. Brand awareness remains a constant source of weakness for the company. Blue Nile, Inc. needs to increase their advertising campaign to attract new and retain old customers. Opportunities Blue Nile needs to create a strong brand awareness that will allow can compete with Tiffany and Co. Blue Nile, Inc. recently opened warehouses in Canada and Britain, but has limited globalization to sales of 40 nations. Blue Nile will need global growth into the European market could prove to be a financial success. Threats Through the operating capital calculations it indicates that Blue Niles strategy is needs some adjustments in the current market space. From 2005 to 2009 the cash that has been available for the firm’s day-to-day operations has dropped dramatically. There was an estimated $58.8 billion in sales in the United States alone in 2009 (Thompson, 2012, p. C-127). With Blue Nile taking $302 million in sales in 2009, they had a great year but in reality only maintain a less than 1% of the market industry hold. This suggests that there is room for growth in this are. With steady profits for the past two years, 2011 has been the best year even though the 4th quarter resulted in small loss. The company profits are 2011 – $348 million, 2010 – $332.9 million, 2009 – $302.1 million, and in 2008 – $295.3 million be (Blue Nile, 2012, Investor Relations). References: Blue Nile, Inc. 2011 Annual Report (2012). Blue Nile, Inc. (online). Retrieved from http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/NILE/1855688484x0x560442/D1DAE1BA-0161-4574-8447-242F9561DF0E/2011_Annual_Report_FINAL.pdf Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., & Strickland, A. J. (2012). Crafting & executing strategy: The quest for competitive advantage (18th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Discussion 6.1 Jeffrey Clapper Jeffrey, I agree with your posting and I enjoyed reading it also. In reviewing the financials and the Internet site, it is apparent that Blue Nile spends a lot of money in the area that has no direct impact on generating profit. Blue Nile is now pursuing a new market consisting of non-engagement jewelry by offering an expanded range of products across several price points. This market should offer a great amount of growth opportunities for now and the future. All in all the brand and name recognition is the key aspect that the must pay attention to. Discussion 6.1 Michael Veltman Michael, Your post was very insightful. A main issue for Blue Nile is the lack of exposure through the their advertising. Blue Nile offers the best prices while still being able to create a profit. The low operations cost of the business enables them to offer low prices and still make a profit. On the other hand the lack of store front exposure creates a problem for gaining additional clients. By adding new products they can create there reach and drive more revenue.

Understanding the Patient Intake Process – Essay

Although, there are ways to make it easier for both the patient and the medical billing specialist and that is to use online registration. However, let us discuss the current process first. Although, the actual process may vary from practice to practice, the main objective behind the process is to obtain Information from new and established patients while he/she Is checking In at the practitioner's office, the hospital, or health clinic. Patient flow can be maintained if the medical practice implements an effective intake process.The intake process is just as important in serving satisfied customers as how he/she are treated during the process, time waiting in the waiting room to be taken back to the exam room, and time spent with the physician. If any of the processes are caking in organization, there will be unsatisfied customers, or patients, which, in turn, leads to less customers, or patients, that the physician administers treatment to. The process begins before the patient eve r steps foot inside the practitioners office.As soon as the patient calls the office to make an appointment the intake process begins because when a patient calls to make an appointment, the individual in charge of scheduling usually gathers the person's full name, telephone number, address, date of birth, gender, reason for the appointment, the name of the health Lana (If the patient has knob and the name of the referring physician (If the patient Is referred) (Valueless, Bases, Newbie, & Gaggers, Chapter 3-Patient Encounters and Billing Information, 2008).Then the office employee schedules the patient for the appropriate amount of time according to the reason for the visit. When the patient comes into the office the day of the appointment, if he/she is a new patient, he/she must come in early to fill out paperwork.One way that this can be made easier for patients, as well as medical staff, is for the medical practice to have online registration available to the patients. Online re gistration is a tool used by medical facilities to allow patients to register his/her billing and medical information before coming into the office for the first time. Because the patients are responsible for filling out the registration, there are fewer errors and less work for he staff member responsible for putting the information into the computer program. Furthermore, the patients look at it as a convenience (Sporran Solutions, 2011). Patients view this as a convenience because it enables him/her to fill out their information on his/her own time- at any time day or night.So, instead of having to fill out the information when he/she arrives at the office, he/she can fill it out beforehand and have less time spent in the waiting room (Sporran Solutions, 2011). Online registration also enables medical staff to receive and chart information more accurately and efficiently. So how does it work? When the patient calls to make his/ her first appointment the staff member that he/she is talking to tells him/her that they are able to register online before their first appointment (Sporran Solutions, 2011). The patient fills out the information and once it is completed the staff member can put it into the system, print it, and prepare the patient chart before the visit; physician reviews medical history more quickly (Sporran Solutions, 2011).

English Track Paper

Even as an early age, I was always hypnotized whenever I watched any sport. It was as if I were starring at a wizard’s enchanted globe. I remember being fascinated with the skills demonstrated by athletes in their particular arena of sports. Whether it was good dribbling skills of a basketball player, great footwork of a boxer, or incredible running power of a running back, any athlete with a good amount of skill was able to enslave my attention. My dad first encouraged my passion for sports at the age of 5. I remember watching basketball, football, boxing, track, tennis, and other sports in the living room with him. On the weekends, my dad would always spend a couple of hours throwing the football, shooting a few hoops, and racing to see who was the fastest with me. This not only fueled the flame of my sports passion, but it sowed the seeds of growth in my young physical and mental well-being. To me, my dad is like a great scientist or teacher when he introduced me to the concept that good physical and mental fitness go hand-in-hand. Even though I am an avid fan of many sports, the one I actively participated in was track. I ran track during my middle and high school years. During my middle school years, I was a decent track runner as most middle school students are. When I reached high school, I was an ok runner at first, nothing exceptional. Then my parents made the decision that would bring my running game to the next level and I didn’t even know it. During the summer after my sophomore year, my parents decided to enroll me in K-Y track club. It was basically a summer league track team that competed with other local and regional teams. When they first told me, I wanted to stage violent protests and start a bloody revolution. I was thinking, I don’t want to run in the summertime you idiots! If you think it’s such a good idea why don’t you get out there and run! † I thought to myself, wishing I had the guts to say it to my parents. Despite my protests, I was forced to go. Little did I know I was going to meet another one of my great teacher of sports; Coach Willie. Coach Willie is a well known and respected track coach in the Baton Rouge and surrounding areas. He has been coaching track for several years, and has coached several local, regional, and national champions. He was one of the greatest and most knowledgeable athletic teachers and trainers I have ever met. He re-programmed my running game to give it maximum efficiency and output, as he has done for several kids. The road to improvement was not easy; I had no clue of what I was in for during the first day of practice. The first practice took place by memorial stadium in Baton Rouge. After running many laps around the stadium, running up and down the hills the surround it, and numerous other sprints and exercises, I threw up which was usually a sign that I had a good practice, learned something, and was ready to go home. I asked one of the other kids a seasoned veteran of Coach Willie was it time to go home. He looked and laughed and said, â€Å"Practice just started that was just warm-up exercises. † I think I was too shocked to faint at first. â€Å"Just a warm-up! School track practice wasn’t this hard! † Now I really hated my parents, what kind of death-camp had they signed me up for?! I could have just gotten a job! This is pretty much how the first half of the summer went. I would wake-up thinking of a lie that could get me out of practice for the day. Try the lie on a parent, have lie fail and have to go to practice anyway. While at practice, would engage in what Coach Willie termed â€Å"up-grading† and â€Å"re-building†. Up-grading ourselves from the laziness we had acquired in his absence and re-building ourselves from the current level of garbage we were at, to the machines we should be. â€Å"I’m actually saving your lives. † Coach Willie would say as he walked watching us practicing and training with sweat-drenched bodies. â€Å"You should be paying me a hundred thousand, no a million dollars for even being out here looking at y’all. Not to mention getting you right† He would shout as he watched us from behind his aviator shades, barking commands as he watched us get in training formations like an army of well-muscled children soldiers. We were trained to be the most lethal competitors that stepped on the track at any meet we went to, to kill and dismember competition with no remorse. â€Å"Training and attitude separates winners and losers ladies and gentlemen. † Coach Willie would preach while bearing down us from beneath those shades, his silver-whistles hanging from his neck, reminding me of a slave-master’s whip. Every time he blew it, the mass of us would change exercises, or slow down or speed-up while running, mostly speed-up. For me the first half of the summer was brutal, not to mention the track meets. Whereas the competition in my school district had been kind of good the completion in summer league track was next level. I mean fourteen, fifteen and sixteen year olds were walking around reminding me of Nazi experimental super-soldiers. Every race I ran in I was pretty much punished and embarrassed. By the time the fifth or sixth meet came, Coach Willie had begun to give me a few pointers during practice and he began to gradually bring the dog in me out. I was a sprinter so he helped with getting a good start or â€Å"getting out of the starting blocks good† in track-talk. â€Å"A good start can win the first 40 yards of the 400 meter dash. So being able to get out the blocks smoothly is important† Coach Willie told me, he trained me on that and maintaining explosiveness of my speed during the race. I also begin to push myself and train a little harder during practice. It was difficult at first, but I began to notice the pointers Coach Willie was giving me would always shave a second or mille-second off my running time. I went from being last in the races, to being second-to-last, to being third-to-last, and so on. I knew I had truly made improvement when I placed third at a meet. Yes, I was actually in the top three and not last for once! I was ecstatic! Right about that time the summer track season was ending and school was re-starting. I was surprised to see myself actually feeling regret that summer-league season was over. When school track season started back I had forgotten that the competition in our school district was not on the same level as the competition in summer league track. I had gotten used to competing against some seriously good runners. The first day of track practice bore a hint of what was to come. When I emerged on the football field, which was where we practiced, something was different about me. My eyes had keen and dark look of wolf, my walk was well-coordinated like a boxer. My face bore a mean frown. My teammates watched as I stripped out of my tracksuit to warm-up. Eyes widened, jaws dropped, where there had been a skinny wimp now stood a finely-muscled, well-trained, running-assassin. I began to institute my new world order in our school track district. I quickly began decapitating the competition in track meets. I went from being a joke to being feared on the track, every meet I left opponents disemboweled on the track, showing no remorse or mercy. My teammates began to do better also; it was like we fed off each other’s dark energy. An energy which I was the first to bring to the team. It was like I was the leader of a ruthless band of mercenary and we fulfilled only the highest contracts. I remember wishing I could make a belt or necklace with the heads of fallen opponents. At the peak of my track career I was third in our school-district among sprinters. This was pretty good to me seeing as how far I had come and that the other two guys on top were very good. All of this change I owed to Coach Willie. This taught to fight and leave it all on the field in life and sports. To never give less than 100%. I owe Coach Willie much thanks, I’m glad he put that competitive attitude in me. To always be willing to out-fight, out-think, out-train, and out-work my opponent. Always try harder. Lock on it like a pit-bull terrier. This is one of the many reasons I love sports, I love when it comes down to the wire, when athletes give it their all and it is pound-for-pound, blow-for-blow, that is where training and attitude come into play, which is what sports and life is all about.